McMenamins Bagdad Theater & Pub

Solid menu with traditional Portland pub food and a big beautiful movie palace… My favorite is grabbing some fries or a pizza and chilling in the balcony while watching a matinée. Like all Mcpubs, service can be a little slow, but it’s always friendly.

This place is great! It has dim lighting and cool lights all around. The mosaics on the walls are super unique and make for a special experience. Happy hour menu is delicious and also super affordable. The Thai Sweet Potato fries are not available at all Mcmenamins locations so this is a good spot to get them! Great spot to take visitors from out of town!

Good beer, OK food.
The movie theater used to be cheaper and show second-​run and classic movies, but their theater was updated with a new projector and sound system. Since then, ticket prices rose and only brand new movies are shown.

It doesnt get more Portland than this. If youre tired of your cinemark, regal experiences come here. Character! It feels like youre in a theater. The faux balconys on the side with drapes give you a theatrical experience. Theres only one screen showing at a time but at $ 7.50 a ticket on weekends its a steal.
We watched the latest Captain America movie here and it was great! Before the movie starts you have a movie attendant front and center telling you to turn your stupid phone off. How great is that. They also tell you of any specials coming up as well. It brings a very human feel to your usual sterile movie experience.
Some seats have large benches in which you can have food and drinks resting on. The upstairs balcony area allows for more food to be delivered to. Unfortunately the downstairs area has a limited menu in which you can only order from the front. But reguardless you can enjoy some tasty foods while sipping on a beer or wine in a truely unique space which are all pluses in my book.

I just went to go see a movie here last night! It was so magical! The building was absolutely gorgeous! I got to order a beer to drink during the movie. They had lots of food that looked good too. I had to go to the bathroom in the middle of the movie, but I didn’t want to miss what was going on. I went quickly, but when I got in the bathroom, they had speakers in there so I could still hear what was going on in the movie! Genius! I can’t wait to go back. I want to bring everyone I know!

Had the Cob salad, very tasty and fresh, love the Bagdad’s servers, all friendly and attentive. Being on the outside enjoying the street scene a huge plus! McMinamans does such a great job with their restorations, can’t wait to discover more.

You know i’ve been in portland too long when i get annoyed at a theater for not having a kombucha option. Whatever. Beautiful place, comfortable seating, love the speakers in the bathroom. Would definitely come back, just wish the food/​drink options were better.

The theater itself reminds me a little bit of the Fox in Atlanta.
Vegan options:
Be careful here. Ask the server for details. They have vegan burgers, but they seem to want to use butter on the buns.
The tots are a yes and the hummus is good (sans the feta), so you can at least munch

This is a gorgeous old theater that plays first run films in a unique setting.
You can really feel the history here like at the Castro, in San Francisco and The Hollywood in N. E Portland
This has become one of my favorite theaters to watch newer films at, since they upgraded the screen to IMAX proportions and tossed in a killer sound system.
You can order cocktails and food (that’s not pre-​made) and have them delivered to you if you’re sitting upstairs. …Or you can order at the bar and take your prepared food with you on both levels.
The first few rows have tables to set your snacks, on which are very convenient. I get there early to snag one.
They have restrooms in the balcony and basement.
The usual pub food is available. I wish they had more vegan options.
The beer selection, being McMinnimins, is always an adventure with their guest taps.
They also hold special screening and events. We saw the latest Star Wars film on opening night; they had a costume contest, and fans of all ages participated. The little kids (who are allowed with parents) were the cutest!
A brief History
1927 The theater opens. America was enthralled over the discovery of King Tut’s tomb in Egypt, and the design was meant to capture an Arabian, or Islamic vibe
1975 Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher join producer Michael Douglas at the Bagdad for the Oregon première of «One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest»
1991 McMenamins buy the property, renovate it, and rename it the Bagdad Theater & Pub.
Gus Van Sant (one of my favorite directors) holds a screening of «My Own Private Idaho.»
The theater also starts hosting authors’ readings and music performances.

I’ve eaten a tons of McMenamins and this one has the worst food out of all of them. It seemed like the fryer hadn’t been cleaned in weeks, the fries were soaked in grease, and the burger tasted like it was a frozen patty from Walmart. The only reason for the 2^nd star is that the service was good. I was a little offset by the $ 5.25 shake that came in a 12 ounce glass, most places (Dicks Kitchen for example) sell cheaper shakes with better ingredients for $ 5 or less, in a 16 ounce glass.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think of high quality when I think of McMenamins but I do know they generally have a consistent quality of slightly-​better-​than-​average. 10 years ago the overall quality of McMenmanmins was much better and cost cutting has definitely taken toll on the quality. This place was pretty awful. The service was good, so no complaints there. But the food was awful. I walked in with higher expectations and was disappointed.

Our preferred theater for so many reasons. So much more character and value than other first-​runs.
–Balcony food delivery
–Pizza, tasty popcorn and popcorn accoutrements
–Booze
–Amazing, amazing atmosphere
–Hawthorne!

