The Princeton Garden Theatre

This is a great art house movie theater which I visited countless times during my grad school. The are only two screens but they have a great selection of movies. The image and audio quality is great, and seats are comfortable, although not like the recliners. I love their special screenings such as the Academy Awards screening and the special Valentine’s Day event.

Small, quaint movie theater with two screens. Good seats, equipment, popcorn and soda. Non-profit enterprise, depends on memberships. Low prices and special screenings for members. Home theater vibes in a professional setting. Certainly something to consider if you enjoy going to the movies every once in a while.

Great little theatre in the heart of town, with two screens. Always good flicks. Most recently I enjoyed a series of shorts. Not at all crowded for the 4:30 start time. Parking is nearby pay. Comfortable town to walk around and dine before or after the movie.

Amazing film selection catching the Oscar Shorts. Wonderful community cultural opportunity, plus nice selection of snacks and drinks. Staff friendly and helpful. A nostalgic walk down memory lane like theaters when I was growing up. We are members and it is a worthwhile donation.

We love coming to this theater.
We are members via The Ambler Theater, but we like to come up here when the season and weather allow for strolling the beautiful campus retail corridor.
It is a small theater & all parking is in the neighborhood streets & some public parking; BUT the streets are safe, populated and a joy to wander!
The popcorn is always delish, the bathrooms always clean & the staff loves their jobs. Always a great experience!!💗

Went for the first time. It's looks like a house but everything inside is what you expect from a theatre. Very nice experience. The audio and video experience was great. Staff are very helpful, food is reasonable and washroom is clean. And yes, the theatre has a class of its own

We rediscovered the Princeton Garden recently and we have enjoyed our outings there. Both first-run and classic movies grace the two screens. It has retained its old-school charm, making it unique among area movie theaters. You buy your popcorn on the way in and side-step your way to your comfy flip-down seat. You're among fellow film enthusiasts, so noise during the movie has not been an issue. You can become a member of the theater and get discounted tickets and other benefits. We'll be back!

I love going to see a film at the Garden Theatre! It has an old-school feel to it and never is too crowded. The movie selections are always thoughtful and the snack selection is nice. Visit if you want a cozy indoors experience.

Fantastic little theater and it's a nonprofit! Become a member and you get discounted tickets.

The location is super convenient, the staff is lovely, and the selection of films is generally very interesting and enjoyable. The seating is not the most comfortable but it's understandable since it's meant to preserve the somewhat historic feel of the place

Edit: sorry I was so taken by the atmosphere that it just made sense to me to have the seating as it was! It wasn't broken, just not sofas or reclinable seating as other large chains. Nonetheless, I really think they should keep it as is because the atmosphere is really great and everything contributes to that. It in no way put us off visiting again

This place reminds me of the joys of going to the cinema! Our own neighborhood cinema paradiso. Even with the creature comforts of Netflix and streaming there is something so magical about watching a film onscreen at Princeton Garden. The sound and projection come alive in a way that no flatscreen can match. The theatre is super clean and the popcorn extra buttery and delicious. The films are curated with a proper balance of art house and popular tastes.

BEST (AND EASIEST!) PARTY EVER! GREAT VENUE!
Had a post-vaccinations long-belated little private birthday party for our teen kid and her friends at Princeton Garden Theatre, and it was one of the most enjoyable parties we’ve ever thrown! Manager Dave is an absolute pro—was super-patient with our questions, friendly, funny, and ran everything 100% smoothly. We picked up cupcakes locally, had local pizza delivered, and the theatre supplied the drinks and popcorn. We brought our own movie, but they have TONS of great family movies to choose from, too. Kids arrived, chatted, ate, and watched the movie. EVERYBODY had a FUN time—even us parents! Easy clean-up after and DONE! And the venue itself is seriously cool and well-maintained, with a neat retro movie theater feel that isn’t chain-y. Absolutely recommended for both private parties and just a fun trip to the movies!

I had a horrible time at this theater, but it was in no way the fault of the theater or its staff. I attended the 3:30 showing of Drive My Car on 02/12/2022. I had been so excited to see this film for months, and drove over an hour to the theater to see it, as it was the only theater anywhere in the area playing it. It was my first time at the theater, and I was excited to check it out. Staff was friendly, and ticket and concession prices were stellar compared to the big chains.

EDIT 02/15/22:The manager of the theater has reached out to me to make amends for my experience, which I think only adds to the strong character of this theater and its team.

About 20 minutes into the movie, a couple came in speaking at full volume, and sat just a couple rows behind me. They continued talking loudly, and I turned and asked them to be quiet, and was ignored. A few minutes later, I asked again, and was ignored. Then a third time. I finally went out and asked a staff member if he could do something, and he was very friendly and accommodating. He came and stood in the theater to try to observe the behavior, but as these things usually go, they stopped talking as soon as he walked in. As soon as he left, they were right back at it until the end of the movie. As a cherry on top, in the last 15 minutes someone fully answered a phone call in the back of the theater.

Again, everything about the theater is great, and I would easily recommend it to friends. I just got bad luck with the people I was sharing the theater with. I hope I can make it back again soon, hopefully with a better group of fellow patrons.

This theater is a local treasure. It is clean, well run, and shows a variety of films, from indie and foreign films to classics and blockbusters. Staff is great, concessions are reasonable, and it is within walking distance for half the town of Princeton. Highly recommend.

Love this local small theater. It's the only place that will show indie films around NJ.

Nice place to catch a flox and support the movie industry. Parking in public deck nearby at reasonable rates. Can walk to dinner, ice cream, shops, and the Princeton University grounds nearby.

Such a cute spot. Great preservation and very clean, everyone was helpful and welcoming. The staff was amazing at handling projector issues when Labyrinth cut off, and can’t wait to go back!

Super cool little theater. Small auditorium but comfy. Sound system is decent. Prices are real good. Shows some of the movies that otherwise I would have to travel to NY.

Very nice theater. It was our first time there, and we were pleasantly surprised. Great job!

Small theaters, outstanding movie selections, classic film shows. Can't ask for more!