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14 Themed Restaurants in NYC

Like a little atmosphere with your appetizer? New York has a full crop of themed restaurants where you can have more than your taste buds tickled. From decor to servers' attire and menus, these venues will fill you up with both food and memories.

Best Themed Restaurants in NYC: Hard Rock Cafe 

hard rock cafe new york balcony

While there are many Hard Rock Cafe hotspots across the globe, there's only one Times Square location, and it remains one of the largest entertainment restaurants in the city. You can scope out memorabilia from the likes of The Beatles and Led Zeppelin while enjoying an Original Legendary Burger, a house specialty which unites bacon, cheddar, an onion ring, and an Angus beef patty. There’s also a Rock Shop on site for your choice of music-related merch. 1501 Broadway, 212-343-3355, hardrock.com

Best Themed Restaurants in NYC: Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.

Conveniently adjacent to the Times Square Hard Rock, you'll find the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.  Of course it's namesake is the film Forrest Gump, and inside this lively restaurant, the Louisiana shrimp-boat decor recalls the character Benjamin Buford “Bubba” Blue from the beloved 1994 movie classic . You’ll also find references to the movie’s famous catchphrase “Run Forrest, Run!” Here, you’ll find such seafood delights as Dumb Luck Coconut Shrimp, and Creole-influenced cuisine like Jambalaya Pasta. 1501 Broadway, 212-391-7100, bubbagump.com

Best Themed Restaurants in NYC: Ellen’s Stardust Diner

Ellen's Stardust Diner

Located blocks away in the heart of the Theater District, the legendary Ellen's Stardust Diner 's claim to fame is a staff which doubles as entertainment. The waiters and waitresses sing pop and Broadway songs while you chow down on tried-and-true diner fare. Be sure to have a look at such all-day breakfast items as the challah bread French toast with Vermont maple syrup. Yum ! 1650 Broadway, 212-956-5151, ellensstardustdiner.com

Best Themed Restaurants in NYC: Max Brenner

Max Brenner

Further south, Max Brenner in Union Square figures the only way to improve on chocolate is to offer it in greater varieties. You’ll find the restaurant’s signature ingredient on waffles, in cocktails, on a sweet pizza (!) and in their special Hug Mugs of hot chocolate — and even in a syringe. While here, gaze up to the ceiling, and you’ll even see tubes carrying chocolate throughout the dining room. Max Brenner also serves American cuisine all day if you’d like a savory meal before your chocoholic feast. 841 Broadway, 646-467-8803, maxbrenner.com

Best Themed Restaurants in NYC: The Sugar Factory

sugar factory blue ocean drink with gummy sharks

Seeking something sweet? The Sugar Factory’s theme is fairly transparent, and they make good on their moniker in the restaurant's super-sweet drinks and desserts. Watch out: This Upper West Side location even has candy counters so you can carry home goodie bags full of Couture Pops. Their Goblet drinks, available with or without alcohol, are filled with gummies and big enough for two! On the savory side, Sugar Factory Rainbow Sliders are regular cheeseburgers that only look like gummy patties. UWS: 1991 Broadway, 212-414-8700, sugarfactory.com

Best Themed Restaurants in NYC: Lillie’s Victorian Establishment

Here's where fussy becomes fun. With locations at both Times and Union Square, Lillie’s well-heeled Victorian vibes make for memorable pics — where the backdrops include antique paintings, gilded mirrors and a marble mantlepiece. Kids of all ages will enjoy the atmosphere, as well as the hearty burger-and-sandwich pub fare.. Adults 21 and over can also enjoy a cocktail, beer, or food until past midnight. Times Square: 249 W 49th St., 212-957-4530; Union Square: 13 E. 17th St., 212-337-1970

Best Themed Restaurants in NYC: Alice’s Tea Cup

Alice's Tea Cup

At Alice's Tea Cup, you can partake in a very merry unbirthday. It's the Wonderland-themed tea parlor that’s perfect for the whimsical kid in you. You’ll never find a longer tea menu than the one Alice’s offers, and every pot is an instantly Instagrammable piece of china. Enjoy breakfast, brunch, or lunch at either Alice’s location, or a cup of tea and a scone at teatime. Fairy tale flourishes (including wearable fairy wings) abound at both the Upper West Side and the Upper East Side locations. The UES location also serves craft cocktails with tea, if you’re seeking some Mad Hatter-y in the evening. UWS: 102 W. 73rd St., 212-799-3006; 156 E. 64th St., 212-486-9200; alicesteacup.com

