Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Staten Island

“Note for anyone unaware (I only found this out a few weeks ago): The bar and the theater are separate, you do NOT need to see a film in order to drink at the bar, and you do NOT need to grab a drink to see a film (but no one’s stopping you, right?) This is a 2 part review, and I’ve technically averaged the scores for each part but luckily they were both 5/5 so… here we go. The Flying Guillotine aka the bar A hidden gem of Staten Island in more ways than one: It’s a bit tucked away to the left of the concierge desk when you walk into the building, so make sure not to miss it. Why “The Flying Guillotine”? It’s a bar decorated with decor inspired by the film of that name. When grabbing a drink here, you’ll find yourself bathed in warm red light, music that provides ambience without overpowering your conversations, a movie projector that’s always playing something interesting, and last but not least, Melanie, the bartender, who’s such a lovely host, manages to add the perfect vibe to the bar, be sure to swing by and say hi to her and see what’s good. And the best part? You don’t actually need to be seeing a film to grab a drink at the bar here. Yes, they have kitchen service too. Don’t drink? No problem! Get some popcorn or a non-alcoholic beer, they even have a non-alcoholic spirit that Mel can serve on the rocks or in a cocktail. The cinema itself What a fantastic experience. My first visit wasn’t too long after they opened, they were showing the Lord of the Rings trilogy one weekend after another (the extended cuts, obviously). I’ve since upgraded to the Season Pass (and more recently, the All-In pass) and try to catch a film at least once a week. This is a dine-in theater, as in you order popcorn, burgers, fries, milkshakes, beer, etc to your seat. The seating itself is entirely recliners with little tables for your food and drinks. The ordering process is very simple and the servers are very accommodating. The programming here is always interesting, obviously the big summer blockbusters and really any of the popular films have showings here, but more importantly there’s always the odd film here or there and themed months where they’ll show, for example, at the Alamo, I got to catch a showing of The Mummy from 1999, a film I never got to see in theaters. I’ve described this as a cinema for people who truly love cinema. Be sure to check out the posters the walls are lined with, there's a rotating set for recent films and there's a bunch of posts of classic films, some I've seen there and some I've never even heard of! I’ve been to my share of theaters in NY, other states and even in other countries, and by far, this one is my favorite. Alamo Drafthouse will NOT disappoint you.”

“We had an amazing experience from start to finish. Having had a long work week, we could only make the 10:45pm movie, and we were grateful for it. The staff was friendly and attentive, even at that late hour. Aaron at the front of the house greeted us warmly and introduced us to the bar (where the Old Fashioned was expertly made). The food was excellent (we recommend the Hellfire Burger and absolutely have the salted caramel vanilla shake❤️ SO good!!). The food was hot and plentiful. Great tasting popcorn and a huge bowl!! We can’t say enough good things about our experience. Will absolutely return.”

“All this time I had no idea we have this in the island. If I knew I would not go to AMC or Regal to watch movies ! What a cool place to come with your family & friends! Tickets are cheaper than other movie theaters, didn't try the food yet. Customer service was excellent, the girl who was taking my pictures did such a great job ! She was very patient, we got lucky because it was quiet lol. We will be definitely coming back to watch movies ! And try the food .”

“I love the food here, but certain things make me want to stop coming here for movies. For starters, they NEVER have movie themed items nor movie themed popcorn buckets that most theaters have. On 3 occasions now I’ve gone asking for buckets and they don’t have it. Additionally, the light on each table kinda kills the mood. The light should be optional. Speaking of the table, it should be adjustable. I can’t move it and it eating is uncomfortable.”