Toby's Dinner Theatre in Baltimore: A Four-Course Meal and a Broadway-Style Show
Toby's Dinner Theatre is a 350-seat venue in Columbia (about 20 minutes north of downtown Baltimore) that pairs a multi-course dinner with Broadway musicals and comedies, typically running two hours total. It occupies a fixed space designed around the dinner-theater model: tables are arranged theater-style facing a full stage with professional lighting and sets, and waitstaff serve while performers sing and act in front of you. This format distinguishes it sharply from concert halls or straight theaters, since the experience intentionally mingles dining and entertainment rather than separating them.
What Toby's Dinner Theatre actually is
Toby's operates as a subscription-based theater with an a la carte ticketing option. The core model is consistent: arrive at a set time, sit at an assigned table with other guests (or your party), order from a fixed menu, and watch a professional production while eating. Shows typically rotate on a six-to-eight-week cycle. The theater has been operating in the Columbia location since 1976 and remains one of the few remaining dinner theaters in the mid-Atlantic region. The in-house cast, band, and crew are permanent staff, not touring productions, which shapes the scale and intimacy of what you see.
Menu, pricing, and what to expect at the table
Dinner typically costs $55 to $65 per person for entrée packages and includes a salad, entrée choice (usually three to four options such as chicken, fish, or vegetarian pasta), dessert, and non-alcoholic beverages. Alcoholic drinks (beer, wine, cocktails) range from $6 to $14 and are ordered separately. Some special events or premium seating packages may exceed this base range; verify current pricing directly with the box office since rates adjust seasonally.
You arrive 15 to 20 minutes before curtain, are seated, and order your meal immediately. Food arrives roughly 30 minutes into the first act, allowing you to eat during the performance. This overlap is central to the dinner-theater experience: you eat, talk quietly at your table, and watch simultaneously. The theater does not dim lights completely during dinner service to accommodate both activities.
How Toby's Dinner Theatre compares to other Baltimore-area options
Baltimore itself has no active dinner theaters; Toby's is the only full-service venue of this type in the immediate region. If you want dinner and theater separately, Centerstage (downtown Baltimore's regional theater) offers Broadway musicals and classical plays in a traditional theater with no food service integrated. The Hippodrome in Baltimore hosts touring Broadway shows with similar separation of dining and performance. Both are larger (600+ seats) and feature touring casts rather than resident ensembles.
Choose Toby's if you want a single, uninterrupted evening where eating and watching blend together, prefer a smaller, more intimate venue (350 seats vs. 1,500+), and are willing to travel north to Columbia. Choose Centerstage or the Hippodrome if you prefer to dine before or after, want access to cutting-edge theatrical work or major touring productions, or prefer the anonymity of a larger house.
Who suits this venue, and who does not
Toby's works well for couples on date nights, small groups celebrating birthdays or anniversaries, and people who enjoy both theater and dining without wanting to manage two separate reservations. The fixed menu and shared-table seating appeal to social diners who don't mind chatting with strangers. It is less suitable for people with rigid dietary restrictions (choices are limited), those seeking silence and complete focus on performance, or anyone uncomfortable eating while others watch them.
Accessibility varies by seat location; confirm with the box office about wheelchair access and seating options when booking.
What to expect on your first visit
Call or visit the website to check the current show title and performance dates. Purchase tickets in advance (walk-ins are possible but shows sell out, especially on weekends). Arrive 15 minutes early to find parking and be seated. You will be at a table of six to eight, though you can request private tables for larger groups (surcharge may apply). Order your entrée from the server upon seating. Expect the show to begin roughly 20 to 30 minutes after you sit down. Food arrives mid-performance. Shows run about 90 minutes plus a 15-minute intermission. Plan to stay roughly two and a half hours total.
Hours, parking, and logistics
Toby's typically operates Thursday through Sunday with matinees on Saturday and Sunday; weekday performances vary by season. Hours and showtimes change with each production cycle. Parking is free and abundant on-site. The venue is located at 9701 Executive Boulevard in Columbia, Maryland, about 10 miles north of downtown Baltimore via I-95 or Route 29. Public transit is limited; a car is essential.
Toby's Dinner Theatre remains a working model of an outdated entertainment format, and that specificity is precisely what keeps it relevant for people seeking an all-in-one evening rather than a choice between two separate outings. Its survival in Columbia reflects both its established subscriber base and the rarity of this experience in the modern theater landscape.
