The Dinner Detective True Crime Murder Mystery Dinner Show Reviews 

I purchased DD tickets for my sister and I for Saturday night Jan 24, 2026. I live in TN and drove to Birmingham for the show. A massive winter storm is coming as everyone in the nation knows. If I do not head home and secure my home and animals I would be stuck in AL for 4/5 days. I called to change the date for my tickets and NOPE,NO CAN DO, TO BAD was the response I got. Bad business attitude from DD. I did not ask for a refund just to change the date for my tickets. Think twice before committing to DD, you are sol if something changes.

Many facets need improvement:
1- Too much responsibility is placed on the guests to both sleuth AND mingle and not enough time to eat the courses. There is especially no time to go from the bar or restroom and arrive back in the conference room without missing something. A cash bar should be in the room where the dinner and acting takes place.
2- The wait staff did not speak English well. Plus, we had to ask for more dressing and bread and refills. There was not enough of the former to go around at a ten-person table, and they never came around unless they were waved down.
3- There should be more physical clues in the room and more scenes acted out. Insisting that each guest rely on a shared QR code in order to mine clues on their phones is time consuming - and the food is getting cold. Moreover, everyone should be given a clipboard since there is no room on the table to place or write on the single piece of paper that is the worksheet.
4- The code names are pointless and the actors think they are being creative by putting people on the spot to come up with a backstory for their code names when they are not employed actors; they are paying customers expecting to be entertained.
5- The basis of the crime is not explored at all (which revolves around the suspicious and untimely death of an actress) but we are supposed to forget about that and solve the most recent ancillary murder, which seems to ignore the overarching motive.
6 - In the end, one patron is awarded the prize for getting closer than anyone else to solving the (ancillary) murder. But the rest of the participants are not made aware of why that person won, what they uncovered, and what the rest of us may have missed. Thus, it is wholly anticlimactic.
The food, however, was very good. And it ought to be for 80 bucks a pop.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.

The entrees were horrible, the storyline was IMPOSSIBLE to follow and the "dress code" was not enforced. The seating area was too crowded. However, the dessert was delicious and parts of the show were funny.

Amazing food, a great and engaging performance with the characters, and a really interesting mystery to solve!

Great experience, very engaging with no pressure. Had a great time!!

It was a good laugh time. Laughter and a lot of fun. The way it was all setup.

The Dinner Detective is a unique experience. The dinner itself was just ok, which is why I gave it a 4 out of 5. Those that I went with stated that the chicken and fish were a bit dry, but other than that it was fine. I would recommend the vegan option which is pasta with vegetables. But the entertainment is why you come anyway. The actors were hilarious and spot on with their quips. Mostly scripted with some improv and interaction with the audience. It was very fun. I would go back again. Bring friends, it is fun with a group!

It was a ton of fun with great food! Hilarious with surprises around every corner!

It was a lot of fun and the food was delicious.

Always a fun time with strangers and murder. Our second time around the table. Get out and solve crime or just stay home and pout. Trust us, it’s a great night away from the brats.

Very fun, good food.

Something different, fun and entertaining!

I scheduled a dinner for my husband and I, for his birthday, more than two months in advance. I paid the extra $25 for him to be a "suspect" during the show. I arranged childcare for our three children and invited two family members to attend (they bought their tickets separately and also had to arrange childcare). Emails from Dinner Detective told us to arrive @5:45pm. The day of the show, 45 minutes before guests were expected to arrive, I received a text and an email stating the show had been canceled. We were already heading towards the venue, and paid the sitters. Yes, Dinner Detective refunded our tickets, however the entire evening was ruined since it was a birthday present and expensive childcare had already been arranged. It was VERY short notice for the cancelation.

We booked a private dinner for our department. The onsite actors were great and humorous. The team enjoyed the experience. If you have budget, I would recommend enhancing the menu because the food was so, so.

This company did well at incorporating people into the story. Mixing story telling and jokes to keep the audience guessing. I would reccomend for any gathering, function, or party.

Amazing experience and food. Highly recommeneded.

This was so much fun! Delicious food! Top night!

Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this experience.

The cast clearly tried, but the execution felt under-rehearsed. The script didn’t flow naturally and often came across as forced—especially the dynamic between the two law enforcement characters, which never quite clicked.

That said, New Year’s Steve stood out and earned points for her character commitment.

I understand the show is meant to be over-the-top and campy, but even within that lane it fell short. I’ve seen high school productions with stronger character commitment and tighter pacing.

Food didn’t help the evening. All four of us ordered the chicken with carrots and potatoes; it arrived cold, and the chicken was dry.

Bottom line: despite some effort from the cast, the overall experience missed the mark. I wouldn’t recommend this to a friend.

So fun what a great way to celebrate the holidays with our team!