A charming little cinema offering unique screenings of classics and off the beaten path films. You'll sit on desks if you're late, or get a cozy booth if you get here a little earlier. They serve pretty decent food here, despite it being a little pricier than I was expecting, but nothing hair raising. I dropped around $20 a person for tickets plus appetizers/entrees/drinks. If you think about it that's the same price you would pay for crappy popcorn and a drink at a normal theater. The pizza never disappoints, and the salads have been really good here. One thing to be wary of are the occasional obnoxious people, but thankfully the theater is self policing. I had an annoying experience for a while with an overly rowdy girl and her 'boyfriend' screaming every time Christian Bale was nude during an American Psycho screening. Thankfully they were quickly silenced by a staff member. This is one of my usual haunts. Its a great place to go for a different type of theater going. Overall its a fun time, and awesome for groups. read more

I love this place so much. This was the first place after moving to Seattle that I went and thought "wow, that really felt like I got to be a part of Seattle". It's welcoming, the food is good (though sometimes the more adventurous dishes fall flat), and the movie selection is fantastic. This is a perfect place for friends to gather and do hecklevision, to take someone on a date and quietly exchange comments in your private booth with some wine, or to go alone and just soak in some great vibes! read more

I adore central cinema! It's my favorite movie house in town. Yeah, there is Cinerama with its laser projectors and stuff, but they don't serve beer direct to your seat and they sure as hell don't show amazing movies like The Last Dragon and Point Break, and they sure as hell don't have HECKLEVISION, which is the most hilarious movie going experience you can have in Seattle. Great staff, great service, and the food is good too. I've also thrown an event here before and the team was super great to work with. read more

Love this place. I've been going to CC for about 4 years now. They have such a great selection of movies, it's a great place to go see classics on a big screen with your friends while enjoying a drink. Just some observations - the service can be slow, they usually only have a couple of people working, so things are going to be a little slow. Get there 10 minutes before the movie starts and you will be fine. The food isn't great, but it works. They are a movie theater, not a 5 star restaurant. I usually stick to the popcorn and pizza, can't go wrong with that. Still gladly give this place 5 stars. I've had a couple of less than desirable experiences, but those are nothing compared all the amazing experiences I've had. read more

This place is so fun!!! Watch a movie & eat/drink at the same time. What a blast! the food was pretty good too and the price reasonable. Parking was super easy to find and the staff were nice. Would definitely go back & check out another movie! Not good for big groups though, so just go with a friend or two. read more

"The first rule of Yelp is - you do not talk about Yelp. The second rule of Yelp is - you DO NOT talk about Yelp. Third rule of Yelp, someone yells Stop!, goes limp, taps out, the Yelp is over. Fourth rule, only two stars to a dump. Fifth rule, one Yelp at a time, fellas. Sixth rule, no shirt, no shoes. Seventh rule, Yelps will go on as long as they have to. And the eighth and final rule, if this is your first night at Yelp, you have to Yelp." Ummm...obviously, I just saw Fight Club at Central Cinema (on a Friday night). This movie was announced in the Seattle Weekly and this was the first time we sat in the theater-style/stadium seats in the back. Man, I loves the Pigs In A Blanket here! read more

Fun venue. $6 movies and good bar menu. Burgers are great. Fun atmosphere. Drawback is that some families come with their kids sometimes and they make noise.... this place isn't designed to absorb sound as every sound is reflected off the walls. read more

Central Cinema - Cinema Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Welcome to the gentrified CD. I wanted to love this retro movie theatre so badly! Unfortunately my whole experience was a big fat sign that I should never ever set foot in this establishment again. We ordered guac and chips as well as two fizzes (they were apparently out of iced tea and lemonade which made up basically half of the non alcoholic drink menu). Our guac and chips came out in ten minutes and the drinks came out another ten minutes later. The service was relatively slow, but it wasn't something that bothered me until I actually needed something urgently. My friend and I had eaten about three chips before we realized the guac had a hair sticking out of it. We flagged down a server (wasn't our original server) and let him know. He was quick to grab the guac and said he'd take care of it. About ten minutes later, no guac and the movie was about to start so we flagged down our original waiter and asked if the guac was coming. He went and I quote "this is first I've heard of any guac" and stormed off. My friend made a comment that we could point out the server who took our guac but to our dismay he just ignored us. What really was the cherry on top was the fact that he came all the way around to the other side and screamed at us "NO SERVERS HAVE HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THE GUAC" and aggressively grabbed the plate away. At this point, the movie hadn't even started and the night was ruined. After being disrespected so well, we left during intermission. Of course, we had to track down our server to give us our check when we had requested it 10 minutes earlier. He seemingly forgot - AGAIN. Save your self money and just watch the reruns at home. This theatre isn't worth it. read more

