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    The Cary Theater

    4.1 (22 reviews)
    Closed Closed
    Updated 2 months ago

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    Fox E.

    I think I'll Cary on reviewing stuff for the time being. This is an absolutely gorgeous recently renovated old theater in the heart of Cary, which is probably the most diverse and interesting suburb of Raleigh. I absolutely love the way it looks both inside and outside. It reminds me of the North Park Theater in Buffalo and the Byrd Theater in Richmond. And I'm actually like a Byrd, because I'll now fly away from this review. Like Matthews.

    Ann H.

    Once there was a theater like all theaters: Much like Goldilocks' third chair -- it was not too big and not too small. That's the Cary Downtown Theater now. This spot seats about 150 between the front, the main, and the quasi-box seating. The pitch of the seats in the main section allows for anyone of average height to see the screen and not the back of someone's head. There's no rocker back or reclining seating, and no cup holder and that brings the usual dexterity challenge of holding onto a beverage. The seats are comfortable enough but not luxurious. The ticket prices won't break the bank so matinee pricing isn't a thing because it doesn't need to be. There are reduced prices for shows on Tuesday, but I think that's the senior discount. (!) The theater has only one screen and perhaps a showing or two most days. Some days there isn't one at all -- at least as I've noticed. It's really a multi-purpose facility that focuses on digital arts with the movies as only one facet. As movie theaters gradually turn into megaplexes with dozens of screens and showings and home-like seating and concession stand goodies, the Cary Theater went the other direction and revived the old style. Here, while the balcony is now the computer projection area, the concession stand is next door at the coffee shop (patrons are free to bring their snacks into the theater), and the tickets are printed by the computer on heavy paper stock and then scanned at the door, the small town, old school feel is alive and well. Here, the movies are perhaps underrated, with some current Oscar nominated movies but under the radar with little of the big-budget marketing. It's a showcase for indy films, some occasional comedy and classics. Like all theaters, it still need to pay the bills, so there's a trailer or two of upcoming movies and so far, the only commercial has been a donation appeal for the local Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve. One downside to seeing movies here is parking. There isn't any. That's true with most places in downtown Cary. The theater recommends parking behind the church after hours, or in the downtown lot. It only sounds bad. The walk isn't awful. The Cary Theater is a fun, old-style way to see movies. It's local. It's no frills. It works.

    Veronica S.

    We went to the Cary Theater on a Saturday night to watch RBG. It was a packed house. After just moving here from Miami, I really loved and appreciated the old small town feel of the theater. Apparently, it was recently renovated. The staff was nice and helpful. My only complaint is that the theater was a little warm. Finding parking was also a bit of a challenge. After driving around for almost 20 minutes we finally found somewhere to park.

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    It's nice to visit a theater that caters to one screen and one audience at a time. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie as well.

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    Paragon Theaters Fenton - Door to hall/lobby directly beside seats

    Paragon Theaters Fenton

    3.1(105 reviews)
    1.2 mi

    This is probably the nicest theater I've ever been to. I went to a movie that had already been out…read morefor a while so I ended up in a smaller theater. The chairs recline and you can put your feet up. I love that there's so much space between the rows so no one can kick your back. A couple issues I noticed: *The audio quality was terrible in my particular theater; the movie sounded like it was playing on an old boombox from the 80s. *The check in process is very confusing! I bought my ticket online before I left home. I walked in to the theater without anyone even stopping to ask me if I'd purchased a ticket. I figured there'd be a person waiting somewhere to scan my phone. *No one ever came by to close the side doors when the movie started. After half an hour of hearing people walk by, I got up and closed the doors. Not a big deal, I'm just used to other theaters always having someone close the door once the trailers are done playing and I wasn't sure if they were supposed to stay open for some reason. Besides that, I'll definitely be back!

    My go-to theatre for movies! Super comfortable and relaxing seats. If you like watching your movies…read morewith ample space while enjoying some quality time with your partner, this is the spot! The love seats provide enough privacy where you're not elbow to elbow to other people so it was especially enjoyable for me, a person who does not like going to regular theatres because of that. For food, I highly recommend the nachos! The portions are amazing.

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    Paragon Theaters Fenton - 50+ Women's group on 5$ Tuesday at Paragon Theater

    50+ Women's group on 5$ Tuesday at Paragon Theater

    Paragon Theaters Fenton - More seating in the lounge/bar area

    More seating in the lounge/bar area

    Paragon Theaters Fenton - Bar seating area

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    Bar seating area

    CMX CinéBistro Waverly Place - Popcorn Trio

    CMX CinéBistro Waverly Place

    3.5(408 reviews)
    3.3 mi

    It's always a good thing when you can see a good movie and enjoy good food. I always have an…read moreamazing time at this theater. The staff is always so helpful ensuring that you are taken care of. The seating is so comfortable and the food is delicious. I also enjoy the fact that they offer unlimited popcorn..yummy!

