AMC Magic Johnson Harlem 9

2.27.26: My First time taking my 6yr old to this Movie theater to see a movie no other movie theater had, which was Zootopia2. We Enjoyed the Movie. The front entrance businesses are closed down so it feels creepy coming in. The elevator was broken but the escalators worked. It took us to the 4th fl. to were the movie theaters are and they had Beautiful pictures of Black Entertainers, Musicians, Actors,etc displayed on the wall. The ticket kiosks were out of order except for one. The carpets appeared dirty & not vacuumed. They used to have games you can play while you wait for your movie to start; they were gone. There is no seating while you wait for your movie to start. The Security was not visible in the front area but was posted near the entrance where you give your ticket to the ticket staff, when your movie time starts. My only real complaint was When we got on line, there was so much skipping going on by other customers and when I told the Food counter lady, me & my son was next in line; she informed me that there are two lines. There was no sign posted saying, “Two lines” and the counter workers did not inform people on line that it was “two lines.” When Security stepped in; he diffused the situation and told me he saw me on line & I was next. When I started to walk toward the counter to place our order; someone still tried to skip in front of me; but the counter worker & security made the person go on the line. The food is pricey & no animation cups were available. The front counter staff attitudes were not Friendly or Professional and didn’t give off a welcoming vibe. The Popcorn was not hot but the pizza was hot. The drinking machines worked & was cold but needed cleaning of spilled beverages. The Auditorium & floors was clean but the seats were broken. The Movie was clear & the Sound was Good too. The Men’s Bathroom Stalls, toilets, soap dispenser & hand dryers were working but the wash counters needed cleaning from the spilled water. It’s not the same Magic Johnson Theater I took my oldest son to twenty years ago. Back then , when you left this theater, the Hustlers with the lighted toys & Balloons were there but now they are gone too. But I’m glad they still had a movie for my youngest son to see; where no other movie theater had. If I decide to go again it would be…if this magic Johnson Theater had a Movie, no other movie theater has. Peace.

The lobby and halls were clean, but the Dolby theater was dirty. I would debate going a bit further and paying a bit more for a different location that feels more comfortable. The reclining chairs were not well maintained—my seat didn't even have a cup holder so my drink fell right through into the abyss (see picture). The design of the whole lobby/hall is poor and feels like a sad, liminal space. I felt uneasy walking up to the theaters—like I'm in an abandoned mall—not excitement for the magic of the movies.

I attended the theater on the Friday following Thanksgiving. Having not visited the theater in some time, I was surprised to find the box office closed and the lobby appearing abandoned. You have to buy tickets at the concession stand. Theater one, where I was seated, was clean but had a weird odor. I hope the theater improves its operations, as it is one of the few entertainment venues in Harlem.

Took my family to see a movie on Christmas, I placed a pick up order for some snacks so we wouldn't have to stand inline and can head straight to the auditorium, instead my order which was set for a pickup time of 3:10pm was not there. I had to wait almost 25 minutes to find out an item I ordered was out of stock, I was very upset considering how I'm paying for a premium membership and received this kind of service. The auditorium 6 has a weird musty smell and the seats are way too close together! Won't be going to that location ever again!!

Met a guy at this theater right before MLK Day (2026) named Joseph (from Louisiana and Harlem) and we ended up watching a movie together. I didn't catch your number 😂, so was suggested that I post here in case you see this to exchange contact information. With respect to this movie theater rating, I would say it's okay. I usually like to watch movies at the Dolby Cinema screen, but the other ones are solid. The theater doesn't seem to have that much traffic, but it's a good location.

Great experience! Went to see 28 years later bone temple and Alyssa at the counter was sweet and helped me with what I wanted in a wonderful fashion! Friendly and caring staff all around, great experience highly recommend.

