The new iPic Theaters in swanky Scottsdale Quarter is something to write home about, but probably only once in a blue moon, unfortunately. A cool experience or date that comes with a restrictive price tag for most folks -- if I didn't have free tickets, it would have taken a special occasion to get my butt in that seat.
What I liked:
- The atmosphere of the facility -- think movie theater mated with upscale night club.
- The seats -- comfortable recliners, but only if you pay for the upgraded "gold package," which is really the way to go here. The 'regular' seats looked pretty regular. The upgrade gets you free popcorn, blankets and pillows, and waiter service. You can also reserve these seats in advance.
- Food and drink: nice selection, decent quality (especially the wine selection)
- The bathrooms were super nice.
What I didn't like:
- Prices: holy crap. You can easily spend over $100 for a movie date here. The least-expensive glass of non-house wine is $12. The average appetizer is around $12 as well. The quality of the food did not meet my expectations for those prices.
- Pretentiousness -- people dressed like clubgoers, rather than as movie patrons. Servers in the theater push you to order food and drink.
Overall a cool experience, but I wonder how this place will sustain itself once the novelty wears off. I wish them luck.