I can’t remember the last time I was in a Dave & Buster’s. I’m not a gamer so when trying to come up with a place to eat, D&B doesn’t usually come to mind. The entertainment/restaurant concept is in the process of updating its 60 stores to a sports bar concept. Ten stores have been completed so far. We were invited to preview the newly renovated location at the Outlets in Orange (formerly The Block of Orange).
Some of the updates are obvious the minute you step in the door. The entrance has a backlit hostess station where guests are greeted and can purchase power cards which allow them access to the facility’s large selection of simulator or carnival-style games. The new contemporary color palette is a mix of gray and bright green, white and black Caesarstone surfaces, white barstools, retro light fixtures and under-lighting on the bars. They have removed some of the pool tables to accommodate more dining tables and added more TVs for game viewing. If you unfamiliar with the old look and feel of Dave and Buster’s, it was designed with dark wood paneling, brass fixtures and Tiffany glass lamps.
Other updates include:
- Three 180″ projection screens, 15-foot TV screens, 25 HDTV’s
- New games
- Sports focused seating
We had the opportunity to sample some of their new and customer favorite menu items. I was pleasantly surprised by how many healthy alternatives as well as non-bar food items they had. Two of my favorites were the lawnmower salad and the sweet apple pecan salad with chicken.
Other new menu items to highlight are: The 5:15 (with pretzel dogs, scratch made BBQ chips), Poppin’ Potatoes, South Philly Burger as well as a few new beverage items; the Snow Cone cocktail and the Coronita (beer poured upside down into the house margarita). Some dessert items we sampled were the Bananas Foster Pie and the Belgian Chocolate Fondue
The facility boasts 60,000 square feet of dining and entertainment space but has been designed in such a way that you don’t feel overwhelmed by the space, nor do you feel you have to participate in all the activities offered in it. If you just want to pop in for a drink with friends, you can do so at the front bar without getting caught up in the noise and revelry of the gaming area. If you want to come in for dinner, you can do that in yet another section. It’s a pretty accommodating place that has made me give it a second look.
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