Spacious seating layout with approximately 150 seats, allowing ample room to stretch and enjoy the show comfortably. The theater is well-maintained with great stage lighting and impeccable sound quality, offering good acoustics for a rock performance. However, the lack of public WiFi and dead zones in certain areas, like the ladies' room, can be inconvenient. Street parking along the street is convenient, and concessions are available at the entrance as well as a small bar offering reasonably priced drinks. Merch tables greet you upon entry, making it suitable for small shows. read more

If I could give this venue - recently established as a Live Music venue - "0" stars, I would. It's interesting that - as of this writing - the new management has not yet "claimed" this business on Yelp, but if they eventually do, I hope this review remains on file. I was surprised, then anxious to see how this VERY TINY, old movie theater would work as a new concert venue, but then I was quickly discouraged by the fact that the new management had FAILED TO PROVIDE HEAT for a concert they were presenting in the dead of winter (February 24). Remarkably, during the intermission of the show I had attended I had the extraordinary opportunity to chat quickly with the lead singer of the band that was performing at the particular program I had attended. Shockingly, he immediately shared with me the fact that he and his band had COMPLAINED to the management about the lack of heat in the theater and that the management had "blown them off". How contemptible and unforgivable is it that the management was unable to provide as simple and amenity as HEAT for a live music concert in the dead of winter? If you have read this far, I strongly urge you to RESIST the temptation to patronize this location - unless and until they show enough respect for their patrons to provide heat during the winter. read more

Great venue for seeing local tribute bands! The food from next store was great to get before the show started!

went here for years before covid 19 put this place i. a bad situation. I was distraught when the " We Closed" sign hadn't been removed. i thought they were done for good. But they managed to revamp the theater and it's now open very often for all different types of live entertainment. Concerts and comedy shows almost every week. i absolutely loved walking into the theatre again for the first time in years and getting every bit of nostalgia i was hoping to. Long time fan of the amazing dunellen theater!!! read more

You are certainly not going to come to the Dunellen Theatre for a modern tech experience when seeing a movie but if you set your expectation to enjoying a film with a nice pizza in front of you then you will not be disappointed. Before Bridgewater set a new bar for the dine in movie experience the Dunellen Theatre was the place to go for dinner while at the movies. It is still a good option and I believe a much cheaper one and despite all of its short comings due to its age I hope it stays in place for years to come. read more

I hosted my son's 10th Birthday here last night and couldn't have been more pleased! I've never been here before so I wasn't sure what to expect but it was an amazing time from start to finish. First of all, the prices can't be beat! $125 for up to 10 kids includes their admission, popcorn, drinks, and pizza! His name was also featured on their marquee outside! The staff was extremely pleasant and accommodating! It was a relaxed atmosphere. A full menu of food and beverages (including alcohol!) is available for ordering throughout the night via the pub next door (Zupkos). There are coffee tables in each row and lights stay dimmed so you can eat comfortably. Seating could use updating but once we sat down we didn't even notice. Overall I loved the charm of the theater! I highly recommend this place and look forward to going back. read more

A little out dated, but great staff, great food, and a perfect place to take a kid who may not be able to remain 100% silent in a movie!

We finally made it here. They are typically showing kids movies but when Toy story 4 was showing while family was in town, we decided to go. Not knowing how big the theatre was we arrived early to get tickets, I'd say the theatre holds at least 50. We ordered some food which appears to all come out at the same time about when the movie started. The seats were pretty comfortable and plenty of leg room with the coffee tables for food. It's a cute old theatre with an old fashioned smell. Volume was slightly low but overall a good time! Definitely worth it to have food and drink in the show. read more

