The food industry is highly competitive. According to the website of forbes.com, approximately 17% of restaurants fail within the first year. To stand out, restaurant owners have to differentiate themselves from other establishments. Sometimes the most enjoyable dining experience doesn't rely on quality food. Food is an important factor, but a restaurant's atmosphere, food presentation, and décor can win the approval of a connoisseur.
You don't have to be a food critic to see how crazy these restaurants are. Located around the world, some of these restaurants have world-class designs and intriguing backstories. Their origin may have inspired their design. We can credit designers such as Snøhetta for these peculiar restaurants.
Not every restaurant on this list is crazy in a favorable way. A bathroom-themed location, a robot server, a meal from another planet, and an eatery that expects their visitors to dine in the dark, are among the most absurd things found in restaurants around the world. Restaurant themes contained on this listicle can be alarming. Guests have left these hotspots with feelings of satisfaction, yet others have left feeling the exact opposite, searching for a bucket and regretting they ever came. These are 25 of the craziest looking restaurants around the world that can't be missed!
25 Goofy's Kitchen
Those looking for a Disney dining experience can head to Goofy's Kitchen located in Anaheim, Disneyland. Goofy's Kitchen has a four out of five rating on tripadvisor.com likely due to its delicious menu and eye-catching interior.
Served by Goofy himself, kids and adults can enjoy breakfast and dinner as part of a buffet.
Also, guests will see other Disney characters such as Pluto and the Mad Hatter when dining at Goofy's Kitchen. What could be better than dining with your favorite Disney characters? Goofy's Kitchen is a whacky idea, but it's one that provides everlasting memories.
24 New Lucky Restaurant (Cemetery Restaurant)
Instead of burying the fact that his restaurant was built on top of a cemetery, Krishnan Kutti the owner of New Lucky Restaurant, converted his new restaurant into a cemetery-themed eating house.
The owner does not mean to be disrespectful to those that have passed. He believes that eating next to the deceased is good luck.
The restaurant is decorated with coffins, and the customers seem not to mind. It is a chilling scene for a restaurant in India and just about anywhere in the world. Graves near the restaurant are regularly cleaned, and flowers are laid for respect. Could New Lucky Restaurant be as lucky as they say?
23 Modern Toilet Restaurant
Typically, food connoisseurs prefer to keep their toilets and meals separate. How is that for an opening line? This bathroom-themed restaurant is either the most fantastic idea, or the most absurd. The restaurant is a dog's dream come to life.
Eating out of miniature toilets and sitting on seats that are toilets can be done at Modern Toilet Restaurant.
The Modern Toilet Restaurant is located in Taipei, Ximending, Taiwan. Their ice cream is shaped like cartoon poop, and other foods fit the bathroom theme. Many say the food quality is average, but did anyone expect a restaurant that serves food in toilet bowls to have five-stars?
22 "Under" Underwater Restaurant
The presence of underwater restaurants in the world is growing and "Under," an underwater restaurant in Norway, is one of the finest examples yet. The Norwegian designer named "Snøhetta" is the creator of Under. Snøhetta has worked on projects such as the Oslo Opera House and the New York City Times Square renovation.
The construction of Under is not complete, but it is almost certain it will be a hit when it is complete. It is built in an area where wildlife is thriving, so guests can see fish outside their window. The finished restaurant will include a champagne bar.
21 Hajime Robot Restaurant
What makes the Hajime Robot Restaurant noticeable is the fact they use advanced robots to serve food. Are we at the point where we can trust our plates in the hands of a robot? Time will tell if this emerging trend of incorporating robots into diners will become commonplace.
Several restaurants make use of robots in Eastern Asia.
Hajime Robot Restaurant serves a variety of meats and soups which must be delicious since the majority of the reviews the restaurant are positive. Hajime Robot Restaurant is located in Bangkok, Thailand. Those who value the experience of dining will enjoy Hajime Robot Restaurant.
20 Heart Attack Grill
For a hefty meal found in the Las Vegas area, there are few more favorable options than Heart Attack Grill. Its name could be off-putting for some customers, but it does accurately describe the restaurant. Heart Attack Grill serves single, double, triple, quadruple, quintuple, sextuple, and octuple bypass burgers.
