Bijou At Crossroads Cinema Bistro

This is my favorite theater. It's quiet, uncrowded with a nice seating area to have a drink before or after your movie. The food is wonderful, especially by movie theater standards. They are often the only place showing independent and documentary films the week they come out and I appreciate them so much for that. Parking is really easy and free!

This is one of my favorite movie theaters to go to because of the kinds of movies they show here which are usually art house films. Seating is really nice as is the newly renovated lobby area. The service is excellent and the staff are always friendly and helpful. All in all I always get a great feeling at the Bijou and have a wonderful movie watching experience.

The theatre always looks clean. The movies are most often top notch. There's usually a man playing a piano in the lobby, but he wasn't there tonight and I missed him. There were no paintings by local artists on the walls, and I missed those, too. The employees are kind and very efficient. We left laughing tonight, and the employees that told us good night laughed with us as we were leaving - which was endearing.

Many Santikos theaters in San Antonio recently underwent a major renovation. New leather reclining seating was installed, grand entry lobbies now welcome guests, and film memorabilia lines their halls. The Bijou is no exception and it also received an overhaul. But it didn't need one. It didn't need anything. The Bijou is the best theater in San Antonio regardless of appearance because the true quality of a theater is not measured by its amenities, but by the quality of the films screened and staff on call. The staff at the Bijou are as friendly and welcoming as you will find. They never fail to make you comfortable. And the films are on another level. The Bijou features foreign films, independent films, obscure cinema, classic cinema, creativity, and inspiration. In short, quality films. If the Bijou ever closes, San Antonio will lose its best movie theater, and maybe it's only venue that truly represents not just movies, but cinema as a whole. Bijou is the best.

*Update* The Bijou has been renovated. They have what look like crystal chandeliers in the lobby, it looks really good. I didn't mention this in my last review but on Friday, Saturdays and Sundays in the evenings, they have a piano player in the lobby which adds a touch of class. They no longer have art for sale lining the hallway. I'm not sure why, I hope they start that again. They also replaced the seats in the theaters. They look like leather seating and it's very comfortable but they don't recline. You now press a button for service which is easier because you don't have to rely on the standing paper being seen by the server. We saw The Darkest Hour. I liked it more than I thought I would. The wait staff is hit or miss. Tonight, they were slow to take orders. Once they came around it was all good. We and the people in the row behind us, had issues with someone constantly checking their cell phone. I told Jason and he was very helpful. He sent an usher in and she waited until she caught them, it was only a few minutes. From that point on they left the theater to check their phone. Thanks Jason. You made watching the movie better for everyone.