Have you ever wished that you could sit down at the Krusty Krab and enjoy a Krabby Patty with SpongeBob? Or have you ever wondered what it would be like to chat with the Doctor over some chicken fingers and custard?
Well, the good news is that you actually can! …Sort of.
You probably won’t see the Doctor or get to meet the real SpongeBob. But there are actual real-life restaurants and bars you can visit that were inspired by TV shows and movies — and we’d say that’s coming pretty close! Some of the locations are real-life replicas of the places we’ve seen on-screen while others include fun themes related to major fictional characters.
But what’s even more awesome is that many of these cafes and bars serve the same foods that are so well-loved by our favorite characters. So while we may never get to hang with the characters themselves, we can still walk in their shoes and feel like we’re a part of their world! See all the cool places you can visit that were inspired by popular fictional hangouts.
1. Rue La Rue Café (inspired by The Golden Girls)
Located in: Washington Heights, NY
It’s the perfect place to bond with your closest BFFs over dessert! This cozy little restaurant, which was named after the late actress Rue McClanahan, is decorated with Rue’s personal belongings, as well as a few memorabilia related to the show.
The menu includes dishes and desserts inspired by the main characters, including Dorothy’s salted caramel cheese cake and Sophia’s cure for depression cookies. Now all we really want to do is to sit down with Betty White and enjoy a slice of cheese cake so we can die happy.
Check out their official page here.
2. Central Perk (inpired by Friends)
Located in: Cedarhurst, NY
Remember that upbeat little coffee house from Friends, where everyone loved to hang out? Well, imagine that place getting a huuuuge upgrade.
The real-life version is located on the South Shore of Long Island and the atmosphere and decor are simply amazing. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner (although the meals are quite pricey).
Check out their website here.
3. Cheers (inspired by… you guessed it: Cheers)
Located in: Boston, MA
Will everybody know your name when you get there? Probably not. But you can count on getting some good service, good food, and even better beer! There are actually two locations in Boston: One at Beacon Hill and one at Faneuil Hall. So if you happen to be in Boston, you definitely need to visit.
Check out their website here.
4. McGee’s Pub (inspired McLaren’s in How I Met Your Mother)
Located in: New York, NY
In an interesting twist, this popular New York pub was the inspiration for the fictional bar, McLaren’s! The creators of How I Met Your Mother (Carter Bays and Craig Thomas) used to drink at that bar while they worked on The Late Show. So if you were to visit McGee’s today, you’d notice that it’s almost a duplicate of the one we’ve seen on the show.
What truly sticks out, though, is their hilarious HIMYM-themed menu. The items include: TedMosbyIsAJerk.com (Chicken Jerk Wrap), Wings “But Um” (A Dozen Wings and Two Tequila Shots), and Slapsgiving Mini Pizza (pizza topped with turkey breast, cheese, onions and hot peppers). They’ve clearly embraced the show!
Check out their website here.
5. Walter’s Coffee Roastery (inspired by Breaking Bad)
Located in: New York, NY
If you’re a proud coffee addict, a science geek, and a huge fan of Walter White, then this is basically your dream come true. There are three locations (one in Istanbul, one in Dubai, and one in New York), and they just happen to be the world’s first coffee labs! They serve their coffee in beakers and they even present their menu items in the form of a periodic table. If you ever get to visit, you’ll totally feel like you’re in a chem class. Minus the lecture, of course.
Check out their website here.
7. The Hobbit Pub (inspired by Lord of the Rings)
Located in: Southampton, UK
It’s like the ideal haven for any Lord of the Rings fan! This bar is located about an hour and a half from London by train and offers live entertainment every night of the week. It includes its very own beer garden and their menu features Hobbit Cocktails named after major characters, such as Frodo, Bilbo, Gandalf, and Gollum. If you ever travel to this part of the UK, you’ve now got at least one visit to look forward to!
Check out their website here.
8. Twede’s Café (inspired by Twin Peaks)
Located in: North Bend, WA
Thank goodness this is one you can visit without your passport! On the show, Twede’s is pretty well known for their burgers and pies — and sure enough, the same rings true for the real-life version! They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but their most popular item seems to be their Twin Peaks Cherry Pie. We don’t know about you guys but just reading that brought on a major craving for dessert.
Check out their website here.