Friendly service
Huge screen
Great sound
Beautiful building
Fun bar
I will be back!

Beautiful place! Perfect lighting in a huge artistically decorated space. Good pizza, good popcorn. Good drinks! Comfy seats! Win win win. It’s a Portland ‘must go’. Always feels like the place to be. Love love

Really fun theater for a date night! However most other theaters that serve beer are cheaper and more affordable. It’s a once in awhile must though!

I absolutely love this theatre! I went for the Hunger Games première and they had a nice little raffle giveaway before the show started. You can order food and drinks before the show — if you sit up in the balcony, they will deliver the food to you! Sadly, as with every other McMenamins I’ve been to, the beer wasn’t cold enough (what is up with that guys?!).
I see a lot of complaints on here that they used to run older movies, had cheaper prices, etc. which I can’t speak for since that was before my time in Portland, but I enjoy that they have the new, popular films and a great sound system while still having that old-​time «ritzy» movie theatre ambiance. The staff was incredibly friendly as well, from the people at the door taking tickets and handing out raffle tickets to the bar and serving staff. I look forward to catching more movie premieres here!

Points for ambience, food and drink, and location. But you absolutely have to arrive early in order to get a good seat, especially if you are short! We’ve wound up in the balcony every time, and either someone’s head is blocking you, a railing, or a hanging lamp. And note that for the first 30 minutes, you’ll watch waiters heads bobbling around your sight lines. We have learned that if it’s a movie we really want to se, it’s better to pay for a theater where you are guaranteed clear sight. If you’re just cruisin’ for beer, pizza and a movie you kinda wanna see, the Bagdad is great.

I have never been to a place like this before and found it to be very unique; an old play theatre converted into a modern movie theatre. It still has the classical theatre setting with seating on the ground floor as well as the second floor. Something I thought was really cool were the tables in the back rows, so if you wanted to bring in food, you can enjoy eating it on the table instead of worrying about juggling it between your hands. The concessions are slightly cheaper to those of conventional theatres, with the perk of ordering beers before entering. To get the full experience, I sat on the second floor and enjoyed watching the Martian in all of its entirety. I’m glad they still have this place standing, even after theatre plays have long gone. If you’re in the mood to watch a movie and they so happen to have the movie you want to watch, I recommend watching it here and getting a unique experience!

For a McMenamin’s (and I haven’t been to one in years) this was a pleasant surprise. I stopped in for a cocktail. (Because day drinking is awesome!!!)
I had the Gables Gin with tonic and a twist of lime. I normally drink Hendricks. This interesting with lovely hints of juniper. And my server Meg was a rockstar! Thanks, Meg.

The first pizza was burned and missing basil. That makes me ran out of the time to eat in the restaurant so I had to take my pizza Togo.

37^th and Hawthorne might be the most peaceful intersection in Portland, and it’s definitely one of the best spots in town to people-​watch. It’s also where you’ll find yet another outpost of that groovy NW mainstay, a McMenamin’s open air pub. This one offers a sandwich that I hadn’t seen before –The Day Tripper. It was grilled Portobello mushroom, smoked mozarella, roasted red pepper, and herb aioli on grilled rustic bread, and it was delicious. I had tots on the side, of course, and Three Rocks rum with cherries to drink.
The afternoon was sunny and not too hot, with a sometimes hefty breeze stirring up napkins and menu cards across the tables. A sitar player sat on the sidewalk out front, accompanied by an earnest man dangling a sock monkey marionette in time with the tune. Whitny was a super-​nice server, too.
Don’t miss this dreamy slice of the Portland experience!

This place is my family’s favorite chill spot in Portland. I went to the pub a few times with my parents for food & beers. The service is always great, the girls working are always super friendly & fun. The food is delicious, we’ve enjoyed everything we’ve had there from the falafel bites, pizza, etc. Our favorite is the hummus plate & Bagdad ale, yum! The place has a great theme, seating indoor & outdoor that has heating on a chilly night. Good people watching if you want to see some Hawthorne hipsters & hippies. Definitely would recommend!

Once upon a time a fairly long time ago they used to build really cool movie theaters. They weren’t just big cement boxes with seats and a Dolby surround sound they actually had personality.
The Bagdad it proof of this. Opening in 1927 after as a Universal Pictures theater It has been showing movies ever since. It is my favorite place in Portland to see a movie.
Not only the outside of the theater decorated but so is the lobby, the bar area concession stand and the theater itself. It is an amazing space. One recent change is after a major remodel the theater has a new sound system, improved seats a larger screen and now shows first run movies for nine dollars, (less for matinees). Being a McMenamins it sells beer and wine from the concession stand with food well above the big chain multi-​plex. The menu features popcorn of course, but also pizza.
Another change is kids are allowed with an adult, though I haven’t seen them at later shows. It is still one of those rare theaters where once the movie starts people don’t talk through it.
Oh the pub is also nice, it matches the style of the theater with a nice bar. For great people watching on Hawthorne it has big windows and when weather is nice it has outside seating. Food and drink here is McMenamins standard.
In 1989 it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

We unfortunately didn’t have time for a movie, but the Bagdad Pub was a great rest stop after a few hours of shopping. The sidewalk café was perfect for enjoying some cold beers on a warm day, plus some great Hawthorne Blvd people-​watching.
The staff unfortunately seemed to be having an off-​day, because service was slow and some requests had to be repeated a couple times before we got what we wanted. Plus my sister’s Greyhound– which is usually her favorite Bagdad cocktail– was undrinkably sour. Other than that, the Bagdad was a great café with an interesting menu– I would’ve been happy to stay for dinner if we didn’t have other plans that day.

