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See inside: Alamo Drafthouse opens eight-screen theater in Gilbert

Josh Frigerio, ABC15

By: Josh Frigerio

Posted at 5:24 PM, Dec 05, 2019

and last updated 2019-12-09 18:30:50-05

GILBERT, AZ — Alamo Drafthouse recently opened its third movie theater in the East Valley.

The Texas-based dine-in theater chain, which has two locations in Chandler and Tempe, opened its latest theater on Nov. 27 in Gilbert, located on Power Road between Williams Field and Ray roads.

The 38,000-square-foot theater has eight auditoriums, each varying between 50 and 150 reserved seats, a U-shaped bar in the lobby with cocktails and beer, including 30 local and regional beers, and a full-service kitchen.

It was designed with a slight "Top Gun" airport theme due to its proximity to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.

There is a wall-sized poster in the lobby and a "to scale replica of the plane from the movie with Maverick and Goose in the cockpit," said Derek Dodd, operating partner for Alamo Drafthouse in Arizona. "Obviously it's gotta be in one way; it's got to be inverted."

Also unique to the Gilbert theater is a floor-to-ceiling small retail store of pint glasses, tiki cups, books, and other movie-related items from Mondo, a sister company of Alamo Drafthouse.

The food menu includes typical movie snacks, such as popcorn and candy, but also heftier options, such as salads, sandwiches, burgers, pizzas that can be order before or during the movie. For dessert, they also have cookies, shakes, and for the adults, alcohol-infused shakes. View the menu.

Alamo will show a mix of blockbusters, independent movies, documentaries, and foreign films. It gears itself toward more of an adult audience in that it has a strict policies against texting and talking during the movie, and being late.

They do show some family movies, including the newly-released Frozen 2, and have "Alamo For All" sensory screenings, which are open to all ages, including infants. At those screenings, the lights are a little brighter, the audio is a bit softer, and it's OK if a younger family member moves or makes noise during the screening, according to Alamo's website.

View more photos of the theater below.