I've been to Davis Theater a few times before the renovation. It was old, kind of dirty, and definitely run down. But there was a nostalgic feel to it, and the fact you're giving back to a local business, that had us coming back a few times. However, it was definitely not our go-to theater. Now after the renovation, we never want to go anywhere else ever again!! It is AWESOME! Soooooooo much legroom, super comfy chairs, SO clean, great food and beverage options (wine and beer during my movie? Yes, please). And they should win a gold metal just for the bathroom renovation alone (anyone who went to the bathroom there before the reno will understand). Seriously, get online, but your tickets in advance (and pick out your seats) and enjoy!! love love love read more

Friendly staff, great popcorn. This is the place to go to see movies that aren't all about special effects. I love coming here.

Obviously it's not the nicest theater in the city. It's a classic old neighborhood theater that shows new movies for a lower price. You get exactly what you pay for and it's perfect. Everybody who works there is super nice and the popcorn is always delicious. read more

TERRIBLE parking which you have to pay for. Years ago this was not the case. Screens still too small. Can sometimes hear the sound from the other theaters. So irritating takes can ruin ones experience. Only go here if your movie is no where else. read more

I have to write a more realistic review than what is on here for the Davis. In most places around the country, this would be your $2 or $3 movie theatre showing movies just before they are on DVD (see Logan Theatre). However, due to local support and a great location, the Davis lives on. I am happy it has, as it is a great place to see films that do not require comfortable seats, good sounds, or great visuals (e.g. Juno as opposed to There Will Be Blood). Compared to Evanston, you will save $1 per ticket, and compared to River East, you will save $2. If either of those two other theatres were next door, I would happily pay the extra money. If you are driving, it's actually cheaper to go to Evanston because of the free parking. Because of its lackluster quality, I think the Davis needs to have at least one non-mainstream film at all times - in the mode of the Village North. All that said, I will continue to go to the Davis for the animated films and "stupid comedies" I sometimes see. For anything else, I will be elsewhere. read more

I live in the neighborhood and love this place. It's low key and smaller but the folks behind the counter are nice and the audience is never loud. The sign outside is awesome. I would say that i wished they upgraded the men's room- but you can't have everything! read more

davis is not too shabby. a little shabby, but not too. i just like it because it's kinda old timey, down-to-earth, old skool obviously. throw on my poodle skirt and i'm set. i think it's way better than logan theatre. a step up if you ask me. read more

Wow, this place brings back memories from my childhood. I love this place for its history and also nostalgic special place in my heart. Enjoyed all my dates and just girl's nite out as kids and adults here. Thank goodness its still here. The neighborhood wouldn't be the same without it. read more

My first few of movie experiences in Chicago were spent at big-time theatres in bustling areas (the AMC downtown by that awful bowling alley, and the big Kerasotes movie-plex around Western and Fullerton). They both sucked majorly! Both theatres were overpriced for admission and concessions, and yeah the sound and picture were great, if you could manage to pay attention over the horribly rude crowds. I'm a fan of actually WATCHING the movie I've paid to see, and there's nothing worse than having to sit next to the group of asshole teenagers that does nothing but talk on cell phones and cut up the entire time the movie is running. Actually, let me rephrase myself--there is one thing worse, and that's being stuck in an entire theatre full of jerks. I actually went to one movie where a fight broke out in one of the front rows and everyone started screaming 'Fight, Fight!' in the middle of the (well, it was supposed to be, anyway) most suspenseful part of the horror movie. Argh! Anyway, as I was saying before I so rudely interrupted myself...I grew tired of paying to have my day ruined while simultaneously not getting to watch a movie. So I looked around for a not-so-hip place, a theatre in a quiet neighborhood where most of the population would be over 17 and (hopefully) well-mannered. I already knew I love the vibe in Lincoln Square, so when I realized there was a movie theatre in the neighborhood, I crossed my fingers and took the dive. Thank God I did. It's now one of my favorite spots to be in all of Chicago. Yeah, the place is rundown. The bathrooms are a little frightening. Your feet stick to the floor. But admission and concessions are dirt-cheap, service is what you should expect at a theatre (non-intrusive at best, disinterested at worst...but who the hell cares? You're there to see a MOVIE!), and though they don't show 19 different films a week, the four they choose to show are usually the four best popular flicks out at the moment. Best of all--a great crowd of similarly appreciative movie-goers who know how to keep their mouths shut, sit back, and enjoy the show. read more

