Beatles-Inspired Restaurants Across America Slideshow
The Beatles Revolution Lounge: Las Vegas
The Beatles Revolution Lounge at The Mirage in Las Vegas was created by Cirque du Soleil after the opening of its show "The Beatles LOVE." The goal was to create a psychedelic interpretation of The Beatles era. The interactive design, art, and sound transports guests back to a time when Beatlemania was in full swing.
Café di Scala: Des Moines, Iowa
This Italian restaurant located in Des Moines, Iowa, offers a brunch the first Sunday of every month that is completely dedicated to John, Paul, George, and Ringo. The menu is divided into sections of Set 1, Set 2, and Encore. Dishes like The White Album (egg casserole with cremini mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, and arugula, served with twice-baked potatoes, creamed leeks, and mushrooms) and Strawberry Fields (vanilla panna cotta with balsamic strawberries) should give even the smallest Beatles fan a little chuckle.
Eleanor Rigby’s: Mineola, N.Y.
Eleanor Rigby's, named after the song from The Beatles' 1966 Revolver album, is located in Mineola, N.Y. Open for more than 17 years, the restaurant has live music every Friday and Saturday night from musicians from all over Long Island. The building is decorated with an extensive collection of Beatles memorabilia. The menu features clever dishes such as Yoko's Owno, which is grilled chicken breast with a teriyaki glaze, and Penne Lane a la Vodka. Enjoy the fun atmosphere and the food — as the menu states, you're "guaranteed a smile."
Hard Rock Café: Multiple Locations
Of course, the Hard Rock Café honors the rock group with special memorabilia throughout most of its restaurants. At the Louisville, Ky., location, the restaurant has possession of one of Ringo Starr's jackets. One of John Lennon's guitars, a Guild Starfire XII, resides at the Honolulu Hard Rock. The Key West, Fla., location houses an original of one of the most coveted Beatles albums, "Yesterday and Today." The biggest piece of Beatles history that the franchise has is the actual Magical Mystery Tour Bus from the Magical Mystery Tour film. The bus is kept in the Hard Rock Café warehouse, though, and is not yet in a restaurant. At the NYC location, Ringo Starr (pictured at left) paid a visit.
RockFish Boardwalk Bar and Seagrill: Virginia Beach, Va.
RockFish is one of two Beatles-themed restaurants located in Virginia Beach, Va. The dining room at this joint is filled with Beatles memorabilia and some of the menu items reflect the theme, as well. "She Said, She Said" creamy seafood bisque would be a good dish to start with, and it should be followed by the "All You Need Is Love" catch of the day. Be sure to add a Sgt. Pepper's bloody mary to your meal or opt for Ringo's Stinger (Stoli Vanilla, fresh strawberries, and ginger ale).
Abbey Road Pub and Restaurant: Virginia Beach, Va.
Virginia Beach's second Beatles restaurant was established in 1982 with a dining room covered in Beatles memorabilia. In 2006, an electrical fire caused extensive damage to the restaurant, and more importantly, the Beatles stuff! But the restaurant is back, and continuing with its tradition of live music. The Let It Be Brunch and The Beatles Burrito are among the Fab Four-themed meals offered.
The Rigby Pub and Grill: Madison, Wis.
The Rigby in Madison, Wis., is truly all about The Beatles. The menu itself looks like it came straight from the 1960s era, with the peace signs and heart, and the font looks like The Beatles signature font. Almost every item on the menu is a play off a Beatles song — Glass Onion Straws, Being for the Benefit of Buffalo Chicken Wrap, HELP! I Need Some Nachos, Let It BLT, and Dear Reuben are just a few of the items on the pun-laden menu. The chef's favorites are labeled with peace signs.
Sgt. Pepper’s Café: Edwardsville, Ill.
Sgt. Peppers Caf shows its British pride all over the menu. Each page has an American flag, as well as a British one, and each section is divided by a London Underground symbol. The Edwardsville, Ill., restaurant serves breakfast all day long. Its signature item, the horseshoe, is your choice of meat served on toast and covered with fries and melted cheese. The walls are decorated with photos of the Fab Four and other Beatles paraphernalia.
B.B. King Blues Club and Grill: New York City
This American grill in New York City hosts many musical guests, but every Saturday between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., the restaurant is reserved for Strawberry Fields, a Beatles tribute band made up of some former members of the Broadway musical Beatlemania (pictured at left). An all-you-can-eat brunch buffet is served during the performance, and diners can watch as the band transforms from the 1964-era Beatles to the more edgy White Album-era group.
Abbey Road Tavern and Grill: Cary, N.C.
Abbey Road in Cary, N.C., offers much in the way of '60s and '70s décor. The walls are covered with photos of The Beatles and other rock groups, and door beads definitely make their presence known. This local joint offers a Be the Walrus burger, which comes with double the meat, and each of the other burgers are named for a Beatle or Beatles-related personality: John, Paul, George, Ringo, Lucy, Yoko, and Sgt. Pepper.
Halu: San Francisco
This Japanese dive in San Francisco has walls covered in '60s paraphernalia, much of it relating to The Beatles, and Beatles music plays constantly throughout the restaurant. A Beatles drum set has its place in the mezzanine of the restaurant (pictured at left). According to reviews, the owners are huge fans of the band. Although the food seems to be hit or miss, everyone comes away remembering one thing: That place loves The Beatles.
The Glass Onion Café: Tucson, Ariz.
The Glass Onion Café gets into the spirit with its tagline "Hippies Always Welcome." This sandwich restaurant is devoted to The Beatles throughout its entire menu. Try the Lettuce Be salad, and then move on to the Henny Lane chicken sandwich or the Why Don't We Do It in the Roast roast beef sandwich. The Hard Day's Nut cookie is a good choice for dessert (pictured at left). And they truly do want everyone to come try their food — the menu states, "We cordially invite Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr to stop by and hang out."
Sgt. Peffer’s Café Italian: Omaha, Neb.
Sgt. Peffer's Café in Omaha, Neb., offers a mixture of a Beatles theme and an aquatic one, enhanced by the several "yellow submarines" featured on their menu. The walls have a variety of decorations, including a painting of an octopus inspired by the song "Octopus's Garden" (pictured at left). Along with the Yellow Submarine sandwich, the restaurant also offers the Fab Four combo plate, which comes with cheese tortellini Alfredo, linguini with red mushroom sauce, or a grilled chicken salad, and a "rock 'n' roll."
The Yellow Submarine Food Truck: Miami
The Yellow Submarine food truck is all about the music. The very yellow truck sells burgers, hot dogs, and sandwiches while playing an eclectic array of rock music. The Lady Madonna sub is a play off the 1968 song from the "Past Masters Volume 2" album. The brick-and-mortar version of the restaurant, Rock That Burger, opened in June.
Mean Mr. Mustard’s: Hendersonville, N.C.
The name Mean Mr. Mustard's comes from the song "Mean Mr. Mustard" from the 1969 album Abbey Road. John Lennon wrote the song, which is fitting because that is exactly which Beatle the owners are most fond of — a John Lennon "Imagine" drawing hangs over the doorway. The "Mean Mr. Menu" features a Yellow Submarine egg sandwich, a Good Day Sunshine salad, a Vegetable Fields Forever sandwich, and a Helter Skelter turkey wrap.