I love this theater and am so glad it's here since there's not really another theater uptown or close by until 86th. I wish AMC would put the love and care they have for the other locations into this one. The seating needs renovating so bad. The lobby is great, the staff is above and beyond, but I really think some TLC needs to go into this place. It's not a small indie film house, it's the Haus of Nicole Kidman!

On this past Wednesday November 12th 2025, myself and three friends visited this location. It has been some time since I visited and I was surprised to see the box office was shut down and then I was extremely offended by the services. Not only did the building in itself look nearly abandoned but The escalators only went to the second floor and the elevator was out of service. This is troublesome because I have a disability where Mobility is a huge concern. I ended up having to walk up to the third floor as the escalator ONLY went to the second floor. Once I finally got upstairs, the customer service representative lacked in courtesy, professionalism and respect. She said the movie time had changed and maybe I was confused and looked at the other Magic Johnson theater . The other theater is located in another state . Another huge insult. As she explained the building is responsible for putting up "out of servic"e notices not the theater only made the experience worse. An extreme lack of professionalism courtesy and respect to its patrons. I will never visit this theater again and strongly advise that you do not ether.

The magic needs a serious upgrade to get tickets if you walk in you get to get on the food line not good well I guess so you can get food and tickets at the same time.

The kiosks downstairs were not working. They only sell tickets at the concession stand so you have to wait in line even if you don't want popcorn but just want tickets. We went up and down the stairs twice trying to get tickets. I used to love coming to this theater because it was close to my house, but sadly it is showing signs of disrepair, like a toy that was once loved that is now lost at the bottom of a forgotten toy box in a leaky basement, slowly decaying and growing mildew.

Came here for a movie. It's not a bustling theater but it workd for me. The floors were a tad sticky forthe first movie ofthe day.

The AMC Magic Johnson theater is a good theater but AMC needs to renovate the AMC Magic Johnson movie theater

Needs an update!! The seats are not laid back , but if you are going just to watch a movie. The theater will do the job, just fine.

I live uptown and I'm glad there's a theatre up here. I don't know where else I would go. I usually have a good time. Food is good enough. They move things along from ticket to seat so you don't really have to wait around much. The escalators don't always work though. It's pretty clean. Definitely grateful to have a movie theatre uptown.

The seats are trash.escalator always broken Why don't the seats recline food expensive as hell.

The atmosphere is giving all of the history ofBlack Entertainers with colorful history of Blacks in Films The assortment of menu from candies popcorn /chicken tenders/flatbread pizza/mozzarella sticks/ churros all favorite things of movie theatre plus beverages ranging from bottled water to assorted wines and beer. Something for everyone taste bud. Everyone from the cashiers to ticket takes very friendly and helpful.. restrooms are very clean well maintained

Dirty, stale popcorn. Theater needs an upgraded. Why haven't they upgraded to the recliner seats.. and please clean the seats.. there shouldn't be butter on the arm rest.

It a lovely movie theatre l was able to take my granddaughter to the movies as I haven't seen her in quite some time I hadn't been to the movies since last year. It seems that the seats have been changed cause I remember being able to recline but that didn't happen. When we got there there was no one in the theatre so about 5 minutes before the show started a few more people came in. The movie was great. The bathrooms are clean. The place is clean. The staff is friendly and it's a nice place to spend a hot afternoon They have a coupon that you get when you buy your tickets. It gives you a$5.00 package that's a drink and popcorn and for $5 bucks. That's great for kids. I don't eat popcorn so I didn't get any but I had 2 pieces from my granddaughters cup. I added photos

I've been going to this theater for years, but i havenr been there for a long time. I love the location, but since the last time i was there a year or two ago, the place felt dirty. it needs a deep cleaning and better facilities management .It's a great space, but it smelled musty. I used the bathroom and it smelled as if it had been mopped with dirty mop water. Some of the soap dispensers were not attached to the walls. the carpet in the main hallways were full of popcorn bits. Also, the overall air quality felt dank, like HVAC system needed some maintenance. Even while in the theater, cigarette smoke was faintly coming through the vents. The film and sound system was excellent. But this is really a facilities management issue. they need to raise the standards. I noticed that they use oil paint in the hallways. I'm not sure if this was always the case, but it looks tacky. They need to shut dowh the theater for a week and do a deep steam cleaning and disinfecting session. Also the ceilings in the atrium ar looking worn. I hope someone in charge reads this. Under Magic Johnson's ownership this theater used to shine and be a source of pride. please try and bring it back to it's original glory.