An octuple burger is a burger with five patties!
Employees at Heart Attack Grill are described as outgoing and friendly. To visit the Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas would be a highlight of a vacation. There are interesting decorations such as comical paintings and statues at Heart Attack Grill.
19 The Labassin Waterfall Restaurant
The Labassin Waterfall Restaurant's owners were smart to place their restaurant in this location. The restaurant's owners purchased tables made of a water-resistant material. Since the tables are close to the waterfall, guests are constantly splashed by water. Served at the Labassin Waterfall Restaurant is a variety of rice dishes and fish.
Customers are allowed to approach the waterfall which is connected to a shallow river. The waterfall in the photo is not a natural waterfall but is a waterfall that runs from a hydroelectric power plant. We've seen waterfalls in indoor restaurants, but this is incredible.
18 UFO McDonald's
Oddly enough, there is a McDonald's located in Roswell, New Mexico that is shaped like a UFO. It is dome-shaped with unconventional lighting. As many already know, Roswell, New Mexico contains the site of one of the most famous UFO sightings. Although the US military explained the Roswell incident in the 1990s by stating that the object was a nuclear test surveillance balloon, conspiracists continue to believe that the object is of alien origin.
The Roswell UFO incident may not be related to aliens, but this UFO McDonald's is out of this world and is one of the strangest restaurants on this list.
17 Dark Table Restaurant (Dining In The Dark)
Located in downtown Vancouver, Canada, there is a restaurant unlike most. Lights are turned off in most areas of this restaurant and guests must use direction combined with their sense of touch to eat meals.
Servers of Dark Table Restaurant are blind or visually impaired.
Attendees must rely on their other senses, such as smell, touch, and most importantly, taste. Eating without sight is how the blind and visually impaired people eat on a regular basis. How meals are served and eaten by non-blind customers is nothing short of a miracle. Cell phones and flashlights are forbidden when dining at Dark Table Restaurant in Vancouver, Canada.
16 Hooters
Hooters is a restaurant chain that was founded in Clearwater, Florida and is located throughout the United States. As a restaurant that almost exclusively chooses young and attractive women as waitresses, and places an emphasis on charm, it has received a great deal of criticism. They serve seafood and burgers with an excellent selection of menu items.
Hooters was a topic of discussion and made an appearance in the movie Big Daddy starring Adam Sandler.
Sandler's character, Sonny, comments on the fact his ex-girlfriend worked at Hooters. Hooters uses an owl as their mascot and serves chicken wings as their specialty.
15 Neko Cafe (Cat Cafe)
Cats and cafes go hand-in-hand at the Neko Cafe in Seattle. Numerous cats are moving about in this cafe which serves a variety of drinks including coffee, tea, beer, fizzy drinks, wine, and sake. The Neko Cafe also serves snacks such as cat-themed donuts and cat cookies.
For a place to relax with cats and to get some work done or read a book, there is the Neko Cafe.
Cats can be a nuisance in Neko since they can be over-friendly or contaminate food. It shouldn't be a surprise, however, for those wanting to visit a cat-themed cafe.
14 'S Baggers Restaurant
The idea of a self-serve restaurant seems like a smart idea at face-value, but in practice, it's a disaster. 'S Baggers Restaurant allowed customers to choose and pay for their food with little or no interaction from employees. Once the food is ready, it arrives on 'S Baggers Restaurant's rollercoaster track.
Reviews were positive when the place first opened, but after guests injured themselves on glass and began complaining about food quality, 'S Baggers Restaurant close permanently.
One guest who posted a review on tripadvisor.com said, "We had reservations yet had to wait for 20 minutes and they were NOT busy." This crazy looking restaurant is one of the whackiest on this list, but it is now closed.
13 Soneva Kiri Koh Kood's Bird's Eye View
We've mentioned a ton of unusual restaurants on this list that most would want to avoid. However, it is not always a bad thing for an eatery to be strange. This small dining area in trees is found at Soneva Kiri Koh Kood luxury resort. The resort itself is quite beautiful, and so is this extension of a restaurant.
