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    Music Box Theatre

    4.4 (501 reviews)
    Open 2:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

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    External entrance
    Alyssa G.

    I have been here once before as a guest of Product of Culture for the premiere of the movie Queen of my Dreams as a woman of color (Side note: 10/10 movie, highly recommend!), but this visit I was here for something completely different--the D23 On The Road 35th Anniversary Party for Home Alone. Disney knows how to throw a detail oriented party, but I am not reviewing them, I am reviewing the theater. The theater has a wonderful vintage yet modernly functional feel to it. The seating area was extremely large to accommodate the amount of families in attendance. The screen area also having a stage area was helpful for the hosts to utilize throughout the event. The seats were comfortable even though we live in an age of recliners at movies. The bathrooms were clean and there were enough to have a long line move pretty quickly! The popcorn utilizes real butter so as a mom, I was happy to purchase it for my teenaged daughter. I bought a bag for every person in my party and it was enjoyed by everyone! The drink selection was also unique, again in a time of Coca-Cola Freestyle machines, and my 15 year old daughter was pleased to discover Pibb Extra. The prices weren't bad. I'm happy to pay a little more for real ingredients. What else? Oh yes...the screen and sound quality was also great! I was reading some of the fellow Yelp reviews here and I look forward to putting the White Christmas/It's A Wonderful Life double feature on my holiday bucket list in 2026! The only thing I wish there was was more parking, but I used a Spot Hero/official Cubs parking combo which wasn't bad because the weather was so nice for December in Chicago!

    Faithful annual fans
    Betty U.

    I'm soooo glad Music Box Theater showed The Furies on 2/21/2026, a fantastic rarely shown film and hanging in person with fellow Classic Film Club Meetup folks :) As always the incomparable Barbara Stanwyck is a powerhouse, equaled by Walter Huston and buoyed by a strong supporting cast in Wendell Corey, Judith Anderson and underrated Gilbert Roland. Story builds and unfolds unexpectedly and most satisfactorily. Super grateful for the glorious @musicboxchicago for continuing to showcase classic, modern, independent and foreign films and well thought out series. Wonderful cozy lounge/bar, fresh popcorn, beverages, and big assortment of snacks/candies served by friendly, professional, and efficient staff!

    Matt H.

    Over the past couple of years, I have looked for a reason to go to the Music Box, but whenever there was a movie I was interested in, it was either sold out or on a night I couldn't plan around. I knew they hosted quite the raucous Rocky Horror viewing, so I was hit with a bit of trepidation after being invited to join my girlfriend and her family for a similar audience partici........ pation affair, but for The Sound of Music, a film my three-brother household had never featured. And. It. Was. A. Blast. While it was a cold winter night, getting in and through ticketing was quick, even with MANY people at the show. The lines for food/drink/women's restroom are where the crowd showed its size. There were still plenty of seats open when we arrived at 6:45, and our group of six was able to sit together with no issue. Trivia played on the screen preshow, while a live organist filled the auditorium with songs from the movie. Just prior to the show there were some announcements about upcoming holiday movies, there was a costume parade for those who chose to dress up, and we were given a brief tour of our bag of goodies (streamer, fan, confetti popper) and were told moments to use them or how to otherwise interact with the film (boo, hiss, swoon, etc.). Then the film began. Words are clear on screen during songs. This isn't a review of the movie or the music, so I'll just say I loved it. That said, some of the hissing got to be a bit much and was close to drowning out the dialogue (which would matter less if I'd seen it before). Other moments, people would shine their phone flashlights at the screen, which had the effect of washing out the picture. And I know this particular film features N@zis, and I know it's an interactive show, but I didn't feel it was the right time or place for a few members of the audience to curse out the current administration and its practices. I agree with their sentiments, but it breaks the magic of escaping into the movies when heavy reality gets brought into the room. So I guess if you're at an interactive show, just know that the content of the film might elicit different sorts of interaction from your audience. The theatre itself is gorgeous. I'd love to look around more than I was able to in all the hubbub. But the history is evident, the seats were comfortable, and everything seemed clean (until confetti streamers covered the floor). I parked on the street a block east with no issues, I imagine you'd have similar luck if you're driving in.

    Mel C.

    We loved attending The Sound of Music sing-a-long at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago. It was a fun and family friendly event filled with song, celebration, laughter and even tears. S.O.M. was my mom's favorite so it was bittersweet attending this show and remembering her. The chairs are a tight fit, for a nearly 3 hour movie, and expect to pay high Chicago prices for a small cocktail. But the popcorn was delicious and the experience alone is definitely unlike a normal trip to the movies. I hope to attend more events here. The theatre has a classic look and nostalgic feel to it.

    Valentine's day showing of The Princess Bride
    Shannon M.

    So in the last year and a half I have been to the Music Box 6 times, because my boyfriend loves this place. And he has successfully made a convert out of me. I am grateful that they just completed a renovation of the main theater, because the old chairs were supremely uncomfortable (the last show we saw before the renovation was a double feature of The Searchers and North by Northwest, and as someone with chronic pain, it almost killed me). And yes, there are cupholders now! But if you're looking for reclining seats you'll still have to go to an AMC or Cinemark; gladly they retained the vintage vibe. The Music Box shows a variety of old films, sometimes special versions like 70 mm. In the last year and a half we have gone to see Boogie Nights, Practical Magic, Mothra vs. Godzilla, The Searchers & North x Northwest double feature, Troop Beverly Hills (in the garden; we won cookies and Evian for getting pre-movie trivia questions right!), and Fantasia. It's nice because in general these are other film fans so there is not a lot of talking and distraction during the film; people are there to watch and that's it. Get there early because they line up in advance (sometimes outside); get your tickets online and be ready! There is also the attached lounge, and every month there are a couple of cocktails that match the theme of some of the films that are running that month. If you're just an old fashioned junk food junkie they also have candy, popcorn, and pop as well in the lobby. We're already set to be back two more times in the next month; this is definitely our spot in the city. If you enjoy classic films of all sorts in a vintage environment, check it out.

