Food, ambience, great service... washing machines? The latter might not be what people typically look for, or expect, when deciding where to eat, but a meal at a laundromat-themed eatery is just one of the many unusual dining experiences you can have in the USA. If you're after a joint that offers a sideshow with your supper or some quirky decor with your dessert, we've scoped out the places that should be on your radar – from a restaurant where diners can watch mermaids swim to spots inside old train carriages.
Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the most unusual dining experience in every state and Washington DC.
Our selections are based on genuine user reviews, awards and accolades, and the first-hand experience of our team. They're also regularly checked and updated.
Underneath a huge hanging rock in Alabama you'll find the Rattlesnake Saloon, an outdoor dining venue with live music. True to its name, you could just imagine a family of rattlesnakes living here. Its menu has a Wild West theme, with dishes such as loaded hay stacks (fries topped with cheese and bacon), bronco bits (breaded and fried pickles), and the buckaroo (smoked ham, turkey, bacon, and salad in a roll).
Housed in an old aircraft hangar, The Hangar On The Wharf has stunning views over Juneau's harbor and the Gastineau Channel. Here, you can enjoy a meal while watching seaplanes land outside and cruise ships sail by, surrounded by aviation memorabilia. Diners praise the seafood, atmosphere, and good service. Menu highlights include the tempura halibut and fries, Baja tacos, and citrus salmon.
Far removed from the Arizonian desert landscapes lies the Salt Cellar Restaurant, The Grand Canyon State's only underground restaurant. Diners enter through a small building and down some steep stairs to reach this unique eatery. Salt Cellar is a seafood restaurant, serving everything from steamed clams and New England chowder to mussels in butter sauce. Customers rave about the lobster and jumbo crab cakes, and the friendly service.
Another seafood restaurant on our list is Flying Fish in Little Rock, Arkansas, which serves food with a Southern Cajun twist. Try the lobster stew, grilled catfish, Louisiana jambalaya, or grits and gumbo, accompanied by a frozen Margarita. What makes this restaurant so unusual? The hundreds of Billy Bass singing fish lining the walls and ceiling – gifts donated by loyal customers from all over the US.
With tropical plants and a huge central lagoon, you'll feel as if you've just traveled to Polynesia at the Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar. This tiki-themed lounge and restaurant is located in the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, and first opened in 1945. There's a floating boat stage for live music, and tropical storms blow through from time to time – but this only adds to the atmosphere. The menu is great, too. Highlights include grilled miso salmon, Tonga grilled ribeye, and coconut curry seafood.
Carney's has two locations in LA – in West Hollywood and Studio City – and they're both fantastic places to go if you're in the mood for some all-American comfort food. Fun spots for kids of all ages, each charming restaurant is housed inside a bright yellow, remodeled Pacific Railroad passenger train, complete with overhead luggage racks. Carney's is famous for its burgers and hot dogs, but it's the chili fries that customers really rave about.
This unusual restaurant in Colorado Springs is housed in an old Boeing KC-97 tanker. Built in 1953, this plane flew all over the world before being decommissioned in 2002. Decorated with historic aviation memorabilia and artefacts, the plane area of the restaurant can seat 42 passengers. However, you won't find bland airplane food here; the menu includes tasty burgers, salads, seafood, steaks, and ribs.
Book lovers should make a beeline for the Traveler Restaurant in Connecticut, where diners eat surrounded by shelves filled with paperbacks. The best part? You get free books to take away after your meal. You're sure to find the menu just as pleasing as the novels, with hot-battered seafood and various pastas and sandwiches on offer, plus a range of to-die-for desserts.
Step back in time at Jessop's Tavern, for a dining experience straight from the colonial days of America. Here you can sit surrounded by old fireplaces, model ships, and antique oil paintings, while eating off metal plates, just as they would have done back in the day. Dressed in period costumes, even the waitstaff play the part. The menu is also inspired by the era, offering dishes like shepherd's pie (pictured), Dutch pot roast, and Swedish meatloaf.
Dinner is a whole show at the Sax Restaurant & Lounge in Washington DC. The space feels like an Italian opera house, complete with huge golden doors, glittering chandeliers hanging from the ceilings, and red velvet curtains draping the walls – and performances range from much-loved musicals to burlesque dancing. The menu, which diners say is excellent, features dishes such as seared scallops with butternut squash, artichoke ravioli, and Cajun ribeye steak.