You'll feel like Geroge of the Jungle while dining at Soneva Kiri Koh Kood's bird's eye view restaurant.
You might have to sleep with a net to block insects in the night, but overall the dining options, including the one in this photo, make Soneva Kiri Koh Kood an attractive getaway.
12 Cabbages & Condoms
Cabbages & Condoms decided to put a spin on the tradition of receiving a mint after dining by replacing mints with condoms. No, the owners weren't trying to be creepy—they are strong advocates of safe intercourse. Cabbages & Condoms' motto is "our food won't make you pregnant."
Characters related to condoms are seen as you enter the restaurant.
Coincidentally, they have an extensive drink menu consisting of martinis, mojitos, and pink ladies. While dining, a cooling fan sprays a light mist. Those visiting Bangkok, Thailand should stop by the Cabbages & Condoms restaurant; it's a wild experience that can't be missed.
11 Grotta Palazzese
There are few restaurants more romantic than the seaside restaurant at the Grotta Palazzese. It is one of the craziest looking restaurants, but not the kind that would upset you. Grotta Palazzese is filled with lights, making the restaurant a beautiful sight. Boats sail alongside cliffs at the Grotta Palzzese adding to its atmosphere.
Found in a natural cave, and beside the sea, sunsets are gorgeous and nights are magical.
The restaurant and hotel are found in Italy, but access is limited because of its exclusivity. The sight of the Grotta Palazzese has the appeal to encourage an unforgettable visit.
10 Mars 2112
Much like something out of Toy Story, this restaurant puts visitors on a galactic quest when dining at their table. We can see that the owners put a great deal of effort into making this restaurant resemble Mars.
It feels like a cantina from Star Wars!
Being out-of-the-box can work against or in favor of a restaurant. Many things have to occur for a restaurant to be successful. Location, quality of food, décor, and customer service can all affect a restaurants growth. Mars 2112 had a cool theme that took guests into an outer-space environment. Mars 2112 did, however, go out of business.
9 Ninja New York
For a trip to one of the most impressive and mysterious New York restaurants, head to 25 Hudson street as it combines the essence of New York with ninjas. Although Ninja New York has a tasty menu, many guests will be amazed by Ninja New York's ninja actors.
While dining at the restaurant, a ninja may jump out and try to attack you.
Ninja New York's theatrics are of course for fun and the ninjas are not really trained assassins. Ninja has a consistent décor that matches their ninja theme. The restaurant accomplishes its goals, and it exceeds expectations—their sushi isn't bad either.
8 Hospitalis
Many have complained about the quality of food at hospitals, but is it still the case at the Hospitalis restaurant in Indonesia? Hospitalis attempts to recreate the hospital environment with beakers as drinking glasses and nurses as waitresses. Even the foods found at the Hospitalis restaurant is shaped like or decorated to resemble objects from hospitals.
The strangest thing may be that the chairs look like wheelchairs.
The artwork found at this unique restaurant adds to its atmosphere, making it feel more like a hospital. Dishes such as Salmon and Mushroom Spaghetti with Meat Sauce have been called bland, but at least it's on par with hospital meals.
7 Zauo Restaurant
People who dine at the Zauo Restaurant in New York are in for a fishy surprise. Visitors can catch their meal with a fishing rod or net while dining at Zauo. Maybe some fish look tastier than others. You can be the judge of which fish appears the most suitable for eating.
Just don't catch the wrong fish because you have to eat your catch.
The restaurant is not a quiet one. Expect much noise at Zauo Restaurant. The original Zauo location is in Japan, and now Zauo in New York is becoming of the wildest restaurants in town. If you don't know how to fish, don't worry; a fishing attendant will help you every step of the way.
6 Muru Pops Down
It is the world's first pop-down restaurant that allows visitors to dine 80-meters below ground. Also, guests can go as deep as 350-meters below ground during the evenings. Eating below ground is about the same as eating at ground-level, but walls in the Muru Pops Down restaurant make it feel as if you are underground. The atmosphere of the restaurant is a rare find.
Despite being located underground, Muru Pops Down is not for people with a fear of heights. Kone developed a laboratory lift that brings guests down to the restaurant 80-meters below. It is considered one of Finland's best restaurant.