Embarcadero Center Cinema

Several of us attended expensive movies at Embarcadero Cinema and had a very uncomfortable experience to see they allow dogs in… ANY dog and this one was a big dog when we attended. The attendant advised the movie house now allows ALL dogs into films. I am afraid of dogs and was nervous the entire movie. We will not be back until they reverse this policy. As far as we know NO other movie theater in San Francisco allows dogs. We will see films at other movie theaters.

With many friends we attend this movie center 1−2x a week. Last week we saw the movie ‘Weiner’…one viewer walked in with a big dog that made several of us uncomfortable. If dogs are allowed in… what if some bark, get in a fight, are mean. And why not parrots and cats? We have found this unacceptable policy shared with other friends we talked to. We will no longer see films at Embarcadero Cinema till this policy is reversed. Your tickets are costly enough. some limits to the profit motive are generally advisable.

I like supporting independent theaters and it’s always nice to see some documentaries and interesting pieces. Theater was updated a couple years ago, and hence the price increase. One can order finger foods & beverages and bring them into the theaters. I came here quite a bit the past few years, but recently for the first time saw a movie in auditorium 1, which was quite a spacious auditorium and very comfortable. Seats were so wide. I felt like i was in Business class or 1^st class. lol

So cool! For basically the same price as a ticket at an AMC/​Century theater, you get the comfort of leather seats, the benefit of a bar, awesome customer service, and a rocking sound system. I’m coming here anytime they have a movie playing I want to see!

Fantastic new remodel. They’ve added craft beer and wide seat ot their great mix of foreign and independent films. Plus easy MUNI/​BART ride (and garage if you need it).

quiet. little distraction/​action happening during flicks — you reserve your seat and they serve adult beverages! perfect.

Good to see much large Cinema. Comfortable seats; wide and armrest is large enough to feel like king. Attendant were charming and welcoming. We had dinner after movie. This large location has a bar too. Right you can have wine in ice bag and enjoy movie with it side by side. This Cinema is worth of five star as tickets are easy to get.

Great theater to see independent and foreign movies. it’s large, has a bar (some craft beers!), concession, very helpful attendants. Convenient location — so after the movie you can have dinner — everything is close by.
New changes I enjoy a lot:
— new super comfy and wide seats!
— mandatory assigned seats — you can select ones you prefer
— attendant per each theater — who gives a welcome and short intro of the movie — like a host!
— awesome bar — wine and beers and you can have a bottle of wine in ice bucket and take it to the theater
— large touch screens — skip the line and purchase tickets.

Nice staff, fresh popcorn, comfortable seating and well chosen flicks!

Great place for a date! Great chairs and easy ticket purchase. Nice concession stand. easy parking!

Came with Mr. Piano a few days ago to see a showing of Only Yesterday, an older Studio Ghibli film, in Theater 1 and it is a really nice theater :)
The seats are great – surprisingly wide and I like the easy-​to-​clean leatherette surface. Generous armrest space compared to the usual big name theaters, at least in the theater we were in, as well. I found the assigned seating to be a little strange, but it certainly lessens the feeling of needing to get in ASAP before all the «good» seats are taken when you know which seat you’re getting ahead of time anyway. Theater was also very nice and clean when we went in, so they seem to do a good job cleaning it between showings as well.
Staff were really friendly – we showed up early and the attendants let us know which side to go to (we didn’t realize there were two sides that weren’t connected) and also let us know that the theater was still being cleaned and that we’d have to wait a few minutes before we could go in. We waited in the lounge, which is a nice space for waiting and is probably more meant to attach to the bar area right outside of it. Neither of us really drinks, but I thought it was interesting to have the option of wine or beer with the movie :) Not used to it. Also, we were happy to see that they had nice non-​soda options at the concession stand – we got an unsweetened lemon iced tea, and it hit the spot.
Definitely a nice theater, and I like that they have a wider variety of films available. It’s a bit far for me, since I live in San Jose (Mr. Piano lives near SF), but I like it! Next time they are playing something I’m interested in seeing, I think I would love to be back for another show :)

My husband and I love this cinema. They play great movies, the customer service. One tip would be to buy tix online because the theaters are small and they sellout. I’m so happy this great little place is down the street from our pad.