I dig it. Always have a great time seeing movies here, and the seats are so super bouncy. This is not a fancy theater by any means, but it's cozy and unpretentious. read more

Great price and the neighborhood makes a trip to the movies much more enjoyable than a massive cineplex could ever be. But I'm a sucker for a good neighborhood theater. read more

I have been to the theatre 3 times now. I live in Ravenswood. This was my last visit. I get the impression that whomever own or operate this place is with someone else's money. These guys walk around as if inspecting the help to see they are doing a good job and yet don't seem to do anything. First visit we bought tickets to see one movie and after another started playing we were informed the movie we payed for wasn't playing that evening. We were given a refund with a side eye from I guess a manager who told me that the movie had already been playing 10 minutes...And? Tonight bought tickets and the girl asked where do you want to sit? I asked to see the screen but was told the screen 'didn't rotate' so of course I had to go back and change them because I didn't like them. The sound was horrible, it's not lit properly so people have their phone lights on trying to find their seats. Seat are uncomfortable! We bought a popcorn, soda and a tiny bag of specialty chocolate for a whopping $18. Lousy popcorn, lousy candy in nice packaging! I did like the bathroom! If this was a bathroom review it would be great but as far as theaters go...waste of time and money. I also never write reviews but this place is a disaster!!!! read more

I love that this theater exists. It could use a little sprucing up on the inside, but what it lacks in polish, it makes up for in charm. Not to mention the cheap ticket prices -- a matinee is around $5. Also, surprisingly, they take credit cards. read more

Absolutely loved this little dive of a theater. Cheap tickets, cheap food and a great location. It is nothing fancy but what do you expect? It's perfect the way it is. read more

Excellent theater .and reasonable price. Nice friendly staff. I always look forward to come to this theater

The resurgence of Lincoln Square as a dining & entertainment destination has resulted in renewed prosperity for this independent neighborhood theater. Not too long ago, it was poorly regarded as an old movie house which offered only dreary 2nd-run fare. Nowadays the Davis enjoys healthy patronage from area residents & visitors who want to catch first-run films at a discount from what the big chain theaters would charge. The layout of some of the screens is kinda funky - when their big screen was chopped up into 4 mini-houses, they left the far left & right screens at strange angles - but if you can get over that, watching a film at the Davis is a good value for the money. read more

I dropped by the Davis to catch a 4:30 show of The Inside Man (pretty good movie by the way) and got exactly what I expected from the earlier reviews. The theatre was small and had some odd angles for the seats and screen, but I had no trouble finding a spot that allowed a great viewing. Plus the ticket was a mere $5 for the pre 6pm matinee. No commercials, no strange scanner for tickets. Just a good movie experience. (also note, CASH only here) read more

Today on 12/14/16... The Davis has REOPENED! Opening with Rogue One, A Star Wars Story, the Davis has been unveiled into a clean and user friendly movie theater while keeping much of the charm that always was apart of the theater. Revealing and restoring architectural details from it's swinging Jazz age roots while updating the interior theaters to three (down from four) very comfortable rooms with well sized screens. Stadium style seating, so great sight lines and a very clear sound system that isn't deafening. And... You can have BEER or a cocktail or a glass of wine in the theater. Next door, where Bocca Dela Veritas was (and sadly, no longer with us) is a very nice looking bar/ restaurant called Carbon Arc, named after the earliest lamps used to fire up old movie projectors. Didn't check it out, but will in the future. Lincoln Square has MANY great options for dinner. Luella's Southern Kitchen is delicious! Tickets are $9 for matinee and $12 at night. Hey, it's $16 downtown, so why not support your LOCAL option and the restaurant/ bars surrounding it? Lincoln Square is a GREAT neighborhood and deserves your visiting. read more

Davis only gets props because they're oldschool and indie. They've upgraded their lineup to first run shows but the theater is as run down as ever. i mean it has alotta character. :p Hey it's not a dis, it is what it is but i don't go to shows expecting crazy awesome sound or visuals. I go see the movies i'm ambivalent about. A few of the screens are sorta on a slant and narrow probably due to multiplexing but at least they're here. They do community stuff too showing cheaper kid shows and such. That's nice. read more

this theatre is a very old one and enjoyable at the same time. it's not the usual huge screen, in fact it reminded me of barney's tv in the show "how i met your mother." but it serves it's purpose and works as a quaint theatre. matinee prices when i went were $5.50 before 6pm and their normal price is only $8.00 so in comparison to a spanking new theatre i think it's worth the cheaper davis. i think the seats are newer obviously cause they were still quite comfortable despite the theatre's age. read more

