Any memorable theme restaurants?

[tvguy]

On vacation in 1976 in the U.K. and our tour package included dinner at a Barbarian restaurant. Only utensil you got was a dagger. You ate everything with your hands. The rolls were at one end of the table, and if you were at the other end and wanted a roll, the person closest to the rolls threw you one.

 

[goodeats]

I'm trying to find details online, but I'm not sure if I'm mixing up the name. It was either the Big Yellow House or Bobby McGees. It was like you were in someone's house and the food was served family style? Things like roast chicken or beef stew. In high school it seemed really fancy, but I'm sure it wasn't.

The Stinking Rose (there's one on La Cienega in LA and one in San Francisco) was fun. They had a lot of garlic dishes. Also, Ed Debevics - 50's style diner fun with actress type waitresses.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Rainforest Cafe and T-Rex (both have closed down in my area)

Cheeseburger in Paradise (also closed down in my area)

Heart Attack Grill in Vegas (Fremont street area) where you put on hospital gowns and must finish all your food or your waitress will paddle you (and yes it really does happen). Wine is served out of an iv bag.

There's also restaurants where the waiter or waitress is supposed to be rude to you there are a variety of them but Dick's Last Resort is one (we did that one in the Mall of America) though our waitress wasn't as involved as she could have been.

 

[Lehuaann]

Corvette Diner - San Diego (50’s theme)



Loved Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour

 

[monsterkitty]

Casa Bonita in Lakewood, Colorado. It's more than just a South Park episode! Yes, it really does exist, there really are cliff divers inside the restaurant, and the food really is terrible. But you need to experience this at least once!

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One can't visit Denver without going to Casa Bonita. It's a law here.

 

[bcla]

Corvette Diner - San Diego (50’s theme)

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Loved Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour

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Don't remember going to Farrell's, but I passed by a few locations. I'm thinking the one outside of Serramonte Shopping Mall in Daly City, California. There was a similar chain called Swensen's, although that got really complicated. I hear that they basically only exist overseas now. The original location was in San Francisco, and their menu included a lot of San Francisco-ish names like "The Earthquake".

 

[Belle_Ann]

I remember several like Casa Bonita, Bobby McGees already mentioned. Also there was a place called Crystals Pizza that seemed amazing when i was a kid. It had several different themed rooms you could eat in like one that showed cartoons on a movie screen and a room with tables that has aquariums in the base. And they had an old fashion sundae fountain bar area.

 

[jaiminee krikit]

When our son was 13 (in the year 2000), we took a cruise out of New York City. We had lunch at a restaurant called Mars 2112. It was pretty cool at the time. We have also enjoyed the Hard Rock Cafe (Chicago and Universal) and the Rainforest Cafe (Downtown Disney). I always loved Ed Debevic’s in Chicago. I don’t know if it‘s still there. That was many years ago.

Growing up near Chicago, Ed Debevic's was the best! We would go there for school and Girl Scout trips. They closed down to move a couple of years ago and have said they're reopening but haven't said when yet. DD loves 50's PT and Ed Debevic's is what I wish 50's was - I've never not had a sassy server there, so I can't wait to take her! Hopefully this summer

 

[Buzz Rules]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugaboo_Creek_Steakhouse

Bugaboo Creek was a staple in my community. It’s sad that they don’t exist anymore. The snowbird chicken and ribs were always a treat.

 

[Kittyblue]

What about Tournament of Kings? I guess that's more of a dinner show, but definitely memorable! I learned the hard way NOT to pay extra for front row seats, unless you want dirt and whatever else is on the arena floor landing on your dinner every time someone rides by.

 

[neverlandsky]

Before the hotel there was the restaurant of

 

[kanerf]

I remember Farrell's and the stretcher thing they came running out with loaded with a giant sundae. Lots of bells and sirens as well.

 

[Lehuaann]

Don't remember going to Farrell's, but I passed by a few locations. I'm thinking the one outside of Serramonte Shopping Mall in Daly City, California. There was a similar chain called Swensen's, although that got really complicated. I hear that they basically only exist overseas now. The original location was in San Francisco, and their menu included a lot of San Francisco-ish names like "The Earthquake".

Yes, I remember Swensen’s. We had a location in SD many years ago, but didn’t visit very often. There were so many good ice cream places around. Farrells was super lively and fun (and loud). The favorite among locals at the time was a just a simple cone (single, double, triple) from a drug store called Thrifty.

 

[Jennasis]

There is a ninja restaurant in NYC.

 

[HopperFan]

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.




My next bucket list is ...

https://beetlehousenyc.com/

https://www.jekyllandhydeclub.com/ ❤

 

[TJ Teru]

Hard Rock Cafe comes to mind. Our sons loved going there. Rainforest Cafe will always remind me of Downtown Disney.

For a few years before starting high school, I attended class at the Art Students League, a few doors down from the NY Hard Rock Cafe. I asked my mother why people were standing in line to get in, and she told me they were waiting for a table in the restaurant. I, a very worldly 11 year old, explained to her that there must be bands playing inside while people ate, like a jazz club, since no one would wait in line to get into a regular restaurant with all the other options nearby.

The one theme restaurant from the past that I'd love to experience is the Forum of the Twelve Caesars. Look up a menu online to see some great examples of puffery – and then do an inflation conversion on an item or two to see how truly eye-watering the prices were.

 

[bcla]

Yes, I remember Swensen’s. We had a location in SD many years ago, but didn’t visit very often. There were so many good ice cream places around. Farrells was super lively and fun (and loud). The favorite among locals at the time was a just a simple cone (single, double, triple) from a drug store called Thrifty.

There's still the original Swensen's location in San Francisco. That was never really part of the chain. There used to be a lot of locations - mostly at smaller outdoor shopping malls. I was on vacation in Thailand where we stopped at one in the early 90s. But the chain just sort of lost its mojo in the late 90s and pretty much disappeared from most of the United States.

And I remember Thrifty. Merged to become Thrifty-Payless. Then bought by Rite-Aid. But around here there's a distinct lack of Rite-Aid stores, although they do exist. Most locations were sold to Longs Drugs, which then got bought out by CVS. The ice cream was supposedly brought back in a limited fashion by Rite-Aid.

 

[jdb in AZ]

How about the T-Rex Cafe at Disney Springs? It's a lot like the Rainforest Cafe except they have noisy dinosaurs instead of gorillas, etc.

 

[bcla]

For a few years before starting high school, I attended class at the Art Students League, a few doors down from the NY Hard Rock Cafe. I asked my mother why people were standing in line to get in, and she told me they were waiting for a table in the restaurant. I, a very worldly 11 year old, explained to her that there must be bands playing inside while people ate, like a jazz club, since no one would wait in line to get into a regular restaurant with all the other options nearby.

I didn't get it either. However, I've been to several Hard Rock Cafe locations where I didn't need to wait and the food was fine. Then there were the various imitators - most of which haven't survived. I won't say which one, but once I thought I'd just try one location for the first time and I was the only customer they had.

 

[little tess]

Casa Bonita is one of a kind for sure. Hope it survives the pandemic.