Incredibly, I never ended up reviewing Arlington Drafthouse. I used to go there all the time when I lived in Arlington from 2014-2017. A lot of good memories here. Last time I was here was in March 2023. Representing February in this series, I went back to February 2016 without a Yelp review. I saw my old credit card bill had charges on Feb '16. When I lived in Arlington at this time, I paid for a year movie pass, & sometimes I would eat at Arlington Cinema & sometimes eat beforehand. Sadly, they were having financial problems in the later part of 2010's with 2nd run movie model as people were either watching movies new in the theater or waiting to stream. At some point, Drafthouse sent an email saying they weren't doing the movies anymore & just shows, special events, & the occasional themed movie night like a classic Christmas Story (at Christmastime) or whatever. I went for a couple of comedy shows & special events, but the vast majority of the times was for movies. Service was a bit of hit or miss. Sometimes the food took a while to get served, but the food was usually good. I got a variety of items over the years like the burger, sandwiches, wraps, wings, pizza, etc. Nothing was top notch, but nothing was bad either. It was on average pretty good. Servers were sometimes friendly, but not always. They are called Drafthouse because they serve Beer & alcohol, & I remember I put a few down back in the day! But in all honesty, I'm not sure I ever had more than one in a sitting; otherwise, I'd be drunk, broke, & even more broke needing to Uber home & Uber back to my car the next morning. So, I'd never do such a thing. There was one time when I lived on Columbia Pike in Arlington near the Fairfax County (Bailey's Crossroads) border, my car was in repair, & I was determined to see a movie that I want to say a Monday night & wanted to use my annual movie pass. So, I took the bus! The Columbia Pike line bus was very efficient, not much difference in timing as if I drove myself there. I continued with the 2nd run movies into 2017, but I moved from Arlington to MD in Fall 2017, so I generally stopped going here. However, I did continue to come on a few occasions for comedy shows. In 2019-2020, I was on INWEGO, which was an event based app, you paid $19 for one event in the month, $39 for 3, or $59 for 5. I generally did the $39 for 3, but sometimes did $19 depending on what they had for the month. It was cool things like concerts, plays, comedy shows, & sporting events. I took advantage of all of the above. My girlfriend at that time & her friend/other friend husband traveled from Wheaton, MD to Arlington on Friday, February 22, 2020 for a good comedy show. That was the only time I used INWEGO to go to Arlington Drafthouse. I joined INWEGO in mid-April 2019, & we know what happened in mid-March 2020. INWEGO sadly went defunct in September 2020 as they couldn't operate under the Covid environment. I joked the INWEGO era was the best 11 months of my life. I went on a couple of dates here over the years in the 2010's for movies. Prior to October 2014, I lived in Alexandria & sometimes went to Arlington Drafthouse. One time in January 2013, I had a first date at Lost Dog Cafe across the street & saw [deep breath] Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying & Love the Bomb. We kissed at the end. So, that was a good example of a date. A funny example of a date was shortly after from February 2013 (see my November 2013 Bangkok 54 Yelp review), where we went for dinner & then a free comedy show. Here's that experience: "My experience was on Saturday, February 9 (2013). It was a date with an awesome black chick I met a couple of weeks earlier. We had a nice time & walked next door to the Arlington Drafthouse Cinema for a free comedy show in the Green Room. Check it out if you are over at Bangkok 54 or other area restaurants on a Friday or Saturday. During the comedy show, I had my arm around her, & one of the comedians pointed out to me in the audience & said 'you are a lucky guy to be with her. I never have any luck with black chicks. This guy is doing something right. We need to talk after the show.'. This made me feel great since it was only a first date. This was confirmation that the date went extremely well. However, we could never schedule a 2nd date. She later told me that she didn't feel the chemistry...at least she was honest, but after all that, I thought for sure it was an excellent date." Also, went here on another date in June 2016 & saw Zootopia here. My dating life was bad in 2016, & she was no exception. In January 2023, I went to a comedy show with a friend I hadn't seen in a while. I was bold talking to one of the female comedians who was local to the DC area, got one of the comedians Instagram & asked her on a date; not surprisingly no reply. Last time I went was March 2023 for Oscar party. Won a DVD in contest. Not a bad time. read more

Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse - Movie screen in March 2023 for the Oscar party. It was a long night! - Cinema Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Okay this particular location is very old. AC doesn't work well, very old seating, and some parts of the building are just dilapidated and closed off. If you're fine with an atmosphere of ancient times, then you'll actually be fine here. The screen and sound quality is top tier, and the staff can make and bring pretty much any appetizer fresh to your seat. Staff is kind and works hard. Came for a Nova Book Babes showing of Twilight and it was so worth it. (But there isn't much I won't put up with for Edward Cullen.) read more

