They re-opened the theater, must be under new management. At least it did not close, and I am writing this review in hopes it improves the business overall so that it does NOT close but increases audience attendance. I don't know if the owners are taking tickets and serving pop and popcorn but they have an I could care less attitude. They are not rude, but the others(previous management) seemed that they cared more about their customers and they dressed the part too. The help wears their own clothes, and does not look uniform or professional. I watched two movies since they re-opened, and the first time was a Friday night 6:10 premier opening of a new movie, and I was the only person in the entire theater (not a good sign). Today I was one of two people watching a movie. The ticket was only $8.00 for a 4:15PM showing a much better price than the $12-10 price of Sundance theater. I enjoy Popcorn and Pop, so the last time I was at this theater I ordered it, and was disappointed with the popcorn, the pop was excellent!. It did not taste freshly popped, it was dry and salty, not much flavor to it. Before the popcorn was excellent, on par with Guild 45th, and Sundance. This time I avoided the popcorn and pop, I hope they improve the taste of their popcorn, ask to taste a few before you buy the bag (kind of like tasting the milk then buying the cow, not sure the reference but you get the idea). Seats on main floor could use upgrade, but no problem with a two hour movie. Upstairs much better as far as seats go, not as comfortable as Sundance sadly. Well that is how I feel about this theater right now. Movie prices good, popcorn sucks, attendants could be in a nice uniform instead of looking like they just walked in off the street, and will update on next movie visit. Please go here to watch a movie, don't want it to shut down. Thanks! read more

Seats are very worn and incredibly uncomfortable. Popcorn was terrible. Not very clean, dusty smelling. read more

this is the kind of theater you dream about how it would be in New York. classic indies, new indies, foreign films, film festivals, obscure selections and the "only playing in select theaters" films.... YES! i hate popcorn. seriously, i do... but you can't help stealing a few palm-fulls from your friends at Varisty. the popcorn is strangely good. hmm. the ticket booth dudes aren't so annoying once you've partied with them a few times at a house party on greek row or a bar. their seats aren't too shabby and you would expect tons of teeny boppers and people with crying babies... but no. you're in the clear! i enjoy watching films downstairs, but the upper levels aren't that bad due to good quality of their screens. i despise the parking options, though. there's no lot--- therefore you have to: a.) take the bus or ride a bike there b.) walk from your dorm/apt/house- but still convenient c.) stand in a parking spot for your friends but other cars will honk at you in anger. haha d.) have your mom/dad or in my case, LIMO (j/k) drop you off. read more

I really like Varsity, but because I get driven most places- I'm not 100% that this IS the land-mark owned theater that has the ticket counter outside at a weird angle where you CANNOT read ANYTHING when driving by unless you are literally pedaling your mode of transport which I wouldn't recommend because of the random speeding that happens regardless of light colors. Or it it has the entrance doors at some weird angle so you have to reset your compass whenever you walk in or momentarily stage Ascending and Descending. Or if it's the same one with same, same, same movie popcorn anywhere with commercial sodium laden toppings in baldy made shakers that fall apart when you shake them to break up the clumping and...no nutritional yeast?! The place that charges five dollars for eight ounces of water? With the Espresso stand/bar that is never open and when it is open you must sacrifice A HEARTY SPRING PIG ON THE PENTAGRAM ALTER NEXT TO THE COUNTER IN ORDER FOR THE BARISTA TO DESCEND FROM THEIR HEAVENLY PERCH JUST OUT OF YOUR SIGHT AND FAVOR YOU WITH A REFRESHMENT?! ( Yes, at this point I know this is the place). Yes, it is pretty, and old, and in-die , but their service is so spotty and I don't know a single person I'm trying to impress by being there...and until an alternative film that I really want to see pops up- or until I go find Babe or Wilbur- I shan't be sojourning here anytime soon. Their staff is just so...baked looking- or like they only serve people during seconds on the hour that have prime numbers. read more

SPIKE AND MIKE'S!!! This is the spot to catch the Sick & Twisted Cartoon Festy every year!!!! Wooot! This is the single best cinematic event according to me. But I LOAF SICKY TOONZ!!!! read more

Well...obviously you don't go to this theater for the fanciness but it was alright. I went to a screening for the Blacklist here and it was just your basic, small, old, theater. My armrest actually fell off... yikes! The plus side was that the popcorn was good! :) read more

My boyfriend and I went here and had a great experience. Cannot believe it wasn't more crowded! Attentive laidback staff, very inexpensive with the groupon, and practically empty. Not to mention really cool atmosphere! read more

