The holidays are here! Within the next few days, many of our homes will be humming with the joyous sounds of friends and family visiting us from near and far. We're going to be challenged to entertain grownups and kids of all ages. What are we going to do?
Dave and Buster's is a restaurant that should be on our list. Dave and Buster's serves up fine food and fun in a unique and very attractive setting. It combines casual yet elegant dining with the thrills and excitement of a carnival midway.
It all began in Little Rock, Ark., where Dave Corriveau and Buster Corley operated separate businesses next door to each other in the classic setting of the Missouri Pacific Train Station. Corley ran Buster's, a fine restaurant, and Corriveau operated Slick Willy's World of Entertainment, which offered games. A friendship developed between them. They noticed how customers would traffic happily from one business to the other. The lights flashed on in their minds. A new concept was born.
A few years later, they finally managed bring their idea to reality in a new concept in Dallas, Texas. They opened Dave and Buster's in an empty, 40,000-square-foot warehouse at the end of "Restaurant Row." The rest is history. Success followed success. The company now operates over 30 restaurants in 14 states as well as in Canada, Mexico and Taiwan.
The San Diego branch of the chain is in Mission Valley, beneath the overpass junction of Highway 8 and Highway 5, on the north side. The large building is in the midst of a huge parking lot, which is needed for all the cars. A doorkeeper lets visitors in the front door.
Dave and Buster's is great for kids, but it is really more of an adult playground. Young people must be accompanied by grownups to get in. The interior holds several dining areas, special areas for group parties, several bars and "The Million Dollar Midway."
I found that it pays to walk around the inside before dining. Strolling through the gaming areas, I got caught up with the excitement of the simulators and games. The hardware and machines are some of the most sophisticated that I have ever experienced. The motorcycle and car simulators were comfortable, easy to use and absolutely thrilling. The shooting games were fun. There were even game challenges that potentially awarded prizes. If you can score enough points by rolling balls or shooting baskets, you'll receive tickets to cash in for prizes. The teddy bears and kewpie dolls are delightful tokens of winning! Lots of couples were playing side by side, goading each other's performance. Everyone seemed to be having a good time.
I was also impressed by the cleanliness and the availability of games. The place was immaculate, not at all like the carnivals I visited in the past. I never had to wait for a game. The noise level was very tolerable. All in all, I had a good time.
I also did not have to carry a pocketful of change. I bought a PowerCard and put some money on it. It's like a debit card or gift card. To play a game, I simply swiped the card through the charge slot. On the downside, I found the games to be relatively expensive -- but the fun was worth it. I could have spent hours there happily.
But I was hungry, too, so I went to eat. The restaurant's high ceilings created a feeling of space and grandeur. Palm trees and flowers decorated the main dining area. A large, Tiffany-like stained glass panel mounted in wood gave the room a colorful, classy ambiance. Booths and tables were comfortable and spaced well apart. Even though there were several parties going on in the main room at the time, I never felt crowded or found the noise obtrusive. I was delighted with the attention to detail by the dining room designers.
The menu offers a wide variety of choices from seafood, steaks, pastas to traditional favorites like pizza, ribs and burgers. Appetizers include a selection of south-of-the-border favorites like quesadillas and nachos. I particularly enjoyed the Potato Skins, crispy half potato skins stuffed with cheese, bacon and green onions.
To make it easy to choose, all the fish and beef dishes are listed in separate boxes on the menu. Huli Huli Salmon, chargrilled Atlantic salmon fillet glazed with Hawaiian ginger sesame sauce, Chipotle-Honey Glazed Mahi-Mahi, a fillet of grilled mahi-mahi, topped with avocado "Pico de Gallo," and Mississippi Fried Catfish are among the seafood items. Beef dishes are USDA Choice and include ribeyes and sirloins. My choice, Jack Daniel's Ribeye Steak, a 12-ounce ribeye marinated and glazed with Jack Daniels BBQ sauce, was outstanding. It was served on a bed of mashed potatoes that blended wonderfully with the sauce.
Dave and Buster's has a great selection of beers from all over the world, as well as choices from local craft breweries. Wine selections are more limited but many are available by the glass.
Desserts are particularly tempting. Among the choices, Chocolate Silk Pie Triple Chocolate Cake was triple-layer chocolate cake filled with rich creamy chocolate frosting. The New York Cheesecake was rich, creamy and delicious.
Dave and Buster's is a great party place. As I ate, many nearby tables were decorated with balloons, marking the celebrations that were going on. Another reason for Dave and Buster's popularity is that menu prices are reasonable.
When my guests arrive, I know I'm definitely going to plan on Dave and Buster's. The restaurant is located 2931 Camino del Rio N. Call (619) 280-7115 for reservations.
Rottenberg is editor of Dining San Diego Magazine and member of the California Restaurant Writers Association.
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