The Odyssey Cinema Reviews

A nice experience especially with specialist films
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The Odyssey is a weird but satisfying success story. It was abandoned for almost 20 years before a community campaign raised enough money to re-open it - and it actually worked! As long as you don't mind waiting a month or so to see the new films, the Odyssey costs no more than a chain cinema for an experience that's definitely better. The best part is definitely the ton of legroom you get with every seat, and how they're layered so your view won't be blocked. You can also pay a bit more for a table with armchairs or a two-person settee, which are downstairs along with a bar that stays open throughout the film.

Family really enjoyed being able to eat and drink with comfortable chairs and a personal table with easy access to toilets and bar. No worry about disturbing someone if you need to get up. Screen and sound were good.

Choose the downstairs seats, and you can relax with a table, swivel chairs and a bottle of wine. All cinemas should be like this.
Of course, there's only one screen and it's almost always sold out. There's a reason for that!

Really comfortable, plush seats, great staff, and your can have table where you sit. A little too comfortable for me cos I kept falling asleep. Overall worth trying out.

Great seats, it's lovely having your own table. We got sofa seats this time - very comfy. Friendly staff and great to be able to get drinks from the bar at any point.

I love the Odyssey! Comfortable seats, great sound, good bar and friendly staff. They show mainstream and more 'artsy' films and, contrary to popular belief, you *can* get tickets (online, by phone or in person)

Really nice cinema, films are delayed compared to other chains so good if you miss them there.

Great experience and different cinema. We had a sofa to snuggle up to watch while having a drink. A great night out and staff are fab and happy. Local restaurants to go to before so makes for a really different night.

Luxury - Old fashioned cinema experience. They even showed the old ad for White Christmas!

Comfortable cinema. Drinks and snack available. Price reasonable.

We saw "No Ordinary Sheila" tonight - brilliant film and brilliant seats

Love it! Everything is a good price unlike the rip-off chain cinemas. Really well refurbished and so glad it was renovated after going there as a child.

Great little cinema, comfortable seating at tables with table service for food. Appropriate spacing between the tables for COVID

Very classic and stylish cinema. Beautiful and romamtic atmosphere. There is a bar behind a cinema so you can get drinks easily during the film. Absolutely unique experience and love this place!

Nice cinema where you can eat, drink and enjoy a movie all at the same time

If you are a tourist and visiting the Roman City of St Albans, its worth visting this wonderful cinema. The staff are always friendly and welcoming. Whilst the choice of movies may be somewhat limited, it certainly makes up for it with it's lovely atmosphere.

Quite possibly the best cinema I've had the pleasure to visit

St Albans finally gets a cinema. And a nice, art deco one, too.

The ultimate cinema for comfort and atmosphere. Great seats, bar and selection of films.

The way cinema should be! It s so stunning, it makes you want to dress up, really pay attention. It s so comfortable, with generous legroom and seating for every taste- fancy cuddling up on a sofa, sure! Prefer a bistro style table with wine and cheese, great! The selection of films is truly eclectic, and all the better for it, with a mix of current blockbusters, arthouse and old classics. If you haven t watched Its a Wonderful Life at year end, treat yourself. It s an annual event, and as charming as the Odyssey.

Great independent local community cinema...long may she continue!!

A fantastic experience. This is the best way to watch a film.

Absolutely brilliant cinema! Great art deco design and beautiful interior. Really friendly staff, excellent choice of films. A real St Albans treasure!

Great place - although staff could do with a uniform - looked like they had just come from a car boot sale !

Restored to the 30s original decor. Has tables and sofas as well as theatre seats. Only stereo sound so don't go if you would find that a problem

Consistently good. Great service and lovely environment. I always enjoy coming to the Odyssey. I usually book a table at the front. Just enjoy being able to move the chairs and table service.

Fantastic layout and experience. If you decide to go, get there early, have a drink and soak up the wonderful atmosphere.

Went to see Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon at the Odyssey last night and was frankly overwhelmed - a stunningly beautiful film in a stunningly beautiful art deco venue. If you haven't been to the Odyssey, and you love films - you should make it your duty. A triumph of local passion over corporate redevelopment (it was originally slated for demolition).

A wonderful cinema experience with comfortable chairs and a table for drinks. Nice wine & snacks selection and great quality screen & sound.

