Hobby Center

My most recent visit was Jan 23^rd for the Sunrise International Dance Company’s Snow Queen’s Frozen Journey performance. Zilkha Hall is a very small theatre, compared to Sarofim Hall. It was easy to find, and since it usually houses the smaller shows and many children’s performances, it’s so conveniently located with concessions, restrooms and water fountains nearby in the lobby. The lobby is small, but very open and spacious enough to enjoy during intermission or before/​after the show.
My seats were second row orchestra center, and it was an exceptional view. The seating is comfortable, and there is a lot of room between rows. My daughter and I had to switch seats so she could see, since there was an adult in front of her, so the seats don’t raise from row to row a whole lot. If bringing small children, consider front row seat, aisle seats, or get the front row balcony.
The parking is my only complaint. I’m rarely downtown anymore, so I’d recommend the valet parking if you are like me and get lost easily. I parked in the underground parking in front of the Hobby Center on this visit, and we walked upstairs from the stairwell. Our location was perfect, except for the fact that after the show, the stairwell was closed and we had to find another opening and then try and figure out how to get back to our car. Luckily I took a photo of the pole with the parking location and the employees in the parking garage gave me quick and easy directions to get to my car. I recommend you do this, or at least be sure you also take note of the color of the pole, not just the row and section numbers.

Came here Josh Groban’s concert in Dec 2015. Hobby Center’s Sarofim Hall has some amazing acoustics. I am so glad that Groban chose a concert venue rather than some sports stadium. The last notes of his song «Anthem» before intermission were glorious and reverberated brilliantly in this intimate space. Sports stadiums can stuff far more people, but the intimate venue really made it feel like a personal night of Josh Groban and his fans. The ceiling depicts a beautiful Texas starry night sky, complete with shooting stars every five min. The venue looks like those grand Broadway theaters with sweeping and gorgeous colors and design throughout.
Parking was free for this concert. Not sure if it’s a regular occurrence… but it was nice not to wait in line for people to pay the parking and just zoom outta there. It was raining that day, but the parking lot has covered walkways to the main buildings, so don’t worry about getting wet. The building also connects to the underground Houston tunnels, so it’s easy access and shelter from rain/​heat for all the office dwellers who can come by after work to catch a show. If coming for a Sunday show, you could also park on the streets as street parking is free on Sundays.
I think once you’re in the main building, there are lots of staff and volunteer ushers to guide you where you need be. Restrooms are clean and lines move fast. Exiting the venue afterwards is also super fast esp if you exit by the stairs that lead straight to the ground floor exit. It’s a venue with wonderful acoustics/​design and professional staff who have meticulously prepared a streamlined spectacular end to end experience.

The Hobby Center is a great venue, with comfortable seats, excellent service, and a spacious lobby to enjoy a cocktail and enjoy views of downtown while you wait for your show to begin. Our favorite seats have been in the front row of the Mezzanine level, but we have also enjoyed sitting in the Orchestra section for some of the more dance-​themed shows like The Rockettes so you can really see how precise their skills are.
If you are going to drink alcoholic beverages invest in the «adult sippy cup» with a lid so that you can take your beverage into the show. There are a few snack and candy options that you can purchase from the bars in the lobby areas, but if you are wanting a full meal, the only options are to dine at Artista or the Hobby Center buffet on the second level. We have never eaten at either, but heard great things about Artista.
Cheers!

Hobby center’s Phantom of the Opera production was incredible. The only real complaint is the difficulty understanding what was being said at times during the show. Also, people coming in late was a distraction. I understand paying money for tickets but there should be a section for those who arrive late. The people next to me were late during both acts!

Saw Phantom of the Opera here. First time I ever watched a Broadway show not on Broadway. Nice theater, parking facilities were sufficient. They even have food and beverages before the show and during intermission. The parking garage is right there, but bring cash. Looking forward to more shows here.