Best Themed Restaurants in NYC: Beetle House

Beetle House keeps Halloween front and center all year long with its Beetlejuice-inspired decor and spooky characters in costume. Laughs and shudders abound in the East Village with such tipples as the Tim Burton-esque Coco Skellington with rum, gin, and coconut. The popup-gone-permanent restaurant serves American cuisine with a substantial vegan menu to boot. Make reservations if you plan to eat here; these are close quarters! 308 E. 6th St., 646-510-4786, beetlehousenyc.com

Best Themed Restaurants in NYC: Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain

Step back in time with the antique atmosphere of Cobble Hill's Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain. Situated in a former apothecary with beautifully preserved interiors, the shop is now a purveyor of ice cream sundaes rather than medicines. The Farmacy serves that East Coast delicacy, the the egg cream, and offers a variety of nineteen ice cream floats! Their sundaes include the Mr. Potato Head with vanilla ice cream, potato chips, and peanut butter. Alcoholic drinks (at least one with ice cream) and sandwiches like the Gooey Grilled Cheese are also recommended. 513 Henry St., brooklynfarmacyandsodafountain.com

Best Themed Restaurants in NYC: Trailer Park Lounge

Trailer Park Lounge

You can kick back in the heart of Chelsea with a stress-free evening at Trailer Park Lounge. The atmosphere of this Chelsea spot celebrates trailer park kitsch (with a tiki bar thrown in just for fun). We recommend a specialty cocktail: check out the Paradise Hawaiian Style (three kinds of rum, pineapple brandy, and passionfruit juice, served up in the shell of a pineapple) for an Instagram-worthy explosion of flavors in your mouth. On-theme eats include their Grilled Fat Dog and the yet-to-be eclipsed Moon Pie. 271 W. 23rd St., 212-463-8000, trailerparklounge.com

Best Themed Restaurants in NYC: Cowgirl

It's the stuff of chuck wagons and camp outs: The West Village’s Cowgirl tips a ten-gallon hat to the Old West with a series of stick-to-your-ribs classics. The Lone Star appeal is right there on the antler-clad chandeliers and in the cheesy wood paneling. Then there's the venerable Frito Pie on the menu alongside such Tex-Mex fare as enchiladas, nachos, and baby back ribs on both the lunch and dinner menus. Cowgirl also serves weekend brunch and offers a kids menu for cowgirls and -boys in training. 519 Hudson St., 212-633-1133, cowgirlnyc.com

Best Themed Restaurants in NYC: Barking Dog

Pet lovers, rejoice! Although this Upper East Side restaurant invites pups and their parents (furry and otherwise) to come enjoy its outdoor “dog fountain” and meet some new friends (human and canine). Inside, you’ll find dog-themed decor too. The all-day cafe features American cuisine that’s perfect for families—particularly at their popular weekend brunch. UES: 1678 Third Ave., 212-831-1800, Hell's Kitchen: 329 W. 49th St., 646-755-8009, barkingdognyc.com

Best Themed Restaurants in NYC: Koneko 

Koneko

Not to be outdone, Koneko has a single-word theme: cats! Yes, this Lower East Side cafe is crawling with kitties you can pet, play with, and even adopt. As such, Koneko (the Japanese word for “kitten”) is the first cat cafe in the United States and features sake, pastries, Japanese savory snacks, and Stumptown coffee on its menu. Eat and drink in the Upper Cattery, Lower Cattery, and the Catio for a painfully punny experience alongside your whiskered friends. 26 Clinton St., 646-370-5699, konekonyc.com

Best Themed Restaurants in NYC: The Cauldron NYC

How cool is this? Wizards-to-be and Middle Earth tourists should appear in FiDi for The Cauldron. It's a bar/restaurant intent on delighting fantasy and sci-fi obsessives. For example, you can pour a drink from the giant Tree of Life at the center of the bar. You’ll find magical Elven bread (no Elves were harmed) and sandwiches like The Once and Future Burger on their gastropub-inspired menu. Interiors evoke a medieval cottage motif, with just a few extra brooms and wands lying around. For an extra-magical time at The Cauldron, book their "Magical Experience," and mix your own alcoholic potion while wearing mystical garb. You'll be a Sorcerer's Apprentice, just like Mickey! 47 Stone St., 917-635-1960, thecauldron.nyc

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