AMC Santa Monica 7

I love going to the cinema alone, especially this one on the promenade because it’s close to home and has always felt convenient and enjoyable. That’s why this experience was particularly disappointing. About ten minutes before the end of the movie, a homeless man entered the theatre wearing a blanket over his head and smelling very bad. At the end of the film, another woman who was also alone and I felt uneasy, it was dark, and he seemed not to understand how to exit. Afterward, I saw him wandering around and entering another screening room. I spoke to security and was told that since he had purchased a regular ticket, there was nothing they could do. I understand the law, and this is not about a lack of empathy or judging someone’s condition. I consider myself a liberal person, and I am certainly not a “Karen.” Still, this situation was not okay. A business also has a responsibility to guarantee a safe and pleasant experience for its customers. When that balance is missing, people start questioning whether they should keep coming back. I am now asking myself the same thing, and that’s not something I ever expected to feel about this theatre.

The carpets desperately need a deep clean, and there's this overall kind of odd ambiance like you're walking into a cave especially if your show is in the basement level - which by the way does not get phone service so just be aware of that. It's a passable theater though and the seats in the main floor are at least comfy

01/10/26 20:45 Came here to see Primate and almost passed out! Screening room 4 hot as hell. The seats had buttons for reclining but they didn’t work. Ridiculous! First and last time coming here; at least the movie was good.

Easy access near the 10 FWY, plenty of parking in the garage around the corner for $3–no validation. The service here is great—the food is ok, nothing special; at least they don’t burn the pretzels. Theres a horrible smell—maybe it’s the sewer, maybe it’s their plumbing, maybe it’s just old mold and murder. Whatever it is, once you get used to it—it’s a bit nostalgic. Seating is fine—recliners across the board like Marina, only your seat MIGHT be soaked in piss and very squeaky. Showtimes and variety pretty average across the board, that’s why it’s number two in the Coastal West-Side hierarchy: (1) AMC Dine-In Marina, (2) Santa Monica 7, (3) Century City, (4) AMC Marina Marketplace. SM 7 gets 4 stars when it fixes the plumbing/smell. EDIT 1/1/26: Plumbing has been fixed for about a month or two, no more bad smell!

We need a health inspector to find out what’s causing the smell in auditorium 1. Y’all cannot be fr…just close it off and have one less screen bc it smells like open sewage in there!

Unfortunately, this was one of the most disappointing AMC experiences I’ve had. We arrived approximately 15 minutes before our movie, only to find nearly everything already closed, the ovens, bar, and even the ICEE machines that was limited to only one flavor. We were unable to order any food or drinks, just popcorn. When we asked for a refund due to the ICEE machine being down, no one seemed willing to help until we located a supervisor. The supervisor on duty improperly handled the situation with no remorse to movie going experience. Katie was originally at the bar, and came over to the concession when the supervisor gave the refund showing noticeable frustration and poor attitude, which only made the experience worse. Stating she couldn’t serve us a drink because the bar was closed even after we showed interest in ordering. What made this especially frustrating was that staff were still present, several at the concession stand and a couple at the bar, yet everything was already shut down. Having previous experience working at a theater and frequenting them, I know operations typically remain open through the start of the final showings. Closing early does not seem to benefit the movie goers that have to attend late showings. This ultimately makes a negative impact on guest. Additionally, the theater itself had an unpleasant odor, and most of the staff appeared unhappy to be there, with the exception of the woman who greeted us upon entry, who was friendly and welcoming. Overall, this experience fell far below AMC’s usual standards. I frequent AMC theaters regularly, but I will not be returning to this location. I truly hope management addresses the staffing and customer service issues so that other guests don’t have the same experience.

I would give more stars but some of the theaters smell so bad. Like a terrible septic leak. Seems like the health department should get involved. Sucks because it’s so close to my house and I was considering getting the movie monthly pass but watching a movie is almost intolerable.

Very comfortable seats. Theater itself is kind of run down.

This AMC is quite dated but the theatres are spacious. The recliners are large and comfortable. The sound quality was fine for our movie. Nicely located at Third Street Promenade. Parking is not validated for any structure.