I love this theatre!
I recently went to see Phantom of the Opera and it was absolutely beautiful!!! It was my aunt’s first time going and she was very impressed, both with the show and theatre.
We parked in the parking garage located at the back of the theatre and then walked a very short distance. The staff was really sweet and helpful in showing us to our seats…
I purchased the tickets a bit late, so we ended up with the seats at the very top. Top as in the last row of the left gallery, lol. I was a bit worried at first that we wouldn’t have a good view, but any seat really is a good seat as long as you don’t have the rails blocking your view. (the seat map let’s you know what seats are those)
I actually liked the seats we had. We had a good view of the pretty ceiling, stage, orchestra, even subtitles! And we were very close to the exit/​entrance, so we had no problem getting in and out.
As for the show– Oh my god! I had been waiting for it to show in Houston for a long time and was not disappointed one bit. All of the actors were great and so was the production. It would take paragraphs to explain why I liked it so much. I think everyone should watch and I will definitely see it again.

I attended the Diana Krall concert at the Hobby Center Sarofim Hall last night and it was a great show. However, there is a serious issue and quite possibly a fire hazard with the way people have to exit the building. After the show ended, the street-​level lobby was filled with people trying to exit, but because of the construction on the front plaza and valet lane, we were packed in like sardines for well over 15 minutes. How would we be expected to exit the building safely if there had to be an emergency evacuation?
The Hobby Center executives need to consider the safety of their patrons above all else. I’m sure they employ smart people who can figure this out. No matter how lovely the building is, the humans inside should always be the priority.

I’ve seen many shows here and every show is outstanding. Saw Bonnie & Clyde tonight and it was really really really good. From the cast, to the music, to the setting & even had comedy.

I just love being a season ticket holder and being able to attend great shows at this great venue several times a year. The set-​up of the theater offers very few bad seats. I love that there are now refreshments available on all levels of seating and that you can pre-​order your beverage & snack for intermission before the show even starts! Pure simplicity and no lines!!! The reusable tumblers are a great thing too. They allow you to take those non-​water beverages it to the show with you with the accompaniment of that spill proof lid.
No matter how many times I go two of my favorite things to do is to people watch from the upper balcony while waiting for the door to open and then to take in the great ceiling of lights set to the stars. It just always feels magical to me to gaze upon them just before the curtain goes up.
The valet parking option is great for those days when I am running late and no time to park before the show. They are very quick to get the vehicles in and out, even when there is a line that seems to never end… after the show of course.
They have a little short off to the side of the theater also. It offers a wide array of items from many of the shows on that season’s line-​up. The best part is the music selections. Being able to relive those songs on your ride home!

I have rarely had a bad experience at Hobby Center. Although, currently the construction is a bit annoying. One has to valet around to the side or park in the adjacent garage. Well, my husband and I were walking to Hobby Center, so once we realized the short cut we usually take to the HC was not accessible, we had to reroute. I didn’t plan this for my hair… and my hair was not happy.
Oh well, I’m sure it will all be over soon and Hobby Center will continue to be a gem for Houstonians.
I hope they add more stalls to the women’s restroom – always a line!

My first time to catch a show in here and I loved it! Went to see Mamma Mia on the opening night! It was such a great performance and I loved the theater and the layout! I cannot wait to come back for another show!

Such a great time in Houston at the Hobby Center.
Spent a very special belated birthday with two of my favorite girls, A and Wendy Williams. We were second row VIPs. One of the best days ever!
The staff at Hobby Center were great. I was panicked as I ran to the restroom during intermission. Already dreading the long lines, I was shocked as all get out to discover no line!!! Even more pleasantly surprised to find the female Hobby Center staff standing in the restrooms guiding ladies to available stalls. Nice touch.
The only thing I wasn’t impressed with were the painfully long lines for drinks. QA, please! Would have been a lot faster to have a separate wine and beer line from the mixed drink line. Also, was a little disappointed that although we were in the second row, there was a big gap between the audience seating and the stage making us seem farther away. The big gap also came as a surprise to Wendy Williams who took a dreaded tumble off the stage. For more on that, YouTube «Wendy Williams falls off stage in Houston.» She recovered like a pro.