As a theater, definitely 5 stars! I mean, seriously, you get to catch a movie ($ 7.50 matinée) with a recently updated sound system AND whilst enjoying a good beer and some food. The seats have the ability to slightly recline (not fully, I’m talking a few degrees here) with a good amount of leg room between rows. I came here on opening weekend for the new Avengers: Age of Ultron movie and still had no problems finding good seats.
The only thing that disappointed me was that the beer wasn’t as cold as I’d have liked. Especially on a hot sunny day, a nice cold refreshing beer is what you’d hope for! Anyhow, I went with the Rubinator, which mixes their smooth Ruby Ale with the dark undertones of their Terminator Stout. Highly recommended!

What can I say that hasn’t been said about this place in 274 previous reviews? Not a whole lot. Beautiful theater, incredible sound (I saw American Sniper there) and $ 7.50 for the matinée.
It looks like the food and beer choices are great and why shouldn’t it be? McMenamins is all over this state and in Washington for a reason. They have the history and the reputation for doing some really good things. I’ve only been to a handful of their places which really isn’t many since I haven’t been out of Portland to one. But they do it right.
The one thing that I thought was unique was the announcer who came out right before the previews started. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before. Cool little touches.
Enjoy.

I’ve only been here once and that was to watch the new Hunger Games movie.
The theater was packed, but my friend and I still managed to find great seats.
Really anywhere is a good seat since the screen is so huge!
I love that there were tables across from our seats so we didn’t have to try and hold onto multiple goodies.
I look forward to watching more shows here.

My original review for Bagdad is coming up on being 5 years old and I would say that it has stood the test of time. Bagdad is still a stellar, five star good time.
Since my original review the theater has undergone a major transformation. The new digs include an improved screen with a dialed in sound system and seating. No more couch seating upstairs. While I found this endearing, the new seating is much more comfortable. It’s a completely modern movie experience with all the old theater charm. For me, this is the perfect combo.
When a movie I want to see is playing at Bagdad, I am immediately filled with giddy excitement. It is without a doubt my favorite place to see a movie. I love nothing more then sitting up on the balcony with a basket of tater tots and a beer.
With all these upgrades it has left second run movies in the dust and now shows brand new movies right when they open. While the price has increased it’s still much cheaper than an AMC or the like. Most of the time I wait for movies to go to the cheap theaters, only for the lovely Bagdad do I make an exception.

I love the Bagdad. I love that its cheaper than a traditional theater. I love that it serves beer and wine (albeit McMennamins brews). I love that you can order food and have it delivered to you to eat during the show. I love the quality of the movie viewing experience. I love the building and all of its old charm.
What I don’t love is that it only shows one movie (alas, it only has one screen). Sometimes that one movie is just not the movie I want to see. Whatever, there are worse things in this world. Also, the meal prices are a bit spendy for what you get. But again, whatever, it’s the price you pay for a meal during a movie.
In a town that boasts many great alternative-​movie theaters, Bagdad comes out somewhere in the middle.

I can’t believe it took me this long to get to the Bagdad to see a movie! This place is very cool – from the outdoor lights and classic reader-​bard to the interior pillars and architecture, this is a solid place to go for a movie. It is just the single screen, but it’s massive. There is your traditional lower level seating and many rows in the back have tables for any food/​drink you purchase. There is also an upstairs balcony as well.
At the main lobby concessions, you can only order pizza, popcorn, and traditional movie fare. There is also a drink stand near the rear of the main lobby for your beer, wine, and liquor. They had a few seasonal beers on tap as well as The Bagdad beer which I’d assume is only available here. You can also order food here, but the food can only be delivered to the balcony. Don’t ask me why. Is the kitchen upstairs? Are there new laws in Portland preventing food from being delivered to bottom floors? I’m not sure. It was a bummer, though, cause they had some good food available but we already grabbed seats in the main theater (had we not been there for a sold out Hunger Games, we probably would have moved upstairs).
Would certainly recommend seeing any movie here. It’s a great experience. Only $ 9 a ticket and you have plenty of options for post-​movie as well.

I had a great experience here! Even though the Décor can be a little symbolically confused.. . The food was really good :)
I have never seen a place with so many options, I can have a cocktail, get dinner, smoke a cigar, and watch a movie all in on the same street corner.
The server Micheal was very courteous, and prompt, exactly what a great server should be.