This theater is my favorite theater and #1 go-to in the Bay Area! You can't find many theaters like The Chabot Theater anymore, and I'll tell you why! The Chabot Theater has been around for 75 years. With only 1 movie screen, it has been visited by long-time residents and newcomers who share a passion for film and reasonable pricing. They may not have reserved seating or the best state of the art surround sound systems, but that's what makes it unique and what a 1990-2000s movie theater used to be like. Also, they feature local commercials, bands/music, and upcoming events before the movie starts, which is great to see the support for the community! One of the best things about this theater is that you can purchase tickets for 1/2 the price every Tuesday! As of August 2025, 1/2 priced tickets will be $6/each (Regular: $12), which is a steal these days and especially when you can watch some of the biggest blockbuster films! Keep in mind, if you are a child or senior, regular pricing is $10 (still a bargain!), but Tuesday pricing will remain $6/each. You can purchase both tickets and concessions together in the lobby, which makes the process simple and smooth. Parking is relatively easy - no dedicated parking lot, just the street so adhere to the posted signage. Most street parking is 2 hour limit, but if you're okay taking a short walk, find some side or cross streets to extend the limit especially if you're catching a film that's longer than 2 hours. If you're looking for a place to host an event, watch party, or birthday, they do that here (pricing on website). If you're looking for something fun to do during the week nights, they host trivia nights (free for everyone), family movie nights (tickets required), and karaoke nights (free for everyone) too! This theater is truly a gem, one that I hope remains a staple within the CV community, providing a safe and enjoyable place for everyone. read more

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My hometown theater! I love going to catch a movie at the chabot! It feels like home! Once you walk in you're greeted by the concession stand and where you buy your ticket. There is always someone who is nice and happy you're there working and it makes you really feel like you're back to where you grew up. I always buy food/drink to help support. The ticket prices are the cheapest around (especially on half off tuesdays) and they even give free popcorn after the last showing lets out if they have any left! The seats in the lower half are probably the original seats (which makes it more nostalgic for me) and probably aren't the most comfortable but the upper half has been renovated with tables and chairs so if you want to eat actual food you can do so comfortably! They also host an array of events so there is always something going on! read more

Took my son and his friend out for a Saturday night movie. There is only 1 theater room inside, which I knew but got thrown off when I first walked in. You walk in and see the confession counter, which is also where you would purchase a ticket and show them your ticket. It happened to be the only show for the day, so when we got out of the theater, the theater offered us free popcorn. The theater is kind of dividing into two parts: top and bottom. -The top has better seats, faux leather type with lots of leg room and some bar stools and tables where you can eat a whole-ass mean. I saw someone bring in a whole chipotle bag. I didn't know that you can bring food in like that! -The bottom seats are very old-school seats - less comfortable with leg room. Looking forward to supporting this business in the community. read more

Great Theatre with excellent staff . Very family friendly...................................................................................................... read more

Fun little single screen theater nestled in our new home town. We lived in the area a while ago and were excited to see that the Chabot is still around and owned by passionate people that bring an appreciation of the arts to the area! Not only are there first run premiers, but there are also older movies from time to time, local short films, events and even trivia nights. They also do some cool collaborations with the comic/card shop next door where they do a Q&A after some of the movies. What a fun way to learn more about the show! They have snacks, drinks (beer and wine for the adults!) and I think they sometimes have pop up food vendors as well. Everyone that works here is friendly and engaging and helps round out the overall experience. There is also a membership and for a nominal fee you get some popcorn each month. You can also buy t shirts and other swag to represent. read more

Chabot Theater - Cool Thor art exhibit in the front window! - Cinema Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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Came here with the family to watch Barbie movie on a Tuesday. I really love this theater! They show the latest movies, but also have this great homey feel to it. This local theater is great, you can't beat $5 Tuesdays!! The seating isn't like your typical theater chain, there's a mix of stadium seating and stool seating, which I think is really cool. Just really gives you that personal touch. One thing that happened during the Barbie movie, which I really respect and will definite come back to Chabot, is how they handled everything. The theater was sold out, and there were still a lot of people trying to come in or waiting for their popcorn, but movie was slated to start. Chabot humbly asked everyone to please wait a little bit more so everyone could be seated and have their concessions. It was about 20 mins after the movie was scheulded to start when they finally started the film, but I was okay with it. I love that Chabot Theater really cares for their patrons! Makes me feel proud to support a local theater, you should as well! read more

