Celebrity restaurants that failed
Celebrity-owned eateries that closed
Opening a restaurant is relatively easy, the hard part comes from creating one that will have lasting appeal. From Gino D'Acampo's pasta bar chain to Gloria and Emilio Estefan's famous Cuban spot, here are the celebrity restaurants that didn't stand the test of time.
Gloria and Emilio Estefan: Larios on the Beach, 1992-2020
Larios on the Beach opened in 1992 and was one of the go-to spots for Cuban food in Miami ever since. Overlooking Ocean Drive, the restaurant was owned by musical power couple Gloria and Emilio Estefan. Devised by chef Odell Torres, Larios' popular dishes included bacon-wrapped plantain, pork tamales and arroz con pollo.
Larios on the Beach/Facebook
Gloria and Emilio Estefan: Larios on the Beach, 1992-2020
The popular restaurant was closed during 2020 and the property the couple owned for nearly 30 years has since been listed for sale. Their two other restaurants, Estefan Kitchen in Miami and Bongos Cuban Café at the Walt Disney World Resort, have also closed while another Estefan Kitchen location in Orlando remains open.
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Jamie Oliver: Fifteen, Jamie’s Italian chain and Barbecoa, 2002-2019
Jamie Oliver gained fame for his cheeky personality and no-frills cooking on his television show The Naked Chef (1999). He launched Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen, a restaurant that gave underprivileged people experience in the culinary industry, in 2002. It was closely followed by Jamie’s Italian restaurant chain in 2008 and Barbecoa, a steakhouse with two locations in London, in 2017. Although it seems the TV personality bit off more than he could chew with the restaurant group announcing its administration in May 2019.
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Jamie Oliver: Fifteen, Jamie’s Italian chain and Barbecoa, 2002-2019
Jamie’s Italian was launched to disrupt mid-market dining in the UK. It offered good value meals such as lasagnes, pizzas and pasta made from fresh, quality ingredients and at first it was successful. The chain’s problem became its inability to keep up with changing food trends in the way smaller restaurants can. Despite an injection of cash by Jamie himself in 2017, the brand was unable to be saved with 1,000 jobs lost and 22 branches of the chain shuttered in the UK. However, Fifteen in Cornwall, his three restaurants at Gatwick Airport and his 60-plus overseas outlets, which include 25 Jamie's Italians, are not affected.
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Elle Macpherson, Naomi Campbell and Claudia Schiffer: Fashion Café, 1995-1998
Supermodels Elle Macpherson (pictured), Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer and Christy Turlington all came together to front the Fashion Café in New York City in 1995. It was a sleek venue with leather booths, a pricy gift shop and a red carpet at the entrance, and it served diner-style dishes such as burgers and platters. After some initial success, the Fashion Café burgeoned into several other cities including Barcelona, London and Mexico City. But this fortune was short-lived.
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Elle Macpherson, Naomi Campbell and Claudia Schiffer: Fashion Café, 1995-1998
Once the Fashion Café's novelty wore off, customer numbers began to dwindle. One by one, the venues began to fold. The brand was also steeped in scandal as the corporate brains behind the restaurant, brothers Francesco and Tommaso Buti, were charged with fraud and money laundering.
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Jennifer Lopez: Madre's, 2002-2008
There's no doubt that actor, singer and dancer Jennifer Lopez is an all-rounder and, in 2002, she decided to stick her finger in yet another pie. J Lo opened her Latin American restaurant in the Californian city of Pasadena. She called it Madre's, meaning "mother's" in Spanish and it served dishes such as empanadas and ropa vieja. But despite a star-studded launch and a six-year run, the restaurant eventually buckled.
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Jennifer Lopez: Madre's, 2002-2008
Madre's had its fair share of problems over the years and reviews were mixed. In 2005, the restaurant's reputation was rocked by animal rights protestors who took up post outside to protest against the singer's fashion line. Lopez also hired her ex-husband, Cuban actor Ojani Noa, to help run the spot. But Noa claimed he was unfairly fired some six months afterwards, leading him to sue for breach of contract. Madre's closed in 2008.
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Steven Spielberg: Dive!, 1994-early 2000s
Much like director Spielberg's famous pictures, Dive!, his bizarre, nautical-themed restaurant, was dramatic, colourful and larger than life. Opened in 1994 in LA's Century City neighbourhood, the restaurant took the shape of a giant yellow submarine. Fittingly, it specialised in sub-style sandwiches, with a kitsch gift shop too. Lauded film studio exec Jeffrey Katzenberg was in on the project. But even these two creative geniuses couldn't make it big in the restaurant world.
Steven Spielberg: Dive!, 1994-early 2000s
The film aficionados opened the eccentric LA spot with a view to rapidly expand the concept into other cities around the country. The duo did manage to open a branch in Vegas, but their project ultimately saw diners coming in smaller numbers. By 1999 the Los Angeles restaurant had closed and by the early 2000s the Las Vegas outpost had shuttered.