A little rough around the edges, but not to shabby at all. AMC 7 - Santa Monica/AMC Santa Monica 7, has theaters in lots of hidden places including it's upstairs and lower level theaters. I hadn't seen a film here in many years, but had just had a great dinner up on 2nd and decided to see a movie before heading home. The theater layout in the app was a little confusing, but I figured it out and got great service on my way in. Guys up front were warm and personable. Concessions folks were chill, but energetic. Got some candy, no wait, some transaction before making my way upstairs via escalator, though they of course have elevators as well. I guess at this theater nobody goes in early or during trailers, because I had theater 6 to myself until 15 minutes before the movie started. Someone in my row wasn't pay attention and by the time I went to the restroom (all very well kept btw) and came back someone was sitting in the empty seat left of me that wasn't reserved... The two seats next to me hadn't been reserved either so I just shifted over and put some of my things in my actual seat. Some of the recliners do have some indents and numbers aren't as easy to read when the lights begin to dim and it's not a big deal. I could tell they were in a group of five and just needed to move over one. I dig that this AMC has a retro esque feel about it, but is still modern. ALL the recliners made noise when people put them back into place... WD-40? It was a sea of sound nobody expected, but since my recliner made noise when I reclined it and one of the numbers was coming off I should've guessed it. Temp in the theater was perfect, sound was solid and the picture was great. Hoping to pop in again during the day when I have time to get over here. Short stroll to the Gold/E Line Downtown Santa Monica station, local metro busses including Big Blue. Very pedestrian, bike, scooter and rideshare friendly off Arizona Avenue where AMC Santa Monica 7 sits on 3rd/Arizona.

Even with the advent of at-home movie streaming and the current economic struggle to partake in 'extra' activities; we live in the City of Angels which is the home to film entertainment. This means that despite these hurdles; the movie theatre industry still thrives here (or, at least trying to) and movie fans still fork out some cash to experience Hollywood on the big screen. AMC dominates and is the ringleader in big screen viewing with multiple locations around the city with one of these being AMC Santa Monica 7. AMC Santa Monica 7 has an ideal location on 3rd in the center of the walking oasis of the promenade (even if the area is somewhat 'dead' nowadays) nestled among the court yards of shops and restaurants located smack on the corner making it easily accessible.  But that's generally where the perks of AMC 7 ends. AMC theaters tend to fit into two categories:  fancy, newer locations that are perfect for a date night and those that feel almost like a remnant of the early 90, haven't been updated and most definitely have been overlooked at this point. AMC 7 fits into the second designation as walking into the small space with the outdated carpet and appearance (although there IS a bar for imbibing on bevies) gives the place a 'dirty' feel that is in desperate need of a complete remodel. This may have impressed 30 years ago but now? Not so much. And with the insanely high ticket prices nowadays; one would expect a better experience overall. The screening rooms are split on two floors at this location and I have only been on the lower rooms but these come with issues. The screening rooms in what I will call the basement are the most problematic as they have a VERY strong odor that EVERYONE complains about. You know that smell at aquariums? That sort of oceanic tank smell? That is what is best comparable to the stench. Look, I know we are by the ocean but what is the deal?! This hits you the second you walk inside these screening rooms but at least you get used to it over time. Other small hiccups also exist like in Room 4 where I was seated on the aisle by the steps and something is so wrong with the construction that everyone walking up and down the steps shook my seat as though I was in an earthquake sharing tectonic plates. Not fun. At least the seats are lush (and you can pick ahead of time) and recline allowing you to spread your legs out. Some positives do exist which is the sound system being A-ok and the rooms not being AS freezing as so many movie theaters tend to be moonlighting at their side jobs as igloos. AMC 7 excels at these points, at least. There isn't too much more to say about AMC Santa Monica 7: it is somewhat dinky, archaic, smells like a muddy oceanic harbor in some of the rooms and is outdated but at the end of the day does its job of allowing movie buffs to view films on the big screens. AMC 7 is a subjective experience: either love it or hate but do decide for yourself.

Cute little theater on Third Street Promenade (so don't expect quick/close parking and expect to pay unless you park in the neighborhood and walk a mile.) fun to come to a theater and then walk the promenade after once the sun had set. The employees were super nice. We bought our tickets online ahead of time and were able to scan in easy peezy. Comfy chairs that recline. It's cold like usual in theaters so pack a blanket.

