Fans often seek out locations featured in their favorite TV shows and movies, and restaurants hold a special appeal, offering the chance to savor the same dishes as beloved characters. Some of these establishments served as filming locations, while others simply provided the inspiration for their fictional counterparts. Here's a list of some of the most popular fictional restaurants that are real and open to the public.
1. Tom's Restaurant (Seinfeld)
In the TV series Seinfeld, Jerry and his friends frequently gathered at Monk's Restaurant, sipping coffee and discussing their humorous misadventures [1]. Arguably the most recognizable New York City location on the show, Monk's was modeled after Tom's Restaurant [1]. Located in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, just a couple of blocks from Columbia University, Tom's Restaurant is a real diner that has been serving the community for decades [1][2]. While most of the interior shots were filmed on a set in California, the exterior is unmistakably Tom's [1].
- Address: 2880 Broadway, New York, NY 10025 [2].
- Hours: Sunday - Wednesday: 6:00 AM to 1:30 AM, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday: 24 hours [3].
- Menu Highlights: The affordable menu is a hit with students and includes burgers, sandwiches, soups, steaks, and all-day breakfast [1]. Fans can even order a "big salad," a reference to a memorable episode [1]. Other popular items include the Roasted Turkey with Cranberry Sauce, French Fries and the milkshakes [2][4].
- Fun Fact: Tom's Restaurant claims the food is good for every order because they “make it nice" [1].
2. Cheers (Cheers)
Step into the bar that inspired the hit comedy and drama TV show Cheers, where "everybody knows your name" [5]. Originally named Bull & Finch Pub, the producers chose this Boston location as the inspiration for the show [5]. The TV series premiered on September 30, 1982, and in that same year, Boston magazine recognized Bull & Finch Pub as the “Best Neighborhood Bar” in Boston [5].
- Address: 84 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02108 [6][7].
- Hours: Opens daily at 11:00 AM [8].
- Menu Highlights: The bar, now known as Cheers, serves draft beer in a classic souvenir mug [5]. The menu includes the Coach’s Club Sandwich, Frasier’s Chicken Panini, and the Giant Norm Burger [5]. Finish the Norm Burger and earn a spot on the wall for all to see [5]! Other favorites are the Bacon Blue Cheese burger and the Clam Chowder [9].
- Fun Fact: The bar is found in the Beacon Hill neighborhood, and there is also a second location at Faneuil Hall Marketplace [5]. The inside of the bar looks similar to what is seen on the show, and they have a large gift shop that sells Cheers merchandise [5].
3. Katz’s Delicatessen (When Harry Met Sally)
Katz’s Delicatessen has been serving pastrami to customers since 1888 [10]. However, a scene from When Harry Met Sally helped give the restaurant even more exposure [10]. Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal can be seen having a meal at Katz’s Deli during the movie’s most iconic scene, and you can even take a picture or sit at the table from said scene [10].
- Address: 205 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002 [11][12].
- Hours: Monday - Friday: 8:00 AM - 10:45 PM, Saturday - Sunday: 8:00 AM - 11:00 PM [13]. Open 24 hours on weekends [14][15]!
- Menu Highlights: The deli is located in Manhattan’s Lower East Side and serves more than 4,000 customers daily [10]. The most popular dish is the pastrami sandwich [10]. A Reuben sandwich was added to the menu 30 years ago, the cheesesteak was added ten years ago, and the cheesecakes were upgraded [10].
- Fun Fact: Sally enjoyed the turkey sandwich in the movie [10].
4. Double R Diner (Twin Peaks)
Fans of the show Twin Peaks will recognize Twede’s Cafe in North Bend, Washington, as the home of pie and coffee—the Double R Diner [16]. On the 1990s show, the Double R Diner was owned by Norma Jennings and located in the peculiar town of Twin Peaks [16]. The diner was based on Twede’s Cafe, and the fictional restaurant closely resembled it [16].
- Address: 137 W North Bend Way, North Bend, WA 98045 [17].
- Hours: Monday–Sunday 9:00 AM–7:00 PM [17].
- Menu Highlights: Those looking for the famous Twin Peaks cherry pie or “A Damn Fine Cup O’ Coffee” can find it at Twede’s [16]. The small-town cafe also offers a wide selection of burgers, sandwiches, and breakfast all day [18]. The burgers come with unlimited fries, and portions for all meals are large, especially breakfast [18].
- Fun Fact: The cafe once looked just like it was seen on the show, but a fire has since completely gutted the building [16]. It was remodeled after the fire, leaving fans of the show disappointed when visiting [16]. When it was announced that the show was returning, the cafe was completely restored to look original [16].
5. MacLaren’s (How I Met Your Mother)
The hit TV series How I Met Your Mother aired on CBS from 2005 to 2014, and the one place that could be described as the heart and soul of the show was MacLaren’s Pub [19]. The bar is where they shared their fondest memories, including fighting for their favorite booth and bartending for the Arizona Tech marching band [19].
- Address: 240 West 55 Street Between Broadway and 8th Avenues, New York, NY [20][21].
- Hours: Open daily for lunch and dinner [20].
- Menu Highlights: MacLaren’s pub is based on McGee’s, located on 55th street in Manhattan [19]. McGee’s hosts a trivia night and offers cocktails inspired by the show, such as Slutty Pumpkin and Pineapple Incident [19]. The menu includes burgers, sandwiches and appetizers [22].
