Hackney Picturehouse

Nice location a short walk from tube and overground station. The building itself is over several floors and has a nice feeling of space. Staff are approachable and friendly. We use this venue for Fighting Spirit Film Festival as it has the right vibe for a community building film festival that is really niche. It helps that some of the staff are passionate about films and not just the big blockbusters. You can also feel just enjoy the ambience in the spacious cafe area.

Nice clean cinema, lovely staff, reclining seats and a great stocked bar. The only thing is actual screen itself was really hot inside which made it a bit uncomfortable

The problem with chains is that in the drive for consistency comes an unfortunate trend towards hegemony, and this is usually at the expense of the happiness of the staff, their agency to fulfil what they see as the customers immediate needs, the long term benefit to the business of being known as that business and therefore, ultimately the customer satisfaction. So with that in mind, either picture house have changed their recruiting and management style or this lot have gone rogue. Can't be specific but basically, the best customer service experience in the UK in the last five years. Bata is a day saver and this is house a credit to the group. If ant of the top brass are reading this, get these guys to share their attitude as a guide to best practice.

The most ridiculous layout I’ve ever encountered this side of Mogadishu. You get your tickets, drinks and general info all from the same area at the bar, leading to a massive pinch point and heavy congestion! Who thinks this is reasonable? Several fights almost broke out! Main entrance is confusing and looks like a big window, whilst the normal doors don’t work. A million adverts about their membership, but I for one won’t be paying to be in such a mess of a place.

Cancelled showing at less than 2 hours notice due to 'maintenance issues'. No indication as to when they might be open again, no offer of a discount to rebook or anything for the inconvenience/disappointment.

Great cinema with fantastic sound stage (at least in screen 5). I was blown away as the movie started. The soundtrack immediately enveloped me and transported me into the movie. Comfortable reclining seats. The main lobby had a cool vibe with bar/cafe. Recommended.

Truly used to be one of my favourite cinemas as it’s my local. However, the manager lady who works there is very rude and lacks basic customer service skills. What a shame.

Brilliant spacious cinema showing art house and mainstream. Generous memberships with £1 film club offerings! Attended some fantastic Q&A’s. Seeing Danny Boyle this week. Screens are big, warm with very comfortable cosy seats. No sore back with longer films. Staff are super friendly. Great range of snacks. Absolutely love coming here!!

I've been a member at Hackney Picturehouse for a few years now. I go to movies there on a regular basis and have attended a few events. As far a cinema goes, it's great. The sound system is good, and the seats are comfortable. On Mondays, they have cheap night....£5 for members and £7 for non-members. Also, a few times I've bought a ticket far in advance(as I'm very picky about my cinema seat), and then it turns out my plans change so I can't go. It's never been a problem to get the ticket price refunded(as long as I call before the movie starts). Event-wise...I've been to a couple comedy shows in The Attic, plus to some exclusive member events..like a midnight fancy-dress premiere of Game of Thrones season 5, or a screening of The Graduate which was part of the Disaronno Film Series where every attendee got a goodie bag with a full bottle of Disaronno(among other things). What prompted me to write this review though, was a recent visit where I tried one of their food specials(occasionally they will have specials that are associated with films). On this occasion, it was the Captain American Bucky Burger. OMG...it was massive!! When we ordered, the server looked at me alittle funny and said, "I hope you're hungry...I've never seen anyone finish it". Although not the best burger I've ever had, it was pretty tasty, and worth ordering just to see if I could eat it all(I almost did...left a bit of bun.) Hackney Picturehouse is definitely more than just a movie theatre. It's a decent restaurant, event space, hangout and coffeeshop. A great addition to the Hackney community!