What a charming little theatre! My friend and I came here to check out a showing of my favorite animated Japanese film, My Neighbor Totoro! Looking at their calendar, this theatre shows old movies, cult classics, and does fun theme nights like 90s singalongs (yes!!!!) and movie trivia night. The theatre is small and when you walk in the front half of the theatre has small booth seats and tables facing the screen. I think the back part had chairs and tables. The great thing about this place is it's full service dining. So no separate concessions area. A server comes to you and you order popcorn from him. You can get real butter on your popcorn or fancy options like garlic powder and curry powder! They also have other snacks like garlic knots. And you can also get real food, like pizza and burgers! It's pretty awesome. It's literally dinner and a movie at the same time! Efficient!! The server comes in and out during the movie and asks if there's anything else you want, so be aware of that - there may be slight interruptions. It's a great idea for an movie theatre and it was such a fun experience!! Plus any theatre that will play Studio Ghibli films is awesome! read more

Central Cinema - TOTORO!!!!! - Cinema Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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..."I HAVE NO WORRIES, HONEY", is what was commented to me, my husband and our guest from Mexico earlier tonight when I realized I booked tickets on a Saturday for a Tuesday movie (that was sold out) not realizing I didn't change the date when I booked it, rather... booked it for that night. When we all entered, he searched my name and asked me for a confirmation email... he looked at my email and rather abhorrently, embarrassed me in front of me, my guest, and others waiting for absentee's. When I told him, "no worries"... it was a polite gesture to the fact that I made a mistake. I wasn't expecting a response, "I HAVE NO WORRIES, HONEY". He owns his own baggage and shouldn't pawn his off on others... read more

Hadn't ever been here before but they do event rentals and I was having a special birthday, so I figured why not? Absolutely surpassed expectations. It's a really cool space with comfortable seating, service at the seats, and perfectly acceptable sound and projection quality. The food is good if not great -- I had and enjoyed the steak frites. In general the movie lineup is awesome; good variety of classics, recent worthwhile movies, and so on. We'll definitely be back down for other flicks this year. read more

Worst.service.ever. If I could give zero stars, I would. I was the 5th person to walk into the theatre and an hour later our order still hadn't been taken. I went up and asked a very rude redhead with glasses if I could order and she said she had orders to put in. There were a lot of people in the theatre and literally every single one had ordered and most had eaten before she ever even took our order despite being one of the first few to come in. She was bitchy and snide. I will never go here again. read more

Central Cinema is one of those quintessential Seattle venues that you hope cool, long term visitors discover. On any given night you can find trivia, 90s sing along, movies, sports ball games, or a combination of the previous. It's rare to find an event venue where a fun time is always had by all. I highly recommend checking out their calendar and buying tickets in advance! read more

