Take the opportunity to try out these ridiculously unique dining experiences at some of the world's most bizarre themed restaurants, at least once in your life time.
Toilet
Toilet-themed restaurants are nothing new in China. Customers sit on "toilet seat chairs" and meals are served in ceramic toilet miniatures and bowls. Instead of serviette or napkins, customers wipe their hands and mouths using toilet paper. The restaurant is also decorated with various shaped urinals and toilet seats on the wall. Sounds fun!
Hospital
Aurum is a newly opened hospital-themed restaurant in Clark Quay, Singapore. As you enter the Aurum, the restaurant's reception resembles a morgue. The lightings remind you of the ones in the operating theater. Customers sit on golden wheelchairs and the meals are served on the operating tables. The cutleries used for the meal include syringes.
Just next to Aurum, there is a bar called Clinic which lives up to its name. Customers are served by waitresses in nurse outfits and may enjoy alcoholic beverages sipped from mock drip packets.
Pet-Friendly
In 2005, Dorothy Moore opened The Dining Dog Café in Edmonds, WA, USA, a pet-friendly restaurant for dogs and their owners. It is one of the few restaurants in the US which accommodates pets as well as their pet-loving owners. The menu includes Doggie Cocktails, Appetizers and Dessert Tray.
Condom
The Cabbage and Condom is a popular condom-themed restaurant in Thailand that promotes safe sex and family planning. The menu consists of mostly condom-themed dishes, for example "condom salad" and the after meal mint which is normally distributed after each meal is replaced with a packet of condoms. Many types of condoms with various colors and textures from all over the world are displayed on the wall of the restaurant and the collections make very interesting decorations.
Bed
Duvet, a restaurant in New York city features 30 customized, designer dining beds as the "seats" with tables, catered for extra comfort. Customers are also offered to wear customized bedroom slippers when they enter the restaurant. Duvet serves fusion American cuisine and a vast range of alcoholic beverages, suitable for private parties.
Rude Service
If you like to experience rude service, (maybe once a while), you can go to Dick's Last Resort in Chicago, USA. This is the place where you can not only enjoy a wide range of choices on the menu, but also have lots of fun from watching the waiters who will inflict rude jokes and humor upon the customers (including you).
Prison
The Jail is a prison-themed restaurant in Taiwan. The layout is just like any other prison with sliding iron bars and metallic aluminum floors with waitresses dressed as sexy wardens. Customers will be given the option to be handcuffed and taken to their own prison cell with a dining table and comfortable seats. This is where patrons can enjoy good food and soothing music.
Anger Release
If you are under stress and need an alternative punch bag, you can visit Rising Sun Anger Release Bar in Nanjing, China. This is a place where customers can release their anger caused by stress and problems in daily life. They are allowed to throw and smash the plates and glasses and even hit the waiters who have been given special training for the job.
Body Platter
Hadaka Sushi, a sushi restaurant in Los Angeles, USA, introduces the sensual concept of "Nyotaimori" which basically means a female body as the food platter. Usually the woman chosen for the task is a beautiful model who will then lay down as still as possible on a serving table. Most parts of her body will be covered with banana leaves where clusters of sushi will be placed on them.
Dark
For those who would like to experience dining in total darkness, you can visit Nocti Vagus Dark Restaurant in Berlin, Germany. The well-trained waiters who will serve you are blind. Customers will be entertained with special cultural programs which are presented as well in total darkness.
Great article Sher. I have only heard about the Dark #10, but not the rest. I love the fantastic research that you do for your articles and it shows throughout the articles that you write.
#3 by Ward Dec 9, 2007
Nice list, you should add the Safe House in Milwaukee, WI. A great, spy-themed restaurant.
#4 by Mishele Dec 9, 2007
When I worked in a hospital, my co-workers and I had the idea abaout the restaurant and had the food all worked out: mashed potatoes with gravy in the bedpan, soup in the emesis basin, red wine in the blood bags; white wine in the plasma bags, etc. I love this creative stuff. . .
#5 by lost-a-mobile Dec 10, 2007
Great stuff here. Bizarre and I had giggles of fun reading it
#6 by kushiro Dec 10, 2007
I've been to Cabagges & Condoms, and it was great. Very good Thai cuisine, in a beautiful setting. And the after-dinner condom was a bonus!
#7 by saw it opn ninja warrior Dec 10, 2007
there is a really awesome ninja themed restuarant in japan, check it out its pretty rightous
#8 by Jrock Dec 10, 2007
Dick's really is a place you must see to believe. Never have I seen so many smart asses under one roof.
#9 by HugeFilthyFrank Dec 10, 2007
bigdirtyphil...
Dick's Last Resort has multiple locations, including Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Myrtle Beach, San Antonio, and San Diego.
