I just went to this theater for the first time a couple of weeks ago to see "Cave of Forgotten Dreams" in 3D. I think it's a great addition to the downtown options! I sat in the 2nd row, and as a 5'2" person that was a great seat for me as the first row is not on the raised platform (and in fact they have what looked like comfy lounger type seats). For this theater, you select your chosen seat when you purchase your tickets so you know exactly where you'll be. I purchased mine online so no extra waiting was required at the box office. The location is great; right next to Malaga where my friends and I headed for a drink afterwards. I've walked by the theater before but didn't notice it since the entrance is on the 2nd floor. They had a full bar and an eclectic menu with a small seating area in which to gather before the show. Also, the actual movie "snack bar" had some soft drink and candy options you don't see everywhere like "Cheerwine" soda. And you can take your food & drink into the theater; each seat has a little tray available which makes it pleasant to eat and drink during the film without unnecessary awkwardness. I picked up a flier on the way out, and their film choice is also varied which is nice. Upcoming films include mainstream, documentary and indie choices. Bravo! read more

Easy to use website, reserved seating, blasting A/C in the theater with comfortable chairs, and a snazzy bar with top notch food and drinks= a super fun experience that I look forward to reprising again very soon. Loved the cucumber martini for its refreshing flavor, and the pizza and med plate were fantastic. Yes, you need to get there about 45 minutes early to enjoy your food and drinks, and yes the people leaving their seats to get their food looked kind of awkward, but going once to test these nuances out will only make your future visit more enjoyable. It's pretty awesome to be able to watch a flick with a delicious cocktail in your hand. I love the experience at the Alamo, but this place caters to a more discerning palate with its fancier cocktails and well edited menu, making for a nice change in the routine movie trip. I highly recommend Violet Crown for an indie movie night. read more

I've been meaning to write a review for this incredible place for a while now. What spurred me to do it is the fact that I was given two free movie tickets yesterday for being a frequent customer! It was a complete surprise. I just went up to the counter to buy two tickets to The Artist and he said "It's on us." Since when does that happen?! Aside from that, the place is really unlike any other theater experience in Austin. It's clean, shows interesting (usually not mainstream) movies, has friendly staff, and super comfortable seats. The recliner seats with the ottomans in the front are the best. It's sometimes hard to book them, but if you show up about 15 minutes prior to the show, you might have a chance to get them. Those are my favorite seats; I really don't think they're too close to the screen. Then again, I sat in the back row yesterday and those seats were great too. The food/drink selection is pretty expansive for a movie theater. They have a fun candy and soda (and Icee) selection, along with a thorough beer and wine menu, and standard movie food like popcorn, but also more fancy foods, like pork tapas. I believe they also have free refills on popcorn and sodas, if you're up for consuming too much sugar and salt. Violet Crown rocks and I'll continue to go there on a regular basis. read more

This place rocks for those that like indie and hard to find films. Arrive early and enjoy a drink or two at the bar and have some snacks as well. You can usually see the same films at the Arbor but this location wins hands down for ambiance and location. Guys, quit being cheap and treat your lady to a night on the town. BTW, they validate! Would we go again? Yes! read more

I alway enjoyed seeing movies at the Director's Guild theatre in Los Angeles. It was one of the few places you could go and watch a movie WITHOUT suffering through the usual movie-house experience of uncomfortable, broken-down seats, sticky floors, folks talking / texting during the show, 20 minutes of commercials before the trailers began, etc, etc, etc. It was the ultimate movie experience. Everyone in attendance was on the same wavelength; there to see a first rate copy of the film being shown - in the absolute best movie-viewing environment. The Violet Crown theaters remind me a lot of this venue. Love how they load in the audience a few minutes before the show is scheduled to start, there are only three or so previews, and then the show begins. Bravo Austin! read more