Aside from the food staff carrying more about their phone n just having one cashier everything else is all good, Nothing more to say.

I'm truly satisfied with the improvements that this theater has made. The new seats are far superior from what they used to be. I find myself visiting this particular theater, more and more often compared to other AMC throughout the city the price of this Theatre is decent. It seems that movie tickets seem to just be headed in one direction and that's up.

Upon walking into the building the heat was on full blast...it was very uncomfortable seeing how chilly it was outside. Ordered tickets online so didn't have to wait in the line where there was only one person working. Took the escalators up to the third floor and entered the lobby. Easy getting refreshments before the show and went to the theater. Our seats were the row down after walking in with the seats on the end. Bad choice as there was constant people coming in and out. So many interruptions throughout the movie from people talking, sneezing, phone alarm going off, commentary from the guy next to us, full blown cell phone conversation and snoring. Needless to say didn't make the movie experience as I remember. Haven't experienced something like this since HS and even then I don't recall it being this bad. This will be a last choice theater.

The popcorn is often stale, cold and chewy. Really brings down the movie experience when the concessions aren't right.

It's nice here, but on new movies coming out, they should have more staff working at the concession stand. I waited half an hour, with over 30 people on line and only two cashiers. This is not about a bad comment, it's about making sure there's coverage for the customers.

Not sure why the reviews are so bad, every time I come here service is great, theater is clean and spacious, and food option are great. Maybe going here on a popular night can ruin an experience but that's any theater tbh. This is my preferred theater in the city.

The worst movie theater I've ever Been to I waited in the line for a hour for food

Is it me, or is this theater going downhill with its upkeep? I like the fact that this theater will show movies targeting Blacks and Latinx; however, better efforts have to be made in keeping this place clean. In recent months that I've been here, there always is trash, popcorn, and random things all over the place. I know some of this falls on the customers who do not like to clean after themselves and general riff-raff mentality. Just a word of advice, do not use the bathroom unless you absolutely have to. During my last visit, which took place on a nice Saturday afternoon, there were ONLY two people working concessions. I swear it took about 30 - 35 minutes just to get snacks. Kind of weird considering that our movie was only 1.5 hours. Also, there was an African film festival that was taking place in the theater so it strange that no one thought to have more staff present to handle the extra crowds. Perhaps, some of the workers called out. Unfortunately, I do not see this place improving that much because it's the only movie theater in the area. Honestly, I only come here if I do not feel like going to the UWS/UES (or further south) to see a movie.

I'm starting to see alot of changes since I accidentally purchase tickets here. I found out they have a Dolby theater which is awesome!! I noticed they change the seats but they are not recliners :(. But it's still better than what they had before!! Hopefully, things don't get ruin and stay like this. Great job AMC!!! Hooefully, one day they will get recliners at this theater!!!

If the idea of bed bugs start to overcome you when you first walk in...just know you're not alone. What to do on a rainy day? Meet up with friends and bring the kids in to the local movie theatre to watch a flick, you say...Order some delicious popcorn, you say...get comfy in the seats (it's 2018 movie theaters have come along way) you say....but u forgot to mention how the stench of the dirty carpets over power the smell of popping corn, the unwashed and unkept bathrooms where i promise the smell of homeless bathing in the sink is a guarantee...the upside is they have a no guns allowed sticker on the front door...super reassuring Incase you had safety concerns. For $20 a ticket and $20 at concession, do yourself a favor and have a Netflix and chill kinda night.