Love this place… going on 17 years now. The recent upgrades are great and the abundant staff are sweet, so I have to ask (LOUDLY)…WHY ARE THE BATHROOMS SO FREAKIN DIRTY ALL THE TIME! All these lovely greeters and concierges and no mop? Your bathrooms are consistently filthy. My shoes stick to the floor and squeak as I walk to the filthy urinals. i cannot believe you don’t get daily complaints.

Huge lines, broken ticket kiosks, ran out of 3D glasses, concessions closed and they started the movie 25 minutes late (without previews) because of problems with the projector. One of the worst movie experiences I’ve ever had.

Remodelled and amazing! The seats fully recline, and they validate parking and offer the best popcorn selection. My new favorite movie theatre.

In a screening this past weekend, I purchased a seat in Theater 5. Most seats were already reserved so there weren’t alot of options. Based on availability, I decided to choose the last row, a seat that was considered companion to handicap seating. When i showed up in the theater, someone was sitting in my seat.
Annoying!
This was the friend of the woman in the adjacent chair. When her friend vacated to her assigned seat, my neighbor suggested I move to the 2^nd row so I could be «closer to the screen.»
Really? I chose not to sit in the 2^nd row when I saw the layout of the theater.
Then I found the seat I was in did not recline. The ticket staff member didn’t tell me this. Super annoying!
This is the 4^th time I been to the Embarcadero Cinema and I gotta say that I don’t like the small screening rooms & the layout is bad.
I could be home watching a film with almost the same set-​up & not paying the high fee.
The theater itself shows some wonderful films but the ambiance of the theater experience is lacking. Seriously, get it together people!

This place is showing that limited release film that the other theaters aren’t. Nice ambience and easy ticket buying experience. They also serve booze which always wins points from me. Go here for the oscar nominated short film screenings. One of my favorite theaters in the city.

Finally after years of hearing about this theater a friend and I came here to watch Brooklyn. The theater is literally a ten minute walk from my work down on Market, so it’s perfect for catching an indie film right after work. We arrived about 20 minutes before our film was scheduled to start. Ordering is easy either you can go up to one guy who’s in charge of tickets, or use a computer screen up front. The seating reserved, so you choose which seats you sit at. I like the idea of reserved seats so you can take your time and not rush to make sure you have decent seats. The staff was friendly and bathrooms were clean. The theater itself wasn’t the biggest one I’ve ever been in, but it had nice comfy leather seats and was well kept. I enjoyed my time here and already have another movie planned to see here. On a side note Fandango doesn’t sell their tickets online, but if you go to their website for Landmark theaters you can buy tickets ahead of time! And my one gripe is that the place was really confusing to get too after reach Embarcadero 1, but with some sign reading I figured it out. I will gladly come back here soon!

BEST theatre in the city. (As long as you’re not needing IMAX 3D.) Great selection of films, best popcorn served anywhere, and they have a fun assortment of food and beverages — including a boss happy hour in the lounge. Just mind that you get your tickets early if you’re in one of the wee theaters, as the screen angle gets really odd really fast in those ones. But it can be a boon if you’re in the centre, as you can kick back in the fully reclining seats.