So excited that my husband and I checked out this theater. It was truly the perfect date night. Easy and convenient parking in the attached garage. The cost is included in your ticket. We got there about 45 minutes early and sat in the bar area. I enjoyed a small plate of the pepperoni sliders with some of the best french fries I've had in town. Our cocktails were perfectly mixed. Despite the small portions, I left the table satisfied. Grabbed a soda, some popcorn and some cake balls to split in the theater. DO NOT BRING YOUR DINNER INTO THE THEATER! I know you can, but the tables are tiny and I cannot imagine trying to set an entire meal on them, let alone pull out the table with hands full of dishes. Our snacks were the perfect size. Free drink refills got my vote, especially because they had natural sodas to keep me happy. The cake balls were some of the best I have had. The popcorn was so-so, definitely not my favorite movie popcorn. The seats are super comfortable. It can be a bit awkward pulling out your table if the person next to you is in their seat. Same for putting it back. For me, the fact that I can reserve my seat is the most amazing and wonderful thing ever. I am super picky about where I sit at a movie and this allows me to sit where I want and with my entire group, no worries. For me (and I know I can come across anti-kid at times even though I'm not), one of the best things was realizing due to the types of movies they show and the environment, there were no kids. It's not really a kid-friendly type of place and I like that. It's nice to get a break from kids when it seems like I see them everywhere, including my favorite bars (sigh). Anyways, I totally recommend this place. It is great, well thought out, and a perfect place for a date night. Everything you need in one place. Perfect. read more

Let me preface this by saying that I love film and I live independent theaters. The Violet Crown is definitely fun. It reminds me a lot of the movie theaters that I have been to in New York. It differs from the Alamo Drafthouse in that there is an actual restaurant-lounge-bar in the lobby. You can have dinner/drinks before the movie or order something and take it in. There is no waitstaff in the theater itself. You pull out a swivel desk (school room style) and bring your own food in to enjoy. If your food isn't ready, they give you a vibrating pager so you know when to run back out and get it. That's nice. The pros? Great cocktails Interesting independent films Cool vibe Tasty food and concession treats The cons? Ticket price Food/drink price Lack of instructions for first-timers on how their system works (i.e. pagers for food, when to enter theater, what to do with dishes, etc.) read more

I checked out Violet Crown today for Austin Film Society's Criterion Collection screening. The new cinema space is beautiful! Located on the second floor of AMLI, you walk in through glass doors into a hip, loungey atmosphere. It is very welcoming and very cool. They have the space designed to grab a drink at the bar and enjoy the comfy lounge before your movie. I did, and tried a cucumber martini (actually, my friend did) and was very disappointed. Very sweet and mushy (can a martini be mushy?). I opted for a straight Bombay Sapphire martini, and it was very well-made. So bravo to that. They didn't have wait service in the theatres so we had to bring drinks from the bar, but I understand this might be coming soon? It didn't really seem like they're set up for that, like Alamo Drafthouse for example, because the rows are close together like a typical theatre. The theatres are small and intimate and set up so that the front row is one of the best seats in the house! They have digital projectors, and as far as I can tell, they can't screen film prints. Maybe one of the theatres can, but not the one I was in. I was also disappointed to find out my screening of The 400 Blows was a DVD. I was more disappointed when the DVD player switched modes (or something?) right before the amazing last scene of the film. Then waited for 10 minutes for someone to figure out how to navigate back to the DVD menu and find our place. I don't know how much of this was Violet Crown's and how much was AFS's fault, but it was certainly disappointing either way. And we weren't offered explanation or anything, except the guy at the door who made a joke about how we probably liked the movie "except that part where you were waiting for 10 minutes." I'm not docking them on stars for the DVD goof because I'm not sure who is to blame, but I do know this is a great new theatre and I look forward to some of their art house and documentary options. Bonus: parking in the AMLI garage (entrance on San Antonio) is validated for customers, so you don't need to battle 2nd Street parking (and possibly miss your movie!) I'm looking forward to going back once they are up and running for real, and I can wait to try some of their delicious-looking menu items! This should be a great new destination for the 2nd Street district. read more

