The words "dinner theater" tend to evoke a senior bus trip to Branson, Missouri, but rare is the soul over 35 at Spanish supper club El Cid. The flamenco floor show (Thursday through Sunday nights at 8pm) brings in diners looking for campy diversion, though they generally leave in awe at the theater half—and suddenly, startlingly, pleased with the food, too.

Even the manager used to recommend that patrons eat elsewhere before stepping into this historic multi-leveled labyrinth for the show and the (excellent) sangria. But chef Daniel Prillwitz has changed that. Spanish classics and South American flavors presented in straightforward, uncomplicated plates include a filet mignon with a complex Argentinian-style chimichurri sauce. The mole sauce infusing the chicken breast transcends the mole-in-a-jar suspicions so prevalent at other stops around town; the paella lacks moisture and depth of Spanish flavor, but a la carte tapas items like pan-roasted shrimp with garlic offer redemption. Lingering after the show in a cozy, dark booth is such a nice part of the El Cid experience that some kind of final touch is called for: We loved the warm, not overly sweet guava empanada with an after-dinner brandy. Even if we hadn't been happy with the food, the trippy space would be worth a visit in itself. Built in 1899 as part of a film set, it was revamped in the '60s to resemble a 17th-century tavern. Outside is a funky, multi-level patio that's surrounded by trees and hosts a quite divine brunch on the weekends from 11am to 3pm. —Charles Rosenberg