The theater is great. I have been there twice and both times, the play was good. The performers were great. The food was pretty lacking flavor. Next time I would eat somewhere else and just catch the show. read more

BLUF: food was pretty good. The show was fantastic Is waiting is an average between the two parts of the evening. We went to see their performance of White Christmas. First, the food. It's pretty good, but it was was more warm than hot when brought out to us. They're trying to feed a lot of people on a kind of stagless schedule, so it's obvious that each dish is prepared pretty far in advance and probably sitting under a heat lamp somewhere waiting to come out. The lasagna came with a couple of very nice dinner rolls and was pretty tasty. The salmon was very well done and came with some roasted potatoes. Also pretty good. There was a risotto dish that wasn't bad but wasn't great just okay. Everyone also gets a small very basic salad. For dessert they had a very nice Bundt cake, some strawberry cheesecake, and Pondoro. All were very good. Now, for the show itself. I have been to many Community Theaters and I don't think I've ever seen Talent like this one before. They really were top notch. Very talented group. The actual building itself is a little rundown, especially the carpeting. I would definitely recommend this to other people. It's a high quality show with pretty good food recognizing the limits of what they can do with the number of people with their serving on a stagwood schedule. The service was friendly throughout read more

This was our first time and we loved it. The salmon was a tad overcooked and the broccoli was very cooked but had good flavor. Salad, rice, rolls and desserts were excellent. We will be back! read more

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I attended yesterdays Jesus Christ Superstar performance. The food was poor, at best. We had a table of 6 and all agreed it was disappointing. Options were slim. And not good. We will just buy performance tickets moving forward. The sound was not good either. We've been coming for years and have never had an issue following story, but we were unable to hear. (Lucky we knew the storyline). read more

This was our 6th season of attending a dinner and performance (Murder on the Orient Express) at this venue. The service was amazing and on top of our needs the whole evening. The production was ok but I would say it was our least favorite of all the shows we have seen here. The actors were great and were very entertaining and skilled at their craft. The stage however, was a little underwhelming and wasn't on the level of most shows we have attended. It was something a high school would have put more details into. The food was the most disappointing portion of the evening. We arrive to a prepared salad at our table. This was a new experience. One tommy toe tomato, one slice of cucumber, a few strains of carrot and a palm of your hand portion of hedge lettuce. The sesame dressing was nice and came in a separate container so you could address to your preference. The bread was unevenly cooked. Top was crusty but the bottom was doughy. The main meal was broccoli (that was way over cooked) and cold with salmon and rice. The salmon was dry covered in a soy based sauce and the rice seemed like it was made the day before. Not fresh as all. We almost left at intermission and should have. Very poor stage presentation and the performance was too mellow. I almost fell asleep! Under new management I believe and it has gone from a 5 star production with renowned actors to a 2 star community play house. Very disappointed indeed read more

Riverside Center for the Performing Arts - Dinner before the show - Performing Arts Near Me - Fredericksburg, Virginia

Last night we went to see the Jersey Boys at the center. It was totally awesome. Our server was actually Frankie Valli. He was entertaining both on stage and at our table. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch, consisting of beef tips and chicken and the cheesecake for dessert was just phenomenal, all in all it is a great value for money. I highly recommend going there because you won't be disappointed. read more

Riverside Center for the Performing Arts - Performing Arts Near Me - Fredericksburg, Virginia

Been here 6 times in the last 8 years. The good news is the shows have improved - singing, acting, dancing, music, set design, etc. Even the food is decent. Unfortunately, the current CEO is a spotlight hog and thinks patrons come to see him. He literally can't stop interjecting himself on stage, on mic, and constantly interrupting the performances. IT IS INTOLERABLE. I can't imagine working for this clown. read more

My best friend and I came to enjoy the show, "Guess who's coming to dinner." The show, actors, storyline, sound system, props and backdrop was absolutely outstanding!! We really enjoyed it. The facility was clean and had a nice lobby to wait in pre-show. They had nicely maintained bathrooms and a snack bar. The food was about a 3 star lacking some flavor and flare. The dessert was dry and just okay. For an added charge it was not something great that I would ever order again. Thanks for a perfect show and a lovely day. read more

