I really hate to give this place a negative review because the "pros" about the theater really make it sound like a great place: -movie starts on time without previews -reasonably priced theater considering no previews ($13 a ticket) -smaller, intimate theaters -comfortable seats with tray table for meals -bar with reasonably priced drinks (less than $10 for a mixed drink) -varied food menu with traditional move snacks and made to order food items Unfortunately, the set up causes way too many headaches mainly due to the food menu. Unlike iPic or Alamo Drafthouse, you order your food before entering the theater and you pick up the food outside of the theater. We learned the first time we saw a movie here that it takes a good 20+ minutes for food to be prepared. This time, we arrived at 7:10 pm for a 7:30 pm movie and finished ordering at 7:12 pm. The 2 out of 3 items were ready just after 7:30 pm and sat under a heat lamp until 7:42 when the last item was ready. I walked in to the theater for the first time almost 15 minutes after the movie started. And to top it off, since my pizza had been sitting under the heat lamp 10+ minutes, it was only marginally warm by the time I ate it. After I sat down, 5 other parties got up during next 25 minutes of the movie to get their meals. This would not be a huge deal but the buzzers to alert you that food is ready is incredibly loud and distracting. Additionally, if those individuals aren't sitting on the end, everyone in the row has to move their legs so people can get their food (and again when they return). And since there isn't a good place to put the trays when you are done eating, some people get up to remove their trays causing even more of a distraction. The first 45 minutes of any movie is basically musical chairs. The kitchen should not take 30 minutes to prepare meals for a movie. After the first time I visited this theater, I learned to show up early and even 20 minutes early was not enough. I get that the kitchen is a made from scratch kitchen (at least I hope it is) but they need to hire more cooks, prep food ahead of time and learn to multi-task. Or maybe just scratch the kitchen all together and focus on popcorn and other movie snacks. read more

I saw my first movie there this weekend. The food was quite good. We shared a bratwurst and some pork tapas.The seating is comfortable and I thought the surround sound was excellent. I wasn't crazy about the movie we saw "Beasts of the Southern Wild", however I've seen worse. With movie, dinner, drinks and a snack it came to over $50, but was a nice afternoon experience. read more

Violet Crown Cinema is awesome, if you're an indy film fan. Basically a step above an Alamo Drafthouse, but below a Gold Class Cinema, while having its own personality. They *only* show independent and artsy films here. You won't find summer blockbusters shown here. Which is kind of cool, you get to see movies you otherwise would never have heard of. The place itself is really swanky, located on the second level, overlooking 2nd Street. It's on the other side of the W Hotel, accessible by stairs or an elevator. There's a bar and a lounge area for you to chill at while you wait for your movie. I ordered the "Corpse Reviver," a strong mix of Beefeater gin, Cointreau and Lillet mixed with lemon juice and served with an orange peel. It cost $10 and was really good. They had a bunch of other cinema-themed cocktails on the menu, ranging from $8-12. Yes, it's a little on the expensive side, but it's a cool atmosphere. Tickets were $11 apiece, and they have assigned seating (common in Europe and slowly catching on in the US). I counted four theaters, but I don't know if they have more. The theaters are small, seating maybe 100 people max. There are no funny trailers like in the Alamo Drafthouses; Violet Crown Cinema is more serious, but not pretentious or anything. Nor are there any long tables or waiter service in the theater, but you can order drinks and food at the bar and bring them into the theater with you; all the seats have fold-out tray tables. I thought the service was pretty good. I went here with my parents, originally to see Killer Joe. I didn't know anything about the movie, I just went along for the ride. On the drive down there, I checked out Killer Joe on my phone, and found that it was NC-17 for all kinds of crap; that didn't bother me, but my mom was definitely not gonna see it. Being as we had already bought tickets online, we called the place up and asked if we could switch the tickets out for another movie. They did, and were very courteous about it. Also, the bartender and cashier were both very attentive. It's good to have a solid arthouse theater in town, and I will be coming back again in the future. read more

Buy tickets beforehand. The theaters are tiny so if you are not at your perfect weight you might feel big in the chair. I will try again. Great bar staff! read more

I really like the cinema scene in Austin. I've been to Violet Crown a few times now and it's unique from other theaters like Alamo Drafthouse or iPic. They have a cool cafe with seating area and a full bar where you can order adult beverages. My only issue is they don't have service in the theater but you can bring food and drinks from their cafe into the theater. Part of their uniqueness is that they show a lot of indie films with limited release. They also validate parking up to four hours in the garage behind the theater. It's definitely worth checking out if you haven't been. read more

Awesome movie theater. Very unique vibe; great thing to do in Austin. BOOK ONLINE AHEAD OF TIME TO CHOOSE YOUR SEATS. This was my smartest move of my Austin trip. I highly recommend sitting in the front row to get an ottoman; it is handicapped priority seating. So, if someone needs that row you will have to move to their seats. But that is probably pretty unlikely. At our movie we sat in the front along with another lady and the other two front row seats were left unclaimed. I usually shun the front row, but these are far enough back that they are still a great view of the screen. I appreciated the courtesy cups and lemons for lemon water that they provide near the soda fountain! Screen clarity is definitely pretty sharp. A few cons (sort of): the theaters are pretty small and the set-up is somewhat old fashioned (but in a cool way). PARKING: Also, parking was $7.50 in the garage connected to the theater. I think you can get parking validated? But we did not know this was possible until we were pulling out of the garage. Not sure how this is done. Be sure to check into that while you are in the theater! read more

Violet Crown Austin - Front row seats have foot rest ottomans!!! - Cinema Near Me - Austin, Texas

