Regal Hamburg Pavilion — Attraction in Lexington

Typical understaffed movie theater with untrained bartenders. I’m not sure the bartenders have ever been to a real bar nor drank alcohol. They are painfully slow, to the point you’ll miss a chunk of your movie, because you pay in advance of your order….holding you hostage for the eternity it takes for them to make your order.

If you order a drink, they card you, which is perfectly acceptable, but when you forget an item and return 5 minutes later, they will literally refuse service without an ID…even just being carded 5 minutes prior. The bartenders chat so much and constantly make excuses, so even after waiting on a single drink for 15-20 minutes, already being carded once, learning the bartender’s life story, them knowing your name, and them remembering your large tip from 5 minutes ago, they will still deny service. (I wouldn’t have left such a large tip, but as I said, they force payment upfront.) Most recently, the bartender refused to make my order because he didn’t have his area prepared for the day. I had to leave during the movie to get my drink, even though the alcohol was already on the bar when I arrived.

In addition, they have no basic knowledge of common drinks. I asked for a double vodka soda with a lemon. He asked which vodka I preferred and I just told him I wanted whatever their well vodka was. He took 5 minutes examining bottles and returned to tell me they didn’t have that brand 💀 I then had to explain that well vodka meant the cheapest option. He asked if I wanted ice 😭 Then it took another 5 minutes for him to return with a shot glass of vodka and Pepsi. 😭😭😭 I then explained that a double meant two shots vodka, in a larger cup, topped off with soda WATER, not a soft drink. 😩 In his attempt to remake the drink, he returned with the correct size cup and correct amount of vodka, but he had still filled the cup with Pepsi. 🫠 I kept my cool but was more than frustrated that I had explained the drink to him TWICE and he ruined it both times. 🤯 He continued to make excuses and said he would start on a third attempt of my drink but at this point I had missed a significant portion of my movie and just took the concoction he made, which was horrible. 🤢 I wasn’t offered anything for my wait and incorrect order, not even a coupon or voucher for a small popcorn (either of which would have kept me from writing this review).

In both experiences, I was the only customer at the bar and there was no line. I don’t expect the best drinks at a movie theater bar, but a basic understanding of bartending, customer service, and common sense should be a requirement for this position. Both encounters I’ve had at the Regal bar were painfully slow, incredibly awkward, and frustrated me to the point I struggled to enjoy my movie. Both bartenders just make excuses instead of owning their mistakes and making things right. ng forward by pregaming or sneaking my own airplane...

My family and I (two boys and my wife) recently visited this theatre to watch Captain Marvel about three weeks after it first appeared in theatres. We went to the final showing of the day on a Monday and were lucky enough to have the entire theatre room to ourselves. So obviously we got to sit exactly where we wanted, were able to communicate with each other about the movie as we watched, and didn't have to worry at all about other movie-goers being too loud or obnoxious, or their phones going off and interrupting our experience. I've visited every theatre in Fayette county over the years, and I visited this one over 15 years ago as well. I can say that they have certainly mad improvements to their facilities over the years and kept it on the front lines of technology and comfort over their tenure as a high end movie theatre in Fayette county, Ky. Their seats are BY FAR the most comfortable theatre seats I have EVER sat in at any theatre anywhere, ever! The movie screen was perfectly aligned and clearly focused, and the sound was calibrated perfectly with strong bass and clear treble, but also the perfect volume...not too loud, not too quiet, just right! The employees were professional and courteous and helpful, although we didn't have to interact with them very much to be honest. Overall it was one of the best nights at the movies we have ever had as a family even though the film was pretty mediocre in my opinion. It wasn't nearly as full of political posturing as I thought it would be, and it wasn't nearly as full of fourth wave Feminist drivel as I had heard that it was. I must just add though, that I can't stand Brie Larson at this point and her habit of attempting to be a Social Justice Warrior hero every chance she gets, which is pretty much every time she opens her mouth anymore. She's not that great of an actress in my opinion, and she certainly isnt half as good as she thinks she is, but in spite of all of that, it was a decent Marvel film. I really only went to see it because I didn't want to see Endgame without seeing all of the films leading up to it, and it wouldn't be available for home viewing before we went to see Endgame. Anyhow, overall a terrific theatre even in spite of the sub-par film that we saw there...so I think had we seen a better film there, it would have been an even better experience. As a final note, their prices aren't quite as rediculous as some of the other theatres in the area even though the theatre is quite a bit better than many of the other...

I’ve been going to the movies solo for the better part of two decades, and in that time, I’ve visited theaters all across the country — from quaint indie venues to high-end luxury chains. Yet somehow, the Regal Hamburg manages to stand out… and not in a good way.

At $12 for a 10 a.m. matinee, this theater boldly redefines “daylight robbery.” For reference, a standard matinee ticket elsewhere typically hovers around $8 — give or take — but Regal Hamburg appears to charge a premium for the privilege of simply showing up. I briefly entertained the idea of getting a small popcorn, until I saw that it would cost me north of $10. That’s right — ten dollars for a serving smaller than your average microwavable bag. Apparently, they're charging by kernel now.

As for the seating experience, the so-called “recliners” are a masterclass in false advertising. Flimsy, outdated, and incapable of reclining to any meaningful degree, they also lack heating, cooling, or frankly, any feature that might justify the exorbitant price tag. Comfort is clearly not part of the business model.

Operational efficiency? A dream deferred. Three employees stood behind the counter while only one register actually functioned. Because, why serve people quickly when you can provide them with the full DMV experience?

If you're going to charge luxury prices, the least you could offer is a luxury experience — or even just a competent one. But Regal Hamburg offers neither. It’s a thoroughly average theater charging elite-level prices — an overpriced monument to mediocrity.

If you're dead set on spending a small fortune to see a film, do yourself a favor and head to LexLive instead. At least there, you’ll feel like you're getting something for your money besides a strong sense of...