Great theater in the heart of downtown Wilmette. They have a wide variety of movies in the main theater and a range of live music, comedy and other events in the secondary theater. All your standard movie treats are available along with alcoholic drinks. The staff of super friendly and the seats in the main theater have been renovated recently and they are extremely comfortable. Next time you're in Wilmette, make a day out of it with dinner and a show! read more

Such a great little theater! Great staff and great concessions. What a nice place to bring kids on a Sunday afternoon.

Love this little theater. It's a Jam! God people good movies . No problem finding parking

Whoa, they are a non-profit organization! Good for them. I was relieved and delighted to see that they survived the pandemic. Small-town, old-school theaters like this are vanishingly rare, and this one adds a lot of value to the community. My wife and I have caught a few films here more recently, and a standup comedy show many years ago. It seems like their main shows are limited-release indie or foreign films (bless them for that). However, they also advertise a Flashback Friday feature (5pm every week) for a major discount: last month it was The Goonies for $5 and School of Rock for $2. Wow! Besides films, they continue to offer music concerts and stand-up comedy. They are also hosting a Shark Tank style event for the local high school's young entrepreneurs group; very cool. Other reviewers mentioned that this joint is run down?? I didn't see it. The theater is very comfortable and the entire facility is spotlessly clean. I'm not sure of the ticket prices, but I paid $27 for two Saturday matinees and a 16-ounce adult beverage. Yes, they have a popcorn machine and candy, plus local craft beer. read more

I went to see the screening of the Korean Phantom, which was quite stunning but plagued with technical problems. The screening started 20 minutes late, and frequently paused for loading screen, and in the final scene the screen went completely black for a few moments, leaving us with audio only (without English subtitles, obviously). It was an exercise in frustration, I will probably not go back. read more

My granddaughter who is 7 went with a group of 22 people and she made little goody bags for her friends; one of who has Celiac and the employee on duty confiscated their bags and made the parents put the "goody bags" in the car after yelling at the kids. When the employee was told about special circumstances he said next time tell her to eat before she comes! Really? When asked to speak to manager he said no one available and would not give them his name. Seriously????? I just found out his name was Owen I sent a copy of the "review" to the Wilmette Park District President who further aggravated the matter by accusing the 7 year olds and the parents of accosting the situation which is so far from the truth. Owen had some issue where he was yelling at the 3-7 year old children/customers and the parents who immediately agreed to remove the goody bags without any argument and never once accosted Owen or any member of the theater and the remark about the child with Celiac Disease was highly insulting and inappropriate. If I could change the review to 0 stars it would be befitting of the way this entity treats their customers! Especially small children! And shame on the Board for accusing the customers as liars! read more

Is the best neighborhood theater I've seen, I wouldn't expect a lot though considering it is just a local theater, but it has its charm and if you're up in the North Shore great to support read more

Having a theatre like this in main downtown really helps to define the village. An independent theatre showing movies with the ability to also have live music, stand-up comics, etc. is truly special. The programming is good. Lots of high-quality independent films peppered with larger box office draws. It seems like they always try to have something available for the kids, which is nice. Throughout the year they have different film festivals and special events which gives the community a good reputation as a place to go. Apparently, the theatre can be rented out for birthday parties or special events and the theatre will show almost any available movie, tv show, video game, etc. Pretty cool!! Very community involved as well. Recently had Santa for the kids (free), showed Elf on both screens (free), gave away "tons" of popcorn at the annual sidewalk sale for donations, all of the money donated went to a local charity. The staff is awesome! mostly high school aged kids getting their first job experience. I have found them to always be helpful, polite, and good at what they do. Gave 5 stars because that was all I could give. This place is more than 5 stars! read more

This is my favorite little theatre! The movies are great and the staff is so nice!! I love that they've been around for 110 years and I hope they'll be around for 110 more. They're not fancy and are a nonprofit- so supporting local feels good- some people may not understand what that means and expect them to be a big budget, big box theatre- but the cozy, small, vintage vibe is right up my alley. read more

Loved enjoying a movie Sutton on a sofa instead of a chair - so cosy and comfortable with a nice fresh-made box of buttered popcorn

Horrendous customer service, disgruntled employees and odd seating arrangements (random couches). I will never visit this place again.

