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    Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse

    3.6 (549 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 11:00 pm

    Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse Photos

    Business Info

    ARLINGTON CINEMA & DRAFTHOUSE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Classy
    Casual
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse

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    Marquee outside
    Albani C.

    I enjoy each time I come. No frills but attracts good talent. Food is mid, drinks are pretty good. Relatively close free parking lot

    Jimmy L.

    I've been coming here for years. I even remember when they used to allow smoking inside during movies! From standup comedy, to magic performances, and of course movies, the Arlington Cinema Drafthouse does it all. The biggest draw is being able to order food and drinks! I'm talking my son to see a Harry Potter movie today, and we are excited to be here again!

    Our view from the back row.
    Bob T.

    Parking is on street and sometimes difficult to find. The staff is pleasant but from what I saw, overworked. The seats are comfortable. The food and service were awful. We ordered four drinks, an appetizer, and four entrees. The drinks showed up after 10 minutes. One of the entries showed up 10 minutes after that. A second entree was dropped off after another 10 minutes. The final two entrees and our appetizer were brought to us 15 minutes later, just as the show was starting. None of it was good, and the hot food wasn't even warm by the time it got to our table. You can grab dinner at one of the many decent restaurants within a block of this place. While you're here, my suggestion would be to stick with beer and maybe the pretzels.

    The food is decent as long as you don't expect to much out of them. The service is a hit or miss at times. It's best to get a servers attention if you have waited for more than 10 minutes with no assistance. They have to-go trays in case you can't eat all the food you ordered. They definitely need to purchase new chairs because they are well used. I guess this is what keeps the tickets reasonable because they know updates are needed. The ambiance is casual because I have seen people dressed down to wearing athletic wear. I guess you will just need to be comfortable but decent in what you wear. The staff are nice. When ordering they will open a credit card tab for you and near the end of show they'll appear with your receipts for you to sign and close out your tabs. You can pay by cash but you will have to pay when you put in your order.

    Diet Coke
    Stefan S.

    Not quite what I was expecting. Certainly not the type of movie theater that I have been expecting to go to for this private event. The food was okay, I had a pepperoni flatbread and it was good but it wasn't worth $15. I found the menu to be limited. It wasn't movie theater seating either, I was seated in an office chair at what seemed like a long desk. But what totally blew my mind was the fact that we watched the movie Superbad on Hulu at what I expected to be a regular movie theater. I was invited to this event here and seeing that it wasn't anything like what I expected, I doubt that I will be back.

    Front theater
    Gabriella C.

    Loved this venue for stand up comedy! It's definitely old and you can tell it's been around for awhile - but that adds to its' charm and it was clean and comfortable! The rolling office chairs were surprisingly comfortable and side tables were perfect for our beers! Servers were nice and ensured to stop by and check if we needed to order anything often! Would come here again for another comedy show!

    Port City Hazy IPA small mug
    Ravon H.

    Drove down from Maryland to see a comedy show on a rainy Sunday night. I came to see a friend who was performing at this venue. There was plenty of parking in the public lot across the street. There appeared to be a little bit of street parking on the side but it was easier for me to go to the parking garage and it was covered to kept my car out of the rain. I pre purchased my tickets for $20 a few days in advance. Show said 7 and I arrived at 6:30. I was too early as they were still setting up for the show so I hand to wait a few minutes before they let me in. It's a pretty old building that's seen a lot of wear and tear. Mostly open seating but a few people had reserved tables. There is a small bar in the back of the theater and wait staff will come around to take your orders. Service was hit or miss. When I first arrived and the theater was empty service was quick. I recommend putting your orders in as soon as you arrive. Tables are small and chairs are worn. The menu is on line but I had to cell service inside so I had to request a paper menu. Prices are reasonable and the menu is small. Since it's a drafthouse I ordered a Port City Hazy IPA. 7 for a small mug and 11 for the large. I ordered some cheese steak egg rolls as well. Pretty tasty appetizer. Over all a ok place to catch a small comedy show. Seats need to be updated. They look like standard office furniture and aren't Elbert comfortable..