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Britney Spears: Nyla, 2002
Pop songstress Britney Spears has had plenty of hits over the years, but sadly her New York City restaurant wasn't one of them. Nyla, a swanky venue housed in Manhattan's posh Dylan Hotel, opened in summer 2002. There was plenty of hype surrounding the restaurant, which served Cajun food in its first few months of opening.
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Britney Spears: Nyla, 2002
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Chrissie Hynde: VegiTerranean, 2007-2011
The Pretenders front woman and staunch animal rights activist Chrissie Hynde opened a vegan restaurant in the city of Akron, Ohio in 2007. Ethically minded VegiTerranean was an immediate hit. It served comforting pasta dishes, pizzas, sandwiches and moreish vegan desserts in stylish but down-to-earth surrounds.
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Chrissie Hynde: VegiTerranean, 2007-2011
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Flavor Flav: Flav’s Fried Chicken, 2011
Flav’s Fried Chicken was opened in January 2011 by hip-hop artist and television personality Flavor Flav (real name William Jonathan Drayton Jr.). Located in Clinton, Iowa, the joint served
secret-recipe fried chicken and ribs, with classic sides such as fries, mac 'n' cheese and mashed potato. Flavor Flav also drafted in help from restaurateur Nick Cimino, who already had a restaurant in Las Vegas (Mama Cimino's, now also closed).
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Flavor Flav: Flav’s Fried Chicken, 2011
The relationship between Flav and Cimino eventually turned sour. Flav publicly criticised Cimino for apparent cash flow issues and poor levels of food safety at the venue. Cimino retaliated by calling Flav a "fraud". The restaurant closed less than four months after opening.
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Hulk Hogan: Pastamania, 1995-1996
The work of flamboyant pro wrestler Hulk "Hulkster" Hogan, Pastamania opened its doors in 1995 in Mall of America, Bloomington, Minnesota. Just like its visionary, it was loud, proud and brash, and Hogan and his team went hard on marketing it to his then legions of fans. The mammoth opening event included a raucous pasta-eating challenge and pasta shapes modelled on Hulk himself.
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Hulk Hogan: Pastamania, 1995-1996
Once in full swing, the venue boasted delights such as "Hulk's Power Pasta": penne with chicken, vegetables and a choice of sauce. Marketing was zealous, but the pasta dishes failed to entice diners in the long term. Less than a year after they opened, the restaurant's doors were closed for good. For reasons unknown, the awning ended up on a building in Minneapolis (pictured).
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Sean Combs: Justin’s, 1997-2012
Sean Combs, better known by his former stage name P. Diddy, dedicated his soul food spot in New York City to his son Justin (pictured right). Justin's opened in 1997, dishing up hearty mains such as stuffed blackened catfish, smothered turkey wings and candied yams, and was an initial hit. A year later the rapper opened Justin's in Atlanta.
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Sean Combs: Justin’s, 1997-2012
The New York restaurant lasted a decade before it closed its doors in 2007. The motive behind its closure wasn't made public. The Atlanta venue was also shut by 2012. Again, Combs was discreet about the reasons for pulling the plug, citing the need to focus on other projects.
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Eva Longoria: SHe by Morton’s, 2012-2014
Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria joined up with Morton's steakhouses (owned by parent company Landry's) to launch a brand new restaurant in Las Vegas in 2012. The concept was a sleek steakhouse with "He-Cuts" and "She-Cuts" of meat and mirrors on the dessert menu, specifically aimed at female diners.
Eva Longoria: SHe by Morton’s, 2012-2014
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Ashton Kutcher: Dolce, 2003-2012
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Ashton Kutcher: Dolce, 2003-2012
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Stephen and William Baldwin: Alaia/Luahn/Society 5,1999-c2001
This restaurant, spearheaded by sibling actors Stephen and William "Billy" Baldwin, opened in New York's Manhattan in 1999. Its first iteration was as Mediterranean spot Alaia. Alaia failed to take off, though, so a new restaurant was opened in the same location with a new name and concept: Luahn, a chic sea-themed lounge.
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Stephen and William Baldwin: Alaia/Luahn/Society 5,1999-c2001
As Luahn also failed to make waves, the restaurant's name was changed once more to Society 5 in the early 2000s, but by then Stephen Baldwin had moved on. He cut ties with the venue and it closed for good shortly afterwards.
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Kevin Costner: The Clubhouse, 1999-2009
The Bodyguard actor Kevin Costner opened The Clubhouse in 1999 in Costa Mesa, California. It was a golf-themed venue that sat somewhere between an upmarket restaurant and, as the name suggests, an elegant clubhouse. Costner was committed to making the restaurant accessible to the general public and diners enjoyed comforting American-style dishes such as chicken pot pie served at reasonable prices.
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Kevin Costner: The Clubhouse, 1999-2009
Despite a string of celebrity investors (including fellow actor Robert Wagner), the restaurant didn't manage to survive. After a decade of great reviews and local praise, it was announced that The Clubhouse would close in 2009. The reasons surrounding the closure remain a mystery.
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Guy Fieri: Guy's American Kitchen & Bar, 2012-2017
From its opening in 2012, Guy's American Kitchen & Bar, from Food Network star Guy Fieri, was ribbed by critics. Despite this, the restaurant in New York's Times Square welcomed a steady stream of customers, who dined on American comfort food from belly-busting burgers to chicken tenders.