Very small, local theater. It appears to have been sectioned into two theaters, which is common for these old cinemas. The seats are very comfortable, they have a small bar, and the popped corn is delicious. The place has current releases, but also a robust rotation of Indy and Foreign films. It's not fancy, but so, so solid. I actually prefer it to the multiplex at the Mall. Lots of restaurants to choose from before/after the show. I absolutely recommend. read more

3.5 stars overall. Saw a live musical performance here and it had been forever since I stepped foot in this adorable neighborhood community movie theater with a stage. It really is the town jewel and kind of reminds me of the Skokie theater. It's an older theater, but they have been fixing it up. You'll find your typical concession area with popcorn and pop, and the interior feels redone. Bathrooms are nice and clean. As far as the acoustics, they were fantastic! The only thing I'm not a huge fan of is the close seating...you really get to know your neighbor. The theater is also pretty long and narrow, so I'm not 100% sure I'd want to see a movie there since the screen feels far away. On the flip side, they do show some pretty cool independent movies. If I lived in Wilmette, I would spend more time there. From live comedy, to music, to storytelling, to kids performances, to movies, it really has a ton of local community love. The guests at tonight's performance seemed to all know one another, and I got the sense they were from the community. The theater is nicely situated in the heart of downtown with nearby restaurants and the Metra is within walking distance. I probably wouldn't go out of my way to visit the Wilmette theater, since Highland Park has a pretty nice theater, but the live children's performances really can't be beat. read more

See all

Going to make it a point to support this independent community theater, it is small, and the screen size is also small so I don't see Star Wars being played here in the future. However, for many films it will be just fine. If you go to their website and click on the about us under the support the theater tab, you can get more information about their funding and it's not for profit status. The price of a ticket is 10 bucks, a little bit of a discount if you're a senior citizen I think 8.50. I don't know if these prices are consistent for all shows. Granted you can spend a similar amount at one of those corporate theaters, but you'd miss out on the charm. There's nothing like fresh popcorn at the theater, I only wanted a bit to satisfy a craving, have to have it. My first job was working in a theater concession, I confess to making extra when it wasn't needed because they let us take it home. I really like the stuff, I'm also a little OCD I won't share my popcorn, so I asked Lazar if I can have a small in two little bags, he was very nice about it and took care of it. Another nice concession perk, they sell wine. Certainly not the case when I had the job. The other nice thing was the a/c was on just right, I brought a light jacket in thinking it would be cold like most theaters. Amazing when you're watching a budget it suddenly becomes easier to know how to operate a thermostat. They also have other entertainment, so I'll be keeping an eye on this venue for other things that may be interesting to see. read more

Oh. Great place,good seats and great parking. And Excellent popcorn Times are convenient too

I'm enticed by so many of the weekly emails I get from the Wilmette Theatre, but I've only checked out 2 of their kids productions. We first saw Beauty in the Beast (last May) when my daughter was 2 1/2 years old. She was obsessed with Belle at the time, or actually she's still obsessed, and was absolutely mesmerized. She didn't quite weight enough to sit in her own seat, but she loved every minute from my lap...and I couldn't believe she actually sat thru the entire thing! She was so smitten by Belle I thought about asking her during the "meet & greet" if she babysits! And while it may have been a children's production, i have to admit I was a fan of the show (particularly the actors) too. We went back a few weeks ago to see snoopy. This one didn't impress me quite as much. I had trouble following the storyline in my 30s so I'd be surprised if any children in the audience knew what was going on. My daughter didn't like it quite as much as Beauty and the Beast, but liked it enough to run out of the theater into Snoopy's arms as soon it was over. The theatre itself is small and very cozy. It's small enough that there's not really a bad seat in the house, although it would be nice to get assigned seats ahead of time so we could show up right before the show. I've had no problems parking in the area and there's plenty of delicious food nearby if you want to grab lunch or dinner after a show. One of these days I look forward to checking out one of their "grown-up" show and I've already promised my daughter we can see "Little Mermaid" here next spring. read more

We used to frequent this theater a lot. No more. We went to a Saturday matinee today in one of their two small theaters. After a few minutes a large group of children came out of the other theater and had a birthday party in the lobby not very many feet away from where we were attempting to not only see, but also HEAR our movie. When I went out to request that something be done the young woman behind the counter told me that nothing could be done and that the kids would soon be gone (they were not--it was minimally 20 minutes of noise.) Then she informed me that I could leave and, in fact, she could "kick me out" for "yelling" at her. If a theater like this expects to exist, they need to (a) have better customer service training for their employees (b) let customers know in advance that there will l be a party in the lobby and they should expect to miss 20 minutes of movie dialogue. I never thought I'd be voting for the big theater chains, but after today, that's where we'll be going. read more