I recommend not going to Violet Crown Austin. After enjoying a movie, my date and I approached the counter to get our parking tickets validated. The employee behind the counter immediately dismissed us with "I'm not a bartender," instead of something more customer servicey and professional like, "how may I help you/what can I do for you?" Umm.......lol OK. My date then nicely asked him where we can get our parking tickets validated. To which he pretty much sighed, "I can get that for you" and grabbed my date's ticket with a poorly subdued eye roll while I was looking in my purse for mine. When he came back, I politely asked him if he could validate mine also. To which he AGAIN rolled his eyes, took my ticket and GROANED, came back and gave it to me with another extremely bothered look, as if I asked him to wipe my butt for me. Whatever. Not gonna let a rude employee ruin my night. Fast-forward to me inserting my "validated" ticket in the booth, and it asks me to pay $13. Confused, I texted my date if he had to pay for his parking. He replied, "mine worked. Just slipped it in the machine and pulled forward." So, Violet Crown, it looks like greasy haired pony-tail guy lied when he "validated" my parking ticket and conned me $13. Now, I can take a page from another Austinite's book and sue for the $13 as well as the ultimately bad experience. But I'm just gonna vent in social media. And here's a great business idea: Maybe you should have your employees Google the definition of "customer service". Or maybe don't advertise free validated parking on your website if your employees are going to have a bad attitude about honoring it. Because what just happened IS false advertising. Thanks for a lovely night. read more

Everything here is a mess. Sweet employees but they need a little more training especially the bartenders. The whole visit was chaotic. Newbies to VC forming random lines bc they don't know where to go or stand- arguing about who was first and blah blah blah. Waited 20 minutes to order cocktails and they were terrible. The martini was made with just vermouth and no vodka. Bartenders were so slow, didn't care to put a little pep in their step. We arrived early to order food and get situated and still our food took over 45 mins. I missed the first 20 minutes of the movie waiting for food and it was cold. Kitchen was behind on orders.. had a dude who sat in front of me receive his food 15 mins before film ended. Due to slow kitchen orders the theatre had people constantly getting up going in and out of the theatre. It was never quiet and did not get to enjoy the film. I know VC recently opened back up but why open up shop if everyone isn't ready to run the show. read more

Gosh, this place is so great. I wish they had one of these in every state. One of my two favorite movie places in town. They have sort of a nightclub (almost) vibe, and have a patio upstairs/outside where it is nice to take your glass of wine, look out over the balcony, and down the street at the twinkling lighted trees and Austin nightscape. Good food at the restaurant (popcorn with real butter as well), good bar with drinks. Movies are only of the independent variety; rarely mainstream. Only complaints (minor)--prices can get pretty steep for drinks, I wish they would serve the wine in a wineglass (not tumbler). Overall though I like it and the unique offerings. Our go to place in town for independent movies and weekend fun. read more

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This is my go to theater when I am in Austin. They are usually good for some indie films. They do the food and beverage and assigned seating dealio. The seats are comfy and the screens are standard size. And Cody McConaughey works here! Well the bartender kind of looks like a relative of Matthew McConaughey... and his name is Cody. read more

Decent movie selection, the beer selection has faded fast, but my main issue is the smell. The place stinks and you stink when you leave. I assume its bad ventilation, but the lobby smells like the worst of the kitchen and it sticks to you. I can't take it and its made a place I used to love almost unvisitable. read more

GREAT V E G A N menu !!! ALSO------watch "What the Health" FREE on Netflix or anywhere !! Ok - back to the theater - free garage parking !! Great selection of Indy movies. Conveniently located downtown. Awesome courteous service. & 1 more thing V E G A N 4 L I F E ‼‼ HEALTH ENVIRONMENT ANIMALS FOOD SCARCITY read more

Austin Movie Lovers: Do you realize how totally awesome it is that Violet Crown Cinema has come to town?? One of the most glaring things Austin has been missing up until Violet opened last month was a good art house theater. I moved to Austin from the Dallas area and was spoiled by the Magnolia and Angelika theaters. Sadly, I would watch all the cool indie, art, foreign and documentary films sail through these theaters in Dallas but rarely make it to Austin. It was very frustrating and weird that Austin out of all cities didn't have so many of those types of films. Yes, we had the Dobie. It was unique, had history but just didn't serve up the films it should have consistently. Yes, we have the beloved Drafthouse. As much as I love the niche market the Drafthouse creates it still slacks majorly on the art house and especially foreign movie showings. This is why we had a void that needed to be filled that Violet Crown Cinema has done. Kudos to Violet Crown Cinema for that!!! Here is a breakdown of facts: --Violet Crown Cinema is meant to show films with more pedigree. If you like the big, typical, famous, blockbuster-written-for-a-buck films don't come here. If you don't like to read subtitles be careful because a lot of the films shown here are foreign meaning they are subtitled. --When your purchase your ticket either online or at the theater you get to pick your own assigned seat. This means that you can plan on sitting with those you come to the movies with even if you arrive at different times. This also means you can wait until the last possible minute to take your seat in the theater. No rushing to get good seats! --It is a GOOD thing to pick your seat(s) in the front row! Unlike most theaters none of the front row seats are up by the screen. Instead at Violet Crown the up front seats are pushed back at a comfortable distance and are recliners! They don't cost extra either. Next time I will be sure to book front row. Be aware that the theaters are tiny (only 4-5 rows) so some films could book up. --No commercials or cheesy jingles about turning off your cell phone before the films start. They do have previews but they are of the upcoming films that Violet Crown will be showing. --They have a full bar including Real Ale beers on tap and cocktails but NO wait staff serving inside the individual theaters. You take your food into the theater and they have fold out table-tops that are tucked in between each seat. There are no drink holders (unless you are in front row recliner) just the fold out tables. --Since there are no servers serving inside the theaters you will have to get up and walk out of the theater to go get anything else you may need. The nice part about this is that the aisles are wide enough to where you don't have to step on people's feet or move your feet out of the way if somebody is crossing by. The bad part is that if you need something you will have to move across people and miss part of the movie. --They have Maine Root drinks on fountain including Dublin Dr. Pepper on fountain. FREE REFILLS on fountain drinks and FREE REFILLS on popcorn. Wow. --The inside is like a small restaurant with plenty of tables to sit and eat and drink at plus all the room around the bar. Since they have assigned seating this means you can lounge and finish your stuff up right up until the film starts. This is a great place to socialize and hang out. It is a clean, modern swanky environment. --The theater is digital projection so the quality and beauty of the film is awesome. --Shows before 6PM are $9. Shows after 6PM are $11. Unless it happens to be a weekend/holiday--then you will pay $13. --They have a Happy Hour Monday-Friday with some specials like $3 draft beers. --Don't forget to bring in your ticket for validation for the free parking. The parking garage is on San Antonio Street. If you are driving North from Cesar Chavez go past How Do You Roll sushi on the corner of 2nd and San Antonio and you will see the entrance to the AMLI garage up on your right. --Violet Crown publishes a full color news publication showcasing all of their current films and upcoming films. Be sure to grab one to see what's in store. --Violet Crown is not some mammoth corporate chain. They are locally owned and operated. As always support local, support indie/art house/foreign movie houses! This is a great place to have a quality drink, eat quality food and see quality movies. Yes! read more