The Woman King was everything! Great experience here again. Staff gave top notch service as usual:) Popcorn and nachos were served fresh and quickly. I had a great time!

I come here because it's the closest Theater by my house and I needed the late show. But I always beat myself up when I come here because it's always something going on in this movie theater . I should've went to 84th in Broadway . So we get to Magic Johnson and they are not serving nothing hot the popcorn was stale , where you get your drinks at was dirty in disgusting I was actually scared to get something to drink. And I understand that it's not the workers it's usually the customers who make the mess but there should be enough employees to keep everything clean. We went to see NOPE and that a whole other review ..

This movie theater is a hit or miss to be honest. It depends on which theater you're sitting in, who's working, etc. It's not the worst theater in the city, it's average -- they have good audio, visual, and seats, and they play all the new and recent movies, I just wish their food was better and there was some level of management that keeps the theater more than average.

This theatre is really nothing to get excited over. The best features are that quite often people expect the worst of Harlem and so it doesn't get as packed as it could, and that it is Uptown. It shows most movies, although they could feature more variety to compete with places downtown. The seats recline a bit, you can reserve seats online, and if you are a premium AMC member there is an expedited concessions line. The people who work here are pretty nice and looking to create an enjoyable movie experience. The bathrooms are usually a hot mess after the 2pm movies They dont have caramel corn (sad face) but they have lots of popcorn, candy, soda, nachos etc like your average theatre. I'm not much of a movie goer but this place sees my coin when I'm in no mood to head downtown.

This theater is pretty good by AMC and NYC theater standards (which doesn't say much unfortunately). The major advantage of this place is the relatively cheap tickets (only $11 compared to the standard $14+ now). Once you get your tickets and proceed to the upper levels, you see that the theater is pretty huge. The concession stand and arcade area is very large, with creepy paintings of Magic Johnson and other black luminaries looking down on the waiting area. Service was standard bang-your-head-against-the-wall-slow, but not as bad as a lot of the other AMCs in the city (I'm looking at you Lincoln Square). The screens themselves are fine, with nice, spacious theaters and stadium seating. If ever I am in the Harlem area for some reason, this theater is a perfectly good choice for killing a few hours.

Jesus where do I start? Well first I'll start by asking Magic Johnson how?!? How does he have his name attached to such an awful business.. We came here on a Saturday evening and the ticket line was out the door. If you're coming to this awful place then please buy your tickets on Fandango. This theater has assigned seating which is new to me as I only thought they did that at dine in theaters. Upon entry of the theater it smelled like old musty socks. I've sat on metal folding chairs more comfortable than the seats in this theater. When was the last time they were replaced?!?!! The icing on the cake from this wonderful experience was the bathroom trip. The bathroom in that theater was thee WORST I've ever been in, in my 30 years walking this earth. I'm still having nightmares about the things I saw in that bathroom. Please do not come here. We need to hold these businesses accountable. A trip to the movies is not cheap and I expect to at least have a comfortable seat and clean bathrooms at the very LEAST!

One star because there's not a negative star option. No Magic here... popcorn has been cold for my last two visits. The staff does the best they can with what little training and knowledge they have. Not sure why this place serves alcohol since everything is room temperature and DO NOT LET THE CASHIER pour your beer. Clearly they are not bar tenders. I just enjoy doing things with my husband so anytime spent with him is a great one.

As a person who spent a lot of their youth in Harlem , the Magic Johnson theater is nostalgic for me. I go there knowing full well that I'm not going to get the same experience that I get when I'm downtown. In fact there are some movies that I prefer to see at Magic Johnson because I want to hear the reactions of the audience and feel more at home while watching a movie. This is the only reason this theater gets two stars. Some of the staff are irritated and have an attitude. And the bathrooms are terrible. Black bags are placed over malfunctioning toilet seats and you can smell urine from the entrance of the bathroom. This movie theater was big deal when it opened up initially. It has pictures of black actors, actresses and artists all over the walls as well as a mural with black and brown kids. It's he ONLY theater that looks like this. It's unfortunate that it's kept in such poor condition. Especially since people obviously still want to support it.

