Cinema Cafe Pembroke Meadows
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
Cinema Cafe Pembroke Meadows offers a unique, intimate movie-watching experience with comfortable reclining seats and in-seat food and drink service. It's often praised for its clean environment and friendly staff, creating a 'personal home theater' vibe that many parents appreciate for family outings. While the core movie experience and comfort are strong highlights, parents should be aware of inconsistent food quality and high prices for snacks and drinks.
Key Highlights
- ✓Clean theater environment reported upon first impression
- ✓Super comfortable, reclining seats providing a 'personal home theater' feel
- ✓Friendly and polite staff from front desk to waitstaff
- ✓Convenience of in-seat food and drink ordering and delivery
- ✓Seamless integration of movie theater and dining experience, making it 'flawless'
- ✓Great parking availability
Standout Features
- ⭐Reclining, comfortable seating arrangement that enhances the viewing experience
- ⭐Attentive and polite service staff who take orders at your seat
- ⭐Easy and convenient parking with 'great parking' available
- ⭐Extensive menu options beyond standard popcorn (e.g., pizza, nachos, chicken tenders, desserts, cocktails)
- ⭐The combined ease and convenience of seeing a movie and having a meal in one location
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →Book tickets in advance as the theater is described as 'super small' and fills up quickly
- →Arrive early for your movie to ensure enough time to order and receive food before the film starts
- →Consider eating a meal before arriving at the theater if food quality and price are major concerns, as recommended by a reviewer
- →Be very specific and clear when ordering food to minimize errors (e.g., reiterating 'no olives' or requesting an 'extra plate' explicitly)
- →Explore the dessert menu as it comes recommended by some parents
- →Be aware that soft drinks do not include free refills
Things to Consider
- ⚠Inconsistent food quality, specifically noted as 'absolutely the worst' by some, with issues like cold fries and declining quality over time
- ⚠Food order inaccuracies (e.g., olives on loaded nachos when requested without, missing an extra plate when ordered)
- ⚠High prices for food and drinks ($15.00 for 3 chicken tenders and a small portion of fries, $5.00 for a soda)
- ⚠No free refills for sodas
- ⚠Lack of medium-sized options for drinks or popcorn
- ⚠Potential for food to consistently arrive cold (specifically fries consistently reported cold)
Price & Value
The movie ticket price is generally considered 'not too expensive' and 'not bad for the experience' given the comfortable, personalized setting. However, food and drink prices are noted as high and provide poor value, with a reported cost of $15.00 for 3 chicken tenders and a small portion of fries, and $5.00 for a soda with no free refills. This suggests good value for the movie experience itself, but poor value for concessions, leading some to advise eating before arrival.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •No specific accessibility accommodations mentioned in reviews.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •Full in-seat food and beverage service available, including pizza, nachos, chicken tenders, popcorn, sodas, adult cocktails, and desserts.
- •Food orders are taken by waitstaff at your seat and delivered directly.
- •Reported issues include order accuracy (e.g., specific requests for no ingredients missed), inconsistent food quality, and cold food delivery (especially fries).
- •Soft drinks do not have free refills.
- •Outside food policy not mentioned, but in-seat service is the primary model.
🚗Parking Info
- •Great parking available, described as 'very nice' and easy to use.
👥Crowd Levels
- •The theater is described as 'super small', suggesting it can reach capacity quickly and is an intimate setting.
- •Advance tickets are recommended, implying it can get busy and sell out.
- •Arriving early is advised for food ordering, indicating potential wait times or busyness before showtimes.
🛡️Safety Features
- •No specific safety features mentioned in reviews.
⏰When to Avoid
- • If you prioritize gourmet or restaurant-quality food for your meal, as it's noted 'this is not it'
- • If you are on a strict budget for snacks and drinks, as prices are high and perceived value can be low
- • If inconsistent food service or cold food delivery is a major deal-breaker for your family
- • If you are looking for a traditional, large-screen, stadium-style movie theater experience (screens are 'ok' but not top-tier)
Pricing/Package/Events
Pricing & Packages
Private Screening
Starting at $750 (Mon-Thu Food & Beverage minimum), Starting at $1000 (Fri-Sun, Holidays, & Peak Periods Food & Beverage minimum)Exclusive screening of current blockbusters. Requires purchasing all available seats in an auditorium. Pricing for seats based on day of week, time of day, location, and auditorium size. A Food & Beverage minimum purchase is also required.
Includes:
- •Exclusive use of an auditorium
- •Current movie release
Field Trip Package
Admission Fee* + $4.99 or Admission Fee* + $6.29 (before tax, per person)Duration: 10:30am showtime
Available to schools, camps, and daycare centers. Valid Mon-Thu for 10:30am showtimes only, excluding holidays. Not available for new movies in their first week of release. Full menu is not available. Invoice paid the week before, non-refundable.
Includes:
- •Admission Fee* (Child Admission or Matinee Admission, whichever is lower)
- •$4.99 option: Box of Popcorn, Kids Soft Drink
- •$6.29 option: Box of Popcorn, Kids Soft Drink, 1 Slice of Cheese Pizza
Events & Schedule
Special Events(Last 2 months - Next 6 months)
Private Screenings
Available any day of the week, with morning showtimes (around 10:30am) recommended for easier events.
Starting at $750 Mon-Thu (F&B minimum), Starting at $1000 Fri-Sun, Holidays, & Peak Periods (F&B minimum), plus ticket costs for all auditorium seats.