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We just watched Beautiful! Carole King Musical! Scored as a 4 for an average but it really needs 2 scores. First the musical should be a 4-4.5 it was absolutely entertaining, the actors were amazing, singing was great, they were also the staff and our waitress did a great job. The food....well....thats a 1. Eat before you go. My salad was missing, I was brought out a half salad with one tomato, no carrot or dressing-it was sad looking like they threw it together and ran it out to me. We couldn't get anyone so (sorry) my hubby switched my salad for one off another table...the salads just sit on the tables until you arrive. The rolls were hard on the outside-over cooked. The egg roll appetizer was good but obviously cooked from frozen. I had the ravioli and that was just no good-bland and very little ravioli, the first bite the top was very hard and dry. The waitress offered something else so I got the chicken and biscuits which was basically a version of chicken pot pie but no pie...it came out cold-not even warm...waitress said microwave was broke and she doesn't know what to do with it but she will find out. She came back and said she microwaved it for a minute. I thought it was broken? Anyways...the microwaved chicken and biscuits was very good microwaved compared to the ravioli, it was a huge portion even though it looked like someone just threw it on the plate. All the plating was horrible. My kid had the chicken with parmesan and spaghetti with green beans which the waitress did warn it is a bit dry usually...that was so very true but the spaghetti sauce it came with is literally a can of tomato sauce and no seasoning. The carrot cake was still frozen and like a hockey puck, dry -overcooked and looked like someone had bitten or scooped a fork into it, my kids cheesecake was such a tiny slice and wasn't good either. I do love their plays but we will be skipping the meals from now on. The decor is outdated and is in need of a remodel. The owners need to put some money into it....if you build it they will come lol ....Definitely do something with the food! read more

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Food is underwhelming but the drinks are well made. Service was excellent and friendly and the ambiance and show (Jersey Boys! ) was great. (Jarod was a great server.) read more

Just saw my second performance here last night. We saw Bridges of Madison County. The actors are amazingly talented. You really get into the Performance, definitely Broadway quality in Fredericksburg. Never a dull moment. The show keeps your attention the entire time. We decided to skip the meal this time. I wish they served the meal while you watch the show and then dessert at intermission if you choose to watch the show and have the meal you are sitting there for 4 1/2 hours in quite uncomfortable chairs. I understand they do it this way, because the actors are also the servers, but this is a long time to leave the audience sitting there. Having a few non-actors on staff to run, things would be helpful so that you don't have to sit there so long. Maybe even looking at a buffet option would help. We arrived a few minutes before the show started and the chef was nice enough to give us a sample of dessert. Dessert was quite tasty! I don't understand why every show here doesn't sell out, such a great night of entertainment! Already planning my next visit! read more

Riverside Center for the Performing Arts - Performing Arts Near Me - Fredericksburg, Virginia

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Great time w my wife. We watched Jersey Boys. Food was So much better from last events we've partaken in. Service was. plus Jared's Awesome and Very Personable. Great seats and perfect atmosphere to enjoy our evening. read more

Miracle on 34th street show was fantastic. The Santa reminded me so much of the original movie. The judge was hilarious. Well done! Now the food was the worst food I've ever had. School cafeteria could do better. This wasn't our first show/dinner so I'm shocked. We will go to the show only next time. Show = Food = Service = read more

Been coming here for about 15 years and this is the worst service and food quality ever experienced. Small portions, dry salmon, tiny green beans, and a small scoop of what tasted like artificial mashed potatoes. The bacliva dessert was the size of the prongs on my fork and I took a picture to prove it. I ordered a rum and coke and after reminding the server 6 times I finally went up to speak with someone. I was told that they were waiting on the bar but I had seen 100 drinks served in the hour I had waited. Funny how the person I spoke with had my drink to me before my butt hit my seat. A lot can happen in a couple of years but this place has taken a nose dive and not sure it will return to its once better self. Will keep my distance for awhile and if I ever return it will be a good reunion or the final straw. read more

Riverside Center for the Performing Arts - My review of the poor service at Riverside Dinner Theater - Performing Arts Near Me - Fredericksburg, Virginia

