Seattle's historic Cinerama, an architectural gem, showcases a mix of first-run and classic films on a massive screen while serving up delectable chocolate popcorn and local treats in a stylish, vintage vibe.
"Take in a Movie A piece of cinematic history, Seattle’s Cinerama is one of only three movie theaters in the world still capable of showing three-strip Cinerama films (as well as 35/70mm films). Recently remodeled, the large theater is full of old-time glamour, from the tiny twinkling lights in the night-sky-like ceiling, to the red velvet curtains that sweep open to reveal the screen at showtime. Even the concession stand is top-notch, featuring treats from local companies like Theo Chocolate, Cupcake Royale, Miro Tea, and Caffe Vita. That said, the must-try snack is Cinerama’s freshly popped, chocolate popcorn (we recommend a 50-50 mix of buttered and chocolate, for the perfect salty-sweet blend). Perhaps unsurprisingly for a theater owned by Microsoft cofounder Paul G. Allen, the Cinerama features state-of-the-art digital projection, sound system, and a 70-foot-long screen for a truly immersive viewing experience. If you’re not a fan of 3D (or wearing the clunky glasses), Cinerama offers “2D Tuesdays,” when they show 2D versions of the 3D movies they’re screening. The theater is especially convenient for guests with ADA accessibility needs, offering rear-window captioning, assistive listening and audio narration devices, and wheelchair accessibility and seating. Don’t forget to stop in the lobby and take a look at the glass display cases, which contain a rotating selection of famous TV and movie costumes on loan from the Sci-Fi Museum."
Inexpensive (comparatively), cool, well known theater that is well kept and conveniently located. Spacious reclining seats and a big screen with good sound. If we can see a movie here, we usually come here. Donate to support SIFF!
Brian M. Demkowicz
Google
Simply put, this is the best cinema in Seattle. Clean, comfortable, and technically-perfect presentation. Staff are friendly and seem genuinely happy to be there. As it's a SIFF theatre, films change out regularly and show highly-regarded releases ranging from last century to present day. Concessions are a step-up in quality and less offensively-priced than multiplex cinemas. SIFF has more than one location, but this is the sparkling jewel within their collection... I'm so glad it's back open and being cared for by a team that really appreciates what a visit to cinema should be.
Susan Zurek
Google
This is the best place for great movies. You should check out the schedule. They play new movies and old. The seats are comfortable and the sound is great, but the best thing is the chocolate popcorn. Get it mixed!
Maya Sears
Google
This is a great place for movie enthusiasts. I usually skip overpriced concessions, but not only the concession here more reasonably priced, the quality is better!
The staff seem genuinely happy. During a showing of RRR, the sound proved to be too loud for my sensitive ears, and the staff kindly provided me earplugs so I could enjoy the movie.
Jieun Yoon
Google
The location was perfect, the staffs were nice and the screen and seats were huge enough to enjoy the movie.
I’ve read too many comments about the chocolate popcorn and had to try out for myself. The chocolate was well balanced and the portion was very generous. I ordered medium size, but my company and I could only finish 30% of it. However, if you like butter popcorn, this might be just okay option for you.
Overall, it was a great experience and I would definitely recommend this theater.
Ryan Luu
Google
Love the concessions here. Decent prices and alcohol available. Screen is big and sound is great. Lots of parking on the street surprisingly too!
Caitlin W.
Google
My husband and I truly love going to this theater for a date night. We just went and saw "Sinners," which I am still thinking about. Amazing sound, beautiful cinematography, but there is an employee at this location who is continuously unfriendly with us. I'm from the midwest, we are chatty folks! Every time we interacted with this young man, he was short, aggressive, and cold. Please, we're all just trying to have a good night!
Josh B
Google
Great place to see movies, one big theater for a shared experience. Great picture, great sound - chocolate popcorn. Gender neutral restrooms that were not designed with that in mind and can lead to awkwardness (you'll know why when you use them). Now it's a non-profit (SIFF) and deserves your support.
Yuchen Z.
Yelp
Came here for the first time during SIFF 2024. The theater is beautiful and new and modern as expected of a brand new theater. Huge screen and good sound quality.
The best thing about this place is of course the chocolate popcorn, which currently is the SAME price as the regular popcorn. As a first timer, I went for the full chocolate popcorn and I regretted it because it was too much after eating 2 cups. I would fully recommend the mixed popcorn because you get the salty from the normal popcorn and the sweet from the chocolate popcorn. Surprisingly the chocolate does not melt because it just coats the popcorn and it makes a harder outer shell coating. So you don't have to worry about getting your hands all covered in chocolate ( which was what I was afraid of at first).
Recommendations: if you need to read subtitles in a movie, don't sit in the front because the chairs lean back(whether you want it to or not) and when you lean back, you can't really see the bottom of the screen. The balcony is nice but the chairs up there do not lean back, and if you sit in the front row of the balcony, you'll get a Blocked view by the balcony handrails if you are a shorter person.
Sara C.
Yelp
I was SO happy to hear that SIFF saved the Cinerama we loved so much. It's such an iconic theater in Seattle, I was so sad to hear it was closing.
SIFF thankfully kept the amazing outside theming and artwork on the building, changing only the sign along the exterior corner to have a SIFF logo instead of Cinerama.
The interior of the theater looks similar too, with the classic red seats and purple drapes (unless that will change in the future), and yes, they have promised they will still have the chocolate popcorn - woo!
Thank you, SIFF, for preserving this iconic Seattle landmark for film lovers like me.
Diana C.