I'm not sure what happened this time around. We've been there many times before, thoroughly enjoying the service and films! We have advertised the business by word of mouth, exhaustively. This time, however, we're reassessing our opinions. First, the friend we had planned to meet with arrived 15 minutes earlier (due to public transport) than we had and was raving about the server and the service she was receiving before we got there--after we arrived (my boyfriend and myself) she noted the service changed drastically. Second, we ordered two items off them menu that were *gasp* not available anymore (removed from menu completely or were seasonal). Spaghetti and meatballs and fiddleheads. We have ordered these items may times before, but the menus were laminated (and by the sounds of it the menu was under revisions) and could have easily indicated that items were not available with a simple cross out--why wait until the customer spent minutes deciding before their decided item was not available, and then waiting another 10-15 minutes before being able to order again? Here's a sharpie. Third, service was very slow. This could be to the increase of customers showing up for the movie, but even after the mishap of menu items, the server took forever to loop back around to us. Our friend noted the shift in service after we arrived. Fourth, we ordered dessert later into the movie at the same time our friend ordered dessert--and we received an unwanted replacement. She received her dessert as she ordered (she was happy) and we relieved nothing (sad face). Our server had somehow 'forgotten' our order for dessert, so instead of apologizing when he realized his 'mistake' and asking if we would still want the dessert, he presented us with the bill and Sour Patch Kids (as a replacement for the chocolate lava cake we had originally ordered). Note: we do not enjoy sour patch kids, thanks for asking. Fifth; after leaving a personal note on the back of the receipt explaining the unfortunate situation, I had returned back to the table to see if I had forgotten anything.... only to witness the server throwing down the Sour Patch Kids angrily (we didn't eat the sour patch kids) and crumpling up the receipt/note we had left behind. Noted, writing a review on Yelp. Sixth, after I received the bill and Sour Patch Kids the rest of the movie was awash. I couldn't enjoy it due to the service we had received--I was incredibly uncomfortable and upset. We have been there many other times and have received exceptional service, and today we left today with a sour taste in our mouths--no not the sour patch kids. It was my friend's first visit and she wasn't impressed after the fact (apart from when we were not there and the waiter was overly attentive, to the point of annoying her). Perhaps I am being too insensitive, but we weren't looking for anything out of the ordinary, just the service any person would expect who has been to Central Cinema before--the experiences we had prior to tonight! If your menus are outdated and/or under revision, note that for the customer before they decide to order the item(s) that are unavailable. If a customer orders dessert, remember they ordered it, and serve it--even if that means they will be enjoying it during the credits. How would you feel if your friend orders dessert when everyone orders dessert, and only she gets dessert and you get nothing--apart from a bag of candy you never asked for (we can't get chocolate lava cake any any gas station) as a replacement is heavily assuming. We wanted the chocolate lava cake and we would have paid for it. As a customer, why not spend money on a new film or stay home (for free) and watch Totoro (film shown)? It's not like the films being shown here are *only* available in theaters. Will we be back? We're still deciding. Our friend was offended for us. We're thinking that we'd rather experience re-runs from the comfort of our own home where we aren't discriminated against (this is how we perceived our experience, even if this wasn't the case, please communicate it) and can control the experience than from a restaurant theater with employees that don't seem to have it together. If we're back, I will more certainly consider updating this review if the experience has changed. As it stands now, I'm canceling all future events. We can watch re-runs elsewhere--we came for the experience. Future requests: a menu that reflects what is actually available, service that treats everyone equally. read more

This is a neat place. Aside from the obvious partisan politics which really needs to be ignored on the signage (and in the urinal), this is a neat place to watch retro movies in a dinner-theater setting. Experiment with different seatings to see what is most pleasant! (I hear the tall chair seating is uncomfortable) read more

I cam here on Prince's birthday and they were having a purple rain party in honer of him. I truly enjoyed it here! I moved up here from Austin Texas where we have Alamo Draft house. I loved the concept of Alamo but it changed dramatically and I ended up hating Alamo... Central Cinema reminded me of the good old days of Alamo. The food here was delicious and cheap. I wen't with a beer and a sausage pizza. I also shared a garlic popcorn with my friend, and they also provided us with a pretty cool prince snack pack. There was a pretty cool Prince costume contest and they also played most of his videos before the actual movie began. Yes all in all I would love to come back here and watch a classic sometime. Parking isn't as bad as people say it is, in my opinion. read more

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Central Cinema is a great, indy theatre with wicked programming. It's unique on every level. I highly recommend it to fellow discriminating pop culture dorks out there. The schedule At Central Cinema is ever rotating and fun. I appreciate the humour they bring to their programming. Some examples: regular showings of "The Room", sing-along with videos from the 80's and 90's and Cartoon Happy Hours. Each month they have different themes: looks like this month is "I Heart Sequels" - Batman Returns, Godfather 2, Ghostbusters 2, etc. My favorite thing I've attended at Central Cinema? Everything is Terrible! (http://www.everythingisterrible.com/) They're an art group out of Chicago that puts together weird outtakes and video finds, dresses up as monsters, accepts Jerry McGuire vhs tapes as tribute, and hosts shows. Geekdom at its finest. While not as unusual as it once was, Central serves food, beer and wine during shows. I've always been happy with my snacks and meals, but I don't think anyone would go there just for the food. The only drawback for some people would be the video quality. The screen is about a fourth of the size of a traditional film screen - *maybe*. This could be akin to going to a rich friend's house and watching a flick on their system - but you wouldn't get the same camaraderie. (You are not alone in your nerdom) Buy your tickets at least 24 hours in advance and get a discount - $2 off per ticket! Regular price: $8. read more