    Shalita W.

    I actually enjoy visiting the Arlington Drafthouse. We personally get the same great experience each time. Even though I wish the would have never switched their menu up, change is good and I hope to see this place around for many more years to come. Tony Rock was LIVE this particular night but I've seen so many performances here over the years. Stop by, it's a vibe. Nice Gem in Arlington but you must be able to see the beauty in this mist of it needing a little TLC.

    Veggie flatbread
    Chandler D.

    Came here for Karaoke night. It wasn't packed but thoroughly enjoyed the event! Service and food good and prompt! I ordered the veggie flatbread and was good for a drafthouse pizza!

    Stage
    Orest S.

    I visited this place for Adam Conover's show. The venue was full, but the service was pretty good. They have good selection of beers and fast food. Also, there are those weird office chairs, but those are comfortable.

    Entrance

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    1 year ago

    Such a fun venue for comedy shows! It's nice that you can get a bite to eat here too and I like the quesadillas and flatbread.

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    3 years ago

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    9 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Always fun! The drinks were inventive and fun, the service was efficient given the large group we had and the place was clean.

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    1 year ago

    cool venue, excellent service. drinks good. horrible horrible horrible horrible food. eat at Thai Square beforehand.

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    Page 1 of 14

    Ask the Community - Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse

    How is parking?

    It's ok but get there early because it's fills up really fast and after that I'm not sure where to park

    View All 2 Questions

    Review Highlights - Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse

    I recently saw Superbad at the Arlington Cinema Draft House and thought it was a super-neat (no pun) experience.

    Mentioned in 6 reviews

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    BOE

    BOE

    3.1(10 reviews)
    1.8 miClarendon

    Food: not recommended Service: great…read moreAmbiance: great for after work drinks (margaritas were excellent) on a nice day. Proceed straight upstairs to the rooftop bar and patio. Lots of standing room, limited seating, but the patrons are young, beautiful, and mostly college students from nearby schools. Not my crowd, but met one of my friends here after work in Arlington around 6:30 since the weather was perfect yesterday. We decided to go to my favorite restaurant for a more elevated experience and live music. One day, I'll come back to watch people ride the bull downstairs, which I imagine that to be hilarious and entertaining. The bartender told me the place doesn't come alive until about 9pm, so that's when it's crowded and probably off the chain.

    I really wanna love BOE but the last few times I've came I've been extremely disappointed that it's…read morenot a bar I would prefer to go to on the weekends with friends. I went for the first time back in October and I had a good time. The drinks were competitively price for Arlington proportions but the food AND cocktail menu are just painfully limited. If you're ordering just standard bar drinks like a domestic draft beer or a shot of tequila you're fine, but a grilled cheese sandwich on the menu? Seriously? The biggest attraction of this bar is the mechanical bull. But the caveat is that you need to get a ticket to ride it which costs $5. Not terrible pricing but considering PBR at Power Plant Live in Baltimore has a mechanical bull (and more space but will get to that in a bit) it feels like a slap in the face. But again it's $5 and I'm going to presume that money goes towards maintenance of the mechanical bull ride anyway. Also depending on what day and time you go be prepared to be packed like sardines. There's three rooms one of which is a dedicated dance floor. And the room farthest from the entrance, about 85% of the room is taken up by the mechanical bull. The first time I went there was no room in the mechanical bull room because they blocked off 5% of it for some group party reservation. We went up to the rooftop which was a bit more spacious but naturally if it's cold outside or raining you're obviously not going up there. Overall, BOE has potential but a limited food menu, and even more limited cocktail menu, and small indoor space makes this an easy bar to skip when there's a line out the door.

    Photos
    BOE
    BOE
    BOE - Upper level Bar

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    Upper level Bar

    The Board Room - Boardroom Va art

    The Board Room

    3.7(234 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$

    Devastated to hear that The Board Room closed recently! It was one of the first places I visited…read moreafter I moved to Arlington. With an extensive drink menu and plenty of board games it was a chill spot if you wanted to socially drink with friends and unwind after a long day.