One of my favorite theaters in the bay area! The seats are incredibly comfy, soft, and spacious! You get plenty of leg room in front of you and can pass by your neighbors without everyone having to get up like most regular theaters. The cost was also incredibly reasonable at $ 13 for a weekday evening considering how much nicer it is. Since the theater is on the smaller side, the green EXIT signs were somewhat jarring in the pitch black theater. One was so bright in the back, I even thought a light was still on when the movie started playing. They also have automated ticket machines which makes the process very speedy and easy. You also get to choose your seat ahead of time which is fantastic for packed/​sold out movies. Although this theater really only plays independent films, so it never gets super crowded. I will definitely be back the next time a new indie film piques my interest

Great experience, Although I was a little late for the start of the movie, they were already wiping counter tops in the food section. I asked for two hot dogs, pop corn and a coke. The staff were super friendly and efficent.
I ran to the ticket counter, quickly got my ticket and the usher walked me to my seat in the dark theater.
Seats are huge and very comfortable.
I hope the manager knows. He has an exceptional friendly staff. (And no, I’m not the mother of any of them)

The only theater near me that play indie and foreign films. Live the spacious seat. Clean

Fantastic cinema! As someone who goes to the cinema a lot I was very surprised and excited to visit this cinema twice on my holiday in San Fran. From the self serve ticket machines at the door where you can select your own seats, to the comfortable and intimate cinemas– most with reclining chairs that were huge! this cinema goes above and beyond to make viewing a movie a really comfortable experience!!! The staff were really friendly and funny with lots of knowledge on films and even introduced each movie before it began. It was super clean and not not crazy busy which made it even nicer. Definitely worth going to just to not have annoying crowds.
Note this cinema only plays a selection of about 5 movies a night with about 3 being new «block busters» and others being either classics or independent films. Not sure when the rotation occurs for films to change.

I love this theater. It is so clean and the seats are are incredibly comfortable and recline to practically flat. Feels like you are sitting upstairs on a 747. They have a busy and reasonably priced bar, and if so inclined, you can bring your cocktail into the cinema. I haven’t ordered anything but the hummus, which seemed surprisingly healthy fare for the movies. They also offer advance seating – key – these theaters are small, so avoid the front row.

This place had the best seats of any theater I have ever been to. I had such a good time, cuddling with my date during the movie.
Mostly all small, Indie, award-​season films. Also very attractive lobby and extremely simple and efficient ticket buying interface.

One of my favourite movie theatres. So easy to get tickets online I printed mine out and we walked right up to the usher and walked right in. Comfy seats (reclining ones are great depending what screening room your movie is playing in) great selection of snacks along with delicious popcorn ! Parking is available on the street sometimes otherwise you can park in the garage

Assigned seating, are you kidding me? This isn’t a concert or a flight on an airplane, it’s a movie theater. What a hassle to switch seats (to the crappy second row seats) because the computer messed up seats when my friend and I bought our tickets together.

From beginning to end, the awkward and at times rude customer service did not end (with the exception of our ticket-​takers who were both pretty great). The concessions staff are pushy and weird. Am I allowed to look at the menu before I’m forced to get in the nonexistent line to order?! We got to the theater about 20 minutes early and walked in to a spotless room, but were awkwardly/​rudely told we had to wait for the dude the finish cleaning. Then he fucked around for nearly 15 minutes while we waited with our shitty food to sit down as the hotdog slowly burned my hand (points for being a hot hot dog!). This dude is a joke and I won’t be back. Too bad it was the only place in the bay showing the film we needed to see. Stop being a dick, cleaning dude. Your sad need to keep us waiting is pathetic.

Embarcadero Cinema shows mostly indie films. Unlike many other theaters, there aren’t little kids running around or teenagers going out on dates/​group outings. Super cool is that this is probably one of the cleaner theaters I’ve ever been to. This theater is very, very tiny as well. The outside/​lobby area is small and can sometimes get crowded as people line up to get tickets/​snacks or use the restroom.
There is only one concession stand and omg, what a concession stand it is. There’s kettle corn, regular popcorn and you can get it mixed in one bag. Chicken tenders, empanadas, pretzels, etc. Basically gourmet theater food.
The viewing rooms are really tiny. The one I was in only had about 15 – 20 people. But best thing is that they’re all reclining seats and they’re well maintained and clean! Woohoo! The only downside is that because the room is so small, all the rows are relatively close to the screen. I personally like to sit further away from the screen instead of looking up and even though we got the last row, it was a little too close for my taste.
The only thing that was off putting was that their bathrooms were pretty dirty and I don’t think there’s anyone cleaning them very often. I used the bathroom before and after the movie, the cleanliness still did not change between the two hour timespan.