Like movies but hate moviegoers? Enjoy a couple of hours of entertainment without losing 1/2 a day's income? Appreciate the independently establishment, even if that's at the expense of a lousy bathroom? If you've been nodding your head "yes", then go see your next movie at the Davis Theatre, by far my favorite place to see a flick in this city. Why: - Neighborhood. I absolutely adore Lincoln Square and am always looking for a reason to venture there. Add easy parking, numerous restaurants and this makes for a perfect day or night outing. - Price. $5.50 matinee. $5.50! And $8 for a PM show -- are you kidding me?! Amazing. Popcorn is cheap (and good), too. Plus, no one seems to mind the smuggling in of my bottled water, so seeing a movie -- as I just did today -- cost me less that $10 all-in. - Selection. The Davis usually offers movies I want to see. They're not too concerned with nabbing the box-office hero, instead opting for more charming, sometimes indy films. Yay. - Party people. It's never been too crowded but has enough of a crowd to build some ambiance. The counter folks are always pleasant. - Signage. The awesome, vertical lettering proclaiming "DAVIS" outside the theatre is classic and great and rare. read more

This place is a D to the U to the M to the P. I don't know what all these other yelpers are smoking, but I do know that I'd like some! I have been dragged here since I was a kid, because it is cheaper. That was all well and good back then, but guess what, it isn't THAT much cheaper. Must we fall on our knees and give them the highest praise because they offer a matinee? You can pay like three dollars more, go to the century in evanston, and be treated like a king! The thing is, my star rating wouldn't be so low if it weren't obvious that the owner's of the davis are making out like bandits. Over all these years they raise and raise their prices and never renovate a damn thing! They rely on the fact that a bunch of yuppie hipsters will continue coming to their nasty ass theater because it is "neighborhoody and quaint." I just puked in my mouth a little when I typed quaint. While all these other folks are sitting in the chairs with stains from 1979 with their feet permanantly glued to the floor at the davis, I'll be at the theater in evanston, living it up all clean like, with leather seats and stadium seating. BALLER!!!!! If that makes me a snob, so be it. read more

The Davis is great. I always feel welcome, it's in the neighborhood, they have popcorn and cherry coke, and they play things that I want to see most of the time. And though it may hold the world record for inexplicably longest time featuring The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo...I still love it there, slanty screens and all. read more

Recently I wrote because I had bites after leaving the theater and I was afraid to return in case they had a bed bug problem. . I posted to see if anyone else received itchy bites after seeing a show. The owner, Tom, took this quite seriously and hired a service to investigate (www.bedbuginspectors.com) . The report came up clean and it is available online and at the box office. I am so pleased that the Davis is bed bug free and also that they took my concern seriously. I will continue to be a frequent and loyal customer. read more

The only things I like about this place are the location and the price! Seats and grimy and falling apart. All the theaters seem to be slanting in various directions. Too bad they don't put any money into keeping it up. read more

The Davis is a total toilet, but I love it. You're guaranteed and inferior moviegoing experience regardless of what you're after - the screens are off-center and angled, so you actually need to sit all the way to the left or all the way to the right if you want to be in the middle, the picture is unusually dark and often not correctly matched to the screen so that the tops of people's heads are cut off and so on, and the seats are horrendous. But it's a wonderfully cheap, horrible neighborhood theater that I can walk a block to any time I want to see a movie, and they do get first-run stuff...no catching something here a week before it comes out on DVD. You horrible toilet, I love you! read more

I'm a germaphobe and the constant media reports on bedbug outbreaks in public places like movie theaters does not help my mental state (or the mental state of those who have to live with me) but, with a little positive self talk, I am able to put my "issues" aside from time to time in order to spend 2+ hours at The Davis as I love going to the movies and I love, love, LOVE having a movie theater walking distance from my house. I still have to skip the grody bathrooms, keep my purse in my lap at all times, and refrain from putting my head back on the seats (there isn't enough positive self talk in the world to overcome those issues) but, other than that, I highly recommend The Davis Theatre to all who love the experience of going to the movies, germaphobes included. read more

This place is old. The screens are small and the seats are uncomfortable. When I first walked in I thought I was back in one of my old college auditoriums. I'm usually a snob when it comes to movie theaters, but nothing can beat the cheap prices for tickets and concessions. I'd go here again mostly because it's local and easy to get to. If you can accept this place for what it is then you'll enjoy it (or at least tolerate it!). read more