    Parking was PERFECT. public parking garage underneath, and the elevator in the corner takes you up…read moreright to the front door of the restaurant. Could not ask for a better parking situation. Ordering was almost seamless. We got there at 1 o'clock, middle of the day on 4/18, plenty of empty tables. We went up to the bartender to take our order, and then gave them our table number and they delivered it. The QR code on the table only shows you the menu. It is not used for ordering, which was odd these days. Chill and super awesome bartender with the mother of all hickeys. Good pours. No Skrewball :-( I had the special, two hot dogs with tater tots. When it said double, I wasn't sure if that meant double the tater tots, but that meant actually two hot dogs. Really good. I also had the other special, the two pancakes. I meant to get the sausage, but they gave me the bacon instead. It was great. Well worth it. I thought that was the better value of the meals. They got a lot of board and card games. Very laid-back atmosphere, 90s and early 2000s pop on the music, comfortable seating, and good food. The prices were reasonable. This is one area that I think we are just going to have to deal with for quite some time. The give-and-take of prices,. Smothered tater tots, pancakes, two hotdogs with some tater tots, and three drinks came out to ~$55. NOT. BAD. Was it worth it? If this had been just a normal restaurant, I would've said no. It would've been more worth it if it had been about $40. But... nobody made us pay to use the board games, or the card games, and we sat there for three hours and had a really good time. So based on that, the fact they provide a venue for playing these games and hanging out for a few hours makes it all worth it. Really strange thing was that there was this balding guy with a beard that randomly showed up as a waiter. We had been dealing with a bartender, so this guy, kind of rude came on to us and we weren't sure what to do with him. He kind of blocked me from paying the bartender. Rude. Not a hangout spot every day, but certainly once a week, maybe once a month or more, definitely a place to meet up if you got a group. I was really surprised by the diversity of the people that were there. A lot of chess players, a whole table of middle-aged women, lots of different people playing games. I would give them five stars, but not quite perfect. The rude guy at the end was so odd. Otherwise, great location, great parking, the food was good, good value, and fun.

    Photos
    The Board Room - More Art

    More Art

    The Board Room - Owner stopped by forever a table visit

    Owner stopped by forever a table visit

    The Board Room - Games, Games, Games!

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    Games, Games, Games!

    The Renegade - Mac & Cheese

    The Renegade

    4.0(163 reviews)
    1.7 miClarendon

    We went for a live performance- the stage is small but sufficient. I was glad to be able to grab a…read morehigh table so we could have something to eat. There are a number of vegetarian items on the menu - we had the yucca fries, they were great, and so was the dip that came with them. Bartenders have a lot of room to cover, but I was never left waiting for a drink too long. My only complaint would be the big pillar in the middle of the space, I'm sure it blocks the view of the stage from some spaces. If you're coming to watch sports, there are plenty of TVs over the bar, no worries about blocking your view there. There is also a parking garage basically next door, very convenient.

    I learned about Renegade for their Dark Constellation events through a goth/industrial music…read moreinternet community of which I am a member. I attended a performance by Cynbaal, Distributed Systems and Jaguardini, and while I had to leave before Jaguardini's performance, I had a great time watching the other two acts. The setting is pretty great, from the stage to the multiple television screens projecting the stage, to the bar and the setup of multiple tables. There was sufficient open space in front of the stage that several people were able to dance. The crowd seemed to be at various different stages of Gen X, and they were super into the show, dressing up for that goth vibe. I am excited to return for future shows, but I hope they'll refresh their beer offerings, I had to make do with a diet Coke.