#10 by Bob Dec 10, 2007
How about Jekyll and Hydes in New York City. It's theme is halloween all year 'round.
#11 by That guy! Dec 10, 2007
Waw those are some crazy diners! Toilet =D
#12 by akavoit Dec 10, 2007
How about FAST in LA where they serve you empty plates as if you are FASTing. Full five course meals...without the food. It's apparantely all about the wine and conversation...any takers?
#13 by Nick Dec 10, 2007
O Noir in Montreal also has a blind eating experience, it's closer to home for most people.
#14 by naim Dec 10, 2007
Ive been to clinic in Singapore, its great, they have rooms that are themed after certain drugs, so you can hang out in the morphine room if you're tired from dancing. I've also been to Cabagges and Condoms, they have free wireless internet. And, I've been to another bed place called bed and supper in Bangkok, its the best club in the city, haven't tried the food though.
#15 by RDHose Dec 11, 2007
Number 10 is a Joke. For those of you that do not know The Onion is a paper that is farce take on news. It is a Chicago based newspaper that is totally made up. They probably got the idea for that article from an episode of CSI I think 2 seasons ago.
However I do agree with Ward. The Safe House should clearly be added in number the place for number 10.
#16 by SvenK Dec 11, 2007
The picture for No. 10 is probably meant symbolic, as you are not blindfolded there. It's simply a completely dark room. But the restaurant is for real. It's an awesome experience, too.
#17 by Adasc Dec 11, 2007
I've been to a jail themed restaurunt in Japan, it was called The Cellblock though....
They would cut the lights in the whole place every 2 hours or so and run around trying to scare the diners....not to mention a cute hostess handcuffing you as she escorts you to the table.
#18 by Mary Dec 11, 2007
The Liberty Hotel, in Boston, just opened in a building that used to be a notorious prison. It has two bars: Alibi and Clink. The servers have jail-style ID numbers on their shirts, and the bars from the original \"decor\" have been left on the windows. There are also celebrity mug shots on the wall. Best drink on the menu: a martini flavored with various herbs called the \"Doing Thyme.\"
#19 by jennifer Dec 11, 2007
i've eaten at a place called Ed Debevics in Chicago, IL, which is like the Dick's last resort place.
rude, obnoxious staff (intentionally of course), but tasty food.
#20 by michelle meaders Dec 12, 2007
About #4, "The Cabbage and Condom", I noticed the take-a-condom bin at the desk. It is divided into "Republican Size" and "Democrat Size". I'd love to know what's in them!
#21 by shrekk Dec 16, 2007
i think the republican and democrat thing mentioned in #22 is concerned with the colour - blue or red not the size.
#22 by Nikita Kondraskov Dec 16, 2007
Eating with closed eyes is quite different.
The smell and the flavor is much more intensive.
There is an actual restaurant in Vienna where you can eat in the complete darkness and the servants are all blind.
#23 by res2 Dec 20, 2007
there are actually several "dark restaurants" in germany...i wonder why...
#24 by Ronald Marbles Dec 20, 2007
Very entertaining article. Keep up the good work. I would like to try the hospital themed one. And I wonder if it actually makes good business.
#25 by Ruby hawk Dec 30, 2007
Very interesting establishments but I don\'t understand why anyone would want to visit them. I am openminded so each to his own, I say.
#26 by Ruby hawk Dec 30, 2007
Very interesting establishments but I don\\\'t understand why anyone would want to visit them. I am openminded so to each his own, I say.
#27 by Nakamura Mar 18, 2008
The list of 100+ most unusual restaurants in the world is here
http://restoran.us/trivia/unusual.htm
#28 by gary Mar 22, 2008
Dicks Last resort is also in downtown Dallas int eh Dallas Alley area.
I think Dicks should offer a weeks work vacation for the burned out servers in their market. They check in work a week and get to dish it back out to the dining public.
#29 by MindIt Jun 30, 2008
Bizarre and funny...
#30 by Dick Jul 7, 2008
Dick's is lame - at least the one in Cleveland was - maybe that's why it closed. You can insult the waiters all you want, but they have rules against personal insults like calling fat people "fatty"... because heaven forbid you might actually insult someone at a restaurant where people go to be insulted, right?
I'd probably try all of them, except maybe the toilet one, because "hot pot" would never be the same in my mind again.
#31 by Tom Bradley Oct 17, 2008
Dick's last resort in Chicago is great! NOt only is the restaurant fun, but the location is in the heart of Chicago's entertainment area. I am a restaurant business broker in Chicago, www.BradleyBrokers.com and I love interesting restaurant and tavern business concepts. I was delighted to see Dick's on the list, but there are a few other local spots that should be on the listing too.