This was an interesting venue. It kinda felt like being transported back in time which was neat. Seating was open, first come first serve, and it looked like most seats had a good view of the stage. The chairs were office style rolling chairs which I had never seen before but it did allow for convenient table arrangements and comfortable viewing of the stage. We saw Tim Meadows comedy and his show was great. We didn't get food or beverage (no minimum purchase) but from the looks of others plates, the serving sizes were good. read more

Horrendous. There are no words for this place and it was shocking to see the inside. It is probably in violation of dozens of health codes. It looks like it's been abandoned. The seats have been removed and replaced with office chairs that seem like they came from the dump. It is crazy this place is still open. Stay away. Some of the food looks like it is left out, would not chance potential food poisoning. read more

Divey retro theater with full menu and bar. Even the comedian was joking about the venue needing some tlc. Under $100 for 2 tickets, I thought was a very fair price. Cocktail and popcorn were decent and came out pretty quick even with the rush. Show up well before the start time to get in line if you want to sit close to the stage as it's seat yourself. I would go back again if they have another comedian I was a fan of. read more

Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse - Cinema Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

We saw Elmo Phillips' standup comedy show at the Drafthouse (I'm old enough to remember when they used to show movie!), and he was a riot. Go for the show if you find it attractive, but come with measured expectations. The service is friendly and helpful, but the food is gross. Stick to alcohol, and you'll be fine. read more

Kind of an odd layout for a comedy venue but we greatly enjoyed our show and the staff was very attentive! The popcorn could use more butter, especially considering butter is $1 extra. read more

I've been coming here for years. I even remember when they used to allow smoking inside during movies! From standup comedy, to magic performances, and of course movies, the Arlington Cinema Drafthouse does it all. The biggest draw is being able to order food and drinks! I'm talking my son to see a Harry Potter movie today, and we are excited to be here again! read more

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I enjoy each time I come. No frills but attracts good talent. Food is mid, drinks are pretty good. Relatively close free parking lot read more

Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse - Marquee outside - Cinema Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Parking is on street and sometimes difficult to find. The staff is pleasant but from what I saw, overworked. The seats are comfortable. The food and service were awful. We ordered four drinks, an appetizer, and four entrees. The drinks showed up after 10 minutes. One of the entries showed up 10 minutes after that. A second entree was dropped off after another 10 minutes. The final two entrees and our appetizer were brought to us 15 minutes later, just as the show was starting. None of it was good, and the hot food wasn't even warm by the time it got to our table. You can grab dinner at one of the many decent restaurants within a block of this place. While you're here, my suggestion would be to stick with beer and maybe the pretzels. read more

Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse - Our view from the back row. - Cinema Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

My first visit was with friends for a Saturday evening comedy show. Arrived early to allow for parking and it was challenging but we finally found paid parking on the street which cost less than $5. There was road construction in front of the venue which I'm sure was challenging for ppl with disabilities. Lucky for us there were no lines and the entry process was easy. All of the seats seemed to have great views. We had preferred seating. Once seated the server appeared and quickly took our orders. The menu had many choices and I appreciated the vegetarian options. We received our food and we were able to eat before the show actually started. I personally do not like eating in the dark so that worked out great. All enjoyed their food choices. The only issue we encountered was with the ladies bathroom. There were 2 stalls (unclean) and 1 was not working. Now y'all know the issue that created. We mentioned it to the staff but the repair did not occur while we were there hence only 3 stars but we did enjoy some much-needed laughter. read more

The food is decent as long as you don't expect to much out of them. The service is a hit or miss at times. It's best to get a servers attention if you have waited for more than 10 minutes with no assistance. They have to-go trays in case you can't eat all the food you ordered. They definitely need to purchase new chairs because they are well used. I guess this is what keeps the tickets reasonable because they know updates are needed. The ambiance is casual because I have seen people dressed down to wearing athletic wear. I guess you will just need to be comfortable but decent in what you wear. The staff are nice. When ordering they will open a credit card tab for you and near the end of show they'll appear with your receipts for you to sign and close out your tabs. You can pay by cash but you will have to pay when you put in your order. read more

