Any memorable theme restaurants?

[JimMIA]

After I'd walked through town I saw a few places that looked like fun, but I'd already eaten. I probably shouldn't mention where I had dinner that night. Well - it was Outback in Islamorada. I figured I'd know what I was getting.

OMG! NO, you should not have mentioned that!

Hard Rock in Key West and Outback in Islamorada...SMH!

In Islamorada, you were one block from Lazy Days and probably less than a mile from Islamorada Fish Company (now permanently closed, unfortunately) !

Next time you come to the Keys, try Louis' Back Yard for good dining or Half Shell Raw Bar for tanktop/shoes optional dining in Key West. Lots of other good choices in Key West.

In the upper Keys, Snook's or Lazy Lobster in Key Largo.

On that entire trip, I think best restaurant I dined at was A Fish Called Avalon in Miami Beach.

Yes, THAT is a step up, although we don't eat on Ocean Drive -- everything is just so overpriced.

There are a ton of really good restaurants in Miami Beach, especially the South of 5th area and Sunset Harbor.

 

[bcla]

OMG! NO, you should not have mentioned that!

Hard Rock in Key West and Outback in Islamorada...SMH!

In Islamorada, you were one block from Lazy Days and probably less than a mile from Islamorada Fish Company (now permanently closed, unfortunately) !

Next time you come to the Keys, try Louis' Back Yard for good dining or Half Shell Raw Bar for tanktop/shoes optional dining in Key West. Lots of other good choices in Key West.

In the upper Keys, Snook's or Lazy Lobster in Key Largo.Yes, THAT is a step up, although we don't eat on Ocean Drive -- everything is just so overpriced.

There are a ton of really good restaurants in Miami Beach, especially the South of 5th area and Sunset Harbor.

When I was there I took a walk later and found out that there were other restaurants with heavy discounts for Restaurant Week. But I can't say anything bad about the food. It was really good. But I think I could have spent about half the price further up the street.

I saw something up around harbor area before I headed back to the garage. Not sure what the place was, but it was mostly a raw bar. I also paid for parking at a city garage, even though I noticed later that there was plenty of free parking on the street.

But I can't really complain. I didn't feel like spending a whole lot and the prices were reasonable at Outback. Like I said - I knew what I was getting. I found out the place didn't survive. I was really thinking more about my stay at the Hampton Inn that I originally planned. I think both have been taken over by some other brands.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Mai Kai in Ft. Lauderdale has been around forever, but it's been closed for more than a year now I believe due to Covid. It's Polynesian themed food and drink, and features a dinner show as well.

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DW and I went to the original Margaritaville on Duval Street in Key West one time. We were seated upstairs looking down into the first floor. At one of the booths was this older, balding gentleman who was talking with a couple of other people. They had notebooks and papers, and it was obviously a business meeting of some type.

I told DW the balding guy was Jimmy Buffet, but of course she thought I was joking. She couldn't stand it and finally asked our waitress, who said yes it was. The waitress and I almost had to tie DW in her chair to keep her from going down and saying hello!

We've driven by Mai Kai, but haven't eaten there. I looked it up. They state the closure is due to water damage in the kitchen. I'm sure Covid didn't help their situation. Hopefully, they'll get financial help & be able to reopen soon. On a similar note, many years ago, DH, DS & I went to a Luau in Daytona Beach. It was horrible. We didn't expect much from the food, but we did expect dancers that didn't appear to be strung out on drugs. It was kind of creepy.
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The food at the Margaritaville in KW used to be much better than the one in Orlando, but the theming was better in Orlando. I don't know, if that's still the case on either.

 

[gary1955]

That was actually Bonanza, originally started by Dan Blocker (Hoss) Unfortunately it was bought several times, merged with Ponderosa, then like several other steakhouse chains of the same type tried to go buffet. And now there are very few of them left. The same fate happened to most of them that did that. Either completely out of business or the number of locations drastically reduced. Ironically I think these days, the original concept would do much better than the buffet.

the one that we had was not a buffet. I don't recall if they had a salad bar but I am leaning towards no. I'm sure that it was order before you sit down and then they bring your order out. I wasn't old enough to have to pay so I don't know if it was pay first or at the end.

