The Gourmet Detective

Visited the gourmet detective show in Newport Beach
4−30−16
Fun for about 15 minutes after that the acting and the plot became sillier.
The house Chardonnay at $ 9/​glass is undrinkable. tried the chicken
Marsala no flavor. vegis were cold and uncooked
Cheese cake was served frozen.
Best part of the meal was the bread and the garlic mashed potatoes.
Our table mates had ravioli pasta sauce neither could eat.
Many tables in our vicinity tried two bites and gave up.
For the price they charge the quality is pathetic

Came here for my husband’s Company Christmas party. While the atmosphere wasn’t impressive (it’s an older Mom and Pop style Italian restaurant) the service was very friendly and attentive. Immediately you are served and treated as if you are in the show’s scenario– so much so that you begin to wonder who is a patron, server or actor.
I’ve knocked them the two stars down for two reasons: 1) the not so good food (think assembly line cafeteria style food) and 2) the shady neighborhood.
My husband ordered the «steak» which to us was a few strips of fatty meat on top of spaghetti, and I ordered the salmon, which was dry and totally overlooked and served with also dry and tasteless fettuccine Alfredo. But you do come here for the mystery/​show experience, and not necessarily for the food. But still– decent food would have been welcomed! :(
The actors were all fun and very sweet and accommodating. I just wish we didn’t walk out of there feeling like our stomachs were empty, but somehow out of sorts.
Oh yeah, on another note: when we checked in it said we get a free candy bar with the Unilocal check in. When we presented it to them they said that they didn’t have any. Double boo. :(

Got a chance to return to a favorite date night last weekend — celebrating a night out without kids with the Gourmet Detective at their new location. We missed being right downtown on Main (staying at Mission Inn), but the food made up for having to make the short drive. Same great show and great cast from our last visit, and hurray — the food in this new location is an upgrade from the former location. Hubby had the chicken and I had the salmon. Both were delicious, as was the focaccia. The red wine we picked was more than decent. The cast as funny and engaging as ever. We’ll be back next year when they change the show. FYI parking is behind the restaurant. We drove by it before figuring out to turn around and go around back.

I’ve been there twice and both times I walked out of there with my cheeks and stomach sore from laughing so much. The atmosphere combined with the cast’s improv interactions with the audience transports you to a different time and place. You gotta let yourself go and engage with the actors to truly enjoy it. The more you mess with them, the more they mess back!
The food was good, the improv was great, the story was easy to follow bit hard to predict, I would absolutely recommend this to friends and plan on going again!

Such a fun date night out! Have been to both shows and had a great time, with good food and laughs. Would definitely go again!

The worst food, terribly boring and a complete waste of time! When my food finally came it was ice cold with raw vegetables. Expensive and not worth it!

Absolutely Ioved it! Can’t wait to come back again. I truly recommend it and can’t wait to spread the word to family and friends :)

Went yesterday night, husband took me for our anniversary. We had a great time, as most reviews state the food is OK, if you’re top priority is quality of food you might be disappointed. But for me I’ve always wanted to go to a murder mystery dinner and I was pleasantly surprised on how much fun I had. They make one person per table set become a suspect and my husband was chosen for this part which was awesome. It makes you stay involved with the show. We would definitely do it again!

Booked a date at the end of February for my boyfriend and I. Arrived at about 7:10 for our 7:30 show. While outside mingling with other groups a cast member comes out. He is dressed as our chef and has a French accent. He kept on about «no special orders» fine enough at first but then he wanted us to yell out and repeat «NO SPECIAL ORDERS!!» It was juvenile and awkward. I was already a little loose from some previous adult beverages and was put off by it. I get it, you’re paying for a show not fine cuisine, but I think there’s a better way to get the point across. Anyways, show was decent. The food decent as well. The bf and I both had the tri tip which we thought was a lil too well done (like the rest of the reviewers here). Cheesecake and coffee at the end was my favorite part of the meal. Had a glass of their house red wine (can’t remember the if it was a Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon) and it was pretty good. It was a fun night.

