Carmine’s Spooky Murder Mystery Show Has Unlimited Dessert, But Should You Go?

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Remember that murder mystery dinner I went to at the famous Carmine’s restaurant here in NYC earlier this year? It was so much fun! Easily one of the best events I’ve ever been invited to. So when The Murder Mystery Co. invited me back to Carmine’s to review their Halloween-themed dessert show called Spirits, I immediately said yes. A 1920s speakeasy vibe, spooky twist, and dessert?

It sounded like the perfect Fall night out! But was it worth the ticketed price? Would we enjoy the dessert show as much as their dinner show?

And more importantly, would we actually solve the mystery this time around?

I’m spilling ALL the deets in this review. But first …

Is Carmine’s Halloween Murder Mystery “Spirits” Really Worth It?

The Concept: Murder, Mystery & Dessert

Spirits at Carmine’s is billed as a Halloween-themed immersive show set in a 1920s speakeasy.

But instead of a full dinner like the previous Murder Mystery Co. event at Carmine’s, this one is a late-night “dessert only” adventure — with five mini desserts and a cash bar.

Guests are still part of the story, name tags and all, as they try to piece together a supernatural mystery alongside the performers. So it’s still super interactive.

On paper, it sounds like a decadent twist on murder mystery theatre. And it truly would be! With a few minor changes. Of course, I do have to note here that these are my thoughts and opinions, and your experience may vary depending on what you prefer. So keep that in mind as you read.

If I’m being honest, my first impression of Carmine’s murder mystery dessert show “Spirits” (even before arriving) wasn’t great …

It felt like a spooky little … downgrade.

The first murder mystery show we attended at Carmine’s included a full dinner, with dessert! And it was delicious. So I was really hesitant to attend this show, especially with a 10pm start time! I don’t know about you … but chile, that’s my bedtime! I know that sounds insane, but when you work a full-time job, parent a teen full-time and solo, along with running a full entertainment website? Baby, I be TIRED!

So if I’m going outside … with my friends, or solo … especially, if it’s an invite or experience.

PLEASE FEED ME! *sigh*

Since there was no meal included, my friends and I decided to grab tacos first. Which was a smart decision — because the show starts incredibly late, so by the time you arrive, lunch or dinner is a distant memory, and you’re already hungry again.

And “Spirits” at Carmine’s doesn’t include food at all — just dessert — no drinks, no juice.

Nada! Hell, they didn’t even give us water!

And since the show STARTS at 10pm, you’re basically waiting ALL damn day to attend!

So if you’re someone like me who has to WORK, before going out with her friends on a Friday night … having to wait until 10pm, when you get off work at 4-5pm, depending on the day, is brutal!

Of course you can attend on a Saturday night as well … but baby, if I have to wait all day to leave my house, I’m not going! I will lay in bed, watch a show, or read a book, and go to sleep!

I’ve never been the type to leave the house late for an event. I’ve gotta be outside already, or I’m staying the hell home. If that’s not you, the timing may not bother you! Especially if you’re visiting NYC and looking to be out all night long! Because Times Square truly looks best when it’s all lit up at night.

Upon arrival …

I noticed the show was definitely smaller, as the setup had fewer tables than our dinner show did. The vibe felt duller, and I was a tad bit bored before it even started. Maybe it was my fault for not being so excited, and already tired from a long day of work?

But one of the actresses was talking so slowly, I thought the scene would never end. So since the desserts were already out, as soon as the first scene ended, I ran to grab a snack.

I’ll talk about the desserts a bit below, but I have to say, I’m really glad I didn’t get all dressed up for this one! For the dinner show, I stressed what to wear weeks in advance, and we all bought outfits to fit the theme. But this time around, I just didn’t have the energy! And once I got there, I was glad I hadn’t fussed about what to wear. I don’t think dressing up would have improved my experience.

The show itself, however, was pretty good …

I thought “Spirits” would be scary, but it’s not — it’s just dark and a little spooky. Which this scaredy cat can appreciate! Because initially I thought it would be too scary for me, so I was glad it wasn’t!