- Fun Fact: The fictional bar was named after the show’s production assistant, Carl MacLaren [19]. McGee’s is working with a TV and movie tour company, allowing visitors to tour the pub, and members of the tour receive a special 15-percent discount [19][21].
6. Mystic Pizza (Mystic Pizza)
In 1988, the movie Mystic Pizza was released, about the lives and loves of three teenage girls working at a pizza restaurant in Mystic, Connecticut [23]. The Mystic Pizza parlor featured in the film is a real pizza place located in downtown Mystic [23].
- Address: 56 W Main St, Mystic, CT 06355 [24][25].
- Hours: Sunday - Monday: 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM, Tuesday: 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM, Wednesday: 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM, Thursday: 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM, Friday: 10:00 AM - 11:00 PM, Saturday: 12:00 PM - 2:00 AM [25].
- Menu Highlights: Fans of the movie once lined the streets to enter the building where the film was made, but they still come to the location to try “A Slice of Heaven” [23]. The menu features a variety of pizzas, appetizers, salads, and grinders [26].
- Fun Fact: Since the movie put the restaurant in such high demand, they opened a second location, and they also sell frozen pizzas in grocery stores [23]. Merchandise for the restaurant and movie can also be purchased at the restaurant gift shop [23].
7. Los Pollos Hermanos (Breaking Bad)
Fans of the hit TV show Breaking Bad will know Los Pollos Hermanos as a chicken fast-food establishment that is regularly visited by many characters on the show [27]. The drug kingpin Gus Fring uses its locations as a front for his crystal meth empire, and the main character, Walter White, visited the restaurant many times [27].
- Address: The building used in the TV show is actually a Twisters at 4275 Isleta Boulevard SW in Albuquerque, New Mexico [27][28].
- Hours: Please contact the restaurant for hours of operation [29].
- Menu Highlights: Twisters is a chain with more than 20 restaurants located in New Mexico and Colorado [27]. The chain is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and serves omelettes, burgers, and burritos [27]. Twisters is known for their green chile cheeseburgers and burritos [28]. They also serve other New Mexican staples like sopapillas, enchiladas, and fried apple bites [28].
- Fun Fact: Besides the name, it looks exactly like Los Pollos Hermanos from the show [27]. The manager of the Twisters location claims that profits have risen since the restaurant was featured on the show, and fans have come from as far as China to visit and take pictures [27].
8. Krusty Krab (SpongeBob SquarePants)
SpongeBob SquarePants has proven itself to be one of the most popular cartoons on television, and it is about the adventures of SpongeBob and his friends, Patrick, Squidward, Gary, and Sandy, who live under the sea [12]. He also works for Mr. Krabs at the Krusty Krab restaurant [12].
- Address: A real-life version of the restaurant is now open in Moscow, but it may no longer be there [12][30]. There is also a "Krusty Krab" cafe in the village of Amga, Russia [31].
- Menu Highlights: The restaurant features ship barrels for chairs as well as tables that resemble ship steering wheels that are seen in the show and even sells the famous Krabby Patty burgers [12]. The Krusty Krab Cafe has a huge menu, including pizza, burgers, pasta, soups, salads, and desserts [12].
- Fun Fact: The walls are painted just like the restaurant in the cartoon, and there are also figures of SpongeBob, Patrick, and Squidward located around the establishment [12].
9. The Bluebird Cafe (Nashville)
The Bluebird Cafe is a recurring location on the hit drama series Nashville [17]. Some of the characters on the show work at the Bluebird, and it has also been the location for numerous performances by different cast members [17]. The venue made its first appearance on the show in 2012 [17].
- Address: 4104 Hillsboro Pike, Nashville, TN [17][32].
- Hours: The Bluebird Cafe will be open select Fridays in November/December from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM for special gift shop hours [33].
- Menu Highlights: The real Bluebird Cafe is located in a small strip mall outside of downtown Nashville [17]. It is a small venue that seats less than 100 people and serves drinks, appetizers, salads, and sandwiches [17].
- Fun Fact: Ever since the cafe was introduced, millions of fans and aspiring artists have visited the restaurant, making it the top nightlife attraction in Nashville [17]. The venue features up-and-coming artists and songwriters: Garth Brooks played at the Bluebird before his fame [17].
10. Top Notch Hamburgers (Dazed and Confused)
The film Dazed and Confused followed various groups of teenagers on their last day of school in the suburbs of Austin, Texas [34]. The movie was filmed in various locations in and around Austin, but one of the more recognizable places was Top Notch Hamburgers [34].
- Address: 7525 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78757 [35][36].
- Hours: Monday - Sunday: 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM [36][37].
- Menu Highlights: The restaurant is open seven days a week and serves burgers, fried chicken, fries, and shakes [34].
- Fun Fact: Dazed and Confused was Matthew McConaughey’s first shot at an acting career [34]. In his first scene of the movie, he pulls up in his Chevelle to Top Notch Hamburgers’s drive-in and starts talking to a redheaded girl [34]. He then says one of his most famous lines that he still uses today: “Alright, alright, alright” [34]. These were his first three words in a film [34].