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I have no complaints about the performances. I've been to many and have enjoyed them all. However, the meal service is subpar and I do not recommend it...just go for the shows. As for the meals, many times they've allegedly run out of entrees and my party has had to settle for something they didn't particularly like. On the occasions we did get our first choice, the food was bland and the portions were small. On top of that, they serve their salads with about a teaspoon of dressing on the side. We all (including others seated at our table) had to ask for (and wait an interminably long time for) more dressing. When it came time for dessert (what I was actually looking forward to the most), we were told they were out of our choice. Several of us settled for something else, not nearly as appetizing, and many others like me, paid an up charge for something we thought sounded remotely appetizing. All the while, and many many minutes later seeing other tables served the dessert we had originally ordered. Anyway, all this to say...go for the shows, skip the food. read more

Absolutely loved Jersey Boys! Our party of six were so impressed with the caliber of the cast. We have a theatre group that enjoys the shows at Riverside. Staff and service are always welcoming & courteous. read more

Went for dinner and show with 3 children. They were out of children menu items as well as all appetizers . They then said no pasta which left chicken and cod. Changed pasta's to chicken. Before we got our meal they said pasta was back. Wanted no sauce for children but then couldn't do it. Cod was replaced by salmon without warning. So the 20$ charge for dinner was a waste as the kids only ate dessert. We asked for more rolls and was told we couldn't have it. Last meal we will eat there. The show was enjoyable but felt royally cheated on the 3 kids dinners. read more

Great food, drinks, and performance. Went to Escape to Margaritaville with a friend for dinner and a show - the theater was great and so much fun read more

They recently remodeled but the 1980s are calling and want their table cloths and chairs back....looks cheap. And, I don't understand why respectable actors and actresses are waiting tables. Should it not be that actors focus on their craft and servers should focus on their craft as well? Good shows though...especially the ones with Sally Struthers. So funny. read more

This dinner theater has pretty well prepared food a pretty decent variety menu. The actors are your servers. The acting is good to excellent. I would definitely recommend this dinner theater club to anyone it's even has children shows read more

The actors were great in Ragtime but the sound system made it very, very hard to hear the dialogue above the live musicians. We were served 1 1/2 hours after we arrived and others on our tier had already finished eating. Dirty plates Sat on our table during the show. Very disappointing experience. Sorry to say we won't be going back. read more

The dinner show was fantastic. It was a presentation of Margaritaville. The food was actually good. Service was slow. A tip for the future is to order everything you want when they first come to the table. Then you will have everything at once and enjoy the performance. read more

Wonderful performance of Nunsense. Nice venue. Will definitely return for the performance but not the meal. I won't start bagging on the problems but just enjoy a meal prior or after elsewhere. read more

We went to go see The Color Purple. It was literally Broadway quality. The actors were AMAZING. They double as waiters and waitresses depending on the day. So if you get lucky you'll get someone who is really great. I was sad that we didn't get the guy who was playing Harpo. He was so interactive with his guests. The food was okay. It was worth the $20 extra charge for going for dinner. But nothing to write home about. However and this is a big amazing plus, if you have any allergies or are lactose intolerant or anything like that You can email the chef and he will immediately email back and make sure that your plate is to your satisfaction so that you don't get sick. He's extremely nice. It was just my husband and myself and we didn't really feel like sharing a table with anyone else but the best thing is that you can go online when you get your tickets and you pick out where you want to sit. And the first row of tables right in front of the stage are two person tables and even though I got tickets last minute I still manage to snag basically one of the best seats in the house. See my pictures, we had table F4. We will definitely be going back for more shows! read more

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We have always enjoyed the Dinner Theater and have been regular visitors there since they opened. We even had our daughter's wedding reception there. Unfortunately, we have recently felt unfairly treated and "robbed" of about $700 in tickets. We were given gift certificates, the latest given January 2020. This was just prior to the world shutting down because of the pandemic. There are no use by dates on the tickets nor specific performances indicated. We went to use them and were told they were no longer valid, expired as of December 31, 2021. This was never told to us verbally or in writing. We were given some run around about them being 3 performance tickets, not gift certificates!?! Unfortunately, they have just pocketed our money and without notice turned their backs on long standing customers. Very disappointing and unprofessional. BEWARE IF YOU HAVE PURCHASED GIFT CERTIFICATES! read more