'Legend' on the big silver screen? Sure, why not! Yes, that's right.. I watched Tom Cruise in what I would call, the finest performance of his career last night at Central Cinema and I enjoyed every last loin cloth lovin' minute of it! We got there early (good thing we did!) and got a booth on the far right. Doors are at 6 and the movie is at 7- this is recommended for optimum viewing pleasure, as it fills up fast. We enjoyed some old school, hilarious informative shorts before the feature and the waitress was over promptly, from which we ordered our food and drinks. Beers, pizza, popcorn, hummus w/ flatbread (loved this!), a whole slew of tasty 10" of pizzas, salads, sandwiches, apps, and desserts to suit almost any palette. We went the hummus/ salad/ pizza route, and ordered a 'pig in a blanket' to share. It was all very good and reasonably priced. One very patient, hardworking waitress tends to the entire theatre, so unless you're there early, you might wait for a few minutes for her to get around to you. No worries, though, b/c she absolutely will.. and by the time the movie's over, you will be fed, billed, and very happy! Two showings nightly. Times vary depending on the evening.. Definitely head here if you're looking to switch up 'dinner and a movie' a bit. I mean, what's better than Tim Curry in giant horns and big red crazy makeup? ... Okay, sooo... lots of things, but you get the idea. You gotta go here. It's a damn good time indeed! read more

This place made me believe in Seattle again. Seriously. Central Cinema, I want to kiss you on the mouth! Forget the fact that the food isn't all that great. It truly doesn't matter because you will have the most amazing time. I realize that not all nights can be as fun as New Year's Eve, but last night I went to their New Year's Eve Footloose quote-along dance your ass off party and it was the most fun I've had in a long time. From the moment we walked in everything was fantastic. The staff was great, helpful and most importantly, FUN. The host/program director, whoever he is, was a breath of fresh air. He knew what the audience wanted and he delivered! I totally felt at home and like I was with my people! The friendliest, most fun people were there and just like in the movies, when the good songs came on, people started getting up in the aisles and dancing one by one and screaming, singing and dancing was all totally encouraged. The movie was followed by an hour of the BEST 80s music videos to dance to, a champagne toast and party poppers! I should also mention that tickets were a mere $10 and I would have paid much, much more for the amount of fun I had. I plan on making the Central Cinema my home away from home where I can get my freak on regularly. Seriously, if you have a chance to go to one of these quote-along/sing-alongs, DO IT! I only wonder why I didn't go sooner. SWOON. Central Cinema, will you marry me? read more

My first time experience at a sit down, dine with a full menu while being waited by excellent friendly staff at the movies. Pros: Central Cinema has beer, wine, and food but no hard liquor. They have a quality food like tasty pizza, burgers, and wieners in the blanket. Really yummy popcorn with butter, spicy curry powder, and brewer yeast. They have great older retro & classic movies and great service throughout the movie. The front part has comfy booths and lamp lighting. Friendly customer service from the staff. Cons: The area is near many homes so you have to find parking on the streets, it took us a bit to find parking. The seating is not really comfortable and the back seating reminds me of highschool chairs with the movable side table. I will definitely be back if they are showing a great movie that I like to see. Central Cineam is taking your movie experience to the next level! read more

After several visits I feel like I finally can make a valid review of this place -- and I have to say I love it here! My first visit was actually during an Elite Event, and I held back on my review because I figured that, of course, Central Cinema would have their best face on that evening. They did of course, but after a couple other visits I have to say every time I have been here they have been working at the top of their game. GREAT movies here. Old school favorites, cult classics, movie themed trivia nights, and films that go above and beyond strange are all played here. There is always something that I want to see being played here. Price is always awesomely cheap for the movies too. Then hey, booze! You can has beers with your movie. Or wine. But really, have a beer -- great local selection from standard ol'Manny's, always a selection from Odin brewery and something special on rotation. Like any other theater, food is over-priced, but at least you have lots of fun options! Pizza, quinoa salad, desserts a plenty, and of course popcorn with many flavor options are available. Comfy booth style seating, table service, and faboosh movies. Really, this place is awesome. read more

This is a great way to add a twist to the traditional dinner-and-a-movie date night, or pull together a fun, laid-back gathering of family or friends. Central Cinema does not offer up your typical film fare - their specialty is a refreshing array of offbeat offerings, including cult classics, B movies you hate to love, and local films. My personal favorite flick experience here was Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. For intellectual types, there are also regular film series that include speakers and film discussions. While you're waiting for your movie to begin, you can hang out in the front room and order up a tasty wood-fired pizza and a beer. There are enough tables and chairs for parties large and small to settle in and get down to fun-having. Food and drink can be brought with you into the theater, or ordered once you're seated inside. The theater seating includes booths down in front, and little foldable tables on the theater-style seats (a la [insert college class name here] 101). If you'd rather skip dinner and head straight for the movie-time staple food, bowls of light, fluffy popcorn are available, and come with your choice of toppings. I'm a popcorn traditionalist, so I tend to stick with butter - but if you prefer curry or brewer's yeast, you've got it! Those under 21 are welcome at Central Cinema for showings that don't run past 11:00 p.m., and kids will be sure to enjoy the novelty of having two of their favorites - pizza and a movie - all wrapped in one friendly package! read more

