Back in the day, if you wanted to drink alcohol in a movie theater you had to smuggle in a flask to spike an overpriced soda. Luckily, for the love of cinema soaks everywhere, more and more theaters are adding alcohol to the menu along with the usual popcorn-and-Junior Mints fare.
The Oriental Theatre, 2270 N. Farwell Ave., added a bar to the vending area just a few months ago. It sports 10 or 11 rotating beers that currently include Riverwest Stein, Sprecher Abbey Triple, Guinness, Newcastle and Spotted Cow. The price of beer ranges from $4 for a domestic to $4.75 for an import or micro brew.
The Oriental’s bar also offers wine by the glass for $7 or a bottle for $26. The current selection includes Red Rock merlot, J.J. Muller riesling, Ecco Domani pinot grigio, Lindemans chardonnay and more. Some cocktails are available, too.
"At first sales were slow, but they are pretty solid now," says manager Eric Levin.
The bar is open for all screenings, except the midnight showing of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" on Saturday nights because the majority of the crowd is underage.
So far, the Oriental Theatre has not had a problem with inebriation despite the addition of alcoholic beverages.
"Most people don’t come to films to get wasted," says Levin.
Other Milwaukee-area movie theaters that serve alcohol:
Fox Bay Cinema Grill
334 E. Silver Spring Dr., Whitefish Bay, (414) 906-9999
foxbaycinemagrill.com
iPic Entertainment
5800 N. Bayshore Dr., Glendale, (414) 963-8779
ipicentertainment.com
Majestic Cinema
770 Springdale Rd., Waukesha, (262) 798-6800
marcusmajestic.com
North Shore Cinema
11700 N. Port Washington Rd., Mequon, (262) 241-6180
Rosebud Cinema
6823 W. North Ave., Wauwatosa, (414) 607-9446
timescinema.com
Times Cinema
5906 W. Vliet St., (414) 453-3128
timescinema.com
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
