80 year old "theatre" that has great menu of indie films. I have to agree that the seats are not super comfortable. But the popcorn + real butter is delicious, plus they have a great selection of tea (that I got on the way out because who wants tea during a movie). NOTE the sign right in front says 3 minute not 3 hour parking, and luckily my husband pays more attention than I do to parking signs. That said we usually park somewhere in the neighborhood, I'm not sure if there is an official lot which is not super convenient. LOVE the personal welcome to the movie given by the staff before each film, evokes very classic movie experience. read more

I randomly stumbled into this theater when I was looking to see "A Hologram for the King". I was a bit surprised at first, but the old vibes definitely began to grow on me. There's a lot of history in this place (it was built in 1926), and I'll definitely be coming here again! I spoke with John after the show, one of the staff who's worked there for 20 years, and he was extremely friendly. This place is definitely a special place. Before the movie starts, the staff came to the front and kindly asked people to turn their phones off. They also asked if anyone wanted the temperature or the volume changed. If you're looking for a chill evening, this cozy theater and an indie film is the place to be! read more

We stopped here when we say Hunt for the Wilderpeople was playing. The theatre is in a great Menlo park location. It's a bit older, but the bigger complaint is it was very hot. Couldn't wait to get out of there... read more

Continuing my adventures to old theaters that show indie films I ventured to the Guild Theater on a Sunday night to catch Beasts of the Southern Wild. I'm still not sure how to describe the film. The theater is pretty large and the screen is set back a little; it's not a huge screen but I wasn't going for IMAX so i don't really care. The seats are the old school upholstered with velvet (?) seats which can either be nice or a little icky. They seemed more nice than icky. Tickets were $9.75 which I guess is pricey since the theater doesn't offer the modern amenities, but I love the style of the older theaters so much and it's the closest indie theater that I know I'll be back sooner or later. read more

I didn't realize until reading the reviews that this theater and Aquarius are sister-theaters. I love them both! Any place that smells like old musty libraries are a plus, no sarcasm there at all! Went here for the first time recently to catch 'Before Midnight' and it was a great experience. Love the old decor, curtains and stage. I would love to come here again to see Rocky Horror, although I am intimidated haha. read more

Another lovely little independent theatre in the Stanford area. Independent and foreign films are shown. Way overpriced snacks, but I don't mind buying them to support the tiny one-screen theatre. "Alternative" youth work the box office/snack stand and are always fun to chat with. Nice, quiet vibe, especially since I'm usually the only person under 45 to be found. read more

this theatre is fucking awesome, because it is home to the glorious bawdy caste, who performs rocky horror picture show here every first and third saturday of every month! EVERYBODY GO TO ROCKY!!! it's only seven bucks and it's hella fun and you get to see me dance whilst half naked in drag queen makeup. read more

Pretty cool little one screen theatre on El Camino. The only negative is that relative lack of parking but my advice is to go Kepler's (before or after) and park there. Of special note it the variety of lighting in the theatre and of course their emphasis on non-mainstream films. Not something you go out of your way for, but not bad either. read more

I went here for a matinee recently. Nice theater. It's an old-fashioned, art deco type place with a good sized screen and comfortable seating. No noticeable smell either (unlike many this age) but the floors weren't too clean. For $2.50 you can get as much coffee (ok stuff), tea (nice brand), hot chocolate, or cider as you want during the movie. In practice, you'll only get one cup though I guess. Now my favorite place to go for movies. read more

Vintage good looks, affordable, and convenient despite it's "prime" Palo Alto/Menlo Park location. Park around in the back or across the street at the Cal Train Station. As with other indie theatres, you don't have to get there 35 mins early (block buster movies seem to still make you do this). Just get your tickets 5 mins before and stroll in. Clean restrooms, nice pick of movies. read more

The Guild is not that fancy, the tickets can be pricey, and the sound system is so-so, but they're showing art films in ho-hum Menlo Park so who really gives a cr*p? What's especially great is if you drink a 40 on your way to the theater (concealed in a bag, of course) and kind of squint your eyes as you walk past the older professor crowd, you'll almost feel like you're in SF. If you tend to go there a lot on weeknights or weekend days, buy the multi-pass: 5 tickets for $33 and save a bundle. The only major flaw with this theater is that they tend to run the same movie for a good, long time, making it a little annoying for folks in the neighborhood who'd like to think of this as their theater. read more

A one-screen old-fashioned neighborhood movie theater with good taste in movies, though I wish the screen were a bit bigger. I've seen a lot of impressively good foreign and independent films here. Park over between Menlo Ave and Santa Cruz, maybe get dinner on Santa Cruz Ave first, and enjoy! read more

One-of-a-kind theater with a retro feel. It can get cold in the tiny lobby with the doors open, but the temperature is nice in the screening room itself, which has a fun Art Deco vibe. The rows of seats are well spaced, so that people behind you can't easily bump into your seat. The restroom reminded me of my high school bathrooms -- tiny and very institutional. It's nice to have a movie theater right in town, where we can walk rather than drive. read more