There are many great things about Chabot theater: 1. The best thing about them is that they keep the volume at the recommended level. Most commercial movie theaters crank it up to dangerous levels which can damage hearing, and the Chabot doesn't do that. My ears are never ringing after. 2. The seating is nice-- it's an intimate space. I like that the seats, unlike other theatres, don't force you to lean back. Much more comfortable. 3. The tickets are priced well. We love half price matinee days for just $5. 4. The people who work there are very friendly. read more

I came to the Chabot Theater a few weeks back with my wife and three kids a few weeks back to see The Super Mario Movie. It was a 5 star experience all the way. This such a better experience than a typical chain theater. We live close bu so it's super convenient. The prices are super reasonable, and according to my wife there were no fees added on to our ticket prices. For our family if five it was only $44! When we arrived I waa pleasantly surprised that they sold beer/wine! At only 8 bucks a beer I felt that was a great price for a beer at a movie theater. They had great beer options as well. I had a hazy ipa from Shadow Puppet Brewing in Livermore. I got my wife a white wine. She said it was excellent Popcorn was super reasonably priced as well. Large Popcorn comes up with a free refill. The Theater is extremely large with a ton of seats. The audio was great. Great Viewing experience. I would 100% return here to watch a movie in the future . You can also rent the theater out for a private event which I think would be a blast especially for a sporting event. read more

It's been a while since my family and I watched a movie here. We heard it was under new management, they did some remodeling. It was easy to purchase tickets online. You an reserve seats on their website. We walked in and noticed that the concession stand was remodeled. We watched on Tuesday. The gentlemen in the front told us on Tuesday everything is half off- tickets and popcorn/drinks/candies. There were two gentlemen at the front- both were very friendly and professional. The bathroom was also remodeled. Looks much better. My husband told me that they are offering a membership. I'll be sure to look into it. Will definitely be back with the family. read more

Chabot Theater - View from Seat N7 - Cinema Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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Came here this past Tuesday to watch IN THE HEIGHTS, my coworker rented out the theater for $400 and we brought around 40 people, it reminded me of those discount Tuesdays they used to have pre-covid! Pros: - Pretty affordable set up if you have enough people to pitch group together - Love the unconventional seating setup near the back! My partner and I took the couch and it was super fun to kick back and feels like a home movie! super comfy - pretty huge theater compared to the typical regular theater at Century. - Lovely soda fountain! made with cane sugar, yummy - Pretty good service! Not sure if it's family owned or what but there were some young kids serving us and it was super cute :) - Easy parking available across the street near Nation's - Pretty good sound quality! Cons: - if you're shorter and you sit on the couch/back stool area, there's a lot of little table lamps that might feel really bright, or the bars of the balcony will be in the way of the screen, so don't sit here unless you're tall :) Overall super satisfied! would come here again, love a little local theater close to our home read more

I came here to watch Despicable Me and they're only showing Deadpool. Is it so much to ask that they show more than one movie at a time? And why do they only have 1 room inside? read more

Not a big fan of this theatre. Don't get me wrong prices are great! My fiancé, babygirl & I watched Toy Story 4 for $2 each ticket!! I don't remember what day it was but it was around noon-ish. I know that bags get checked, because they don't allow outdoor food/drink. I however found it funny when 5 differenf groups ahead of us in line. 3 ladies before me (2 of which had big purses, 1 backpack purse) DID NOT get bag checked. I will say all 3 ladies were caucasian looking. 2 ladies in 20's maybe and an elderly woman. None of them were stopped or asked to open their bag at all!! But when I get to the door after purchasing the tickets. I have a small backpack purse. With literally only 1 diaper, wipes, keys, wallet, rubber bands for my braces & lip balm! He stops me with his light stick. Says "how are we today?" Can you please open the bag. It's policy. I said "really?" Okay. Funny how you allowed your policy to slide for the previous 3 woman who walked in before me. But okay. Here's your policy. "Care for a diaper? Maybe some lip balm" then I walked off frustrated! Because I felt hella discriminated. Like why look at my bag? Not anyone else's. But whatever. Prices for concessions are basically the same as any other theatre, pretty high. The last 2 times we came, popcorn was burned & cold. Soda was flat. The seats aren't high enough between rows in my opinion. Someones head is always in my way. My daughter def can't see sitting in her own seat. Very tight! The sound quality is okay. I think i'd stick to Sundays at Jack London $5.50 + great movie rewards on the app. Big comfy seats. We always have free drink coupons or upgrades. Plus they don't do bag checks &/or we've brought outdoor food & drinks in here plenty of times without issues. read more

