5 Best Cinemas in New York (2026)

Independently ranked by our review of ratings, reviews and reputation · How we chose

By Vespera Quill, Expert in Local Experiences and Cultural Analysis · ✓ Data verified July 2026 · 7 min read

New York has more movie theaters than most cities have restaurants, and picking one in Times Square blind can mean a freezing auditorium and a $30 ticket for a screen that isn't even IMAX. The five cinemas in New York on this page have racked up nearly 33,000 Google reviews between them, yet ratings still swing from 4.1 to 4.4, a wider gap than most categories show. That spread means the busiest, most-reviewed theater is not automatically the best-rated one, so the seats, the screen, and the crowd matter as much as the name on the marquee.

Short answer: AMC Empire 25 is New York's most-reviewed cinema on our list, with 12,204 Google reviews and a 4.1 average, anchored by its Times Square IMAX screens. Regal Times Square and AMC Village 7 both rate higher on comfort and cleanliness at 4.4, while The Cinemas NYC brings in-theater dining to the Seaport District. Regular tickets run in line with typical NYC pricing; IMAX and premium formats add a real premium on top.

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1. AMC Empire 25
2. AMC 34th Street 14
3. Regal Times Square
4. The Cinemas NYC
5. AMC Village 7
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New York's top cinemas, side by side

#	Business	Rating	Reviews	Best for
1	AMC Empire 25	4.1 ★	12,204	IMAX in the heart of Times Square	View ›
2	AMC 34th Street 14	4.2 ★	8,663	A quieter alternative near Penn Station	View ›
3	Regal Times Square	4.4 ★	5,089	Comfortable seats and an easy commute home	View ›
4	The Cinemas NYC	4.3 ★	3,846	A date-night, dine-in experience	View ›
5	AMC Village 7	4.4 ★	3,149	A smaller, no-frills neighborhood theater	View ›

Our picks for movie theaters in New York

#1 Overall

AMC Empire 25

4.112,204 Google reviews

AMC Empire 25 is a 25-screen multiplex on 42nd Street in Times Square, including Dolby and IMAX auditoriums, plus concessions, an arcade, and multiple bathroom floors to handle the crowds a Times Square location draws. It's a fixture for tourists and locals alike given the location, and AMC's A-list subscription is a recurring theme in reviews from regulars.

What people praise

Reviewers repeatedly praise the IMAX screens for sound and picture quality on big releases
Visitors call the building itself clean, with plenty of bathrooms for a theater this size
A-list members mention the subscription as genuinely worth it for frequent moviegoers
Staff get singled out as friendly and helpful with questions

Worth knowing

Multiple reviewers describe disruptive moviegoers, talking or on phones, with little visible staff monitoring auditoriums during screenings
Ticket prices run high even by AMC's own standards, especially for IMAX showings

Reputation scorecardrank in New York

Rating4.1 / 5

Review volume12,204 · 97th

Confidencehigh

Recency2 months ago

Info completenesssite · phone

Rating breakdown49% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: It's the most-reviewed cinema on this list, 12,204 reviews at 4.1, the lowest average here but still solidly positive. The location and IMAX screens are the draw; the trade-off reviewers flag most is inconsistent crowd control during busy showings.

Website +1212-398-2597 Directions

234 W 42nd St, New York, NY 10036

AMC 34th Street 14

4.28,663 Google reviews

AMC 34th Street 14 is a multi-floor multiplex near Penn Station with IMAX screens, split across separate floors for tickets, concessions, and auditoriums. Its half-price Tuesday screenings come up repeatedly in reviews as a reason regulars keep coming back.

What people praise

Reviewers call the seats comfortable and the theater consistently clean
Half-price Tuesday showings are mentioned often as a genuine value pick
Visitors like the old-building character mixed with a functional, well-organized layout
The convenient location near major transit gets noted repeatedly

Worth knowing

One reviewer paid over $30 for an IMAX ticket only to get non-reclining seats and a cold auditorium
A mobile food order wasn't ready as promised on one visit, requiring a trip to track down staff

Reputation scorecardrank in New York

Rating4.2 / 5

Review volume8,663 · 91st

Confidencehigh

Recency4 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone

Rating breakdown51% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: At 4.2 across 8,663 reviews, it ranks second by volume. It's a reliable pick for a regular showing, though reviewers suggest managing expectations on IMAX pricing versus the seating you actually get.

Website +1212-244-4556 Directions

312 W 34th St., New York, NY 10001

Regal Times Square

4.45,089 Google reviews

Regal Times Square sits directly in Times Square with standard and 4DX auditoriums, and reviewers who compare it to the AMC across the street consistently prefer its seat spacing. Regal's unlimited monthly pass, priced around $25 in reviewer mentions, comes up often from regulars who go multiple times a month.

What people praise

Reviewers highlight the seat spacing as noticeably better than nearby competitors, with no one kicking the seat in front
The 4DX auditorium gets praised specifically for its immersive, moving-seat experience
Visitors call the location unbeatable for getting home via any major subway line
The unlimited monthly pass is mentioned repeatedly as good value for frequent moviegoers

Worth knowing

One reviewer found the self-service ticket kiosks sticky and unresponsive, and said certain food items sold out early

Reputation scorecardrank in New York

Rating4.4 / 5

Review volume5,089 · 84th

Confidencevery high

Recency7 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone

Rating breakdown64% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: It ranks third at 4.4 across 5,089 reviews, tied for the highest rating on this list. Reviewers who've tried both this and the nearby AMC tend to favor Regal on comfort.