From where I live, this theater is a drive. However, I love the location because I usually go to a nearby restaurant for dinner or happy hour before or after the movie. With that said, I haven't actually tried any of the food at Violet Crown aside from their chips and queso which were pretty good! Their cocktails have always been tasty - though somewhat pricy. It's on par with what you would pay at other dine in theaters though. I really like that they show unique independent films and cover your parking for up to 4 hours. It's nice that you don't have to search around downtown for parking while you're trying to make it to your movie on time. The lounge area is nice for after movie drinks and they also have an outdoor baloney seating area. It's easy reserving your seats and buying tickets online. I really don't have any complaints about Violet Crown, except, I wish that they had service in each theater for drink refills, ordering food, etc. However, you are able to order food before your movie and take it in to the theater with you. read more

Love love love love this place. My favorite cinema all around, I can't explain it but the vibe is just right. The food is pretty good, kinda weird but I am a sucker for their vegan hot dog. When I think about it I guess they could definitely elevate the experience with more food options, reclining seats, and more showtimes but again.. this place just hits right. Having grown up in Austin, I still think this place is the perfect mix of trendy and local fave. read more

Really hard to find the parking -- the online map helped some. The atmosphere is trendy yet scattered. Ticket price could be worse (seeing as they comp. the parking) but overall not too bad!! read more

Excellent! Violet Crown is like Alamo Drafthouse' s sophisticated cousin who left Austin for art school in New York, then came back and opened up shop. Everything that makes this arthouse cinema great is already here in previous reviews. I'd also like to add that the staff were very pleasant. The only downside to this intimate, modern little theater is that it's a bit difficult to find. It's on the second floor, accessible by stairs and elevator from the sidewalk on 2nd street and also connected to the parking garage on the second floor. We parked on the third level, took the garage elevator down to the ground and wandered around the building before finding the cinema. read more

I wouldn't come back but it may be for you. You get validated parking in Texas' best downtown--Austin. Amazing balcony view in a prime location downtown. Lounge is great and modern. The theater rooms are quaint and small. Perfect for a date. Great sound and comfy seats. Movie choices very limited. Can only sit at seats 5 minutes before movie. The food was okay. Popcorn was great as was hot dog. Suggest those two. Fries sucked. I just prefer Alamo better but if on date then hey go here! read more

If you are a fussy filmgoer, as I am, you will be very happy to hit the VC. I have seen 20 or so films there at this point. Here's what to expect: Presentation: Screens are small but so is the room; has an intimate feeling. It doesn't feel particularly bright, even for the small screen, and at times I feel like their digital system really plays up the noise in film grain. I try and sit further from the screen here than other places because the visual noise is less of an issue then, for me anyway. I have no idea what kind of projectors they have. Sound can be a problem; if your film is very quiet, you will hear the film next door. Seating: Comfortable seats. They have trays that fold up - like a lot of the lecture halls at UT. They are hard to unfold, and are actually part of your neighbor's seat. If your hands are full, you will have difficulty unfolding the table. I have never sat on the front row - too too close to the screen, but some people love it. Food and Drink: The drinks are well made. Food has been uniformly good. Often we get the pita & hummus plate, a good movie snack for two. The candy and beverages are about average for a movie theatre in terms of cost. It's not the Alamo. Getting a complicated meal here is a bad idea; any problems and you will miss some of your film. Snacks & drinks - that's about all I would venture. Staff: Bartenders are terribly hard to make contact with. Stick with the simple snack area unless you have time. No one seems to be happy working there, ever; BUT, I have not experienced a *rude* person either. It really is more like a chain theatre in this way. Parking is easy - use the garage and get your ticket validated. read more

Hummus and Pita. Theatre clean and fun. The lounge with great seats to hang out before the movie. The guys are polite, can talk movies and are kind of nice I love these kinds of experiences. Adds to the layers of Austin for me... read more