Located inside Disney's Hollywood Studios, the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater is a 1950s-style drive-thru, where diners eat in vintage open-top cars while enjoying clips of thrilling sci-fi movies. You'll feel as if you've stepped onto the movie set of Grease, and those who've been there love the fun, friendly atmosphere. The menu features classic American burgers and fries, cheesy nachos, and fried dill pickles. Leave room to try the amazing desserts – the donut ice cream sundae gets rave reviews.
It may be closed for repairs right now, but we simply couldn't leave The Bubble Room off our list. Quirky and colorful, this zany eatery opened back in 1979, and it doesn't have just one theme – it has several. Here, you'll find old toys from the 1930s and 40s, moving trains, photographs of silver screen legends, and a front room that's decorated for Christmas all year round, complete with a tree, elves, and string lights. The food is great, too, and the baked goods are award-winning.
The Varsity is an iconic Atlanta institution, which now has several locations around the city. The main downtown branch is the largest drive-in restaurant in the world. It's been operating since 1928, and still offers that same classic American diner experience that customers love. The traditional fast food on offer includes hot dogs, burgers, fried chicken, milkshakes, and fried fruit pies.
Family-run Mama's Fish House is set in an airy former plantation house in a coconut grove on a secluded sandy beach. Founded in 1973, the restaurant has rooms filled with stunning flower arrangements, while original oil paintings and Polynesian artefacts hang on the walls. Diners love the magical atmosphere, with menu highlights including macadamia nut crab cakes and mahi-mahi with lobster and crab.
Welcome to the Wild West of days gone by. The Pioneer Saloon first opened in the 1940s as a casino – and these days it's like something straight out of a movie set, complete with Wild West posters, deer and bull heads, and antique bullet boards. There's also an interesting collection of Hemingway memorabilia, including one of the novelist's guns. Prime ribs, steaks, steamed artichokes, and Idaho rainbow trout are all customer favorites here.
Sure, you've probably been faced with a whole chicken to tuck into at dinner, but what about a whole wild boar? Or goat? Or alligator? That's where Frontier comes in. Offering you (and 12-15 guests) a 'whole animal experience', this is a lesson in nose to tail eating. You simply choose your animal and watch as it comes out as the crowning centerpiece alongside four sides: mac 'n' cheese, Caesar salad, seasonal vegetables, and buttered rolls. Customers say it's an absolutely incredible experience.
This huge, impressive building looks more like a factory than a restaurant, with steel girders and statues of workers sitting on the roof enjoying their lunch. Themed around the Industrial Revolution of the late 18th century, this unique eatery specializes in brick-oven pizzas, gourmet burgers, and comforting customer favorites such as mac 'n' cheese, meatloaf, pot pie, and fried chicken.
Visit this spot for tasty burgers in a 'post-apocalyptic chic' setting. The names of the burgers follow the restaurant's fun theme with top choices including Planet Terror (BBQ sauce, bacon, Cheddar, caramelized onions, and ranch dressing) and the Undead Elvis (peanut butter, fried bananas, bacon, American cheese, mayo, and an optional fried egg). The taste is anything but scary, and people rate the quality ingredients, cool vibe, and delicious shakes.
This novel restaurant in Kansas City is a must for kids and big kids alike. It first opened in 1954, but it wasn't until the 1970s, when Fritz and his wife Virginia had opened their second location, that it became something special. Due to a labor shortage, Fritz invented a mini train to carry the food around the restaurant to his diners. Today, the three restaurants (all in Kansas City, but one is over the state line in Missouri) feature train memorabilia, and the mini trains still carry burgers to guests – much to their enjoyment.
If you've ever wondered what a meal in prison would be like, head to Jailhouse Pizza for a meal behind the bars of the old Meade County Jail. The jail was built in 1906 and has seen its fair share of crooks and villains throughout the years. Black-and-white photos of the old days adorn the walls, and the building is said to be haunted by some of its former inmates – but don't let that put you off! Customers say the pizzas are quick, delicious, and always hot.
This famous restaurant has been a New Orleans landmark since 1893. Housed in an elegant Disney-esque mansion with a striking blue and white color scheme, the Commander's Palace has become well-known for its award-winning Creole cuisine. Today, chef Meg Bickford fuses together modern New Orleans cooking with traditional Creole dishes, all made with farm-raised products from Louisiana. The gumbo here is a must.
Maine's oldest diner, the Palace Diner, is housed inside an old Pollard railcar that was built in 1927. Today, it's one of just two Pollard railcars left in America. Everyone sits and eats in one line along the bar, just as they would do if it were still a working rail carriage. The restaurant serves all-day breakfasts, including buttermilk flapjacks, omelets, French toast, and granola, as well as a lunch menu of sandwiches featuring favorites like fried chicken and cheeseburgers.