I thought this might be a great and different way to spend Valentine’s Day with the hubby so bought us tickets as a surprise. This was our first time doing anything like this so I was excited about going. The evening did not disappoint. What a hoot!
As most reviews have already mentioned, before you enter the theatre you’ve already met several of the cast members. You enter and dinner begins immediately with your salad. Just a salad. Cold, crisp and with ranch dressing. As you finish your salad, the theatrics begin for the first act. And by the end the mystery has begun. Since the cast serve the next course, you have lots of time to interact. They are trying to serve several tables, but very relaxed to play around. It’s a nice and really ads to the intimacy. I had salmon and the hubby had the tri-​tip. I thought the salmon was excellent but, as stated in previous reviews, the tri-​tip a bit dry. However, keep in mind that if you’re looking for the gourmet dinner without the theatre there are plenty of excellent choices in the area. However, for the type of evening you’ve paid for I believe the food is up to par. The veggie medley was cooked perfectly (zucchini and carrots) and the mashed potatoes seasoned well.
Now that we’re full of meat and potatoes we get to the meat and potatoes of the whodunit. Lots to learn about the sinister cast and fun to be involved. After this act, they allow you to make your pick as to who committed the crime. Lots of discussion going on around our table while the cast was serving an excellent cheesecake. You turn your pick in and prepare to find out who the culprit was. An excellent ending! Lots of laughs after as funny picks are read out loud and a winner is drawn from the correct answers. Don’t forget to stop by and get a pic with the cast member before you leave.
We are going back and planning to take a group of friends with us. This is a great way to spend an evening if you’re looking for some laughs and fun with a pretty good meal to go with it. Quick! Make a reservation now!!!

I received tickets to The Gourmet Detective for my birthday last week. I had never been to a murder mystery dinner before, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. We arrived early and I was impressed at how the characters were already out and about and interacting with the guests, even as we got checked in. I really felt like I was attending a birthday party in France! As we were seated, we ordered cocktails and got to enjoy visiting with family and friends who had come to celebrate with me. The characters would occasionally pop-​in, but it wasn’t disruptive at all– it added to the overall experience very well. The show started and we were immediately involved in the event. The intimate setting of the theater is the perfect balance of audience and interactive, meaning that you were able to relax and enjoy the show, but you always felt connected. The food was decent, although I would have liked to have had my tri-​tip a bit more rare. I really enjoyed the cast also being the people who served the dinner so that we were able to interact with them a bit more once the show had started and we knew who was who. After dinner was served the show resumed and concluded with dessert and your chance to guess «whodunnit?». The show was fast-​paced, interactive, and fun! The cast was amazingly talented, professional, and entertaining. I would highly recommend The Gourmet Detective to people of all ages for a special occasion, or just a unique and enjoyable date-​night. This was my favorite birthday gift this year!

This is a fun place to take a date or go with a friend. The show was good, the drinks were good. The food was okish.
The word Gourmet should be taken out of the name. «No special orders» is the theme here. So my tri-​tip was overcooked (still tasted ok) would have been much better if it was cooked medium rare but you don’t even get a chance to say how you want it cooked. I am a bit of a foodie so I was interested to see how other people liked their selection. Salmon overcooked and hard, chicken was overcooked chewy. I have had «banquet» style food before (food not cooked to order). This was pretty weak even compared to banquet style food.
If I had paid full price, I would have been upset, but since a bought one of those «deals» I think I got what I paid for.
I think it would be nice if a place like this offered a «burger and fries» menu and a true gourmet menu for two different prices.

Gourmet Detective gets all 5 stars. I was part of a party of 15 last night ⁵⁄₁₀. From the moment you walk up you are met with actors in character. I laughed so hard and the food was good. This show is the real deal. Props to the pianist who plays non stop and gets you in every mood.
Thank you Gourmet Detective Riverside, I’m a fan.

My wife surprised me for our anniversary and took me here. I was skeptical at first, but it turned out to be quite entertaining. We had a great time. The actors are welcoming and very humorous. The food wasn’t the best, but it wasn’t terrible either. We had the Tritip and we both agreed the veggies were the best part of the meal. If you’re looking for something different to do, not a bad choice. I would recommend going with one or more couples as you get seated with others and sometimes that might not always work out as expected. We went by ourselves, but made small talk with the two other couples at the table.

Such a fun place! The wife and I attended for the first time tonight and had a great time. The show is very interactive and funny to boot. I looked forward to going all week and was not let down. I even went out and bought a new hat and tie for the event!
Definitely worth checking out one weekend. If I see that they have changed the show I will make another trip up.

