Waterbury Dinner Before a Show at the Palace Theater

A Waterbury dinner before a show is a matter of the clock. The Palace Theater, a historic theater on the edge of the Green, draws crowds to concerts, comedy and touring productions, and the restaurants around the Green fill up an hour before curtain. Here is how to eat well and still be in your seat.

The Palace is a historic theater. Arriving a little early lets you take in the building, and a dinner that ends on time gives you the chance. If you are driving in from the valley towns, leave earlier than you think, since a show night adds traffic around the Green and every parking space has a line of cars behind it.

How do you plan a Waterbury dinner before a show?

Work backward from curtain. Subtract a half hour for parking and the walk, an hour for dinner and a quarter hour for a margin. A show at eight means a table at six. Phone for a reservation if the restaurant takes them, and mention the curtain when you book.

Tell your server at the start that you have a show. Most kitchens will pace the meal.

Order drinks and a starter together, so the first plate arrives quickly. If you are running late, say so and ask for a simple main. Few kitchens object, and most will help you reach the theater on time.

Where is Palace Theater downtown dining?

Within a short walk of the theater, on and around the Green. Pizza counters, Italian rooms, grills and cafes serve the pre-show crowd, and the options vary by the night. For a lighter plan, a drink and a shared plate is enough.

A late supper after the show is another way to do it. Some kitchens stay open for the crowd, and a plate of pasta at ten feels like a reward. Ask your server whether the kitchen stays open after the show.

See the downtown restaurants page for the wider picture.

What is a quick pre-show meal?

Pasta, a pizza, a sandwich or a grill plate, ordered fast. Share a starter, skip the long dessert and ask for the check when the mains arrive. A kitchen on a show night is used to this rhythm, and a server who knows the curtain time will be your ally.

Is there dessert after the curtain?

Yes, in a few places that stay open later on show nights. A pastry and a coffee, or a scoop of ice cream, rounds out the evening. If nothing is open, a walk around the Green in the evening light is a good alternative.

Where is parking near the theater?

Garages and lots around downtown serve theatergoers, usually within a five-minute walk. Arrive early, because the closest spaces fill. Check posted signs for evening rules and fees, and take a photo of your space number.

Walk in pairs after dark, and stay on lit streets.

Bring a light jacket. Theaters are cool, and the walk to the car can be windy. A small umbrella is a good idea in the rain, and a flat pair of shoes makes the walk easier for everyone.

If the show runs late, the walk back to the car may be quiet and dark, so stay together. A cup of tea or a scoop of ice cream on the way is a happy end to the night, if anything is open.

What about groups?

A table for eight before a show needs a reservation and a plan. Choose one person to phone, one to count and one to watch the clock. Ask whether the kitchen takes a preset menu for groups, since it makes service faster.

Tell the organizer about dietary needs early. A preset menu with a vegetarian option and a plain chicken dish satisfies most tables. Collect payment before the night so nobody holds up the line at the register.

The reward for all this planning is a relaxed evening: a good meal, a comfortable seat and a show that begins without a scramble. Rate the dinner as you leave, while the details are fresh, so the next group benefits.

How do tags help on a show night?

Tags are added by raters as they rate a meal, and the app's Find sheet lets a diner look for them. For a show night the helpful ones include Group Dining, Quick Service, Date Night and Late Night. Tags are one rater's observation, not a promise from the place.

How do you rate the evening?

Stars, then the dish, then the timing: "6 pm table, pasta in twenty minutes, out in time". The time details are the useful part. Friends who were there can be tagged, and they can add their own rating of the same meal.

Where next from the Green?

The US food guides cover the rest of the country, and the museum lunch page shows the daytime side of the same square.

Heading somewhere else in Connecticut? The Food in Connecticut page links the rest.

Before the lights go down, get the Mosey app, rate your dinner by the dish and add it to a list called Waterbury nights out.