Best Theater Shows and Live Dinner Theater in Phoenix, Arizona!

SEE ALSO: Date Night Ideas
SEE ALSO: Beat the Heat Ideas

ALSO: Date Night Ideas
ALSO: Beat the Heat Ideas

Want a fun night out on the town but tired of driving from your home, then to a restaurant, and then to your entertainment choice for the evening? Why deal with the hassle of finding parking at each stop along the way, or of having to walk to your next destination wearing those killer new high heels that pinch just a little, but look great. Why not opt for something simpler, as in an enjoyable evening that includes dining and entertainment all in one location! There are plenty of great dinner shows, live theater shows, and events in Phoenix today. Check out the Oracles suggestions below . . . the crystal ball says you'll have a great time.

• Carnival of Illusion

  

  STEP RIGHT UP and get ready to laugh, have fun, and celebrate a magical night out with one of our favorite date spots. You are in for a jaw-dropping evening as this top-rated show is "Revitalizing Magic" by blending their theme of mystery and imagination with all the charms of a Vaudeville-inspired roadshow! They will certainly have you on the edge of your seat, making this is a great evening for special nights out like birthdays, anniversaries, date nights, and celebrations. Shows are on select Friday and Saturdays at three favorite Valley locations, but hurry. Shows all sell out!

  The Oracle knows that Carnival of Illusion is more than a GREAT Magic Show. It's the only place to experience Magic, Mystery, and OOOH La La! And what about dinner you say? Each great central Valley location with lots of nearby dining options and each location boasts a bar where you can certainly grab something to wet your whistle.

• Tempe Improv Comedy Club and Dinner Theatre

  

  If comedy is more your thing (rather than yet another cowboy or 50s sing-a-long), then The Tempe Improv Comedy Theatre features a star-studded array of blockbuster comics, and has for decades. Shows usually run weekends, from Thursday to Sunday, with an occasional Wednesday thrown in for good measure. You can order from their very full menu but remember, if you opt out of dinner for the night there is still a two drink minimum (alcoholic or non-alcoholic). Shows typically last about 90 minutes and the doors open anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes before the show.

  And to make things just a little easier, you can pre-buy tickets for any show online and there's plenty of free parking to boot.

• The Silver Star

  

  The Silver Star has live entertainment and a Phoenix dinner theater show. For one great price you get a wonderful buffet style dinner and a show. Choose from 15 different shows, featuring everything from country to rock n' roll to Broadway and more. There's great music along with laughs and simply a good time. Great for the whole family. Children's prices are slightly less, as are group tickets. Along with the dinner buffet, there is a salad bar and dessert.

• AMC Dine-In Movie Theatre

  

  AMC is a movie theatre chain in the Valley with several options. Their Esplanade location on Camelback Rd in Phoenix offers up full service dining. That means you can order dinner and get it right at your comfortable recliner seat. Buy tickets online before the show and even pre-order your meal online if you like. In fact we recommend you order tickets online as that allows you to reserve your seat as well. They have a fun menu that includes a variety of handcrafted food and drinks, all made in-house and made to order. Looking for a discount. Tuesdays is your day for discounted ticket prices, or get a discount for being a senior any day (60+).

  One more good reason the Oracle thinks this is a fun night out. . . see a movie in RealD 3D. . . new technology that creates a whole new visual experience. You'll get a groovy pair of 3D glasses to wear for the show and voila! You'll feel like you are right in the middle of the action.

• Ice House Tavern

  

  Ice House Tavern may not be dinner theater per se, but there is plenty of action and food on hand. The name Ice House is super appropriate since this friendly neighborhood tavern overlooks the Arcadia Ice Rink. That means you can kick back to watch some hockey or ice skating action on the rink all while ordering up some spicy chicken wings or tasty tacos, (which we recommend you get on Taco Tuesdays). Grab one of their over 30 beers on tap and if there's nothing happening on the ice, you'll be sure to find the latest NHL or NFL game on one of their high definition TV screens.