    March 17, 2026; 3 Stars Rating…read more I visited this establishment as part of a birthday celebration for my cousin. We typically come here for celebrations. We were eager to come because of the changes made to their seating and menu. The changes to the seats were OK but not comprehensive. Only some chairs had the uplift, but it wasn't the full chair. It was just the portion of the chair that you sit on. The menu didn't change. They simply added a few things to the menu. I was excited to try them. I ordered a couple new items. I didn't enjoy the fried tomato; it was rubbery and not moist on the inside like I am used to having at other restaurants. I also didn't enjoy the bread pudding. It had a nice flavor, but it was too hard and crusty. The portion sizes were smaller than previously. I rated it a three star because it was OK, and we enjoyed our time together, but there is still work to be done to bring it up to the luxury standard for which we've all gotten used to. November 28, 2023; 2 Star Rating I visited this luxury movie and dinner location on November 29, 2023. I went after work to see The Marvels. I enjoy going to CineBistro. It's a wonderful experience and a comfort and convenience to have food while watching the movie. The seats are in dire need of repair or a covering. There are also some general areas that would benefit from some modernization/renovation. The service is always great, and I appreciate the variety of entrées and desserts available. It would be good if the menu could be more consistently/periodically updated especially for someone like me who visits Cinebistro quite often. The reason for my rating of 2 stars is because the heating system isn't working in some theaters. The theater that I watched my movie in yesterday was one of those theaters without heat. I was freezing while eating and watching the movie. If I did not have my coat, I would not have been able to endure the coldness for the entire movie. Although it was not unbearable because I was wearing my coat, it was very cold and not comfortable. A manager did come to see me and acknowledged the freezing conditions to see if I wanted him to give me a free ticket to return another day when the heat was working, but I opted to stay and continue to watch the movie because I had driven 40 minutes to go out there, waited very long to see this movie, and my schedule is pretty busy so I would not have had another opportunity to watch it before Cinebistro no longer carried it. Perhaps a better substitute to a free ticket would have been if he offered to pay for my meal because of the non optimal conditions that I was placed in. Other than the freezing condition in the theater, I enjoyed watching the movie and eating my tuna poke bowl and pumpkin bread pudding. February 17, 2023; 4 Star Rating My nephew, one of my friends, and I went to see the new Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania movie at CinéBistro Waverly Place today. My nephew was new to that type of movie experience, so we decided to expose him to it. The cashier was very professional, and very helpful in helping me sign up for their new rewards program. As we got seated and comfortable in our luxury reclining seats in the theater, a server came, brought the menus, and took our orders. We each ordered a salmon and shrimp entrée, popcorn, cheesecake, a few mixed drinks, and water. Our drinks were served within 5 minutes, and our food came out within 10 to 15 minutes. Everything was plated nicely, and our drinks were as expected. The dinner portions were okay. The salmon was moist and the shrimp was cooked well. The dish tasted good, but could have used a little more seasoning. It was a little bland. The cheesecake was flavorful but could have been a little larger for the price. The luxury seats were comfortable and relaxing. They were spacious as well, which helped to provide a great movie experience. I always enjoy visiting the CinéBistro at Waverly Place. It's always a good experience, but it is pricey so expect to pay a lot for this experience.

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    CMX CinéBistro Waverly Place
    CMX CinéBistro Waverly Place
    CMX CinéBistro Waverly Place - CMX Burger.

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    CMX Burger.

    Regal Crossroads - Cary

    Regal Crossroads - Cary

    2.7(242 reviews)
    3.3 mi

    I saw Project Hail Mary in IMAX this week. It was the 11:30 showtime on Thursday…read more Bought my ticket at the kiosk, which was pretty easy, but it would be a frustrating experience if it was a busy time with a line. It takes some time to make it thru all the screens. The IMAX ticket was $25. I also bought a "regular" slurpy at concessions for $9. When I walked into the theater at 11:20, it was empty. Eventually, about a dozen people watched the film with me. The trailers (8 of them) started at 11:40...so 10 minutes late at a very slow day/time for Regal. There were no commercials aside from the Regal loyalty program. Picture and sound were good, but the seats leave a lot to be desired. There's plenty of legroom (I'm 6'2"), but there's zero lumbar support and the recline (only the back rocks) is just short of being comfortable. If it rocked back another 3", the angle would be much better and the lack of lumbar would not be as noticeable...and there would still be plenty of room for someone to walk behind you and it wouldn't effect legroom at all. The theatre and bathroom was clean...which I appreciate.

    I used to go here quite frequently, not so much anymore. Every time I've been here, the cinema is…read morealways clean. Bathrooms also clean. Every theater I have been in is a good size with plenty of seating options. If I had one bad thing to say, it would be the concessions. The concession staff is friendly as well. I've never had an issue with them. I don't care for their popcorn. It's got an aftertaste. Maybe it's the butter they use, honestly I'm not sure. There fountain drinks often taste watered down.

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    Regal Crossroads - Cary
    Regal Crossroads - Cary
    Regal Crossroads - Cary

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    The Cary Theater - movietheaters - Updated May 2026

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