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Wow. Hard to beat prices! $4 Tuesday and $5 before 6 pm EVERY DAY. You heard me...EVERY DAY. After 6 pm, it's $8.50 per person which is still a steal! They have one auditorium that can seat around 350 people. The balcony area has more leg room, so if that's important to you, come early to grab a seat since seats are not assigned. I honestly thought this theater only featured indie films, but so far, they've had popular movies like Lego Movie 2, How To Drain Your Dragon: The Hidden World, and Captain Marvel. If they keep showing such popular films, I definitely see myself coming here more often, especially since it's so close by. read more

Chabot Theater - Cinema Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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A small theater located along Castro Valley Blvd. We came here to watch The Farewell. The place was very clean and the screen is huge. The volume was quite loud, and could be heard as you walk into the theater. The concession items were more expensive than other larger theaters. Overall, it was a pleasant experience that I really enjoyed. We will definitely be back to view other movies. read more

Chabot Theater - Cinema Near Me - Castro Valley, California

The neighborhood cinema! I'm really glad the Chabot Cinema is still around. Even though I would often go to Regal in Dublin as a kid/teen, there were still some flicks I would see here. I distinctively remember watching *Titanic* here with my parents -- we sat in that cool 2nd tier space, 1st row by the rail guard and there was an intermission for that movie. I believe it was packed the night we saw it. My most recent visit is from watching *Crazy Rich Asians* with who else? Why, none other than my Mom and Sister. I like how the old look and feel is still somewhat in place, but I was sad to see that the front box office window was not in use! Not sure if its been like this for a while now, but people buy tickets at the concession stand when you walk in. :( By not having someone in the box office window, one might think the theatre isn't open... or it makes the theatre have a creepy old town touch, hehe (I don't mind creepy)... but I don't know if it necessarily draws in crowds unless you're a local and know the deal to walk in and purchase tickets. Any who, though the seats I wanted were taken, there was still plenty of open seating available to choose from. I like how the theatre is spacious while still being intimate at the same time. I wish there were more ads, trivia/quizzes that were in rotation as a few of the same ones would re-appear in less than a couple minutes of airing. I also would recommend maybe adding in doors instead of curtains that lead to and from the theatre to the concession/restroom to alleviate excess noise the audience can hear while the film is being played. Parking was easy -- street or I believe you are able to park in the shopping center lot across the street as well. Hoping this theatre will forever be in CV -- for its character is one of the only attributes that is keeping the appearance of the boulevard alive (in my opinion). read more

Embarrassed to say that, after over a year living in the upper B st area of hayward, my wife and I finally checked out this place last night for No Way Home. We will absolutely be back. 1) Prices - literally half the price of the big chains. $8 a ticket for adults on a non-special day. 2) Space - plenty of seats, and even some high top and couch seating options. Screen is plenty big, and nice, punchy sound. 3) Concessions- a local draft beer (drake's hefe) is $6! We opted for a box of junior mints and a large fountain pop (made with cane sugar!) but I'll likely opt for a beer in the future. 4) Parking - this is the only real downside I would mention (but also no way am I deducting a star for this). We parked on a side street. It's probably close enough to park at CV marketplace and walk, but we didn't want to risk a ticket for parking for over 3 hrs. Don't be a green goblin - come here and keep a dope small local theater thriving. read more

We had a movie birthday party for our daughter who turned 5 this past weekend and the service from staff, as well as coordinating with the manager, Josh prior to the event was FANTASTIC! Josh was polite, helpful, responsive and efficient. He offered suggestions and made himself accessible during the planning process if I had questions and/or needed assistance leading up the party the day of. The Sunday staff was FANTASTIC! They were nice, polite, patient and helpful which went a long way in our book. Working with little one's early in the morning can often be taxing but everyone was so pleasant and gracious and I couldn't have been more pleased with our decision to host the movie birthday party at the theater. They even wished her a Happy Birthday and put her name on the marquee which made the experience all that more special for her. She was overjoyed to be able to watch Frozen II with all of her friends for her birthday and hasn't stopped talking about how much fun she had. Her parents and guests haven't stopped raving about how great the theater and staff were during the visit. We highly recommend! read more