    Caleb H.

    Great service and the environment creates a special experience for moving going. It was my first time and kind of reminded me of what it was like to go to the movies as a kid. Cannot wait to go back and I'm looking into a membership

    Classic cinema
    Chris C.

    Happened upon this while in Chicago for something completely different and decided to go for the day for the 40th Annual Christmas Show. Couldn't stay for the showing of It's A Wonderful Life, but I thoroughly enjoyed seeing White Christmas on the big screen surrounded by hundreds of other fans decked out in festive Christmas attire! The pre-show included several organ numbers, a showing of the black and white short "Suzy Snowflake", a quartet of Santa's Yelpers, and a sing-a-long hosted by the big man in red himself. I recall thinking to myself as I was watching the movie that this is what cinema is supposed to be like, and those truly were some of the golden years. The audience sung together, applauded the showstoppers, poked fun at the "racy" parts, and just had a generally good time together. The buttered popcorn was among some of the finest theatre fare I have tasted. I understand this location does a lot of these types of events through the year. If I were a native Chicagoan, I'd be going all the time. But as an visitor, this was a real unexpected treat!

    Maggie L.

    We go to the Music Box every year for multiple events and showings -- last night we attended their showing of It's a Wonderful Life and it's always so much fun. It makes for such a fun and festive atmosphere and the theatre itself is beautiful. I've attended other events, like the Sound of Music singalong and regular movie showings and the Music Box is really a spectacular place to have here in Chicago. This is a great holiday tradition

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    1 year ago

    Two Ninja vs Unicorn IPA and a large popcorn during Sorry, Baby at Chicago Critics Film Festival. I was in heaven.

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    4 years ago

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    1 year ago

    I've had some amazing adventures at the music box! Midnight screenings, shadow cast shows and many more!

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    1 year ago

    Charming theatre with old time charm. Great selection of unique flicks. All prices are reasonable. Staff are great.

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    1 year ago

    Wizard of Oz showing was fantastic! Loved the popcorn , wish they had more hot food . The seats were comfortable .

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    Page 1 of 13

    Ask the Community - Music Box Theatre

    Review Highlights - Music Box Theatre

    Maybe you're here at midnight for a participatory cult classic, like Rocky Horror Picture Show or The Room.

    Mentioned in 37 reviews

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    Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Wrigleyville

    (132 reviews)

    $$

    Lakeview

    Second time here last night. Took my family to see Jurassic Park. So cool to be able to take my…read morekids to see the same movies that I saw as a kid on the big screen. Love the movie selections at this place. Our server and bussers were amazing. Very helpful and had to put up with us being seated apart but she was still able to put us all on one tab. She had no problem coming up with a pizza option for my daughter who couldn't make up her mind what she wanted. All around great experience and awesome staff members.

    I went to the Alamo for my first time to see Project Hail Mary. To start, we parked in the parking…read moregarage and it wasn't clear where to go into the theater. (Pro tip: it's on the third floor). Even with validation, parking was $10 which feels pricey. The theater itself is cool with their video of vortex (VHS/DVD rental area) and throwback movie posters throughout. The theater we were assigned to was extremely hot throughout the entire movie which made for an uncomfortable experience. Food and drinks are now ordered via a QR code and servers bring your food and drink orders directly to you at your seat. One plate of food - chicken tenders and fries - took almost an hour to arrive! Not sure what happened there. Overall, the food was fine, we had mozzarella sticks and popcorn as well. I wouldn't say anything was mind blowing, but it was good. After the movie, the women's bathroom lights were out so it was super dark and the door to the stall I was in didn't close. All in all a sub par experience. Sounds like Alamo needs a lil maintenance.

    AMC NEWCITY 14

    AMC NEWCITY 14

    (90 reviews)

    Near North Side

    Parking is now up to 3 hours for validation. It is $2 validated if it's less than 3 hours,…read moreotherwise it's $12 validated for 3+ hours. It can get packed on the weekends but ticket check in is still a fast and easy process. There were multiple women's bathroom stalls that ran out of toilet paper. I recommend checking the toilet paper before using the stall. Seems like they might be understaffed due to bathroom not being stocked and the concessions stands line are usually long.

    As you can see I gave this spot another chance and yep place is even worse...I wish I could give…read morethis dump zero stars...The worst theater in the city of chicago...Where to begin...Ignorant staff, stale popcorn, dirty washrooms and if that wasn't enough these fools running this clown show will switch a theater on you and not let you know. Had tickets bought for a theater a week in advance...Go into XL theater with assigned seats that ate on my online tickets and end up with a different film shown...These morons switched theaters but didn't let me know and it was last showing so a total waste of my time...I will never be back to this s-hole again and btw this place has commercials galore before movie starts...Absolutely unexcusable and AMC wonders why no one wants to come out to theaters... Should have gone to Alamo theater...Screw AMC. The best thing that could happen to this theater is for it to close down for good....Its taking up good real estate and this is my final time back...3rd time is the charm.

    Music Box Theatre - movietheaters - Updated May 2026

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