New York's Most Unique Movie Theater Venues Revealed

Nitehawk Cinema, Brooklyn, NY

This Brooklyn movie theater is also a full-service restaurant and bar. Moviegoers are treated to a delicious menu, with food and drinks delivered right to their chairs during the film.

Callicoon Theater, Callicoon, NY

Built in 1948, this single-screen indie cinema is one of the oldest and most unique movie theaters in the state. The interior is a Quonset-hut design with an Art Deco influence. Refurbished in the 1990s, the theater now seats 380 people and has many of the original furnishings, like the waterfall curtains.

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, Brooklyn, NY

Viewers can eat and drink their way through showings at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Brooklyn. Patrons order from their seat by writing their menu item down on paper, and meals are delivered during the movie by swift, discreet wait staff.

Vintage Drive-In, Avon, NY

For those who want “new movies in a classic setting,” Vintage Drive-In is just the venue. The drive-in movie theater has four screens that remind moviegoers of eras past, but play new films. The grounds also host a flea market every Sunday.

North Park Theatre, Buffalo, NY

Hailed as “Buffalo’s finest neighborhood theater,” North Park theater has been screening films since 1920. The single-screen theater was taken over independent management in 2013, has an old-fashioned move theater exterior, and showcases ornate murals in the lobby.

Syndicated, Brooklyn, NY

This Brooklyn theater-bar-kitchen does it all. The restaurant crafts high-quality meals and drinks for guests, and there is a 50-seat theater that shows two to three “expertly-curated films” a night. Ask to see the “hands-free” theater menu for movie-front dining.

Amherst Dipson Theatre, Buffalo, NY

Moviegoers at Amherst Theater snuggle up in plush new recliners to view one of the hand-picked, high-quality films on offer. The historic Buffalo theater originally housed just one movie, but now offers a selection of three as well as tasty concessions.

Palace Theatre, Lake Placid, NY

Opened in 1926, this Adirondacks movie theater reminds the watcher of a bygone era. Now fully restored, the grand movie theater is reasonable priced and airs films on four different screens.

Rooftop Cinema Club Midtown, New York, NY

Rooftop Cinema Club teams up with two New York City buildings in Manhattan and Bushwick to offer a unique rooftop movie experience in the summer. Moviegoers sit in lawn chairs and use a pair of headphones to block out the city noise. Food and alcoholic beverages may be served.

Key Insights at a Glance

• Nitehawk Cinema, Brooklyn: A movie theater with full-service dining and a bar, serving food and drinks directly to patrons during films.
• Callicoon Theater, Callicoon: Historic single-screen theater from 1948 with Art Deco-inspired Quonset-hut design, seating 380, with original features like waterfall curtains.
• Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, Brooklyn: Offers an in-seat dining experience where moviegoers write down orders, which are discreetly delivered by staff.
• Vintage Drive-In, Avon: Four-screen drive-in playing new movies in a nostalgic setting, with a Sunday flea market on the grounds.
• North Park Theatre, Buffalo: Buffalo’s neighborhood theater since 1920, featuring a classic exterior and ornate lobby murals.
• Syndicated, Brooklyn: Combines theater, bar, and kitchen, with a 50-seat cinema showing curated films, offering a “hands-free” dining menu for moviegoers.
• Amherst Dipson Theatre, Buffalo: Features plush recliners and carefully selected films, operating with a historic feel and expanded to three screens.
• Palace Theatre, Lake Placid: An Adirondacks classic from 1926, fully restored, offering films on four screens at reasonable prices.
• Rooftop Cinema Club Midtown, NYC: Outdoor rooftop theater experience with headphones to block city noise, offering lawn chair seating, food, and drinks during summer.