Dinner Detective Murder Mystery

The Dinner Detective is an interactive murder mystery dinner, and the Denver show is staged inside the Embassy Suites Downtown at 1420 Stout Street. The listing calls it a true crime murder mystery show, with a four-course dinner, coffee, tea and iced tea included, alcoholic drinks available at a cash bar, and a prize for the evening's Top Sleuth. It lasts about three hours and starts at 6:00 pm, with dates and times chosen at checkout. The format puts the audience at the center: actors are seeded among the diners, a crime is committed, and tables work together to gather clues, question suspects and make accusations. The room holds up to eighty guests, so expect a busy, social evening rather than a quiet date. The minimum age is fifteen, the dress code is business casual or dressy casual, and the venue is wheelchair and stroller accessible. A vegetarian option is available if requested at booking. The experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason, so book only when your plans are firm.

This is the right show for groups. Friends, coworkers and extended family tend to get the most from the format because the fun comes from playing detective together, trading theories and being picked out by the actors. Solo travelers and couples can also have a good time, but they should be comfortable with being seated with strangers and drawn into the action. Reviewers describe a lively, playful atmosphere.

Reviews are positive but mixed in useful ways. People praise the actors, the interactivity and the atmosphere. Complaints focus on the food quality, the hotel signage that makes the venue hard to find, a lack of drinks at one event and a dislike of one plot setup. With a rating of 4.4 from forty-one reviews, it sits below the best tours on this page, so set expectations at fun dinner theater rather than fine dining. Eat a snack beforehand if you are particular about food, and arrive early to find your table.

Choose this when you want a dependable evening plan that does not require much travel or planning, especially in winter when the mountains are less accessible after dark. Pair it with a pre-dinner stroll at Larimer Square or a drink at a nearby hotel bar. It is a poor match for guests who dislike audience participation, for children under fifteen and for anyone who needs flexible cancellation. The show is likely to sell out and is usually booked about a month ahead.