History of Theme Restaurants and Clubs
Where there were predecessor concepts, during the 1990’s the theme restaurant and club era swept the world, and in particular the U.S., with most retail developers looking at themed restaurants and themed clubs as a way to increase the consumer appeal of retail facilities in destination locations. A strong sub-set of this fad, was the large number of celebrity-themed restaurants. Themed restaurants included celebrity-backed concepts such as Fashion Cafe (with models Campbell, MacPherson, and Schiffer), Planet Hollywood (Schwarzenneger, Stallone, and Willis), and the Official All-Star Sports Cafe (Agassi, Seles, and Gretzky), among many others. Pure brand-based concepts included ESPN Cafe, Billboard Live!, Disney Stores, NASCAR Cafe, and dozens of others. Still other themed concepts were based on intriguing concepts and/or environments such as Jekyll & Hyde Club, Drink!, Discovery Zone FunCenters, Dave & Busters, and Block Party. Most of the venues created during the themed restaurant era enjoyed some consumer success but ultimately failed as consumers moved to the next concept. History of Themed Restaurants and Clubs First Unit – Openings This chronology includes only some of the more notable entries in this product category from major players, and is not a representative list of all theme restaurant openings during the time period shown.
1971 Hard Rock Cafe (London, England) 1977 Chuck E. Cheese (San Jose, California) 1982 Dave & Buster’s (Dallas, Texas) 1983 Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament (Kissimmee, Florida) Hooters (Clearwater, Florida) 1984 Ed Debevic’s (Phoenix, Arizona) 1988 Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede (Pigeon Forge, Tennessee) 1991 Planet Hollywood (New York City) 1992 America Live! (Bloomington, Minnesota) Drink! (Chicago, Illinois) House of Blues (Cambridge, Massachusetts) 1993 Entros (Seattle, Washington) Michael Jordan’s Restaurant (Chicago, Illinois) P.F. Chang’s China Bistro (Scottsdale, Arizona) Front Row Sports Grill (Orlando, Florida)
1994 Rainforest Cafe (Bloomington, Minnesota) Harley-Davidson Cafe (New York City) Wildhorse Saloon (Nashville, Tennessee) Dive! (Los Angeles, California) Country Star American Music Grill (Universal City, California) 1995 Official All-Star Sports Cafe (New York City) Fashion Cafe (New York City) Jekyll & Hyde Club (New York City) Motown Cafe (New York City) 1996 Billboard Live! (West Hollywood, California) NASCAR Cafe (Myrtle Beach, South Carolina) Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. (Monterey Bay, California) Red’s (Edmonton, Canada) Fulton’s Crab House (Orlando, Florida) 1997 Easyriders Cafe (Myrtle Beach, South Carolina) 1998 Motorsports Grill (Orlando, Florida) ESPN Zone (Baltimore, Maryland) Theme Restaurant Concepts that Did Not Make it to Market: Cafe@Play Classic Sports Network Restaurant David Copperfield’s Magic National Lampoon Cafe
Sinatra’s Television City TV Land Vegas!
List of theme restaurants This article contains embedded lists that may be poorly defined, unverified or indiscriminate. Please help to clean it up to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Where appropriate, incorporate items into the main body of the article. (March 2016) This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries. Ellen's Stardust Diner The Airplane Restaurant – Boeing KC-97, Colorado Springs, CO Alice's Tea Cup - Storybook time, New York (Manhattan), New York Arabian Nights - show coupled with a dining experience, Kissimmee, Florida Asti - New York (opera memorabilia.) Autopub - car museum, New York NY The Australian Bar and Restaurant - sports bar, New York City Australian Outback Spectacular - Australiana dinner and show package featuring many Australian animals, songs and bush tucker Battle of the Dance - dinner theater, Anaheim, California, B.E.D. - dine in bed SF CA & FL Belle of Louisville – Steamboat, Louisville, KY Binghamton (ferryboat) - a retired ferryboat that operated from 1905 to 1967, New Jersey
