M
anhattan’s upscale Chelsea district now hosts Metro Cinema, a boutique theater launched by Tim League of Alamo Drafthouse. The venue boasts 20 private screening rooms, each accommodating 4 to 20 patrons, with wall‑to‑wall screens, velvet seats, and an optional gourmet menu. Prices start around $200 per person for a four‑seat room, climbing to $300 for a six‑seat suite. A November showing of “Frankenstein” could cost a group of six $1,200, covering room rental, a $100 per‑person fall menu, and a $50 signature drink (or $25 for a non‑alcoholic option).
The culinary experience is helmed by Chef Joshua Guarneri, known for Breslin and Hearth & Hound. Patrons can indulge in peri‑peri prawns, curried mushroom soup shooters, lamb tongue carpaccio, and, of course, bottomless popcorn. The full‑course fall menu runs $100 a head, while special $125‑per‑person options include a Thanksgiving feast paired with “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” or a Chinese‑style roast duck with “A Christmas Story.” A quirky Amélie‑themed offering lets fans sprinkle raspberries on their fingertips and dip into a lentil bowl.
Beyond the screen, guests lounge in an ephemera‑filled space, surrounded by cinema memorabilia. The décor evokes a cinephile’s fever dream, with plush seating and a cinematic cocktail lounge. The venue’s exclusivity and price point set it apart from other premium movie experiences: Brooklyn’s Nitehawk Cinema offers indie films with $26 cheese boards, and the Lower East Side’s Metrograph serves $38 steak frites. Dubai’s Reel Cinema provides platinum suites with personal butlers for roughly $50 a head, while Hotel Barrière Fouquet’s New York hides a five‑star Art Deco theater offering $110 for two drinks and a film, or $215 for special events.
Metro Cinema’s opening coincided with the Upper West Side’s beloved Metro Theater rebranding as the Uptown Film Center. The historic art‑deco house, located between West 99th and 100th Streets, was rescued in 2023 for $6.9 million by a nonprofit of film enthusiasts, including Governor Kathy Hochul and several A‑listers. The new name preserves the iconic pink stucco façade while introducing five screens, an education center, and a café. If the $29 million capital campaign proceeds smoothly, construction should begin in early 2027, with a grand opening slated for 2028.
In a city where moviegoers increasingly seek gourmet experiences, Metro Cinema’s blend of high‑end film, curated cuisine, and private luxury positions it as a standout destination. Its pricing may be steep, but the combination of exclusive rooms, chef‑crafted menus, and immersive ambiance offers a premium cinematic adventure that few competitors can match.