Website +1844-462-7342 Directions

247 W 42nd St, New York, NY 10036

The Cinemas NYC

4.33,846 Google reviews

The Cinemas NYC, in the Seaport District, is a boutique theater built around in-theater dining and premium seating, with a third-floor lounge and kitchen where visitors can eat and drink before their showing. Reviewers frequently refer to it by its former name, iPic, and describe the format as closer to a restaurant with a screen than a standard multiplex.

What people praise

Reviewers consistently call the food quality well above typical concession-stand standards
The private, pod-style reclining seats get praised for feeling like a personal viewing space
In-seat food and drink service is mentioned as smooth and attentive
Visitors describe the atmosphere as upscale and well suited to a date night

Worth knowing

One reviewer noted a longer wait for food to arrive during a busy showing
Expect premium pricing here relative to a standard multiplex ticket

Reputation scorecardrank in New York

Rating4.3 / 5

Review volume3,846 · 78th

Confidencehigh

Recency7 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone

Rating breakdown69% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: At 4.3 across 3,846 reviews, it's the smallest theater on this list by volume but the one reviewers pick specifically for a special occasion rather than a routine movie night.

Website +1212-776-8272 Directions

11 Fulton St, New York, NY 10038

AMC Village 7

4.43,149 Google reviews

AMC Village 7 is a smaller multiplex near Third Avenue and East 11th Street, with reclining seats in at least one auditorium and a layout reviewers describe as compact compared to AMC's larger Times Square location. Like other AMC theaters in the city, it no longer accepts cash, a change several reviewers mention directly.

What people praise

Reviewers repeatedly call it clean, with friendly staff and no complaints about service
The smaller auditoriums are described as loud and clear despite the compact footprint
Visitors who compare it to bigger multiplexes say the smaller scale makes for an easier, less chaotic visit
Reclining seats in certain auditoriums get specifically praised

Worth knowing

Several reviewers, including regulars, are frustrated the theater no longer accepts cash and only offers a cash-to-card machine
Food and drink pricing is described as high, in line with most theaters citywide

Reputation scorecardrank in New York

Rating4.4 / 5

Review volume3,149 · 72nd

Confidencevery high

Recency5 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone

Rating breakdown61% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: It closes this list at 4.4 across 3,149 reviews, tied for the highest rating here on the smallest volume. It's the pick for a quieter, more manageable version of the AMC experience, cashless policy aside.

Website +1212-982-2116 Directions

66 Third Ave, E 11th St, New York, NY 10003

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Watch: 5 Best Cinemas in New York (2026)

How we ranked these five

We pulled the live Google rating and review count for New York’s most-reviewed movie theaters, then weighed the star average against how many moviegoers have actually left a review. A theater with thousands of consistent reviews tells you more about the typical experience than one with a handful of five-star ratings. No theater can pay us to change these numbers or where it lands on this list.

What does a movie ticket cost in New York? (2026)

Standard tickets at New York multiplexes generally run higher than the national average given Manhattan real estate, and IMAX, 4DX, and dine-in formats each add a premium on top of a standard screening. Monthly unlimited passes, mentioned by reviewers at both AMC and Regal, can bring the per-visit cost down significantly for frequent moviegoers, so it’s worth checking each chain’s current subscription pricing directly.

Cinemas across Manhattan

These five span central Manhattan, from Times Square and Penn Station up through the East Village and down to the Seaport District near the Financial District. Whichever neighborhood you’re in, at least one of these sits within a short subway ride, so a search for a movie theater near me in New York should turn up one of these five.

What to check before you book

Does the screening you want come with a premium format surcharge, like IMAX or 4DX?
Does the location take cash, or is it card and mobile payment only?
Are the seats in your chosen auditorium reclining, and is that upgrade worth the extra cost?
Is a monthly unlimited pass worth it if you go more than a couple times a month?
If it’s a busy release, is a reserved seat locked in, or first-come within your ticket time?

Frequently asked questions

Are these rankings paid?

No. Rankings come from public Google data. A business can pay to be a Featured Partner, which adds a badge and top placement, but that never changes another theater’s score or position.

How did you choose these five?

We looked at New York’s most-reviewed movie theaters and ranked them by a mix of review volume and rating, favoring venues with a long, consistent track record.

How often is this updated?

We last checked these ratings and reviews in July 2026. We revisit pages like this regularly so the numbers stay current.

Which of these has the best IMAX screen?

AMC Empire 25 in Times Square is the one reviewers mention most often for IMAX quality, thanks to its large-format auditoriums, though it also draws the most complaints about crowd noise during busy showings.

Is there a theater here good for a date night?

The Cinemas NYC in the Seaport District is the clear pick for that, with in-theater dining, reclining pod seating, and a lounge for drinks before the show.

The bottom line

AMC Empire 25 is the safest default if location and IMAX matter most, it’s the most-reviewed theater on this list and sits right in Times Square. If comfort and seat spacing matter more than the address, Regal Times Square or AMC Village 7 both edge it out on rating. Either way, check whether your screening carries a premium-format surcharge before you buy.

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