When you hear pushed-tin ceilings, stripped basement-like walls, garden latticework, a saloon piano, high school auditorium stage, and a full-on tavern with cheap booze and bar pies, well, I don't know what you think, but probably not a cinema. Maybe that Chris Hansen is somewhere just off-camera, waiting for the right moment. But in reality, you get one of the most unique movie theaters I've even been to. The Dunellen Theatre, built in 1920, doesn't hide its age. The neon marquee sports an eternal flicker. Furniture, carpeting, and decor all seem to span several different decades. And yet there is this historical charm about this place. One downfall is that it's no multiplex - it's a single-screen joint. But it also claim's to be the state's only "cinema cafe". And by "cinema cafe", it appears they mean the townie hang-out bar named Zupko's, just off the theater lobby. Food can be ordered from here and then enjoyed atop the tables lined up in front of every row of theater seats. Funny though, I didn't come here to see a movie. I came here for a birthday party. An adult's surprise birthday party. And the Dunellen Theatre did a fantastic job playing along. The girls that worked there turned letters out on that marquee quicker than Vanna White in order to trick our guest of honor into thinking he was seeing something other than what they were actually showing at the time (an animated kids' movie a thirty-year-old dude with no kids has no business seeing). They even gave him fake tickets at the door. And once the surprise went off without a hitch, the staff brought out pizza from the bar, pitchers of beer, and bottles of wine - it was officially a party in a near-century-old suburban movie theater. The screen was then used to showcase a homemade slide-show, while the sound system pumped Birthday Boy's favorite punk bands. Despite the of-legal-age revelry that took place here, Dunellen Theatre prides itself on showing mostly family-oriented flicks. At first, I thought this to be a bit hypocritical given there is a bar in-house. However, they stop showing movies at a decent hour so the kids are put to bed, the whistle is blown, and then suddenly it's adult swim. Dunellen Theatre may be all over the place, but for one thing, it's a good time. Forget trying to figure this place out. Just sit back and enjoy the show... read more

We need one of these on Long Island! Old school movie theater with bar attached. They only have one screen and play one movie. Every other row of seats has been removed and replaced with coffee tables. This place has such an old school charm. The sound and image are by far not amazing but it really does add to the whole atmosphere. read more

Nice old movie theater that serves food. Not the newest of places but clean and comfortable. Good, family friendly theater. Order your food and they'll bring it to you in the theater. Good service, nice staff. Some reviews complained about the sound and picture but it was fine the after we went. read more

Local place for me, and has a nice charm. Very old theater that has a nice way of making it family friendly. Pizza ordered form the bar next door arrives at your table in front of your seats piping hot and with a pitcher of soda, you've got a fun night! If you go on a night they are showing a kid-friendly movie, be prepared for it to be a bit noisy - staff doesn't do much to curb that - but it still is a fun place to go for a quick bite and a family movie. read more

This is a single screen old (1920's old) classic theater with a tavern attached. They show family movies which is great so the kids can come with and there are coffee tables in front of each row of chairs. Prices are very affordable and the delicious homemade fresh to order pizza served with a pitcher of soda or beer made this an enjoyable evening! We came on a Monday night to the 5:00 show and had the theater to ourselves. What a best kept secret! Glad we checked it out while in the area! read more

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I've been going here for 6+ years, ever since my son was 4 years old and will continue to as long as its around. It's a cozy place to watch some of the latest family friendly movies and a great way to spend some time with family and friends, get served decent bar food and well drinks to your seat, and not have to worry about the occasional loudness from your young one. I know what I'm in for and I've never had a bad experience. Even when something goes wrong the staff have always been informative and patient. read more

We had a small birthday party for my son there. We chose the 10 people package- the communication via email prior to the event was very helpful. We have never been to the theater before so I was a bit hesitant. This is an older theater and only shows 1 movie at a time. Looks like every row had coffee table so you can eat. For the party, we were upstairs in the "balcony" which was a nice surprise. The popcorn, drink and pizza is average for what a theater would provide. We did not require much so the service was fine. There is a room on the other side of the tavern (attached to the theater) that we used to cut the cake. The staff was friendly and helpful; provided us with what we needed. The 1 star deduction is more for the appearance of the place, while I understand that it's an older theater, we were not comfortable with our little one running around as it did not seem safe. Would consider it again for the value of the party as well as uniqueness. Extra bonus for having the birthday boy's name on the Marquee outside, he was very happy. read more

We've loved the Dunellen theater for years. It was the first place to have a beer and pizza with your movie around, and is not a chain but locally owned. However, the sound system is so bad that much of the dialog is unintelligible, and my wife and I spend date night saying, "What was that?" We saw The Avengers earlier this year and The Dark Knight Rises tonight and both movies were ruined by the sound system. Get a new sound system and we'll rate this a five, but if you can't understand the dialog in a talking motion picture, what's the point? read more

Never host a birthday party there. They promise and they do not deliver and also the staff is horrible for the parties. You end up doing everything yourself. So disorganized. They ruined my son's birthday party. read more

