Starlite Urban Drive In Review

If you are looking for a cute date night, look no further!! This is a perfect date night!

This place is soooo cool. You pay around $15-20 per car and then find a parking spot. They have the coolest retro snack bar trailer where you can load up on reasonably priced movie snacks. You are provided with two movies back to back!

Loved it!! Me and my family are going back in a week!!!!

This is a joke for a drive in they make people park on top of you for as much money as they make they need real bathrooms in real movie screens food is second rate this is the worst drive I've ever been to rating them a 1 is saying a whole out. The parking needs to be better organized . we will never go back.

Fun little neighborhood drive-in experience. They're working hard to keep it open despite virus challenges. Movies are fun but we also enjoyed their stand-up comedy. Its a bit hard on the comedians since they can't easily get feedback from people in cars. (They should supply flashing lights to each attendee to trigger as "applause") But we enjoyed it and loved the opportunity to get out.

The kind of eclectic authenticity of the weirdest version of Austin. Snack, cool flicks, a fresh experience.

Great outdoor theater very well set up with good food!

Blue Starlite is a great place to watch a movie! So much fun. The staff is the most friendly and the hardest working folks! We will be returning again and again!

Right now, it's the only movie theater in town, and it's a fun way to watch a classic movie. The lot is small so I'd recommend showing up early to get an unobstructed view in the front row.

It's a bit kitchy but it was super fun! We brought extra camping chairs to put up in front of the car and it worked great. Others parked and sat in the bed of pick-ups. We didn't really think through the fact that it can get cold after dark so make sure to bring some blankets if you're going anytime when it may be cooler, especially if you're planning to sit out of your car. This was our first trip and I will definitely be back! A very unique and very Austin experience.

This place is surreal. Love it!
Bathrooms, and concession on site. Amazing location off of East MLK. Staff is so pleasant , and accommodating. Two screens.
Halloween decor

Amazing staff. Great venue and we had a great time. Very responsible when it comes to Covid

Kind of sketchy looking when you show up here first, but it s a really cool place. Radio sound quality is good. Real nice place for a date or family outing.

I came here for a private event so my experience was probably different from the usual. I had a great time, though!

The backyard atmosphere was really cozy and you could hear the movie even when we walked back to the food truck.

We grabbed a smores kit from the truck, which was tasty, but expect the same inflated prices you see at regular theaters.

It was a little hard to find the place - Google will tell you you're there before you are, and you have to drive around behind some buildings, following some small signs, to find it.

We stopped by on a Sunday night for a showing of Cabin in the Woods... in the "haunted" woods. Legitimately, it was CREEPY. The wooded area is on the back, and it really does feel ultra secluded (even though by daight, it's really not. We've seen the movie a dozen times, it's a favorite, but this ambience was incredible. We couldn't have picked a better date spot, and as the last stop on our mini-honeymoon weekend, this was a BLAST.

Great atmosphere, great experience! Can't beat the price. Just make sure you have a good radio with you.

This is a small operation that is run by a small group of people who are awesome and do a great job. It's a perfect date spot, also great for the family, depending on the movie showing. Be sure to get there early.

They do a fantastic job of bringing back a dying industry; The Drive In! The inflatable screen is adequate, a few car speakers work. But the whole feel of the Drive-In is there.

We had so much fun! Such a great little spot, I wish I'd known about it sooner. We will definitely go back.

A different way to see a movie, not exactly like a drive-in but close and maybe more fun. Entrance is difficult to spot at night.

Amazing experience. Went to see The Outsiders, what a great night! Aside from watching a fine movie at a great location, they also offer a open fire for toasting s'mores and a licensed bar with a good selection of beers.

A lot of fun. Would go back again for sure. Can't wait to try the one in Round Rock.

So cool to experience this! It s a little place with two screens to watch. Concessions was awesome! You can get vouchers for that when you buy tickets and the voucher is good for one popcorn and one candy or you can substitute the popcorn for a drink. Never been to a drive in movie before this. Definitely recommend and if I were local I would come back a bunch!

Great place to throw a small socially distanced birthday party or event. The staff are good at enforcing their rules, and directing cars to their desognated areas. The snack menu is pretty limited, and the lot is only large enough for smaller events, so keep that in mind when planning

Very nice place, I really liked the set up that they had. I wish the radio they gave us didn't die though. :(

Tons of fun, great for seeing movies with social distancing

Overlooking the Austin skyline, this drive-in theater is a great summer weekend activity for all types. BYOB, concessions available, $5 per head and $15 for parking space, Blue Starlite is one of the venues that makes Austin special.