In the time since my original review of the Violet Crown theater, the place has become immensely popular. Perhaps the result of my review..... Now you must buy your ticket online in advance. Just about every screening is sold out in advance. You cannot walk up and buy tickets right before the movie. So, here are the realities of capitalism. The theater is at capacity for every screening. How can the owner increase profits? Rise prices on concessions. Those $5 margaritas I mentioned in my original review are not only a thing of the past, but the bartender claims they are a figment of my imagination. Now they cost a lot more. I think $9. read more

I love movies. Every week, I see something new so I've gotten familiar with a lot of theaters in Austin. I was super excited about Violet Crown Cinema, so it was a huge let down to have such a bad experience. First off, if you like servers who ignore you then this your place. The website told me to come early to place an order to bring it into the theater. I got there an hour early and wasn't able to even to get an order in. Plus, they don't let you in the theater until five minutes before the show. So, I basically wasted my time. Secondly, everything the Violet Crown offers, you can find somewhere else. Comfy seats? Regal Westgate has recliners at lower prices. Good drinks & food? The Drafthouse does it better and their staff is super friendly. Bonus: If you go to the Highball at the south Lamar location, then you get the 'classiness' that others like about the Violet Crown. Indie movies? Both Drafthouse and the Regal Arbor have got you covered. One thing you'll notice is that other reviews mentioned how unhelpful the staff is towards everyone. This is no joke. It's like the staff is paid to be snooty. It's really weird and disconcerting. Anyway, I'll probably stick to the Alamo and Arbor. read more

My husband and I recently came here on our "date night" and were blown away by the ease in which we were able to see a top rated movie in the busiest and trendiest part of Austin. I love this theater for many reasons... ~ the ease in parking (if you use the adjacent parking garage they will validate for 4 hours and you are guaranteed a spot). ~ if a movie is playing here it is worth seeing. Whoever picks out the movies for this place deserves an award. I have never seen a bad movie here. ~ Beautiful view of downtown Austin....this is why I love Austin!! Some downsides to this theater (this is why I gave it 3 out of 4 stars) ~ the "constant renovations"....can we just be done with it already!! ~the grab and go menu .... cheapens the great food and dining experience. Overall I would go back .... great movie experience right in the heart of downtown Austin! read more

A cool concept for a theatre but a few things could make this place better. The food was ok but very small portions for the money. I would just suggest going to eat somewhere else and them coming here for drinks/snacks. I've been to other theatre's that serve food and they have tables set up inside the theatre along with dim lights so you can see what your eating while it's dark. It was so awkward eating during the movie - you could see anything and had a tiny table to put your food on. Then when we were done, there was no where to put the dirty dishes by you. The seats were super squeaky and uncomfortable. Overall it's a cool place to see a movie. read more

I've had two great experiences at Violet Crown. The first time, I didn't realize they had a full restaurant, so I came with my belly full. We didn't have advance tickets, but were able to buy tickets prior to the show, grab a drink, and get in. On the second go around, we planned a little better. Got here 40 minutes before show time with pre-purchased tickets in hand. I love that they have seat numbers and we don't have to stand in line like sheep to find a seat. Instead, we ordered our dinner and drinks, sat at a table, and had a nice meal before the movie. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food and the drinks. I had their rhubarb infused vodka cocktail (The Rhub, I think) and steamed bun sandwiches with pork. Both were excellent! I like that the venue is quiet, nicely decorated, and gives you a great date-night ambiance. I don't have to smell popcorn or hear candy wrappers either. I love the location too, because it leaves you many options for post-show sauntering. I recommend showing up early with enough time to eat at their dining area. It is nice to have a tray at your movie seat, but it is nicer still to be able to see your food while you eat it! read more

On first glance, Violet Crown Cinema might seem stuck-up. But even with its ultra-sleek modern decor, this place is still in Austin. It manages to have a fancy appearance while maintaining a laid-back attitude. And it's so nice to have good, independent/arthouse theater close by. No more driving up to the Arboretum! I love any place that will serve you beer while you watch a movie, and they have a great selection on tap. Just keep in mind that your Lone Star may be a bit overpriced. I haven't tried the food yet, but hope to soon! read more

