Need someplace special to go for dinner and a movie? Just like going to see movies, whether they are box office hits or under the radar flicks? There are theaters in San Antonio to accommodate all of your movie-watching needs. Here are some ideas:
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema – Park North
618 NW Loop 410
210-677-8500
This is a great spot for the all-around movie experience. Thinking about going out to dinner and a movie? The Drafthouse can accommodate your entire date night. They have good food, beer and various other alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Menus are available at your seat, and waitresses attend to your cravings throughout the movie. Get there early or buy tickets online because popular movies sell out fast. Part of the experience is the funny “pre-preview” trailers they play before the movie. General admission is $9 for shows after 6 p.m. but $7 for students if you buy them at the box office. Matinees (shows starting before 5 p.m.) are $7.
Santikos Palladium IMAX 17703 W IH-10
210-496-2221
This is one of the priciest options, but it’s a great experience. Inside the Palladium, there are multiple cafés, restaurants and bars, as well as an M&M store, an arcade and a retail store (to buy movie-lover souvenirs). There’s everything from gelato to more than 100 varieties and combos of Coca-Cola products, customizable to your preference. This theatre features an IMAX screen and D-Box, “motion control seats that are synchronized with the film.” Matinees are $7.50, and evening showings are $10. IMAX seats are $14, and D-Box seats are the most expensive, at $18.
Santikos Bijou Cinema Bistro 4522 Fredricksburg Rd.
210-734-4552
This theatre offers bars and food venues outside the theater, and in-theater dining. The Bijou offers mainstream, box office hits as well as under-the-radar, art house and indie movies that are not widely released. Screaming children will never ruin your movie here, either. No children under 12 are allowed in, and guests ages 12 to 17 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. The pricing is reasonable “” $7 for a matinee and $9.50 for shows after 6 p.m. There is live music in the lounge to set the mood, and they have a free movie night on Thursdays, featuring classic films from the past.
Regal Alamo Quarry Stadium 16
16255 E. Basse Rd.
210-804-1115
Convenient and close-by, this is the place to go for your average movie watching experience. They have most big movies on opening night, so it’s an easy place to go to watch those movies you’ve been waiting for. They have the usual concessions, and tickets are only $6 on Tuesdays with a student I.D. And it’s in the Quarry, so after shopping and eating at one of the many restaurants, you can go watch a movie without moving your car.
Cinemark Dollar Movies 16
5063 NW Loop 410
210-522-9660
This is the place to go if you are running low on cash or you really want to see a movie but it got horrible reviews and you don’t want to risk paying full price. This theater plays second-run movies for, as the name suggests, only $1 (except 3D movies, which go for around $3 to $4.25 “¦ still not bad). They are currently playing “The Campaign,” “The Dark Knight Rises” and “The Amazing Spiderman” (among others), so if you missed those and want to see them on the big screen for no more than it would cost to rent them, hit up this venue.