Liked it very much. Little out of the way for us but worth a trip back. Very low key but very easonable prices and decent pizza. Pleasant staff. Very clean bathroom. Easy parking. Wish it could have been a little darker but understand that it's necessary to have a little light to manage the food. Someone's review said it was a little like seeing a movie in your living room. That was a good description and defined its charm for me. The sound isn't crystal clear but perfectly fine and the big screen is great. (Thor was better than I had expected, too.) read more

Good place to bring kids to see a movie. There is room for them to stand up if they get restless. The pizza is better than I was expecting. Ticket and food prices are very reasonable. read more

It's a very old building, and judging from the crowd is more suited for families and kids. The seats themselves were very uncomfortable, and the whole setup leaves a lot to be desired. I get rustic/old school charm, but sitting in stiff, old movie seats, and pulling a coffee table up to yourself just seemed terrible. The screen and sound were very outdated as well. I know it's part of the charm being an old theatre, but with a similar setup at the Washington Theater this place has no excuse. With tickets being $8 each as well it leaves no reason for the poor maintenance of the entire facility. Some parts of the movie were hard to hear depending on the scene. You can find crappy theaters with tickets at $5-$6, and cheaper concessions like soda and popcorn. The bar food was good though. Great pizza, and the other patrons food smelled delicious. This is the only saving grace. read more

Old movie theater with a bar and restaurant attached. Went here for a benefit and the space is nice and big, and smells like an old movie theater (trust me - my first job was at a theater, just like this one). The little tables in front of each row were a nice touch. I didn't try anything from the kitchen but the wings looked amazing. read more

There is absolute charm to this historic theatre. If you come expecting IMAX or 3D with a high end sound system then perhaps you will be disappointed but if you are looking for a slightly more low key experience this is it. Not to mention its great to support a local business for once instead of a big chain. Super nice staff, the best pizza around (seriously this thin crust pie is DIVINE), fair prices and a great afternoon/night out particularly for families. The seats are roomy and have coffee tables so you have a place to put all the yummy food. I believe you can also order beer since it's connected to Zupkos (where they make the pizza). It's very unique and comfortable & I love the fact that I'm taking my daughter to the same place I used to go see Disney movies. We just came back from Girl Scout night & the staff ran the event really well. Popcorn & pizza & drinks were given out while we watched Free Birds. What a treat! Will definitely go back. The fact that it hasn't changed significantly in all these years is a PLUS! read more

Dunellen Theatre - Girl Scout Night Marquee - Cinema Near Me - Dunellen, New Jersey

Love this old historic theatre. Attached to restaurant and can order food and alcohol. Great for kids. prices are great. Way cheaper than the big chains. If your looking for high tech this is not for you. If your looking for old school charm and a relaxed, fun day this is,a perfect place! My kids receive tickets from their Aunt every Christmas and it's awesome. These days a trip to the theatre costs an arm and a leg. Not here!!! read more

I finally had the chance to check out the theatre bc Avengers IW was sold out everywhere else and this is one of the few (or only??) first come first serve theatres in the area. Thank goodness my sister in law told me to show up early enough because the line was crazy. They open 30 minutes prior to the next showing so keep that in mind when you are thinking about lining up (oh and check the weather lol). Tickets are cheap and the theatre is definitely old. It reminded me of my grammar school theatre/auditorium. The awesome part is that the pub (Zupko's) next door provides food!! Yes, actual food. The menu can be found right outside of where you order so while you wait online, you can check it out. My husband ordered an Italian Sub and I picked sliders with disco fries. You can even order whole pizza pies. The plus side of this theatre is that they eliminated what looks like every other row and put in tables per every 2-3 seats. Once you order food, they give you a number and your food is delivered to you. The only down side is it IS an older theatre so don't expect plushy seats that get your feet off the ground and you will need to hunch over the food to eat it BUT for the price and what you can get, its still worth checking out. :-) read more

The Dunellen Theatre was a great place to celebrate my son's sixth birthday this past weekend! From the staff who helped me plan all the details in advance to the folks who helped us the day of, we couldn't have asked for a better experience. My son had so much fun watching LEGO Movie 2 with his friends and especially enjoyed seeing his name outside on the marquee upon arrival. read more