I've been here only twice, my 2nd visit being Saturday night (12/29) for Les Miserables. The theater is very clean and modern, and the cafe/dining area is very inviting. I tried the Big Bark Beer Brat with fries, which came with ketchup, mustard and lemon-garlic aiolo, and I asked for sriracha aioli on the side. Both aiolis are full of win, and the rest of the meal was good too. Eating in the theater proved a bit challenging, as the "tables" are like the fold up desks you would use in auditorium lectures in college. There is lots of leg room, but the seats are very close together so it can be awkward if you're seated next to strangers... Especially when eating a meal. I definitely think this concept is better executed at Alamo Drafthouse, although at VC I like the fact that there is no service in the theater. Servers running around during the movie does tend to get distracting. Ticket prices are a bit steep ($13), but theaters are small and intimate, and there is free parking in the attached garage... Which is a bonus if it's 40 degrees and cycling there doesn't seem desirable. read more

So I've lived in Austin for 5 years and never visited Violet Crown. I've driven by it but never had a reason to go seeing as how I live in north Austin. A last minute decision to see a movie with friends on a Monday night landed me at VC. I didn't know what to expect. I knew that we had reserved seats on the front row (which I was against as I was thinking this was a traditional theater) and there was free parking. Upon arrival, after parking for the free in the attached garage, I entered the bright and open space of VC. Directly in front of me was the bar, a snack bar, and the lounge. To the left was what I later found out was the ticket counter but the signage was lacking nor was anyone stationed there. I sat at the bar in the lounge area to wait for friends. I browsed the menu as I was pretty hungry at this point. It started to get busy while I was sitting there so no one came to me right away which was fine. I was busy on my phone and deciding what to get. My friend arrived so we went to the snack bar counter to have our parking validated (this ensures that it is free up to 4 hours of parking) and to order food. I ended up ordering the chicken tahini wrap along with the crown fries (aka truffle fries). It was kind of pricey. $15 bucks for a wrap and fries and then I got a $4 soda. $20 later for a meal at a movie theater. Good thing I decided against having an adult beverage. The chicken wrap wasn't too bad. It seemed like a healthier option so I was good with it. The tahini sauce came on the side which I liked so I could monitor how much I used and it was pretty delicious. The truffle fries were amazing!!! Totally threw the healthiness out the window with these (moderation right?!). So our movie was in theater 3 and we had row A (front row) seats. These seats are handicap accessible but lucky for us there were only 3 others in the theater so we didn't have to give up the seats. The front row seats recline back and have an ottoman to prop your feet up. All I needed was a blanket. I was pretty darn comfortable. The screen was at an angle and the seat reclined at an angle so the combination of that made for good viewing pleasure. I liked that the movie started at 6:15pm with some previews and no crazy pre-show stuff and the actual movie was on an playing at 6:23pm. They were not playing around. It was somewhat annoying to have to order food at the counters outside, go back into the theater, and wait for the pager to go off. Once the pager went off you had to get up and go get your food which disrupts the experience for not only the person getting food but for others. Also, I didn't realize there were trays tucked into the seat which seem difficult to get out. Overall I'd probably only come here if invited by friends, on a weeknight, and for a not new movie. I couldn't imagine enjoying the small theater if it was a full house. It just doesn't seem like a good viewing experience. Luckily it is priced the same as other theaters so I don't feel like I wasted any money but I was able to try a new place. read more

Violet Crown Austin - Front row seats with ottoman - Cinema Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Me likey! Not much else to add to these reviews, but it's just SO Nice to have a cool theater downtown. We used to frequent the Dobie, still go up to the Arbor and are fanatical SXSW film pass believers. I really appreciate the effort to make it cool. We've enjoyed the lounge, drink specials and were there the first week they opened. I wonder if they will have a little in-theater service in the future, but that would actually probably be more distracting since people would be more likely to order (hello Alamo! which I still adore of course!) and servers would be running wild. So get there early, order your stuff and enjoy a well picked movie. I am a little surprised they are showing Midnight in Paris, since I thought that was a big movie theater pick, but I guess it's a Woody Allen film so that counts as artsy. I saw 2 of the 3 movies coming at SXSW and they were both great. AUSTIN THANKS YOU FOR OPENING! read more