  Well that's not entertainment you say... the Oracle hasn't told all yet. They also have free music, usually on Saturday nights. This popular hockey bar offers up a sporty alternative to the more artsy forms of dinner theater.

• Medieval Times

  

  Medieval Times in the old West. This popular "dinner tournament" in the Talking Stick Entertainment District, takes you back in time. Knights in shiny armor, jousting, and medieval fun all await you at the castle. This is a show like no other with real horses, thrilling battles and even falconry. Cheer on your champion knight, enjoy a four-course dinner (no silverware of course), and tour the 11th century Spanish castle. Chivalry, rivalry, and revelry!

  This spirited show offers up spirits as well in the form of beer, wine and cocktails. You can also special order the vegetarian option, if the ample meal of roast chicken is not to your liking.

• Arizona Broadway Theater

  

  Showcasing Broadway shows with local and national artists onstage and behind the scenes. This is dinner theater in its truest form. Although dinner theater was plentiful in its heyday back in the 1980s, it is now much harder to find this special combination of good food and a great show. Arizona Broadway Theater boasts a 470 seat theater with a 40 foot wide proscenium style stage. This state of the art theater presents unobstructed views from every seat. Each patron is served dinner table-side from a full menu that is especially created for each show.

• Into the Grand

  

  Although this unique dinner show is not in Phoenix but in Page Arizona, we listed it because of the opportunity to share in the stories, dance and song of another culture. This dinner show features a celebration of the Navajo culture along with a buffet style dinner that includes chicken, pork, beef or vegetarian chili, along with potatoes, rolls, beans, applesauce and dessert. This is not gourmet dining, but good down-home cooking made with love. The entertainment includes acoustic guitar during dinner and a culturally rich program of dance, flute and drumming of the Navajo peoples after dinner. The decor includes some wonderful murals of the Western Colorado River region.

• Barleen's Arizona Opry Dinner Show

  

  At Barleen's AZ Opry Dinner Show, it's family fun, variety and good eats. With a variety of performers joining the Barleen's family for comedy and music, it's a mixed bag of fun and entertainment. Come for dinner and a show or choose the matinée option, and have lunch and a show instead. The menu consists of roast beef and chicken...a double entree extravaganza, along with a vegetarian choice. And if you are thirsty, coffee or lemonade is included. Also for sale at the bar is beer, wine and soft drinks. So visit the website and check out their calendar for shows, dates and times.

• Mystery Mansion Dinner Theater

  

  This well-honed murder mystery dinner theater has three different mystery options as well as four locations to serve the greater Phoenix area. Locations include 3 different Oregano's Pizza Bistros as well as Coup des Tartes French Bistro in Phoenix. You are given a character for the evening and then help to solve the mystery. There's even a prize for the "super sleuth" who shows the keenest detective skills. There is lots of audience participation and the results are always unique. Each show includes a 3 course meal served by the players ... or should I say suspects. Great for a group or corporate party.

• Studio Movie Grill

  

  The latest in movie entertainment in Scottsdale, visit Studio Movie Grill for movie and dinner all in one. As well as in-theater dining, there is a full service lounge for cocktails in the lobby. You can reserve your seats in advance in order to get the best seats in the house. Arrive about 20 minutes before the movie starts, find your seat, order up a great meal and enjoy the show! The grill menu includes tons of healthy choices and some great classics, like burgers, pizza and also a kid's menu. Or enjoy a cocktail before the show in the lobby bar, serving up beer, wine and cocktails. Each luxury recliner in the show has a button so you can call your server any time.

• Blazin' M Ranch

  

  Take a day trip from Phoenix or a short ride from Sedona to the Blazin' M Ranch in beautiful Verde Valley. Enjoy a great chuck wagon style dinner, complete with biscuit tossing ranch hands. Then enjoy an hour long western stage production. Arrive early to spend time in the saloon or try your hand at ropin' or shooting a real Colt 45. There's lots to do and see at the Blazin' M Ranch, and you will certainly get a taste for the Old West. The price to get in includes the dinner and the show. There is no separate fee if you wanted to do just the activities and sites or if you wanted to just do dinner.