Hackney Picturehouse is situated opposite Hackney Town Hall very near to bus and rail links. Downstairs there is quite a large bar/cafe area, where you can buy hot drinks, sandwiches, cake etc. I've never tried the cafe but I do know that they have soya milk for those lactose intolerant peeps. Upstairs there are several screens with decent sized screens and comfy seats. They also have free wifi which is best accessed on the second floor. Ladies they have a lots of toilets so no waiting around in queues, yippee! Today they have a really cool free photo booth which prints good quality black and white pictures. Overall, staff always seem to be nice, the actual auditorium's are good quality in terms of audio/visual/comfort/furnishings and it's not a bad place to hang out at the weekends.

Hot damn, it's my 500th Yelp review, and I'm going to spend this arbitrary landmark on the Hackney Picture House. I live just down the street from this place, and despite how hipstertastic it sounds, I really like being in the vicinity of a cinema that shows its neighborhood a lot of love. The Attic space is amazing, and I first came to it about a month into my London transplanting, and we did Ukelele Karaoke. That set the tone for how amazing this place is, just the four of us crooning like backalley kitties. And yes, we did do Journey's Don't Stop Believing. I've since been back for other screenings, like the recent short film programme by Short Sighted Cinema that focused on Hackney. Lounging on a couch while sipping a Meantime pale ale is not a bad way to spend a Sunday evening. The Picture House goes out of their way to do special screenings for various groups, like the Silver Screen ones are only £3 for people over 60 (and they get free tea and biscuits. They also do kid/parent-friendly screenings, and even autism-friendly ones. In short, lots of love for the Picture House. I'm even going back this weekend for a free Fringe festival film!

A short walk from Hackney Central Overground Station, passed the Hackney Empire and opposite the Hackney Town Hall. One of the largest and most comfortable Picturehouses in London, with great tiered seating, so good views wherever you sit, comfortable reclining seats and large screens. As with all other Picturehouses, an all day cafe bar, open to non-cinema goers too. There are three floors, at the top floor there is the Hackney Attic, a lounge bar for intimate live music, comedy, open mic, DJs, which turns into a place of worship on a Sunday, an Evangelical Church hold their services there. My fave Picturehouse.

I think I've enjoyed every Picturehouse I've ever visited. The Hackney Picturehouse looks fantastic from the outside, and the ground floor houses a massive lounge, bar, meeting and coworking space for anyone to do basically anything. Upstairs, the beautiful interiors continue. It's a joy to simply explore the building. There are little nooks, themed sections and tons of great artwork. I wasn't particularly wowed by the screens or seats, but they definitely weren't bad in any way, just what you'd expect from a modern cinema.

The main screen is absolutely fantastic and they have a few Q&A's. I had seen a Richard Ayode film that was hosted with Jonathan Ross. Comfy seats, bit of a mission to go to the screen itself upstairs but neat bar downstairs though again some problems with queueing. I love Picturehouse in terms of screenings as they never let me down in terms of quality.

Awww this is such a great cinema! I forget how good it is until I go back again and then I'm ooooh fancy! Why is it good then? Ah it's the seats, they are just amazing.. Comfy, reclining seats, which almost make you feel like you're watching a movie in bed! Ideal! The screens are a great size and price wise it's very competitive. One thing I have to mention is the service.. It's so so sooooooo slow.. Oh my! It takes waiting to a new level! My friend and I queued for over fifteen minutes for two hot drinks and in that time only two other coffees were made! So much faff, it's unbelievable. Another let down is the coffee is instant from the machine and not freshly ground. Boooo! Movie wise though, if want comfort, this is your place!

Great place, comfy seats and close to public transport... Only been here once but i know it wont be the last time i come... The atmosphere is full of life and energy, well it was when i went anyway.. Like i said i've only been once... :)