Look - this ain't the Alamo. So change your expectations, change your behaviors a smidge, and you'll be happy. Come early. Come without planning to see a movie, even. The drinks and food are that good. The seating for food is also quite nice, so come early and eat in the dining area. No, they don't do table service in the theater - it's okay. You'll live. Eat first, so you can see your food. It's GOOD food. We had a shredded pork appetizer that was super delicious, and sauteed brussels sprouts that are my new favorite version of sprouts, EVAH. We also had a margarita pizza that was pretty damn good. Nice wine list, good drink choices, etc. Enjoy your food and drink. Then get your seat (assuming you've bought your tickets in advance). The front row is not your ordinary front row, it has lounge chairs, so you'll want to sit there. You won't be craning your neck, don't worry. Didn't score a lounger? It's okay, the other seats are still pretty comfy. Beats the hell out of the old beat-up seats at an Alamo (I love the Alamo, btw). If you bring your plates and crap into the theater, you're gonna have to deal with them if you get up to pee, or if people come through - so just eat first and don't be a pain. What's better here than at the Alamo? The food, the art films, the new seats and clean bathrooms. What's better at the Alamo than here? They bring the food to you and have clever pre-show entertainment. You pick. Want quality? VC it is. read more

I've gotta admit, Violet brings a bit more simplicity and intuition to the dinner+movie experience, or 'Dovie' as Mark K has said. First off, brilliant violet neon installation marking the entry. If you know me, this is already one extra star. On top of this, parking is free in the shared AMLI garage for up to four hours as long as you validate, and plenty independent films (Almodóvar, etc). There's a small bar lounge area, allowing you to bring in food/drink to your screening, and there's a fountain machine for refills near the screening hallway and a bussing area to leave finished food/drinks upon leaving your screening. Individual theater rooms are more intimate, chairs are comfy, and after watching That One Audio Scene from 2013's Her, you may feel like you shared a pretty sexy, artsy moment with less than 50 other strangers. Bonus for sexy-art lovers everywhere. But allow me to repeat: free parking is freely validated, for free, once you validate at the cinema, for up to FOUR HOURS. This is enough time to watch a 2-hour movie and: - make eyes with art gallery owners - deny you've met before - confirm brilliant blue eyes - interview for a position - take a dance lesson - participate in brunch - or dinner - meander around downtown - go kayaking on Town Lake - roll down the lush shaded hills of the north shore - walk a dog - jog a loop of x distance Violet, let's go frolic in the grass. read more

I love Violet Crown for the following reasons: They show interesting films. If you want the latest Will Ferrell, head to the Alamo. If you wanna see what won awards at Sundance, come here. Reserved seating. I can show up 5 minutes before my movie if I wish. (Tip - show up earlier and put your name on the list for the la-z-boy chairs in the front row. IMO they are the best seats in the house, but they are reserved for the handicapped until right before showtime.) Show up early anyway because the lounge is cute and has books and games and is typically showing a movie. The food! We've been a few times: the ginger pork tapas were excellent, the sweet potato chips are worth getting no matter what you are eating, the crème brulee was yummy...(I also appreciate the fold out trays so you have your own space.) Drinks! Craft cocktails are very well made and unique (a favorite is the Bee's Nest: Gin, Douglas Fir Eau De Vie, lemon juice, honey). If you want a pre- or post drink, Malverde, Malaga, La Condesa, and the W are right there!) Free parking, whoop! Park underneath in the AMLI garage or valet on 2nd and Violet Crown validates for four hours. The only thing not to like here is they do not have service inside the theater - you must exit and go grab your food (or, bring it in with you, if you read the advice above and showed early :) read more

Violet Crown has been a slow-building relationship. At first I wasn't sure, because there was Alamo Drafthouse and we have a long-term thing going: singalongs, quote-alongs, drunk-alongs. But VC has found a different kind of place in my heart. Some things I remember watching at Violet Crown: -- Amour (the French film that won for best foreign film at the Oscars and required therapy) -- The Way Way Back (therapy, again) -- Ain't Them Bodies Saints (heartbreak) -- I'm So Excited (I was excited) -- The Spectacular Now (wow) -- Somm (drank) Movies I want to see at Violet Crown: -- The other ones They have fancy adult drinks, and I mean fancy to the point that I get this bourbon drink, the Sissy Lynn, and it's shockingly delicious to a person who does not drink bourbon (me). The Mediterranean plate is phenomenal, but the food otherwise strikes me as pricey for what you get, especially the pizzas. You'd be better off brunching or happy houring elsewhere beforehand. The seats are awesomely cozy, though one movie companion referred to the pull-out food tray as too "cafeteria style" for his taste. I agree. But having your seats reserved prior to the film, and 4 hours of validated free garage parking *downtown* (post-shopping boutique sales racks on 2nd, honey-child), makes me feel pretty special. Maybe Alamo Drafthouse is like the fun, witty, perfectly-flawed guy whose clothes you want to rip off, and Violet Crown is the reserved, sophisticated, older gentleman who imparts wordly wisdom while you share cognac and snazzy snacks while everyone keeps their clothes on. Sometimes you gotta mix it up. read more

