Have Dinner and a Movie at Arlington Cinema ‘N’ Drafthouse

The Arlington Cinema ‘N’ Drafthouse at 2903 Columbia Pike is the only remaining theater in Arlington County from the cinema boom of the 1930s and 1940s that still operates as a movie theater, and is identified by the county as one of 23 “Essential” historic properties — those with the greatest historical, architectural, or visual prominence in the community. Originally opened in 1940 as the Arlington Theater and Bowling Alleys, the building has been through several reinventions, but none more successful than its current life as a dine-in movie theater and live comedy venue. Customers settle into roomy chairs with tables, order from a full restaurant and bar menu, and receive table-side service throughout the show — a format that sounds gimmicky until you experience it and realize it’s simply a much better way to watch a movie.

The main theater features the best of national touring stand-up comics on a weekly basis and discount movies — usually four to eight weeks after first release. The Drafthouse has been voted Best Movie Theater in the Washington DC area by the Washington Post and selected as the Best Thing to Do on Friday Night by Washingtonian Magazine. For parents, the discount matinee screenings with kid-friendly menus are a particular hit. Comedy shows, special screenings, and special events like an Oscar Awards Watch Party or a Holiday Film Festival are booked at the Arlington Drafthouse website.