• Black Bart's Steak House

  

  If you are heading up to Flagstaff, stop into Black Bart's Steakhouse, Saloon and Musical Revue. This steakhouse has a huge menu. Everything from pasta and burgers to steak, seafood, lamb, ribs and more! There is also a separate kid's menu for those with a smaller appetite. The evening includes a musical revue, put on by the waitstaff with a variety of musical styles and songs, from Broadway to Disney, or make a request and they will do their best to accomodate it. It is a fun evening of food and music that has been going strong since 1979.

• Hale Centre Theatre

  

  The Hale Centre Theatre has always been a family affair as the Hale family has been providing theater to patrons since 1947. This theater located in Glendale AZ has been providing family style entertainment since opening its doors in 2003. Here you will find all the usual favorite plays such as My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music, A Christmas Carol and Forever Plaid. They also have partnership restaurants that provide specials to their season ticket holders. This theater is unique with a stage in the round for great views everywhere.

• Organ Stop Pizza

  

  With its mighty Wurlitzer organ and a large menu, this is surely a one-of-a-kind dinner and a show experience. Open for dinner only, you can order pizza, pasta, sandwiches and more, as well as soft drinks, beer and wine and don't forget the ice-cream for dessert. With its nearly 6,000 pipes, this organ is one of the largest in the world. The organ music is part of the dining experience, with several different musicians on staff. One thing to note, credit cards are not accepted but an ATM is in the lobby.

• Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas

  

  With three locations in the Phoenix area, you can get dinner, drinks and a movie in a neighborhood near you (Chandler, Gilbert & Tempe). You'll find Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas in big cities across the nation because they are doing something right. Great food that includes burgers, pizza, salads, snacks and desserts and a nice selection of beer and cocktails are all available at your seat. The films are not your latest cineplex blockbusters but classic cinema, innovative films and films that just might press your buttons. Or join them for one of their dress-up screenings where you can go all out and dress up as one of your favorite characters in films such as Star Wars or Downtown Abbey. They care about the quality of the film itself with exceptional picture and sound. You'll be pleased with the lack of pre-show advertising, the respect they give to their customers and their strict no cell-phone policy.

• Stand-Up Live Comedy Theatre

  

  See top names in comedy Thursday through Sunday nights, with other special events throughout the year. Located in downtown Phoenix with free parking for 3 hours with a validated ticket. Order from the menu or visit the Copper Blues Rock Pub Kitchen next door, where you will find over 60 beers on tap. As with other comedy clubs, there is a two drink minimum on the showroom, so don't forget to bring some cash or plastic to cover the extra cost. Maybe they think you'll laugh more if you've had a few drinks!

• Sunland Promotions

  

  Head out to Mesa and you'll find some fun times with Sunland Promotions. There are both dinner and lunch shows. Dinner shows often feature the band The Southwest Surfers, who are a Beach Boys tribute band, with great vocal harmonies. There are many other great tribute bands as well, so be sure to see all the shows they have to offer. Lunch shows include a show and salad bar. Dinner shows include a show and dinner that features smoked meats, baked beans and corn souffle.

• Rockin' R Ranch (Closed)

  

  If you are looking for some finger lickin' wild West grub and a serving of country music for dessert, then this is a great place for the young and old alike. Not only can you catch dinner and a show, but bring the whole family to enjoy the experience of the old west and life on a pioneer ranch. Visit the western town, go on a horse-drawn wagon ride or do some gold-panning. Learn about Arizona and the old west. There's tons to do and see, and is a great place to bring the kids. So come for the BBQ and stay for a while. Yeeeehaw!

We hope you found new theater shows to enjoy for a delightful evening. Phoenix is home to loads of wonderful dinner shows for everyone, young or old.