By all means, not a big, fancy theater BUT I love that it's local n you can see rare films that you can't see anywhere else!! Purchase your tickets at the confession stand with all your regular movie-going snacks PLUS adult beverages!!! Score!! N the young lady helping us was very nice and friendly! 2 theaters Dim n musty. Definitely an old place. 1 aisle down the middle n seats 4 in each row on either side. Seats were a bit itchy n "springy". Reminded me of a pull out sofa sleeper at a hotel. Not very comfy but it was fine for 1 movie. Would I go back? Absolutely, if there was another great movie they are showing. 1 star for rare movies 1 star to support local businesses/theaters 1 star for adult beverages read more

4.5 overall. Came here for a special screening of a documentary called "Angkor Awakens" which is showing that is running until this Thursday by the way! Tickets were only $9. This was a very special event because it is in conjunction with the Cambodian National Heritage and Killing Fields Museum (I think I got the name right). Anyway, I wouldn't usually make my way out to Wilmette because I live in the city but I had to come and support this documentary. However, what I can say about this theatre is that I absolutely loved the rustic feel to it. It is an older classic theatre that still uses letter plates on their billboards. The theatre screens are large enough, the sound wasn't bad, and the seating was comfortable. They sold a variety of snacks and adult beverages (who know?!). Also it is located on a street full of restaurants and other boutiques. Parking is free for the first two hours, but we parked for 3 and didn't get ticketed (woo hoo!). Along the side there is free 3 hour parking though. Overall, my experience was pleasant. Would I make my way out here to watch movies that are shown in theatres in the city of Chicago? probably not, but if they continue with these special screenings, I can definitely see myself coming out here again. read more

This is a very small old theater that was split into two many decades ago. The positive is that not many communities still have a cinema. The negative is that it is really run down. I know that they use it for a variety of things and the space needs to be somewhat flexible. But folding chairs and old couches as seats is pretty bad. Guess the kids don't mind. But...for $10 a ticket could be more comfortable. Maybe $10 is a "good deal" these days. Just don't expect a regular cinema experience. However...still probably one of the last small community cinemas around. read more

I thought the Wilmette Theatre was just a little old theater. I was so wrong. Their tag line is "More than just movies" and that's exactly it. Other than show first run critically acclaimed movies, they also house live theatre events, comedy nights and a Kids Concert Series. My 18 mos old son and I attended our first and certainly not our last kids concert and we had a blast. The theater is 100 years old and there is a old movie house feel to it for sure. The theater and stage is small--small when you think of the large movie showrooms we are accustomed to nowadays. But it was the perfect venue for Human Tim+Robot Tim. It was the perfect size to let your kids get up and dance with the music or get up close to the performers on stage. Concessions was open and we couldn't resist the aroma of freshly popped popcorn. Friendly ticket and concession service. We were all welcomed by the Executive Director, Carole Dibo who was so excited about what they will be offering throughout the whole year. And, she let us know the theatre is now a not-for-profit organization. WT is certainly a gem in the north shore suburbs! read more

I cannot say enough good things about the Wilmette Theatre. They really are more than just movies! I adore the classic movie nights; I'm a sucker for silent films and early talkies. The live events are as amazing as they are diverse. Everything from children's theatre, to stand up comedy, to Rocky Horror, to Old Time Radio shows, to Burlesque! There is something for anyone to love. Beyond the movies and events themselves that make the theatre one of my favorite destinations, the staff really breathes life into the place. You can tell it isn't just a paycheck for the employees - it is a joy and a mission to bring quality entertainment to their patrons. They smile and are happy to see you! They value their customers while being relaxed... instead of big-box-theater style in-your-face about service. Really, just go! You'll see what I mean. read more

Great place to see both Music Box type films and first-run American commercial movies. Also, live events including music, comedy, story-telling and speakers. They host an acting school and additionally serve as a venue for other not-profit organizations. Best of all, they offer real butter on their popcorn! ~Peter O. read more

Once again, we took advantage of a Groupon to check out a place we had never been. Knowing this is an old theater (opened in 1914), we went to see The Artist. It turned out to be the perfect venue to see this "new" silent film. It was fun to share the experience in this vintage movie house. The seats are a bit bigger than the ones at the Pickwick, but kind of saggy from age. One the other hand, Monday is free popcorn day, so there you have it. This isn't the kind of theater I'd choose to see some epic film with grand vistas, but for anything else, it is a cool place to be. We will be back for sure, whenever we can make it work. They show operas and ballets there too. I think that might make a really fun night when culture and art is on the menu. Very cool. read more

I was disappointed; i was expecting an old-time theater and while it's got an old-time marquee, the inside is pure mall theater.

