Medieval Times — Review by Joshua Weissman
Not specified, United States — Medieval-themed dinner show with American cuisine
Medieval Times offers an incredible themed experience with a full castle, moat, jousting shows, and entertainment that earned a 9.5 experience score. The food was surprisingly decent with standout moist chicken and well-seasoned vegetables, though the soup and dessert fell flat, resulting in a combined food and experience score of 15.4 out of 20.
What was great: Moist and tender roasted chicken that was well-seasoned and flavorful, juicy corn with nice seasoning, the overall entertainment experience with jousting and horse shows
What could improve: Garlic bread and tomato bisque (described as Campbell's soup from a can), dry baked potato with insufficient seasoning, terrible dessert with a soggy and dry eclair that was the worst he'd had all year
The Dishes
The meal started with garlic bread and tomato bisque, which immediately disappointed. The reviewer noted the soup tasted like it came straight from a Campbell's can, lacking any homemade quality. The main course featured a half roasted chicken with a baked potato and corn. The corn proved juicy and well-seasoned with salt and butter, earning praise for its flavor despite the reviewer's preference for less cooked corn. The baked potato was disappointing, with a hard exterior and insufficient seasoning, though the outside was nicely seasoned. The standout was the roasted chicken, which was surprisingly moist, tender, and flavorful with a well-executed roast chicken taste that exceeded expectations. Dessert consisted of vanilla cake and an eclair with baked-on icing. Both desserts were failures, with the cake being dry as a mattress and the eclair somehow managing to be both soggy and dry simultaneously, earning it the title of worst eclair the reviewer had eaten all year.
The Experience
From the moment of arrival, the experience was phenomenal. Guests are assigned knights to root for, and in this case, the group was assigned the checkered knight. A special honor was arranged where the reviewer was dubbed Princess Josh by the kingdom's royalty, leading to humorous moments of the other guests checking on the newly crowned princess. The dining arena featured dancing horses, coordinated falcon shows, and full wrestling-style jousting matches with WWE-level intensity, including sword fights, shield battles, and jump kicks. The service was attentive with food brought out on solid pewter trays during the middle of the action. The atmosphere was chaotic but thoroughly entertaining, with the checkered knight ultimately winning the final battle, making the experience complete.
Value and Pricing
Pricing was not explicitly mentioned in the transcript, but the meal included multiple courses served on pewter trays in an arena setting, suggesting a premium experience price point typical of Medieval Times locations.
Notable Moments
I cannot believe I got a moist breast at Medieval Times.
That is as dry as a cake gets. I feel like I just bit into a mattress.
That's the highest number I've ever heard out of your mouth.
The Verdict
Medieval Times delivered an unforgettable experience despite mediocre food quality overall. The entertainment value, particularly the jousting matches and live shows, more than compensated for inconsistent dishes. The moist chicken was an unexpected win, but the bland soup and terrible desserts prevented the meal from being fully satisfying. The combined experience and food scores of 15.4 out of 20 earned Medieval Times a golden ticket to send a subscriber for a VIP experience, making it worth visiting primarily for the entertainment and spectacle rather than culinary excellence. This restaurant is best for families and groups seeking a fun, theatrical dining experience where the show matters more than the food.