Near an abandoned airport in Austin you'll find a flashback to days of yore. Drive up, park, watch a movie like we did on the old days. And making out is encouraged.

Blue Starlight is a very fun place to go during the pandemic! It's not like any other drive-in movie place. It feels more like going over to somebody's backyard to watch a movie. The place is eclectically decorated in mismatching holiday lights and figurines. The owner came by to say hi, and they served local popcorn from Cornucopia. Overall, it's a bit odd but entertaining!

Really awesome place! They have concessions, very clean and nice bathrooms, and will lend you a radio to listen to the movie in your car if you don't want to leave the car on. The people working there are very helpful and seem to genuinely care about the place and about viewers having a good experience. They also have clear rules to make sure others don't disturb the movie. Had a really great time!!

extremely overpriced. not a real drive-in. trash policies in place to simply rip-off customers (e.g. no refunds). don't even show new movies.

Pretty cool experience. The screen quality was pretty good, the FM audio transmission was top notch.

The viewing angle/screen size were pretty good where we were (second row all the way to the right).

Only complaints: the pre show is nothing special and the concessions/menu is crazy expensive (regular cinemas pay the majority of the ticket price for new movies to the film distributors but old movies don't do not sure why Blue Starlite chooses I to gouge their customers on snacks) add to that the menu is really limited and nothing that I tried is so good it's worth paying 4x

If you care anything about classic Americana this is the place to be. Dog friendly and they sell drinks. What more do you need?

Great throwback to yesteryear. The drive in experience is fun and nostalgic. Movies that are shown are improving everyday. They still have some kinks to work out; crowd and noise control (was a kids movie though), 16x9 wide screen movies are being scaled down to fit on a 4x3 screen, time it takes to check in and park. But I'm sure with time they will sort these things out. Great to have something like this for the family.

A great date night idea. There are plenty of places to park and the movie selection is hard to beat. Great atmosphere and concessions

Don t expect anything fancy, I told my kids on our drive to our first vintage movie viewing experience. Although it s amazing that Blue Starlite recreates the Americana experience for us, I wasn t sure if kids used to watching movies in warm recliners of XD theaters would think much of a movie camp out. Success greeted us all the way!

I purchased four walk-in single feature tickets for $29 on Groupon which with four complimentary popcorns is a good deal. I also reserved a car slot for us online else you have to turn up at least half hour in advance.

Popcorns and s mores kit from the concession stand were fantastic. They provide a radio which is okay in sound quality and reception but we also turned the car radio on. Restrooms were super clean. They also provide for mosquito repellents. the lot is surrounded by lush trees and the breeze beat the best air conditioning. Kids loved running around the lot with other kids plenty families came. Guess the crowds depend on the kind of movies you are watching.

There is some other food and drinks at the stall and a 24 hour Whataburger just outside the lot.

We watched ET, and proof of experience is that kids did cry in the end. They want to come back for Jaws screening. So look up their schedule and find time to support their unique venture.

This was a quaint way to spend my Friday night. I had visited the website many times and was instantly attracted by the films playing and nostalgic feeling I received from thinking back to my own childhood. It had been over 20 years since I last remembered going to the drive in. My parents used to take us as a way of saving money and to try to contain the noise of a bunch of young children without having the judgmental look from other patrons. I decided to take my boyfriend to a double feature to watch "Say Anything" and "Grosse Pointe Blank", two of our favorite movies. Since this was our first time experiencing the Blue Starlite, we arrived early and were parked right in front near the projector. I took my camera out and starting taking pictures of everything that looked "cute" to me. We purchased snacks from the concession trailer and tuned into the FM station to listen to the movie. The food was okay for movie food, we ordered traditional snacks like popcorn, hot dogs, and sodas. We could hear the movie clear and were able to recline our car seats and comfortably enjoy the movie. If we needed the restroom, they had two portable potties one for men and one for women that were both very clean.

We plan on coming back and watching more cult favorites. I've also recommended going to the Blue Starlite Drive In to my co workers and friends.

Love this drive in vintage feel in the middle of a big city! Favorite way to spend Valentine's Day! Highly recommend for a date night!

Amazingly helpful staff, restrooms are very clean, things run very smoothly, and decorations are adorable!

Poor customer service
Received disappointing, more a lack-of service when it came to tickets. Makes the customer feel like once you buy your ticket and they've taken your money they don't care. Emailed and called about a ticket complication and was not responded to so I was unable to attend the film and was not given my money back.

The actual drive-in itself seems great, but I gave the low rating due to the treatment of a customer if any complications arise.

