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Waco Hippodrome Theatre

3.2 (162 reviews)
Open • 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

Waco Hippodrome Theatre Photos

WACO HIPPODROME THEATRE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Trendy
Classy
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - Waco Hippodrome Theatre

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Amber O.

The Waco Hippodrome theater is a small historic theater with lots of charm. They offer a brunch on the weekends on the second floor. The brunch menu is small and adorned with cute movie titles, but the food is average at best. The service was okay, most of the servers lacked personality and enthusiasm, and my order came out wrong, but overall they were at least polite. I definitely enjoyed the experience of the theater, but overall I feel like they could step their brunch game up a little.

Crumby seating.  Small screen.  Bright in here too.
Bill M.

Not impressed. It's a dinner and a movie type of theater in an old live performance theater, so it has character and potential. The reason I'm only giving it 2 stars is because they need to renovate the seating arrangements, which lack any dasness whatsoever. First of all, there are not very many good seats, so you'd better show up early to be happy. Also, the chairs are padded folding chairs, and the dining tables are essentially long folding tables. An investment in the seating area to improve chairs, and screen viewability is needed, but not sure it will ever be great because the seating is so steep and close to the screen. The food is decent, and fairly priced.

Lisa S.

Only stopped by for a drink and to ask about the live music. It was like pulling teeth.

Janet B.

Just saw The Lion King at the hippodrome and it was a fantastic experience. Best theater in the Waco area, and I know that's not saying much because the other theaters are filthy rat holes, but I was surprised to see the hippodrome had so many terrible reviews. Here's the secret, you eat before you come here or you buy tickets online, reserve your seat, show up 20 mins before your movie time, immediately order all the food when you arrive. If you order the food 20 mins before the movie starts, you're food/drinks will get to you before the movie starts. I hate ordering food right before the movie starts because they have to serve it while the movie is playing and it can be really distracting to me and people around me. Best to come early if you plan on ordering food/drinks. If you're ordering a bunch of cocktails it's best to sit near the aisle to get better access to service and to the bathroom! I've seen a few tipsy people struggling to make to the bathroom, disrupting everyone in the theater because they sat furthest from the aisle. Anyway we had a blast watching the movie Saturday night. The food was actually good. I had the american burger with fried okra and sweet tea. My aunt ordered fried pickles and they were a little heavy but good. Service was great, we ordered 20 mins early and the server didn't have to interrupt viewing as much. Note: I haven't tried everything on the menu, so I can't say it's all good. I know for a fact the pretzels with beer cheese is terrible, waay too salty. The flavored teas are not good either. Actually I hate almost all their drink choices, even the sweet tea was lacking. And dasani water is gross, it makes me thirsty and dries out my throat. I wish they served fresh lemonade (not bottled minute maid!!) to go with all that southern food! Also tip: Review the menu, and decide what you want before coming to the theater so you can order immediately when you arrive.

Allison C.

Went to the Hippodrome last night for a Baylor University Parents Weekend speaking engagement & dinner. I was impressed by the intimate feeling and the acoustics. Food was very good and staff was very friendly, as well as attentive. I would return for sure for future events!

Allen T.

After reading about this historic theatre we wanted to check it out before we left town and were greeted by some really nice people who allowed us to tour the theatre and check out the renovations! We did not stay for a meal but would definitely come back in the future because of the enthusiasm of the staff there! The dining area has been completely remodeled and I can imagine having a nice dinner here in the evening before watching a film or even dining in the theatre if you chose to! Conveniently located in a nice historic section of Waco this place has a lot of charm and history and some very nice people working there! I love these old style theaters...you can almost feel the history of the souls who might have sat here in the thirties and forties. Charming and elegant. A nice place to unwind if you're ever in Waco!

Burnt pancakes so dense you could be full off of 1.5 bites.
Camryn A.