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Not quite what I was expecting. Certainly not the type of movie theater that I have been expecting to go to for this private event. The food was okay, I had a pepperoni flatbread and it was good but it wasn't worth $15. I found the menu to be limited. It wasn't movie theater seating either, I was seated in an office chair at what seemed like a long desk. But what totally blew my mind was the fact that we watched the movie Superbad on Hulu at what I expected to be a regular movie theater. I was invited to this event here and seeing that it wasn't anything like what I expected, I doubt that I will be back. read more

Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse - Diet Coke - Cinema Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Loved this venue for stand up comedy! It's definitely old and you can tell it's been around for awhile - but that adds to its' charm and it was clean and comfortable! The rolling office chairs were surprisingly comfortable and side tables were perfect for our beers! Servers were nice and ensured to stop by and check if we needed to order anything often! Would come here again for another comedy show! read more

Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse - Front theater - Cinema Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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My go-to for a no-nonsense night out. Great comedy shows from the best comedians. I've seen a lot of top talent work out new material and found some hilarious up & coming comedians here, too. There is no bad seat in the house and the service is fast so as to not distract from the show. There is ample parking in the back and on the street, especially if you're early. I have yet to catch a movie here but the size of the venue and layout of the seating suggest an immersive experience. read more

Drove down from Maryland to see a comedy show on a rainy Sunday night. I came to see a friend who was performing at this venue. There was plenty of parking in the public lot across the street. There appeared to be a little bit of street parking on the side but it was easier for me to go to the parking garage and it was covered to kept my car out of the rain. I pre purchased my tickets for $20 a few days in advance. Show said 7 and I arrived at 6:30. I was too early as they were still setting up for the show so I hand to wait a few minutes before they let me in. It's a pretty old building that's seen a lot of wear and tear. Mostly open seating but a few people had reserved tables. There is a small bar in the back of the theater and wait staff will come around to take your orders. Service was hit or miss. When I first arrived and the theater was empty service was quick. I recommend putting your orders in as soon as you arrive. Tables are small and chairs are worn. The menu is on line but I had to cell service inside so I had to request a paper menu. Prices are reasonable and the menu is small. Since it's a drafthouse I ordered a Port City Hazy IPA. 7 for a small mug and 11 for the large. I ordered some cheese steak egg rolls as well. Pretty tasty appetizer. Over all a ok place to catch a small comedy show. Seats need to be updated. They look like standard office furniture and aren't Elbert comfortable.. read more

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I actually enjoy visiting the Arlington Drafthouse. We personally get the same great experience each time. Even though I wish the would have never switched their menu up, change is good and I hope to see this place around for many more years to come. Tony Rock was LIVE this particular night but I've seen so many performances here over the years. Stop by, it's a vibe. Nice Gem in Arlington but you must be able to see the beauty in this mist of it needing a little TLC. read more

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Came here for Karaoke night. It wasn't packed but thoroughly enjoyed the event! Service and food good and prompt! I ordered the veggie flatbread and was good for a drafthouse pizza! read more

Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse - Veggie flatbread - Cinema Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Such a fun venue for comedy shows! It's nice that you can get a bite to eat here too and I like the quesadillas and flatbread.

DO NOT BUY TICKETS FROM ANY RE-SELLER...THEY ARE SCAM ARTISTS. It was late, I was tired and I searched for the site to purchase tickets for a show at AC&D. Google presented what appeared to be the ticket site so I clicked it, filled out the order forms, checked out and then was shocked when I received my email confirmation showing that the reseller had charged 3X per ticket plus fat service charges. And of course they told me to pound sand when I contacted them and requested purchase cancellation. The total price for 2 tickets on the AC&D official website was $57. The reseller hit me up for $217 for the same 2 tickets. UPDATE...Arlington Cinema & Draft House reached out to me to say they have tried fight these reseller rats, but there's not a whole lot you can do. I am all good with AC&D and appreciate the outreach. read more

Came to see Steve Hofstetter, arrived a little after opening and found seats. The waiter came by after a few minutes to take our order. We saw better seats, and told the waiter we were moving - no problem. Our drinks arrived quickly at our new seats, so the serving staff clearly got the message that we'd moved. Then we waited for our food. And waited. And waited. I asked for an update on our order, and was told the kitchen was slammed - no worries, I just wanted to make sure our move didn't cause any confusion. And we waited. And we waited. And we watched other customers get their food. And we waited. And then the show started. And we waited. And we waited. And we waited. I flagged down the waiter again, who went to check on our order. The waiter comes back, says the ticketing system is screwed up and asks if we'd like to have them put in the order to be cooked again - key word: "again," which I read as our food was given to someone else. I ask if I can get something fast that doesn't need to be cooked, like hummus or something, and am told, again, the kitchen is slammed. So... you're offering to put in a new ticket but won't expedite it? Lovely. At this point the show is winding down, so I cancel the order. I couldn't really focus on the show because of this, which pretty much ruined the experience and wasted my time. And they didn't even comp our drinks for the trouble. read more

We didn't get any food so we can't really speak to that. Drinks were good. Service was nice. However the spade? The seating? They were old office chairs .. literally, mismatched rolling all over the place, squished in office chairs. It's like they put a bunch of chairs in to determine capacity. Not taking into account people have to walk though the chairs to sit. read more

Always fun! The drinks were inventive and fun, the service was efficient given the large group we had and the place was clean.