Foreign and arts films. Free popcorn. Cute ushers. Pretty cheap tickets. Helping to maintain the homey small-town feel of downtown Wilmette. read more

Small-town downtown moviehouses are a dying breed. Some were left to decay, while others are being restored. (Furthermore newer suburbs don't even HAVE downtowns) And what's great is the Wilmette Theatre brings art films & indie movies to its screens! Support your independent local theatre! read more

Wish there was an option to award ZERO stars. Two out of three times, we ended up driving back home, 20 odd miles, because the scheduled show got cancelled or the show timings on their website were incorrect. Latest being on 01/15/2017. Calling their # is of no use because no one answers. Learnt my lesson - will never visit again. read more

The sound system is already compromised in this theater, but add to that loud patrons drinking in the lobby and you miss the entire end of the movie. I was there last weekend for a Sunday matinee and during the last 20 minutes of the movie it sounded like a cocktail party in the lobby! Obnoxious!! I complained as did many others but the owner looked the other way and didn't acknowledge me or offer a refund. Decide what you want to do Wilmette theater. Are you a bar or a movie theater? I am a life long patron, but won't be coming back to waste my money read more

This place takes you back to the days before the mega theater, it's wonderful. I recently saw the movie Yesterday on a Sunday night and the place was nearly full. read more

went there w/an expired groupon expecting to use it only for the purchase price and add the difference for our tickets. (it expired 8 months ago!). However, the manager not only accepted it to cover the full price of our tickets, he also gave us the free popcorn and drink that were part of the original deal! Really above and beyond what was necessary. So great to have a small, independent first run movie theater so close to our home. read more

I was visiting from Texas and I LOVE seeing historic theatres alive and well in the 21st century - it is a gem of a theatre with much of it's historical details in tact. Plus the staff was very friendly and genuinely seemed to love movies. read more

This is a great little theater... it seems like they have something for everyone. I visited for the first time to see their children's production of Peter Pan, and I was definitely impressed by the performance and the venue in general. They do a great job of not only being a place where you can go see a show, but also a great local spot and a valuable part of the community. I'm excited to visit again and see more of what they have to offer. read more

Nice, older theatre in Wilmette, great movie choices. My only issue is that you can't always find their movie showtimes on Yahoo (with every other listing) and sometimes other places. Annoying to have to work to search for a film when in a hurry. Management! Please make sure you're listed most places people look for your times each week! Thank you! read more

Cute little two screen theatre. Not the big plush chairs, but much better than Pickwick, the theatre here is sloped, so you can see over the next person in front of you's head. Nice and fast at the snack bar, good audio and a more mature crowd. read more

We come here each year to see their Christmas play. This year and last was It's Christmas Charlie Brown. The production is put on by ATC Repertory Company and I'm pretty positive the cast is an all youth ensemble. The kids do a wonderful job and it is very entertaining. The play lasts about one hour. The theatre itself is very cute and they do sell concessions. There is ample street parking available and many shops and restaurants in the immediate area. It's a very nice little strip. I'm hoping that they will put on a new show next year! read more

Downtown Wilmette is lovely and has this charming theatre where you can see not as commercial films in a more intimate setting.

This is an old building, but it has alot of character and you have got to like the area that surrunds the theatre. The shops nearby and the streets have a small town charm and and country-like atmosphere.The theatre show first run films, but they are art films or indie. films mostly. It's $5.50 before 5pm and $7.50 after so that's not too bad. read more

This is a great little place with eclectic offerings - from the movies to the concessions to the comedy nights. We just love going on a date to this place. Support this community not-for-profit, it's a lovely place. read more

While I have generally liked going to this local theater, tonight was awful. They let a group of teenagers into the theater to do something (practice a play?) and they were hanging out in the lobby being VERY NOISY. (There are two theaters in the Wilmette Theater. We were in the other, having PAID to see a movie.) I asked the staff person to quiet the people in the lobby down, as we couldn't hear the movie IN the theater. He did ask them, but they didn't seem to listen. I had to go out again and I told them myself (which, of course I shouldn't have to do). If the Wilmette Theater lets people use the theater for these socializing purposes when others have PAID to see a movie, I questions their judgement. I have (since) been told they have done this before and it is a BIG PROBLEM. I have real doubts about whether I'd go back, since I can't easily predict when they'll do this again. read more