AMC Dine-In Theatres, Marina Del Rey: Dinner and a Movie Gets Upgraded

The dinner and a movie experience usually goes like this: You eat dinner, and then you watch a movie. With an extensive renovation of their Marina 6 Theatres in Marina Del Rey, AMC is inviting you to do both at the same time.

AMC Dine-In Theatre, Marina Del Rey, Opens on Monday December 3, 2012. The venue combines a luxury movie-watching experience with in-seat dining

Dinner and a Movie Goes VIP

While it isn’t a new concept, AMC’s Dine-In Theatre provides the dinner and movie parts of the “date night” experience without sacrificing one for the other.

Essentially, they’ve put a well groomed bar and restaurant inside a swank movie theatre. You could also say they’ve taken a plush theatre and combined it with a classy neighborhood pub. Either way it’s a win-win.

Here’s a few of the upgrades you can look for:

• Adult only viewing; All guests must be 21 or older. Yes! 😀
• Comfy power recliners with reserved seating.
• All orders are placed from the comfort of your seat via a call-button. There’s no running back and forth to the concession stand. In fact, there is no concession stand!
• A menu with a variety of reasonably priced foods and drinks…including bottomless popcorn.

Pictured here in one of the larger halls at the AMC Dine-In Theatre Marina Del Rey, each assigned seat is a plush, leather recliner

Oscar Worthy Food & Beverage

Taking for granted that the cinema experience at AMC Marina 6 will be an above average trip to the movies, let’s look at the element that has our mouths watering: the food they’ll be serving during the show.

Drinks – The AMC Marina 6 has a fully stocked bar (as any adults-only movie theatre should!) with martinis, specialty drinks, wine, and even a few beers on tap. Wine and beer prices vary by the label and serving size but most cocktails and martinis were priced at $9.49 at the time of this review.

Vodka purists will enjoy Pomegranate Martini (Citron Vodka, Cointreau, and pomegranate liqueur) while rum drinkers will be refreshed with the classic Hurricane or the colorful Caribbean Cooler.

The Pomegranate Martini and the Caribbean Cooler are among the specialty cocktails available.

Dessert – Starting here might seem out of order, but I could totally see this happening: go to dinner somewhere else and have dessert with the movie! The dessert menu consists of classic American restaurant fare; carrot cake, cheesecake, brownies, and an apple crumble. The best seller, though, is the Waffle Sundae: two maple-infused Belgian waffles served warm with vanilla ice cream, drizzled with caramel sauce and sprinkled with bacon ($7.49).

The Waffle Sundae is reported to be one of the best sellers at AMC Dine-In Theatre locations

Appetizers – The menu is straightforward enough that meat-and-potato types will be comfortable right away. Two pages of appetizers include typical bar-food fare like Mozzarella Sticks ($8.49), Buffalo Wings ($9.99), and the requisite Dip & Chips. More adventurous types will be interested in the Crab Rangoon Dip ($8.99) or the Thai Bang Shrimp ($8.99).

Mozzarella sticks are a good option for movie snacking.

Entrées – Full meals make up the most diverse selections from the menu. A full page is dedicated to burgers, chicken tenders, and fish & chips. Agelenos will be pleased with the quesadilla and taco selections. Fans of California cuisine will enjoy the selection of sandwiches, wraps, and salads.

Flat bread pizzas and pizzinis – a Panini-influenced sandwich made on pizza crust – bridge the menu from café selections to full-sized plates of pasta and rice paired with seafood, chicken, and even beef tenderloin. Entrées are priced from $10 to $16.

The Fire Burger ($10.49) is a spicy and flavorful highlight with jalapenos inside the burger, pepper jack cheese on top of the patty, and then crunchy fried jalapenos on top of that. The pepper flavor is great; there’s just enough heat to make the burger an experience without overwhelming.

The Fire Burger has more heat in its name than in its bite. Chocked with peppers, its bigger on flavor than it is on fire.

The mix of accessible food, beverages, and first run movies in a full service environment will make the AMC Marina 6 a destination for movie watching – and dining – on the west side of Los Angeles.

• AMC Marina 6
  http://dinein.amctheatres.com/
  13455 Maxella Ave Ste 270
  Marina Del Rey, CA 90292

* Some items mentioned in this article were provided on a complimentary basis for the purpose of this review. Prices and menu items mentioned are subject to change without notice. This story was accurate when it was published and reflects the uninfluenced opinions of the reviewers.