Orpheum Theatre
Orpheum Theatre
4.5
About
BroadwaySF is the preeminent theatrical entertainment company in the Bay Area, bringing live entertainment experiences to San Francisco’s premier venues, the Orpheum and Golden Gate Theatres. We present current hits fresh from Broadway, original Broadway cast productions, pre-Broadway premieres and one-of-a-kind events that are at the forefront of the national theater scene.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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The area
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Neighbourhood: Civic Center
Civic Center is the seat of power for all things government and performance-related in the city. Although its streets are best walked during daytime, numerous cultural gems are within close proximity to one another. The symphony, opera, ballet, and jazz center offer year round entertainment within the shadow of the city’s Beaux-Arts crown jewel: the gold tipped dome of City Hall.
How to get there
- Civic Center • 2 min walk
- Civic Center • 3 min walk
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4,530 within 5 kms
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1,083 within 10 kms
See what travellers are saying
- kstheta26 contributionsGreat musicals, inexpensive public transportationI often go to the musicals that are held at the Orpheum theater. I take the Golden Gate transit bus 130 or 150 from Marin County which crosses the Golden Gate Bridge and drops me right off at the theater. Round-trip bus fare for a senior is approximately nine dollars. Thus, I have no parking problems to deal with.Visited August 2023Travelled soloWritten 14 October 2023
- Amy M2 contributionsGet in & get out!The theatre is beautiful. Easy in & easy out with no bad seats! We’ll come again, too bad it’s in the tenderloin district though. The streets are tough at night. Be sure to go in the day & get out before early eveningVisited December 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 24 December 2023
- ted k1 contributionMJ at the OrpheumTook Bart in from Walnut Creek. Dropped me right in front of the Orpheum theatre. Had mussels and chorizo at the bar of Villon restaurant right down the street. Met a few people, two of which were from Walnut Creek (and who graciously took me home after the show).Saw “MJ” at the Orpheum theatre. Show was terrific and the lead looked like Michael reincarnated! A great night all the way around!Visited February 2024Travelled soloWritten 12 February 2024
- Thomas VOakland, California17,830 contributionsBroadway ShowsThis is a beautiful theater, an old movie palace that has been turned into a performing arts center, mostly for traveling Broadway shows. A good place to see a show and the BART station is in front, so no need to drive. The area around it is a little dicey, so be careful, especially if you go out to eat.Visited September 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 29 September 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
385 reviews
Excellent
213
Very good
118
Average
23
Poor
14
Terrible
17
Emily C
5 contributions
Jun 2022 • Friends
Hadestown was cancelled last night due to an actor injury. Disappointing but unavoidable (although not sure why the team had no understudy) what is avoidable was the terrible way the theatre box office and broadways SF handled the situation. Firstly, we were not notified of the cancelled performance until arriving at the theatre (having spend $30 to get there). Secondly, queuing to speak to the box office to be told there was nothing they could do to get our performance rebooked for a Friday or Saturday showing, and that we should call the contact centre in the morning. We pressed this matter, asking to rebook for any available seat and for them to honour the cost, which would be the expected response. Even the manager on the phone to his boss could not help us with this. We leave frustrated and disappointed, but hopeful that calling the contact centre in the morning would finally get us some answers. It did not. Rude and unhelpful, we held for 45 minutes to be told we would be automatically refunded and if we did want to see the show Saturday we would be expected to pay an additional $70 each. Visiting from the UK this was to be a high point of our trip and we now see that US customer service is truly appalling.
Written 1 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jason D
9 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
Beautiful old theater with great sound (we saw Hamilton), but the seats are the worst we’ve ever experienced. Hard seat cushions, zero legroom if you are 6’+, and no arm space — unless you are on an aisle you will be smooshed against 2 people and not be able to move your legs or arms. My knees and back were killing me the entire show. We won’t return again until the seating is improved. 👎🏼👎🏼
Written 15 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BarryandJackie
Berkeley, CA1,149 contributions
May 2023
One of those rare vintage theaters that provide sufficient space for legs/knees at almost every seat. The mezzanine provides a good alternative to the last seats in the orchestra, especially for perspective. The bathrooms are clean, although nothing on the main floor, alas. Refreshments are generally quickly available. BART stops right outside the theater and is a reasonable alternative to securing nearby parking. And, yes, the neighborhood can be sketchy but they generally provide visible security personnel.
