Personal touch to the movies. Less of the Walmart feel you get with going to the bigger cinemas. Has food, drinks, and regular movie snacks. Will validate parking for 4 hours in the cinema deck. Seats are very comfortable. First row has a good view and big lounge chairs with a stool to get even more comfortable. Great size screen and sound. Only downfall is no military discount. read more

Yay for Dublin Dr. Pepper! Great movie date night at the Violet Crown. Comfy seats, great image and sound. Wish they had a bit more selection for food and munchies, but that's just a personal preference. Love the selection of sodas, great service in purchasing tickets and finding out seats. read more

Very nice dinner and movie! Great seats! Sit in the front row and you'll actually enjoy it!

Great little bar for before the movie. The actual theatre itself was pretty small. Our 2 seats were sticky from the previous guests who were constantly cheersing with sodas and lollipops. A guy who worked there apologized and cleaned it up, cool. Gone girl was amazing! Check it out by the way.. But it's a long movie, and the drunk lady next to me thought it was too. Constantly leaning forward and back like she was working out her core to burn off those extra martinis. Not one time did I see someone come in to look over the audience. She was a clear nuisance and seriously the last thing I want to do during a movie is have to go find someone to complain, after shuffling through the thin aisles. read more

Ask for Odin in the restaurant / bar. Excellent service. He made sure I wasn't double-charged for a drink AND watched to make sure we got into our movie on time. read more

This place has a terrible policy for refunds. I work in the film business and have supported this theatre for years. I was unable to call ahead of the screening because I was on set, working and can't be on the phone. So I called 30 minutes after it began and the manager refused to give me a new ticket to a later screening. Funny thing is ALAMO draft house has an AMAZING refund policy and supports the people that support them. This place has terrible service in the restaurant and it always smells like s toilet because they serve brussels sprouts. The seats have crumbs on them and there always seems to grease on the tables. The only reason I was going there was because its the only place showing the movie I wanted to see. I'll never go back there again. read more

This is one of my favorite theaters in Austin. The staff are friendly and expedient, the food is spectacularly, and the seats are perfect. This theater not only runs the standard new releases, but also shows indie and foreign productions as well. read more

Will forever be my favorite movie theatre. Love how causal and unique it is. I would highly recommend it

This place is amazing! I've lived in Austin all my life and I'm a huge fan of the Alamo. When I first read about this theater I initially thought there was no way in hell they could even come close the Drafthouse, after one visit though, I am absolutely sold! This theater is such a uniquely different experience from the Alamo. I highly recommend this place to everyone I can. read more

What an awesome place to see a movie. Yes, there are some things that can be improved, but overall, it was great. Sit up front to put your feet up on cushions. read more

I love this place! The film selections - foreign and art - are refreshing and the entire experience is inspiring. Full bar, decent wine selection, and appetizers with some gluten-free options. I wouldn't try to eat a meal here but you can easily find a snack to tide you over so you can enjoy one of the many nearby restaurant options after the show. Since we started coming here about 2 months ago we've made this a regular destination. read more

Violet Crown is pretty good movie going experience.. It probably isn't going to replace Alamo for most Alamo fans, but for me, Violet Crown was a refreshing change of pace. The space is tucked in above a tapas bar and at least for me, a little hard to find at first, but the parking is free in the attached AMLI garage which is a nice perk. The theater seats are incredibly comfortable and I don't think its possible for there to be a bad seat. The food that we ordered (and ate in the lobby beforehand) was maybe a little pricey, but very good. The snackbar is a bit of a joke ($6 for a brown lunch bag size of stale popcorn, just regular old candy bars for $5). They should maybe pay more attention to that and either offer something more unique that's in line with the rest of the place or dump it all together. Other than that, it was SO nice to be able to buy a ticket ahead of time and have your seat reserved; not fight for parking and be asked to move seats to accomodate larger parties even though you paid for "reserved seating" (cough cough Alamo cough cough). Would definitely come here again. read more

After visisting the place a few times, I have to admit I kind of like it. Being a frequent Alamo visitor, I have to say they are totally different, I like the occasional change. It is a different setup, different seating and smaller seating area. I sometimes enjoy seeing a movie with all adults. The food isnt bad either! read more

If you get an opportunity to choose a seat in the front row, I would highly recommend it. The chairs in the front row are more like a lounge chair with an ottoman to stick your feet up on. It's as if you are watching a movie from the comfort of your own home. read more

