The Classic Gateway Theatre

Love this historical quaint, cozy and very comfortable movie theater. Although it’s old, they have done a great job in maintaining it clean, comfortable and gives you that nostalgic feeling of what it was like to go see «the magic of movies» in the past. Really enjoyed the selection of movies too. Great seats! I will definitely be returning…

Very big fan of the classic theater feel. It’s not common anymore with AMC and Regal’s modernization and renovation, which don’t get me wrong has its place. It was very refreshing to be in a classic-​style movie theater and my experience was quite enjoyable. The films I saw? (Batman v Superman), not so much. I’ll definitely be back, but only for certain films that require that capital-​C Cinema feel.

I just love the retro cinema. They used to be more quaint now at least the past couple of times they have been lax in the personable customer service area:/
A lot of gay literature on the tables, a forum to pencil your review, deco vibe, retro marquee all make this a unique venue … Then the staff braiding each other’s hair at the snack bar and the filthy bathroom when there is no public in the theater even. That needs to be addressed.
He box office never smiles ever. Neither did es the ticket taker. I just now realized it feels you are bothering them coming here.
Still they are a convenient and quirky option for art and independent film.
Maybe this and other reviews will get them on their game?

Great movie theater that shows movies that are usually showcased at the Sundance Film Festival. There are 4 theaters inside that have Comfortable leather seats that are padded and there is plenty of leg room to stretch out. The lobby has a few high standing tables to hang out if you wish and besides selling the usual Popcorn, Hot Dogs, and Candy they sold my old time favorite «White Castle» Hamburgers. Growing up in The Bronx we would call them «belly bombers» which at that time sold for around 0.40 cents each a piece, but here they sold 2 for $ 3.50 which is a fair price since they must be hard to come by in Fla. These are a must try Burger (paper thin, loaded with tiny bits of onions).
All and all, I would come back here for the great movies and those Belly Bombers :)

First time going tonight and loved the theatre! It was very clean and comfortable. Finally a theatre for adults, I didn’t need to deal with any teenagers how refreshing! Will definitely make it a date night staple…

The Gateway is an Icon. This place will throw you pack to the 50’s in a moment. The film selection here is art house to modern. it’s cozy with nice seats, small theaters and a lobby with a friendly staff. I love the post tower where people leave their comments about the films that they saw. While not as fancy a newer venues, it has a charm all of its own. Parking is available behind the theatre. Want a new experience at the movies, this place will definitely do it.

Love the new seating & renovation! No more moldy musty odor. Yaaaaaay! Here to see «Joy». Christmas tradition. It’s SOLD OUT!

Small historic movie theater, reminiscent of the magic that old movie theaters hold, small ticket office, and just a few theaters. I haven’t been to Gateway in years and was surprised to find that it has gone through renovations including new cushioned chairs, new screens, new audio system and redone bathrooms.
The theaters have stadium style seating that ensures excellent viewing from every seat. Gateway tends to show hard to find Foreign and Indie films and sponsors film festivals. There are old movie posters through out the theater which add to the classic ambiance. Service is friendly, and the movie goers tend to be more serious about the movie, you won’t see loud groups of teens here.

They don’t honor their promos, says you have to check in on Unilocal and you get a free ticket. I checked in and they said I have to buy a $ 50 gift card to get a free ticket

This is one of my favorite theaters of all time. A small theater showing both mainstream flicks and the one’s that are a little more obscure. The prices for both tickets and concessions are reasonable. They recently re-​did the seating which, as crazy as it may sound, made me sad. There was something about forcing myself to sit through a movie on a fully compressed piece of foam from, undoubtedly, the 1970s that added to the experience.
Now there are super nice, reclining chairs. Very comfy.
Tips: The arms between the chairs flip up. There is a loyalty program you can sign up for online… it gets you discounted tix and free popcorn.
Gotta love this place… you can feel the history!