The classic date can consist of dinner and a movie. There aren't that many places in Seattle that can combine the two. Central Cinema is one such place, right Zach? It's another of Seattle's local theaters that deserves attention. Ticket prices are very reasonable. If you buy in advance, a ticket runs you $6. At today's rate, you're nearly paying half the price of a normal movie ticket, right Zach? That's pretty hard to argue. Day-of purchases run $8, so buying in advance is clearly advantageous. If you come just for a movie, it's rather perfect. And they do screen classics similar to the Egyptian, generally two night shows. The film selection is pretty good, though not as deep as some of the other theaters have shown. Beer and food are available as well. The beer is sufficient, and there are some ok food options. The pizzas are ok, as is the popcorn. The prices for everything, however, are a bit on the high side. The convenience is a part of the cost, wouldn't you agree Zach? When you consider what dinner + movie would cost, combining them here isn't all that bad. Come early, for seats fill up quick! And if you only visit once, come for The Room screenings! It's no Rocky Horror, but it is right in the neighborhood, right Zach? read more

Why... oh why... did I never visit this place until my second to last weekend in Seattle? Aargh (kicks self)!!! This is the closest thing that Seattle has to the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin (honestly, one of the biggest influences on my moving back)... food, beer, and movies, all in one place! Everyone's right, the service is pretty slow... seems like it just needs to be ironed out a bit more. Everyone's right, too, that the seating is pretty uncomfy... I didn't mind the sitting up straight so much, but the incredible lack of leg room SUCKED for me. I'm kind of a sloucher, I want the people behind me to be able to see. We arrived a little early and ordered in the cafe area. When the food had barely arrived, it was time for the show (Being John Malkovich) and we migrated into the theater. I was crazy hungry, so ordered popcorn to go with my salad. Not much of a fan of the popcorn, really, would it be that expensive to invest in a damn popcorn machine instead of getting it out of a canister and putting butter on it? My salad, however, was really, really tasty. I thought about ordering a Pig in a Blanket as well, but decided I'd look like a cow. So, I got chocolate cake, instead. I think it was more of an amaretto chocolate cake... so watch out, people with coconut aversions/allergies! The screen is pretty small, so don't try to see huge lots-of-action movies here... although I don't think they show them anyway. Props for showing smaller, independent films as well. That'll kick them up to 3 1/2 stars. Also, props for $5 tickets! Whoo hoo! Sad that I just discovered this place, happy that I'm returning to the world of the Alamo. read more

Central cinema, I've given up on you. I tried to visit you during the presidential debates, but you were full. I tried visiting to see a film, but you were sold out. You're just not that into me. There's too much demand for your attention. I just don't think we should see each other anymore, Central Cinema. I just demand more from a theater venue relationship than you're willing to give me. (Seriously though, come early if you're trying to get in here. They fill up super fast. They are well staffed and generously accommodated. It's comfortable and so people show up early.) -1 star for being such a player. You hurt me, Central Cinema. read more

Wow, This place is cool and unique...Sure the concept of serving real food awhile watching a film have been seen in Seattle. Ive been to Cinnabar and the Big picture that are swank and great for a date...if your a Porsche driving East Sider.. If your a young hip urbanit that loves indie films,singing a long with the 80's movies and even oddity's from the bowels of the VHS video store to uncover the worst and horrifying pre-digital films that have ever been recorded...Look at the Big Hair!! Hot pink everywhere!!! Acid wash jeans and really really bad acting to go with the really bad special effects! But I found this place cool with cool decor and cool local art that decorated the cool walls. My First time here was at the "Revival" screening. A Fixied gear film showcasing riders from Seattle,SF and NYC in a cinematographic masterpiece. It's cool that a place will let film makers show their films and documentary. It shows a connection with it's community, even though they had to pay..a fair price to show it with a non-profit rate as well. Awhile I was watching, I order the Cobra sandwich that was delicious!. To be honest I order it because of the name..Sadly there was no cobra in the actually sandwich but a delirious hot ham and cheese sandwich with thyme bechamel placed between a toasty focaccia. It's kinda expensive but the taste was worth it. They have popcorn with a choice of salts and seasoning like garlic,brewers yeast, curry powder or just your butter (actually with real butter.) The only thing that was a downfall was the seats were a bit stiff and did not tilt back and had very little padding. Other than that Central Cinema is a hit! read more