A very warm atmosphere. Very good film . blinded by the light

A local gem- please support this cinema. Beautifully done up, table seating on the lower floor. All seats are super comfy. The staff offer a professional service, and the bar serves a good selection of drinks, snacks and cheese boards. A special evening out. Matinee tickets offer extremely good value.

Best cinema in Hertfordshire. Like an Everyman but better - bug seats and sofas upstairs, caberet-style with tables downstairs. Bar open throughout the film. Excellent

Lovely 'olde world' cinema with very pleasant staff, comfortable seating & good sound to go with whatever you're watching.

This cinema is brilliant! Like going to the theatre. Have varied snacks qnd drinks as well as alcoholic drinks and sell cheese boards. They show a selection of shows but if they are showing one that you like it is well worth a visit if only for the experience! We absolutely love it!!

Absolutely love this place fantastic comfy seats and food and drink (alcoholic if you want). Shame about the non existent parking

It is very important to take care of what you have next to you is huge

Beautifully refurbished, great screen, projector and sound system, bar open throughout screening, what more could you ask?

Lovingly refurbished in art deco style. They get some good films too. Well recommend visiting.

Rather cold, and noisy boozey others which spoilt the experience somewhat.

Fabulous! l have fond memories of Harpenden cinema (where Kia dealer and BP garage are now sited) which was very sadly demolished so have waited with baited breath for this place to be reopened and am not disappointed. This is the way cinemas should be, very civilised and relaxed with bars offering reasonably priced drinks and snacks (which could be more reasonably priced). It is beautifully restored and the seating is very comfy. The table tops could be a little bigger - when 4 people are sharing is difficult to see in the dark and our snacks ended up on the floor.

Great experience and not much different in price to a standard cinema! The best way to watch a film locally

Loved the atmosphere and was able to relax fully with friends in comfortable seats. Would highly recommend.

Nice clean friendly cinema, very relaxing not too much going on

Comfortable movie viewing experience - great image and sound

A modern retelling of the golden era of cinema. Art deco style, plush seats and an in screen bar (downstairs) makes for an exceptionally civilised experience. Amazing staff and special screenings mean The Odyssey is truly a wonder to be savoured.

Alternative cinema, easy chairs and Indie films, recommend. Genteel atmosphere, not cheap

An amazing cinima with honestly the best sound system I've ever heard

This is a great cinema. Very comfy seats. There is a bar for drinks and snacks that can be taken to you seat.

Fantastic experience. Great snacks, drinks ambience

Eclectic showings and comfy friendly ambience with a bar open throughout the film...

Beautiful place, 1st choice for going to watch any film at the cinema

Wonderful. Clean and tidy. Large comfy seats. Very nostalgic, took me back to when the cinema was "the pictures"

A different building to the beautiful Rex cinema but equally atmospheric and nostalgic. A classy haven for film buffs like myself

Wonderful, like being at the theatre with seating around a table,

The Odyssey is hands down the best cinemaI have ever been to. We go there as much as possible as it is a wholly different experience to a multiplex cinema where I always want to escape ASAP. At the Osyssey, we turn up early to enjoy a glass of wine in the wide comfy and clean seats. The auditorium is large, plush and stunning in all its deco glory. The bar and snacks make it a more leisurely and enjoyable event. Staff are always friendly and helpful and the other punters more film savvy and less selfish than at other places. Sometimes you get an entertaining speech beforehand too. If we book a table that makes things even nicer and all this for only a smidgeon more than a multi cinema place. It's a winner on all fronts.

Best cinema I've been to! Great staff- so comfortable seats. Like being in your lounge room

Reasonably priced alternative to multiplex cinemas, a return to the silver screen! Well worth a visit

I've been a few times now, having previously made trips into London to see films at either at the Curzon or Screen cinemas. So when the Odyssey opened, it was a welcome alternative to the soulless local cinemas whose tickets are a similar price. The film selections are broad and included among the usual recent blockbusters they also show the odd art or foreign film, so in a typical week there are a number of films for all tastes and ages available. In addition the fact you can get a reasonably priced beer or bottle of wine from the bar at the back of the the theatre, even during the movie, is frankly just civilised. Recommend it!