Forget simple Caesar salads and guacamole: today’s tableside service is about transforming dinner (or brunch) into a performance. Across the country, chefs and bartenders are rolling out carts, striking matches, and finishing dishes right in front of guests with a flair that goes far beyond presentation. In Boise, a basic baked potato transforms into a three-pound showstopper; in Miami, pasta is swirled through a hollowed wheel of cheese; in Las Vegas, a massive tomahawk steak is carved and set aflame. From over-the-top drinks and desserts to sizzling steaks, these are the dining moments where the spectacle happens just inches from your plate.
Tableside Beef Wellington at Harry's | West Palm Beach, FL and New York, NY
Beef Wellington isn’t the sort of dish you see on many modern menus, which is part of what makes Harry’s take so striking. At the restaurant's West Palm Beach and New York outposts, the classic roast, wrapped in pastry, is wheeled out whole on a silver trolley, revealed tableside beneath a roll-top cover, and carved to match the party. Each portion is plated with a pour of truffle sauce and a dusting of red Hawaiian sea salt, turning a rarity into a spectacle.
Tableside Baked Potato at Hemlock at the Inn at 500 | Boise, ID
In true Idaho fashion, Boise’s Hemlock at the Inn at 500 is going all-in on potatoes with a tableside baked potato cart. Each oversized spud is dressed to order with theatrical flair—think lobster or truffle butter, molten cheese torched before your eyes and toppings like bacon lardons, filet burnt ends, crème fraîche, crushed beef tallow–fried Idaho chips and even optional caviar. The indulgent creation tips the scales at more than three pounds, making it as dramatic as it is delicious.
Tableside Absinthe Service at The Pfister Hotel | Milwaukee, WI
At Milwaukee’s Pfister Hotel, absinthe is poured the old-school way—just as it was when the property first opened in 1893. In the recently renovated Lobby Lounge, servers prepare The Green Fairy with a slow ice-water drip over a sugar cube, a unique ritual that sweetens, dilutes and reveals the drink’s herbal complexity. Guests can choose from four classic bottles, from St. George Absinthe Verte to La Clandestine Absinthe Supérieure, all enjoyed beneath glittering gold leaf ceilings and Gilded Age opulence.
Tableside Hand Rolls at Shinji’s | New York, NY
At Shinji’s, the star attraction is its tableside handroll service. Fish is flown in from Japan four times a week, then rolled to order for peak freshness, with options like Hokkaido scallop, bluefin tuna, wagyu and uni crowned with caviar. To drink, the must-order is the Tropicana, Shinji’s signature cocktail served inside a frozen orange, a playful yet complex twist on the classic Screwdriver. The bar also boasts one of the largest collections of Japanese whisky in the country, featuring over 200 bottles.
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Tableside Cheese Pasta at Joia Beach | Miami, Florida
At Joia Beach, one of Miami’s only private beachfront restaurants, pasta gets the spotlight with a new tableside cheese wheel preparation. Freshly made noodles are tossed and finished inside a hollowed wheel of cheese before being plated, blending Old World technique with a fun Miami flair. The result is a dish that’s as indulgent as it is eye-catching, best enjoyed against the backdrop of Watson Island’s sparkling waterfront views.
Tableside Tomahawk at Stanton Social Prime | Las Vegas, NV
You know what they say: go big or go home—and nowhere is that more true than in Las Vegas. At Caesars Palace, Stanton Social Prime takes the mantra to heart with its Super Tomahawk, a 64-ounce bone-in ribeye rolled out on a cart, carved with flair, then set aflame tableside. The result is part theater, part feast—a juicy, boldly seasoned steak meant for sharing that captures the over-the-top spirit of Vegas in a single dish.
Tableside Cinnamon Roll at Baltaire Steakhouse | Los Angeles, CA
At Baltaire Steakhouse in Los Angeles, weekend brunch comes with a side of theater. As part of the restaurant's weekend brunch offerings, oversized cinnamon rolls are wheeled to the table, smothered in warm house-made frosting, and dusted with freshly grated cinnamon right before your eyes as live DJ music spins in the background. Equal parts indulgence and performance, it’s the kind of sweet finale that turns brunch into a full-blown spectacle. PS: Baltaire also has an incredibly over-the-top Bloody Mary cart for brunch, made right in front of you and topped with all sorts of veggies plus jumbo shrimp.
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Tableside Baked Alaska at Bern's Steak House | Tampa, FL
At Bern’s Steak House in Tampa, the Harry Waugh Dessert Room feels like its own world, with private booths carved from wine casks and live piano music to set the scene for the spectacle that's to come. Among its 40-plus desserts is a classic Baked Alaska: vanilla cake and macadamia ice cream wrapped in Italian meringue, flambéed tableside with a blend of premium liqueurs that caramelizes the exterior while keeping the inside cool and creamy. The Bananas Foster is another tableside favorite, prepared with caramelized bananas, rum, banana liqueur, brandy and vanilla ice cream.
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Tableside Wine & Cheese Service at Jules | Adairsville, GA
At Jules Restaurant at Barnsley Resort, this becomes a rarefied experience thanks to a tableside service built around Roquefort and one of the world’s rarest wines. Atlanta’s own “Cheese Guy,” Raymond Hook of Capella Cheese, supplies the Roquefort, served with brioche, honeycomb and mostarda. It's paired with a one-ounce pour of the uber-rare Rivesaltes 1974 Legend; only 30 bottles were ever produced, with Jules holding the sole bottle in Georgia. Presented from an elegant cart, it's sure to impress any oenophile.