Violet Crown Cinema is like that middle child you can't seem to forget about for so many reasons. A step up from Alamo Drafthouse and a step down from Gold Glass Cinemas at the Domain. I'll be honest, I didn't want to like this place. I've always seen my indie flicks at the Arbor cinema up north. Maybe newbies don't know its there? But Austin has always had a theater to get your lesser known movie fix. Even with the Dobie gone. I was spoiled by Dallas and its amazing cinemas like the Magnolia and the Angelika. For those of you who haven't been, they are just incredibly amazing on so many levels. Most comfy seats goes to the Angelika. I kept comparing these cinemas in my head while we were here, as if I were dating someone new and comparing them with the previous relationship. The cool: -Free 4 hour validated parking located underneath -Ticket prices aren't much more than the reg. chain theaters -$9 before 6PM, $11 after 6PM, $13 on wknds & after 6PM -You reserve your seats online -Cute bar to wait for your movie in or order food -The snack bar is reasonable w/ items that offer free refills -Side table flips out attached to your chair -Dublin Dr. Pepper! The less cool: -A little confusing to find if you've never been (its above How Do You Roll) -Don't sit on the ends near the wall if you're seeing a 3D film, it messes up the visuals -Free refills aren't helpful if you have to miss some of the movie to get your own refill -No cup holders...really??!!! -Reserved seating could be a problem if you have a big group buying tickets at different times -The name is the same as a bar on east 6th street.... I thought it kind of funny how no one took our tickets or showed us which theather or where our seats were. We could have easily just snuck in...but we didn't. I guess we were invisible. On another note the projection screen was high quality and visually stunning. The theater is really small, with stadium seating and some interesting looking lazy boys at the bottom which would have been nice to kick back and lay down in. I could see myself back here, in one of those. read more

So I'm a little torn about Violet Crown, but after some serious consideration, the good far outweighs the bad. The theaters are awesome. They're clean, spacious, super comfortable, provide LOTS of leg room, and I'm sure there is no bad seat in the house. However, if you're in one of the theaters toward the front door, you can hear a lot of what is going on in the waiting area. Like, right in the middle of a steamy sex scene, the guy working the front door notified those waiting for the 6:30 showing of Melancholia that they were now seating. That's awesome, and all, but I'm watching a movie, not waiting at the Southwest terminal. The beers and lounge food all seem reasonably priced, but if you want a soft drink or typical movie junk food, it's kind of ridiculous. My boyfriend got a pint of Circle brewing something-or-other for $5; I got a bottle of Maine Root Ginger Beer for $4. Paying $4 for Ginger Beer wasn't my favorite moment, I gotta say. I'm pretty sure Topo Chico was $3 a bottle and y'all, you can get a 12 pack of Topo Chico from Central Market for $6. Candy, popcorn, and other movie theater goods is as highly priced as you would find at any theater. I guess what strikes me as so strange is that the lounge food is priced so reasonably. What I do love is the ability to reserve seats ahead of time. For me, it makes the whole movie-going experience more seamless and less stressful. I think Violet Crown wants your visit to their theater to be an event, and to me, they've achieved that. And hey -- I can appreciate their movie usher has a good, loud, announcer voice, but take it down a few notches, eh? read more

Last night, I went to the Violet Crown Cinema to see the new Woody Allen movie. I purchased tickets online and chose my seats with trepidation. Could I really cheat on the Alamo Drafthouse?! Indeed, I cheated and it was worth the anxiety of possibly breaking a five year relationship. I loved choosing my seats before the show, this meant I didn't have to cue or worry that I may not get to sit with my party. This meant I didn't have to cue!!! One thing that gets me about the Alamo Drafthouse is the unrelenting need of the crowd to cue 45 minutes before the show. I'd much rather sit at a table at the Violet Crowne drinking my $4 dollar ice coffee (with free refills) and file into the theatre five minutes before show time. Although, I will mention, the cuts before the Alamo Drafthouse as well as their beat ass attitude were missed. I need to stop comparing the experiences and appreciate each for its individual appeal. There is more. The theater is intimate and comfortable, I felt as though I had a shared experience with 40 of my closest friends. The front row has ottomans to prop your feet, the screen is crisp, and the volume perfect. I'm happy to have found this theatre after disappointingly finding out my only movie choices were comic book action or teenaged comedy. Violet Crown, I love you. read more

The Makings of a Delightfully Austin Date: Part 1 - The Dovie (Dinner + Movie) After throwing a bet like a corrupt boxer, I was "forced" to take an attractive female to see the new Anne Hathaway movie, One Day. Or at least I was supposed to. Then I saw that it received a 25% approval rating on rottentomatoes.com. (That's less than Conan the Barbarian!) As someone who values his time and dime, I refuse to see a movie that receives such a horrific "Cream-of-the-Crop" score, no matter how cute my companion may be. But I "lost" the bet? How was I going to get out of seeing this guaranteed-to-be-shitty movie, while honoring the wager I slyly contrived? In the words of Don Corleone, "I'm going to make (her) an offer (she) can't refuse." You know the old CEO adage, "Don't bring me a problem unless you have three solutions?" That's just what I did (in the form of hyperlinks). Link one was the aforementioned critical consensus. "What are you telling me this for?" she asked, sensing my ulterior motives. I was telling her for links two through four, which led to movies currently screening at Violet Crown Cinema. I waited with baited breath to see if I had weaseled my way out of a waste of time and money. SUCCESS! I don't know if it was the tasteful layout of the Violet Crown website (she's into that sorta thing) or my obvious disinterest in watching Hathaway fain a British accent for a couple of hours, but my agreeable accomplice granted my wish. I immediately hopped online and reserved two seats to see a quirky, indie, dramedy entitled, The Future. Unlike Fandango and other ticket reservation sites, you pick your seats in advance, airline style. One star of this review is entirely attributed to the peace of mind you gain from knowing exactly where you'll be sitting, regardless of when you arrive. When date day rolled around I decided it would be in our best interest to walk from my apartment (which is less than a mile away across Town Lake) as opposed to playing hide and seek with downtown parking spaces. I reached this conclusion by envisioning a romantically moonlit stroll across Austin's most breathtaking body of water. However, I forgot to take into account the fact that it's still hot as balls at 7PM. After sweating our way across the S 1st St. Bridge, we arrived at Violet Crown Cinema with plenty of time to dry off in the AC and enjoy a couple of drinks. I ordered the Ginger Caipirinha once the waiter assured me it wasn't going to show up in an effeminate glass. The lady ordered the Paloma. My mojito-like beverage fell short of her tequila and grapefruit concoction, but both drinks were flavorful and COLD enough to refresh us after our perspiration promenade. Although the drinks were kind of, "Meh," the eats were mucho bueno. Due to the lady's stereotypical indifference towards our menu selections (Ugh, women.) I decided we'd share the Ginger Pork Tapas and Margherita Pizza. The pizza wasn't mind blowing, but it served its purpose. The tapas, on the other hand, were excellent. The garlic honey soy sauce, smoked pork and mozzarella made a delicious ménage a trois on top of the crispy baguette. Fortunately for me, the lady exhibited another cliché, the inability to eat her fair share of the food. (YAY, women!) While waiting to hear the usher announce, "We are now seating for The Future," (which earned a pair of childish chuckles) we observed our surroundings. The interior was renovated in the same modish style you'd find in a Manhattan high rise. The actual screening room was small, yet cozy, and radiated a vibe of exclusivity. I imagine Roger Ebert watches movies in a room like this. A little over ninety minutes later we made our way back through the lobby, down the purple LED lit stairs and out into the hustle and bustle of a Friday evening in downtown Austin, equally satisfied with the evening thus far. Tune in tomorrow for The Makings of a Delightfully Austin Date: Part 2 - The Dressert (Drinks + Dessert). read more

