Nothing beats watching things go boom on the big screen. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite Bay Area cinemas where you can enjoy a blockbuster — or an indie flick or Hollywood classic — the way you should: With oversized tubs of buttery popcorn, gut-rattling sound, and all the trappings of the moviegoing experience you just can’t get at home.
San Francisco
The Roxie Theater via Facebook
(3117 16th St. // Mission)
One of the oldest continually running movie theaters in the country, The Roxie was first opened in 1912. Since then, it’s had a number of names, but it’s been The Roxie since 1933.
Though it is not as large as some of its cousins throughout the city, the 300-seat moviehouse has a serious reputation among cinephiles in the city, and it has served as the headquarters of many important locally based film festivals — including the Frameline Film Festival, the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, and more.
Alamo Drafthouse via Google
(2550 Mission St. // Mission)
Sure, it’s a chain… but what a chain it is! Housed in the historic New Mission Theater building, this Alamo Drafthouse outpost has all the charm of a classic cinema, with all the trappings of a top-flight modern moviegoing experience.
Order food and drink directly to your seat. Hang out in the attached Bear vs. Bull bar before or after the show. And bask in the glory of the New Mission’s amazing architecture, which earned it a place on the National Register of Historic places back in 2001.
The 4-Star Theater via Facebook
(2200 Clement St. // Central Richmond)
If indie rock and a beloved San Francisco neighborhood moviehouse had a baby, it would look a lot like the 4-Star.
Where else can you see psychedelic feature-length cartoons, like Spirited Away, pulpy cult classics like The Killer, and combo presentations like a short film screening with live music from the likes of April Magazine and Katsy Pline?
The last time we checked, the 4-Star has all of these engagements on its lineup — plus second-runs of Superbad and several installments of the Star Wars franchise.
The Castro Theatre Via Google
(429 Castro St. // Castro)
While it is currently closed for renovations and expected to reopen sometime in 2025, The Castro Theatre is undoubtedly one of the most iconic and beloved theaters in the entire Bay Area.
Built in 1922, the Castro features a bounty of architectural flourishes — from its iconic neon sign and facade to its twin grand staircases. At the time it closed for renovations, it was able to accommodate more than 1,400 seated patrons. Over the course of its history it’s been many things: A grand movie house, a symbol of San Francisco’s vibrant LGBTQ+ community, a place to see classic movies...
The future of Castro is yet to be written, but its new stewards — the Bay Area-born promoter, Another Planet Entertainment — has said movies will still be a part of the recipe. However, live performances are expected to ramp up, as well. We hope that the theater returns as an awesome place to see a film from the Golden Age of Hollywood and the hottest touring acts, all in the span of a week.
The Balboa Theatre Via Google
(3630 Balboa St. // Outer Richmond)The Balboa Theatre is small, but definitely punches above its weight. Like many of the theaters on this list, it boasts a wonderful neon sign proclaiming its status as an elder statesman among the city’s movie houses.
But it also serves as a neighborhood hub — a place where locals can walk to see a flick with friends. Situated in the Outer Richmond, it is close to Ocean Beach where you can head
afterward for a
toasty bonfire.
If you arrive early, skip a trailer or two and peruse the selection of Bay Area entertainment memorabilia lining the lobby walls.
East Bay
The Grand Lake Theatre via Google Streetview
(3200 Grand Ave. // Oakland)
From its brilliant neon marquee — visible from Interstate 580 and nearby Lake Merritt — to its beautiful and massive main auditorium, this four-screen cinema is a testament to the saying, “They don’t build ’em like they used to.”
The theater’s owners have also kept up with trends cinephiles expect in a quality movie house. They regularly screen films in 70mm, have an excellent sound system — and you can catch a flick for just $6 plus fees on Tuesdays. They don’t sell Sour Patch Kids, but nobody is perfect.
Oakland’s Grand Lake neighborhood is a wonderful place to spend an evening. Both Grand Avenue and Lakeshore Avenue are bustling commercial corridors, filled with cute boutiques, specialty shops, top-notch restaurants, and bargain bites.
The New Parkway Theater Via Facebook
(474 24th St // Oakland)While it’s not exactly the spot to catch a summer blockbuster, the New Parkway Theatre certainly has some unique offerings, and is well worth a visit. Built into a repurposed warehouse and hiding in an alley between Telegraph Avenue and Broadway, The New Parkway Theater features a quirky seating arrangement of couches and slouchy armchairs — many with an accompanying coffee table.
It’s the perfect setup for their weekly Cereal Cinema slate of programming. Kids and kids at heart can be found here on the first day of each weekend, lining up for bowls of sugary breakfast snacks and settling in to watch reruns of
Schoolhouse Rock,
Batman, and
Rugrats.
Their in-house cafe serves all the things you’d expect from a movie theater — like popcorn, candy, and fountain drinks — along with diner-style comfort food, beer, wine, and cider. You can nosh at one of the cafe tables or bring your food into the theater and enjoy your meal while you watch.