Unfortunately, I can't talk about the most memorable moment of my night spent at Central Cinema, and thus, I will focus on the second; stuffing my face with delicious food while watching the Bride massacre hundreds of really big jerk-faces. The booths are pretty comfortable, the views are unobstructed, and the sound and picture quality are very good. The little shorts they played were pretty damn funny as well - no spoilers here. The popcorn was good although I confess I didn't dig the popcorn with curry powder *no fault of theirs, the flavor just didn't work for me. The bacon wrapped, cheese stuffed dates were good and the pizza was pretty fantastic. The selection of beer made the night though and the price is just about the same as any bar for a good microbrew which was a nice surprise. I expected movie theatre caliber price inflation but did not experience it. I will certainly return to this far off place - hopefully when they wise up and put the Princess Bride on the playlist (sorry if it is and I didn't notice). Or maybe... Encino Man... just saying... read more

BASICALLY go for the movies. and if you feel like getting totally neglected and forgotten and left starving and thirsty, dine there. we waited til the END OF OUR MOVIE to get our meal and i had to ASK for our beers an hour into to the movie. what the shit is that? the dumb bitch server never apologized. the only words that came out of her mouth was a pretentious YEAH ITS ON THE WAY. we finally got our food, COLD AND MISSING SAUCES. needless to say, she seriously ruined our night. we couldnt enjoy the movie because our heads kept looking for our dinner or at least an answer on our dumb servers face. WHAT THE SHIT. DONT YOU EVER GO TO THIS THEATRE HUNGRY DONT YOU DARE! read more

I love that they show old movies, and that if you buy your tickets online before hand you can save a few bucks. Their prices for the movie itself is completely reasonable. I paid $9 to see the entire Back to the Future Trilogy. It's the food and drink that I have a problem with. The food options are few, and, lacking. Lacking in what, I don't know. They have popcorn and a few different seasonings. I went with just butter, and was sorely disappointed. The popcorn was burnt, there wasn't that much of it for $3, and the "real butter" really didn't add anything to it. I also tried one of their pizzas with 3 cheeses, mushrooms and roasted garlic. The mushroom and garlic were both TOO much, they were completely overpowering to the point that they ruined the pizza for me. The pizza itself, and cheese were fantastic, so if I just got a cheese pizza, I would probably be fine. They have a decent beer selection, and they were nice enough to let me sample a beer before ordering a pitcher. But both the beer I sampled, and the beer I ordered, were on the warmish side. Plus, their beer prices are a bit high. $5.75 for a pint, and $17.50 for a pitcher(which only gets you 3 1/2 beers). The place is really cute though, I like the seats and tables. We were able to find a nice comfy spot against the wall, which had some beautiful exposed brick. They have a short intermission in between movies. I just wish they had a way to get a hold of your server if you want to order anything. Apparently they have a system where you can use some website on your smart phone, but you have to get the info from your server initially, which we didn't do. Overall, I would come here again for the great ambiance and fun movie selections, but maybe skip too much beer and food. Which was a bit overpriced, and underwhelming. read more

I will without a doubt give this place a 5 for the movies. Their programmers and staff do a wonderful job bringing great retro movies, current festivals, and interspersing with fun events and weird shorts while you wait for the movie to begin. They'll even co-sponsor events at larger theaters to bring bigger acts and fill the balcony! For the food, I'd say a 3 that tries. The ingredients (especially the buns and bread) are good, some food items are hit or miss and seem underseasoned and a bit bland. The beer selection is great, and the waitstaff are attentive, friendly, and very tolerant of drunk cheer. The rest of the attendees are also fun, rowdy, and otherwise respectful. I'd give a $ to the price, events are VERY cheap to attend, however it will seem like a great idea to get two pitchers, an appetizer and dinners for two, and you can find youself spending a lot more than you expected for a 5-10$ movie. This is of course, not a downside or a sign that they're expensive, just a note to plan on spending more. I'm very fine with this, I want to see this institution to thrive and continue to bring us quirky offerings. read more