Chabot Theater - Cinema Near Me - Castro Valley, California

What a hidden gem! I've lived in Castro Valley for nearly 10 years but haven't before made an effort to visit this theater. It was the occasion of my son wanting to see LEGO Movie 2 that had me looking for tickets. When I saw that Chabot Cinema not only had an early release day showing, but that we could get a pair of matinee tickets for less than a single ticket at Regal (in Dublin), I accepted post haste. The theater is very comfy! The screen isn't enormous but quite adequate for the space, and it has tons of seating. The only thing that can be a little tricky with this location is parking. But if you don't mind a short walk that's not too big a challenge. I will definitely keep Chabot at the top of my list for moviegoing! read more

Chabot Theater - Cinema Near Me - Castro Valley, California

I have not been to the movies since pre Covid. I went to the Chabot theater on Father's Day. This is now my new favorite theater. It brought back all the memories of going to the theater as a kid. It's got the old school feel but with modern sound and picture quality. The staff is friendly and the place was clean and immaculate. I highly recommend giving it a try the next time they have a movie showing you want to see. read more

Been going here since I was little little. Best prices & they support our community! With kids, this is the best place.

Small neighborhood cinema that is really nice. Great prices and perfect family location. read more

our family had such a great time here recently when we saw the Mario bros movie. The service was excellent and we loved the local vibe. We hope to go many times again in the future. read more

The Chabot is a local treasure. Chabot shows First run films, underground screening of historical films, sporting events.......We have rented the Chabot for our company party: The Chabot hosted our video game tournament, karaoke and a christmas film. They have very good concessions with Wine, craft beers and sodas. read more

love that this theater is around and hosts such unique events. Please bring more indie filmakers into your theater - would love to support!

Girlfriend and I caught a matinee today and were lucky enough to have the whole theater to ourselves thanks to some crap weather. The two kids behind the counter were great and very friendly. Love the feel of this place. We had an amazing time. Can't wait to come back! read more

We hosted a birthday singalong at the theater. We did our kids birthday party here and had the theater all to ourselves for a completely reasonable rate. They let us bring in our own snacks and decorations and gave us the option to have popcorn as well. They were all very polite and made the whole process of planning a birthday party easy. I highly recommend having your next party here. My daughter was over the moon to see her name on the marquee and we can't wait to go back. read more

Great theater and great prices! 30 of us went and saw Avatar for our son's birthday. Great concessions and clean bathrooms too. Such a great local business to support. read more

What a cute theater! It's a nice surprise how big the viewing room is when u walk back, it was unexpected in a good way. The bathroom was super clean and the prices were cheaper than other theaters. I loved this cute little gem of a theater read more

The Chabot theater is a staple in the community. I've been going here for over 15 years and it seems to only get better and better. I love that they use local beer and drink vendors. I love that they have trivia night, local film maker nights, and Q&As after certain showings. I love how the seats are INCREDIBLY spaced apart between the rows. I hope this place keeps running for a very very long time. Much love!! read more

The Chabot is very dirty, seats are disgusting to sit in. Floors were so sticky. Mosquitos were flying around and I will never go there again. I felt like bugs were crawling around. No wonder it wasn't packed for my grandsons and the other children that attended special needs photography camp premiere. read more

I love old theaters and wish there were more of them around. Needless to say, I'm happy to support Chabot Theater. They certainly don't make it difficult with their friendly staff, variety of movies that they show (one at a time though since there is only one screen), and very affordable prices. I haven't seen movie ticket prices this low since I was a kid! And on Tuesdays it's half price before 6 PM...which means it's only $2.50 per person! And it's also half off on all food and drinks. Amazing. The theater is old so the seats can be squeaky, some of the cup holders don't exist on the arm rests, the bathrooms aren't up to date and you have to find street parking. But none of that bothers me so this place is still five stars in my book! read more

Didn't even know theatre like this still existed. It was very spacious and plenty of leg room. Seats are a bit squeaky but plushy. Pretty clean theatre, only down side is no parking and only street parking. read more

I've been curious about this local theater as I drive by it all the time. And they pretty much have all the popular movies showing on their marquee. First time as I wanted to see The Farewell and this was the only nearby one so I gave it a try. I was concerned for parking as they don't have a lot, but there was easy street parking. Their ticket prices are really reasonable. Nice variety of selections on their concessions for a small place. Only 2 stalls in the women's bathroom so there maybe a line - plan. One screen theater and 2 levels to watch. The place is old so the seats are squeaky, but your butt may start to hurt if the movie is long. I got a case of the wiggles as I was getting uncomfortable so I had to shift a couple of times. Other than that, the place was great. I'd definitely try them again. read more