Blue Bayou - Disneyland in Anaheim, California, Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disneyland, in Chiba, Japan Bounce Farringdon - a large social venue that boasts 17 ping pong tables. Holborn, London Bubba Gump Shrimp Company – The film Forrest Gump (the first theme restaurant inspired by a film) The Bubble Room Restaurant - memorabilia from the 30 to the 60s, Captiva, Florida The Buckhorn Exchange – Wild game, oldest restaurant in Denver, CO Buns and Guns – war detail, Beirut, Lebanon Cabbages and Condoms waiters wears condoms on heads and condom art, – Bangkok, Thailand Cafe '50s - 50's style Santa Monica CA Calico Cat Café - cat place, Tokyo Japan Camaje Bistro and Lounge - dining in the dark, 85 MacDougal Street NY The Cannery – Waterfront cannery, Newport Beach, CA Cannibalistic Restaurant - Sushi served in a body-shaped container, Japan Captain John's Harbour Boat Restaurant - Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Casa Bonita Restaurant - Theme park restaurant Lakewood, Colorado Cave Restaurant - Eating in a cave Richland, Missouri Chuck E. Cheese's (formerly Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre and Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza), games raffle, theatre various area
City Tavern – Colonial tavern, Philadelphia, PA Clearman's Northwoods Inn – Log cabin in the woods, Covina, La Mirada and San Gabriel, CA Clifton's Cafeteria - World largest cafeteria, LA CA Clinic Bar, - The hospital-themed, Clarke Quay, Singapore Cold Spring Tavern – Stagecoach stop, Santa Barbara, CA Colonial Inn – Colonial tavern, Concord, MA The Colonial Tramcar Restaurant - a restaurant which operates from a converted fleet of three vintage trams, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Colonial Williamsburg – Several colonial taverns in a restored colonial city, Williamsburg, VA The Coyote Ugly Saloon - Based on the movie Coyote Ugly, NYC NY Christon Café – Christianity themed, Tokyo, Japan Dans Le Noir - Dining in the dark, Clerkenwell, London Death Themed Restaurant – Eating in a very large casket, Truskavets, Ukraine Delta King – Steamboat, Sacramento, CA Delta Queen – Steamboat, Chattanooga, TN Devil Island Prison Restaurant - scary place China Dinner in a Hospital - Taipei Disaster Café - A 7.8 earthquake restaurant, Lloret de Mar, Spain
Dive! - was a 300-seat restaurant Beverly Hills, CA Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede – American patriotic Don the Beachcomer - tiki restaurants, Various Locations Dracula's Cabaret Restaurant - a theater restaurants,Australian & one other restaurant in Melbourne Duvet - dine in bed NY NY Ed Debevic's – 1950s diner The Edison – Powerplant, Los Angeles, CA Ellen's Stardust Diner – 1950s diner Camp 18 Restaurant – Logging camp, Elsie, OR Family Fun Center and Bullwinkle's Restaurant - features animated robotic performances by Bullwinkle and Rocky, Tukwila, Washington Fashion Cafe - featuring celebrity models, New York City Five Crowns – English Tudor, Corona del Mar, CA Forum of the 12 Caesars - inspired by series Mad Men Geisha House - Hollywood CA Gardens Of Taxco - West Hollywood CA Graveyard Restaurant – Eating with the dead, Ahmadabad, India Goofy's Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel, Anaheim, California Harald - Viking age Finland
Hard Rock Cafe – Rock music Universal City CA & FL in Nev Las Vegas. Heart Attack Grill – Hospital Hell Pizza - Hell theme is used in the menu, New Zealand Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village – Various historically themed restaurants, Dearborn, MI Hillbilly Hot Dogs - roadside hot dog stand and tourist attraction, located near Huntington, West Virginia Hitler’s Cross aka Cross Cafe – history, Mumbai, India Hobbit House – run by little people, Manila, Philippines Hog's Breath Cafe (also known as Hog's Breath Saloon) is an Australian and international chain of steak house restaurants Hospital Restaurant - Latvia H.R. Giger Bar - visual effects for the film Alien. Various Locations, Switzerland Ice Restaurant - Dubai In The Dark Restaurant - London Islands Fine Burgers & Drinks (also known as Islands) - beach theme various locations, ca Jacob Wirth Restaurant – Historic building, Boston, MA Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville – Tropical beach Jumbo Kingdom - Hong Kong
Jurassic Project - Jurassic era, Industry CA Jekyll & Hyde Club – Victorian English, (Manhattan), New York L&L Hawaiian Barbecue - Hawaii theme, Honolulu, Hawaii The Lockup - Haunted dining, Tokyo, Japan Longfellow's Wayside Inn – Colonial inn, Sudbury, MA Longhorn Steakhouse - Orlando, Florida Kayabukiya Tavern - Monkeys act as your wait staff, Utsunomiya, Japan Mad Mex Fresh Mexican Grill - Lucha libre themed, Sydney & New Zealand Madonna Inn Resort & Spa - San Luis Obispo, California Mai-Kai Restaurant - tiki themed, 3599 North Federal Highway in Oakland Park, Florida Mao-Era Red Guards Restaurant – Nanning, China Mars 2112 - aliens & space, NY The Medieval Banquet medieval dining, East Smithfield, London Medieval Times - medieval days, various areas ''Mike Fink'' Restaurant – Steam towboat, Covington, KY Michie Tavern – Colonial tavern, Charlottesville, VA Mining Camp Restaurant – Mining, Apache Jct., AZ Modern Toilet – It's a bathroom-themed restaurant, Taipei, Taiwan