Hmm.. where to start with this theatre. Ok, well, I'll begin with the positives. Varsity has a lot of indie films and documentaries that are very difficult to find anywhere else. If you're looking a new film that's very obscure or very artsy, there's a good chance you'll find it here. They have really reasonable matinee prices and, like a lot of the larger theaters, a free membership card that allows you to earn free movie perks. It's pretty small, which might appeal to some people, but has more theaters than it appears to have from the outside. The film projector ran smoothly with fair quality. Which brings me to its' less than appealing features. Let's just say this place looks like it should have a smell. It didn't, which was a pleasant surprise, but all physical characteristics of this place would point to it having one. All their carpeting is through with being there and really needs to be pulled up. There were several places where the ceiling was attempting to free-fall to the theatre below. The seats were dirty and made us consider just standing for the entire film. I would only consider coming back here to view the artsiest of films that I couldn't find anywhere else and I felt I had to see to go on being happy in my life. Maybe. Bottom line, give this place a complete renovation and a bath and we'll talk. read more

Varsity Theatre - Varsity Theatre - Cinema Near Me - Seattle, Washington

It's a theatre alright! Not much to say. Watched the Oscar nominated short films 2012, which were cool. The theatre was clean, the attendant was only mildly disgruntled seeming, and I declined to purchase outlandishly priced snacks, so no news there. Would surely return next time I yen to watch a flick in the u district! read more

The best theatre ever. Came here with my friend. The manager is really nice and friendly, very helpful: he is soooooooo sweet. Thank u!

A nice theater that brings in quality films. I like that they have three screens, it leaves some wiggle room. Don't like the indie documentary about robots competing for Marsha Brady's hand in marriage, its ok, you've still got two other shots to satisfy your taste. Also, their Peanut M&Ms are superb. read more

This theater is pretty good if you want to watch "independent" movies. You know.... stuff about getting made fun of in high-school for being an weirdo, or discovering your sexuality on a vacation to Mexico, or whatever was happening in Secretary. These things win Awards at SIFF (Whatever that is...) and you can see 'em all here. This place is not getting more than three stars until they stop showing that "...The Language of Film is Universal" commercial at the begaining of every feature. read more

The staff here are so friendly they make me feel guilty about my reserved demeanor. Unfortunately, the seats leave much to be desired.

Watched Zootopia here because it's close and cheap ($8 for UW students). The seats were comfortable enough, standard theater seating with enough spacing between rows. However the video player did not fill up the entire screen and the quality was lacking. There were awkward black bands around the screen so it looked like they were streaming from a computer screen. Other than the quality of the video I have no complaints. Great location for a spontaneous movie run. read more

The Varsity is the closest first-run movie theater to where I live, which is the biggest thing to recommend it, but really only makes a big difference if you are me, or if you live in my building. As a theater, it's decent; I have no opinion on the food and drink because you are flat out of your chicken picking mind if you buy theater concessions, and the staff seems pretty bored with their existence considering that they're all still in their early 20s. The space itself is fine, though; the stairs make it clear that it's for a college crowd, and old geezers like me have to creak up to the top floor, but they show a decent mix of mainstream box office stuff and quirky little documentaries and indie fare. The seats are fine, the prices are affordable, and the sound is good. The parking is -- for Chrissakes, why are you driving to a movie theater in the U. District? read more

This is a great movie theatre in the University district. They always show really cool art house movies, and they always have four movies going, so if you are just walking around the U District, you can usually find a good movie playing there without too much planning ahead of time. read more

Pretty sweet little joint. Most random location and absolutely no parking... really. I thought others were lying or didn't have my ninja parallel skills, but sadly neither was true. This location runs unique, indie, or obscure movies. Like every other theater there is popcorn, candy, and what not to mindlessly munch on after purchase. Unlike all the others there is beer! for relaxing in the lobby. The history of the theater is cool (check out their website)- it is more than worth a try. read more

The landmark theater chain describes itself as "committed to exhibiting meaningful films that need to be seen". I've found that to be accurate, which is why I'm giving Varsity 4 stars. The theater itself isn't in astounding condition. It's a little old and worn around the edges. However, they consistently show interesting independent/art house films that other theaters ignore. It's not as edgy nor as locally involved as the Northwest Film Forum, Grand Illusion, 911 Media Arts, etc. but it's still a lot better than ye average cinema. read more

Go for the unique independent films and not the atmosphere. If its luxury you're looking for, try somewhere else but if you want something out of the ordinary, then park your butt right here. read more

I am rating this 5 stars not because of the theater itself, but because this location is always spot on with some pretty cool movies. I have seen some pretty funny flicks here and the staff is pretty nice. read more

Varsity is an old and classic movie theater , where you can find some of the great documentaries, independent movies, foreign films and more.Staffs here are very welcoming and friendly. Unlike other big theater this place is very less crowded so there is always lots of seats to choose from. Beside all these, this ancient theater is right on the heart of U district, where you can find great cheap food and drinks all over. read more

Four stars for the main screen, but the upstairs screens leave much to be desired. Plays a nice variety of independent /art house cinema.

