Beach Cinema Alehouse
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
Beach Cinema Alehouse offers a dine-in movie experience with in-seat food and beverage service, including a varied menu and alcoholic drinks. It can be a low-key and convenient option for families, but service quality and venue modernity are highly inconsistent.
Key Highlights
- ✓Convenient in-seat food and drink delivery service available.
- ✓Menu selections described as 'fun and tasty foods' by some guests.
- ✓Comfortable seating with 'beautiful red leather' chairs in some theaters.
- ✓Some guests reported clean bathrooms.
- ✓Friendly, polite, and attentive staff (ticket girl, servers, bartender) when service is good.
- ✓Good beer selections and a variety of spirits on hand.
- ✓Professional and efficient manager (Lisa) was effective in handling a small issue.
Standout Features
- ⭐In-seat food and beverage ordering and delivery, enhancing convenience.
- ⭐Extensive drink menu including 'great beer selections and a variety of spirits'.
- ⭐Generally comfortable seating, though without reclining function.
- ⭐When service is good, staff are attentive, courteous, and efficient, including effective management for problem resolution.
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →Manage expectations for theater modernity and sound quality, as experiences vary by auditorium (e.g., Theater 3 is reported as dated).
- →Be prepared for potential inconsistencies in food service; ordering times and delivery can vary greatly, even with early arrival.
- →Do not expect reclining seats; be aware that tables are small.
- →If food quality is a high priority, consider alternatives or stick to simpler menu items like plain popcorn.
Things to Consider
- ⚠Severe inconsistencies in service: orders taken last despite early arrival, rushed ordering, food/drinks delivered very late (closer to movie end), mixed-up receipts, constant server distractions during the movie.
- ⚠Venue can appear dated, with 'Theater 3' specifically described as having an 'old musty smell' and being like a '90s early 2000s theater without upgrades'.
- ⚠Sound system can be 'old' and 'horrible' in some theaters, and volume was perceived as 'low' by some.
- ⚠Seats do not recline, and tables are consistently described as 'small' or 'tiny'.
- ⚠Food quality issues reported: undercooked chicken tenders, specific fries with an 'acquired taste', and missed order requests (e.g., extra salt).
- ⚠Bathroom cleanliness is inconsistent; reported as both 'clean' and 'filthy' by different reviewers.
Price & Value
No specific pricing details were mentioned for tickets or menu items. The value appears highly inconsistent; positive for those who experience good service and food, but very poor for those encountering severe service issues, dated facilities, or quality problems, especially when dining in is a core offering.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •No specific accessibility accommodations were mentioned in the reviews.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •Full dine-in service is available with a menu described as 'fun and tasty'.
- •In-seat food and drink delivery is a core feature.
- •Issues with food quality (undercooked chicken tenders, specific fries) and order accuracy (missed extra salt) have been reported.
- •An extensive drink menu is available, including 'great beer selections and a variety of spirits'.
🚗Parking Info
- •No details regarding parking availability or cost were mentioned in the reviews.
👥Crowd Levels
- •Described as a 'low-key theatre' by one reviewer, suggesting it may not always be overwhelmingly crowded. However, service issues (e.g., being served last despite early arrival) seem to stem more from inefficient server management than necessarily high crowd levels.
🛡️Safety Features
- •No specific safety features were mentioned in the reviews.
⏰When to Avoid
- • If you prioritize a modern theater experience with reclining seats and state-of-the-art sound systems.
- • If you are on a tight schedule and cannot tolerate potentially slow or inconsistent food service.
- • If food quality and accuracy are top priorities, given reports of undercooked items and missed requests.
- • If guaranteed pristine bathroom cleanliness is a must.
- • Theater 3, specifically, due to reports of musty smell, dated appearance, and poor sound.
Pricing/Package/Events
What People Say
What's Great
- Spacious play areas (mentioned in 3 reviews)
Recent Reviews
K c
2 months agowent to see sonic 3. very nice low key theatre. seats were a beautiful red leather and comfy. ordered our snacks and had them brought to us while we watched the movie. the bathrooms were clean. ticket girl was very friendly,polite and pretty might I add. we will be back!
Teasha Rachelle
2 weeks agoTheater 3 had an old musty smell walking in. The theater is very dated. The seats were comfortable enough but don't recline & the tables are small. The sound system is also old, it sounded horrible. It's like a 90s early 2000s theater without upgrades. Ordered popcorn, asked for extra salt on the side (didn't get it), 3 drinks & chicken tenders. The tenders were undercooked, placed another order for fries & a side of cheese, the fries are an acquired taste that I don't have. So basically I just ate the plain popcorn. Will not be back.
Madison Farley
3 weeks agoMy favorite movie theatre in Hampton roads!!!!! Such a good environment, good staff, good menu, you truly can’t complain when visiting this place. The staff takes care of you & makes sure you’re enjoying yourself.
Michelle L
5 months agoI don’t do reviews but this review is necessary because what happened last night was ridiculous. This was the worst experience at a movie theater especially a dine in one I’ve ever had. We were one of the first to sit down when they first opened the doors and closer to the front, but ended up ordering LAST because people kept coming in so he kept going to them and then when he finally came to take our order, we were rushed as if we came in late. Which let me say we got there 30 minutes prior as suggested and the doors weren’t even open. The server started in the row behind us so we didn’t even get our food until closer towards the end of the movie. Some of us didn’t even get our drinks till then either. Then he got our receipts mixed up 3 times and a lot of the times there was a distraction because the servers didn’t know where the food was going and they were coming throughout the entire movie. The volume I feel was low for something like that as well. Tables are tiny and no recliner seats. Bathrooms were filthy as well but we did not go there for that but thought I’d mention it. Just overall if I could give them no stars, I would. There’s way more better options out there.
Anesha S. K.
5 years agoThe movie was a bust, but the experience was great. The menu selections were fun and tasty foods and the table service was very nice. Servers were courteous and aware of space constraints. Bartender was very helpful with recommendations and assistance. Great beer selections and a variety of spirits on hand. The manager on duty, Lisa, was professional and efficient while handling a small issue. Her professionalism gives this location 5-stars!