Welllll.. Most important, I LOVE independent movie theatres. ESPECIALLY those that have great food and wine options. Having said that, I attended a 4:30 pm screening of Manchester By The Sea with a very close friend. We had food and drink at the bar. Evan was our bartender/server and gave excellent service. Once seated, everything went south. To my left I was placed next to a crazed freakazoid man who made it his mission to berate me every time I showed any sort of emotion. I finally place my hand on his shoulder and said Sir I'm so sorry, my brother just died and this movie has a major impact on me. He violently screamed GET YOUR HAND OFF ME then made it a point to go the the manager The manager approached me and asked me to leave at the point. It was not only embarrassing but inappropriate considering the manager took the word of the squeaky wheel and failed to take the time to investigate what actually happened. I'm sure the wheel received a free movie ticket and a free drink based on his noisy complaint. read more

I am a huge fan of theaters that cater to adults who like indie films. Not just because it means no rugrats will ruin a movie for me, but because it also means that there are little touches that only an adult would appreciate. Violet Crown has these little touches. One is not just a comfortable chair, but one that allows the sitter to shift and slide around without bumping your neighbor and has a head rest that is actually nice to settle into. Another great feature is the free refills not only on soda, but also flavored syrups for coffee. The last feature that I think isn't little but is in fact the linchpin for why this theater is a notch above any of the draft houses is that it has a gorgeous lounge and bar. read more

It's no Alamo Drafthouse, that's for sure. The whole reserved seating thing sucks. I called ahead to make sure that I was sitting on an aisle (I hate climbing over people and get a little freaked out being on the wall), and the girl that I spoke to on the phone gave me the wrong information so I ended up sitting right up against a wall anyway. Some girl broke a glass on the floor about ten minutes before the movie started, but the usher guy left the broken glass there to get cleaned up after the show instead of taking 2 seconds and sweeping it up. It IS summer and everybody is wearing sandals. I just thought that seemed a little unsafe. The popcorn is tiny and costs $6. The soda's are also small and are $4. You can get refills, but you have to leave during the movie to get them (and climb over people just to get out if you didn't happen to reserve the proper seats...). At least in a big megatheater you spend $6 and you get a whole bucket of popcorn and a gallon of soda. But they do have a fantastic selection of Maine Root sodas and Dublin Dr Pepper on tap. And they don't ever fully turn the lights off in the theater, which really pissed my boyfriend off. All in all, it's an okay theater to go to ONLY if you can't see the same film at Alamo. It's nice and fancy and the people who work there are really sweet, but it's overpriced and kind of inconvenient and I guess I just didn't have a very good time. Oh, but the bathrooms are very clean, which I appreciate. read more

An amazing movie-going experience. I went to go see Melancholia matinee showing (tickets were only $7.50) the day after new years and I loved the entire experience. I think purchasing your assigned seat over the web is a huge plus. This relieves a lot of anxiety. It's hard to think why someone hasn't thought of this before. Furthermore, the food is great, there's a full bar, the seats are comfortable, the sound is phenomenal, and the theater is CLEAN. There are a lot of parallels drawn between the Alamo Drafthouse and Violet Crown that I don't find particularly fair. For instance: you're not waited on while you watch the movie. I think this is a big plus, I find the waiters at Alamo can be a bit distracting at times. I love the Drafthouse equally but these two shouldn't be competitors, it's a totally different experience. My advice is to go early, enjoy some good food and drinks in their gorgeous lounge area, and grab round 2 before you take your seat. Don't rush in the last minute before showtime. Come early and enjoy yourself. read more

Don't be afraid of something new! That's what I was thinking when reading Yelp reviews of the Violet Crown Cinema. My wife and I had also been hesitant to buy the first ticket to the theater because we did not know what to expect. The hesitation comes with good reason though. There would be a new movie experience, food experience, eating food in a movie experience, drinking experience, and parking experience involved. And like some other Yelpers I was trying decide, before making the commitment, if Violet Crown was going be like a sacred trip to the Alamo Drafthouse? or like the over-priced ho-hum Gold Class (now iPic)? the uniquely Austin, but sloppily random Blue Starlite Mini Urban Drive-in? or the typical no-outside-drinks allowed (beer), too many kids, mall or strip-center movie theater? Well, if you have not been to the Violet Crown Cinema and are having similar thoughts rolling around in your decision making engine you call your head, here are a few tips, points of clarity (and a review in there somewhere) from our experience: TICKETS - buy online and you can choose your seat like on an airplane (not Southwest style). This will be a welcome tip for some Alamo-goers who insist on coming late AND complaining they can't get a seat together. You know who you are!! PARKING - complementary valet for ticket holders. Not advertised well, but take advantage of the opportunity! You can text the valet and finish your drink while he gets your car. Cool, but may not last long. I spoke to the valet about the system and they don't care for it much. Think drunk-tart and dude-where's-my car and whether or not you want them to be texting you for their car! FOOD/DRINK - typical movie snacks you can buy at a snack-bar, come early to order food and drinks in their bar/lounge area or order and take your food into the theater with you. Full bar with good cocktails, decent wine and beer selection and happy-hour deals. Prices are average for movie food and drinks downtown. Food is hit-or-miss. We had the Ginger Pork Tapas (recommended) and the Margherita Pizza (have had much better). Eat before you come if you are picky. But you can find something satisfying there if you are running short on time. WAITER SERVICE - none in the theater! Makes getting another drink impossible. Plates, trays and glasses not bussed during the show so watch your step on your way out or if you have to leave to get another drink. Order food before you go in and they will give you a pager to let you know when your food is ready. Good luck getting there and back though. SEATS - a little "less" than expected. Less everything! Less room, less comfortable, less tray-space, less and less! I was not expecting Gold Class, but for the added price and metro style I was thinking there would be more room and comfort not less. AND if eating in the dark is not hard enough, the side-tray's are hard to set-up (when also balancing your plastic lunch tray of semi-gourmet vittles) and precariously small. VIP SEATS - no real VIP or Premium seating. But, 5-min before the show a few couches open up in the front row first-come-first serve. Only if they are not being used for wheel-chair access though. Wait at the ticket stand and they will swap your ticket if the seats are available. YOUR TAB - this is nice! Order food, drinks, snacks or whatever and you can add it all to your same tab regardless of where or who you order it from. And, pay on your way out when the move is over. That makes it easier. PRICE - not bad, but not good for what you get and for the experience. The $3 above the Alamo's price of $10/ticket is negligible and should not make you think. This is no $19 for a iPic/GoldClass seat ($29 for Premium) but the seats and food are much better at the Alamo or GoldClass. If you live downtown then convenience will increase the value for you. If you don't want to go to a movie with kids then increase the value. If you don't want to eat or don't like their food then decrease the value. If you like to have a few drinks and are accustomed to waiter service then decrease the value. $10 - Alamo Drafthouse $10 - Fandango, Regal, AMC $13 - Violet Crown $19 - iPic/GoldClass ($29 Premium) SMELL - ok, it stinks! I thought a few Yelpers were just being picky, but oh Yes! there is a distinct and persistent smell in the lobby/bar area. Not foul, not caustic, but just weird. read more