This was a nice experience, and the popcorn was pretty good!

This was a highlight of our trip to Austin. This is what independent business is all about. Take in a mivie and you're welcome

Wonderful. Took my girlfriend for our 2 year anniversary, since Covid has our plan options limited. I highly suggest it.

Love Blue Starlight. Great place to go catch a movie. Staff is nice and very helpful.

Great experience. Friendly staff, well organized and good movies and concessions.

Awesome experience. My first time at a drive in. Got there early and we were parked in front.

Really fun experience. Friendly staff. Great decorations.

Such a cool set-up. I haven't been to a drive-in movie since I was a kid!!

Lovely time that left me smiling. Bring bug spray. (Or do like us: screen mesh and magnets over the open windows!)

My company rented this out for a private event. The customer service when booking was pretty easy and personalized, though she sometimes took a while getting back to me. It all worked out and the technician was there blowing up the screen upon arrival and my co-workers and our families had a great time! There is only a port-a-potty so keep that in mind. They do have a concessions stand with popcorn and other foods but you can also bring your own beer/wine and snacks! We set up a bunch of coolers and it was perfect. I can't wait til their season starts back up again and go on a regular night!

The idea of this is great and so is the staff, BUT one huge issue they make u turn off your car engine while watching the movie. Its a Texas summer and it s 100 degrees outside, imagine how hot it got in the car! You can step out and sit on the grass but that s not why most people are here. The one in New Braunfels let s u keep ur car on and the AC going. This is something that they need to warn you of before u purchase a ticket!!!!! Especially in the Texas summer month of July!! It was soooo hot, honestly we should ve just asked for our money back and left. But just so that everyone is aware NO AC as cars have to be off, please warn your potential customers ahead of time! Otherwise everything else is great.

I came here for a Lexus winter event to watch A Christmas Story. To get there, if you re entering a gated strip of warehouses then you re in the right place. Keep driving and you ll see a huge blow up screen. The staff will direct you on where to park.

I personally love outdoor movie theaters and being able to watch old classic movies is rare nowadays. There is a radio fm channel to tune in for the audio. Some people prefer to sit outside of their cars (they have a front area with tables/chairs). The food stand just sells pre-packaged snacks, so feel free to bring your own food. If you need to use the restroom, there are porta potties in the back.

Advice: Start your car every now and then for a minute to keep your battery from dying. If your car headlights automatically turn on when you start the car, please don t leave your car on throughout the entire movie for other people s sake.

Little known place, but I had a great time! Very friendly staff.

They recently moved to a larger place. It's not the cleanest place, but it's a lot of fun on a date night. They have a concession trailer, plenty of parking, seats for those who don't want to be in their cars, and a few yard games to pass the time while you wait for the movie to start. They do a TON of double features.

While expensive, it's a convenient and safe outlet to get your movie fix.

We took our kids here to see Back To The Future.

The drive-in is in a parking lot behind some warehouses. I loved the lo-fi setting -- stacked-shipping containers hold up the screen, a 1970s RV for a concession stand. Perfect.

The staff was friendly and helpful. We did have some totally minor hiccups with fellow patrons -- leaving lights and engines on, lift gates on the front row, etc. But, the staff was responsive in remedying that.

The concessions were reasonably priced and had all the normal fare -- nachos, popcorn, candy sodas.

Having the skyline in between the hills as the movie played... it really made the night for me.

This is an Austin experience that I highly recommend. We will come back.

Awesome experience. We got the camper to contain the kids but didn't realize it's not in front of the main screen.

So cute, amazing clean bathrooms and the people are terrific. Super reasonable prices too!

Coming from the midwest, I am used to seeing vintage drive-ins, and can positively say that this random drive-in answers the call. I don't have any complaints, and the staff is there to help. They have food and staple snacks for any drive-in. It is great for a date night, family gathering, or an alternative to downtown night with friends. Love it

This little gem just on the fringe of Austin is such a cool & eclectic experience!
My darling family of 4 loaded up our SUV with blankets, chairs, small picnic table, fresh pressure cooked pulled pork & slaw and headed out for the evening to see some fantastic movies in a double feature.
We were greeted warmly by the owner as he checked our reservation & guided us to a perfect spot under large oak trees where we could park it for the evening with the gate lifted.
Everything was set up within a few min and our kids were off bounding through the expansive green yard to play toss games, frisbee & meet other kids their age. We set up the back of the car like a bed and my husband and I enjoyed date night on the chairs drinking good margaritas! (It's BYOB, so be reasonable with behavior or they'll kick you out)
We served up dinner, shared with some neighbors, visited concessions where we grabbed popcorn, Harry Potter chocolate frogs & some wizardly jelly beans!
The kids fell asleep in the car after the first movie giving us a great second movie date night.
The facilities were spectacularly clean, the staff friendly & helpful and everything was coming up roses all evening!
BEST FAMILY DATE NIGHT EVER!

