Random Craziest Themed Restaurants From ‘90s Themed Restaurant Craz (10 items)

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  (#10) Planet Hollywood

  • The Concept: The idea for the restaurant was conceived by movie producer Keith Barish, who wanted to create a version of Hard Rock Cafe for film fans. Hard Rock's owner, Robert Earl, loved the idea and took it one step further: movie stars would receive a portion of ownership in exchange for appearing at restaurant openings, which were staged to look like film premieres.
  • The Opening: Planet Hollywood opened its doors in New York City in 1991 with the backing of major movie stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, and Sylvester Stallone. As envisioned, it was a movie-premiere-style spectacle, with Schwarzenegger, Willis, Stallone, Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg among the supporters. An estimated 10,000 onlookers lined the streets around the restaurant.
  • The Decor: Each restaurant is filled with movie memorabilia, some of which comes from the movies of the celebrity "owners."
  • The Merchandise: Planet Hollywood merchandise is a major moneymaker for the chain. They produce key rings, leather coats, sweatshirts, t-shirts, watches, and much more. 
  • Its Status Today: Despite growing to more than 100 locations, Planet Hollywood started losing money quickly. After the chain's first Las Vegas casino venture failed in 1998, stocks fell, and celebrity backers began jumping ship. As of 2019, only nine locations are still in business.
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  (#3) Dive!

  • The Concept: Dive! was a rare misstep from director Steven Spielberg. Built like a giant yellow submarine and hosting a nautical theme, diners were given the illusion of eating deep under the sea. According to the restaurant's advertising, patrons were invited to: "Dive! into a fleet of gourmet submarine sandwiches. SUBstantial salads, fresh pastas, wood oven-roasted entrees, and mouth-watering desserts. Enjoy SUBlime food in a playful SUBmerged environment, with bubbling porthole windows, gauges, an underwater video voyage, and working periscope with panoramic city views." It was all Spielberg's idea, inspired by his love of the sea and underwater exploration. He and producing partner Jeffrey Katzenberg devised the plan for Dive! in 1993. 
  • The Opening: The restaurant's first location, in the Century City neighborhood of Los Angeles, opened in 1994. A Las Vegas Dive! opened in 1995.
  • The Decor: Both restaurant sites were bedecked in nautical finery. Every 45 minutes, there was a 30-second "submerging" of the submarine-shaped eatery. The portholes bubbled over, lights flashed, and submarine moans and groans filled the dining room.
  • The Merchandise: Dive!-branded merchandise was only about 15 percent of the LA location's sales, but it was 40 percent of the Las Vegas site's gross.
  • Its Status Today: The steady souvenir revenue stream kept the Las Vegas location open until the early 2000s, a few years after the 1999 closure of the original LA site.
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  (#2) American Girl Cafe

  • The Concept: Located in select American Girl Place retail locations, American Girl Cafe offers brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner. It's billed as doll-friendly dining. The eatery was designed as a way to make a trip to an American Girl store an even more memorable outing.
  • The Opening: The first American Girl Cafe opened at the Chicago, IL, store in 1998.
  • The Decor: The eateries in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago are larger, somewhat frilly affairs, while other locations are known as bistros and are significantly smaller. There are special seats for diners' dolls to join them at the table. 
  • The Merchandise: Only located within American Girl Place retailers, it's all about the AG merchandise at this establishment. You can usually take your doll to eat with you, or bring her to the salon or on a shopping spree. In fact, upon entering, diners are asked, "Did you bring a girl or do you need to borrow one?"
  • Its Status Today: There are 13 American Girl Cafes or bistros in operation as of 2019.
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  (#9) Bubba Gump Shrimp Company

  • The Concept: Inspired by the movie Forrest Gump, the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company (BGSC) is a seafood restaurant featuring mostly Southern and Cajun dishes. Many are named after characters from the popular 1994 film. The chain sells one million pounds of shrimp yearly.
  • The Opening: Viacom, who own Forrest Gump studio Paramount Pictures, opened the first location in 1996 in Monterey, CA.
  • The Decor: Every BGSC location is decorated with a nautical theme and memorabilia from the Forrest Gump movie.
  • The Merchandise: You can purchase Bubba Gump merchandise - including t-shirts, baseball caps, shot glasses, and hot sauce - online or at any of the restaurants.
  • Its Status Today: As of 2019, there are 40 BGSCs in operation, and they show no signs of stopping. Fun fact: actor Chris Pratt was discovered while waiting tables at the BGSC in Maui, HI. One of his customers was actor/director Rae Dawn Chong, who cast him in one of her short films.
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  (#8) Rainforest Cafe

  • The Concept: Rainforest Cafe gives diners the unique opportunity to eat in a replica of a tropical rainforest. Decked out with foliage, animal figures, mist, and waterfalls, the restaurant features a menu of mostly American (or Americanized) food. Steven Schussler's concept for Rainforest Cafe first took shape as a result of his home makeover, where he turned his house into a faux rainforest. It contained "40 tropical birds, two 150-pound tortoises, a baboon, an iguana and a bevy of tropical fish housed in ten 300-gallon fish tanks," he wrote in his autobiography. He also had real butterflies bred "to determine how long they would survive and whether they would fall in the food."
  • The Opening: The first Rainforest Cafe opened in Minnesota's Mall of America in February 1994. And just like Schussler's house, it contained live animals. Within days, the wait for a table stretched as long as three hours.
  • The Decor: On a regular schedule throughout operating hours, mock thunderstorms break out in the Rainforest Cafe; the lights dim, "lightning" flashes, "thunder" rolls, and the sound of falling rain is pumped through the sound system. In 2000, Landry's Restaurants, Inc. bought the cafe, and the live animals were removed from the dining experience.
  • The Merchandise: Rainforest Cafe-emblazoned merchandise is for sale at every store location. You can also purchase stuffed animals, toys, dinnerware, and "exotic finds."
  • Its Status Today: As of 2019, Rainforest Cafe has 24 locations around the globe.
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  (#6) Space Aliens Grill & Bar

  • The Concept: Space Aliens Grill & Bar is the Minnesota and North Dakota version of Mars 2112. The major difference is that all three Space Aliens locations are still up and running as of 2019. They serve American food, with barbecue being the main feature of their menu. Founder Mort Bank, who owns the chain with Dave and Sheila Glaser, previously operated several themed McDonald's. 
  • The Opening: The first Space Aliens Grill & Bar opened in Bismarck, ND, in 1997. Another site launched in 1999 in Fargo. In 2006, Albertville, MN, originated a location. There have been a few others over the years, but only Bismarck, Fargo, and Albertville are still in operation.
  • The Decor: The restaurants are decorated with alien-themed furnishings and include space-centric games for kids.
  • The Merchandise: You can purchase Space Aliens clothing, towels, beverage containers, spices, and sauces.
  • Its Status Today: Space Aliens Grill & Bar continues to go where few themed restaurants of the '90s have ventured: into a successful and lasting enterprise.

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