Great theater! Located right on third Street with a parking garage that offers 90 minutes of free parking a block away. They are very friendly here and it was not too busy. The seats are huge, comfy and oversized leather making it an enjoyable viewing experience. The theater was clean and well maintained

Just got out of a movie, scheduled time was 4:30PM. The movie didn't start playing until 5:20. FIFTY MINUTES of previews, are you kidding me?? I even got to the theater 20 minutes late because I expect about 20 minutes of previews to take place. If I could give negative stars I would. Perhaps this is a problem across all AMCs, and I'm just unaware.

I have been going to this theater for awhile and I was really surprised at the service I got today. Came to watch Fantastic 4 @2:45 with my son and his friend. The kid working concessions was wearing a durag and sunglasses was extremely unprofessional and rude. I had investor perks which gave me a complimentary gourmet popcorn, when I ordered it he was very rude didn't fill the cup (I didn't say anything because it's free). I paid cash, when I paid cash I was attempting to give him exact change and he said he can't take the coins because he already put it in the system. I explained it simple math and I know how a cash til works, he was super pushy and threw my change back at me. At this point I am very pissed and just left the change on the counter. If my son wasn't with me I definitely would have made a seen.

A nice clean theater with ample room. Helpful staff. Lost a star. No validated parking.

Great theater! Clean and nice seats that recline but when I arrived I was having second thoughts. The popcorn and snack area is not the nicest and is kinda cramped. But after you go upstairs it's great! The bathrooms are clean as well! So if you're wanting just to go causal to a movie this place is great, and it's great for birthday party's.

They're STILL using old iPods to scan tickets, and it STILL doesn't work very well... Then the concession tried to scan my membership and had trouble there too. They're using ancient technology. I'm using a new model Pixel phone on the latest OS with a bright screen... Speaking of bright screens, #6 was not. Daylight scenes looked like sundown, same as they did when AMC used xenon bulbs at reduced brightness or past expiration date, or when they left the 3D filter over the projector for 2d films. This location has recliners but bad sightlines because it was built with flat floors so everyone is looking up at a screen that's way over their heads. This location needs an upgrade to some sort of stadium seating and better QC on its automated projection.

We went to the movies yesterday. My son was recovering from surgery and using a walker. The tickets said the theater was handicapped accessible. We got there and were told the down escalator and elevator were both broken. The escalator at this theater is VERY tall. They made zero accommodations for us. To top it all off, the men's room had one out of five sinks working and no soap dispensers full. We won't be back.

Came here to watch Deadpool & Wolverine on a Tuesday night. This place is so tiny, which is fine but it's absolutely trash for such a small space. The downstairs theaters smell muggy and gross, bathrooms are disgusting and the sinks and soap dispensers barely work. We also got popcorn and a Sprite but the popcorn was too stale to eat and the Sprite tasted like a different drink was mixed into it. I can say I will definitely not be coming back to this location.

My family & I often go to this movie theater. The staff is nice & helpful. Although this is an older theater, the amenities & quality are consistent. However it is due for a proper renovation/upgrade inside, outside & its f&b.

Clean floors and seats. There's a parking structure right around the corner. Your stereotypical theater.

Parking is eh but we parked at the general parking garage nearby (ended up being $11.50 for about 3.5 hours so it wasn't terrible but having free parking is best). Watched Avatar 2 here at the Theatre#2 with reclining seats. Reserved seats the day before and had no idea how nice this theatre would be! The seats were brown leather recliners. Very nice and very comfortable!! Would def come back as it was decently priced for such viewing luxury ($18). The 3D glasses were individually wrapped and worked super well to make you feel like you were in the movie!

From the moment that we approached the concessions we were greeted and given the utmost candor and respect by Nico. He went well out of his way to explain everything. Make sure that we got meal deals and while we're waiting on the food, entertained us with good conversation. He's a very respectful And attentive employee. He goes above and beyond and you can actually tell that he wants to be there. If you go to the theater and you see this dude, make sure that he takes care of you. Good people deserve recognition. Thanks for your patience, Nico. We appreciated everything you did for us that night.

Am I the only one that smells how nasty it is every time one travels down the escalator? This can't be good for you. For years now the nastiness from the bathrooms waft the air. Done with this theater.