I visited this place for Adam Conover's show. The venue was full, but the service was pretty good. They have good selection of beers and fast food. Also, there are those weird office chairs, but those are comfortable. read more

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This place was really cool first time here but it will not be better the last. It's on the corner of a very busy street but street parking and a parking garage is very accessible. Make sure you download that mobile parking app which if you not sure which one there are signs places all around to let you know. The inside remains me of one of those old timey movie theater. Which isn't a bad thing because I like that its "first come first serve" in where you can pick your own seat. The waiters/waitresses came around to take your order so need to have to get up to go order from the bar for good or drinks. The only issue I had was the menu was really basic. I thought at least they would have burgers and fries but this was not an option. This drinks are really good but small and on the higher side for a clear plastic cups. Will definitely be back when there's another comedy who I'm interested in. read more

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This is a large room with bar food and drinks. Parking was much easier than at the DC Improv. We were able to catch a major national headliner at this comfortably-sized venue. The service and food were OK... Nothing special, but not bad. Unlike the DC improv and the state theater, this theater had an air of disuse/decay and could use some sprucing up. It did the job, however, and I would go again to catch other headliners. read more

First time visiting this establishment and I wasnt disappointed. The event was well organized and started on time and the wait staff was attentive. The prices of food were within the normal range. I ordered a glass of white wine ($10) and an order of Philly Egg Rolls ($10). The wine was nice and chilled and while the appetizer was good, it was a bit on the salty side but I'm not sure if it was the ranch or the egg rolls themselves. Parking can be limited on this area but there is a parking garage across the street. I lucked up and found street parking on the adjacent street. I would definitely attend another event here but would arrive even a bit more earlier than I did, which was about 30 minutes before start time. It is a small space and seats were first come first serve. So depending on how big the event is, plan ahead if you want a decent seat. read more

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Food service and ambience were all next level. Filet was cooked to perfection. Casey Rocket was the perfect accompaniment to the perfect dinner! read more

Got tickets to see Jeremiah Watkins for the Saturday show. Haven't been here in a few years so we were hyped to go. Parking was pretty easy, in the lot behind the 7-11, between the two signs. Street parking can be tough on the weekends. No line, got in pretty quickly and we seated ourselves. The back few rows were taped off so we had to sit pretty close to the front. The staff was slammed so took a while to get someone's attention and get food/drinks. Chairs/tables haven't changed, a little old and dirty but it works. Bathrooms also dirty so watch out for that. The actual show was great, room was kind of intimate for this show but sound was great and the staff was friendly. I will be coming back to more shows in the future but if you're worried about masks, you may want to avoid the place, not many people besides the staff wear them. read more

Came here for a comedy show. Free parking available in the back behind McDonald's. My drink was ok. Lava cake was really good. I originally asked for the brownie sundae, but they were out. Friend had the flatbread and potato skins and liked it. Seats were comfortable. Giving a 4 out 5 due to calling several times before arriving and no answer. read more

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This place was a real treat. I went for a comedy show: the host, one opener, and the main comedian, Lil' Sasquatch. The area was roomy and lit low but well so as to keep the stage and performer seen. The seats are first come first serve. Arriving 30 minutes before the venue start, the room was moderately filled but I was still able to get seats close to the stage. I found it clean with a good audio system; I never had difficulty hearing the performers. Would recommend checking this place out for any event. read more

Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse - Main room and stage - Cinema Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Date night... Carly Ann Filbin, The audience wasn't the best She is odd funny, I laugh my ass off!!! Worth the try! read more

Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse - Cinema Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Spoons toons and booze! This is the second time I have been to this event. It doesn't come around too often. It's a good time if you have never been. Contests, audience participation, unlimited cereal, plus event themed drinks. I started with The Matrix, a little sweet but good. Moved on to a coca puff (I think), which was good. The different cartoons are interesting. Some I remember watching some I aged out of. It's all good. I love the drafthouse, I wish they had more movies. Definitely a place I'll be back to. read more