I premiered a video there and my experience with The Chabot Theater was 10/10. Everything about the place is amazing from the mystique of the building to the super helpful staff. All the way around The Chabot is legendary and even the price was super affordable for what I was doing. The staff is so polite and professional. I highly recommend working with the Chabot Theater if you want to have a special premiere for your project whether it be small or big. Thank you Chabot for the unforgettable night and for being the coolest Theater in the Bay Area read more

A total local theatre that doesn't break the bankbook. All matinee shows before 4pm costs $5.25 for all ages. Shows after 4pm costs $7.25 for seniors (55 and older), $7.25 for 3-12 and $9.25 for 13-54. They have a half price Tuesday. Any show before 4pm is only $2.75. Wow! What a steal!! All the snacks in Tuesdays are 1/2 price too!! You can't go wrong!! On Tuesday, shows after 4pm is cheaper too!! It costs $3.50 for ages 3-12 and 55+. Otherwise, it costs $4.50 for 13-54. Of course, this rate doesn't apply when they have special performances or shows. They recently installed a new flavored water machine and are selling t-shirt of the theatre for $25. Come and support the local theatre!! read more

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I love the direction this theater has now gone in. They serve good drinks and shows are affordable. Keep it up!

Nostalgic small town theater ~ I still remember lining up here at midnight with my parents for Harry Potter (ended up napping in the car for a bit haha). Even though it's just one screen, the amount of seating is decent. Even though it's not leather seat recliner amazing...a bit eh here and there for aging seats...but it's a decent theater with the popular release showing. You'll be able to get popcorn and snacks for the movie out front, nothing missed there. Final Thoughts: Could use a bit sprucing up but this place is definitely filled with memories. read more

Order tickets online, arrive early, then wait in line. Get to the front of the line and find out that I need to take my e-ticket and use that to get my real ticket. WTF? I paid extra to buy the ticket online and now I have to wait in another line? This is just moronic and annoying. Meanwhile the lightweight ticket taker calls out quietly that people need to wait in the extra line, because he and the ticket seller all realize that only a moron would design this system. And now I want my $2 online disservice fee back. Idiots. Also the sound sucks, the theater was too hot, the concession line was so long and slow that we didn't get anything, and the image was mediocre from the nosebleed seats in the back. Screw this place. I'll pay more and drive farther to get a much better experience with anybody else. Editing to add ONE MORE THING. The armrest was missing on my right side. Oh, and parking is a pain because you have to go on surface streets. I guess that's two more things. Also last I checked, the bathrooms were in poor condition with cracked tiles and the like. Three more things. Only one guy selling tickets. That's four. WAIT! THERE'S MORE! My son received gift certificates from friends for this theater. Funny thing: you cannot use Cinelux gift certificates to buy Cinelux movie tickets online. Are they drunk? read more

4 stars because they attract families and only show family type movies so the patrons are nice here. This is old school movies and not fancy. But for $6, the place is great and tons of leg room between aisles. read more

Chabot Theater - Tiny screen to match their tiny prices but nice crowd watching Dory - Cinema Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Still have mixed feelings but fond memories of Chabot. Nothing earth shattering. Their biggest change is they have removed the movie times from the marquee so you are forced to look on their website, their instagram, or in the forum once a week. Also still rolling my eyes at Smalltown's attempt to re brand it to "The Chabot" come on now. The previous staff of indifferent 30 something guys was more friendly than these eager high school kids. I had just finished a purchase and one of them had asked, "Can you please move to the side so I can take the next patron?" with a large arm movement. Like dude calm down. They also have a new vendor for their soda, some bougie soda company based in Oakland made with real cane sugar blah blah blah; skip the root beer it tastes nothing like mug or a&w. I get what they are trying to do, but don't change the soda. The popcorn didn't taste very fresh. Also when I saw the Joker, I could hear the guys talking from the front of the concession area; so please inform the staff not to have loud conversations mid-movie because everyone in the theater will hear it. Although I grew up going here, I really prefer the Historic Piedmont theater to Chabot. *Edit to mention the defensive and somewhat rude response from the owner. Would be great if that laundry list of updates was on this business page. And for what its worth, I attended the Elf fundraiser screening on the 9th so my review is relevant. Oh and why would I walk out of a movie I paid for to tell the staff to keep their voices down in the main lobby? It should be common practice that they realize the logistics of the theater design to not talk loudly during a movie. I'd rather pay more at the Piedmont for a better experience and a more tactful business owner. read more