UPDATE: since renovating and adding so much to this location, including The Raleigh and The Hightop Bar, their service has just dwindled. I mean just flat out bad. We first visited since their renovation, to their new theater that includes very comfortable reclining seats. The seats are the best! The service was absolutely awful however. My son couldn't receive his drink after asking 2 different servers 4 times. He ordered a burger and fries with ketchup and mustard. Took 5 different times asking to receive the ketchup and mustard. By the time he received his drink and condiments, it was cold. Just all around lack of attention and very basic service. Second attempt was today at their brunch service at The Raleigh. Absolutely beautiful location. We were greeted by a very friendly hostess and proceeded to wait maybe 5 mins for our table. This is where things take a very poor turn. We waited 10+ mins to be greeted by a server and ask for a drink order. By the time we were greeted, the irritation has really set in. Let me also say, it was not busy! This is a very small location and to have tables that are dirty and trash on the floor all while servers are talking is beyond unprofessional. My son ordered French toast with bacon. THEY WERE OUT OF FRENCH TOAST! how do you run out of French toast for brunch?! Ridiculous. My husband orders eggs Benedict and I tried their chicken and waffles. The only redeeming food we were served was their fruit cup. Son received pancakes, burnt and so dense an eight year old wouldn't eat it. My waffles were so over done I needed a knife to cut them and the chicken was burnt. Husbands eggs Benedict were more like hard boiled eggs with burnt muffin. The lack of attention from servers is just baffling, but this is ultimately poor management. I hate to say we will likely not return. It is such a shame because there is so much to be offered, but they just don't even come close to delivering.

The most recent theater and lunch menu.
Rick R.

This is a really fun place! We had lunch here on a Saturday and the experience was great. The menu was the same as the theater menu that day. This is a new place and they are still trying out different menu items but all four meals at our table were very tasty and nicely presented. The food is all named after movie titles. We started out with the chips and queso with extra chorizo and salsa, which had a unique flavor that had me wanting to take some home for later. For my meal I had the One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - a robust chicken sandwich served with lightly fried french fries. We ate in the restaurant on the second floor with a view of downtown through the floor to nearly ceiling windows. The service was quick, efficient and friendly. We did not see a movie but the couple we were with had done so on several occasions and had a pleasant experience each time. The owner has made some great improvements to the theater since the opening. They have upgraded the sound equipment and added a bunch of speakers so that every seat has perfect sound. I learned this during a private tour we had of the stage. (They will give a behind the scenes tour to anyone who asks - as long as there is no movie in progress!) Great food. Unique restaurant and theater. I highly recommend.

Cool view from quaint table next to the a window.
Lisa S.

Cute place to grab a drink! This theater has a restaurant on the second floor. It's a cute little space with lots of character. We choose a high-top table near a window looking over Austin Ave. My boyfriend and I stopped for just one beer. I'm glad we did. It was the type of place we don't have in Madison. Go check it out!

Chicken Fried Steak Blue Plate Special
Rickey B.

I plan to eat here 5 days in a row (Mon - Fri) so this is day 3 of 5. Yesterday(12-15-15) I had Meatloaf Blueplate special and it was delicious. Today (Wed)(12-16-15) I had the Chicken Fried Steak Blueplate special. I like the fact that the served the gravy on the side but was not thrilled when it was served with white gravy. Also, the steak was slightly charred but certainly edible. On both days, the waiter and waitress brought me my lunch and I never heard from them again until I was ready to go. Tuesday, I had to physically get up and ask for my check. On Wednesday, after I was finished and asked for my check then the waitress asked if I wanted dessert. Service so far has been lukewarm at best. I still can give them more than 3 stars at this point. Two more days to go. Thursday(12-15-15 Today was Fried Catfish. I'm not a real big fan of fried foods especially Catfish but it was lightly battered and fried crispy. It was served with cole slaw and curly fries and 3 shrimp. The shrimp again was friend in the same batter as the Catfish. Perhaps there's nothing wrong with it but I'm not use to seeing the same batter on my shrimp that I see on my fish. I also wish they would alternate the sides a bit more for day of the week they have the Blueplate specials. The coleslaw and hushpuppies were consistent. Dessert today was a red velvet cake and although I'm not a big dessert person the cake was very good. The coffee was horrible again and I will not order it again. They got me twice so I guess coffee must not be there thing. I had a different waiter today and pretty much the same level of interaction (practically none). He dropped the food off and then did not come back to the table until he brought me the dessert. I had no idea dessert was included. Two day's I got to dessert and the other two day I didn't also. Also, this is another pet peeve of mine. I had to use my dinner fork to eat my dessert. I know you may be thinking this is so picky. It's really not that but who wants to suck the catfish grease off of their fork so they can then stick it in their cake? Not me but its my fault not his I simply should have insisted on a dessert fork. One more day to go.

Kevin S.

If you are looking for something different, this is it. Basically, this is kind of like the Alamo Draft house or Studio Movie Grill where you can enjoy a meal while watching a movie. The cons: the sound system is not the best so in times of the movie where there is quiet dialog sometimes gets lost. Also, I had ordered one of the burgers and it was good but not the best. (Lacked seasoning and would have loved a toasted bun) Also, the website address brought us a couple miles south of the theater. I also smashed my hand in the folding chair that was my seat. The pros: it is an antique building designed for entertainment for over 100 years. They also have a dining room that over looks the street below which would be perfect for a date night. Lots of charm. I would probably come back now that I know how to not smash my hand in the seat and maybe order something else on the menu.

