Themed restaurants have become a fun special attraction genre of establishments in the dining industry. Every restaurant hopes to have its own identity that convinces people to give them a shot and come back once they enjoyed the experience. Various themes to find popularity range from ones related to pop culture entities in television shows and movies to just fun ideas that make sure the meals are based on whatever concept they are going for.
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We will look specifically at New York City when it comes to the themed restaurants offered there. The NYC area is known for having superb restaurants for all genres of food. Themed restaurants take it to another level by creating their own genre of a dining experience. Find out just which places are worth visiting during your next trip to New York. These are ten themed restaurants in NYC you’ll have to eat at to believe.
10 Alice's Tea Cup
Fans of Alice in Wonderland will have a dream day when indulging in a dining experience at Alice's Tea Cup. The location in the Upper West Side of New York City features tea and fun bites to enjoy the fandom of the Disney movie while eating.
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Most people go there for brunch with the menu featuring items like tea, sandwiches, cookies, cakes, and even scones. Alice's Tea Cup has a strong base of Alice in Wonderland fans. The restaurant is small, but that adds to the charm if you’re able to get a table and order your favorite items.
9 Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain
An old school feel is found at the Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain. The theme is meant to provide nostalgia with an old school soda shop. Various ice-cream related treats are beloved on the menu with items like floats, milkshakes, and banana splits.
The Brooklyn location is even designed to look like the old school soda shops that would feature fun memories for the older demographics. Many younger customers enjoy the fun décor as well and get to "go back in time" while still having locally sourced ingredients in their food items.
8 Le Boudoir
Another retro-themed restaurant features the Le Boudoir establishment in Brooklyn bringing in happy customers. The theme is meant to be inspired by Marie Antoinette as a speakeasy restaurant designed after her private chambers. A throwback restaurant tries to bring back the speakeasy atmosphere.
The entrance is even fun as it’s jokingly disguised as a bookcase to add to the appeal. It has great décor and tries to go the extra mile of setting up a modern version of a speakeasy restaurant. Customers of all ages love to go to Le Boudoir for a fun experience, bite to eat, and an adult beverage.
7 Koneko
Cat cafes have become a fun little niche genre to provide experiences for cat lovers that either can’t own one or want to spend time with many of them. Koneko stands out as a top option if you want the café experience along with playing around with the cats.
The Clinton Street location features a menu of Japanese snacks with mostly sweet treats and desserts offered. There is also a strong beverage section of the menu with wine, beer, and sake along with tea and other options for teetotalers. However, the main appeal is the large group of cats to interact with and possibly adopt.
6 Jekyll and Hyde
The historic tale of Jekyll and Hyde has inspired many great adaptions in movies and other projects, but one that stands out is a restaurant in New York City. Jekyll and Hyde is the name of the establishment, with a beautiful design to appeal to the fans of the characters.
It is meant to bring together different levels of fun from the supper club, to pub, to the haunted house design. Jekyll and Hyde is located in Manhattan and often has a full house due to the popularity of the themed restaurant.
5 Beatstro
The Bronx is the home of Beatstro, with its theme of celebrating the history of hip hop in New York City. Beatstro honors the culture with the inclusion of graffiti artists, beat boxers, live DJs, murals, and many more ideas to add to the fun of the eating experience.
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The style of food ranges from Afro, to Latin, to Caribbean cultures, hoping to represent the history of hip hop in the meals they serve. There are even bar seats to get a peek at the cooking experience in the kitchen for those that want to go the extra mile at Beatstro.
4 Kellogg's NYC
The Kellogg's brand created their own themed restaurant in the Union Square area of New York City. Cereal fanatics are the biggest demographic to love Kellogg's NYC. The cereal bar features dozens of toppings to add to the cereal of your choice for an enjoyable medley of tastes.
Kellogg's NYC adds variety with other items offered like ice cream sandwiches and various flavors of pop-tarts. The décor is beautiful with fun little twists like hammock-designed chairs and the option to play video games. Any fans of cereal, sweets, and a fun dining experience will enjoy Kellogg's NYC.
3 Ellen’s Stardust Diner
Manhattan’s Ellen’s Stardust Diner is one of the most beloved and popular themed restaurants in New York City. The theme was inspired by former Broadway fanatic Ellen Love with the wait staff putting on a show in between delivering meals to your table.
You may catch the next major Broadway star as the staff is full of hopefuls looking to pay the bills while chasing their dreams. Ellen’s Stardust Diner serves diner food like burgers and sandwiches with the staff delivering live performances as you are waiting on your meal or eating. The themed restaurant strives to provide a true dinner and a show experience.
2 Ninja New York
Ninja New York is a popular restaurant with a unique twist in the Tribeca area. The entire staff is full of ninjas delivering a performance in addition to taking orders and bringing over meals. These ninjas take part in various feats from performing magic to physical stunts.
Many of the meals will feature tricks adding to the experience with the help of fire, dry ice, and other ideas. Ninja New York blends the combination of a performance along with dinner to get the best of both worlds. Any fans of ninjas in NYC owe it to themselves to try this restaurant.
1 Beetle House
The various movies and characters to come from the mind of the legendary Tim Burton are featured in the incredible themed Beetle House restaurant. Characters like Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands are often in costume to provide another fun aspect to the themed experience.
The design is meant to mimic various movies along with fun pieces of memorabilia placed all over the restaurant. Beetle House even adds some fun to the meals with some items having props like a pair of scissors in a burger like Edward Scissorhands. The location in the East Village gives you plenty of fun things to do before going for the themed meal at Beetle House to end the night.