Located in Menlo Park, the Guild plays lots of foreign and smaller, more independent films. Some of the films are hit-or-miss, but its a great little place to check out big screen showings of films you may only have seen on DVD. read more

I am usually a fan of cute independent theaters like this one. They usually have well selected independent and foreign films, which I love, and the seats are comfortable. The only real drawback to this place is the arctic air conditioning. I came here on a warm spring night in jeans and a thin sweater and the theater was sooo cold that my friend and I could not concentrate on the movie. We had to leave early because it was so distracting and uncomfortable. I am usually cold in theaters so I bring a sweater, but I felt like I had to wear a parka and mukluks be able to read the subtitles. read more

Awesome theater! This place screams hole in the wall. I enjoy a theater that has a lit up marquee out front. The staff was very pleasant and accomodating. Didn't even mind the 10 minute delay while they worked on the projector. It also didn't hurt that they were showing "Barney's Version" which should warrant some Oscar buzz for Paul Giamatti. Only negatives are that 2 hours in the seats can have your back barking a bit. Might even make the trip for the Rocky Horror Picture Show someday. read more

This is a terrific, old-time theater. They feature artsy and independently-produced films. Ticket prices have escalated a bit over the past years and now the price of popcorn and drinks A tiny bag of popcorn is now five bucks (even the chain theaters offer more for less). I like the theater itself...just wish the refreshments were less costly... read more

This theater is wonderful! Just watched "my week with marilyn" and it couldn't have been a better night! I love love love how nice the person working tonight was. Really genuine and sweet. He came down and introduced the movie and tell us to have a good time. Really felt special. The people that were watching the movie seemed intelligent (the reason I mention this is because usually in bigger theaters stupid kids are always on their cell phone which is THE MOST ANNOYING THING! and not once did that happen at this showing), mostly older crowd which is always pleasant! my mom and I had drinks at Cafe barone first which was really fun. We will definitely be back!! read more

Great movie venue. Large theater, auditorium sized.

wow must be a historical building and it's clean and spacious

I have been going to this theater over the years for longer than I care to admit....but it still hasn't changed much, and that is a good thing! In fact it is fantastic. I love the nostalgic atmosphere this theater provides. It's a welcome break from the over-sized multiplex theaters that are too crowded to really be as enjoyable as this intimate experience. I love that you essentially step into the theater through the door (through the tiniest lobby) and that the concession stand is small and tucked into the corner, instead of a huge showcase of all the over-priced junk you can buy. I love the presumably original elaborate wall decorations, and that there is a curtain over the screen that opens when the movie starts. And like most everyone else I love that the one guy working in the theater, at the ticket booth and the concession stand, comes to the front of the theater to announce that the movie is starting, please turn off your cell phones, and let us know if it's too hot/cold/etc in the theater. In short, I love everything about this theater and I'll be frequenting it more in the future. I hope that it continues to stay open for a long time (unlike the neighboring Park Theater, which I still remember)...so that I can enjoy it for another 30+ years! read more

I've drove by the Guild multiple times and when I went out to run an errand, I decided to catch a movie here and I love supporting small businesses. Don't be fooled by the outside, the inside of the theater was gorgeous and the sound is great. I'd say buy a movie ticket and support the community. read more

I especially like it when a theatre is easy to reach by train, and this one is! Small, comfortable seats, across the street from Kepler's and Cafe Borrone. read more

Nice to be in a theater that is not some huge 100 screen place, but they charge as if it were new and just remodeled. If they would only charge less, it would be worth it. The old decor (and the whole smelly place) is an interesting change, but not for the price they are charging. read more

Everyone else has said it all. I'm a big fan based on a three or four visits, over the last couple of years. Last year, I saw "Whatever Works". the movie was funny, the theater was nearly empty on a weeknight but cozy at the same time, the seats were comfy, the coffee was good, the popcorn was excellent if overpriced, the staff people were pleasant enough. Recommended! read more

When we came by for the first time, the bicycle lock had gone missing so the staff let us put our bikes in the theater. Very friendly service, and a nice small theater with a friendly ambiance and comfy seats. read more

I go to this theater once a month, every first Saturday night for the screening of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. It is an amazingly fun expierence that is so universal to many people in the US that I couldn't think of a reason NOT to go. Its completely authentic with a very capable cast which plays the parts in front of the screen. Its an accepting community that is very liberal and even more open-minded. I love this movie and I love this theater. Its all ages, which is good thing so that everyone can have the memory of going to Rocky. It lets parents take their kids to something that they themselves attended when they were their kids' age. read more

We bought popcorn at 3PM( ahead of early movie) an d it was so stale it was unedible. The said it was "just freshly popped" when we took it back--a giant lie. We were the only people who bought it (only about 20 in the theater) and the popper was almost empty. We have easily eaten over a ton of movie popcorn so we KNOW stale when we taste it--probably left over from night before. If you like popcorn, TAKE YOUR OWN to that theater read more