I attended a preview event at the new Alamo Drafthouse Chicago in Wrigleyville. Given my many years of loving films and seeking out movie experiences, I have been eager for Alamo Drafthouse to make its way to Chicago. After seeing advertisements on IFC about Alamo Drafthouse, I knew that one day I would step foot into one, but never anticipated it would be in Chicago.

Alamo Drafthouse Chicago is mesmerizing. The place is truly cinema at its finest with loads of movie nostalgia, lots of exclusive movie programming, and a staff that takes customer service to new heights. If you’re looking for the best movie experience, go to Alamo Drafthouse Chicago.

As I entered the cinema, the movie décor was a feast for my eyes. Not only does the Drafthouse have movies, a bar, and food, they also have a store called Video Vortex where you can rent VHS and DVD movies. They even have VHS players that can be rented. Alamo Drafthouse makes it their mission to take care of their cinema enthusiasts by offering the nostalgia that is becoming a challenge to find with the evolving technology in today’s world. I felt a very retro vibe given the opportunity to explore the endless cinema “stuff.”

The Chicago location is dedicated to director John Hughes and includes memorabilia in the cinema and the lobby. This made my experience of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986) very surreal in my first movie experience at Alamo Drafthouse Chicago. The staff provided sunglasses, American flags, and other gear to play along with the film. Alamo Drafthouse knows how to fuel the fun of its guests by making them feel like they are in the era of the film they are seeing. They also do this by playing trailers and ads from the year a movie was originally released. This special touch made it more fun and enthralling. Believe it or not, my cinema joy has never felt more special than at my first Alamo Drafthouse movie experience.

The most significant differentiating factor at Alamo Drafthouse is how they handle their customer service. For ordering food, guests just write their order on a piece of paper, raise it up, push their button, and the staff delivers the food right to their seat. The process is not aggravating, it is smooth and straight forward. In addition, Alamo Drafthouse takes their cinema going experience seriously. Once a movie has started, guests cannot enter the theatre. Also, Alamo Drafthouse has a strict no phone and talking policy. So, if they spot guests being disruptive, they are not afraid to ask them to leave. They will even escort them. Yes, this might sound harsh, but I believe these strict rules allow true cinema enthusiasts to have the most wonderful movie experience at Alamo Drafthouse.

Alamo Drafthouse Chicago is now open in Wrigleyville. They show first-run films and all kinds of classics with great food and beverage service. In my humble opinion, it is the best service in a cinema I have seen in years. Also, there are always “Classic Movie” experiences scheduled many days of the week. So, get your tickets today, and go have some fun at the new Alamo Drafthouse Chicago. You won’t regret it!