Besides acting, sports, or modeling, celebrities love to have side businesses, especially restaurants and bars. Sometimes a celebrity sees a good opportunity to make an investment and is less involved with the business, but other times the restaurant is conceived and designed to a celebrity’s exact specifications. The next time you’re in the mood to try a celebrity-approved meal or cocktail, head to one of these famous bars and restaurants that are or have been associated with the stars — whom you might even see there. We’ve noted the restaurants that are waiting to reopen when the coronavirus crisis fades, but it’s smart to check ahead of time to make sure any restaurant is able to serve you.
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The Woods
Who: Tiger Woods Where: Jupiter, Florida After spending so much time on the road golfing, Tiger Woods wanted to open a restaurant and sports bar in his home of Jupiter. The Woods is a sleek space that puts plenty of TVs above the bar so diners can relax with a bourbon and catch the Masters and other tournaments. Steaks, ribs, and seafood such as lobster rolls and seared ahi tuna make up the majority of the menu.
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JBJ Soul Kitchen
Who: Jon Bon Jovi Where: Red Bank and Toms River, New Jersey Run by the nonprofit Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, JBJ Soul Kitchen is a community restaurant where everyone is served, regardless of their ability to pay. There are no set prices, only a suggested donation amount of $20 for the three-course meal — and this isn’t a typical soup kitchen menu: baked salmon, wild mushroom risotto, and pork loin with squash are some of the options. Volunteering to cover your meal is a popular way to give back.
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Nobu
Who: Robert De Niro Where: Multiple locations Robert De Niro has been in the restaurant business for decades, opening Tribeca Grill in New York City in 1990. But it’s Nobu that’s perhaps his most famous foray into dining. The acclaimed Japanese restaurant has dozens of locations worldwide, including in Tokyo, Dubai, and Monte Carlo. Feast on fresh sushi by the piece, or try chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s signature black cod with miso.
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I Love This Bar & Grill
Who: Toby Keith Where: Multiple locations Named after Toby Keith’s song “I Love This Bar,” ILTB & Grill has three locations in Oklahoma, including in the Hard Rock Casino Tulsa. Cowboy and Tex-Mex cuisine such as calf fries (fried bull testicles!) and taco salad are on the menu, along with a couple of Keith’s favorites: a fried bologna sandwich and a prime-rib sandwich. U.S. service members get a free cheeseburger, fries, and drink.
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1000 North
Who: Michael Jordan Where: Jupiter, Florida Michael Jordan owns a number of restaurants — multiple Michael Jordan’s Steak Houses and Michael Jordan’s Restaurant — but his newest spot is more low key. 1000 North has the upscale, exclusive feel of a country club with four dining and lounge areas. If the prices in the main restaurant for steaks and lobster risotto are too high, try the Tavern with its small menu of burgers and seafood.
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Walton’s Fancy and Staple
Who: Sandra Bullock Where: Austin, Texas A combination deli, cafe, bakery, and floral shop called Walton’s Fancy and Staple is owned by Sandra Bullock. The food menu is pretty substantial for a cafe, including a pressed roast beef and blue cheese sandwich, short ribs with sweet corn spoon bread, and crab cake benedict. There’s a happy hour menu for deal seekers too, with $5 snacks and $6 cocktails.
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FGL House
Who: Florida Georgia Line Where: Nashville, Tennessee If a country band such as Florida Georgia Line is going to open a restaurant, they may as well do it in Nashville. The FGL House is like one big party, with daily live music, a rooftop patio and bar, and TVs for catching sports. The menu is full of Southern favorites such as shrimp and grits and fried oysters, and there’s plenty of whiskey to go around, including the band’s own Old Camp Whiskey.
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Tagine
Who: Ryan Gosling Where: Beverly Hills, California An event that chef Ben Benameur catered in Hollywood brought his cooking to the attention of star Ryan Gosling. The actor loved the chef’s Moroccan food, saying it was “food he could eat every day for the rest of his life,” so they opened up Tagine together. With a recommendation such as that, choose the chef’s tasting menu and let his skills shine.
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40/40 Club
Who: Jay-Z Where: New York Note: Closed for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis Named for the elite club of MLB players who have had 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a season, Jay-Z’s 40/40 Club feels almost as exclusive. The sports bar is swanky and shiny, with multiple levels, lounges, and semi-private spaces. Wings, sliders, and platters of nachos for sharing taste even better with bottle service or an expensive bottle of champagne.