The clue's in the name at Beans in the Belfry in Brunswick, which is located in an old converted church. It was built in 1910 and still features the original stained-glass windows. Today, rather than choir music, you're more likely to hear live folk, bluegrass, or Celtic tunes as you eat. The menu features everything from sandwiches and bagels to quiches and salads, while the biscuits and gravy are perfection.
At Gibbet Hill Grill, executive chef Rhiannon Brown shapes the menu around what's seasonally available from the 500-acre on-site farm. Diners can soak up the amazing countryside views from the sophisticated and cozy restaurant while feasting on appetizers including crab cakes, mushroom arancini, and fried cauliflower, followed by steak and a choice of two farm sides. The menu also features free-range chicken, lamb ragu, and seared tuna.
One of Michigan's most unique restaurants is the incredible Bavarian Inn. Opened in 1888 in the Bavarian-style town Frankenmuth, the venue claims that more than 20 million guests have come to feast on its all-you-can-eat family-style German meals since the 19th century. The delicious fried chicken dinners make dining here an unforgettable experience, according to customers. The menu also features Bavarian classics such as bratwurst and schnitzel, while staff wear traditional dress to add to the experience.
With its wooden paneled exterior and railroad crossing signs, Loretto's Choo Choo Restaurant kind of resembles an old train station on the outside – but step through the doors and you'll find even more locomotive-themed decor to whet your (train) whistle. Famous for its amazingly crispy Choo Choo wings, this beloved spot is filled with old-timey signs. There's even a real-life caboose inside, complete with quaint seating, which you can book for parties or gatherings.
No matter what time of year you visit Mary Mahoney's, you'll be greeted with colorful decorations enticing you in – not that you'll need much persuasion. The grand building that houses the restaurant was built in 1737, and is one of the oldest in America. When Mary Mahoney acquired it in the 1960s, she began cooking up elegant cuisine, which has been devoured by presidents, dignitaries, celebrities, and millions of hungry diners ever since. Here, you can grab a slice of history with a side of delicious dishes such as fried soft-shell crab, gumbo, and stuffed lobster tail – all customer favorites.
This huge restaurant feels like a converted barn, with flags flying above the wooden tables, and an eclectic array of license plates and pictures lining the walls. However, what makes Lambert's Cafe so unusual is not its decor, but the fact that the waiters throw rolls at you from across the restaurant – a quirk customers enjoy. It also serves typical Southern American fare such as fried fish, shrimp, steak, and ribs.
Dive down under the sea at the Sip ‘n Dip Lounge in Montana, where you'll be entertained by dancing mermaids as you dine. Here, guests look onto a huge glass window, where mermaids and mermen swim by in an adjacent pool. First opened in 1962, the spot has a kitsch tiki theme and serves an array of creative fishbowl cocktails, as well as burgers, prime rib sandwiches, homemade soups, and chicken steaks.
Designed to resemble a Spanish monastery, Brother Sebastian's offers guests a contemplative and relaxing dining experience, surrounded by flickering candles, leatherbound books, and religious icons. Your order will be taken by brown-robed monks, and you'll dine to a soundtrack of choral singing. The place is renowned for its steaks, as well as a great wine selection.
You should only pay the notorious Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas a visit if you're super hungry, or if you have a very strong heart. Here, waiters dressed as doctors and nurses serve huge platters of less-than-healthy dishes including the Double Bypass Burger, the Coronary Dog, Flatline Fries, and Butterfat Milkshakes. In fact, its Quadruple Bypass Burger has been named as the World's Most Calorific Burger by Guinness World Records. Customers love the fun atmosphere – you're given a hospital gown to wear upon arrival, you can hook up to a wine IV drip, and waiters dish out punishments if you don't finish your meal.
The Little Red Schoolhouse in New Hampshire is sure to take you right back to your childhood. Housed in a cute – you guessed it – little red schoolhouse dating back to 1878, it's filled with blackboards and wooden benches. Out back is where you'll find the surprise, though: a treehouse suspended high in the canopy of the forest. It specializes in seafood, and serves dishes such as lobster bisque, clam strips, haddock, and corn on the cob, but the lobster rolls are the biggest hit among diners. It opens seasonally, from Memorial Day to October.
Medieval jousting, knights, noble kings and queens, and falconry come together in this epic theater restaurant in New Jersey. Seated around a huge jousting arena, guests enjoy their meals while watching actors on horses playing out a medieval fantasy. Dine with the queen as her favorite chefs prepare you a four-course meal of garlic bread, tomato bisque soup, roasted chicken, buttered corn, potatoes, and dessert. There's a vegetarian option, too.
