Top 5: Best Movie Theaters in N.J.

New Jersey is home to numerous theaters. The state offers plenty of movie theaters, art house gems, Broadway-style shows, cinema cafes and much more. While everyone has a go-to theater, some stand out more than others. We’ve compiled a list of the top five movie theaters in New Jersey.

The Kerasotes Showplace

The Secaucus establishment may be the most cookie-cutter megaplex movie theater. It is the only standard Kerasotes left in the United States. The century-old Chicago company sold nearly all of its theaters to AMC in 2014. The theater offers a larger-than-life multiplex experience with high-definition picture and explosive sound. The snack selection is run of the mill: popcorn, pretzel nuggets, Twizzlers, etc. The reclining seats are plenty plush, as the theater doesn’t pack in the chairs.

iPic Theater Hudson Lights

The luxury, dine-in theater located in Fort Lee is a revolutionary Bergen County movie hall, offering an impossibly robust food menu, unique seating options and ambience. From the lobby chandelier and avant-garde movie artwork hung in the hallway to the revamped movie-going experience, this theater is not one to miss. The theater is a new, state-of-the-art multiplex with high-definition picture and sound. Basic seats start at $12, while Premium Plus spots cost $27 each on the weekends. iPic’s food menu is more nuanced than most trendy bistros with appetizers, entrees, artisan desserts, a full bar and an impressive wine list. The Premium Plus seats, the most plentiful type, are walled off in their own pod, allowing you to truly relax with a pillow, blanket and unlimited bags of popcorn.

Delsea Drive-In

Delsea Drive-In, New Jersey’s last drive-in movie theater, gives moviegoers a unique way to watch blockbusters. The drive-in, built in 1949, is located in Vineland. There are two screens, with the main screen 100 feet wide and 50 feet tall. The second screen was added in 2008. Patrons park their cars in front of the screen and either sit in their cars or on a lawn chair outside and listen to the movie on their radios. Showtime begins at dusk.

Princeton Garden Theatre

While this isn’t the largest or the loudest theater in New Jersey, it certainly fares as one of the best. The Garden, a staple since 1920, is in the center of Princeton’s arts and culture area. The theater offers a robust mix of first-run dramas, foreign flicks, Hollywood classics, guest lectures and more. The Garden offers high-definition picture, booming sound and 180 seats, and includes interesting concession choices — German chocolates, craft sodas and boxed water. Before each film plays, the venue plays a unique PSA video recorded by Oscar-nominated actor Ethan Hawke.

The ShowRoom

The independent movie theater in Asbury Park is a quaint, three-theater hall. Since opening in its current location in 2012, the venue provides shore-goers a mix of first-run dramas, foreign films, documentaries, local shorts and more. The sound is adequate and the picture could be better; it’s not crystal-clear or filled with explosive acoustics. The largest theater of the three has a capacity of 66 and houses a screen larger than you think the venue could manage, while the smallest holds only 15 seats. Besides the usual popcorn and candy offered, the ShowRoom offers an array of local snacks from biscotti and cookies to macaroons and trail mix. While the theater doesn’t offer ultra-plus reclining seats, it does offer high-backed padded seats.