Plus, there were a few funny moments!

Like when I accidentally said “Okay, Ursula” out loud and my entire table burst out laughing!

And when my friend yelled “WOWWW” when one of the male characters said “she’s not my type”, and everyone else looked at our table and laughed.

Honestly, talking to the other guests is one of my favorite parts about these Murder Mystery Co. shows. Somehow, we’re always with another group, who is just as invested in the show as we are, so it really makes things interesting. At first, I thought my introverted side would hate having to leave our table and walk around talking to strangers, but it’s part of what makes the experience fun.

And this time around, we managed to figure out some of the mystery …

… so of course THAT made it even more fun.

Random Bible Fact: Apparently the name “Seraphina” is in the bible and she’s an angel? One of the other guests there knew this and I was completely shocked! And yes, that may or may not be a clue to solving one of the puzzles!

Not gonna lie — the two hours went by way faster than I thought they would, and the lead character was lively and made things really fun. So the show, honestly, was a great experience. It’s just …

The desserts and drinks at Carmine’s “Spirits” murder mystery would have made this experience a hit …

Had drinks been included and not available to purchase separately? Which we didn’t do this time around, despite ordering drinks with dinner.

I honestly just didn’t have the extra cash for the cash bar to spare.

Please Note: I don’t need a drink to have a good time, but having a free cocktail to pair with the mini desserts would have totally made this “dessert bar” more fun. Cute mini cocktails to sip on while walking around and talking to the other guests would have been great.

But not only were drinks not included, the “unlimited dessert bar” was weak AF.

You can see the desserts in the photos below, and it was nice that it was unlimited … but honestly, how many people are really eating more than one or two of these? And why was it cut so little versus actual cake slices? I really think a slice of cake would have made the experience feel a bit more rewarding.

I love a good slice of cake!

And to be honest, I only tried one dessert; there were no labels for me to know what was what, but it had a brownie consistency and tasted like it had a hint of coffee in it? It was decent — I’d give it a solid 3/5 — but it’s not something I’d get up and go back for. Which brings me to my point!

Those tiny bites, if you like them, force you to get up again and again, to get more, which, honestly, is a LOT of effort just for dessert. A slice of cake, or two, would have felt like a better value!

Essentially, for the price, you’re paying for a show and a small sweet bite, and that’s it! Drinks are extra, and at 10 pm, none of this felt worth it.

And I KNEW from the first murder mystery that I may not like the desserts …

Since I don’t actually like cannolis, and this was going to be dessert from Carmine’s, which is an Italian restaurant. But I at least thought they’d have slices of tiramisu cake!

Which I actually do enjoy, and was a part of the dessert at the murder mystery dinner.

I also wished they would have offered some fruit to balance all the sugar! I would have totally grabbed a plate of strawberries and grapes with a piece of cake if that were an option!

So yeah, I say that all to say …

If you loved the dinner murder mystery at Carmine’s, temper your expectations for “Spirits”, the dessert version. The production quality is similar, but this is not as big or as lavish as the dinner. It’s a scaled-down, late-night show with a small dessert spread, and honestly …

If the experience itself wasn’t fun, I’d say skip this.

I truly think I would have LOVED this experience, had the desserts been catered from somewhere else.

If the desserts were actually delicious, and the drinks were free, I’d be way more excited about this murder mystery speakeasy. But I knew from the get-go I wouldn’t like the dessert at Carmine’s, and I’m sad they never proved me wrong.

The performers did put on a good show, though, so if you’re into interactive mysteries and don’t mind staying out late, you’ll have a good time. As long as you eat and drink beforehand.

But for the ticket price and overall experience quality, I’d love to see this show moved to a venue that actually does desserts well, with an earlier start time! Right now, this feels more like a “if you’re out and about and don’t wanna go home just yet, this is a fun way to stay out and explore the city a bit longer” than a “omg you have to do this murder mystery if you enjoy all things Halloween and spooky”.

Rating: 🍰🍰🍰 3/5 stars — for a fun experience that overpromises and underdelivers it’s sweet escape.