Great atmosphere for family flicks. Wide rows where the kids can spread their treats out on tables. The building is old and certainly has character...could use a new coat of paint. The food was just OK. The scree and sound are not state of the art, but get the point across. read more

We took our nephew to see Penguins of Madagascar. It was only $20 for three of us. For a little over $15 we got a large pizza and pitcher of soda. That's an affordable night out for a family. Although it's very old school and the seats aren't new and plush, we had a good time without the noisey crowds. This is our go to place when the little guy visits. read more

When we first got there we were surprised by how old the theater really was and looked! I think with some easy renovations they could take advantage of this vintage look and make it a true destination spot. (Spruce up the lobby and get better tables to eat on!) The staff was really pleasant and we got a kick out of going to back room bar and having a few beers while watching the movie. The food came out fast and it was really good! Great "pub food" I didn't order the chicken cesar salad but when it went my me it looked really fresh! All and all despite it being a little run down it was a fun family experience. read more

Literally so bad. Needs new management and the theatre needs a huge renovation. The only redeeming quality about this place is the pizza, but I can go to pizza hut. read more

Ok so this theatre is geared towards family's.....doesn't mean they don't serve beer!! It's been a while since I came here and I do remember the sound system lacking. For family cartoon movies I'm sure that does not matter to much. For when they were showing The Dark Knight...yeah that matters. Either way a movie ticket is $8. they cleared out every other row so everyone has a coffee table in front of them to put their drinks or food. A Large Pizza and Pitcher is $16. Now it just says pitcher on website so I'm not sure what that means soda or beer wise but previously I got a pitcher of beer with my pie as the special. So for $32 bucks you get 2 adult movie tickets Large Pizza and a Pitcher of something. Sounds like a deal to me. They do not sell tickets for bodies not present. By that I mean I can't go and buy 4 tickets for my friends that are coming later. They only have about 2 or 3 showings a day so you need to be there to get a ticket. You order your food before you go in and it comes out during the movie. You can order whatever you'd like from the waitress' and it all comes from the bar next door. As much as I enjoy this place I wish they would show more movies I have an interest in. read more

The customer service provided was exceptional. The theater is acompdating with children with special needs. Thank you for making our evening at the theater comfortable and less stressful. read more

Plays current movies, almost exclusively for the family crowd. Admission and pizza prices are very reasonable ($7/$5 last time I went, with $13 pizza/pitcher deals). It's a great place for a child's first movie experience. And for the parents who wouldn't choose Disney for their own outing, the full bar selection from Zupkos Tavern takes the edge off. The outside was recently remodeled and looks great. The inside is a bit worn, but it beats having super fancy seats that come with a $12 ticket. read more

Going to the movies with a child who has Sensory Processing Disorder is not always easy. Waiting in long lines, sitting too close to speakers, little things that most take for granted my child finds physically painful. But then, we found such kindness in manager Coco and Dunellen Cinema Cafe! Coco made it possible for my family, and my friends family (who has a child with Aspergers) to truly enjoy our movie experience. Coco personally guided us into the theatre to avoid the long line and crowds and reserved the back row of seats just for us (far from speakers). That aside, the pizza is fabulous!!! I can't say enough about Dunellen Cinema Cafe...if you have a have a child with special needs, check them out! read more

We love going to this theatre for their family films. I have two boys, 8 & 5. My older son loves movies, but the little one not as much so he keeps occupied by eating their popcorn and delicious pizza. We have also enjoyed the nachos, but honestly we always look forward to the best thin crust pizza we can find around this area and have not tried much else on the menue. My husband gets the pitcher of beer and I get to drive home and it's a 20 minute drive for us to go to Dunellen, but I don't mind. The prices are reasonable for a family of four to enjoy time out of the house and like someone else has said, it's like being in your living room with the tables (and there is sound of the movie playing if you have to go to the restroom). The only downside is that it is not as quiet as your own living room as there are other people in the theatre. The management does not have much control over that, obviously family movies are going to have families with small children who can be noisy, but I have a problem with adults talking during the film and even young adults. We saw "Dolphin Tale" here and there were tweens talking throughout the film that were sitting behind us. Twice I had to shush them and then at the end of the film I basically told them they were worse than three year olds. BTW, this theatre does not show films in 3D (which is fine with us!) read more