We finally visited the Cinema Grill in Aurora. It’s a little far for us but it was a unique experience. We saw the movie Source Code and you can check out my movie review here but this posting is a review of the Cinema Grill which is a discount movie theater with the flare of eats and treats. Sure, there is the usual movie fare of popcorn and soda but at Cinema Grill, you can actually eat a full meal including some fancy dishes while you watch a movie. The movies are cheaper, and are $2.50 for matiness (shows before 5pm) and $3.50 after 5pm. What a deal! The seats are comfortable and you can either sit at a table or at a counter/bar-type seat, and enjoy your meal while you watch the show. For parents who have kids with the sitter, there is the extra added benefit of having a meal and a movie without paying extra to the babysitter or being away from the kids for too long. If you do the traditional dinner out and a movie, sometimes you are looking at 4-5 hours away from the kids but if you combine the two, well, then, even with the commute to and from this place, you are looking at 3-4 hours tops!
Those are the pros of this type of setting. The cons are you can’t have a conversation over a meal like you would want on a date especially when you are married and normally do not get to talk. The other disadvantage is that you can’t see your food because by the time the food arrives, the movie has started. So people were using their cell phones or flashlights (from the theater) to look at the menu or see what they were eating. My advice to alleviate these cons: Order food you do not have to really see to put together or figure out if it has the right ingredients. Fajitas are probably not a good idea. Keep it simple! My husband ordered the chicken sandwich and did not feel good the next day so keep in mind that you cannot check if your meat is cooked properly either.
With that in mind, we plan to return and possibly even do a kids’ party sometime but again, keep the food choices simple and you should be fine.
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I’m so glad you reviewed this because we were thinking of planning a night there soon. Now that you’ve given me the scoop, I’m thinking against it. The cons you mention are biggies to me.
The cons of not talking to eachother and seeing your food? Yes… the whole point of eating together is lost— but it saves a lot of time if you have a babysitter etc.
We had a movie theater like this in Ogden Utah. I still miss the Philly Cheese Steak sandwich I used to get there.
My husband will NOT drive to Aurora. Ever.
Lakewood needs one of these!