Great theaters with great food and drink. So glad the Violet Crown has been saved for Charlottesville.

Adorable movie theatre! Came here with a friend to catch a flick on a Friday night and really loved the atmosphere. There is a great snack/drink menu - be sure to get the bottomless popcorn and soda! The theatre itself is super cozy and a bit on the smaller side. Coming from the DC area, you don't really find spots like this one. This place was so refreshing! read more

Came in for the a/c and a quick drink. What we found was a great bartender/filmmaker. Handcrafted cocktails and movie talk, what could be better. The bar is attached to the upstairs movie theater. An elevated concession stand. It's worth checking out. read more

Violet Crown Charlottesville - Cocktails - Cinema Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Great move theater in a nice place downtown. It gives the old time movie theater vibe with its intimate setting. Comfortable seats and good choice of great food and drinks. Love it. read more

This is a rarity: an independent cinema. It's also in downtown Charlottesville and it's actually nice. I was directed to a kiosk on entry to order tickets, and seats were not assigned. I found a banger of a movie. The inside temperature was a bit cold for me on a winter day, and I thought it strange that restrooms were outside the ticketed area (so one has to remember to keep a ticket on you in case they wanted to trouble you about going back in). I didn't get any food but to be fair the popcorn smelled legit and a fair number of people did get it. It certainly isn't at the top level as a technical venue, but if you want IMAX, you probably need to drive to a bigger city. For what it is, the place succeeded and I would be happy to return. read more

Violet Crown Charlottesville - Cinema Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

If I'm anything I'm honest. Was this movie theater top notch? No not really. The seats are quite a bit worn down (my ass quite literally fell asleep in it) and the theater was a bit messy. The food options are exactly what you expect from any run of the mill theater. The movie projector is likely outdated as well with low resolution. Pros: the place is virtually empty during the weeknights. Get the whole theater to yourself. Location is ideal for dates. Place has an old time feel. Movie selections are usually always great. I'd recommend going to this theater if you ever want to feel like you're in the early 2000s going to see a movie (which has its perks) Still 10000x better than regal. read more

By far the best movie theater in Charlottesville. Great location, expansive selection of movies (including Flashback Cinema choices), and a good drink selection. read more

Visiting from Los Angeles I'm used to theaters immediately turning on the house lights as soon as the credit sequence starts and it's very annoying. I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to enjoy the darkness for a while and allow the effect of the movie to wash over me and then the lights dimly came on. Such a wonderful change from expectations and love the design of the theater lobby. Thank you to all the friendly staff for their help making this a fun visit. read more

I would call this a special little hideaway, like a speakeasy hidden in a theater. The most sophisticated drinks from a pro.

Came into theater 8 to watch Top Gun and loved how clean and comfortable it was. You can order alcoholic drinks and food at this theater. They have reclining seats, a tray table for your snacks and has a small and intimate setting. It's a great date night location prices are reasonable. Highly recommend. read more

Violet Crown Charlottesville - Inside - Cinema Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

See all

Always a five star! Great seats ! Small venue! Great bathrooms ! Concessions is good also ! There is not a lot of traffic here! Most of patrons tend to be older ! Depending on the movie. A tad pricier! It's at the downtown mall, so parking can be a challenge! Be careful because of traffic crossing the mall right in front ! Love the beer! examen des cols bleus: read more

See all

Seats are comfortable however do not recline. Sound was good. Parking validated for 4 hours so park in garage and bring ticket with you

There are a lot of things that I like about this theater. They have a lot of different screens so they are able to show many movies at once, including some throwbacks and film festival-type showings. Once Oscars season rolls around, they do a good job of keeping the leading nominees in the rotation. One thing that is frustrating is that a few of their cinemas are tiny-- like less than 30 seats tiny. Not only does this sometimes thwart you from getting a ticket to the movie you want to see (unless you book online ahead of time and thus pay an extra $1.50) but it also means that all the seats are very close to the screen. It's awesome that you can order beers and food before the show and bring it in with you. Not as nice as Alamo, though, because if you want a refill or anything you'll have to get up and do that yourself. Also, every time I go I notice how disgusting the cupholders are from past beer/soda spills. Wish they would Lysol wipe those every once in awhile. They do offer a $1 discount for students and will validate parking at the Market/Water Street garages-- just make sure to ask when you buy your ticket! read more

We had a gift card from years ago, and the staff were super kind and helpful. Didn't love the movie but loved the experience! And the hot dogs are great! read more

I think we found our new "go to" theater whenever we are in this area. We really enjoyed it. Staff were very polite and professional. The seats were clean. The bathrooms were very clean as well. read more

This is a nice cinema with 10 small intimate theater and every seat in the house is a great seat. My only compliant would be the door to get into the theaters is in the front and it's kinda distracting with people coming in and out during the movie. read more

Violet Crown Charlottesville - Recliners - Cinema Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Attended a company event here, small and cozy, very friendly personnel. The sound system was good, good view angles from any seating.

