"I lived in Seattle for two years, and one of the best things I found there and in Portland were movie theaters that were comfortable. By comfortable I mean one has couches, serves gourmet pizza and micobrew beer. Another has cocktail tables and serves tapas and fancy drinks. I'm looking for a similar place in NYC... Know of anything?"
After considering the plethora of movie theaters I have visited in the nearly seven years that I have been living in NYC (Manhattan and Brooklyn), as well as conducting some research online, in the hopes that NYC might have some Muvico-style palace theater I was unaware of, here is what I came up with:
Unfortunately NYC doesn't yet have anything really like the Seattle theaters you miss. I am hoping that AMC opens one of their dine-in theaters here soon, as they have in some areas of New Jersey... http://www.
In the meantime, you check out Sunshine Cinema, in the lower east side, which shows mostly independent movies and has a good espresso bar. Another indie theater, Angelika Film Center, has a sit-down cafe inside, though I believe it is non-alcoholic. Tribeca Cinemas also plays hosts to many film festivals throughout the year. Other well known indie theaters: Film Forum and IFC Center.
Finally, this "gastropub" indie theater in DUMBO, Brooklyn, with an often changing movie schedule, may be closest to what you are seeking: reRun Gastropub Theater.
[Note: In my original response to the reader, I linked to the yelp reviews, rather than to reRun's home page, which is now linked to above. I have yet to explore this particular movie theater experience, but it seems like fun! I am certainly hoping to see more theaters like this in NYC's future.]
Some larger "first-run movie" theaters also do offer some food options like pizza and chicken fingers, sandwiches, etc.. AMC Empire 25 Theater in Times Square, on 42nd Street, between 7th and 8th ave, is probably the best example of this. It is also a very large theater, connected to Dave and Busters and Applebees, and I believe you can access some terraces with views of the city. Other large theaters are AMC Loews on 34th Street between 8th and 9th ave, and AMC Loews Lincoln Square 13, at Broadway and 68th Street, which is the only Manhattan movie theater to have a "real" IMAX. (There is also one in Brooklyn, the United Artist Sheepshead Bay).
[Added note: I forgot to mention this to the reader, but I recall that when I was looking for a NYC New Year's Eve venue for 2010-2011, the AMC Empire Theater was offering packages to view Times Square. Eventually I just threw a party in my apartment with my awesome roommates...Still have yet to do the Times Square thing...]
You may also want to check out these articles on best movie theaters in NYC:
Hello, they just added a fancy couch theater in Fresh meadows, Queens
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