I have seen so many movies at Central Cinema. It's no IMAX or even your average multiplex quality. But when you're watching a movie like Airplane! or The Room or the original Nightmare on Elm Street, you're probably not there for the eye-popping visual extravaganza or the ear-shattering THX 1000-speaker surround-sound aural explosion. Central Cinema shows fun movies - usually older pop-culture favorites - in a fun atmosphere with food and booze. They also do quote-alongs, trivia nights, sing-alongs, cartoon happy hours, music video nights, and the occasional burlesque show. Pretty excellent, right? Their movie schedule is impressively great. There's almost always something I'm looking forward to seeing there, and the lineup changes every week. The servers are similarly great. They all seem like they are enjoying themselves and they tend to know a lot about the food being served. The food itself is, I hate to say, mediocre. I've tried several meals, snacks, and desserts, and they have ranged from "pretty alright" to "not so great." Based on the quality, the prices are a little on the high side, but I would gladly pay their prices if the quality were a little higher. For a food-centric city like Seattle, it's kind of surprising to eat at such a cool establishment and be left nonplussed. That said, Central Cinema is about the overall experience, and even with its flaws I still give it a solid 4-stars. I'll be going back again and again. read more

I've lived in Seattle for a very long time and sometimes feel as though I have been everywhere, eaten everything, and experienced all the things my city has to offer. That's why I was completely blown away when my friend invited me to watch a screening of Clueless. I said, "please, as if I would miss Clueless on the big screen. Where it is showing?" She said, "at Central Cinema." I said, "where is that?" She said, "it is a theater in the CD. They have beer and food." I said, "GET OUT OF TOWN. A theater with booze and food? How have I never heard of this? I AM TOTALLY BUGGIN." (I did say that last part, but only because we were talking about Clueless.) Long story short, it was great! We had a seat right in front, so no complaints about leg room here, though I can see why taller people would complain about some of the booths. Our server was super friendly and really excited about everything on the menu. I had one of the best adult coffees I've ever had, and enjoyed looking over the food offerings- many options for vegetarians! Prices were reasonable, and the coming attractions look great. I can't wait to come back! read more

My first vist to Central Cinema was for a 1930's film noir. One of my biggest conundrums of seeing a movie during the weekday is that I don't have time between work and the movie or afterwork and bedtime to have a good hearty dinner. Central Cinema is a restaurant/movie theater without the super overpriced movie ticket. They also have HH food and drinks prior to the movie. I loved the small theater fill of the place. Going to the movies is fun. Old movies are fun to watch. It's great to have a place that combines both! This would easily be a 5 star, but I have been quite disappointed with their daily specials. They always look amazing but fall short. That's not to say it's bad. read more

So happy to have finally made it here for one of their notorious trivia nights and it sure did not disappoint. I love the size of this place because it never gets too crowded. The food is also really good not just for being served in a movie theatre but very very good. The hosts were hilarious and the curators do a fantastic job. I am really excited to see what will come up next. The only downfall is the location is a little out of the way, there was parking if you're a driver. read more

I wouldn't have believed that poor service could spoil an evening of Muppet highlights for me. We were half an hour early and placed our drink orders 20 minutes before the lights went down. We got our drinks after about 45 minutes. we had to wait about an hour and a half for our food (which we had ordered before the movie started). We were unable to get the server to refresh our drinks or otherwise acknowledge our existence before our pizza finally arrived, utterly stone-cold, an hour and a half after it was ordered. When we were ready to leave, we couldn't even find someone to settle up the bill--we could have just walked out, but we are honest. Then I sent a politely worded email a few days later saying why we we weren't too happy with our experience. No response: not so much as a "I'm sorry you had a less-than-ideal experience; we will try to do better in future." I would love to love this place and I tried, but I am in no hurry to go back. They put on some great shows, but if you go, PLEASE do yourself a favor and don't go with the expectation of being served with anything to eat or drink, because that would apparently be unreasonable. read more