This is an ok theatre for a cheaper movie option, but is definitely showing its age. The theatre we were in slopes from right to left as well as back to front...very odd feeling. read more

I'm a big fan of supporting little local theaters. They may not be as squeaky clean as the huge AMCs and what have you, but they are low in price and big in character! Yeah, the Davis is your typical semi-rundown, sticky-floored, broken-seated place, but if those things don't bother you too much, it's totally worth it. They have new releases for much cheaper than the big chains, plus the fact that I can walk there is great! I don't have to take the bus or coerce someone to drive me and pay for parking. I hope they can someday afford to fix it up a little bit, because then it would be a completely ideal place to see a movie! read more

I was a big fan of the old Davis theater. With all the excitement, press, PR about the new theater I think my expectations were falsely raised. I made reservations online bought my tickets online and when I got to the theater the seats I thought I had reserved we're not the actual seats. When I went to the concession stand to found find out why I was told that this happens a lot and people are making a lot of errors in figuring out the seating chart. The renovated the theaters to stadium seating however, unlike other theaters with stadium seats, at the Davis Street the higher up you go the hotter it gets. So even in row H the first elevated row it's 10° hotter than the seats on the floor. My biggest disappointment however was with the restaurant. It has a cafeteria feel. It appears that they're innovative with their food offerings but sacrificing flavor. I expected it would feel more like an Arclight theater which has a lush Feel to it. I was really disappointed that although everything is brand-new it doesn't have that Rich luxurious feel nor the quaint throwback to the original Davis theater. I was very disappointed read more

You can't beat $8 for a new release and the cheap concession stand eats! Yes Davis Theater is a little run down and smells musty. I went last week to see SATC2 and the theater was dead. There was ample leg room for my long legs but the seats are not that comfortable. If you know that Davis is older and not posh like the other movie theaters you will love it. I will go back for sure when I want to see a newer release. Davis only has 3 screens so it will not attract the masses of people. That can be a good thing! read more

I love old movie theaters this one is from 1910!. Or so I was told by the salesperson who gave me my soda. That being said it is in bad need of repair. With all of the chain movie theaters having pushed out nearly every independant movie theater in Chicago I feel it is very important for all of us Chicagoans to support this theater!. It's only 5 bucks for an early show 7 for a regular evening show. And they make their own cotton candy. :-) read more

Ok I get it, its not clean or as new as a modern theater but this throwback movie theater is a unique experience in Chicago. Having moved from the city, I recall the day I saw a movie there and hearing all the squeaky chairs and smell of stale popcorn and dust. For me, I prefer a modern theater, but if youre up for it give the good ol Davis a shot. read more

There are always seats at the Davis Theater. It's in a great neighborhood, right in the heart of Lincoln Square. The movies are current. For being an old theater, it's very well kept up. The popcorn is amazingly amazing. I'll keep going back. read more

Yes, this place is old, and so is the equipment, but its cheap, local and handy. If you are looking for a theater with awesome surround sound or perfect picture, try elsewhere. If you want to support local business, pay $5.50 for a good movie and not get gouged on your snacks, go to the Davis before 6pm. read more

This is totally a vintage neighborhood theater, and appears to have minimal updates since the dawn of film really. Movies are super cheap and its in a lovely neighborhood area, perfect for dinner, drinks, etc. in combination. Its not going to be as fancy as Showplace Icon or the AMC especially in terms of technology, sound, seats, etc. If you want to see "Amazing CGI Masterpiece in IMAX 7-D" , then this probably isn't the theater to come to. I found the building itself to be interesting in an old building way. The theater seats appear to be original and certainly have not become MORE comfortable over the years. The women's bathroom is cramped! Barely room to turn around and like the seats, things appear original. read more

"Assigned seating" even when only 10 people are attending the movie? Check. Terrible but "new" sound system? Check. Snooty service. Triple check. No thank you Davis. I liked the old you. I hate the new you. read more

I like the davis. Cheap daytime movies. The popcorn is cheap and flavorful. The screen is small and the audio is horrible. The seats are comfy and never filled. They place first run movies without the previews. Parking lot across the street. read more

Oh the Davis, what a hole! This place is in need of some TLC -- most of the theaters have tons broken seats, the bathrooms are downright scary and often you can hear other movies playing while you are watching the one you paid to see. It is true that you can always walk right in so there's that. read more