My friend Heather always likes to have interesting birthday parties. Last year was laser tag, the year before (which I, sadly, had to miss) was at Six Flags, and this year we donned crowns and went to Medieval Times in Lyndhurst, New Jersey.

Having never been to Medieval Times, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I knew there was jousting, a meal and that they don’t give you utensils. All of those things turned out to be accurate, but it was also somehow much more complex than I expected.

For those of you who, like me, have never been to Medieval Times or maybe have never even heard of Medieval Times, it is a dinner and show that follows a medieval theme from top to bottom. The building itself emulates an 11th-century castle, and dressing up in theme is not only allowed but encouraged. None of our friend group donned medieval garb, but we saw plenty of attendees who did. Arena-style seating looks down upon a show ring where feats of horsemanship, falconry, jousting and sword-fighting can be observed while dining on roast chicken and potatoes. Each row has a server (or “wench”) who brings each course of the meal out to you throughout the show. Our server, Lena, did a great job getting us excited for the show and keeping food and drinks flowing.

There are six different knights, each associated with a color, and all attendees are assigned to one of the six and seated based on this. We were assigned the Yellow Knight (and got yellow paper crowns to match), and though we did not win, we got an interesting storyline as our knight attempted to betray and overthrow the crown before being beaten into submission by the Blue Knight, the night’s winner.

Before the show, we paid for overpriced cocktails in commemorative Medieval Times cups, of which there were a variety to choose from, and sat down in our section. We were in the back row, but it’s a pretty small arena, so we still had a perfect view of the action. The yellow section was definitely the most spirited of the night — we all cheered deafeningly loudlly for our knight and booed his rivals. There’s a loose storyline, but it was often hard to hear the Queen speaking over everyone’s cheers, so I was a bit lost. Luckily, you don’t need to understand much to enjoy the show.

My favorite part was watching horses do dressage and other tricks and the knights doing their various stunts on horseback. The final jousts and subsequent battles on foot between the knights were the most exciting part, during which many of my friends were screaming so loud their voices were hoarse the next day. The food also wasn’t bad (my hopes were not high), and it was kind of freeing to just rip into half a chicken with my bare hands.

Overall, Medieval Times was an interesting way to spend a Saturday night with friends. I don’t feel a need to go back, but I’m glad to have experienced it once in my life.

— Hannah Gruen, advertising & events coordinator