Ah! Promised myself to make this a short review, but it ticked so many boxes I had to give detail! (If you want the summary - it's great, only lost a star for being a bit uncomfortably busy, so I'm sure the management aren't complaining!!) Those who know me will be aware of my slightly disconcerting obsession with obtaining a decent coffee - so, I started frequenting the Picture House on the promise of a great place to get a decent late-night coffee in Hackney and I wasn't disappointed. Not only is the smooth brew served up in delightful crockery, it's usually served with a little biscotti on the side - a particular source of joy to someone who got used to drinking coffee in the Netherlands, which strictly comes with a complimentary sweetener. But what really makes this place special as a venue? Well the atmosphere is vibrant - perhaps a little too vibrant at times. It is newly opened (time of writing - January 2012) so proving very popular with the on-trend locals. It gets particularly busy at peak cinema times (Friday night etc.), so it's recommended to book ahead for you movies. An unfortunate side-effect of the popularity is that it can be hard to get a seat to have a drink/coffee/chat before the movie in the cafe. A secret tip is the lesser-known cafe on the 2nd floor, which doesn't have a lot of seating in itself, but more room in busy times. If you are fortunate to go at a quieter time, you'll pick up on the nuances that make this place a special neighbourhood venue. I particularly liked the 'thought of the day' from the chef, which is written on a blackboard in the kitchen. On one occasion I even saw the chef come out and discuss the food with some customers, which I thought was a nice touch. I haven't had the chance to try the food yet, but the prices are decent and even more so if you have yearly membership, which is cheap in itself. I also like the creative uses they have for the Hackney Attic venue space. For instance, I attended a Question Time tweet-along event there, which was really well set-up and ran smoothly, for their first time hosting that event. It's also worth noting I went by myself, but the staff are so friendly that I was at ease and they were decent enough to make conversation with me. If you're looking for a high quality cinematic experience with a personal touch - the Picturehouse comes highly recommended.

My fave cinema within walking distance of my house! I am in my 2nd year of membership here, if you come often, it's a really great deal. You get 3 free cinema tickets and £2 off standard tickets for the year. On cheap Mondays this means you can watch the latest flicks for the bargain price of £4! You also get 10% off food and drink (the food is really great here). The membership is also valid at other Picturehouses. I often come just to hang out in the restaurant/bar section downstairs. Something else that is a bit special is the aeroplane style reclining seats

Every trip to Hackney Picturehouse for a film is bound to be a good one. As soon as you enter, you enter a vibrant, buzzing cinema where they really care about the art of film and local culture. There are several little nooks for groups of people to hang out together, and there is a little bar beyond the ticket entrance if you decide to get a drink before your film starts. There are also special events going on all the time that cater towards various interests as well as different age groups, even whole families. Being able to buy your tickets online and getting assigned seats make the experience so much more relaxed, as well. Sure it means that you can't be as spontaneous if you'd like a good seat for a highly anticipated film, but it's so worth it to not worry about getting to the theatre too early or getting annoyed at those who save seats for parties of 10. Seats are really comfy and sound quality is great. They also give some good deals on certain nights, and if you'd like to go regularly, the annual membership is well worth it. It'll get you discounts on the tickets and the cafe. Which brings me to the cafe. OK, not amazing food and the service is pretty slow, but the space is really fun. I had a pasta dish and thought it a bit too heavy without reason. Still, you forgive the small things because they also have Beavertown beer, which I love, and other drinks you can opt to bring inside the theatres. So just in general a great cinema in the heart of one of the most exciting areas of London. Can't really go wrong there!

My boyfriend and I have been here twice now and we will definitely become members soon! The vibe is so different from the theaters I'm used to - in such a good way! There's a full bar in the lobby and you can bring all of your drinks into the theater. They have all the normal movie theater snacks, along with some burgers, etc. I have yet to eat here (other than popcorn!) but will definitely try something in the near future. The seats are so comfortable and there's even one theater called the Lounge where there are seats that you can basically lay down in. This is my go-to theater hands down, makes going to the movies such a fun experience!

We went to a Yelp event here; live band karaoke. I really enjoyed it. It was upstairs in the attic which is a friendly open space. I had a lovely bottle of wine and we had a blast! It was my birthday and I couldn't have been happier. I would definitely visit this venue again.

Cinema is good and staff are friendly, The food however is substandard. Pizza bases a cooked from frozen and often under cooked and doughy.