I love this place. I only frequent Alamo or Violet Crown for my cinematic experiences. I've decided there is no other way to go in Austin. Violet Crown is great for the following reasons: -The theaters are all cozy and there is not a bad seat in the house. -There's a full bar and a decently rounded food menu that satisfies meat eaters to vegans. The Mediterranean plate is the jam. Be warned though, there isn't service in the theatre like Alamo. Come early to eat or you can get one of those vibrating, lighty-up coaster thingies that alerts you when to pick up your order if your movie has already started. -The seats are super comfy and if you get to snag the seats in the front, you can lounge in a uber comfy chair with an ottoman to put those feet up on (without breaking your neck looking at the screen.) -You choose your seat upon purchase. I love to be able to reserve my own seat :) -The film options are mostly independent and somewhat guarantee that other movie goers are also serious about their cinematic experience. No children or crying babies disrupting anything. I could probably list more pros, but more importantly, I can't think of any cons. So there you have it. read more

No, there is no waitstaff inside the actual theater, but that's not a huge deal for me. I love that you can reserve your actual seat online, so there is no chance that you'll be left with a crappy front row seat. (Unless, of course, you reserve that crappy front row seat.) The cost of your ticket also includes free parking in their garage for 4 hours, which is a huge plus when going anywhere downtown. The bartenders make some great craft style cocktails and the food looked tasty, though we didn't try any. Take the websites advice and arrive early in order to get yourself situated with food and drink before heading in to the movie. read more

Never again. Our maiden voyage to Violet Crown Cinema left us shipwrecked. Buying tickets on-line was easy enough but that's where the convenience ends. Waited at the bar for 15 minutes in what seemed like a continued snubbing by the bartender with the silver eyeglasses. Finally ordered and got drinks. At that point, we had less than 10 minutes to scarf down the food and get into our seats. I like the aesthetic of the lounge but the acoustics were terrible as I couldn't hear anything my wife was saying, only the obnoxious yarn-spinning of another waiter. Got our food and the Mediterranean plate was pretty good. Once we walked into the theater, things got tricky. Contrary to a lot of reviews regarding how comfortable this theater it, it is nearly impossible to manage sitting down with a beer and plate in either hand and then pull out the tiny table to set your food and drink on. You basically have to hand off your food to someone else or set your $14 pizza on the floor. The whole time you are deathly afraid of making too much noise or knocking your overpriced food and drink on the floor or on your over-served neighbor. After you're finished eating, you can leave the movie to bus your own table or you can leave the dirty dishes in front of you for two more hours. Both are frustrating options. The seats are uncomfortable and they are not breathable at all. You cannot move your legs under the food tables so you essentially can't truly relax at any point. The screen is tiny and does not justify a $13 ticket. I tipped at the bar but would much rather prefer to get the service of a waiter. Back to Alamo South Lamar for good! read more

What a nearly perfect little art house theater! We saw the best Woody Allen film since Match Point here yesterday and were overall very pleased with the ease of parking and the seating and presentation. The theaters are small and intimate, but the screen size to theater size is a perfect ratio. Best in Austin besides the IMAX maybe. I was put off by a couple of things. Not going to take away stars since they are new and working out the bugs. When we walked in to buy tickets, the guy was on the phone explaining the process to someone. Not sure why another person couldn't have been doing that rather than the guy at the box office. They seemed short handed. I inquired about food and drinks. and was told their bartender who takes care of that was late. Wow. Money left on the table . . . or actually in my pocket for Violet Crown Cinema. How Do You Roll is downstairs so that took care of the lunch problem. And I had to get a $5 Wonka Bar later. No Golden Ticket. The bar looks nice. An older Jimmy Stewart film was being projected on the wall silently over there. Nice touch. I'd definitely be inclined to go over there and have a few drinks and wait for my showing to start. It looks like the fountain drinks are free refills. Good job on that and they have Dublin Dr. Pepper on the fountain too! Finally, anyone who wants servers in the theater like Alamo needs to return to Alamo. That is the most consistently annoying thing at The Drafthouse. It was nice to watch a perfectly projected film in comfy seats without all the movement around the theater. If Violet Crown changed into that model, I would never set foot in there again. They are currently doing it right! read more

Violet Crown Cinema is super cool. A great, trendy, fresh take on movie theaters. I'm used to Alamo and sure, VC repeats some of their ideas but in a different way. 1. You walk up to a counter to order your drinks and food and then they have several places you can wait for your food. When your movie starts, you either bring your food and drink in, or you don't. They have tables that fold out of the sides of the theater seats if you need a table to eat. 2. I liked their food. There were a great mix of healthy and other choices - they offered gluten free pizzas which were fantastic by the way, and the food didn't take too long. I also loved their drinks. The names, the concoctions, and the specials were right on point, and fun too. 3. The one thing I didn't like about VC were their theater chairs. Love the leather, love the reclining, love the tables, hated the squeaking. And everyone's chair did it. Any slight movement meant noise and in a quiet theater that just sucks. They also were not very comfortable. I found that my back was aching after sitting in them - but that could have been from bracing myself against movement for several hours, I'm not sure. Anyways, four stars for mostly great things going on here. I'm really glad that I got to experience VC and I would consider seeing another movie here most definitely. read more

