Fresno Mystery Dinner Theater

My husband and I went here in May for the first time to celebrate our anniversary. We wanted to try someplace different. What we got was an experience we won’t soon forget. We were served four courses of delicious, fresh, farm to fork food. The tri-​tip was juicy and flavorful. The multi-​bean soup was hot and we earthy with tons of delicious beans. The glazed carrots were sweet and I couldn’t stop eating them. And the mango sorbet was a refreshing and tasty way to end our meal. Now that was just the food. While we were being served the owner Tara explained where all the food was grown from. She explained how they buy everything as local as possible. She also took the time to come by every single table and sit down to talk to the people dining. Finally the show started and it was very well thought out and it was fun trying to guess who was the murderer. Overall I have only the best things to say about our Fresno Mystery experience. It is a hidden gem in Fresno that needs to be in the spotlight.

It seems the general consensus is that there is «never anything to do in Fresno», which is why I made it one of my missions as a new Fresno resident to locate all the fun and/​or interesting things going on in town.
I came across Organic Fresno’s Mystery Dinner Theater during my search and was excited to experience it with my boyfriend and friends. For $ 25 you get an all you can eat dinner consisting of soup, salad, entrée, and dessert as well as the show (Sat evenings, 6 – 8:30).
The food was terrific with menus constantly changing. The chefs who made the meal are also in the show. It is recommended that you call in and make reservations; however you don’t pay until you get there. FYI– they no longer offer the beer/​wine flight but instead have a drink menu with some great options.
I really enjoyed how before each course we were informed of the farm to fork process. That gave great insight on what was going into our food and where (locally) it came from. Local businesses supporting local businesses– love it!
The show itself didn’t start until the end of our entrees and seemed more like a presentation of the characters and the crime, rather than a show/​performance i.e. This is John Doe. John Doe owns a store, etc. I think if the characters moved around more it would’ve really made it seem organic and fluid. I did not reflect this in my rating as it was their first night of the new script. I also appreciate using local talent who seem to be passionate about the program and the food.
The only major qualm we had was with one of the servers that night. Nothing terrible happened but she seemed uninformed about a lot of things involving the food and the way the dinner was conducted despite telling us she had worked there for nearly a year. I think having a knowledgeable staff is very important in running a smooth operation.
While there were some kinks, overall it is something I would definitely recommend. It is a unique activity and dining experience where you definitely get your money’s worth.