Exclusive showings for groups of all sizes, featuring current movie releases. Requires purchasing all seats in an auditorium.
Field Trip Packages
Mon-Thu for 10:30am showtime only, excluding holidays.
Admission Fee* + $4.99 or Admission Fee* + $6.29 per person.
Special group outings for schools, camps, and daycare centers. Booking not available for new movies in their first week of release.
Little Date Nights & Sensory Friendly shows
Details announced via newsletter.
Special events announced to newsletter subscribers.
🍎Food Policy
- • Ordering or a minimum purchase is never required for general admission.
- • A full menu including drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), appetizers, entrees, and desserts is available.
- • No allergy list is available due to handcrafted food, ingredient variations, and shared cooking areas; cannot ensure food is free from allergens (wheat, egg, soy, milk products are made in kitchens). Guests should err on the side of caution.
- • Last call for ordering is typically 30 minutes prior to the film ending.
- • Servers conduct 'check backs'; patrons can use a table/chair button to notify staff.
- • Payment by cash or major credit/debit card only; no personal checks.
- • 15%-20% tipping for servers is customary.
- • Each popcorn order is a separate and full charge; no free or discounted refills.
- • For birthday celebrations (not a package): Recommended meal options include Pizza Combo (Two 10-inch One-Topping Pizzas, Pitcher of Soda, Large Popcorn) and Kids Meals (Entree, Side, Beverage).
- • For birthday celebrations: Guests are welcome to bring their own birthday cupcakes or cookies; traditional cakes are not permitted.
- • For Field Trip Packages: The full menu is not available.
🛡️Safety Policy
- • Cinema Cafe locations are non-smoking establishments; this includes vaping and e-cigarette devices. Smoking/vaping is permitted in the parking lot, away from the building and entrance.
- • For costumes/cosplay, face masks/coverings and toy weapons are not permitted.
📅Booking Policy
- • All Cinema Cafe locations feature reserved (assigned) seating.
- • Advance tickets can be purchased online or in person.
- • It is encouraged to double check location, date, and showtime before finalizing online ticket purchases.
- • The online ticketing system cannot process Cinema Cafe movie passes; movie passes must be used for in-store purchases only.
- • For Private Screenings: Booking requires purchasing all available seats in an auditorium.
- • For Field Trip Packages: An accurate headcount, including chaperones, is important due to assigned seating and potential difficulty adding seats if the show is open to the public.
- • Field Trip Package fees are invoiced and paid the week before the movie to reserve seats, and these fees are non-refundable.
- • Payment for Field Trip Packages by cash or credit card is accepted; no personal checks, and Cinema Cafe does not invoice after the party.
- • For birthday celebrations, purchasing tickets in advance (online or in person) is recommended for large parties.
- • Movie will start at the advertised time and cannot be postponed for late arrivals.
🚗Parking Information
- • Parking lot available on-site (smoking and vaping permitted away from the building).
What People Say
What's Great
- Clean and well-maintained facilities (mentioned in 2 reviews)
Areas for Improvement
- Pricing can be high (mentioned in 4 reviews)
- Parking can be challenging (mentioned in 2 reviews)
Recent Reviews
Marshall Vanover
4 weeks agoLiterally just got home from watching Minecraft with my daughter and this theater was so great I had to make sure it gets a review! This place provides a theater experience i have never had in 35 years. Super small and advance tickets are recommended. First impression, the place was CLEAN! The seats were super comfortable and reclining so you get that personal home theater vibe. Staff were friendly from the front desk to the waitress that took our order. The pizza was great and the popcorn was perfect and I look forward to trying their other offerings (especially the amazing looking cocktails) on future visits. I can’t hype this place up enough and wish I would have given it a chance years ago but now that I have, this will be the only theater I go to if I have the choice. 1000/10 Truly a local treasure and we can’t wait to come back for another movie!
Kris
2 months agoVery nice theater with great parking. I wasn't sure how the restaurant and movie theater combo would work, but they make it seem flawless. Comfortable reclining chairs, polite service, and good menu for people looking to have more than just popcorn. I felt very entertained and like it was my living room with extra mancave-abilities! I will be back to try the other food on the menu, but the cheese pizza hit the spot! Thank you!
Brandi Cruz
4 months agoMy kids had such a great time here. And for the experience and how good the food was the price isn't that bad. Definitely made seeing a movie and getting lunch a lot easier. Plus there were a lot of options on the menu. I would recommend getting there early for your movie so you have time to order your food before the movie starts. And definitely check out the desserts.
Leonid Matvyeyev
4 months agoThe service was better than the experience. It's not too expensive that is the best thing going for it. The seats are decent the screens are ok and the food for the price is not bad, what made this place seem a little strange is inconsistent service, my food came out wrong (asked for no olives on loaded nachos, and still got olives, asked for extra plate when I ordered and still did not get extra plate) also they don't have Med size for drinks or popcorn. I would visit this place again but if you're looking for restaurant quality food this is not it, and if your looking for a good movie theater experience this is also not it.
Lesha Jackson
2 months agoThe movie was fantastic and the server was great. Theater clean but the food is absolutely the worst. The quality has went down and the prices have gone up!!! 15.00 for 3 chicken tender and a small portion of fries and then it arrives cold!!! Cold fries everything we go there. I literally told my husband from now on we eat before we go!!! 5.00 for a soda with no free refills Ridiculous!!!
Contact Information
752 Independence Blvd Ste 4590, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, USA
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