Bagdad Theater

3702 SE Hawthorne Boulevard,
Portland, OR 97214

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Related Websites

McMenamins (Official)

Additional Info

Operated by: McMenamins

Previously operated by: Universal Chain Theatrical Enterprises Inc.

Architects: John Bennes, Herman Herzog, Albert Mercier, Lee Arden Thomas

Firms: Thomas & Mercier

Functions: Movies, Restaurant

Styles: Moorish

Phone Numbers: Box Office: 503.288.3286

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News About This Theater

Daytime View

Built by Universal Pictures, in 1927, for a then-enormous amount of $100,000, this opulent theater was built with Middle Eastern influences that adorn the theater’s exterior and interior.

The Bagdad Theater was not only a first-run movie theater, but a key venue on the vaudeville circuit into the 1940’s. When television killed these stage shows, the Bagdad Theater switched to a film-only schedule, a format it has maintained to this day, with one exception.

The Bagdad Theater is now run by the McMenamin brothers who operate the theater as a one-of-a-kind second-run theater that mixes classic film and classic food. The theater is now a perfect place to eat some pizza, drink a beer, and see a great movie.

Contributed by Tony Daniel

Recent comments (view all 24 comments)

philbertgray
philbertgray on September 17, 2008 at 9:30 am

Several excellent color shots of the interior and exterior of the Baghdad for those of you who haven' checked out the McMinamens website

View link

Click on the gallery link directly below the shot of the exterior

Mikeyisirish
Mikeyisirish on June 26, 2012 at 9:30 am

Various photos of the Bagdad can be seen here, here and here.

Simon Overton
Simon Overton on June 26, 2012 at 11:17 am

The local residents and merchants are very lucky to have such a vibrant cinema in their midst.

rivest266
rivest266 on July 31, 2012 at 4:42 pm

This opened on January 14th, 1927

rivest266
rivest266 on July 31, 2012 at 4:42 pm

It’s grand opening ad is uploaded in the photo section for this theatre.

spectrum
spectrum on June 23, 2014 at 7:50 am

Their new official webpage has a couple good auditorium photos (one alternates with an exterior one at the top) – at http://www.mcmenamins.com/467-bagdad-theater-pub-history

cmbussmann
cmbussmann on August 13, 2014 at 12:36 pm

Traveled to Portland over the weekend and caught Guardians Of The Galaxy at the Bagdad. What an incredible experience! The theater itself is beautiful with comfy seats, small tables for food and drink, a balcony, and nicely restored interior design. Can’t recommend this place enough…

pdx66
pdx66 on June 7, 2015 at 12:57 pm

The McMenamin chain has done well with the Bagdad. The theatre was never the biggest or most elaborate of Portland’s theatres, but it still has a charm all its own nonetheless. It’s size and fairly conservative decoative scheme made this one a reasonable target for mostly-authentic restoration. I say “mostly authentic” because the stage house and stage have been made over for use as a bar/pool table area with the original arabesque fire curtain turned around to serve as a backdrop for a spectacular brass-railed, turn-of-the century-wooden bar.

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