 

[JLTraveling]

Also ate at Mars 2112 in NYC and it was unique for sure. We loved it!

Atlanta favorite spot to go was Dante's Down the Hatch. Long history with it and Dante was so interesting but location 2 had dock, buildings, ship and crocodiles. Details everywhere even the bathrooms. Fondue was their specialty along with strawberry daquiris. He finally retired, closing the restaurant and selling everything off. People worked for him for decades.

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My next bucket list is ...

https://beetlehousenyc.com/

https://www.jekyllandhydeclub.com/ ❤

Dante's was the absolute best!! Especially the Underground location.

I'm also a big fan of Lambert's Cafe in Foley, Alabama: Home of the "throwed rolls." Literally, they throw hot, fresh rolls at you from across the room. They also come around constantly with all you can eat "pass arounds"--side dishes like black eyed peas. I always get so full on pass arounds and rolls that I can barely eat my meal.

 

[HopperFan]

Dante's was the absolute best!! Especially the Underground location.

I'm also a big fan of Lambert's Cafe in Foley, Alabama: Home of the "throwed rolls." Literally, they throw hot, fresh rolls at you from across the room. They also come around constantly with all you can eat "pass arounds"--side dishes like black eyed peas. I always get so full on pass arounds and rolls that I can barely eat my meal.

We enjoyed the Underground for years, always our stop after an Atlanta Flames game. Loved all the nooks there.

I was more attached to the Buckhead location because I worked for a company that did all his printing, menus etc. He would pull up in his fancy car with the dogs and come in to talk to me. At one point we were printing all these photos of store fronts and stuff from inside old places that he was collecting around Europe and had in a warehouse. I was so curious what he was going to do with them .... and then Buckhead was born. It was so much bigger and so creative how he designed it and put together. Spoke with him often at restaurant, my brother had his rehearsal dinner there on ship and we took my Mom for a big birthday and he came to sit with her. Just a great guy with a unique life story and restaurant.

 

[JLTraveling]

We enjoyed the Underground for years, always our stop after an Atlanta Flames game. Loved all the nooks there.

I was more attached to the Buckhead location because I worked for a company that did all his printing, menus etc. He would pull up in his fancy car with the dogs and come in to talk to me. At one point we were printing all these photos of store fronts and stuff from inside old places that he was collecting around Europe and had in a warehouse. I was so curious what he was going to do with them .... and then Buckhead was born. It was so much bigger and so creative how he designed it and put together. Spoke with him often at restaurant, my brother had his rehearsal dinner there on ship and we took my Mom for a big birthday and he came to sit with her. Just a great guy with a unique life story and restaurant.

That is so cool! I was only ever a tourist in Atlanta, my dad used to go to Marietta for training once or twice a year when he was a government engineer, and my mom and I would play tourist in Atlanta for the week. Dante's was on our must do list at least once or twice on every trip. Never got to meet him, but I have a feeling I would have just loved him.

 

[bcla]

Someone mentioned a toilet restaurant. It sounds like it was a copy of Modern Toilet Restaurant from Taiwan.

http://www.moderntoilet.com.tw/en/index.asp

 

[LuvN~Travel]

The Magic Time Machine restaurant (Dallas, San Antonio) was pretty cool. I remember each area having a different decade theme.
I’ve been to Jekyll and Hyde and that was really neat.
Lambert’s in MO. Home of the throwed roll. Yes they do throw rolls at you.
Houston aquarium restaurant. Really cool with the huge fish tanks in the middle of the restaurant.

Got to visit the Magic Time Machine once back in the mid 80s while visiting out in Texas. But, dog gone it, we were one person short, so we could not order the 'Roman Orgy'. lol

 

[LuvN~Travel]

Kapok Tree Inn in Clearwater, FL. https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/florida/kapok-tree-inn-fl/ My parents took us to this restaurant, when I was a teenager. When DH, DS & I moved to Tampa in '97, I was so excited to take them there. Sadly, we arrived at the location only to discover the restaurant had gone out of business. To this day it's still the most awe inspiring restaurant I've been to.

It was a pretty restaurant! When we lived down in Plant City, just outside of Tampa when I was in junior high, our Sunday School class went there for a class dinner one year. As a 14 year old I was real impressed!