If you're looking for an upscale but reasonably priced movie experience, you should definitely come to Violet Crown! With a bar and dining area, they serve more than just your typical popcorn and sodas. You can order from a good range of made-to-order appetizers, pizzas, salads, and drinks (with drink specials) and bring them into the movie theatre with you. We tried a few apps (the crown fries and brussel sprouts with bacon), and the soda/tea refills are free! The seats are nice and comfy with pull-out tables, and you don't feel squished next to the person near you. The theatre is very clean - a nice upgrade from your typical movie theatre! I definitely recommend this place and would go back! read more

Violet Crown Charlottesville - Brussel sprouts with bacon and the Crown fries! - Cinema Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

I've been to my fair share of "upscale" movie theaters at this point and Violet Crown definitely exceeded my expectations. I was in Charlottesville on business but had some free time so decided to whip out my MoviePass. Checking in was a breeze and I picked my seat which takes the stress off of rushing to snag one. I wasn't hungry but did check out the bar area while I waited. You can order food and drinks to bring in with you. I opted for some wine which they serve in a single or double pour (hey, movies can be long!). So many fancier cinemas these days are boutique style and the actual theaters can be small. Not here! Our theater was very large and had a steep incline which made it easy to see. The leather chairs didn't recline but were super comfy. It's located right on Main Street and I found parking rather easily in the street lot nearby, but wish I knew about validation! read more

I want to like this theater, with comfortable seats and legroom and decent beer on tap. The sound system, however, leaves something to be desired. I don't mind that it is loud, which I like. But their speaker system apparently can't handle the volume, to the point that dialogue is garbled and the movie score is muffled. Maybe if they got better speakers or turned down the volume to where the speakers don't distort the sound? read more

This place Is so fun. The theatres are so comfortable! The screens and sound are impeccable! The food is ok. Drinks are good and they have a lot of variety. read more

Violet Crown Charlottesville - Cinema Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

CAVEAT: I did not try their food so this review is for the theater/bar only. Okay, now that I've gotten that out of the way: I stopped into this movie theater with my MoviePass over the weekend and it was a pleasant experience. One downfall is the lack of parking. For me, I appreciate theaters that have parking but since this is downtown at the Mall, the parking isn't as convenient BUT if you park at one of the nearby garages, the theater will validate, which is nice. However, the upside is that it is close to a lot of shopping and dining and coffee shops so there's plenty to do before and after the movie. Just remember, the parking garage vouchers are only good for four hours. The other thing that kept this from being a five star was the actual purchase of tickets. They had no one working the ticket counter so I had to use the computer kiosk and the screen was very frustrating. Buttons that I didn't click kept opening up and it seemed like the computers were running very slow. I would have preferred to have just walked up and paid with my Movie Pass but I had to go the slow route of the computer tickets, which was annoying. The bar is very nice and they have a wide variety to choose from. Other folks had food and it looked good but I ended up getting a glass of wine that came in just a normal drinking glass which was interesting but worked well once I moved from the bar to the theater with my drink. The movie theater is very nice. The leather chairs are very comfortable. I wouldn't say that they "recline" but that is certainly how they are advertised. The seats are reserved which is a bit annoying as I ended up sitting by some people that I would have moved away from if my seat was not assigned but, it is what it is. Overall, the theater is clean and comfortable and offers a nice experience. read more

Really a great theater. Next level concessions, super clean, validated parking, terrific staff. And the seats are fantastic.

