Photographer / Amy Payne
Grabbing a beer and dinner before seeing a movie is not out of the ordinary, but doing both activities at the same time is. Flix Brewhouse, located at 2206 East 116th Street in Carmel, makes it possible. The combination cinema-eatery recently marked its four-year anniversary in Carmel.
As guests walk into the industrial-looking building, they enter a spacious lobby with multiple tables. Microbrewing systems and beer tanks are visible behind the second story glass walls above a bar area. So, is Flix Brewhouse a movie theater or a brewery?
“That’s a really good question,” says Ronald Hahn, general manager of Flix Brewhouse since it opened in April of 2015. “I do see it as a movie theater first, but one that brews beer and offers cinema-dining with food that’s actually made in our kitchen.”
The only establishment of its kind in Indiana, it hasn’t seen any significant changes over four years other than the recent addition of a ninth auditorium. Patrons either purchase tickets online or at the theater. Once they are directed to their comfortable seat, wait staff take orders for food and drink. If additional orders need to be made during the movie, a button on the small table in front of each seat can be pushed to summon a server. Guests write out what they wish to be delivered to their table on a provided pad of paper.
“We have reserved seating so the earlier people buy a ticket online, the better the selection is,” Hahn says. “It’s best to get to the seat early. The auditorium opens 30 minutes before the movie starts. Guests can place their order but also enjoy the preshow. The preshow isn’t just previews, it’s tailored with clips from like movies that will enhance the upcoming show. It’s always fresh and people want to see it. We also have a loyalty program called The Circle in which people can earn Flix Rewards. Servers greet them by name because they reserved their seat when they were logged into their account.”
Family-friendly Flix Brewhouse airs current first run Hollywood films and also offers some themed series. Flix Fanfest features films with older titles, often with a special menu and souvenir. Chick Flix evenings are tailored for ladies’ night out and usually feature select bottles of wine at half price. During the summer, Flix Junior features family films for only $2 each Wednesday. In addition, auditoriums can be rented out for private group events.
“People tell me the beer and food exceed their expectations,” Hahn adds. “We have six core beers that we brew ourselves plus seasonal ones available. Some have actually won awards. We have guest taps for Indiana breweries, and every Monday night we offer $2 off Indiana beers. We also serve wine and, before the end of the year, we will have an updated selection of cocktails.
“In 2015, the company chose Carmel as the location of its third Flix Brewhouse in the nation. Since the start, the community has been welcoming. The excitement guests have over what we do makes my job the best in the world.”
Flix Brewhouse is located at 2206 East 116th Street in Carmel. For more information, visit them online at flixbrewhouse.com/carmel.
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