Welcome to Austin, Violet Crown! It's so refreshing to have an artistic, high-end theatre downtown. They are committed to showing smaller, more intelligent films, foreign films and indie films. It's great being able to pick out your exact seat and recline in their comfy chairs, with clear viewing lines, no chance of some big guy in front of you blocking you for the whole movie. I'm amazed by how quiet the auditoriums are, and the how other patrons respect the no talking or texting rule. I guess it's a combination of the atmosphere they set, plus the types of movie-goers that would come to see these type of films. Also the lobby is gorgeous! They have big windows to look out, a lounge to relax before or after the film. Plus the have a good selection of beer on tap. I can honestly see just hanging out in the lounge, whether I'm seeing a movie or not! read more

Hubby and I went here for the first time last night to see "Midnight in Paris" (which was pretty good, by the way, but not quite as good as expected.) Violet Cinema was pretty darn awesome. While the concept is similar to the Alamo Drafthouse, it doesn't have the same quirkiness that I love. Things I liked: 1. The bar scene is cool and they have a great drink menu and much better wine than the Alamo Drafthouse. Yesterday's specials were $5 margaritas--they were tasty too! 2. The bartender lady was very friendly. 3. The hotdog my hubby ordered was pretty good AND hugeeeee! ;) 4. Very clean and nice, sleek decor. 5. The seats are comfy and the theater is small enough where ever seat is excellent. 6. Lots of good snack choices. (They have Now and Later candy which I happen to love and it's so darn hard to find it at most places in town, much less a theater.) 7. STRONG air conditioner! Felt great. Things that could be better: 1. The guy selling the tickets wasn't very friendly, but I won't hold that against him....maybe he was having a bad day. 2. I wish there was food/drink servers in the theater.... would just make it so much easier than having to get up during the movie. I would probably have spent more $ there if there had been servers. All in all this place is a sweet spot to visit and I'll definitely be back. read more

Great, great, great! The entire experience is superb, from the seats and sound to the food and drinks to the parking to everything. Nothing else you need to know on this one. It's top notch. Blows away Alamo. read more

Very cool place. Order your tickets online, reserved seating. Big comfy chairs. Full bar with seating in the lobby. Decent menu for food as well although we did not eat there. You can order food, get the buzzer thing, get a buzz when ready and bring it into the theater to your seat where the tray can sit comfortably on your armrests. I'd go back when in Austin. read more

My boyfriend and I attended our first showing at Violet Crown on Thursday, September 6 (Operation Finale). We very much enjoyed the theatre itself and the movie. The theatre was small, clean and comfortable and much to our liking. However, upon walking in, our initial impression of the Violet Crown was negative. Since we had never visited before we weren't completely sure of the process. The woman at the snack bar waved us over and told us we could get our tickets with her. She didn't smile, greet us or give any specific instruction about what to do or where to go, even after I expressed it was our first time visiting. She was very off-putting. In addition, we were told we couldn't order drinks with our food at the snack bar even though the menu at the snack bar featured both food and wine. It doesn't really make sense to open two tabs at one venue when the snack bar and drink bar are literally 5 feet apart. To confuse matters further, the bartender told us we could order food and open a tab with her. Needless to say, I'm still a bit confused at what the process is at the Violet Crown and am a bit disappointed at the demeanor of the employees. Based on this, I'm not sure I will be back and am much more inclined to consider other movie houses around Austin for my viewing experience. read more