    Photos
    The Renegade - Bar and high top tables

    Bar and high top tables

    The Renegade - Grilled Chicken Quesadilla

    Grilled Chicken Quesadilla

    The Renegade - Lamp Chops

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    Lamp Chops

    Oasis The Listening Bar - Nigiri Deluxe - Chef's Daily 10 Piece Nigiri Selection

    Oasis The Listening Bar

    4.4(79 reviews)
    1.7 miClarendon

    This place was super cute and a nice vibe! Our server was so nice and efficient. She gave really…read moregood recommendations on the drink menu and helped us decide when we were in a tough spot to pick some of our sushi rolls. This place is perfect to meeting with friends or even a date night. The back or the restaurant is dark, but in a good way. They also had live music Saturday night (not sure if this is every night). It was a good volume, until they went back to the restaurant music and then it got LOUD. Not too bad, just was shocked that it was so loud. For food we started with my fave, miso soup. After that we had the Chirashi. It was a nice assortment and a good start to dinner. Next we did the Dragon Roll, a classic and they didn't disappoint. We had a couple mocktails and drinks and were able to chitchat before trying the Marisol Roll which was amazing! Lastly, we wrapped up the night with the Earl Grey Crème Brûlée, a great sweet treat. I will certainly return to this spot. Not only was it a fun vibe, but the food was good and the service was awesome.

    Maybe we haven't been saying it enough but the Ballston-Rosslyn corridor NEEDS a good sushi spot!…read moreHaving only tried a couple items so far I'm still confident this may be it thanks to the team behind our area's Sisters Thai spots. On both visits I had the toro tartare on the specials menu and have tried the tequila-based City Runner spicy marg 2x now. There is something for all drinkers though, and lots of food selection. The atmosphere is chill, with great decor and thoughtful lighting and as the name suggests, bartenders always have a record going. The front room is largely the bar with high tops up front. They've put a cozier dining room in the back room. Great spaces for a friend catch-up or date. Since taking over the space from Cava, I also appreciate the bathroom upgrades.

    Photos
    Oasis The Listening Bar - City Hunter

    City Hunter

    Oasis The Listening Bar - Pacific roll

    Pacific roll

    Oasis The Listening Bar - Back dining room

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    Back dining room

    King’s Ransom - Sunset Park

    King’s Ransom

    4.3(130 reviews)
    4.5 miOld Town Alexandria

    The service was great as usual and the drinks were great. I had two of them which were the Modena…read moreSpritz and the Toki Highball. Both were excellent! The atmosphere was bar appropriate with minimal noise, so I didn't need to raise my voice at all since I was in the tabled area in the back. Would I go back? Yes, absolutely.

    My friend and I were looking for a quick bar to slip into around 10-11 PM and stumbled across this…read morespot. It's not too far from the waterfront, so it made for a nice walk after gelato. At first, you'll see what looks like just a pizza shop -- but if you head in and either use the side door or walk through and climb a set of stairs, you'll find the speakeasy upstairs. Very cool vibe: dark, cozy, and date-night ready. Drinks: 4/5 I ordered their take on an Old Fashioned, and it was definitely the highlight of the night but sweeter than I would have liked. They served it over a stamped solid block of ice (a small detail I ). My friend was abstaining from alcohol that night and asked for a non-alcoholic cocktail. To our surprise, they didn't just hand her a lemonade like most places -- they actually made her a crafted virgin drink, which she loved. Food: 3/5 We ordered fries and a slice of pepperoni pizza. The fries turned out to be waffle fries (not mentioned on the menu) and were overly crispy, so not really our favorite. The pizza was fine -- clearly sourced from the shop downstairs -- but it leaned oily and didn't really wow us. Service: 5/5 Pretty standard -- nothing over the top, but not neglectful either. Drinks came out reasonably fast, food followed, and we were checked on enough without it feeling pushy. Vibes: 4/5 The speakeasy itself is definitely the selling point. Dark, intimate, and stylish -- you feel like you've found a little hidden spot. All in all, the cocktails are the reason to come, especially if you're into whiskey. The food was forgettable, but it's convenient that you can order pizza upstairs. We spent about $30-40 for drinks and snacks, which isn't shocking for Old Town. Would I go back? Maybe if I was already in the area, but for a dedicated whiskey night, I'd probably head somewhere else.

    Photos
    King’s Ransom - Plenty to choose from

    Plenty to choose from

    King’s Ransom - Great selections

    Great selections

    King’s Ransom - Old Fashion

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    Old Fashion

    Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse - movietheaters - Updated May 2026

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