I've been to the Central Cinema twice now. One thing I can say is that movie theaters can still do pretty well by playing older films. This theater is just one of those. They get quirky and off the wall selections as well as movies that were hits years ago. They make unusual double feature pairings like for example getting the movie Big, starring Tom Hanks paired with A Clockwork Orange. Once a month the Central puts on sing a long music videos which is a lot of fun! I went for the Best Ever series which had a really good mix of music videos to sing to. In February they are doing lovers theme music videos so apparently there is some kind of theme incorporated in these sing a longs. The next show I went to was the Rocky Horror Picture show. I never saw Rocky Horror in a theater before and did not know what to expect since the theater shows have such a cult following. At first we were told the show was sold out so we sat down to eat there. The Central does have a restaurant and you can dine and drink while you watch movies or you can sit in a lounge area. We were lucky and two tickets opened up and we went to see the film after all! The Central is not one of the designated Rocky Horror theaters that play the film all of the time so we were in for a treat we thought. The Admiral Theater in Seattle and the Blue Mouse theater in Tacoma are the designated theaters that play the film in the area all of the time. Some of the actors that performed in front of you while the movie played came from these two theaters as well as other mediums to round out the group. I realize when you watch Rocky Horror live you don't really watch the movie but interact with it. It took me a while to get into that mold while people were yelling at the screen in between the dialog and all of the rice, confetti and cards being thrown in the air. The throwing stuff in the air was actually really fun! I was not too sure what to make of the actors. Some of them looked thoroughly confused and had to look up at the screen to see what they should be doing next. Others had to be guided by the really only good actor which portrayed Frankenfurter. The costumes were done pretty well, especially the costumes that you see at the end of the film. The costumes were spot on to what was worn in the film. In other parts not so much. The character that played Riff Raff had his wig fall off often and eventually he didn't even try. I am not sure if the bad acting in spots is a trademark to a live Rocky Horror Picture Show theater outing or if this mixed bag of actors were too mixed up. Maybe someone can tell me? Steve and I didn't know what to make of it and another patron just stood there shaking his head. It made us wonder if the $10.00 was worth giving up. The food at the Central is pretty good! It did have a flaw or two though. For example I ordered a Cheese Panini with a cup of the Soup of the Day. Both tasted good but the soup could have been hotter. It was not luke warm but it was not steaming either. Still it was not bad. Other good eats here is their corndog and their dates drizzled in Huckleberry Honey. Their Cardamom Soda should be tried at least once as well! The atmosphere is fun and inviting! There are lots of posters hung on the walls of great and not so great movies of yesteryear as well as really cool tear shaped electrical orb lamps on the ceiling as you go to the theater to sit. The Central has friendly staff and a fun, quirky vibe! I'm looking forward to going back! read more

I'm sadly going to remove a star, because our last experience was not four-star. Regrettably I must say that after a second experience, I would suggest not having dinner at the Central, but just beer/snacks. The seating is fab, the beer is good and reasonably priced, the movie choice is super and I love the atmosphere, but the food is so-so at best. My boyfriend ordered an eight-dollar salad and got a small plate with a single layer of limp greens, basically. He was pretty unimpressed. Overall, I'd say the price of the food is higher than the quality/quantity of the food, noticeably. BUT - we still had a great time, and Carrie on the big screen is a lot of fun. We just won't be dinnering there again. read more

Central Cinema makes the whole movie going experience that much better. With their plush seats, reasonable prices, delicious treats, full bar, and waitress service, you can't go wrong trying this place out at least once. I went here for the Found Footage festival (which was amazingly funny by the way) but they are always showing some piece of classic cinema for you to enjoy. I can't wait to come back for my second go round. Next time though, I might skip dinner and divulge into their delectable menu while washing it down with a pitcher of some fine Northwest micro brew. Now, how can you beat that? Am I right or am I right? read more

If you're like me, then over the years you've become an expert at sneaking food into movie theaters. Full order of Chinese food? Done it. Shopping bag full of popcorn? Yep. Something to add a little 'kick' to your $5 Coke? Uh huh. Candy? Well, of course, even the amateurs can handle candy. But, wait, you're saying there's a theater that makes sneaking in your own food/beverages unappealing? No!!! Oh, actually, yeah!!! And Central Cinema is that place. Central is not a traditional theater by any means: first and foremost, they serve a solid selection of beer/wine; seats are more in the style of restaurant booths--arranged in twos and threes, each with their own table; they play some hilarious short-films prior to movies starting, so there's incentive to get there early to pick out your spot/watch some cool shorts/start drinking; and gourmet food is served to you in your seat! What could be better? Oh yeah, the food could be better. Stuffed, bacon-wrapped dates sound good? They could have been, but the bacon was terribly under-rendered, and when added with soft dates and cheese, the whole thing just became texture-less and fatty. How about curry popcorn? Ok, I guess, but if you're adding both curry powder and butter to popcorn, why not dissolve the curry in the butter instead of just sprinkling it on? Like, oh let's say, The Beatles, both of these dishes were screaming out for some extra lovin', and unfortunately just didn't get it. To be fair, a piece of pizza I had, which had butternut squash, chevre, and walnuts, was fantastic. All-in-all an awesome place to spend the evening. Check it out! read more

I am very sad to drop my rating to three stars and I hope to bring it back up soon, but then.. I'm not really sure when I'll be back! The movies are still great, but something has happened to the food. Last time I went, everything was basically inedible. They added fancier items to the menu (but why? bring back the garlic knots and dispel with the fance) which are not well made. Half the fun of going is the eating! Maybe they will work out the kinks as they adapt to the new menu, but it would be better to stick with simpler comfort fare -- things that are easy to eat in the dark and reliably satisfying. read more