Came here for the first time it was an incredibly nice place and the customer service was even better. very intimate and a very cool place and very Austin. will definitely return read more

Went here last night with my friend for her birthday. We got pork tapas (SO GOOD), and the Mediterranean plate, also very good. We both ordered a $10 cocktail (choke on that price!!), the name had "Ava Gardner" in it I believe. The drink was AMAZING, but was TINNNYYYY. Seriously, 3 sips and you're done. We sprung for the front row recliner seats which, while comfortable, were extremely difficult and awkward to get in and out of (I was in a skirt! Hello immodest!) When the movie was over, the lights came up, and we sat and chatted for probably 3 minutes, discussing the movie. A "too cool for my job" employee walked in and gawked at us still sitting there and said, "You have to go now." Deadpan. Rude. I laughed and said, "Did you really just tell us we have to go now?" He said in a confrontational tone, "Yes, that's what I said." I said to him, "Do you think there's a nicer way you could say that?!" I felt like I was schooling one of my children. It was very rude. Whatever happened to customer service? I won't be returning. read more

I love this place. The movies are Indie/high-end/atypical stuff and they are always good. They have REALLY good drinks for a movie theater. Hell, for a bar. Comfortable seats. The place is aesthetically pleasing. Just all and all a great place. Get your parking ticket validated for free parking in the parking garage! read more

The VC has 4 hr parking validation, a nice bar area with whole foods style snacks, and first run movies from the foreign slash indie side. tickets are pricey, so I only see first showing during the week. most films here also play at regal arbor art house, but that's a long drive from center city. the screens are very small be aware of that. some films demand to be seen on a big screen, so for those I see at regal arbor great hills or santikos bijou in San Antonio. for dialogue and plot driven fare, the NYC style small screens are fine. on weekends the patrons are mostly rich retired people new to Austin, or their poor young offspring new to Austin. some local filmmakers have told me the projector and sounds systems are not good. filmmakers will notice quite easily.but for most of us, their digital system is fine. read more

My wife and I are probably not this business demographic, but we love this place. First, I love the online ordering and being able to chose your seat (and we have been able to sit in the super cosy recliners on several occasions.) I really like their food and beer selection. I also like how you don't have to print a receipt, just show them your phone with confirmation. I really like that there are not waiters moving around in the theatres, either. Good movies, great drink selection, free validated parking, good food. Haven't been to Alamo drafthouse since this place opened. read more

Went to see Cave of Forgotten Dreams yesterday and noticed that the stair lights have now been shielded! Thank You Violet Crown! Not only that, but I have to applaud the professionalism and efficiency of the staff. When it was discovered that my reserved seats (along with several others) were inhabited by patrons who had inadvertently reserved seats for the prior day, the situation was handled with such polite efficiency by the guy with the cool pompadour that the musical chairs process was smooth as silk. Oh, and Mrs. Meyers hand soap in the men's room?! What could be more perfect? I LOVE this place! read more

I like it that you can buy specific seats for some of the showings. You can also sip champagne while you wait in the lounge area for your seating. Very nice! read more

Violet Crown is lovely. It is what I would call a luxury movie theater. While the ticket prices are the highest that I've ever paid, it's worth it. The decor is a visual treat, and I absolutely love it that they have old black and white movies projected onto the wall (with no sound) in the cafe/bar area. The theaters themselves are small and intimate, with maybe 40 seats. When you buy your tickets, you get to choose your seat. It fills up fast, so you should try to get your tickets as early as possible. The theaters are NICE and clean, and definitely lacking the typical "sticky floor" feel that most theaters have. They also have a little coffee shop and a little cafe and bar. The food selection is limited but good. They also have a pretty decent cocktail list. A lot of Austinites might find this place to be a little too swanky and lacking the rock'n'roll vibe that's prevalent in Austin. If you like the atmosphere of the posh shops and restaurants in the 2nd Street area, though, you will not be disappointed by Violet Crown. read more

I love this movie theater. The Seat are really comfortable, the screen are in really good shape. The quality of the picture is a lot better than at the Alamo. And then the programmation is the best in Austin. I lived in NYC and SF, and really missed Art House theater. Violet Crown filled this vois since their opening. I use to don't read the movie reviews in the New Yorker because it made me sad I couldn't go see those movies. No, I can read them! And see the movie! And have a cocktail with it! Big bonus, free parking! For four hours, so I can catch a movie and enjoy Second Street a little bit. I go see every movie at the Violet Crown because if they ever close, I will be so sad. read more