We are so lucky here in houston!!! Culture and broadway in the building :) a little piece of Nyc travels here and brings me so much joy.
There’s a restaurant inside, tons of bathrooms and near the rail :)
Come here for all your houston broadway needs :)
One day when I retire I will so come here to volunteer
Beautiful skyline houston view in this building

I wouldn’t say that I’m the biggest theater buff but I do love my musicals and this is the best place for it. This is right next to the aquarium, hard rock, the blue fish and all kinds of other places since it in downtown. The traffic can get pretty congested whenever there is a show so make sure that you get there early. If you would like to get there when the doors open get there at night.
There are plenty of accommodations when you get inside. They have full bars and an area where you can eat. The selections are generally salads, pastas, paninis, and plantain chips. My favorite are the salads. You get to choose between a lunch or dinner size. The selection for toppings are too many to list. Plantain chips are delicious too.
Around 7:30pm is when the shows start and opening nights land on Tuesdays. The bars do get packed before the show so come early. Also, no open drinks allowed in the theaters but the loophole is that they sell «sippy cups» that you can take your drinks into the theater.
The productions are always so grand but so far my favorite musical I have seen is The Book of Mormon. My least favorite is… And I will keep that to myself. They always have ushers there in order for you to find your seats. Fun fact: don’t be that person that shows up late. They let you in but it always seems to be the person in the middle of the row. It’s disruptive and rude. Plus I do not want your ass in my face while you say excuse me or sorry (even though I know you’re not).
So after a show, like any show, the traffic is atrocious. You might as just lay back and socialize. Or you can look rude and desperate excusing themselves right before the actors took their bows. This place is always accommodating and professional. You would definitely be getting your money’s worth.

The Hobby Center was great for seeing «Once!» I like that they have the option at the bar to buy an adult sippy cup so that you can enjoy a cocktail during the show. The prices however, were very steep. The seats in the venue were all relatively close, making it feel like most seats are good seats. Only negative is the same with every theatre, bathrooms couldn’t accommodate the intermission rush.

I have visited the Hobby Center twice now.
I saw The Rockettes on a Saturday afternoon. We sat up high, but had a great view of the stage.
I saw Book of Mormon on a Friday night. It was packed, but they had lots of bars set up. You could even PRE-​ORDER/​pre pay for your drinks to be picked up during intermission!!! Great time saver!
I think it’s easy to get turned around here because there are so many levels. The restrooms are all downstairs, but they have plenty of staff and stalls to help move everyone along.
They have lots of bars set up in various places upstairs and downstairs. Be prepared to stand in line, but it moves quickly. Some bars are cash only. You can also purchase the «sippy cups» to avoid spilling in the dark theater.

Nice theater — great experience. Parking is a pain to get out of if you park in the lot underneath. The lobby is filled with bars so you can get drinks. Seats were slightly uncomfortable because they’re stiff and positioned funny. Could use an upgrade. But the show was amazing and the ceiling and stage were awesome. I wish it was more of a stadium seating because it’s hard to see when you’re behind someone tall, especially when you pay to sit front section and center!

First time visiting the Hobby Center. I went to see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular ft the Rockettes. The Hobby Center is a very nice venue. Parking was easy for me (I read the tip that Lexus owners get free valet parking). I got great seats near the front, so I am not sure if my experience would be the same if I got seat way on top in the back.
But where I was seated, I had a great view of the stage and the sound system was good.
I ate lunch there. They offered a decent selection of food. But it was very pricey. So if you have time, eat elsewhere then come and watch your show.

I really enjoy going to the Hobby Center — such a classy venue. I’ve seen The Lion King, Les Miserables, and most recently Ars Lyrica on NYE. All great events! Parking is usually not an issue in the evenings or on the weekends, but they do offer valet, if you want to make your life extremely easy. Overall, a pretty, clean venue with nice-​enough staff.

I have been to the Hobby Center many times and have enjoyed every single performance. I have also sat in most of the sections and there really isn’t a bad seat.
I attended the Little Mermaid on Sunday. Parking was not an issue as we were lucky enough to find free parking nearby since it was a Sunday evening. We arrived a little early so we grabbed something to eat at the Artista’s Bistro that’s set up in the lobby. Great selection of salad, pasta, paninis, desserts, drinks, and for the kids– chicken strips and fries or Mac n cheese. A little pricey, but super convenient if you didn’t already have plans for pre-​theater dining.
I sat in the gallery section which thankfully has it’s own set of restrooms. All other levels require you to walk downstairs to a lower level. They do allow you take in bottled water now, which is great. You can also bring in other drinks if you buy some adult sippy cup, but it just looks absolutely ridiculous. I’ll save my drinking for later.