I saw Mud here a while back and really enjoyed it. The theatres are very small, as are the screens, when compared to your standard megaplex style theatre, but there are some major pluses. A: You don't get the obnoxious teenagers and loud jerks ruining your movie 2: The seats are such that you can easily see over the row in front of you D: You can get beer and food in the lobby or bring it in the theatre. Now, you don't get waitress service like at the Alamo Drafthouse, but it's still nice to be able to buy a beer and bring it in, and they have some good craft beers on tap. I haven't eaten here so I can't comment on the food quality, but it does sound and look pretty good at least. It's nice to see a movie theatre downtown, and especially one that shows more unique, and indie films. Cool place to catch a film. read more

Seriously cool place! Apparently this is the place to go for indie films. It's situated in an upscale shopping area near downtown. The decor is very modern. And best of all, they have air conditioning! They have a full bar there, as well as an appetizer menu. I ordered a Mojito (of course, what else?), which was pretty good by my standards. The theaters rooms themselves are not the cavernous sorts you see at big movie theaters. They lend a more cozy exclusive feel. It almost feel like you are attending a private screening. The seats are comfortable, with flip up tray tables to set your drinks and food. I was... gently suggested into seeing Midnight in Paris, which actually turned out to be a great movie contrary to my initial reservations. The sounds is crisp and clear, and the screen is bright without visible blemishes. I would definitely return here for my indie movie needs! read more

I have been to Violet Crown twice now. The first time I went I was disappointed that they didn't have the same type of "keep your phone in your pocket and dark" during the move warning that Alamo Drafthouse has. The guy in the row in front of me pulled his phone out to text or to look at messages about once every 5 minutes during the movie. Due the logistics of the seating, I would have had to walk in front of my whole row to get out and complain so I just did my best to ignore the distraction. Of course it was the rude guy's fault but I also sent an email to the theater afterwards to ask them to start carryiing a message before the start of the movie to directly tell people (who are too rude and/or clueless to figure it out on their own) to keep their cell phones dark during the movie. Fast forward to this past weekend, which was my second visit to Violet Crown. I was pleased to see that, in fact, they DID add a notice before the start of the movie to remind idiots (I mean customers) to keep their phones off during the movie. It wasn't as overt or funny as the Drafthouse warnings (I love those cartoon concession stand guys) but at least it was something, and nobody bothered me during this movie. I like the VC because it's a nice, clean theater and they have the offbeat, indy, arthouse films that are hard to find in Austin. For example, this weekend we saw Blackthorn which wasn't playing at the Arbor, so if not for VC, we would probably not have had the opportunity to see it. As for food, we only had popcorn and soda. The popcorn is a pretty pinchy portion ($6.00) but they have free refills (if you feel like getting up and leaving the theater during the movie to get it). I think they should just give you a larger bag to start with since popcorn costs them almost nothing in hard costs anyway. Let's face it, people don't want to get up to go get a refill during the movie. read more

This place is no Alamo Drafthouse, but it's cool if you're looking for a more posh film-watching experience. Violet Crown is definitely fancier than the Alamo, with a parking garage (free with validation at the ticket counter), a little sit-down eating area, slightly higher prices, and more independent, art-house type films. Also, when you buy your tickets online, you get to choose your seat on a little seating chart! I've never seen that option for a movie theater before, so that was interesting/fun. Another perk of Violet Crown is it's incredibly less busy than Alamo. Admittedly, I went to a matinee, but still, it was just me, my man, and one other couple in our little theater. The staff was really nice, too. There weren't many cons to my experience, but I will say that my cucumber martini was somewhat strange tasting and not very cucumber-y, so I wouldn't recommend it. Overall, Violet Crown won't replace the Alamo in my movie-viewing rotation, but I'll definitely come back to see another flick. Probably when I'm feeling fancy. read more

