The Hard Rock Cafe is simultaneous with a good burger, fun rock memorabilia, and live music. While you can find this restaurant in 70 countries, not many know that it began in London, England. In 1971, Americans Issac Tigrett and Peter Morton decided to open up an American-inspired burger joint. So, they were given a six-month lease in an abandoned Rolls Royce dealership and as they say, the rest is history. The Hard Rock Cafe grew to become a large chain with over 320 locations worldwide. In this post, we explore the 10 best Hard Rock Cafes on Earth. (Read: Eight Donut Shops That are Even Better Than Krispy Kreme.)
Las Vegas, Nevada
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Walking into the Hard Rock Cafe situated on the Las Vegas Strip, you get a sense that you are about to visit somewhere spectacular. The large restaurant comes equipped with a third-floor venue for concerts, a lounge and patio dining, as well as a modern cafe.
Why This Hard Rock Cafe is One of The Best
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The largeness of this cafe means that guests can enjoy everything it has to offer without feeling on top of one another. The Las Vegas feel continues right into the cafe, combining both the Hard Rock Cafe nostalgia and the Las Vegas buzz.
New York City, New York
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The most unique quality of the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City is its location. In 2005 the Historic Times Square’s Paramount Theater was turned into a Hard Rock Cafe. This alone puts this location high in the rankings.
Why This Hard Rock Cafe is One of The Best
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New York City Hard Rock Cafe is home to some pretty awesome memorabilia. These include John Entwistle’s 75′ bass and the front of Abbey Road Studios and the Beatles collarless suits. If you are in the area, stopping by at this iconic Hard Rock Cafe is worth the trip.
Orlando, Florida
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The Hard Rock Cafe in Orlando is said to be the largest one around. It opened in 1990 right next to Universal Studios. When visiting this restaurant, the unique structure may just leave you in awe. Instead of being a normal-looking building, this place was built to look like a Colosseum.
Why This Hard Rock Cafe is One of The Best
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Just seeing the large collection of Rock Memorabilia will excite any fan. These treasures include original lyrics, Elvis’s suit, Buddy Holly’s glasses, James Brown’s jacket and so much more.
London, England
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London, England is where it all began with two young men who had a dream. After the opening of the first Hard Rock Cafe in London, the first live concert took place. It was impromptu and put-on by Paul McCartney & Wings.
Why This Hard Rock Cafe is One of The Best
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This location is probably the best because of its rich history. Without it and the brainchild of these two men, The Hard Rock Cafe would never have been a thing.
Prague, Czech Republic
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If you want to visit a unique and beautiful Hard Rock Cafe the one in Prague is it. The building is four stories with a Renaissance feel. Additionally, this location is the largest Hard Rock Cafe in Europe.
Why This Hard Rock Cafe is One of The Best
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There’s so much to love in the Prague restaurant including 5-meter guitar chandelier. In addition, it hosts iconic memorabilia including Elvis’ black bell bottoms, a top hat and cane from a tour of Madonna’s and so much more.
Barcelona, Spain
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Barcelona has a reputation for being one of the most popular and exciting cities to visit in Europe. The Hard Rock Cafe is a mixture of elegance, gothic design, and sophistication.
Why This Hard Rock Cafe is One of The Best
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Dining here you can choose from three different locations to enjoy your food. Upstairs, downstairs, or outside on the terrace. The building itself is elegant and fits right into the city. Here you can find iconic memorabilia like a a jacket of Michael Jackson’s and a guitar signed by Kurt Cobain.
Venice, Italy
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Don’t let it’s size fool you. Even though the location in Venice Italy is the smallest one in Europe, it radiates coziness and style.
Why This Hard Rock Cafe is One of The Best
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Sometimes small isn’t a bad thing. Its size fits right into the beautiful city of Venice. All while offering diners the opportunity to see some really amazing items. These include a contract between Metallica’s James Hetfield and Mega force Records and a stage dress of Shakira’s.
One Last Note
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The Hard Rock Cafe is a fun and exciting place to visit all over the world. Whether you want to sit in a quaint and cozy restaurant in Venice Italy or visit the largest one in Orlando Florida. The Hard Rock Cafe started as just a simple dream and turned into something much bigger. Now you can visit these locations in 70 different countries, get up close to important Rock relics, and enjoy classic American cuisine while you’re at it. (Read: 8 Olive Garden Menu Items to Avoid, and 3 to Pick Instead.)
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Håkan Dahlström from Malmö, Sweden, CC BY 2.0