Guy Fieri: Guy's American Kitchen & Bar, 2012-2017
A band of loyal fans and curious tourists weren't enough to keep the restaurant going, though, and at the end of 2017, the restaurant finally closed. But not before a lively New Year's Eve event and a gushing farewell from Fieri, who spoke of his pride in what the spot had achieved over its five years of business.
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DJ Paul and Danielle Staub: Lemon Basket, 2011
The concept for Lemon Basket was born on VH1 reality show Famous Food, in which celebrities put their restaurateur skills to the test. Contestants included eventual winners Danielle Staub (right), star of TV's The Real Housewives of New Jersey, and Three 6 Mafia rapper DJ Paul (left). The resulting restaurant was a ritzy modern American venue in West Hollywood, serving mac 'n' cheese, short ribs and burgers.
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DJ Paul and Danielle Staub: Lemon Basket, 2011
Lemon Basket restaurant had a grand opening, but it never really got off the ground. It earned some poor reviews, with customers complaining of overpriced food, small portions and slow service. By October 2011, just five months after its initial opening, Lemon Basket was shuttered for good.
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Jill Hennessy and Benjamin Bratt: Irving Mill, 2007-2009
Irving Mill opened to a fanfare in New York City's Union Square in 2007. The New American spot had backing from Hollywood stars Jill Hennessy (right) and Benjamin Bratt (left) and it got off to a pretty good start. Reviewers lauded the brilliant burger and the great selection of beer.
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Jill Hennessy and Benjamin Bratt: Irving Mill, 2007-2009
But despite decent reviews, Irving Mill didn't stand the test of time. The restaurant closed after two years and was soon replaced by a branch of the down-to-earth Brother Jimmy's BBQ chain (pictured).
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Ludacris: Straits, 2008-2012
Rapper Ludacris has had more success than many celebs when it comes to cracking his way into the restaurant industry. Asian fusion restaurant Straits opened in Atlanta's Midtown in 2008 and was well received from the start. The musician partnered with respected, Singapore-raised chef Chris Yeo, who breathed his influence into the Pan-Asian menu. Diners could expect dishes such as tamarind beef, fried rice with plump shrimp and chilli lobster.
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Ludacris: Straits, 2008-2012
Despite Straits' success, Ludacris had his sights set higher. In 2012, the rapper won a contract to open a new restaurant concept inside Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (pictured). Keen to focus on his new project, Ludacris shut down his original restaurant, though he did dub it a "great segue into the industry". Chicken + Beer restaurant, which shares its name with Ludacris' third album, opened in the airport in 2016 and is still going strong.
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Lisa Vanderpump: Villa Blanca, 2008-2020
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Lisa Vanderpump and her husband Ken Todd once ran 26 restaurants and Villa Blanca in Beverly Hills was one of their most successful ventures. Opened in 2008, the elegant restaurant specialised in top-notch Mediterranean cuisine, serving pizza, pasta and seafood dishes, like tuna tartare, grilled shrimp and crab cakes.
Lisa Vanderpump: Villa Blanca, 2008-2020
The restaurant's closure was announced in July 2020 as the restaurant lease expired and the landlord was not willing to renegotiate the increasing rent. In a statement Lisa confirmed that they're looking to bring the restaurant back in another Los Angeles location. A veteran of the restaurant industry, she continues to run Pump, SUR, and TOM TOM in Los Angeles in addition to the Vanderpump Cocktail Garden at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
Gordon Ramsay: Maze, 2005-2019
Even celebrity chefs can feel the heat when it comes to running their restaurants. TV chef Gordon Ramsay, of Hell's Kitchen fame, opened posh sushi and Asian-fusion spot Maze in London's Mayfair in 2005. It held a Michelin star between 2006 and 2015, with high-profile chefs in the kitchen and creative plates of food on the menu (think scallop ceviche with truffle, yuzu and caviar or roasted cod in Champagne sauce).
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Gordon Ramsay: Maze, 2005-2019
Gino D’Acampo: My Pasta Bar, 2013-2022
Best known for his appearances on This Morning and I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here, UK-based TV chef Gino D’Acampo opened the first branch of My Pasta Bar on London’s Fleet Street in 2013. The chain, which had three London locations, was said to be inspired by D’Acampo’s visits to food markets in Naples. Dishes on the menu include traditional breakfast pastries, fresh breads, salads and antipasti.
Gino D’Acampo: My Pasta Bar, 2013-2022
Unfortunately for the Italian entrepreneur, the last two years have put immense strain on the business and it is, according to documents logged in the UK, almost £5 million ($6.8m) in debt. In January 2022, it was announced the outlets were entering liquidation. However, D’Acampo's other projects aren't affected and he launched a thriving new premium Italian restaurant brand, Luciano, in summer 2021 and is set to open another location in Alderley Edge, Cheshire in late January. As Gino explained in a follow-up Instagram message, "sometimes you win, sometimes you lose" – a sentiment that will resonate with many working in hospitality during COVID-19.
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