A Review of Cinebarre Theater in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

Cinebarre is the newest viewing option for local moviegoers. The "dinner and a movie" theater had its grand opening the last weekend in June in the former Movies at Mount Pleasant building, which has undergone a complete make over. It is located on Houston Northcutt Blvd. in Mount Pleasant, SC; a quick ride for most folks in the East Cooper and Downtown areas. The theater caters specifically to an adult clientele and requires that anyone under 17 be accompanied by an adult. Cell phones, loud talking, and the usual distractions small children provide are strictly prohibited.

My husband and I decided to give it a go so we chose one of the 11 films offered and headed over for a 7:40 showing. The Mummy series with Brendan Fraser is one of my guilty pleasures, so "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" was it for me.

The Movies at Mount Pleasant had been our choice of theaters most of the time; it was closer to our house and parking is much easier than the Palmetto Grand Theater in Towne Centre. When we pulled into the parking lot, we were amazed to see how crowded it was. This was a completely different experience than when the theater was a standard multiplex. Considering the number of cars in the lot, the ticket lines were not long and we were able to get our tickets within 5 minutes of arriving. I paid for the tickets with a credit card, which the cashier had to enter manually even though a card swipe was available on the register. Perhaps the swipe was on the fritz.

We went into the theater and were pleasantly surprised by the changes. An upscale bar with stools along the counter is front and center and a few comfy looking sofas line the outside walls. We were greeted immediately by one of the attractive bartenders, which was a nice start. Unfortunately, there was no one taking tickets or giving directions to the proper theater, so we wandered around a bit as did a group of women who had been ahead of us in the ticket line. After a couple of minutes, a passing server noticed our wandering, told us we were on the wrong side of the cinema, and pointed us in the right direction. Nice kid.

The screening area is set up with stadium seating above and below the landing with a couple of cafe tables in between. We chose stadium seats about halfway up. A counter runs along a short wall in front of the seats with menus and blank sheets of paper for writing your order. Luckily, my husband who was a boy scout, had a pen with him otherwise we would have been out of luck with the order sheets as no pen or pencil is provided. I assume they feel that adults always have a pen with them or that the servers can just take the orders the old-fashioned way and write it themselves. We placed our order and after about 10 minutes, we were served our drinks. It was another 20 minutes before our food arrived; chicken tenders and fries for me and a hamburger for my husband. By then the movie was in full swing and the theater was dark. I had not really thought about the logistics of eating in the dark before but it turned out to be quite challenging. I didn't realize that ketchup came with my meal until I accidentally stuck my finger in it and my husband didn't find the bottom portion of his hamburger bun until the end of the movie when the lights came up. I don't think he tried that hard but still, it was awkward. Also, we had not been given any napkins so eating was a little messy.

Dealing with the check and making sure I gave the correct amount of money was also kind of a pain. I couldn't see well in the dark and had to rely on my habit of organizing my cash by denomination. I'm somewhat compulsive about this and in this case, I'm glad I am since the server never did bring any change back. A tip is certainly appropriate for food and drink service but it is usually left up to the customer to decide how much to give.

Cinebarre is a good idea and with a couple of little changes, it could be a great idea. The overall experience was good. The seats are comfortable, the temperature was just right, and the sound was clear but didn't blast you out of your seat. The biggest negative, eating in the dark, could actually be alleviated in a cheap and simple way. All it would take is adding a line of little white lights along the counter, which would provide enough light to eat by but wouldn't distract you from the film any more than the lights on the stairs or over the exit doors do. Stationing a host/hostess in the lobby to steer patrons to the correct theater would also be a plus. My husband and I agree that the next time, we will eat first and just order drinks for the film.

Cinebarre opened its first theater in Asheville, NC and is opening another in Thornton, CO soon. Their website, www.cinebarre.com, has a menu, a link to Fandango for movie times and online ticket purchase, employment opportunities, and press releases.