I have to admit... I was kinda worried after reading some reviews. It seemed like people either hated it or loved it. Well...I am sold! LOVE IT!!!! The set up is kinda interesting with rolling office chairs. I think you have to actually see/experience it before you can truly understand. The good thing is, because of the armrests, it guarantees you a certain amount of personal space. Some chairs were a bit more worn than others, but overall were not disgusting at all. The service was awesome! I never had to flip up my flag to signal my drinks(pitcher of beer) was getting low. Our person would magically appear by my side and ask if I wanted more. So awesome! We had the California flatbread, pretzels, and popcorn. All of which were good. I am ashamed but I could totally drink the cheese sauce that came with the pretzel. Luckily I saved it after the pretzels were gone and was able to dip my flatbread crust into it. So yum. read more

Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse - Cinema Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse is a historic theater turned into an event space and bar. In an Art Deco building on Columbia Pike in Arlington, Virginia. Before the pandemic, they often showed movies and shows in nice chairs while you could order drinks and food from the bar in the back. It makes for a unique and fun hangout spot. read more

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I enjoy coming here, they tend to have good shows, as far as what I've seen so far, and they're incredibly priced. However, the space feels old and run down--definitely needs a renovation. And the service is HORRENDOUS. My whole table was done with their drinks before I got mine, as they forgot to bring it, and our server never came back. When they brought it, the ice was totally melted. Not wonderful. My friends food also came at almost the conclusion of the show. So, I'll keep coming back for the shows, but I'll leave the drinks and food for somewhere else. read more

Took my wife here to see Willie Barcena, my first thought was how outdated the building looked but it gave a more unique authentic feeling of a classic comedy show. You could pick where you wanted to sit, which I also thought was nice. Other smaller comedy venues have you packed like sardines, and you have no say where you sit. Food menu wasn't extensive but had good options. I wanted Tacos Y Tortas which was next door after but my wife was hungry and so was I so we ordered a chicken quesadilla which was actually pretty good and stuffed with plenty of chicken, we also got some popcorn. Drinks were not overpriced, and they weren't stingy with the liquor. Our first drinks were strong. And service was phenomenal. This place was amazing in every way. Definitely a hidden gem. My wife and I will be back read more

Fun place to bring children. They love to order food while watching movies and special shows. We have always had fun here. Great service and food! read more

Absolute gem of a facility. One of my favourite go-to's for when I want to go out but not DC or clubbing or anything crazy. They get amasing comedians to come here; I've now seen Bobby Lee, Stevo, David Koechner, Josh Blue, Paris Sashay to name a few of my favourites. But they also show films and host cool events like the fly fishing tour every year. You don't come here for the food, you come here for the comedy shows/films and stay for the drinks LOL. It's open seating which I actually really like, and office chairs with tables/bar tops which just really has a unique atmosphere I've never had anywhere else. I've even talked to the manager about renting out the facility to host an event and he said yes and that they rent out regularly! Super excited for that and thankful for this old cinema turned urban space Actually ended up reserving a Thursday coming soon for a ladies happy hour karaoke night and I'm beyond excited. This place is AWESOME. - IG @ SpicyAivy read more

Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse - David koechner INSTA SpicyAivy - Cinema Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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We've been coming to the Arlington Cinema Drafthouse for quite a few years. We've always kept our expectations low for food and service and come for the show. However, things seem to be getting worse. First, they booked an incredibly offensive opening act (our fault for not checking beforehand in part). I'm not easily offended and my husband isn't either but we were both grossed out by the misogynistic "jokes." We are avid attendees at comedy shows and this was the first time I've ever wanted to walk out. But that's not the reason for my one-star. We arrived 40 MINUTES ahead of time - a pretty simple order (a bottle of wine and a carton of hummus) - nothing that needs to be cooked or poured. We didn't get either until the first act was over. We waited an hour and 20 minutes. I get that it was a packed show and there's a staffing shortage, but some people didn't get their drinks until after the show ended. At some point, you're doing a disservice to your customers to book that many seats without service. My husband inquired politely and they said they "were doing the best they can do." A long wait time - I get it, but we sat there with nothing to do, eat, or see for over an hour. Then we had to wait for a good amount of time after the show ended to get a check to sign. This is a management issue of staffing enough people - not a staffing performance issue (they were hustling and managing a lot of complaints). I'm guessing their tips were affected too, due to no fault of their own. We won't be going back, unfortunately, despite the good memories. read more