My life was changed 18 years ago when I saw "Like Water for Chocolate" at the theatre. I, at the time, was 18; and the beauty of that film made me see there was so much more to cinema than the standard Hollywood paint-by-numbers fare that they churn out. I committed to myself that I'd seek out all films, from all countries that had artistic merit. Yeah, it sounds pretentious because it is and I'm fine with that because I'm down-to-earth in myriad other ways. When I learned this week that Violet Crown Cinema was about to open, I freaked out. I have gotten so tired of Alamo that I only go every now and again (for all the Alamo devotees, I didn't spend anymore here than I would have there). Finally there was a theatre, in my backyard, that shows my favorite type of films. "I'm going to live there!!!" I thought to myself. My experience there this afternoon did NOT disappoint. First of all I know that they say they offer valet, but I'm guessing that must be at a specific time. I'm curious to see when those times are for future reference. The garage parking was easy enough to access and we found a spot right by the entrance so it was a total breeze. We were a bit confused where to go, but quickly figured it out. We knew we wanted to eat so we headed to the cafe. We both got Limelights (soooooo good!!!!) and we also ordered the Spring Rolls (my companion got those), a cheese plate (delicious!!!), and the proscuitto pizza (delicious!!!). Our food was not ready in time so we gave the lady in the cafe our seat info and she brought our food right to us. The cafe was very inviting and I could have easily hung out there for awhile where it not for the film starting. There were a couple previews for the films that are going to be shown there at the theatre and then we went straight into the film, which was was a great one by the way "Certified Copy". I'm so glad this is right around the corner from me, and I look forward to spending many weekend afternoons here. They should have a club for cinephile geeks like me. : ) read more

So so so sad to have to do this... They have the best selection of movies and this is the theater closest to me, but this was one the worst experiences I've had in customer service. So my friend and I book our tickets when we are both at work and rush home after a busy day to make the show at 7. We get there a little after 6:35 and put in our order. They usually make a great Pork Bahn Mi, so I ordered my usual and she ordered her usual spring rolls. We sit down and patiently wait for our food. On the long end it's taken 20 minutes, so I think we've got plenty of time. 7pm rolls around. We check on the food. Nothing. We go into the theatre and sit down and I come back out to check (we also have a pager). The people sitting next to us were at the end of our line when we ordered and they have their food (there were about 6 in their party) So the guy at the counter says- it'll be 10 minutes at 7:05. 7:15 and nothing. My friend leaves the movie at 7:20 (we are starving) and they say it'll be 10 minutes. The same guy every time... With an annoyed look... So, at 7:30 our pager goes off, I take one for the team, and head out to gather our food. I go up to the counter, trying to get it done as quickly as possible. The guy is just standing there. I have my pager that is vibrating and lighting up. I have to get his attention and he makes me re-describe my order and then hands me one plate. I re-emphasize that there was an order of spring rolls, as well, and he rolls his eyes and casually says "oh, we are out of spring rolls..." At that moment, I'm running through my head the fact that two women sitting next to me both got spring rolls and they were deep behind us in line when they ordered their food. They got it before the movie started... Now, I'm not a cop or a lie detector, and it blows my mind that someone would blatantly lie to cover up an error, but I guess Violet Crown takes all sorts. So, I'm trying to figure out, after having my friend and I having missed so much of the movie, that I get to go back in to the movie theater and talk over the dialogue to try to explain to her that she doesn't get dinner. I tell him this is not cool and I can't just go back to my friend empty handed and he says she can get a free popcorn, which is a joke, right? I stand there pleading with him to try to find an alternative and he crosses his arms and stands up straighter. I finally give up and ask the girl at the ticket counter for a manager. 10 minutes later, after missing so much of the movie I'm thoroughly lost when I re-enter, he says to come out at the end of the movie and we can get a refund. We come out and he apologizes to my friend (who deserves an apology) and hand her two free tickets, meal and drink vouchers. I'm standing right next to her. She didn't get dinner, but I missed, at least, 25 minutes of the movie. She got everything comp-ed and I got a really terrible experience. What miserable night. I never realized how much you take your whole night into your own hands when you just trust that dinner will actually come when you order it. At Violet Crown, this is optional, I guess? I've also come to the conclusion that they do not care if you actually see the movie that you paid to see. read more

90+ Yelpers can't be wrong. Yessir, Violet Crown kicks ass. Everything about this place shows they thought pret-ty carefully about your moviegoing experience, and then made it several notches cooler. Thusly: VC regularly shows a bevy of indie films. Yes, they are downtown, sharing parking with an AMLI - but! surprisingly validate the $15 fee you'd otherwise swallow to park your coche in the AMLI's tower. Wow. If you purchase your ticket before you get to the theatre and print it at home, no need to 'pick up' your tickets at the theater before entering like at Alamo. Just take your ticket with you straight to your show, get your ticket taken, and sit. Handy if you're one of those last-second-arrival people. VC scale the ticket prices according to the popular theatergoing times, so even though they are downtown, they don't ask you to pay the same if you go at off peak times. i.e. First show $7; Matinees daily before 5pm, $9; Monday through Thursday: 5pm - close, $11; Weekends & Holidays - 5pm until close, $13. In addition to all this, VC has a full bar and foods which are pretty good (although if you're the Hungry Man type, you may not agree, portions were totally fine for me). Bonus: Dr. Pepper icees (?!) and non-dairy sorbetto! in addition to a variety of the usual movie candystuffs. You can bring all your foods and drinks into the theater, where they have fold out trays to put your consumables on, and they even put the condiments stand/free-soda refill station in the hall just outside the theaters in case you need something in the middle of your show. When your show's over, on the way out, lthere's a self-bussing station for recycling and disposing of your dirty silverware/plates off to the side. If there's anything I have to nitpick about this place, it's that unfortunately? for them, the iPic theatre up at the Domain raised the bar (heh) for Interior Design In An Area Where You May Linger Before Entering The Theatre. It's pretty great. You'll just have to trust me on that until I review iPic. Yes, they're way more expensive overall, and hardly ever show indie/foreign films, but that is where VC sticks it to 'em. Good work Violet Crown. You've given this Why Shouldn't I Stream This At Home? guy a new reason to see things on the silver screen. read more

