Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Downtown Los Angeles

I am extremely disappointed by how a staff member treated me during the 9:00 PM screening of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey in Auditorium 8. I was seated in seat 511. I live near the theater and decided to walk there instead of driving. Despite it already being 9:00 PM, it was extremely hot outside—almost like daytime heat. By the time I arrived, I was feeling unwell and my feet had become painfully swollen from walking in the heat. The theater itself was cool, and the air conditioning was blowing directly toward me. However, swollen and painful feet do not instantly return to normal simply because someone enters an air-conditioned room. At the beginning of the movie, I briefly removed my shoes, hoping that the cool air would help me feel better. I kept my shoes directly under my seat, without blocking the aisle or disturbing anyone. Another customer near me was also sitting without shoes, yet I appeared to be the only person repeatedly confronted. When the employee instructed me to put my shoes back on, I complied despite the pain. That should have ended the interaction. Instead, she returned to me multiple times and repeatedly warned that if I removed them again, she would have me removed from the auditorium and stop the movie in front of everyone. I told her that I understood and clearly indicated that I wanted to end the conversation and continue watching the film, but she would not leave me alone. Immediately after threatening to remove me, she returned once again and asked whether I wanted water. By that point, the interaction felt less like genuine assistance and more like continued provocation. When I responded, “No, I don’t want water. I want to watch the movie because I paid for it,” she accused me of having an “attitude,” said I was speaking too loudly, and again threatened to remove me. Approximately fifteen minutes of the film were taken away by these repeated and completely unnecessary interactions. My wife and I purchased two $25 tickets, as well as food and drinks, because we came here to relax and enjoy a movie. Instead, I became so distressed that I had to leave the auditorium and ended up standing outside crying rather than watching the film I had paid for. I understand that a theater may have a footwear policy. My complaint is about the employee’s hostile, humiliating, and unnecessarily escalatory behavior—particularly after I had already complied. A professional employee could have communicated the rule once, calmly and respectfully. There was absolutely no need to keep returning, threatening me, commenting on my “attitude,” and disrupting my experience. Customer-facing employees should know how to de-escalate situations, not manufacture conflicts and repeatedly intimidate paying guests. I sincerely hope management identifies this employee, reviews the available surveillance footage, and takes serious disciplinary action, including considering whether she should remain in a customer-facing position. In my opinion, someone who treats customers this way should not be working with the public. I am requesting a full refund for both tickets and a formal response from management regarding this incident.

Went here on a solo movie date and had a great time! They show old movies (I saw the og Jurassic Park) as well as current films. Really friendly staff and good prices! The seat recline but don’t push back. V comfy tho. You order food and drinks to your seat via QR code which is super convenient. The staff does walk around the theater a lot dropping off food but they are pretty quiet. Overall, great place to see movies!

I love this place we have been going got years. I refuse to give five stars because they recent were purchased by Sony who changed some fundamental and charming things about the theater. Before they had more food options and better food. They also have no switched to QR code only order which saves Sony money but takes away from the charm and fun the theater. Please bring back more gluten free options, actual menus and interaction with the kind and amazing staff. Sony please don’t ruin this staple in downtown Los Angeles. No more enshitification!

First time watching a movie here. Absolutely loved it! I really liked the interior design. Everything was very clean. Seats recline and are comfortable. They come with a wide tray for your food. Not sure if the trays can collapse but if you’re a bigger person you will have to squeeze into your seat 😅Food was good. We ordered popcorn w/butter and a pretzel. The pretzel was so soft! We also got a boozy whiskey banana split shake. Delicious! The server we had was very nice and explained the process of how to order food. Theaters are small, which I prefer. It makes the experience more cozy and personal. Bathrooms are clean and unisex. So don’t be surprised about that. My only con was getting there. There is parking. Just remember to VALIDATE it. It’s $6 validated but $40 plus with no validation. We had to take multiple elevators to get there. And got a little lost trying to get back to our car. Anyways, their website gives you very detailed information about everything. So read it before you go. This will be my theater of choice for future movie outings.

Absolutely the best movie theater. They go the extra mile to give you an amazing different experience then your usual movie theater. I love that you can sit down on a reclining chair, lift your feet, and eat and drink while watching movies. They are so quiet when bringing you your food and drinks you don't even notice them. I have to say thief food is pretty good my favorite is their grilled chicken sandwich with avocado, and their chip and queso yummy. Their staff is always so friendly and helpful and courteous. Oh I always bring a blanket adds to the cozy vibes.