This place literally has black mold growing out of the vents. Do not go here. It is a health hazard and honestly I may call the health department because of how bad it is. Literal black mold growing out of the vents and on the ceiling downstairs.

April 8 2023: After brunch w/friends in Venice, we decided to go to the AMC Santa Monica 7 Movie Theater on Third Street Promenade to see Dungeons & Dragons! Cozy reclining seats, friendly customer service at checkin-in & at the concession stand, snacks & a fun movie...great experience! While the movie made us all jump a few times, there were also plenty of laughs! Haha! The theater was packed! Also, saw the poster for the upcoming Barbie movie... can't wait to see it!! Love this theater & location! Plus, it's surrounded by plenty of shops and restaurants, score!

This theater has seen better days, it desperately needs to be renovated. The outside is dated and needs a fresh coat of paint. The carpets inside look pretty dirty and the whole place just seems dated. The concessions are limited, they just have the typical movie concessions. The escalators to basement/downstairs were broken in both directions and the elevator wasn't working. The last few times I have been here the escalator has always been broken. The downstairs had a mildewy smell to it. The actual screen and picture quality was fine. The seats are the recliners but they seemed a little worn out with numbers missing on some of the chairs. Once the movie starts it's fine but I would try to avoid the theaters downstairs.

Recently went to see wicked and to be surrounded by Christmas decorations, just added to the overall experience.

I attended the 7pm showing of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, June 8. The air conditioning in theater 4 was broken. I spoke to a AMC employee mid-way through the screening and she confirmed that the management was aware of the broken ventilation system. The theater was extremely warm, and, as the movie progressed, became even warmer, musty, and fetid with the stale air of the customers. My wife and I almost left early since it was so miserable. I would have expected management to announce before the showing that the problem existed, so that we would have had the chance to make an informed decision to attend, which we would have not. Proper ventilation for health reasons is the responsibility of the theater. While I'm at it, I need to vent about the general experience of AMC moviegoing. Way too many previews that are excruciatingly loud. Odd self-promotions with Nicole Kidman sleepwalking though a bizarre homage to movies (we're there, at the movies, why tell us about how amazing movies are?) I so miss the quality experience of the Landmark or Arclight, with personable service and a broader selection of films.

$37 to take my granddaughter to LILO and Stitch. And had to endure 27 minutes of commercials with the most annoying Nicolle Kidman promoting amc. Concession prices were ridiculous. Recliners were nice

They're too lazy to fix the icee machine and only put one flavor on purpose so they don't have to deal with the rest. Lazy dude

This AMC 7 and most theaters bomblast you by turning the volume up sky high that it's just not worth going to a theater anymore. We had to walk out of the previews b/c it felt more like we were in a war zone vs a movie theater in Santa Monica. We asked the manager to turn down the volume, which was ignored. Stay home & pay extra to avoid this trauma. Not recommended.

I went to go see Snow White. It was very nice clean, and everybody that worked here was very pleasant.

Nice comfy chairs, friendly staff, easy to get in and out but -2 stars for no AC a packed movie theater and it was unbearably warm

Decent customer service. Clean restrooms. Intimate theatre. Love the small theatre capacity. Purchased admission for the screening to "Killers of the Flower Moon". The film is said to be inspired by true events. Looking forward to possibly acquiring the book in the near future.

Great location, great theater. There is reclining seating in certain rooms. Staff is very friendly and went here recently to watch "Trap" and "Twisters", very fun experience!

The theaters here are on the smaller side, but they have these super comfy padded chairs with a button on the right armrest that electrically extends the bottom to make a comfy foot rest, almost like a lazy-boy chair. It's like flying first class on a plane. I'm not sure if the seats are leather or pleather, but they sure are comfortable. It's actually so similar to an airliner seat that when the person in front of you puts their seat back into recline, it can hit your feet. And also anytime anyone walks by and knocks the seat it's quite a jolt and can really feel like turbulence. I would definitely recommend visiting this theater if you want one of the most comfortable movie seats in town. But try to go on a quiet day because on a Saturday I was getting bumped around all the time by people in front of me and in back of me walking in, reclining or stretching their legs. The armrests are padded too and quite large, but you might find your arm getting accidentally friendly with your neighbor. So it's not perfect, but very relaxing. I fell asleep during the movie because it was over three hours long. The staff is very helpful, smile and are super nice. I did notice a slight odor when I went in the theater room, maybe from a humidity problem or the seat materials, but it's not that bad and after five minutes I didn't even notice it. They have a good concession stand and snack section with lots of popcorn and candy, and the creative Coca-Cola beverage machine. What I also like is that there's a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf next-door so I had a nice ice blended before I went in. A big multi-story public city parking lot is close by on 2nd Street and Arizona. The first 90 minutes parking are free and 4 hours is $11.