In a town used to and happy with the Alamo, the lack of full service is glaring. We were in a group of 6. We liked that we could reserve our seats, it was clean and stylish, and the lounge was a nice place to hang out... AND THEN. The problems started when our order got messed up. Kitchen was backed up so we had to take buzzers into the theater. When the buzzer went off we had to send a team of 2 dudes to carry the food in shifts past the people at the end of the aisle. When the food came there was no silverware We need forks, where is my wife's prosciutto pizza? So now I have to get up, past the people at the end of the aisle. I gather silverware, "I'm missing a prosciutto pizza", and now I'm missing Moonrise Kingdom. They hand me a buzzer again and I go back into the theater... past the people at the end of the aisle. Now I'm confused at what is happening in the movie. Buzzer goes off again and I get up to go get the lost pizza... past the people at the end of the aisle. When I get to the snack bar a pepperoni pizza is waiting for me. "It is supposed to be a prosciutto pizza" "You said pepperoni" "Never in a million years would I say pepperoni, my wife doesn't like it" They go into panic mode... I'm missing Moonrise Kingdom. "Where are you sitting we'll bring it into you?" So I go back into the theater, past the people at the end of the aisle, I'm confused by what is happening in the movie, and I sit next to my hungry pregnant wife with no pizza. 10 minutes later, the waiter who failed to get the correct order in the first place brings us the much anticipated pizza... past the people at the end of the aisle. Then we sit down and eat on these little sad tables in the dark. It was so dark I accidentally put a lime into my mouth from my salad. When we needed more drinks we had to do it in shifts always by walking past the poor bastards at the end of the aisle. Moral of the story, a routine screw up caused a cluster f, had this happened at The Alamo it is highly likely we would have never known or at the very least it would have been dealt with by a server. It also isn't like I didn't have to tip either. I would only go here if I lived downtown and if it wasn't a movie I was actually looking forward to. I will leave you with a positive piece of bread to this shit sandwich. The parking was included with the movie and they give you 4 hours so it is enough time to hit up a few other places on 2nd street... so they have that... which is nice. read more

WARNING: This place can be dangerous!!! Here is what happened while watching waiting for Sugar Man. When I went into the theater to sit in my assigned seating there was a girl already sitting there. I told her she was in my seat when I quickly saw that she was obviously drunk. She had a huge beer in her hand (Why would they serve her?) and then moved to the next seat. Well she could not stop laughing throughout this movie that was not a comedy. fine. I don't think i can get up to complain about someone laughing. Well she gets up in the middle of the movie to get another huge ass beer and proceeds to laugh. Well someone tried to shhh her and that's when the fight broke out!! The man on the other side of her and her boyfriend was really bothered by her and grabbed the dude by the shirt! Here's where it got dangerous. The violent crown reacted at a glacial pace to come in. Big ass beer glasses flying everywhere. Men fighting. Patrons trying to break it up. Right next to me!!!!! The kicker was the trouble it took to get my money refunded. They serve people that are drunk!! After Aurora how can you not have any security or procedures in place!?!? ALL THEY CARE ABOUT IS THE MONEY!!! So sad for austin. THIS SHOULD BE A NICE PLACE LIKE IT PRETENDS TO BE!!! read more

Okay, I simply loved this place. I am giving them some leeway because the order process isn't clear, and they should explain it to you better. When I ordered my hotdog, they handed me one of those buzzer things that is normally used to alert you that your table is ready, but they just turned around and walked away. Do I come back up to the window to pick up my food, or do I pick it up somewhere else? And then you have to order your drinks separately (if you're having something alcoholic). It seems like I'm complaining, but I'm really just pointing out some service issues. I loved the actual theater. Great projection and sound, comfortable seats that have a little fold away table that you can use if you wish. My margarita was delicious. I think they used agave nectar as the sweetener. The seats are not in the relation to the screen that is indicated on the website where you choose your seat. If you choose seats that look like they are dead center on the screen, they are actually about two seats left of center (not a big deal, but each row only has about 8 seats total, so if you prefer to sit center, you will want seats 3 and 4, or maybe 1 and 2 (next to the aisle). All in all, a great addition to Austin's downtown. read more

It might just be love. I could go on about how coooool violet crown is, or how I want to be a violet crown groupie and just hang out in their lobby, but you're just going to have to check it out for yourself. Here are my top reasons VC is AWESOME: 1. Variety! - Independent films and your standard movie fare 2. Happy Hour! - Get yo' self there from 5-7, and grab a beverage! 3. Free parking! 4. Comfy chairs and small theaters! - If this movie wasn't so awesome, I could sleep! 5. No online surcharge! Save them monies! Next time your girlfriend wants to see some lovey dovey chick flick, or your boyfriend actually thinks you will enjoy an obscure French horror film, head on down to the violet crown! read more

Free Parking!!! Get parking ticket validated, 4 hours! Best movie selection in town not dirty/sticky no slacker dudes/dudettes slinking in the dark with crap food full bar, happy hour, good beer selection so very NOT Alamo been to four films and it rained after two central location pleasant bar/lounge area to eat pre/post film... tray in theater notso big, may be problematic for peeps above average size, guessing here... front row has recliners and a different setup that I have yet to try, also handicapped accessible read more

Every time I go to Violet Crown Cinema, I leave feeling just a tad bit more cultured and worldly. I love that we have a local theater that is promoting independant films and opening our eyes to the world of non-blockbuster cinema. Most recently, my boyfriend and I have been checking out the Oscar nominated short films that VCC has been featuring leading up to the Oscars. I know to hit up Violet Crown's website for the latest screenings when I'm in the mood for something thought-provoking. And while I'm probably going to get heckled for saying this, VCC is the Alamo Drafthouse's refined older sister. I give the bar selection a thumbs up but have yet to try the food offerings. The rooms have very limited seating which makes for an intimate and cozy atmosphere. read more