Great movie theater in a very convenient location. The theaters are very clean, and the seats are comfortable. There's a wide selection of coffees and other hot drinks, as well as a full bar. In addition to traditional movie theater popcorn and candy, the Violet Crown has a chessboard, fruit snack boxes, ice cream cookie sandwiches, and many great options. The service is very friendly, the employee who served our popcorn even put extra butter on when we asked. I will definitely be returning here! read more

Violet Crown Charlottesville - Fry plate - Cinema Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

This movie theater is awesome. Love that you can reserve your seats in advance. Food and drink are all top notch (ESPECIALLY the brussel sprouts!) Recliners in the smaller theaters are super comfy. I'm deducting one star because parking is a bit of a pain (though they do validate for 4 hours the Water and Market St garage) and I hate that you have to get there super early if you want to order and get your food before your movie begins. No in theater waiter service. read more

Violet Crown is a welcome addition (replacement?) to the Downtown Mall! My first experience this past Tuesday was great and I look forward to returning in the future! The theater itself was lovely - if only all movie theaters had such cushy seats! They keep the previews short and there are hardly any advertisements - maybe even none! For being a movie theater, the food seemed reasonably priced and comparable to alternatives in the area (unfortunately, I didn't get anything to eat so I can't vouch for the quality!). Glasses of wine ranged in price from $6-10 and most beers hovered around $6. I'm curious to see how their seating system works in the long run. Currently, you pay for specific seats, which seems to promote arriving to the theater early and grabbing a bite to eat there (or just wandering the Mall!). Alternatively, you can buy your seats online for an additional $1. Also, since we went on a Tuesday, we avoided the crowds (we were actually the only ones in the theater!) but I imagine the experience could be totally different if it is crowded! Looking forward to returning! read more

Violet Crown Charlottesville - Ticketing booth - Cinema Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Ordinarily a solid movie theater, but when I went yesterday there was what seemed to be a busted speaker in my theater (Theater 5) - loud crackling and buzzing interrupted dialogue and distracted from the movie. Issue exacerbated by the small, intimate theaters. Haven't had this issue in my two previous trips (hence the 3 stars), but my most recent experience was 1 star for sure. Assuming your theater's speakers actually work as intended, though, this is a perfectly satisfactory movie theater. read more

Strolling around the downtown mall on a Sunday a little earlier than most of the shops were open, I was able to see a movie and have a delightful light lunch (flatbread with pear and arugula). Highly recommend! read more

I've truly never been to a theater quite like this one! Fancy with delicious food and a draft list that is much longer than I expected- definitely a winner in my book! Violet Crown truly blew away my expectations. First, the inside is clean and has a great vibe to it. The draft list is way larger than I would have expected at a movie theater, even one that serves beer. And the food was just delicious (thought it would be sub-par, pre packaged food, but was clearly wrong). I got the thai noodle salad which seemed to be a bowl of never ending deliciousness. My husband and I also split the Crown Fries which I HIGHLY suggest. They include truffle oil, which is delicious. As for the movie viewing experience, it really can't be beat. It is pretty intimate with the theaters not being overly huge. The chairs are large and comfy with great pull out lap tables for eating. Plus, you get to pick your seats ahead of time. What more could you want, really? One note: Eating Thai noodle salad in a dark movie theater isn't the easiest task. Still delicous. read more

Went to see a 4pm showing yesterday and must say this is a great little theater! Saw Bohemian Rhapsody and the sound was excellent - just right. Being a music movie made the sound all the more important, and we weren't disappointed. Great comfy seats and the temp wS just right. Not the best popcorn I've ever had but it's great to be able to enjoy a beer while watching. 4 hour parking voucher for the downtown garages, too, so give them a try! read more

I have a bad experience every time I come here but the options for moviegoing in Cville are limited enough that I have to keep coming back anyway. Explains why Violet Crown is content to let such glaring problems persist: theater seats that are -- most of them -- creaky, so that you have to sit perfectly still throughout the movie lest you disturb everyone else with the groaning and popping of the chair's joints; god-awful espresso drinks at the cafe made by baristas who seriously need to be retrained on how to pull an espresso shot; and employees who treat the theater like a social club, usually too busy gabbing in clumps at the ticket podium or the corner of the bar to notice that I'm standing right in front of them trying to get their attention. Where are the managers in this godforsaken place?? read more

Home run for downtown Cville! Good for dates, families, and solo. Particularly love the upstairs counter for wine and people watching while awaiting your show. read more

Whenever we visit Charlottesville, we see what is playing here and have seen a film every time. They seem to have great films with many selections. While the seating is limited (the theaters are small), they are comfortable with space. There's also the possibility of drinks. They are in a very nice location on the pedestrian mall. read more