Pros: Kinda comfy seats Cons: The line for tickets was out the door on a TUESDAY night and the line for popcorn was the same. We finally get into our 7 PM movie at 7:20 thinking the movie would have already started but the previews lasted 30 min (I don't go to the movies often but definitely seemed longer than usual). Not sure if its the long lines outside but people were also pouring into the theatre at 7:45. Seriously, who's showing up to the movies 45 min late lol. And then they have their reserved seating which means everyone that's coming in late in the dark theater has to turn on their phone flashlight to find their seat. But their phones didn't stop there. SO MANY people were on their phones THE ENTIRE MOVIE which was super distracting. This dude in front of me was literally live snapping The Joker for an hour. For $14/ticket on a WEEKNIGHT I was appalled.

I have such a love/hate relationship with this theater. I love that it's wonderfully located in the heart of Harlem and easily accessible. What I hate is how the quality of the place has deteriorated through the years. They have all the latest movies and lots of showings. Finally they fixed and updated their online ticketing machines (now conveniently located upstairs). Here is my number one pet peeve about this place is that it smells so bad in the theaters themselves. Today Jan. 6th the theater smelled like a fresh aroma of child urine mixed with the scent of a Senior Citizens living facility. I do appreciate the new layout which is more expansive and gives a lovely view of 125th street.

Y'all do better and go to another AMC theatre. ESPECIALLY if you are out of school and trying to take someone out. The seats here are beyond worn out, their deceased. The floors have never seen a broom or mop since the theatre first opened probably. It smells the further up you go! And to top it off, there's this moist feeling in the air that I couldn't stop thinking about my entire movie. I gave this place two stars because the lines move fast here. The concessions stand is regular movie concessions approved; I could complain about pricing but that's NY theaters! Also, because it's Harlem and I gotta show SOME love. This place needs some tlc. A little renovation to encourage more people to come inside and enjoy themselves, not worry about falling through the seat and touching them nasty floors! Also I'm not judging anyone who takes their s/o or anyone out to this theatre. It's just there's better out there and you both deserve better, but it's just a movie theatre so take that part lightly. However, I do encourage y'all to try out other AMC theatres especially their dine-in ones, those are amazing. To AMC Magic Johnson theatre, CLEAN THIS PLACE UP! YALL GOTTA DO BETTER FOR HARLEM....if not the gentrification'll fix it, smh.

Dirty as Hell. Really sad . Come on why cant the theatre be checked and cleaned between showings? Laziness .com. smh. Try and support community business and this is what you get. Dirty throw up looking stuff on the seat. Filthy

This movie theatre has declined over the years and now its in need of some repair. The last time I visited this place it appeared to need cleaning in general. The staff is not always helpful and sometimes can be rude. On the weekends it can get very crowded and noisy so watching a movie can be annoying at times. However, it is very close to all forms of transportation and if you drive parking may not be that easy.

Very pro African Americans theater air most black films and blockbusters. Unfortunately the lack of movie etiquette is prevalent. You'll find people on their phone while the movie is playing. Ppl will answer calls, surf their phones, keep their phone on the brightest setting. People are taking non stop in the theater and just down right willing to do anything to keep you from having a good experience. The theater is so dirty. It's doesn't appear that the theater is cleaned between movies. Large Popcorn is $16. Yes $16! The food is mad expensive. So eat before you come. Wonder the last time Magic has walked through his theater.... Sad experience

I'm not sure what happened to this theater but I've been coming here my whole life. I went last night to see Mario brothers and the concession stand was completely dark, no lights on, one little candy stand with some old candy. 3 hot dogs that were cold and machine was off but I still took my chance and ordered my popcorn. It was stale and cold. Very disappointing. This is NOT the theater I've been too growing up. If it's closing down, just close if NOT it needs a huge makeover. It our only community theater and for that to be the experience it was saddening.

