Grand Lake Theatre
3200 Grand Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610
Open · verified by Lumina November 2026
A 1926 Oakland movie palace with four auditoriums, no pre-show commercials and a Wurlitzer organ that rises before select weekend evening shows. It runs current releases in 3-D and 70mm, and Tuesday tickets are $6.
Quick facts
- Type
- Historic, Independent first-run
- Address
- 3200 Grand Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610
- Phone
- (510) 452-3556
- Screens
- 4
- Seats
- 1,619
- Opened
- 1926
- Hours
- Weekends from late morning; weekdays from mid-afternoon; last shows around 9:55 PM Fri and Sat
- Tickets via
- MovieTickets.com
What to expect
On screen
- New releases
- Special events
- Family films
At the theater
- 70mm projection
- Assistive listening
- Private rentals
The story
The Grand Lake opened on March 6, 1926 as a single auditorium designed by Reid & Reid for two local businessmen. A founding family's descendants owned it for nearly nine decades, leasing it to West Coast Theatres in 1929; Mann Theaters took the lease in 1973 and Renaissance Rialto in 1980. The original Wurlitzer organ was removed in 1959, and a larger one installed in 1980 now rises from beneath the floor to play before Friday and Saturday evening shows. The balcony was split into a second auditorium in 1981, and storefronts next door became two more in 1985, creating Egyptian Revival and Moorish-themed rooms, for four screens and around 1,600 seats. Oakland designated it a city landmark in 1981. Renaissance Rialto owner Allen Michaan bought the building in 2018. After a pandemic closure it reopened on May 27, 2021.
Good to know
- How much are tickets at the Grand Lake?
- Regular admission is $13, matinees before 6 PM $7.50, and Tuesdays $6 for all formats. 3-D and 70mm cost a bit more.
- Is there an organ?
- Yes, a Wurlitzer plays before select Friday and Saturday evening shows.
- Can I use assistive hearing devices?
- Yes, they are available from staff. The site notes Auditorium 2 is not wheelchair accessible.
- Where is Grand Lake Theatre?
- Grand Lake Theatre is at 3200 Grand Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610. Phone: (510) 452-3556.
- Is Grand Lake Theatre open?
- Yes. Lumina verified Grand Lake Theatre as open in November 2026. Check the theater's showtimes for today's schedule.
- How do I buy tickets for Grand Lake Theatre?
- Buy tickets directly from the theater (it sells through MovieTickets.com) using the Showtimes & tickets button on this page. You can also call (510) 452-3556.
- What independent theaters are near Grand Lake Theatre?
- Alameda Theatre & Cineplex in Alameda (3.2 mi), Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley (4.2 mi), and Artists' Television Access in San Francisco (10 mi).
- Alameda Theatre & CineplexPacific Film ArchiveArtists' Television Access
Getting there
3200 Grand Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610 · Get directions · Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
Independent cinemas near Grand Lake Theatre
Alameda Theatre & Cineplex
Alameda, CA · 3.2 mi
A restored 1932 Art Deco movie palace on Alameda's main street, now the centerpiece of an eight-screen complex. It shows current releases plus film series and live events, with recliner seating marked on the schedule.
Pacific Film Archive
Berkeley, CA · 4.2 mi
The film program of the Berkeley Art Museum, with retrospectives, restored classics and international cinema on a university-run schedule. Members get half-price tickets, and the 232-seat theater sits in a 2016 building on Center Street.
Artists' Television Access
San Francisco, CA · 10 mi
An artist-run nonprofit screening room and gallery on Valencia Street in the Mission, showing experimental and underground work, open screenings and a Saturday-night series hosted by an artist in residence.
Marina Theater
San Francisco, CA · 10 mi
A Chestnut Street neighborhood theater in the Marina, run by Lee Neighborhood Theatres, showing a small rotating selection of current films and occasional special screenings with Q&As.
Presidio Theatre
San Francisco, CA · 11 mi
A Chestnut Street neighborhood theater in the Marina District, run by Lee Neighborhood Theatres. It shows a rotating slate of independent films, a documentary and the occasional classic alongside bigger releases.
Castro Theatre
San Francisco, CA · 11 mi
San Francisco's 1922 landmark movie palace, reopened in 2026 after a $41 million renovation. It now books concerts and comedy alongside film events, and hosts the SF Silent Film Festival.
More historic cinemas in California
Historic Bakersfield Fox Theater
Bakersfield, CA
Historic Bakersfield Fox Theater is a historic movie theater in Bakersfield, California, at 2001 H Street. It opened in 1930.
Lark Theater
Larkspur, CA
A community-run Art Deco theater in downtown Larkspur that pairs limited-run and indie films with filmed opera and theater, family matinees, classic revivals and live jazz.
Art Theatre
Long Beach, CA
A 1920s neighborhood theater on Long Beach's Retro Row, run as a community nonprofit. It mixes independent first-run films with repertory series, 16mm nights, and filmmaker conversations.
Hours
Weekends from late morning; weekdays from mid-afternoon; last shows around 9:55 PM Fri and Sat
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