My hubby and I went to Violet Crown with great expectations (our neighbor had glowing reviews) and were pretty disappointed. The facility is very swanky and nice. Beyond that, there were many cons. - Even though the lounge is small, it's counter intuitive. It's not easy to navigate the flow of the space. The ticket stand is not clearly marked, and the food and drink counter is actually separate from the place where you order alcoholic beverages. - We ordered our food, which was decent (not great), and went to go sit in the theater, except we couldn't go into the theater until 5 minutes before the movie. Unless you get there far in advance, plan on awkwardly standing in a hallway with food, drinks, and belongings in hand until the show starts. - When the theater opens, one of the employees shouts through the lobby that the theater is seating - kinda ruins the ambiance and atmosphere, which is one of the only highlights of VC. - In the theater, each seat has a small table that folds out. So now, with your food, drinks, and belongings in hand, you're trying to pull out a table, all while attempting not to hit the person beside you. - After sitting for 2 hours, pick up all of your empty dishes, belongings, fold up your table and exit the theater down steep stairs. I'm only 30 and waited tables for years, so I was able to manage this part, but I was frightened for the older couple sitting in front of us who had a hard time going to the bathroom during the movie, much less with dishes, drinks, and belongings in hand. Overall, it was a very awkward experience. If you're planning on eating there, get there early enough to avoid taking the food into the theater. Otherwise, go to Alamo. read more

Great place to watch arthouse / indi films. Good food, bar & love the theatre seating. Have seen two movies here, both experiences were great. read more

This is by far the overall best movie theater in Austin. It combines the best movie going experience that Austin has to offer. The film selection is wonderfully edited with top documentaries, independent, and limited release films. I would say it's on par with the Arbor Regal in terms of film selection. Although it can be a quite expensive experience (not necessarily more than the Alamo), it is totally worth going. Unlike the Alamo, there is no disgusting smell permeating throughout the theater. Each theater is wonderfully intimate, with by far the best movie audience in Austin - no idiots, not too old (like the Arbor), and genuine film fans. It's also a great location for people living or working downtown, and is situated in the wonderful 2nd Street District with restaurants and retail in the area. The food is also quite good, although verging on yuppie flair. Reserved seating is such a stress reliever. read more

well done Violet Crown. I have been twice now and both experiences were great. We had drinks both times at the bar, no food, so I cant comment there. Booking and buying tickets online was very easy and straight forward. Yes, this theater does cost a little more than a typical movie theater, however the ease of free valet parking out front, reserved seating that are comfortable makes it well worth it. read more

So excited to check out Violet Crown! They have a great assortment of "artsy" films. The food is pretty good and the drinks are strong. My only issue was that they give you a buzzer for when your food is ready, and you have to climb over other patrons to get it. You also have to bus your items after the end of the show. It would be perfect if they set it up like Alamo, where the waitresses take care of everything. Oh well, it was a great show and I'll be back! read more

I've only been there twice, and I love it. The seats in the front row are extremely comfy, with foot rests. The food is good, and the theater is a nice size. Maybe it's a tad to expensive to go to regularly, but it makes a great place for a special outing. I definitely recommend the Violet Crown for anyone looking for a new cinema. read more

Normally this place is great. But be aware, the "complimentary validated parking" is only valid for 4 hours. So if you try to do dinner, movie, drinks like we did, you will get reamed with a $15 flat rate when you leave the parking garage. And they won't tell you about the 4 hour rule until you're leaving. read more

Its a shame that I practically refuse to go to any other theatre. If there isn't something playing there, I usually find something else to do. Love the seats, the drinks, the fries, and the movie choices. They make my movie going visit special! Glad they are in Austin read more

Great theater! love the smaller theaters and awesome seating. reasonably priced concession...love that they have good iced tea and popcorn that looks home made versus a chemical thing. haven't eaten a full meal but nice to know it's there. easy parking in garage. love that they get unusual selection (read art house) read more