We only watched a performance here, but it was a very entertaining one. The staff were friendly and the actors were professional. I would definitely recommend this theater. read more

This is a very good venue that serves good food for the price and puts on excellent productions. The service is good and it's fun watching for your server on stage. I recommend a visit. read more

All was great!! Food, service, show and all you came in contact with. Bathroom was clean, great pictures on the wall. Music excellent and all was a friendly atmosphere. I will go for a long, long time. read more

Went for dinner and show to Riverside center for Performing Arts to see the Christmas Spectacular Home for the Holidays. The dinner and service were very good and the show was outstanding! read more

We went here to see Mamma Mia. The service was great and all the staff were friendly and accommodating. The show was really well done. All the actors and actresses were very good and had great singing voices. The only reason for the four stars is the food was very bland with no real flavor. read more

Riverside Center for the Performing Arts - Performing Arts Near Me - Fredericksburg, Virginia

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My husband and I got married here three years ago. We wanted to have a baby shower here as well this summer, but I cannot seem to get a call back from the House Manager, Kimberly. I emailed and called and still no call back. She said she would call this past Saturday but still hasn't and has not responded to my email. Most definitely will not be spending money here if we cannot get a response. Starting to think they do not want African American people having events here since we keep getting the run around for over a week now. read more

We received gift certificates for the children's lunch 'n' theater and honestly did not know what to expect. The show we watched was Dora the Explorer and the Pirate Adventure. We were pleasantly surprised they did a great job and getting the audience involved. The food was perfect for the audience intended; chicken tenders, fruit, teddy grahams, chips & juice box. We were so impressed that this gem was hidden I'm Fredericksburg. I love knowing that we have a great place to go as a family or even for a date night. The price is ver reasonable considering you're getting a meal and real live entertainment. Highly recommend it! It's so much more convenient than driving to DC and the actors are truly talented. Also they have GF menu items if you have Gluten allergies. read more

We have been here a few times. Price for the shows are okay, meals are mediocre, performers are good. Tables are very small and they don't clear them as the next dish is coming out. Very little room for your water/tea/coffee. This time (Sunday 3 o'clock show) we opted to have food at home, purchased a 1/2 carafe of wine at the bar and asked the waiter prior to show if we could have some water, he forgot. At intermission, we asked the other server and she suggested we go to the WATER FOUNTAIN as she was busy. While I understand we did not eat there, there is no excuse not to put water on the table, let alone ask to get water and be told to go the water fountain. You get what you pay for, convenience. If you have the time to go north, pay the price and get better service. read more

So I left a review of the spectacular show I saw last year (Million Dollar Quartet) but the food was horrible. As was the food for the show On Golden Pond. Tonight we saw Beauty and the Beast..what an EXCELLENT production, everything, the staff, the stage hands the orchestra, actors - everything was perfect. And trust me, I don't like musicals and was dreading this show for months - was I ever wrong. Perfect. Now the food review: EXCELLENT ! couldn't have asked for a more perfect evening. Thanks to everyone there! Tod Runyon read more

Having worked there as a cook for a while I am really just disgusted at the amount of food thrown out on a daily basis. The food is all cooked prior to it being ordered. Using an educated guess as to what people might order, there always ends up being a ton of extra plates left over every day. It wasn't uncommon for 20-30+ plates of food to be thrown right into the garbage every night. For liability concerns they don't donate it, so it all goes into the garbage (employees are allowed to take some home, which is nice). The price per a plate is really low, so they don't lose too much money doing it, but the waste in general is just sad. The kitchen is pretty clean, but I have seen some nasty stuff happen. Once an entire rack full of beef tenderloin fell over, dropping all the meat on the floor. The guy who dropped it grabbed a broom and swept it up, washed it off and put it back on... Felt sorry for the people eating beef that night. The cooks are paid horribly though and work 6 days a week, so they have very little reason to care. read more

