Great Movie Theaters in Portland, Oregon

Portland, Oregon has always been a city full of new ideas. Some time in the 1980s, in the era of splashy metroplexes and ten-screen movie theaters with expensive tickets and popcorn, Portland entrepreneurs decided that they wanted something else.

The first and most famous of these new, creative theaters is the Bagdad Theater and Pub. An early part of the restaurant empire created by the McMenamin brothers, the Bagdad is a stylish, refurbished 1930s movie house with a giant screen and a great location on SE 37th and Hawthorne. What you see on the outside resembles a Persian castle, and the lobby continues the exotic theme, with dark, high-ceilinged interiors that look like the insides of an ancient ruin, or a Sultan's palace out of the Arabian Nights. The theater itself is massive, with two levels of seating, gorgeous vaulted archways, and hanging chandeliers.

But that's not all that's special about the Bagdad. In addition to popcorn and candy, this theater also features beer, wine, and some very delicious pizza! Plus, some of the theater seats are equipped with tables, where you can set down your pizza and your pitcher of beer. Prices at the Bagdad are very reasonable, as well, with most movie admissions at $3 each, and food prices being less than half that of a more expensive multiplex. Late showings are 21 and over, with matinees being shown on the weekends. The Bagdad's only drawback is that it only shows second run movies.

Another extra special theater in the McMenamin's chain is the Kennedy School Theater, at NE 33rd and Jessup. This is part of the Kennedy School restaurant and hotel, a converted school building now housing overnight rooms in the classrooms, bars and restaurants galore, and a unique movie theater inside the gym. The Kennedy School theater is filled with vintage furniture, from comfort sofas to easy chairs, and tables are placed to allow you a convenient spot to set your food. You can order off of the entire restaurant menu here, in addition to getting gourmet pizza and popcorn from the nearby snack bar. Prices here are the same at the Bagdad.

But the McMenamin's chain isn't the only source of great alternative movie theaters. The Laurelhurst Theater, on NE 28th and Burnside, offers an attractive location with several refurbished screens, and serves delicious pizza, beer, and wine. Something special about the Laurelhurst Theater, though, is that they don't merely show second run movies. The Laurelhurst also shows independent and classic films as well, making it a popular destination for their Sci-Fi Month and 80s Month.

An incredible theater all by itself and outstanding even compared to the others here is the Academy Theater on SE Stark and 78th. Inside, you'll find an attractive deco design in the lobby, and the smell of luxurious pizza wafting from the snack bar. The pizza at Academy is something special, being made next door at the highly popular Flying Pie Pizzeria. The Academy shows independent films and second run movies, and on Tuesdays, movie tickets are buy one, get one free, meaning you can take a friend for the price of one, or you can see two movies yourself!

There are many other unique theaters in Portland, as well, from the grand old Eastmoreland Theater on SE Milwaukie and Bybee, to the funky Northwest Portland Cinema 21, on NW 21st and Irving, to Living Room Theaters on SW 10th and Stark. So get out there and enjoy a movie! These awesome theaters are waiting for you.