I went here last night to watch the nun and it was probably one of the worst amc locations I've been to. Compared to the one in century city, this amc was not at the same standard. I entered the theater and there was no one there to help with our kiosk that was acting up. I got it to work however we were just able to walk in and no one even checked our ticket. We probably could have just walked in without paying LOL. Anyways, it took us awhile to find the theater because there are 3 floors with different theater numbers but there is no direction to guide you. The inside of the theater was normal and the movie was fine. I would probably not go back to this location because the century city one is way better and a close drive.

It's always fun to go watch a movie with the family. It was a little stinky down stairs. It smelled mildewy or something.

This is a smaller movie theater that has a great location right on 3rd street Promenade. I've seen a few movies here, the place isn't bad, decent seats, sound, picture. I didn't buy anything at the concession counter. Ticket prices are just OK, there are some garages in the area, no validation. This isn't a theater I'd go to regularly, but once in a while it could be OK, especially if I do other things in the area. Many dinning options around as well. So, dinner and a movie?

Broken seat. Caleb refused to fix or refund. He said I would have to miss the movie to notify them. Terrible experience

The irony of a theater that has Nicole Kidman before every movie saying how great AMC is and then playing a Taylor swift movie so loud that the theater next to it is literally shaking the whole time. Our movie (killers of a flower moon) was completely ruined by extremely loud bass and rumbling. I spoke to the employees about it and they said there was nothing they could do. They couldn't even offer a refund. The recliner chair in my girlfriends seat was also not functioning. AMC is making a huge mistake prioritizing garbage like Taylor swift movies at the expense of real cinema and cinema goers.

I like this theater. Location is either great or a nightmare depending on the day. Sometimes it's great to catch a movie before exploring the rest of Santa Monica, other times the area can be a zoo with how many people are around (the parking is chaos!). Movies themselves are a fun experience. Chairs are decent and staff is quick to help us move along to where we need to be.

This place is atrocious they lack respect for the customer and turned us away because they didn't like the way we looked the employees didn't use our correct pronouns when talking about us the place was also dirty

Last night I skateboarded over to my local AMC on the Santa Monica Promenade. I was excited to catch the last showing of Godzilla Minus One at 10:40 PM. As I walked in and prepped my ID and my AMC A List pass, I notice one of the three employees point out my skateboard (my means on transportation.) The other employee told me that I can't bring the skateboard inside and I reply "ok! I'm more than happy to leave it here behind the counter." Initially they were ok with this and told me it wasn't not their responsibility if something happened to it and I told them I understood. Then in the blink of an eye they change their mind and said their manager wouldn't allow skateboards inside and I'm asked to place it in my car. I responded, "this is how I got here." I asked for the manager to get some clarification on this policy. I've visited many AMCs and I've NEVER had this problem. The manager, Josue, came over and immediately shut me down and rudely said no skateboards. I told him I had just skated two miles to catch the movie. He told me that it's company policy. When I asked to see the policy in writing, he told me he didn't need to show it to me, he was telling me and if I had a problem, I could call corporate. I was caught between skating all the way home or trying to find a place to hide my skateboard so I could see the film. I ended up opting to put it outside and as a result it got stolen. I feel like all of this could have been remedied if the staff had been a little more understanding or the AMC policies more consistent from location to location. I'm extremely disappointed with my experience at this location.

AMC HATES SKATERS! If you enjoy spending your evenings berated by power trip staff members, then this is the place for you. Some of us in this world don't have the luxury of parking our cars and walking over to a theater. Apparently a board with 4 wheels has caused the manager and staff members of this location to short circuit and attack those who simply ask a favor of storing private property in the manager closet, which has been done 4 separate times this year. The great joy of enjoying Godzilla tear up the city of Tokyo is now squandered by the lack of respect and compromise. If you have any respect for yourself, I would advice surrounding yourself with AMC staff members that have heart for those with limited transportation. This location is deemed unfit for the skating community. Please avoid.