Saggio's Italian restaurant in Albuquerque offers a dining experience like no other. Step inside and you'll find a large restaurant filled with Roman statues, columns, and vases, with a ceiling painted as a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. People rave about the pizza – but save plenty of room for dessert, because next to the order counter, there's a vintage yellow car filled with treats like tiramisu and Sicilian cannoli.
No list of America's most unusual restaurants would be complete without mentioning Ellen's Stardust Diner, a 1950s-themed restaurant in Manhattan's Theater District. Complete with plenty of retro memorabilia, a 1956 TV, a drive-in theater screen, and even an indoor train, the decor alone is enough to lure diners in. And there's more – Broadway stars wait tables and sing here, too. Anyone for a side of show tunes with their blue plate special?
Decked out like a cozy cabin in the woods, entering The Cabin is like stepping into an enchanted forest. The decor of trees, flowers, and foliage changes seasonally, and diners rate the service and atmosphere. Menu highlights include porcini and portobello mushroom ravioli, ground bison meatballs, and deconstructed apple pie. The weekend brunch is also a must, including three drinks and throwback tunes.
One for the petrolheads, Lancaster's BBQ has two locations in North Carolina. With over 10,000 square feet of racing memorabilia, the Mooresville location is set over three levels, and has a separate games room for kids. A must-visit in NASCAR country, the racing-themed restaurant's menu includes plenty of BBQ classics as well as burgers, wraps, and salads. Fried chicken is among the top dishes here; diners praise it for its perfectly spicy flavor and crispy coating.
For an out-of-this-world dining experience, head to Space Aliens in Bismarck. A bright green Martian welcomes you from the outside – and inside, aliens, spaceships, rockets, and planets decorate a 30-foot-high domed ceiling. There are old-fashioned arcade games to entertain the kids while they wait for their food, and plates include Alien Burgers, Martian Munchies, and fire-roasted pizzas.
There's not so much of one particular theme at Tackle Box 2 – it's more every quirky object the owners could find, thrown together. Bicycles, Christmas lights, and fishing nets hang from the ceilings, old beer ads and car parts decorate the walls, and odd sculptures sit in every available space, interspersed with bright neon signs. The joint serves American-style fish and chips, and diners love the specialty battered perch.
Experience a simpler way of life and dine like the Amish do at the Amish Country Store & Restaurant in Oklahoma. Here, everything is inside-out – the interior is decorated with the wooden storefront and corrugated iron roof of the old country store. Among other things, it serves Amish cinnamon rolls and fried pies, and customers love the breakfast specials like The Amish Way: two eggs, country potatoes (or hash brown casserole), and a choice of a buttermilk biscuit with gravy or Amish toast.
Voodoo Doughnut has become a Portland institution and a true hipster hangout. Here, the donuts come in so many unusual flavors, you won't know which one to choose. Favorites include the Voodoo Doll (a jelly-filled donut with creepy chocolate frosting), the School Daze PB and J (a vegan peanut butter and jelly donut dipped in nuts), and the Memphis Mafia (fried dough with banana chunks, cinnamon, and a whole host of yummy toppings). The place also sells its own merchandise such as donut T-shirts, hats, mugs, and keyrings.
A romantic setting where you can dine among old wine barrels, the Catacombs at Bube’s Brewery lies deep underground inside ageing wine cellars. Guests descend 43 feet into the stone-lined vaults and enjoy a historic tour of the cellars before being shown to their table. It goes without saying that the beers are good, and dishes such as crab cakes, vegetable gnocchi, seared duck breast, and scallop-shrimp scampi are big hits.
Ogie's has several themed trailers, including Granny Boo's Kitchen, with its 1970s-style decor, and the Tiki Bar, complete with thatched roof and tropical cocktails. The menu features a range of comfort food favorites (diners love the fried chicken sandwiches) as well as a selection of vegetarian dishes. These include grilled mac 'n' cheese croquettes, veggie chili, and vegan burgers.
For a dinner the whole family will enjoy, head on down to Pirates Voyage at Myrtle Beach. Here, you can tuck into a delicious meal while watching a swashbuckling show complete with pirates, mermaids, and plenty of thrills and spills. All the food here is served 'pirate style,' so it's not the fanciest of dining experiences, but it's certainly one of the most entertaining. You can get your pirate fix in Tennessee, too – there's also a Pirates Voyage in Pigeon Forge.
