My experience the new Hollywood Theatre in Vancouver
I have been watching renovations on The Hollywood Theatre in Vancouver for months now, anticipating what they were doing inside the big old theatre established in 1935. It could not have been easy to start a new concept during a pandemic and my hat goes off to them!!
From Tuesday to Saturday the Hollywood opens from 3:00 to 10:00. Upon arriving on a Saturday evening at about 6:00, my friend and I were greeted by the friendly and professional staff. We were literally “ushered” to our seats which were the actual theater seats. We even received movie like tickets and movie popcorn. They basically had me at the popcorn (who does not love movie popcorn?) Let me be clear: VERY COVID-19 aware here! There were seating options which were very spread out, this theatre is so large that it was comfortable. I do not venture out much at all during the pandemic so it was already discussed that if I were not comfortable with their seating or with the amount of people that we would not stay. Myself and my friend felt they did a fantastic job. Upon sitting at our table, we could not help but feel the presence of “Old Hollywood”. They had an old black and white movie happening on the screen, great music and the décor was fantastic. Red, plush, dark, very sensuous. No pretense here, but the vibe is not your neighborhood pub or restaurant. It is so fun to sit in a lavish space with so much to look at. There were three bars, and they were all stunning.
Let us talk food. Their menu consists of lovely cocktails of course! I went for the classic gin martini, which was wonderful, followed by a few too many classic margaritas on the rocks…no slushy drinks here, class all the way. They have their signature chartreuse plate which is a super way to get started. If that is not enough food for you, the option to order from the neighboring restaurants Nuba, Olympia and Yaggers is there for you. This is such a great way to support the hood while being innovative to serve the guests many options. Honestly, this collaboration is something I loved to see. We opted for some chicken souvlaki from Olympia and were not disappointed. We shared one meal and it was more than enough. Our server brought it to the table, again, advising us of their COVID-19 protocols. After our dining, drinking, and soaking up the fun atmosphere I would recommend it for a fun date night or get together with your allowed bubble for an afternoon Happy Hour. Let me know how your experience at The Hollywood Theatre goes, maybe I will see you there.