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9 months ago

Great venue! Band was awesome! Will definitely be returning! Band was Toast and they sound just like Bread!

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Review Highlights - Waco Hippodrome Theatre

“Just had the Some Like it Hot burger with jalapeños and jack cheese etc (check the menu), and it was fantastic.”

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Mayborn Museum - Entrance

Mayborn Museum

4.6(79 reviews)
1.2 mi

Can I give more than 5 stars!? This museum is amazing. If you have children, drop everything and…read moreGO. If you don't have children, also go! It's immersive, interactive, tactile. One of the best museums I've been to (and I've been to a lot). Budget at least two hours and bring food (there's a designated eating area upstairs). KIDS: Before visiting, I didn't know much, only that it was a science museum with some stuff for kids. Well, the amount of children's activities blew me away. The entire top floor is children's exhibits -- a large variety of rooms. You have music and light, engineering (building), space, bubbles, a craft room for older kids. For younger kids, there is a tea party room and a homestead room (all super hands-on, with lots to play with). I'm sure I'm forgetting something. Ultimately, there was a lot to do upstairs and it appealed to a variety of ages. That's just the upstairs! In addition to the kids' top floor, there was a children's play area (under 5) downstairs with a mini grocery store, a fire station, and more. There was also a water play area and a live animal exhibit (snakes, spiders, lizards) plus a little book nook (all downstairs). As if that wasn't enough, there was a traveling exhibit on mosquitos that had a ton of interactive children's content. Like I said, the amount of kids' content blew me away. Needless to say, my kids had a blast. ADULTS: I thought that the adult exhibits were super well done. Everything is very thoughtfully designed. The layout is so pleasant, with color scheme and formatting done just right for the subject. As a lifelong museum-goer and a museum studies major, I just would not shut up about it (sympathies to my husband). Additionally, each exhibit was so interactive and tactile. This is fantastic for adults but also amazing for adults with kids. So hard to go to museums with kids because they get bored when they can't touch stuff. We were actually able to walk around and experience the exhibits while our kids touched any interactive elements. In the history/culture of the local region room, I loved being able to go inside the indigenous housing and touch the wood. Also, the gospel room felt like being inside a tiny church (simple but powerful with a lot of songs to listen to). The other rooms were also really immersive -- the caves, the flora/fauna room (with taxidermied animals), the mammoth excavation underneath the transparent floor, the ability to see an actual paleontologist in the lab cleaning a mammoth bone, the cabinet of curiosities. I loved the design of the cabinet of curiosities and my kids enjoyed opening all the drawers. One tiny complaint -- all the info had to be obtained via their website (very easy with the QR code). However, maybe for some less tech savvy (older?) folks or people who just want to put their phone away, I wished for a bare minimum label just to explain what the objects were. This would allow for a quick glance understanding while also offering the ability to obtain more info via QR code. HISTORIC VILLAGE: On top of all the amazing stuff inside, there is a historic village behind the museum. Unlike many other similar villages which block access inside the buildings entirely, this one actually allowed you to enter several of them. We were able to explore the church, the schoolhouse, and some of the housing (the actual rooms were behind glass in some of the housing). Some fun photo opportunities here. Both adults and kids enjoyed this part! Don't miss it. FEE: For what you get, the admission fee is very reasonable. I've paid more for less. Adults are $12. Kids 2-15 are $10. Under 2 are free. ACCESSIBILITY: This museum seems very committed to maximizing their accessibility. Everything seems to be wheelchair-accessible. They also offer sensory accommodations -- according to their website, they offer sensory backpacks (noise-reducing headphones and fidget tools). STAFF: I found the staff to be very friendly and helpful. Ultimately, this place is wonderful. It's not a huge museum but it felt huge given all they've done with it. Couldn't recommend it more. Honestly, whoever designed this museum, KUDOS to you!

We have been here twice and have loved it both times! There is SO much to do. So many floors and…read morethemed rooms of fun for all ages (bubble room, craft room, trains, grocery store, sound and light, tea room, etc). This is also a great value! Admission was affordable and was part of our "GetOut" austin passes. The only tricky thing may be parking. There are a lot of spaces, but each time we've gone it's been a full lot. Would definitely recommend this place for kiddos!

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Waco Hippodrome Theatre - movietheaters - Updated November 2026

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