Great theater! I have been to a few dinner theaters and community theaters, this one was definitely better than I had expected. The show was amazing, the actors...wow. I've been to a few in NYC, and they definitely are up there when it comes to the talent. I went with my family and boyfriend. They are nice enough to announce birthdays and anniversaries as well so long as you tell them when booking your table. Always fun when not expected! The food was good, but you could tell it was not fresh and probably came out of something frozen. Out of all the meals, I'd recommend the tilapia which was good, moist, etc. The rest were good, just the tilapia was the best. I could only get the pork chop because of food allergies, but the staff/chef was nice enough to make a special plate for me to make sure I wasn't having anything that might have caused me to go to the hospital later. VERY nice of them. The Chef actually called and emailed me. Not all places do this, and sometimes when they say they will, they LIE. And I find out the hard way. NEVER fun, nor appreciated. So thanks Riverside, for taking precautions for my health and safety. :) The show, Hairspray, loved it!!! Main actress Priscilla really needs to move to NY and start acting up there. So much talent, enthusiasm, personality, looks, etc. A real heart/show stealer. And she was a great waitress as well! I was also impressed by the acting of Ms Turnblad (James), Mr. Turnblad (Jason), Corny Collis (Matt), OK, you know what, they were all great. Really. I was going down the playlist and realized that there was no one I wanted to comment on. I recommend going to this show if you can. I would probably come here and check out other plays as well. :) Thanks again Priscilla!! For the great service, and AMAZING performance...!!! As well as the other actors too ;) read more

Purchased tickets to the New Years show last year 2017/18 show was Good, Service good, Food so so! This year 2018/19 was an Elvis impersonator we had seen in the past. The band was so loud you could not hear him sing, The service was below bad... Lost order no drink refills and brought 3 rolls for 4 people? Food was Worse Cold burned Chicken, The menu said Chicken with Roasted red potatoes and vegetable medley. I was served cold Rice and something that looked like it may have once been green beans. I sent it back and they brought cold instant mashed potatoes and the same beans. The band stayed for the after show party they were OK but again the buffet was all cold and bland. Not worth the $125 per person ticket. Next year will not be there that's for Sure!!!!! read more

We went to see "Beauty and the Beast" and were sorely disappointed with the service and the menu.We did not get most of the items on the fixed menu,being told that they "ran out"of the soup and dessert. DInner was not served until 5 minutes before the show started and the show was an hour late.We were told they would not adjust the cost of the evening.We were screwed since we had already paid for dinner when we ordered the tickets two weeks before.I would not recommend this place,they take your money and don't provide what is promised. read more

We just saw "The Wedding Singer" and had a fun afternoon with a great group of women. Enjoyed our Lunch, the actors are your servers and they took great care of us. read more

Riverside Center for the Performing Arts - I ordered the Salmon and Shrimp with Hollandaise sauce and itwas served hot and the fish was not over cooked. - Performing Arts Near Me - Fredericksburg, Virginia

Riverside Theater puts on a great show. I came to see Hairspray on a Saturday night, after making reservations using a Homerun coupon. My friend T & I arrived just before 6PM, and we were seated in one of the front tables on the main floor - one of the best spots in the house! Our waitress was very attentive and friendly, and our dinner was served before the performance. The dinner menu options are posted on the website - I ended up getting the baked chicken entree and mango cheesecake, along with the included standard salad and cornbread. T ordered the cranberry-apple stuffed pork chop, which seemed pretty good. The standard drinks are water or iced tea (unsweetened). I didn't order any of the extra appetizers or drinks they had available for purchase, but it was nice to have the option. The food was pretty average, but not bad at all. The real shining star of the evening was the performance, of course! Since the cast also waits on tables before the show, our waitress actually ended up being Tracy Turnblad! She and the other actors far surpassed my expectations with their talent. The performances definitely leaned much more towards professional than just a community theater. The sets were also even better than I expected. The cast was very energetic, and I really enjoyed the show. This is the perfect place to come for a night out that includes entertainment, but it also gives guests a chance to spend quality time together during the meal portion of the event. Although the website requests business casual attire, I was wearing jeans and a nice top to the event, and I felt that was appropriate for the crowd. read more