I had never heard of this little jewel of a theater until my son Anthony told me about it. Conveniently located downtown and next to a parking garage, I was more than happy with the courteous and attentive staff as well as what they have to offer. A dining area beside the bar, which from what I hear, makes great drinks. I seldom drink but I plan to return with a date and enjoy a bottle of wine. They also have a nice menu for food and a concessions area for some tasty treats, try the shake please. The waiter was very polite and gave us our privacy, which is rare anywhere. The overall appearance of the venue is a more intimate atmosphere and their bathrooms very clean. Inside the theater/screen area, quite small and with comfortable seating. One slight issue, I wish they'd turn down the ac a notch. The reservation concept I greatly appreciate, you never feel rushed. Oh yea, no fee for parking in the garage, just show them your ticket receipt, its covered. I highly recommend it. read more

If you're ever looking for an excellent alternative to the Alamo Drafthouse experience, look no further than the Violet Crown. Spectacular food and shockingly good cocktails. Try the Chicago Wagyu Beef Dog with the Sissy Lynn or, my favorite, the Deadly Poppy Field. Make sure you check the official Violet Crown Website to check movie listings. (Flixster usually posts the wrong showtimes.) read more

Absolute best theater in town. Clean, small, great food, great staff, interesting films, etc. Its too bad that other theaters don't work to get to this level. I love this place! read more

The management of this theatre leaves a lot to be desired.The viewer takes the heat for any mistake, even an ushers mistake. Make yourself happy and try another theater. read more

Recently went to a Saturday evening showing at the Violet Crown. Although the film itself (Certified Copy) was lovely, the theatergoing experience left much to be desired. Upon arriving I found that, because I had bought some of my tickets at separate times my family would be required to be seated apart for mother's day. The hostess referred me to the usher to resolve the situation and the usher merely referred me back to the hostess. Neither were particularly attentive. I was informed that the capacity to choose seats was available on their website, yet no such capacity was in evidence when I originally bought the tickets. Nor was it evident, at the time, that the seats were reserved in advance and that we could not choose our places. I understand that the website has been recently updated but that was no help to me then. On a more minor note, the printed out tickets advertised free popcorn yet none was being given out on the night of our movie with only the excuse that they meant us to understand (by telepathy perhaps) that the free popcorn only applied to the opening weekend. This is not only inconsiderate customer service, it is false advertising, and as such flatly and clearly illegal. The Violet Crown offers a new and exciting type of cinema for Austin, a highbrow counterpart to our beloved Alamo Drafthouse chain. However, if they ever wish to attain the beloved status and near obsessive following of the aforementioned chain they must follow the example set by the Drafthouse and other beloved Austin staples. Friendliness, considerateness and the eager effort to do everything you can to serve the business, the customer and the art are key. read more

Tonight we went to see Manchester by the Sea, an amazing film. 15 minutes before we were allowed to take our seats, we ordered wine at the bar. There were 2 women sitting beside us at the bar that were clearly buzzed and being really loud. Unfortunately when we found our seats, they reserved the seats beside us. They were talking during the film so I asked them to stop. They did stop talking. But the woman beside me started to cry and sob during the film, clearly drunk, so when I asked her to step outside because she was ruining my night, she told me to shut up and punched me in the arm. She said, "Why don't you report me?". So I did. Another couple stepped forward while I was complaining to the manager and backed up the events. They told the manager that the 2 women were over served. The manager offered to call the police, we declined. We should have said yes. The manager gave us 4 passes for films in the future. I'm mad because the women should have been cut off at the bar when 4 patrons clearly observed that they were drunk. This is our favorite theater, if this ever happens again, we'll never return. read more

I never thought I'd ever step foot in Violet Crown, as it seemed like a frou frou version of Alamo Drafthouse. However, they were the only theater playing "Sleepwalk With Me," which my boyfriend wanted to go see. We arrived there about the same time as the showtime listed on the website (in true procrastinator fashion) but there were still seats left. If you did not purchase your ticket online, you buy them at the coffee bar, which is sort of confusing. However, you get to pick your seats, which is pretty cool. They start the movie promptly about 10 min after the listed showtime, and if you are not in your seat already, good luck trying to find it. It is very dark and they don't have house lights. The seats are leather and recline to a certain degree, and each seat has a flip up table. Props. I liked that Violet Crown has free valet as well as validation for the AMLI parking garage. Also, the movies they show are the indie movies you won't find elsewhere. read more

Rude, condescending treatment during SXSW. Not only was this a terrible venue (too far, too few seats), the guy gave me a hard time about finishing my coffee in the lobby while waiting to see if I would be able to get in to the film. I had every intention of pitching it before I went into their Alamo wanna-be theater. There are thousands of people in town for SXSW. Way to show your Austin hospitality, hipster. read more