Written 27 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Christopher E S
1 contribution
Jul 2023 • Family
My wife and I were to take a trip to San Francisco for my 50th birthday, and had tickets to see Les Miserables at the Orpheum Theatre. Unfortunately, two weeks before the show my mother-in-law's health took an abrupt turn for the worse and she went into hospice care. My wife agonized over the decision, but I told her we needed to be there for her mom, and I reminded her that we had bought the ticket insurance for just this eventuality. We stayed home and my wife was able to care for her mother and be at her bedside when she passed. Imagine our shock and sadness when we contacted SecureMyBooking.com and were informed that, sadly, because our loved one passed away a week after the show, our ticket insurance did not provide coverage. I understand that there must be reasonable limits to this sort of insurance protection, but I find it hard to accept that our situation was outside of those reasonable limits. I have accepted that we will not be compensated, as disappointing as that is, but I would strongly advocate that in the future Secure My Booking would make this limitation clearly know at the time of booking. It was an unnecessary blow to us in a time of grief. If you are considering purchasing ticket insurance for a show at the Orpheum Theatre, I would take this information into account. If you are someone who works at the Orpheum Theatre, I would appreciate it if you would pass this along to whomever makes the decision about what insurance company to work with; it was a truly terrible experience!
Written 22 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tek_rice
Calgary, Canada148 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
We were a bit put off when we arrived at the theatre. There were many homeless people begging for money out front and the smell of marijuana was very heavy in the air.
Once inside the theatre we were blown away. What a beautiful old theatre! The carvings in the wall and the details in the ceilings were stunning. We were a bit surprised that they had the one bathroom in the basement. Then we did find another ladies room on the main floor. It would be nice to have more but with an old building that probably isn’t possible.
The seats were comfortable and we had a good view in row Z seats 105 & 107. Super weird that the seats are all odd on one side of the isle and even on the other. Please note this when you are buying tickets.
We saw Hamilton and were amazed by the talent of the cast! We preferred the 2nd half to the 1st half. We knew the rough idea of the story but found the first half harder to follow. That said, I would see Hamilton again. Don’t think my hubby would tho.
Once inside the theatre we were blown away. What a beautiful old theatre! The carvings in the wall and the details in the ceilings were stunning. We were a bit surprised that they had the one bathroom in the basement. Then we did find another ladies room on the main floor. It would be nice to have more but with an old building that probably isn’t possible.
The seats were comfortable and we had a good view in row Z seats 105 & 107. Super weird that the seats are all odd on one side of the isle and even on the other. Please note this when you are buying tickets.
We saw Hamilton and were amazed by the talent of the cast! We preferred the 2nd half to the 1st half. We knew the rough idea of the story but found the first half harder to follow. That said, I would see Hamilton again. Don’t think my hubby would tho.
Written 11 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fireweed25
Edmonton, Canada255 contributions
Oct 2024 • Family
We (family of four, young adult children) attended Wicked at the Orpheum theatre while in San Francisco. We loved the charm of this older theatre, the seats were comfortable and sight lines good. Food and drinks were allowed into the main theatre area and could be consumed at your seat, which was a first for us. The bar staff were fantastic - friendly, informative and made great drinks. Appreciated security outside after the event and transportation was easy with the BART station out front. It was an enjoyable night.
Written 8 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
WaterboyGA
Atlanta, GA131 contributions
Dec 2019
Saw Hamilton this week and can't say enough about how comfortable the theater was. Sat in Orchestra center, row M on the middle isle. Great seats because its eye level with the stage itself so you are close but not too close and can see all the activity. Actors were amazing and if there were any mistakes you'd never know. Great sound, comfortable seats and easy to get to via Uber from anywhere.
Written 1 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thomas V
Oakland, CA17,830 contributions
Sept 2024 • Couples
This is a beautiful theater, an old movie palace that has been turned into a performing arts center, mostly for traveling Broadway shows. A good place to see a show and the BART station is in front, so no need to drive. The area around it is a little dicey, so be careful, especially if you go out to eat.