Hands down the best local East Fort Lauderdale cinema for adults. This theatre most recently went through some renovations including nice high back cushioned seats. An older theatre which roles just a few select movies, it has a nice beat and is easy to dance to. Inside there is some nostalgic pictures and memorabilia for a walk down memory lane of her grand past. Quite quaint actually and nice and intimate for a date. Never any crowding in the preview rooms and plenty of room to spread out and relax.
Just like any other cinema, the cost of a popcorn and a water will leave a hole in your pocket. I HIGHLY suggest getting the kids popcorn. It is just the right amount for one person, comes with a drink and a few fruit gummies for less than half the price of the previous! Definitely the way to go.
The feature movie presentation begins pretty close to the ticket time with minimal promo ads, so make sure you are there before the start time to ensure catching the beginning of your show.
There is plenty of free parking around the block with a few good restaurants in walking distance if dinner and a movie is your preference.
Love this place. My go-​to locals theatre by far. Enjoy the flick!

What I like about this theatre:
–Comfortable rocking stadium style seats
–Loyalty program for $ 6.50 tickets before 3pm M-​Th.
–Large popcorn with free refills only $ 6.75
–Easy parking behind theatre
–Don’t need to reserve a seat in advance
–Friendly staff
–nice restrooms
–Unique films
Dislike:
-$ 11 for a 5pm movie!!! I can pay that at AMC Coral Ridge and get a recliner.
–Next time I need to ask for less butter on my popcorn. I only could eat a little bit because it was too greasy. I guess I am use to the fake butter oil at other theatres.
–Walls are thin between theatres so you can hear the other movies
I would go back for a movie before 3pm for the low price. Otherwise, I would prefer to go to a theatre with recliners for similar pricing.

Walking in, the scent of movie theater butter hits you like a leg drop from Hulk Hogan — but in a good way. Ah man, you gotta love the smell of movie theater butter. Reminds me of my teen years when all we could do was go to the movies and the arcade… then arcades started disappearing so we only went to the movies… or walked around the mall window shopping — till we finally purchased a frozen lemonade because it’s all we could afford. The glory years.
This place is old… like 1950’s old — but it’s maintained the charm of a traditional movie theater while upgrading the technology and options (they freakin’ serve White Castle burgers lol).
We got a medium popcorn, large cherry coke (+points to anyone that serves Cherry Coke!) and a bag of Twizzlers. These are my movie viewing essentials. In total it was about $ 20. The wife and I shared it all — and we didn’t finish any of the three things. Realistically should of gotten a small popcorn… but now you know. The popcorn was great. They ask if you want butter on it — duh. It was a greasy mess… but delicious.
The theater is laid out with stadium style seats so every view is a good one. It was a Sunday afternoon when we arrived so the place was pretty empty — we decided to sit on the left row that only has 2 seats! Cozy… and you don’t bother anyone when you have to pee. Great view of the screen — the seats are very well laid out. Also, the seats recline a little (or a lot depending on how much pressure you put). Some dude sat right behind me… in a nearly empty theater. I mean come on man… you couldn’t sit somewhere else? I felt a little bad reclining too much.
The staff were all great. Tickets were $ 12 — which seems a little expensive… but that’s always the running joke right? How expensive it is to watch a movie nowadays? Regardless, I’ll be back when a movie really sparks my interest — or we are looking for a date night!

I started this review wanting to give 5 stars. Sadly, the bar has been raised by these theatres where you can recline in lounge chairs and order dinner (minus one star). Recently they replaced the seating here with more comfortable chairs. Plus one star for effort!
I love the selection of indie films they show here. I saw Wild this past weekend with my parents who were visiting from out of town. It was very well done. Whoever picks the films they show here does an excellent job.
This place is historic and has filled the niche among movie goers in Lauderdale looking for indy films.
I’m sure you’ll see me check in here again soon!

OK, so this theater is «old» but then again, that could be a good thing, especially since age is only a number and this place is still feisty. The seats are very comfortable and even though the 4 theaters are not stadium-​seating, the angle is good enough to see the screen just fine.

