This is really 1 1/2 stars, but I didn't feel *right* giving this outfit just **one** star. I mean, they did try. But for the life of me I don't know how this gets such great turn out each week (I had to go on my third choice of a date because they were sold out whenever I tried to get a reservation any other time), or how I'm the only Yelp Eliter who has reviewed this. Maybe **that** should have been my first clue: Elite Yelpers know better to avoid this crap.
Picture it: a spring in New York City and a wife is walking with her husband in midtown Manhattan. She notices a sign for a Murder Mystery Dinner at a restaurant she's passed several times. When she asks her husband if he'd like to check it out, he says NO WAY. So she asks some of her girlfriends to which they say YES! I guess they all figured, for $79/pop, with dinner/soft drinks/coffee included (no dessert, WTF???), that you're paying for entertainment.
Well lucky for us (it's me, get over it), we found that Groupon and Living Social had regular specials - I stumbled upon a Living Social deal that was 2-for-1. My friend got one 2/$99. We decided to go together.
The food was the best part. And that's not saying much. Clearly, the penne al vodka (which was ZITI al vodka) was bought at Trader Joes. The chicken parm was decent too. But I dunno, I guess it's hard to mess that up.
Here's my question: No vegetarian options NOR anything for people with dietary restrictions like gluten/wheat free. I'm not either but I do understand the intricacies with those restrictions. That said, with all the a) bruschetta b) focaccia and c) more bread brought to the table, you're excluding a group that could otherwise spend money there.
Not that I'd tell my vegetarian friends and/or celiac friends to go to this. It was a complete waste of money and the only reason why this isn't ZERO stars is because I did go 2 for the price of 1. Next time, someone will have to pay me.
So remember that line about paying for the entertainment. Clearly, these actors are getting paid too MUCH. The actors were nice and funny in getting engaged with the audience beforehand and even during. There was NO plot. There was no rhyme or reason. Remember when we were kids, and we played the game Clue? This outfit should get one. Not the game - A CLUE! A live-action Clue I thought would have been more fun. It was the furthest thing from it.
The story was haphazard. It was hard to follow. And they ask for live audience participation, meaning you have to guess who conspired in the deaths and were the killers. Fair enough but it's tough to do that when you are not given a goddamn thing to go by. They bring up random people from the audience to participate but it turns out there are a few who are involved in the acting troupe anyway. You just don't know who those folks are till they unveil the killer.
This was awful. Beyond awful. Acting was terrible, jokes outdated and cheesy. And what's an Italian dinner without some kind of dessert, like Viennese table or cookies at least? I saw some people got some bakery cookies. We did not. Boo!
Lastly, take a cue from Golden Girls and the "Murder on the Orient Express" episode. Trust me, you'll learn a lot more from those old bitties than you will at this thing. Oh, and furthermore, just make yourself some pasta and watch that old episode and stay at home. You'll get more out of it.
Seriously, I would have been pissed off had I paid full price. Glad I didn't. But I see why this thing gets so much hype. Bridge and tunnel people, baby! No offense to my friends who DID come in from Long Island to see it. But NEVER AGAIN. At least, my friends and I had fun...AFTERWARDS. read more