Location is downtown and has its own parking garage which provides free 4 hour parking if the patron buys a movie ticket. This is helpful since it can be such a pain to find parking downtown. Just be sure to tell the cashier when buying the ticket that you'd like to them to validate your parking. They should give you a token which you can insert at the exit when you leave to mitigate the parking fee. Upon entering the location, my first impression was that it was more like a lounge/club than a movie theatre. Pretty nice and comfortable place with places to sit and chill. They offer the purchase of alcohol and some pretty interesting snacks that aren't offered at most regular movie theaters. The location is clean and has a classy feel. The movie seats are assigned when you buy the tickets so you have designated places to sit once they call for seating. Unlike the usual theaters, you don't just go in and sit down inside the theatre whenever you want. You need to wait for them to announce the seating. Before the call, you can chill in the bar/waiting area. The actually viewing area wasn't that big. I'm not sure if they have bigger spaces or if all their screens/seating areas seat a similar capacity. All in all a great place and environment. If the experience is more important to you than the cost, I'd def come here! Bonus: If you have questions, you can call ahead and they have an automated system that will be answer your general questions on parking/ticket prices. They don't have student discounts. read more

This theater is so awesome! Tickets cost the same $10 you will pay at any other theater, but your viewing experience here is so much better! The theaters are small (maybe a few dozen seats in each) with very comfy seats and small fold up trays for your snacks. No cup holders, though. Every seat in the house is good, including the front row. Your specific seat is reserved when your purchase a ticket, either online or at the theater before the show. With fewer seats the shows can sell out so buy early if there is something you really want to see. The snack bar has movie fare and a few extra classier snacks, like hummus and pita. There is also a very nice bar here with cocktails and a small menu. It would be a great way to impress a date or out of town visitors. Parking is free in the AMLI garage with validation. I recommend a sweater; like most other theaters the AC is on high! read more

The location. Awesome. The lounge area. Awesome. The dining area. Awesome. The bar and beer and tap. Awesome. The small theater rooms, comfy seats, extra leg room. Awesome. But it really sucks to have to bring your food into the theater yourself. It's not that I'm lazy. But it's hard to carry a beer, a water, and a plate of food. While you have all that in your hand, you have to pull out the table top to put your food on. I had to make 2 trips. That's was fine, until the lady behind me dropped her drinks and food and spilled some on me. I really enjoyed the movie watching experience there. Great screen, nice sound. I like picking my seats and not have to wait an hour in line too. The place is nice. But I think they have to rethink how they work in the food and drinks into the theater. I almost thought a box would be better than plates, but then that takes away from the ambiance right? Well, they need to think of something... read more

Yay: Cozy seats, free of disturbances, good drinks, & real butter on the popcorn! Nay: the little table/arm rests are not big enough for a meal & tickets are a bit pricey. read more

This is a nice and cozy contemporary theater with comfortable seats. The plus is you get to pick your seats at time of purchase online. We had issues trying to buy the last two seats on a row online and called and the lady talked us through their glitch saying that she had to manually override a seat because the system will only let you purchase seats directly next to each other with no gaps. I was very happy to have her help put a seat between me and another person. Two things bothered me while I was there and I don't think they can be remedied. One is the movie next to ours was blaring loud bass and intense sounds in the middle of a very quiet and intimate part of ours so I was a little thrown off and taken out of the moments. But what can you do about that. The other thing was that the girl next to me had ordered food then ten minutes later her pager go off and had to get up and go get her food, miss about 5 minutes of the movie and then return to chomp in my ear. Typically it wouldn't bother me but we were watching Amour and the whole movie was quiet and heart-wrenching and you just don't want to be annoyed by snacky mcsmackster next door and her crinkling food basket and getting up that often. It's cool they offer food, but geez. I'll probably return because the facilities are so nice and the movies they offer are great. read more

Yes, I will return. Saw a matinee, loved the validated parking (free for 4 hours), good and friendly service too. Amazing screen resolution! What would help is keeping the theatres from freezing temps. PLEASE! Its no fun turn into a popsicle for 1.5 hours. I had to put on socks, a beanie, a hoodie and a scarf when it was 82 degrees outside temp. read more

So far so good. We've been here numerous times and even got the front row with ottomans (pure luck) most of the time. If you ask for them in check in you might get them. The hummus and pita is fabulous as are all of the dishes that we have eaten there. Parking is easy. Highly recommend it for date night!! read more