Yelp
They have done a great job renovating and preserving this place without making it feel too rundown. I think they had good popcorn and a cool selection of local drinks. We tried the chocolate popcorn, but personally I can't really eat a whole bag of it. It was good to try it but I think it smelled a bit better than it tasted - more of my preference than a comment on the quality. Definitely recommend trying a small bag once!
My main complaints were that once you entered the lobby, it was chaos ordering concessions. We went for Dune 2 so it was busy and there were no clear lines or directions. Lots of folks were line jumping and that was pretty annoying because we were all trying to get concessions before the show started but it took almost 20 minutes to even order. Definitely recommend showing up on the earlier end. Also, the seating, if you're not familiar with the theater, was confusing. Several of the doors for the balcony areas aren't marked so you have no idea where to go. Up more stairs? Down the stairs? Some signage or direction would help!
Overall we had a good experience and I don't think there was a bad seat in the whole theater which was pretty cool. I'd definitely come back for more movies, especially special events. It's pricier so I probably wouldn't make it my designated movie spot but I did like it!
Geoff M.
Yelp
Painfully loud and I couldn't find any men's room. It's so sad. This was once a fantastic movie theatre.
Jesse G.
Yelp
So happy SIFF has re-opened Cinerama! The place retains of much of the classic experience (chocolate popcorn, anyone?) while also improving on it.
Buying tickets is easy - you pick out your seats which helps for those who get anxious about standing in lines. Selection of concessions is wonderful - local wine, beer and ciders plus popcorn and other things you would expect at a cinema snack wise. I got the mixed chocolate and traditional popcorn which was fresh and a great combo of sweet and salty.
The screen is huge and the sound is good; seems like every seat in the house has a good view. I took off one star because the seats seem comfortable but as a 5 foot 2 person I could not actually sit with my feet touching the ground, because the seats automatically recline, so I either had to kind of wedge myself up so it didn't recline or be basically laying down which made me worried about the person behind me and made it unable to consume popcorn. Maybe I will get better at balancing in the seats though as I will definitely be back!
Lawrence L.
Yelp
Cinerama is back!! But I guess we're not allowed to call it that anymore. I haven't been in ages - I think the last movie I saw there was 300, so that sets the context.
It's probably the most popular singleplex around. It's been refurbished with really nice seats and seating is in two sections - main floor and balcony. The picture quality is great too.
Being a singleplex, the box office and lobby only open 30 minutes before the showtime, so for today's screening of Wonka I had to wait a bit in the cold before I could purchase my ticket and head inside for some Chocolate popcorn.
Another nice thing I really like about the theater is that the film audio is playing over the ambient speakers and in the bathroom so if you need to take a rest break while the movie is screening you don't miss the plot because you can still hear the movie, which is something I'd wish I could have in every multiplex (although not sure how that would really work).
Wishing SIFF all the best in making this Downtown Seattle's premiere theatre again
Tom B.
Yelp
Great presentation and liked that chocolate popcorn. HATED the seats that lean back with little resistance and don't appear to have a way to lock. I tried another seat and it behaved the same way. I had to exert effort to stay vertical enough to see the screen. The restrooms are problematic. The quest to avoid gendered labeling, while admirable, is confusing and could use better signage to direct people who don't want to see urinals in use to the more private restroom, which is on the other side of the lobby.
Ron H.
Yelp
I've driven past this theater so many times for as long as I can remember. Never seen a movie there but have heard so much about it. Honestly, not sure what the hype is all about. Lobby is fairly small (got have my popcorn) for the amount of people the theater holds. Everyone was crammed in like sardines trying to get their bag of chocolate popcorn. Yes, I said chocolate popcorn. Not sure if that's a normal thing they have or if was because I attending the Wonka movie.
Popcorn was really good. Definitely different having chocolate mixed in but wasn't disappointed.
Theater itself was larger than I expected. Seats were comfy minus the fact they reclined to easily. At first, I was nervous I was reclining too far that I would annoy the person behind me but noticed there was a lot of room. But when I did recline, I started to fall asleep because they are comfy seats.
Screen does appear to be larger than other screens but that could be my eyes playing tricks on me.
Sound was comparable to other theaters
Again, having driven past this theater a million times, I'm glad I can actually say I've attended a movie there. And during such a historic weekend with their grand opening.
Dominique O.
Yelp
This is the first time I've ever been to this place and I saw Dune. This building is so cool one of the largest movie theaters I've ever ever been in. It literally reminded me of walking into an Broadway musical auditorium. It was just beautiful The movie was great in that theater. The screen was great. The sound was great. The chairs reclined were awesome and on top of that they sell Rachel's ginger beer. Definitely a plus plus awesome win.
Emily S.
Yelp
While I'm glad to see SIFF bring the theater back into business, I experienced a few major complaints that ruined my experience. My seat on the balcony had an obstructed view due to a large guard/railing in front that blocked 25% of the screen. I had to crane my neck and lean in to see the entire screen, which was very uncomfortable and strained my neck. Also, there's no ladies restroom! I was stuck sharing a restroom with 3 men who were already exposed at the urinal. Everyone was so uncomfortable that we all rushed through it, and no one stayed long enough to wash their hands! Additionally, the seats in the theater creak and groan when you lean back into them, which is embarrassing for the sitter and disruptive to their neighbors. I think I'll be avoiding this theater from now on.
Becca S.
Yelp
Its good average movie theater, wish there was elevators or escalators. Wish they had food options like a hot dog or nachos. Also it is incredibly cold like freezing so I recommend a blanket or wearing layers.