Still even smells new! Here the third time in our 9 day Charlottesville workshop, ok that does not mean much because we watch a lot of movies , but it really is a good one! Hardly any advertising at least for the movies we saw , old time black and white pictures of Charlottesville before the movie starts so that's nice. They have healthy snacks , so as babaganoush and cut veggies and of course popcorn, with real butter, and only little salt, pretty amazing . Let me tell you about the seating ( theater 8!) the seat have a feature that reclines them and footrest comes up! Well I love it. The theater has more then 8 screens , I did not see or ask how many, sorry. Some of the rooms are really small (3rows) , the screens are big and the sound is good. The staff is super friendly and they actually tell you on a speaker when it's time to get seated. Oh I forgot popcorn comes with free refills and they serve beer, not sure about wine. After your movie you are standing right in the walking zone of Charlottesville, plenty of restaurants and other entertainment around here. read more

Violet Crown Charlottesville - Seats recline and have footrests in #8 - Cinema Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

I like Violet Crown a lot! But their employees need better training and I wish they still served liquor. Regardless, it's definitely one of the best things to do in on the Downtown Mall. When Violet Crown first opened, their downstairs bar was actually a bar and served liquor. As a non-beer drinker this was a huge draw for me! But after a few months they dropped that and now only serve beer and wine; very disappointing. The staff is all over the place; it often seems like there was little or no training for employees. This has been a constant issue since the Charlottesville location opened. Otherwise, Violet Crown is pretty great. The movie prices are about on par with other theaters and the seats are incredibly comfortable. If you sit in the front row of your section (or are lucky enough to be in the minuscule Cinema 8- it's amazing), your seat reclines and a footrest pops out! It's wonderful. The picture and sound quality is good. The popcorn is good. We had a slice of cheesecake here once (which was was fine) but haven't otherwise sampled the food. You can buy your tickets at the front desk, order them online, or use a little computer terminal by the front door. You can select your own seats, which is wonderful. Importantly- bring your parking stub if you parked in either nearby parking deck. They validate for up to 4 hours! read more

My husband and I love bringing our teenage kids here to see movies. The price of tickets and concessions is comparable to the multiplex, but the experience is so much better! Here's what you get: Leather seats with solid cup holders and an optional fold-out table if you want to put your food on it. (Even with the tables extended, there is enough room with the tables extended for other people to get to their seats) RESERVED SEATS! Can't stress how great this is enough- whether you reserve from their site (super easy) or buy at the box office, you get to pick where you sit, and your ticket has your seat row and number on it. Fantastic for large groups or for "hot" movies. Popcorn that tastes like it was freshly popped, fill-it-yourself fountain drinks that come in sizes you can actually manage to drink, and a wide variety of tasty cafe food and "adult" beverages. Four hour parking garage validation- plenty of time to stroll the Downtown Mall and see a movie. Sound volume that lets you hear everything but doesn't make your eardrums bleed. I will always choose Violet Crown for my movies, no doubt about it! Special note for those that like getting their tickets online: the ONLY place you can check reliable showings and buy tickets for this theater is from the Violet Crown site. Avoid disappointment and don't check showings from other sites- they might be wrong. read more

A small movie theater in the heart of downtown mall. My visist and movie I watched was playing in a small screen may be like 40/50 seater. Sound was not so great. read more

I highly recommend this movie theater. They have two floors of theaters and each floor has a bar. The prices are reasonable and they have a good selection of alcohol and food. The seats are also very comfy with a tray table available for each seat. You can choose to use it or tuck it away. It's nicer than most cinemas! read more

My very favorite theatre in town! I love to go to the movies, its my treat! I love this place, the comfy seating and I love that I can have a local IPA with my popcorn! read more

Downtown location, Sunday parking relatively easy, free n street. $11 pp. 2nd floor, the elevator smelled funky. The stairs are wide & used that ti leave. Clean, wanted no-added salt but the guy behind the counter said he wouldn't make more popcorn. Salt makes me swell. My husband went to the 1st floor concession & he said 3 people couldn't figure out what to do or didn't want to make popcorn & catch it as it pops so it doesn't get the salt from existing batches. Seems like no staff person wanted to accommodate a health request for no added salt. Finally someone did it but it took 15 mins missed from the movie. At least Regal & Alamo will do no-added salt popcorn. Alamo of course brings it to your table & if it will take long, sometimes Regal will offer to bring it to u in the movie (at least in Orlando). All in all - we won't be going back. And will revisit Alamo when we want to see another movie. read more