When I first heard about The Commodore Theatre in Portsmouth Virginia back in December 2025, it immediately caught my interest. This historic Art Deco theater had been transformed into a dining establishment so one could dine while watching first run movies. But I quickly forgot about it until early April when the idea of starting a travel blog sparked inside me. After some deliberation, I decided that The Commodore Theatre would be the subject of my first post. Keep reading for Portsmouth VA museum recommendations at the end.
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
Table of contents
Lunch
My Dad and I set out on April 12th, where we first had lunch at Hawaii BBQ, which serves both Hawaiian and Chinese cuisine. Hawaii BBQ is actually a 17 minute drive from The Commodore Theatre, but I have been wanting to go to a Hawaiian restaurant for a long time and the opportunity finally presented itself. There is another restaurant on my bucket list named The Bier Garden that’s right across the street from The Theatre, but the timing would not have worked out either before or after a matinee show.
Downtown Portsmouth
After lunch, we drove to The Commodore Theatre. Parking is a little complicated, as there are several parking lots nearby that turned out to be private lots. We did eventually find street parking conveniently located to the the Theatre. Afterwards, I explored a little bit of High Street; the downtown area of Portsmouth with its charming tree-lined streets.
The Commodore Theatre
Finally, we arrived at The Commodore Theatre. After briefly waiting in line for the ticket counter to open, we bought our seating arrangement. I refer to the seating chart and not tickets because (as mentioned above) you are seated at tables rather than seats. We had the odd situation of having to go inside the lobby to wait for the man to assign our tables rather than waiting outside at the ticket counter.
The Commodore Theatre still retains much of its old Art Deco charms. The lobby showcases photographs of The Theatre before its restoration. The Commodore Theatre now plays first run films with Dolby Digital and THX sound. One can appreciate the dedication it took to not only bring new life to the building, but make it relevant for modern audiences.
The actual auditorium portion of The Commodore Theatre is very unique. It resembles a 50s nightclub more than a movie theater, up to and including the crystal chandeliers and curtains covering the screen. Each section had tables seating about three or four plush chairs that can move. Each table had elegant lamps and 90s business phones where one can call to order everything from popcorn to a meal.
What most impressed me about the theater are the two murals on each side of the walls. One mural unfortunately had a large portion cut out, but the other one remains intact and still looks very impressive. It’s amazing how much effort theaters made to decorate back in the day, particularly when it would mostly go unseen while the audience watched the movie.
As for my opinion on Project Hail Mary, I thought it was Entertaining. I thought it had a good story but large parts just dragged and other parts I felt were overly comedic. On the other hand, my Dad loved the movie. In all, I enjoyed my experience at The Commodore Theatre and highly recommend this unique movie watching experience.
What To Know Before You Go
The Commodore Theatre is located at 421 High Street Portsmouth, VA 23704. The Commodore is open daily with shows at 7:00 PM, and a matinee on Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 PM. Seating assignments go on sale starting 75 minutes before the movie showtime (no phone or internet reservations in advance). Parking is not the easiest, but there is some parallel parking in the general area. If you own a Tesla, they even have an electric vehicle charging station at The Theatre.
Other Things to Do
If you want to make a full day in Portsmouth, here are some things I have done or wish to do in the City. Be aware that some places may not be open on Sunday, and none on Monday or Tuesday. I will place them in order of closest to The Commodore Theatre to furthest.
Portsmouth Art & Cultural Center-This arts and culture center offers rotating visual art exhibitions, lectures, classes and performances and is steps away from The Commodore Theatre. It is open Wednesdays-Sundays from 10:00-4:00. Two minute walk.
Children’s Museum of Virginia-This would be a fun place to go if you have little children; I certainly had fun when I went there as a kid. It is open Wednesday-Sunday from 9:00-4:00. Three minute walk.
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum-This Museum promotes the history of the City of Portsmouth, the Norfolk Naval Shipyard and the armed forces in Hampton Roads. It is open Wednesday-Sunday from 10:00-4:00. Seven minute walk.
Hill House Museum-This historic house tells the story of the Hill family who lived there for 150 years. I have not been here yet, but it is on my bucket list. It is only open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 12:00-3:00. Nine minute walk.
Lightship Portsmouth Museum-This restored historic ship is next door to the Naval Shipyard Museum and depicts the daily life of a 1955 lightship. It appears to only be opened seasonally, so check back often. Ten minute walk.
If one had a lot of time, downtown Portsmouth is about a 10 minute drive to downtown Norfolk, which has many attractions and restaurants.