We went to the Dave & Buster’s in Deptford New Jersey with one of my older sons for fun, drinks, and games. It was the first time I’ve been in a Dave & Busters in decades, literally.
The food was basically upscale fast food, but the giant pretzel does stand out as being really good.
I went with my standard Manhattan, but they don’t have a great Bourbon selection, so they were made with Makers Mark, which is okay, its just doesn’t stand out to me as a great bourbon.
We were there for a while, and I think I drank four or five of these Manhattans, because the bartender came over and asked me if I enjoyed them, which of course I told him I did. The staff were really nice, and the bartender was a genuinely nice guy, so I really feel bad about giving Dave & Busters a score of 30/100.
To be clear, the staff were 100/100, but if you are a Whiskey drinker Dave & Busters shouldn’t be on your list of places to go to enjoy a sip or two. When it comes to Whiskey, Dave & Busters I’d only go back If I Had Limited Choices. Add the fact that it’s relatively expensive for fast food, and it just not my first choice.
| Place | Location | Score | Price Scale | Drink |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cinder Bar | Clarksboro, NJ | 96 | High Cost | Manhattan |
| Saltgrass Steakhouse | Orlando, FL | 91 | Moderate Cost | Manhattan |
| The Irish Whisper | National Harbor, MD | 90 | High Cost | Irish Whiskey |
| McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks | National Harbor, MD | 80 | High Cost | Manhattan |
| The Dead Rabbit | New York, NY | 75 | High Cost | Multiple |
| Iron Hill Brewery | Wilmington, DE | 71 | High Cost | Kentucky Connection |
| Cadillac Ranch | National Harbor, MD | 70 | Moderate Cost | Multiple |
| Harry’s Savoy Grill | Wilmington, DE | 67 | High Cost | Manhattan Boulevardier |
| Ted’s Montana Grill | Newark, DE | 66 | Moderate Cost | Newly Fashioned |
| Creekside Inn | Woodstown, NJ | 65 | Low to Moderate | Manhattan |
| Alewife | Richmond, VA | 63 | High Cost | Manhattan |
| roanoke | Chicago, IL | 55 | High Cost | Black Manhattan |
| Blue Line Lounge & Bar | Chicago, IL | 53 | Low Cost | Manhattan |
| Da Andrea | New York, NY | 50 | High Cost | Manhattan Negroni |
| Iguana Cafe | Chicago, IL | 45 | Moderate Cost | Manhattan |
| The Greene Turtle | Newark, DE | 40 | Moderate Cost | Manhattan |
| Restaurante Montserrat Manor | Punta Cana, DR | 35 | High Cost | Manhattan |
| Dave & Buster's | Deptford, NJ | 30 | Moderate Cost | Manhattan |
| Cock'n Bull | Lahaska, PA | 26 | High Cost | Manhattan Old Fashioned |
| The Brass Tap | National Harbor, MD | 25 | Moderate Cost | Manhattan |
| Carrol's Creek Cafe | Annapolis, MD | 21 | High Cost | Manhattan |
| Big Fish Grill | Wilmington, DE | 10 | High Cost | Manhattan |
| The Legend | New Castle, DE | 5 | Low Cost | Manhattan |
| TGI Fridays | New Castle, DE | 1 | Moderate Cost | Manhattan |
Cost Scale
Up to $30 per person – Low Cost
$31 to $50 per person – Moderate Cost
$51 and above per person – High Cost