One word - FILTHY. This theater was great when it first opened. Apparently Magic Johnson gave birth to this baby and abandoned it by the road. Now the floors are sticky and the chairs are damaged and absolutely filthy. Popcorn tastes stale too. Why go back? Well, if you want a good price and live in that area and don't want to travel, you might go, but I don't and won't until they do a massive overhaul. If you do go, I'd recommend arriving after the lights have been turned down and bring a throwaway sheet to sit on.

I usually come to this theatre because it is convenient since I don't live that far. I think this will be the last time I'll be coming here. Service was extremely slow and there is no organization. You would think they would have more staff considering it was opening weekend for "The Lion King" but unfortunately you get what you pay for in Harlem.

Y'all gotta do better. Is there someone assigned to clean? Is It a race to see which line can move the slowest ? Ima still go but do you mind cleaning your establishment on a regular basis ?

Lines were long and slow for both tickets and concessions. the popcorn was over salted and cold, and the place was filthy. Check out the photos!

Every theater in this establishment reeks of human piss. The line to get snacks is ridiculously slow. The prices are whatever. What you're paying for here is the audience. Harlem audiences do not give a FUCK. And they are vocal. And they are proud. So when you're watching a Spike Lee joint, or a documentary about a black poet, you are present for ALL of the commentary that comes with it, and the commentary is wisdom. I am so grateful for my recent experience watching BlackkKlansman at this theater. Because while I was sobbing at the end of the film, a proud woman loudly shouted "Spike LEE! (Pause) Spike LEE, BAY-BAY!" And it was exactly how that film needed to end. She should get paid for that.

This place is filthy and smells. I got to the theater before 12 for a matinee. I had to wipe off my seat with sanitizer. It smelled awful in here. Floors are a sticky mess. Gross. I won't be patronizing this site again. Harlem is better than this. Don't do this to your own spot. Don't let others do it either.

I used to really enjoy coming to this theater but not lately. Its often dirty in the theaters and the bathroom's always have broken toilets. The food options have improved but why give me food if I cant even sit in a clean theater to eat it??

No apple pay! How is this even possible. Internet no good and couldnt order from he c app either. Can u imagine 3 hours in a theater and no drink?! A total mess.

By far the grossest movie theatre I've been to. The whole theatre looks like it hasn't been cleaned in years. Everything is sticky. The bathroom has piss stains on every wall. I've literally seen cleaner porta potties.

I come to this theater for the convenient location and because I have the monthly pass from AMC. But I am starting to go to one further from home since this one is not very well kept, feels humid and stuffy, the restrooms are usually a mess as well as the snack and condiment area and the temperature is too warm inside the screening rooms. They only have the blockbuster movies, so if you're looking for something more independent go somewhere else.

The theatre has had some positive upgrades like assigned seating and improved look along with a variety of items to choose from at the concession stand. I gave it 3 stars because the line at the concession stand was so long and they only had one person working the register.. it's quite frustrating since everyone is here to watch a movie at a specific time. They should schedule staff according to the movies that are scheduled. Also perhaps keeping the new and improved look a little cleaner.

Just waiting for someone to invest in a renovation. I love that it is so convenient but I don't like going to movies there because it just feels dirty.

Went to Magic Johnson because it was the closest and tickets were pretty limited but I don't think if given the choice I would go there again. The popcorn was stale to the point my friend said they had to grind their teeth and the soda machines weren't working properly. The staff was nice and helpful. My complaint is that I sent $26 on popcorn and two soda and you know that from the start but the bare minimum is that you have fresh popcorn that's warm and not cold, stale and probably old. I couldn't ask for a new one because it was the same popcorn from a glass case, possibly made in bulk or bought days before. So disappointed.