Just went here the other night with the ol’ parents and some friends. I have nothing bad to say, seriously.
First, the food. I got the vegetarian lasagna and it was a HUGE serving, I could barely eat less than half of it. It was delicious. My stepdad and friends got the steak and the steak alone literally took up half the plate. My mom got the chicken Marsala. She hates mushrooms and she said it was great. For my picky eater mom, that’s a big deal. For desert we were served a good size slice of cheesecake with some chocolate sauce on the top, and caramel sauce on the plate, along with a little bit of strawberries. I am still talking about how good that cheesecake was. Like, whaaa?!
For the performance, we had «Get Cartier». The actors were very interactive, yet not so much so that an introvert like me would writhe in fear throughout the night. The actors stayed in character all throughout the show, even before and after. I was very impressed with their acting abilities and professionalism. I must say they were all very talented and I was very impressed.
This particular show was at the Hyatt place just across the street from their normal place, so I can’t comment on the spaciousness of the joint. We were at round tables and there was tons of room. Also, the hotel had a valet, so parking wasn’t an issue. I live in downtown less than about 5 minutes from the Gourmet Detective, so I know parking can be difficult especially during the festival of lights. If you have to park down the street make a thing of it and enjoy the Mission Inn and the beauty of Downtown Riverside on your jaunt from the car to the restaurant. It’s wonderful!
At the end they give you the opportunity to take pictures with the cast. My friend took it to the next level and set the actors up in a little scene to take their pictures. They all happily obliged and did everything she said! It was hilarious and kind of bizarre. They were so much fun!
I was entertained for a good 2 ½−3 hours, and left with a full tummy, so I’m saying holler back Gourmet Detective! Thank you for a fun, delicious and entertaining night. I look forward to going back.

We loved the intimate setting and the ad lib-​ing with the audience! Don’t be afraid to play along with the show, the actors are more than capable of entertaining your comments.
However, I do recommend the Chicken (a bit salty like brine) as the steak was more of a well-​done roast (nothing fancy and it isn’t a steak house so don’t be so surprised) and the couple next to use said the salmon was a tad dry and rather fishy tasting. The margarita on the rocks that I ordered was just right and not too pricey.
Totally worth going to «Darling, you slay me», but once is probably enough since knowing whodunnit wouldn’t have the same effect. Guess that means were off to Newport to see «Get Cartier»! :)

AMAZING EXPERIENCE!!! Went there hoping for a fun dinner date and the experience surpassed all of our expectations!!! And it wasn’t just the show, the dinner was great too. The chicken was moist and flavorful and the beef tasted delicious as well. We have never gone to a murder mystery dinner before, so I called a few days before the show and they were so nice and helpful with all my questions. And then the night of the show, the cast totally made our night! So interactive and fun! It’s a perfect experience for a special occasion, a date, or just something fun to do! :)
Thank you again Gourmet Detective for a wonderful night!!! :)
From Sir Angel and Miss Jackie

I attended SAT FEB 4, 2012 with friends and it was FUN from the get-​go.
The Actors were bright, cheery & welcoming upon entry, and made sure we had everything we could have needed.
The Show was… fun & entertaining. Be prepared to become an active participant in the show. You may chat with the characters, dance, and maybe even sing a little.
I haven’t laughed so much in a looong time. It’s a great way to forget about the outside world & all your troubles or worries.
The food was tasty starting with bread & butter, then salad, followed up with the option of a beef, chicken, fish or vegetarian plate, and finally dessert & yummy coffee. There is a full bar with lovely service.
The only issue I had was that I think the server got the decaff & regular coffee carafe mixed up so I was awake most of the night afterwards. Ooops!
But you know… it was worth it.
Lots of B-​Day celebrations & why not, it’s a great place to celebrate.
Kudos to the entire operation.
Downtown Riverside is a better place with this entertaining venue.
Go! Take your family & friends. I highly recommend it.

I guess my experience was better than the others when I attended here. While I am not as experienced as others, perhaps, I found the show rather good.
The doors opened at 7:40pm (for our 8pm showing) and we were taken upstairs. That is where the theatrics began. We were greeted at the door by people in-​character and taken to our seat.
I watched the various actors wander from table to table. Shortly thereafter we were given a salad. My only complaint would be that it seemed a bit salty.
Throughout the evening the theatrics continued. I will agree that those looking to stuff themselves on food will walk away disappointed. The average serving of Fish, Beef, or Chicken is around 6−8oz.
The cost of soda’s is around $ 2 for a 8−9oz glass. I don’t know about the beer or wine as we did not partake in either of those.
And at the end we all had a small slice of cheesecake for desert.
Overall the experience was good for us. I realize people may be expecting a lot of a place that has «Gourmet» in it’s name but it really isn’t all that. Tickets themselves are around $ 65 per person.
Would I go again? Yah, I would. I found acting to be highly entertaining. The comedy was great and the actors were able to pick themselves up in-​character if they made a small error. In our case one of the actors accidentally lost their wig, but they played it up (in-​character) and everyone had a good laugh from it.
And a final note to those reading, if you’re going to go to this on a major holiday or outting, don’t expect things to be picture perfect. There’s a lot of other people doing the exact same thing on that time frame as you.
Beyond that, given it a try. Despite the average critics, one should find this dinner show entertaining.