9. The Pandorica (inspired by Doctor Who)
Located in: Beacon Hill, New York
It may be called the Pandorica — but “prison” is the last thing that’ll come to mind if you ever visit this place. The restaurant offers the best Doctor Who-themed food and decor, from their phone booth entrance to their adorable Doctor Who flower vases. Oh, and here’s a bonus: They serve fish fingers and custard too! Perhaps you’ll run into the Doctor himself when you go there. (Don’t count on it.)
Check out their website here.
10. The Way Station (inspired by Doctor Who)
Located in: Brooklyn, New York
There isn’t just one, but two Doctor Who-inspired locations… both in New York! But while The Pandorica serves some ‘gram-worthy foods, The Way Station is mostly just a bar. So if you’re not looking for a full meal and you just want to loosen up with a few drinks with some of your other Doctor Who-fanatics, then this is the place to be. They often have live music and karaoke. And of course, they’ve also got an awesome Doctor Who-themed cocktail menu.
Check out their website here.
11. Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. (inspired by Forrest Gump)
Located in: Several international locations
Calling all Forrest Gump lovers! This popular franchise now has over 43 locations in places like New York, Florida, California, and even Tokyo, Japan. Though they’re best known for their seafood entrees, they also serve a variety of different appetizers, dishes, and desserts. The menu varies depending on location, but some of their items (like “Jenny’s Catch”) are definitely inspired by film characters.
Check out their website here.
12. Cafe Jack (inspired by Titanic)
Located in: Los Angeles, CA
Named after the gorgeous young artist we all totally crushed in Titanic, Cafe Jack is located in Koreatown in LA. And yes, the place is shaped like an actual ship. How cool is that?!
The restaurant features patios, private rooms, window murals, an actual piano, pics of movie stills and tons of heart-shaped decor to set the mood. And as for their menu, they serve mainly Asian dishes – some of which are inspired by Jack and Rose.
Check out their official page here.
13. The Krusty Krab (inspired by SpongeBob SquarePants)
The Krusty Krab in Ramallah, Palestine pic.twitter.com/Y7ahUmwXwL
— ??فلسطين?? (@_PalestinePics) April 10, 2016
Located in: Ramallah West Bank, Palestine
This place just might fool you into thinking that you walked straight into an episode of SpongeBob SquarePants! The restaurant is an exact replica of the actual Krusty Krab though you will need your passport again to visit. Yes, they do sell Krabby patties, but they mainly specialize in sea food. They also sell SpongeBob toys and offer photo opportunities with life-sized versions of the characters!
There isn’t an official social page or website at the moment, but you can learn more about the restaurant here.
14. Giger-Bar Kalchbühl (inspired by Alien)
Located in: Several U.S. locations in the works
If aliens ever came and invaded the planet, we’re pretty sure that this would be their go-to spot to unwind. There are currently two locations in Switzerland and the interior designs are just out of this world. They’re strikingly similar to the styles we’ve seen in those Alien films – so much so that they could pass for actual shooting locations.
Now, if you’re worried that you’ll never get to visit them, we’ve got some good news for you. According to their site, Sci Fi Hotel is looking into creating more locations in Las Vegas, Seattle, New York, Los Angeles, and New Orleans!
Check out their website here.
15. Three Broomsticks (inspired by Harry Potter)
Located in: Orlando, FL
If there’s one place that Harry Potter fans must visit before they die, it’s Universal Studios’ Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, Florida. Stepping into the Three Broomsticks is like stepping into another world because the decor (from the iron chandeliers to the pretty wooden balconies) is spot on. And we can’t forget their awesome menu! It includes Fish & Chips, Shepherd’s Pie, Cornish Pasties, and everyone’s favorite: Butterbeer.
Check out their website here.
16. Krusty Burger (inspired by The Simpsons)
Located in: Orlando, FL
Spend one day at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and then the next morning grab a patty at this Simpsons inspired eatery in Universal Studios. And no, unlike the version on the show, you don’t have to worry about getting food poisoning from the unhealthiest restaurant in the world. You can enjoy their classic burgers and hot dogs IRL in this spot. And who knows — you might even bump into Krusty the Clown. (Tbh, my fingers are crossed you don’t because… creepy!)
Check out their website here.
17. The Lockhart (inspired by Harry Potter)
Located in: Montreal, Canada & Toronto, CA
This bar is a cozy little spot where you can get magical concoctions like the Big Bad Wolf, Better Beer, and Gin Weasley (how cool are those names though??). The Toronto location is the one pictured above and it looks SO COOL.
We can assure you that none of these drinks will make you vanish into thin air or turn into someone else. But they’re definitely tasty – and the food is quite good too!