Best Independent Movie Theaters in Washington, DC

Sometimes a big-chain, movie theater doesn't cut the mustard. It's often loud, packed with kids, impersonal or just so-so. Oftentimes, you just want to view a serious film in an intimate, community-based setting. Or, you like to join friends for brews as you watch the latest blockbuster movie. Whatever the case, you're not going to find these features at your local movie theater. More often than not, you'll find instead long lines, crowds, noisy kids and more.

Fortunately, there are several independent theaters in Washington DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia that will thrill avid moviegoers, each more different than the next, each a neighborhood treasure. These delightful cinemas stand out for their originality and flair as well as for bringing special events and programming to a discerning film-watching audience in and around the National Capital Region. Four of these independent movie theaters rank among the Best Independent Movie Theaters in Washington, DC. They include:

Avalon Theatre
5612 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20015
Telephone: (202) 966-6000

Avalon Theatre is a treasured, independent movie theater in Washington, DC. Owned and operated by the nonprofit (Avalon Theatre Project, Inc.), the Avalon Theatre features a diverse programming mix that includes first-run commercial films, independent and foreign films, and documentaries. Avalon also hosts film festivals and special programs for everyone in the family. Located in a historic building, Avalon gets high marks for that certain something it brings to local cinema.

West End Cinema
2301 M Street NW
Washington, DC 20037
Telephone: (202) 419-3456

We show independent, foreign, and documentary films, especially ones that we feel offer new intellectual and cultural perspectives to our audience. West End Cinema also features a bar and a variety of concessions, including popcorn, gourmet sandwiches, yummy desserts and candy. Check out West End Cinema on your next trip downtown. You won't be disappointed.

Arlington Cinema 'N Drafthouse
2903 Columbia Pike
Arlington VA 22204
Telephone: (703) 486-2345

Family owned and operated, Arlington Cinema 'N Drafthouse represents a unique combination of a full service restaurant and movie theater. Arlington Cinema 'N Drafthouse customers enjoy a full restaurant/bar menu and table side service while basking in the comfort of oversized chairs. For more than two decades, Arlington Cinema 'N Drafthouse has brought a different vibe to the film crowd, and from most accounts, it works.

AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center
8633 Colesville Road
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Telephone: 301.495.6720

Created by the citizens of Montgomery County, Maryland, the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center is dedicated to artists, educators and audiences across the globe. AFI Silver Theatre showings demonstrate the "richness of American and world cinema," and beyond. AFI is also a treasured national institute providing leadership and education in celebration of the art of film, television and digital media. Check out AFI Silver Theatre for a first-run or independent film the next time you find yourself inside the Beltway. You won't be disappointed.

RESOURCES

List of Indie and Art House Theaters
www.indiefilmpage.com/theaters.html

Yahoo! Movies
http://movies.yahoo.com

National Association of Theater Owners
www.natoonline.org

American Film Institute
www.afi.com