Good programming. Not spacious screen rooms, but adequate. One of the few places in town to see obscure indies and docs.

This place is probably my favorite cinema ever. I watched Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead here, among many other favorite films. I loved my experiences every single time. It's such a personal experience watching a movie here. I wouldn't go here if you're expecting a big theater with fancy seating and lots of food options. read more

Filthy. And not in a good way. I don't think anyone's cleaned anything for months. Lights in the auditorium were too bright also. We saw 3 Billboards which has a lot of low lit scenes and the glare from the exits and house lights made those scenes almost invisible. read more

Small, cramped, and dimly lit, this movie theatre feels like a haunted house, but oddly, that's one of the things I like about it. Most of all, I love that it celebrates the indie and obscure films. read more

Terrible theater. They recently screened a DVD or Blue Ray disc of "The Two Faces of January" in lieu of a 35 millimeter print, or a digital one. The sound was dreadfully tinny and the picture was totally washed out and pixilated. They should disclose the fact that there is no proper digital projection system in this theater. At an admission price of $10.50, it was clearly a case of misrepresentation and outright theft. I (along with a few other people) complained, but received a blank stare, when a refund should have been given. read more

While they offer a great variety of films, the place stinks...literally. The smell of mildew is overwhelming. I went for the screening of Connected last week and came away with a massive headache from the smell of mildew. Not a healthy environment for the customer or staff. read more

The Varsity is an unusual theater. It's actually three screens in one, kind of like the Holy Trinity, but much, much different. Varsity tends to get the most obscure films and the ones with the shortest runs (one week for many of them). The Landmark chain is known for showing a lot of indie films, and Varsity is like the indie flagship of Landmark. You want a movie from Mongolia? How about a documentary about arcade gamers? Maybe a gay comedy? That's the type of things you'll find here. Thankfully I am a nerd and this appeals to me. The main floor theater is the largest and not too shabby. The other two screens are smaller; the mid-sized one is tolerable, the smallest one is backwards (you enter by the screen) so that can be a little annoying. Tuesdays are the good day to go, as all films are only $6.25. It's not the greatest theater in the world, but I can think of a lot worse theaters I've been to, and for the types of films they get here (obscure but very cool) I don't mind the Varsity one bit. read more

The worst. The main floor at least. It's a tunnel and the sound system is the pits. I only went there because the timing worked. No 1st run film like "Flight" should be screened there. I was under the impression that the theatre had been upgraded. If you are at all particular about good movies, avoid this place. read more

Appears to be closed permanently now. Walked by this morning and all fliers/posters are gone. Funky and weird but loved the movies they took a risk on. Thanks for the memories Varsity. read more

My favorite theater in Seattle, they always have the best films, the staff is always kind and helpful and for those of us with a bum knee, they have an elevator to the upper theaters. I also must say that I have eaten popcorn at every theater in Seattle and the popcorn at the Varsity is the best. The theater is old and a bit worn out but it's always clean, and they have a fantastic collection of old movie stars on the walls. read more

For the 1st time in several years I visited the Varsity twice in the past week. They had exclusives on "The Square" & "Terribly Happy" & I couldn't wait for home video. I saw the square downstairs in there largest house seating over 400. They have a nice curved screen & a great digital sound system. They have cupholders but the seats my wife & I sat in did not rock or recline. As a sloped theater there were no handles for us to grab onto. It is a little scary since my wife has MS with balance issues so we sat in the back. They have an elevator that goes to the 2nd floor where there are 2 smaller theaters. There they do have handles to hold onto getting to your seat. In the back they have 2 rows that are raised up stadium style but have NO cupholders. They also have restrooms nearby on the 2nd floor. The only concession stand is on the main floor & you can take stairs up to the balcony level to get to the nearest restrooms or ride the elevator up to the top. The balcony seats are long gone so there is no option to sit up high in the main house. I'd actually rate it 3 1/2 stars for the great diverse programming & convenience of the Chase parking lot a block over read more