Forget noisy crowds or fighting for the best seat — a whole new kind of movie night is about to arrive in NYC. Metro Cinema, the latest venture from Tim League, founder of Alamo Drafthouse, opens today, Wednesday, October 29th in Chelsea, offering private luxury screening rooms where guests can watch movies, dine, and relax in total comfort.
Instead of sharing a theater with strangers, guests can now book their own cinema suite for 4 to 20 people, complete with massive screens, plush seating, immersive sound, and chef-driven menus inspired by each film. Tim League stated:
For over a century, cinema has been experienced in a crowded room surrounded by strangers. We’ve changed that. Sharing dinner, drinks, a great movie, and the post-movie conversation with people you love in a spacious, relaxed environment is very special. We’re excited to share this new experience with New York City.
Moviegoers will get to choose from a lineup of current blockbusters, cult classics, indie releases, or even live sports and TV series, to watch in their own private space.
Every suite is equipped with a wall-to-wall movie screen, motorized recliners, plush loveseats, an immersive sound system, and a dining table with chairs and personalized service.
The experience begins well before the lights dim, though.
Before the film, your suite transforms into a private dining room with a family-style, multi-course meal themed to your chosen movie created by Chef Joshua Guarneri, an NYC veteran of Michelin-starred kitchens. Highlights include:
- 🍂 Fall Seasonal Menu – Fall Pan Puri, Kampachi Crudo, Mushroom Risotto, Peri Peri Blue Prawns, and a dessert trio (available now)
- 🫧 Wicked: For Good – Curried Pumpkin Soup Shooters, Lamb Tongue Carpaccio, Dandelion Green Salad, Emerald Prawns, Roasted Beets, Matcha Cheesecake, and a Green Elixir cocktail (available beginning 11/21)
- 🚂 Planes, Trains and Automobiles – a Thanksgiving feast with all the trimmings: Roast Turkey and Gravy, Cranberry Sauce, Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, and Pumpkin Pie (available on Thanksgiving Day)
- 🎄 A Christmas Story – a Chinese-inspired feast featuring Roast Duck, just like Ralphie and family enjoyed in the movie (available on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day)
- 🥂 Amélie – any chosen menu is modified to include a champagne toast, raspberries, a bag of lentils, a garden gnome guests are encouraged to steal, and crème brûlée (always available)
- 🍄 Phantom Thread – a (non-poisonous) mushroom breakfast-for-dinner feast (available in early December)
- 🤿 The Delicacy – Uni Tasting Menu with everything from Custard to Tarts, accompanying a documentary about Santa Barbara sea urchin divers (available January 2026)
Each private suite also includes a vinyl turntable, allowing guests to set the mood with a curated soundtrack before showtime.
The cinema features 20 uniquely designed private rooms plus The Bar With No Name, an open-to-all cocktail lounge with vintage movie posters, plush seating, and a Martini Happy Hour from 4 to 6 pm.
Reservations are now open at metrocinema.com. Each booking includes your private suite, movie ticket, and unlimited popcorn and soda (meals and drinks sold separately).
📍 Metro Cinema, 131 8th Avenue, Chelsea — opening October 29, 2025