Montana's Cookhouse - a lodge/wilderness setting that tries to provide guests with an escape to simpler times, Vaughan, Ontario Montana Mike's - Big Steak Country, (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Texas) Moshulu – Four-masted bark (sailing ship), Philadelphia, PA Motown Café - music NY NY MS Normac - is a floating restaurant boat that was launched as a fire tug named the James R. Elliot. Port Huron, Michigan MV Sydney 2000 - cruise ship dining, Sydney Harbour Mystic Seaport – Nautical-themed restaurants, Mystic, CT Natchez – Steamboat, New Orleans, LA NBA City - basketball, Orlando, Florida Ninga - ninga headquarters NY Official All Star Cafe - not a typical sport bar, Times Square in New York City Cancun and at the Showcase Mall on the Las Vegas Strip.[3][4] From 1997 until 2001 Outback Steakhouse - an Australian-themed, Tampa, Florida with over 950 locations in 23 countries throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia Oxygen Lounge - airy place, Tarzana Pacific Dining Car – Railroad, Los Angeles and Santa Monica, CA Peanut Butter & Co. Sandwich Shop - everything on the menu is prepared with peanut butter, New York (Manhattan), New York
Peep - being watched, 177 Prince Street NY Pirate’s Dinner Adventure - eating with songs of the pirate era, Buena Park, California Pitch-Black Restaurant – dark dining, Beijing, China Planet Hollywood – The film industry Pomona Valley Mining Company – Mining, Pomona, CA Portillo's Restaurants – 1920's Chicago and other themes Proud Bird Restaurant & Museum – Historic aircraft, Los Angeles, CA PS Lincoln Castle - was a coal-fired side-wheel paddle steamer, under permanent dock in Alexandra Dock Grimsby Rainforest Cafe – Rainforest various locations Houston, Texas The Red Sea Star - an underwater restaurant, bar and observatory located 16 feet below the Red Sea. Ein Bokek, Israel Rick's Café Casablanca - inspire by the movie Casablanca Casablanca, Morocco Ricky's Sports Theatre and Grill - an Oakland Raiders themed sports bar, San Leandro, California Rimsky-Korsakoffee House - haunted cafe * bar, Portland, Oregon Robot-Staffed Restaurant – Nuremberg, Germany The Rugby Club (rebranded as The Rugby Club Sydney) - a Australian Rugby unionthemed, Sydney,Australia Rustar Floating Restaurant - floating dining, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Safe House Restaurant – Secret agents and espionage Sarastro - An impressive opera themed restaurant, Covent Garden, London SBX aka Sports Box - sports theme, Mumbai; Noida; Indore; Siliguri; Bangalore Señor Frog's - infamous party scene, throughout Mexico, the Caribbean, South America and the United States Shoeless Joe's - a sports-themed restaurant, Ontario, Canada Silver Star Cafe - railway carriage, Port Hedland, Western Australia Space Aliens Grill & Bar - outer space themed restaurants, Bismarck, North Dakota Star Seafood Floating Restaurant - boat dining, Sha Tin, China Stir Crazy Thane - an Oriental kitchen Restaurant, Thane, Maharashtra, India Tam O'Shanter – Scottish, Los Angeles, CA T-REX Cafe at Downtown Disney - be amazed to dine by dino, Lake Buena Vista, Florida Texas de Brazil - combinations of brazil & texas dining, Dallas, Texas Texas Roadhouse - a Western theme, Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery - a Celtic themed sports, Tempe, Arizona, United States Tinseltown - Hollywood era, Clerkenwell, London Toilet Restaurant - Taiwan Trader Vic's - beach themed, Emeryville, California TS Queen Mary - ship dining, William Denny shipyard at Dumbarton
Twin Peaks (restaurant chain) - a hooters type of sports bar, Addison, Texas,United States Tyler's Tender - train themed restaurant Schererville, Indiana Underwater Restaurant - completely underwater Maldives USAT General Frank M. Coxe - floating restaurant, California's San Francisco Bay Vampire Café – Vamp dining, Tokyo, Japan Voodoo Doughnut - an independent doughnut shop, Portland, Oregon Walkabout (pub chain) - an Australian themed, United Kingdom The Warehouse Restaurant – Warehouse theme, Marina del Rey, CA WCW Nitro Grill - an American professional wrestling steak house restaurant, Las Vegas Wingstop Restaurants, Inc - aviation-themed, Garland, Texas, The World (WWE) - pro wreeatling theme, Times Square in New York, New York, in the Paramount Theatre building on the corner of Broadway and 43rd Street. The Zetor Restaurant - a Helsinki restaurant created in to pay tribute to a Czech tractor manufacturer, Helsinki, Finland