The Alameda Theatre Via Facebook
(2317 Central Ave. // Alameda)Even those of us who live in the East Bay sometimes forget about Alameda, but doing so is not advised. The strip of land between Oakland and San Francisco is rich with history and the Alameda Theatre is a prime example.
Designed by the same architect who built the Castro Theatre, this East Bay cinema has all the charm of San Francisco’s crown jewel theater, with a much more laid-back, neighborhood vibe.
If making your way to Alameda seems like a trek, you might consider making a day of it. From the City, you can take the ferry and enjoy the bay breeze before and after the film. If you enjoy swap meets, consider planning your trip around the Alameda Antique Fair — which falls on the first Sunday of every month.
Pro tip: Just a short drive (and a 20 minute walk) from the Alameda Theatre, wedged between the Trader Joe’s and the Applebee’s, you’ll find some of the best locally produced sweet treats in the entire Bay Area at the Loard’s Ice Cream parlor. Sounds like an idyllic weekend day trip to us!
South Bay + Peninsula
(221 University Ave // Palo Alto)A trip to the Stanford Theatre makes a perfect centerpiece for a night out in downtown Palo Alto. Opened in 1925, it features beautiful neoclassical Persian and Moorish flourishes inside its 1,175-seat viewing hall.
You won’t see the latest blockbuster here. That's because the Stanford Theatre has carved out a niche as the place on the Peninsula to get your fill of Hollywood classics — all organized around themes. For example, the theater might schedule a run of films starring Humphrey Bogart or Fred Astaire. They’ve also organized tributes to Alfred Hitchcock and the Marx Brothers.
Tickets are very affordable and often come with the added bonus of a double feature, which means you can see the likes of
Casablanca and
The Maltese Falcon all for under $10. University Avenue and the surrounding neighborhood is a bona fide gourmet gulch, brimming with fine dining and upscale fast-casual restaurants.
The Pruneyard Cinemas Via Facebook
(1875 S Bascom Ave. #100 // Campbell)You won’t be greeted by an antique neon marquee at the entrance to Pruneyard Cinema. But what this South Bay movie house lacks in mid-century charm, it more than makes up for with excellent food and drink offerings.
Enjoy the menu in the adjoining Cedar Room and if you’re still feeling thirsty or peckish, you can order food directly to your seats — which, by the way, are those fancy, reclining type you find in big box mall theaters.
Speaking of malls, as far as the Pruneyard shopping center goes, it’s about as upscale as a mall can be.
Some of the South Bay’s most talented chefs have set up shop here, so there is no shortage of great food and drink to be had before or after the show.
The California Theatre Via Facebook
(345 S 1st St. // San Jose)They don’t show movies at the California Theatre often, but during San Jose’s annual Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival, it becomes the de-facto center of town.
Sitting in the cavernous and beautifully restored 1,112-seat auditorium is a treat in and of itself. It’s one of the best preserved theaters of its age in the country — and serves as the home base for Opera San Jose, Symphony Silicon Valley, and many other San Jose-based cultural festivals.
Plus, it’s situated smack in the middle of San Jose’s SoFA district — home to the city’s best music venue (The Ritz), a Bay Area institution (Original Joe’s San Jose), a trendy cocktail bar (The Continental), and Mama Kin, a jazz bar, cafe, and watering hole that has served as the de-facto hangout for the city’s small yet vibrant arts community through multiple changes in ownership. Whether you’ve lived in the South Bay your entire life or rarely leave the 415, take a look at the California Theatre’s schedule, pick a show you want to see, and experience its splendor for yourself.
North Bay
Via Rafael Film Center Facebook
(1118 4th St. // San Rafael)The Rafael Film Center may be best known as the hub of the Mill Valley Film Festival. You’ll see it from quite a distance at night, thanks to its well-preserved neon marquee. Once you're there, you won’t be far from all of the great culture downtown San Rafael has to offer.
Visit a piece of California’s complicated history at Mission San Rafael Arcángel, located just a few blocks away, and be sure to stop by Sol Food — a Puerto Rican restaurant known for their excellent sandwiches. Even if you aren’t hungry, we recommend grabbing a bottle or two of their delicious Pique hot sauce to try at home.
At The Drive-In
Via Canva
(1611 Solano Way // Concord | 3630 Hillcap Ave. // San Jose)Ahh… the drive-in movie theater. It is an American institution. A temple to the automobile and the atomic family. A place where teens could go to learn how their bodies worked and hard-working parents could provide their children with a sense of novelty on the cheap.
Maybe we’re getting a bit lost on our own trip down memory lane here, but we are certainly grateful that the Bay Area still has two functional drive-ins (the region used to be home to around 40 such gathering spaces).
If you want to take a nostalgia trip of your own, gather some friends — hopefully you or a buddy has a pickup truck that you can set up some lawn chairs in — and head to the West Wind Solano Drive-In in Concord (or the Capitol Drive-In on the other end of the Bay in San Jose). Both are a perfect place to spend a summer evening.
Written by Nick Veronin
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