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Magnolia Table
Who: Chip and Joanna Gaines Where: Waco, Texas HGTV stars Chip and Joanna Gaines fixed up a diner with a century-long history and named it Magnolia Table. The breakfast- and lunch-only restaurant uses produce and eggs from Joanna’s garden, along with family favorites such as Chip’s ham sandwich on a croissant with eggs and cheese. Naturally, the restaurant is extremely Instagram-worthy, and you can see its renovation process on Fixer Upper, season 5, episode 17.
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Laughing Man Cafe
Who: Hugh Jackman Where: New York Inspired by a trip to Ethiopia where he met a coffee farmer named Dukale, Hugh Jackman opened the Laughing Man Cafe. He donates all his profits in the business to the Laughing Man Foundation, which helps coffee farmers by providing education and housing resources. By ordering a cup of cappuccino or matcha latte, customers help support coffee farmers around the world.
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Margaritaville
Who: Jimmy Buffett Where: Multiple locations Based in the hit song of the same name, Margaritaville is Jimmy Buffett’s restaurant and bar chain where you can drink your cares away. It’s probably familiar to anyone who’s been on a cruise; it’s in many port stops, including Jamaica, Key West, and Grand Cayman (and even has restaurants on a couple of cruise ships). Munch on fresh guacamole while sipping margaritas from a souvenir cup.
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Pick 6ix Sports
Who: Drake Where: Toronto After massive flooding from a storm closed the first iteration of Drake’s Pick 6ix, he decided to renovate and reopen as Pick 6ix Sports. It’s now an upscale sports bar with plenty of TVs, autographed memorabilia, pool tables, and sleek decor. If you’re feeling baller, rent the “VVIP” room for $2,500 and you can munch on your jerk chicken wings and blackened salmon in style.
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Wahlburgers
Who: Mark and Donnie Wahlberg Where: Multiple locations The two most famous of the Wahlberg brothers, Mark and Donnie, opened the first Wahlburgers location outside Boston in 2011 with their chef brother, Paul. There’s now about 30 locations across the country, with more opening every year. Grab a triple-decker burger “just like the house we grew up in!” or a sloppy joe made with their mom’s recipe.
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Spin
Who: Susan Sarandon Where: Multiple locations Note: Closed for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis After attending a ping pong party by one of the founders, Susan Sarandon decided to join Spin as a founding member herself. Now there are nine locations around the U.S. and Canada where you can play ping pong to your heart’s content while sipping on cocktails and munching on Vietnamese lettuce wraps.
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Chicken + Beer
Who: Ludacris Where: Atlanta Rapper Ludacris is setting a higher standard for airport food with Chicken + Beer in the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The spot is named after his album, “Chicken-n-Beer,” and delivers on its name. Fried catfish with black-eyed peas or Luda’s chicken and waffles with bourbon maple syrup are way better than anything you may be getting on a plane, so plan some time in your schedule to make this a stop.
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Swan and Bar Bevy
Who: Pharrell Where: Miami Pharrell Williams teamed up with a Miami restaurateur to open swanky restaurant and second-story bar Swan and Bar Bevy late in 2018. Its chef, Jean Imbert, is a celebrity in his own right, winning a season of the European “Top Chef.” If you’d like to try Pharrell’s favorite dish, order “Corn Corn Corn,” made with polenta and popcorn.
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Larios on the Beach
Who: Gloria and Emilio Estefan Where: Miami Note: Closed for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis There are a number of restaurants owned by Gloria and Emilio Estefan, but the oldest is still the classic. Larios on the Beach is on busy Ocean Drive with amazing people-watching and great views of South Beach. It opened in 1992 with the goal of carrying on the legacy of the cooks in Gloria’s Cuban family. Traditional Cuban dishes such as lechon asado (roasted pork), ham croquetas, and churrasco skirt steak with chimichurri are on the menu.
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Clutch
Who: Jon Huertas Where: Venice, California “This Is Us” star Jon Huertas owns Clutch in this famous beach town. The laid-back joint features a mix of Southern smoked barbecue and Cali-Mex cuisines and is a favorite hangout for motorcycle and classic car enthusiasts. Tacos made with grilled tri-tip steak or 10-hour pulled pork go well with sweet potato fries and poblano cheese grits on the side.
