Top Dinner Theater In Houston

The Daily Meal Staff|Oct. 13, 2014 7:00 am EST

When you want to go out for dinner and a show but don't want to drive to more than one location, make sure to check out one of these area locations for dinner and a show all at once! There are a variety of dinner theaters in Houston and they offer something for everyone at a wide range of price points and subjects. Especially popular are murder mystery dinners where the audience gets involved – but you can also find a great performance from a cabaret singer or some hilarious comedy to enjoy over a delicious meal with family and friends. Make sure to check out these stellar dinner theaters in the Houston area.

The Dinner Detective
400 Dallas St.
Houston, TX 77002
(866) 496-0535
www.thedinnerdetective.com

If you like being involved with everything you do, this is the dinner theater for you. There's a murderer on the loose – and they might even be at your table! This dinner theater is interactive and everyone is encouraged to talk to other attendees to try and figure out whodunit before dessert ends, and since some of the performers are dressed in street clothes, you may end up working with them to work out the mystery without even knowing. A prize is awarded for the sleuth who gets closest to the right answer, but everyone in attendance wins with the great entertainment and delicious meal.

Birraporetti's
500 Louisiana St.
Houston, TX 77002
(713) 224-9494
www.birrarestaurant.com

With a slogan of "A great Italian restaurant... a heck of an Irish bar," you know this place has to be good. In addition to delicious food served for lunch, dinner and late night, the restaurant, which shares a building with the Alley Theatre, also hosts dinner theaters and cabarets of local artists in its basement performance space. Often seen on weekends, the cabarets and concerts feature various performances from Broadway standards to rock bands. Reservations are required; be sure to call early to save your spot!

Murder By Chocolate
18201 Egret Bay Blvd.
Houston, TX 77058
(281) 992-1888
www.murderbychocolate.net

Not sure the whole dinner theater experience is for you? Try it out with "The WhoDunit Dessert" package from Murder by Chocolate, where guests try to solve a mystery CSI-style with fingerprints and forensics while sampling from a delicious chocolate dessert bar. Those who know they want the full experience can attend the dinner theater full show, catered by Carrabba's. Dessert shows are held Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and the full theater experience is held every Saturday.

Celebrity Mystery Theater
901 Commerce St.
Houston, TX 77002
(800) 315-5582
www.celebritymysterytheater.com

Tired of the same old same old in your murder mystery parties? Check out Celebrity Mystery Theater at the Spaghetti Warehouse, which brings something extra to the table – a cast full of celebrity impersonators! Follow along while you have a pasta dinner and see if you can predict if it was Cher, Elvis or someone else from pop culture who populates the cast. The event is on Friday or Saturday evenings and requires advance registration. You won't want to miss out on this hilarious theater.

Mystery Cafe
2400 W. Loop S.
Houston, TX 77056
(713) 944-2583
www.mysterycafehouston.com

Since 1995, this dinner theater has been entertaining audiences with various mystery and comedy shows. The four-course meal has scenes between the courses to ensure you won't miss anything while enjoying your food. Mystery Cafe has won numerous awards and performs weekly at the Sheraton Suites in the Galleria area. Make sure to get your reservations at least a week in advance – they sell out quickly.

Gillian Kruse is a freelance writer living in Houston. She graduated from Rice University with a great love for all performing and visual arts. She enjoys writing about arts and cultural events, especially little-known ones, to help Houstonians learn about what's going on in their city. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.