First time here and it was fantastic!! I'm telling people about this place like it's Jesus Family friendly environment and the staff is super nice!! Definitely coming back

We love the "local" drive-in of this location. I would like to see newer movies and it's a lot of family fun.

Intimate drive in with a very friendly and helpful staff. Highly recommend for a relaxing night.

Caught a double feature of Indiana Jones here awhile back. The cantina has a lot of movie style snacks which you can walk up to during the film. The parking is first come first served. A word of warning do not do this on hot Texas summer nights. It's located on a hoy asphalt parking lot that has been baking in the sun all day and there isn't much of a breeze. You have to use your cars radio to hear the movie but your car has to be off to not create noise. This means you either sit in a hot car with little air flow or sit outside. I'd recommed siting outside but that defeats a bit of the purpose of a drive in. If sitting outside it's still hot and you can get stuck not being able to see. Long story short, go on cool evenings.

We go here at the beginning and end of the summer, it's a fun tradition we've had since the kids were in middle school. The oldest is in college now and we still pack into the car with a cooler and a bag full of junkfood. Pre-covid we'd use the truck and set up a cozy nest. With covid we have to stay in the car but it's cool. Go, see a fun movie, have some snacks, have fun in the car without worrying about crashing. It's not the big drive in of the 60s or 70s if you remember those, but it is really fun and a pretty rare thing, especially in the middle of the city.

It's a cool place but one of the workers was extremely rude and hostile to my girlfriend and I. We were backing out towards the exit after the movie ended and he started yelling at us just because he (I guess) wanted us to do a backwards u-turn and then exit, which was not necessary. Then he shouted "you're making it a lot more complicated than it needs to be!", (pretty ironic.) He made the experience extremely stressful for us both and could've easily caused a wreck.

This place is tight, BUT it's extraordinarily unfortunate that the FM transmission system they have in place isn't universal. Which essentially means you roll the dice paying for a ticket that's comparable to going to a real theater just to find that your scheduled make-out session with your partner is just looking at a big projector screen with moving parts... on mute. Other than that, it's totally worth spending way too much money.

-struggs

I had a good time going here. As advertised, it's smaller than a regular drive-in. The only complaint I have is the airplanes. Being closer to the Austin Airport, during the movie several planes flew in overhead which was pretty distracting.

They had some trouble getting the projector working when I was there, but overall it's a really good time.

How can you not love watching movies out doors?
Three levels of tickets.
Park and walk in - bring your folding chair and cooler
Park and watch from your car. - Two rows. Smaller cars put in front bigger in back.

Screen was inflatable but large enough to see just fine.
Concessions has standard movie theater food but way lower prices.

They tend to do double features and are smart enough not to show much in the hot summer. Come with a super full car and enjoy your time.

See you there soon.

For those that want a nostalgic experience. Great place to take the family. The staff is well organized.

Great fun! Went to see Back to the Future and it was like going back in time!

This is a cool spot to watch your own movies or old popular movies. Snacks are awesome from Skittles to Sour Patch Kids to Gummy Bears to Coca-Cola drinks. I enjoyed my first-time there. Can't wait to go back!

Sit in your car, or on a folding chair. Bring friends. Order a box of junior mints from the fridge (chilled junior mints are the secret to happiness). Stay for the second flick in the double feature. This is a pure and wonderful drive-in experience made for folks who want something no other other theater in Austin can offer, and it is beautiful. Also, there are usually great discounts available on groupon, and you can get a pizza delivered.

I think this place is a keeper, I grew up here and it's one of the few places I know of in town that has an old-Austin vibe. The owner loves movies so much he enthusiastically came up to us after our first time and talked for a few minutes about the film. Anytime we have gone since, employees are genuinely kind and accommodating. Everyone seems to actually enjoy working there and truly appreciate film. We had trouble with our headlights turning off once and they handled it with grace without being rude. They're also good about quickly and discreetly problem-solving any glitches in the audio or image if there ever is one.

Went for the first time on a Groupon and the whole family had a great time. Unique experiences like this are disappearing all over Austin so enjoy it while you can. Staff was very friendly and my 4yo daughter had a blast.

Great way to spend an evening. The yard theater is not in your car, but you are in a lawn chair watching the flick. Would definitely do again!