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Back 40
Who: Olivia Culpo Where: North Kingston, Rhode Island Model, actress, and former Miss America and Miss Universe Olivia Culpo opened Back 40 south of Providence in 2017. It’s built to look like a barn and is cozy inside, complete with a large stone fireplace in the bar area and Americana on the walls. The menu focuses on comfort food, including seafood potpie, prime-rib poutine, and doughnut bread pudding for dessert.
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Nic & Norman’s
Who: Norman Reedus Where: Senoia, Georgia Scruffy star of “The Walking Dead” Norman Reedus teamed up with the show’s executive producer and director Greg Nicotero to open Nic & Norman’s in the town where the series is filmed. Though you definitely can’t find zombie food here, you can eat American favorites such as brisket nachos and “Norm’s Pick”: a black-bean burger with beets, avocado, and spinach.
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Saints & Sinners
Who: Channing Tatum Where: New Orleans Note: Closed for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis Styled after the bordellos and burlesque halls of New Orleans’ past, Saints & Sinners is owned by Channing Tatum. Besides a food menu of NOLA favorites such as crawfish boils and whiskey bread pudding, there’s a long list of cocktails. Both the Sinner and Saint punch cocktails come in souvenir glasses in case you’d like to take a little bit of Tatum home with you.
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Cabo Wabo Cantina
Who: Sammy Hagar Where: Multiple locations Cabo Wabo Cantina was started in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, in 1990 as a tequila bar for Sammy Hagar to play some shows at his favorite vacation site. Since then, it’s grown in size and popularity with locations in Hollywood and Las Vegas. Seafood and Mexican factor heavily into the menu, with options such as lobster burritos, coconut shrimp, and Sammy’s shrimp — sauteed with garlic, serrano chile, and Cabo Wabo tequila.
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Mermaid Oyster Bar
Who: Zach Braff Where: New York “Scrubs” funny man Zach Braff opened the Mermaid Oyster Bar in 2009 with a high school friend and chef. The small, nautically themed restaurant and bar features at least six varieties of oysters every day. Other seafood options include a raw bar platter, Maryland crab cakes, and lobster knuckles swimming in garlic butter.
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The Eating Establishment
Who: Ty Burrell Where: Park City, Utah The Eating Establishment, originally opened in 1972, was recently bought by a hospitality group that includes Ty Burrell of “Modern Family” and members of his extended family. They made a few changes, such as adding a bar, but kept the breakfast-all-day style. They serve hearty fare to fuel up before skiing, including biscuits and gravy, corned beef hash, and buttermilk pancakes.
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Whiskey Row
Who: Dierks Bentley Where: Multiple locations Note: Closed for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis With three locations in Arizona and one in Nashville, Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row is a gastropub and modern country bar. The original Scottsdale location is a restaurant by day and nightclub in the evening, complete with dance floor, 24-foot TV, and bottle service. Besides the cocktail menu, whiskey shows up in a number of dishes, including the burger topped with whiskey barbecue sauce and honey-roasted jalapeños.
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The Polo Bar
Who: Ralph Lauren Where: New York Note: Closed for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis, but providing take-home food You can pretend you’re high society with food from the chic confines of The Polo Bar from designer Ralph Lauren. Saddle leather, wood paneling, and dark plaid pillows are the norm in this “homage to the distinguished sporting lifestyle long synonymous with the Ralph Lauren brand.” The beef served here comes from Lauren’s Colorado ranch, so the 22-ounce bone-in ribeye is a must.
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Little Pine
Who: Moby Where: Los Angeles Musician Moby is famously a vegan and an animal rights activist, so opening a plant-based restaurant was a no-brainer. Little Pine donates 100% of its profits to animal rights organizations, so you can feel really good about eating pan-fried gnocchi with white wine sauce and gingerbread cheesecake.
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Sweet Chick
Who: Nas Where: Multiple locations Sweet Chick opened in 2013, but it wasn’t until 2015 that rapper Nas invested. Since then, the restaurant has opened locations in his home borough of Queens as well as Los Angeles. The Southern-inspired menu features crawfish hush puppies, deviled eggs, and fried chicken with six different types of waffle.
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Vanderpump Cocktail Garden
Who: Lisa Vanderpump Where: Las Vegas If visiting L.A. spots highlighted by “Vanderpump Rules” such as Sur isn’t in the cards, there’s an LVP restaurant in Vegas to try: Vanderpump Cocktail Garden, in Caesars Palace, has the same feel as the L.A. spots, including lots of pink and probably plenty of bachelorette parties. Table reservations for four are $505 on weekends.