I'll start off by saying I was merely in the area and stopped in to grab a beer and a quick meal. This review is in no way a testament or reflection of the service or quality pertaining to the actual cinema experience at HP. This is strictly about the food. Quite honestly, just not good. Radically underwhelming. Bland. I've honestly never had a blander french fry. It was almost comical it was so bland. Maybe go catch a movie at Hackney Picturehouse...just steer clear from the food.

Hackney Picturehouse has it all - a great cafe/restaurant, a bar, multiple screens and an event space - making it a wonderful place to hang out, eat, watch a film or see a performance. They always have great films on and sometimes offer interested weekend events for kids and adults alike. The yearly membership is a godsend as well. As a student, for a mere £10 a year, I get two free cinema tickets, a discount on food and drinks, and invitations to early, free, members-only screenings. It's also only £4 for a Monday ticket as a member. The standard membership costs £40, but is still worth every penny if you visit Picturehouses often. The space is nice, light and airy and provides a really relaxing, enjoyable experience no matter what you're there for. They always have a range of films as well, so you may find them showing something you can't see anywhere else!

The seats at this cinema are super comfy. It is the big sell of the cinema. The tickets aren't the cheapest but it has a good selection of films on and a nice bar area with a good selection of food and drinks. Having been to a few Picturehouse Cinemas, this is a really nice one. I'd definitely recommend it.

Top venue for a trip to the cinema - some unusual characters in my recent viewing of 50 shades but this didn't take away from the great atmosphere that the picture house creates. The attic is my fave and getting food and drink while watching a show is just want one wants.

Fantastic use of a building that sat empty and sad for quite a while. The food in the cafeteria is yummy and the seating in the cinema itself is comfy too. I haven't seen a film here, I went to a presentation, but I was very happy with the layout and quality of the renovation that had been done.

The place is very nice, but their customer service experience is really crappy, especially when it comes to refunds (they will never get to do it albeit having said so).

Great cinema with a bar and refreshment counter. I believe they serve hot food but didn't sit down to try as we were only here for the movie, although they do a good ginger tea and vanilla ice crea. Auditoriums are fantastic with probably the most comfy seats we've had in a long, long time they actually recline a little so you can really sink into it and get really cosy. Seating is arranged so that there's little obstruction from those in front of you and the large screen is big enough to ensure a decent audience size without feeling overcrowded. Technically the sound and picture are what you'd expect and fantastic and give the West End screens a run for their money. They're screening current films so it would be nice if they'd get hold of some arthouse fare too, otherwise this is a great alternative if you're an east end local and don't want to travel too far for a movie.

Brilliant local cinema with a mix of mainstream an arthouse fare. Well worth an annual membership for the cut-rates on tickets and drinks!

Having recently returned to Hackney after living on the other side of planet for nearly 30 years what better way to spend a afternoon than visiting my new local cinema to watch a film set in Hackney,My Brother The Devil.Wonderful building that a member of staff told me was once a museum,then a music venue,then left to stand empty for a few years until it recently re-opened as a cinema.The first thing you notice when arriving is the large spacious cafe with views to the town square and as another reviewer mentioned selling good quality coffee . I also found a bar and gallery on the top floor. The screens,i`m told, four of them, are of various sizes from 300 seats to a smaller screen of about 50.The sound is clean and sharp, visual are clear with good sitelines but the seats are a real wow ,as good as you could find on some first class flights.Not a bad afternoon.I will be back

This is a great cinema in many ways *but* it apparently employs staff on zsero-hours contracts, which is a disgrace.

Probably the in place to see a film for wannabe Hackney hipsters, but for lesser mortals I would stick to the Rio, where they still value customers and are friendly and welcoming.The staff at the Picturehouse were unhelpful , and patronising and gave out very misleading information about access to a 12 a rated film to a group of 12 year olds. They are unlikely to return, and I doubt that any of their friends will. Still I guess that will leave more room for people to enjoy the coffee here.