I have been a loyal customer to this AMC location for years, but after my experience this past Tuesday I will be sure to never spend a dime here again. I have never had a bad experience at this location until an employee decided to go on a power trip and ruin what is supposed to be an enjoyable experience for myself and my family. This AMC has gone downhill in quality, as many of the recent reviews have noted. I faced harassment and discrimination at this theater and will be sure to NEVER return again. I wish I could leave 0 stars.

Good experience and the chairs are comfortable, no complaints. Would go back again.l definitely!

This was my favorite amc pre-covid and I went today to watch Shang-chi and I must say it's still my favorite. The theater is kept clean. I love their reclining chairs. Location is great because I always can smell the salty beach waters in the air and also can walk around the promenade after watching a movie. Maybe I went at the right time of the day (Sunday 12 pm) because the theater was not crowded at all and everyone was wearing masks and social distancing. The food was prepared quickly when I pre-ordered via the app and was ready for me to pick up by promised time. The employees were friendly...I ordered the gourmet popcorn over the app, but when I got there to pick up my food they said they were out off the gourmet popcorn...only wish they would update the app if they are out of certain items...because it was tough trying to figure out what to get instead of getting a refund... But overall AMC is my favorite movie theater!

Only leaving this review for the amazing guy who was there as we excited the theater - Alex! Greeting everyone as they exited the theatre with such positivity and made so many people laugh and smile as we walked out of Wonka. The world needs more positive people like him.

The basement theatres smell of mildew. Yuck. For $22 a ticket that is unacceptable. Screen and seats are nice but it was gross.

If your puppies get tired, or your rubbernecking begins to ache while strolling along the Promenade, dashing into this theatre could just have healing powers. This AMC is located on the corner of Third Street & Arizona. There isn't it's own lot, but we all know the drill -- public parking garages on/around Second and Fourth. Some lots have 90 mins free, but it won't be enough for a flick (and shopping, and a bite). Previews take 20-25 minutes as it is! You should buy your tickets ahead of time and reserve your seats. Often, it's very popular and good seats get taken quickly. If not, they have ticket counters and machines inside, but the line-ups can can get pretty long. Once inside, it's has an okay lobby. Small 3 register concession stand means 5-7 people in line before ya. They do have a bar on the main level, which you can take your drink to your seat. They have leather reclining seat, but I found it not the cleanest. And, the bathrooms are suspect. * This review is from prior visits before COVID-19. Let's see once they re-open (if they do)...to see if the cleanliness items get addressed.

The theaters downstairs smell like old moldy basement mixed with old popcorn grease. It was so bad I could barely focus on the movie. I felt gross just sitting there.

This place is GHETTO. No wonder AMC is going bankrupt. The Friday night manager is the worst. The staff doesn't do anything to deal with unruly customers / people who disrupt the movie. This, despite the fact they show a clip of Hugh Jackman telling the audience not to disrupt the movie. Why even bother? And for that matter, why bother paying security guards - they do NOTHING. It's pathetic. The leaders of AMC should be ashamed of themselves - it's obvious they don't give a damn about movies or moviegoers. They're only out to make a buck. Pathetic.

Absolute worst theater in Santa Monica. Dirty, unorganized, and horribly staffed. None of the staff can help you with any issue that might arise with the AMC app or Stubbs membership. They simply don't know anything about how either works and it makes it so frustrating if you have a simple problem. The worst was how we were treated so despicably by a worker named Bianca. She was rude, defamatory, and seemed to be on some sort of weird power trip. Her behavior was so bizarre and unprofessional you have to wonder what is going on in the hiring process here. Just an overall horrible experience at this theater, but thank goodness there's many more (non AMC) theaters to choose from in LA. Don't take my word for it, read the other reviews about this place before deciding if you want to come here!

The worst AMC location ever. 1. Does not care about environment whatsoever. Took two kids to IF and attendant insisted kids take promotional poster as a condition to entry, even when we said we had not interest. When confronted they told us to toss them in nearby trash can. Shame! 2. Concession insistent on taking cash. 3. Floors are filthy in this place. Have the heard of carpet cleaning. Terrible place!