Awesome theater, old stile that brings me back to the good times. Close from my house .
I usually go check the movies out once a week.
;)

The Theater that all cinephile’s wants to give 5 stars too. South Florida is short in cultural hubs such as Art museums, and Great local music rock clubs, but it does have a few independent movie theaters that keep us in circle of great cinema towns.
The Gateway is one of the theaters to cherish. I go often, and enjoy the marquis and small theater vibe that is rarer every day.
The Gateway is an eclectic neighborhood, with 5 star restaurants nearby like Canyon that can be a great pre or post movie hangout.
No It doesn’t have the best sound, seats, concession options and has been accused of having a musty odor. But it feels like a place that is about the movie and not the «experience».
Don’t get me wrong, I love going to The Ipic and being in a recliner with a mixed drink soaking up waves of extreme sound. It can feel like your own personal movie theater.
But the Gateway is about the movie, and by playing popular movies it has helped keep smaller movies on screens locally.
Go, and support the small Independent theater.
Why not 5 stars? With small improvements on some of its short comings I will immediately update, as this theater deserves it

I’ve been coming here for years and realized I’ve neglected to review, so here goes.
My spouse and I are fans of FOREIGN AND INDIE FILMS and thus, The Gateway has always satisfied our viewing preferences. We stayed away for awhile, prior to their recent renovation, as the seating was uncomfortable, and the film quality and sound left much to be desired. Now, we are back.
With new [installed in early 2014] leather-​like SEATS which rock, a new sound system and digital projection, new carpeting, much has improved, and there is good reason to return. The vintage movie posters remain on their walls, which is great. An area for posting comments (3×5 cards) about the films often contain witty and insightful assessments.
A word of caution on the AC — sometimes it is not working, so if you are traveling to the theater from outside of the area [we live in East Boca], I’d suggest a quick call to the box office.
Many have remarked that they have the best pop corn, I’m not a maven on pop corn, but I’ll take their word for it. The fountain candy is standard fare, nothing overwhelming. I’d love if they offered some hard candy, everything is chewy and gooey.
In addition to the strength of their film offerings, they sponsor various film festivals throughout the year. This is our go-​to theater for the Fort Lauderdale Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, occurring yearly in October. See
, which is always well attended.
A note about the AUDIENCE: A lot of the viewing experience we receive while viewing a film is the reaction of the audience. The Gateway appears to attract more serious film viewers, of various ages, who don’t talk or ask questions of each other during the film. And they laugh at really funny lines, as opposed to silence. That is always a plus, as it can be very disconcerting if you’re watching a foreign film and there are folks around you who can’t follow the sub-​titles and keep asking «huh, what? blah blah». Or you’re watching a Woody Allen film and the audience is silent. Duh? That doesn’t occur here.
So if you’re into the type of films they show and live in the area, you’ll appreciate the Gateway. NOTE, they had a Unilocal offer which provides a free ticket when you buy a $ 50 gift/​loyalty card. You accumulate points on the card for your ticket purchases, as well as concession food, which can then be traded for free food or a ticket. Worth getting the Unilocal offer.
Enjoy the films, boyz and girls…

NEW SCREEN ! NEW SOUND SYSTEM ! NEW LEATHER SEATS ! NEW FOOD ! ITS NOT THE SAME OLD CLASSIC PLACE. The lady has had a complete face lift. The restrooms and the carpets have also been redone. But the same friendly staff is there. It is one of my best places to see a movie. It has been 2 years since my first review so all things have to be updated, including the Gateway. Tuesday is sppecial price day so relax and pass the popcorn

I think what I love about this place is probably what the average person wishes would change. Vintage is the ideal word to describe this place and I’m not using it negatively at all. This is truly a charming theater that I’m thankful to have in my area.
I decided to give the Gateway Theater a couple weekends ago on a whim. I got there for the first showing. The doors were locked. I didn’t realize until I got there that you have to purchase tickets outside via the ticket box. Something about this was great to me.
Inside the theater was just as I imagined: old. Again, I don’t mean that in a bad way, but old; classically old, but still old. The theaters are not fancy. You’re not getting the IMAX experience when you go here. You’re getting a movie theater. No frills. Just your classic movie theater.
I felt like I was taking a trip back in time. A matinée was $ 8 so I’ll definitely go back for that if anything else. I feel like changing this place would be a crime. There’s nothing wrong with an an update here and there, but this place is truly a gem.