Built in 1878, this building was the largest stagecoach stop on the way from Cheyenne, Wyoming to Deadwood, South Dakota – making it one of the main landmarks in the Black Hills. Formally known as Ice Box Canyon Valley Station, its exterior has changed little over time, but the inside has turned into a cozy wood-paneled restaurant. It serves breakfast, a lunch menu that includes burgers and sandwiches, and dinner favorites such as fish and pasta. Its legendary Indian Taco also comes highly recommended.
At the Aquarium Restaurant in Nashville, you'll feel like you're dining under the sea. Here, guests enjoy their meals seated around a 200,000-gallon tank, filled with everything from sharks and stingrays to sea turtles. On special occasions, it even has mystical mermaids swim past. A seafood and steak restaurant, you can choose from a menu including fish tacos, Maryland crab cakes, seafood platters, and chicken wraps.
Short on time? Why not go out to eat and get your laundry done at the same time? At Harvey Washbangers in Texas, you can do exactly that, because it's a diner and a laundromat in one. Simply put on your load, then order and enjoy your meal. When you're finished, your laundry should be, too. You can even monitor how your wash cycle is doing without having to get up from the table – just check the light board in the diner.
With special carousel and school bus–themed dining areas, and a fire truck red 'salad car' (a 1952 MG-TD Roadster crowned with a salad buffet), The Magic Time Machine is a whimsical place to grab a bite to eat. Adding to the magic, the waitstaff here dress like all of your favorite fictional characters – from Disney princesses to comic book heroes. There are two locations, in Dallas and San Antonio, and they're not just for kids; with menus filled with hearty, satisfying food, they're eateries everyone can enjoy.
To reach The Yurt at Solitude, you'll have to snowshoe through the moonlit forest. In a clearing you'll find an authentic Mongolian yurt, part of the Solitude Mountain Resort, and a cozy restaurant. Inside this romantic hideaway, a chef will prepare your meal right in front of you. Beautiful dishes include a scallop and asparagus appetizer, a Wagyu beef steak entrée, and a traditional apple pie dessert.
Located inside a pretty greenhouse and garden center, the Garden of Eatin’ Cafe offers a relaxed, 'back-to-nature' environment. Surrounded by ponds, tropical plants, and buckets of flowers, it serves a healthy menu that includes delights like hummus veggie wraps, an asparagus and red onion frittata, and daily soup specials, which people love.
Offering fine dining since 1770, Gadsby's Tavern Restaurant transports customers back to the colonial era. You'll eat in elegant dining rooms reminiscent of the time, lit by candles and decorated with chandeliers, regal oil paintings, and graceful drapes. As well as modern dishes such as seafood and prime beef, it serves traditional colonial food, including George Washington's Favorite (grilled duck breast with potatoes) and Gentleman's Pye (a pie filled with lamb and beef in red wine).
At the Camlann Medieval Village, you'll find one of Washington State's most unique dining experiences – a medieval theater dinner. Here, the restaurant is designed like a 14th-century village inn, with whitewashed walls and timber frames. The menu takes you back to the 14th century too, with old recipes including chicken in cinnamon and almond sauce, roast salmon in hazelnut sauce, and pork with chicken and cranberries. While you eat, you'll be regaled with old stories and songs.
Welcome to the land of the hillbillies, where gourmet hot dogs can be enjoyed by the banks of the Ohio River. It's a quirky little place, decorated with odd nicknacks, road signs, licence plates, statues, and sculptures. There are also two old yellow school buses to dine in. Hot dog toppings include coleslaw, pickles, nachos, and chili – and all come with glowing customer reviews. If you really love this place, you can even get married or renew your vows at the Hillybilly Weenie Weddin' Chapel.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to dine at SafeHouse in Milwaukee. This secret agent–themed restaurant comes complete with pre-dinner scavenger hunts, hidden clues, sliding bookcases, and spy cameras. You even need a password to enter. The inventive menu includes Mission Impossible Angus beef patties, Covert Chops, and Classified Breakfasts, and customers say the food is as good as the whole experience.
Head for the huge, wide-open skies of Wyoming for an unusual experience at the Cavalryman Steakhouse. Set on the parade grounds of historic Fort Sanders, established in 1866, it features old wagons and wood-paneled walls. The restaurant is also filled with old black-and-white photos from the time. As well as local and regional steaks (some say it's the best steak they've ever eaten) it offers a surf and turf menu, and a range of interesting soups and salads. Look out for the ruins of the fort’s powder keg on your way out.
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Last updated by Jessica Morris.