| Theme restaurants are known for their | | | | are characteristic of the larger restaurant |
| exaggerated decor and atmosphere. In a themed | | | | movement, in which the restaurant is not just |
| restaurant, the overall "concept" influences | | | | about food, but about atmosphere and providing |
| everything from the architecture to the food. | | | | an escape from everyday life. |
| Even the music and the drinks are carefully | | | | Another famous purveyor of theme restaurants |
| planned to support the feel of the restaurant. | | | | is David Tallichet, who began in the 1960s to |
| Many theme restaurants attract diners based | | | | decorate restaurants with various themes, from |
| solely on the theme itself. Though the food may | | | | Polynesian island resorts to French farmhouses to |
| take a backseat, many theme restaurants are | | | | New England fishing villages. Most of his |
| also known for their unique and creative takes on | | | | restaurants were located in Southern California, |
| traditional menu items. | | | | including the Proud Bird restaurant at the Los |
| The first themed restaurants are believed to | | | | Angeles airport, where diners could listen to |
| have opened in the 1910s and 1920s. One of the | | | | control-tower messages through headphones. |
| first examples is Bernstein's Fish Grotto, which | | | | Though theme restaurants had certainly been |
| opened in San Francisco in 1912 with an entrance | | | | around long before the 1960s, most notably in the |
| created to look like the Nina, one of Columbus' | | | | tiki craze that began in the 1930s, Tallichet is |
| ships. Theme restaurants of the 1910s and 1920s | | | | noted for popularizing the concept through his use |
| were seen as isolated oddities, however, not an | | | | of a wide range of themes. |
| overall trend in restaurant style. Los Angeles was | | | | Today, there are theme restaurants for dozens |
| long known as the center of the theme | | | | of themes. Some of the more popular are |
| restaurant movement; the city was home to Ye | | | | Medieval Times restaurants and other |
| Bull Pen Inn, which opened in 1920 with a dining | | | | castle-themed enterprises, many of which offer |
| room divided into stalls and rough, unfinished wood | | | | nightly jousting contests or other shows, and the |
| panels for the walls and ceiling. Several other | | | | Rainforest Cafe chain, known for its tropical |
| restaurants of this era in downtown Los Angeles | | | | rainforest décor which often includes a show |
| were built to look like prisons or ships. What set | | | | aquarium in the middle of the restaurant. Several |
| theme restaurants apart, however, was not only | | | | other popular theme restaurant chains include the |
| the outward appearance, but also the creatively | | | | Hard Rock Cafe featuring rock music memorabilia |
| themed ambience found inside. | | | | and Planet Hollywood, known for its collection of |
| Over the years, several restaurant entrepreneurs | | | | movie memorabilia. Though these are among the |
| have been named the father of the themed | | | | most well-known themes, there are certainly |
| restaurant. One of these is Victor Bergeron of | | | | others, ranging from commonplace to quite |
| the famous Trader Vic's chain of tiki restaurants. | | | | unusual, such as "das Klo" ("the toilet") in Germany |
| Another is Don the Beachomber's, a tiki chain | | | | or "The Safe House," a spy-themed restaurant in |
| founded in 1934. Both restaurants served | | | | Milwaukee, Wisconsin. |
| standard Asian fare with a unique tiki twist. Both | | | | |