Turning into my favorite move theater. Beer after 5 and a happy hour at that. Good seats and variety of movies including foreign films and they have parking!

I love this theater! They always have the smaller films that I want to see, the theater is ultra clean, and the staff is super friendly. What’s not to like? Oh, they also have reserved [comfortable] seating which you can book online, so there are no issues showing up during the trailers and missing out on your favorites seats.
Also, the usher named Auggie is super cool and adorable, I always love it when he introduces the film. xoxo Auggie!

A little late with this review but this is based on my experience last winter when I watched Birdman at the Embarcadero Center Cinema. The place has very small intimate theaters with reserved seating, which I actually like because you don’t have to worry about lining up to get good seats. And speaking of seats, the reclining chairs are the big thing about this spot. I actually almost fell asleep watching my movie not because of the movie, but because I was just too comfortable since I had my recliner in a laid out position which was the best way to view the movie from the front row. It’s a pretty decent movie-​going experience plus I like how they show lower budget and independent films here.

Probably the nicest movie theater I’ve been to in the last 20 years
Super comfortable, large chairs with real cup holders. No bumping elbows with your neighbors
Indie movies with a very civilized audience. Not like the typical movieplex. We ate before going, but the refreshments look promising.
I will definitely return!

I seldom utilize this theater because it’s across the city. Tonight I realized I can no longer let the distance stop me.
This theater plays ALL the best, rare, foreign, independent, cool, Lars van Trier type films. YUH YUH YUH!
The film quality and selection can’t be beat. But the incentives don’t stop there…
Staff is outstanding. Super friendly service and good vibes. I dig it!
The theater seats are HUGE! Large armrests, legit cup holders, super comfy material.
There is assigned seating! No rushing to grab an aisle seat. You can choose where you want to sit when you purchase the tickets. Love it!
The space is well designed and the layout allows for cool views, a separate bar and lounge area. The theater also features two outside patio entries for those meeting friends or in need of a smoke break.
The popcorn is fresh and the concessions are above average. They offer pizza, salads, sandwiches and appetizers that are decent for a movie theater.
Pro Tip: they validate parking for the underground garage.

As long as you don’t sit in the very front row, it’s one of my favorite theaters in SF.
Unfortunately this area is dead after business hours. Good for movie lovers like me, bad for surrounding businesses. Assuming you’re not going to opening day/​night premieres, they rarely sell out.
Sit back and relaaaaaax in the comfy seats. It’s better than couching it at home, and rarely would I say so. Seriously, would bet money that at least one patron falls asleep per day in the lounge chairs.
The best thing has to be the movie selection. Indie-​ish, well curated flicks that you’ll likely be talking about at the water cooler or the next dinner party.
Go here, buy a ticket and visit a nearby bar or restaurant to keep this area alive after 5.

The best *modern* theatre in the bay area!
I say modern because classic historical, restored theatres are their own category.
What I like:
— Popcorn is consistently amazing. Always fresh and plenty of butter. I’ve stopped ordering popcorn at other theatres. The Landmark on Clay for example the popcorn there is always stale. This place nails it.
— Screening lounge features smaller more intimate venue (32 seats I believe) with full lean back recliners.
— Bar and area to hang out before/​after movie
— Service is amazing — they walk you to your seats; its like going to a play
— Prices are $ 12 for a movie. I’d easily pay $ 20 for the value you get from the screening lounge
— Free parking validation and a huge underground lot
— Lots of cool stuff nearby to check out (worth the movie just to park)