Written 29 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hitcher84
Eureka, CA1,429 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
Nice theater with good views of the stage and action. Hamilton is the best musical I have ever seen. Everyone loved it. They pack you in pretty tightly here. Intermission is a madhouse. There is a women’s restroom upstairs, and a men’s and women’s downstairs. The upstairs one has shorter lines. The show was amazing, the venue was nice. The bar and snack options were very limited.
Written 26 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tahoe2
Dublin, CA379 contributions
Jan 2020
I have seen several plays here and it is always a pleasure. The theater is actually said to be haunted, but we didn't see any spirits.
The theater is old, built in 1928 and the hallways are narrow...but you deal with it...it is a gem.
Yes, there are homeless outside, but this is San Francisco. Enjoy it for what it is...and move on. The city is also a gem.
The theater is old, built in 1928 and the hallways are narrow...but you deal with it...it is a gem.
Yes, there are homeless outside, but this is San Francisco. Enjoy it for what it is...and move on. The city is also a gem.
Written 31 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Can I bring a nalgene water bottle into the theater? Does it need to be empty?
Written 13 January 2020
Sorry I don’t know the answer to that question. I do know you can buy a spill proof wine glass and then take wine in.
Written 13 January 2020
How difficult and how much time to allow approx. from Theater to 510 Stevenson Street in Uber?
Written 26 April 2019
Oh sorry, just saw your question now. Uber’s app should let you know timing. Good luck.
Written 7 May 2019
JG G
Ukiah, California
Nearby parking recommendations for Hamilton February 2019
Written 1 February 2019
we usually take Bart but if we do drive in there is a place on Mission Sreet I think its 1160 Mission Street...the theatre is located at 1191 Market Street....and we eat at 1220 Market street Sams American Eatery.....great food...its amazing how the theatre crowd comes in around 6 then another set comes in about 7.....very affordable. Enjoy.
Written 2 February 2019
I have tickets to see Hamilton next August. The seats are in the loge, row b, seats 14 and 16. That is in the middle of the right side section of the loge. Will I have any obstructed views of the right side of the stage?
Written 23 October 2018
Sorry, I have only sat downstairs. Look on the seating site to locate where you are sitting or you can call the box office and they will tell you
Written 24 October 2018
How long before the show starts should you arrive for handicapped accessible seating?
Written 3 June 2017
From what I know...There's one on he main level. As you walk in, go straight and it's under the stairs on the left. Not many stalls but I saw stairs going down with a sign saying more restrooms/stairs. Also, when you enter the theater, there are stairs to the right with a sign above Restrooms and Telephones. If you go early, find your seats then go to the restroom before and after the show. Intermission is crazy!
Written 21 May 2017
Trippie73
San Jose, California
Is it easy to find your Uber driver after a nighttime show? I'm from a rural area and am nervous about the neighborhood. Figured Uber would be the safest way to get to/from the theater, but I don't want to stand outside the theater just asking to get mugged while trying to find my ride. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Written 27 April 2017
It was very easy using Uber after the show at the Orpheum. Immediately they were there and called us to give their location. They waited for us to get there. You are given the color and type of car and the telephone number if you're having difficulties, so it's a foolproof system. I think it's the best and fastest option. Parking is expensive and often difficult to obtain. Also, with Uber you get picked up at the location so no walking through questionable areas, etc.
Written 27 April 2017
Where do you recommend purchasing tickets to "Beautiful" at the SF Orpheum theatre? When I search on line, there are so many resale ticket companies selling them.
Written 31 August 2016
bjlasich
Fremont, California
I will going to see Beautiful. I will be taking BART. I plan to get off at Civic Center. Is there only one exit when I get off and where is the theatre from there. I plan to meet others there.
Hope to hear from you.
Bonnie
Written 28 August 2016
Hi Bonnie,
Take the Civic Center Bart.
There are 3 Bart Exits and Entrances ,2 across Market St, with 1 on each corner and
another right in front of the theatre.
It's an awesome way to get there and back.
Have fun and bring a sweater.
Marsha
Written 29 August 2016
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