The Hard Rock Cafe thread...

redbeard911 · Jul 1, 04, 3:08 am

The Redbeards love Hard Rock Cafes. They are familiar and fun and I like the t-shirts. I searched for a thread describing the HRC's around the world, but was unable to locate one...so here we go.

Yes, there are those who despise the big chain restaurants and want to go local whenever they can. You can go somewhere else.

There are many of us who like the HRC experience.

My list...

Hong Kong - Very small HRC. and previously my "home" restaurant. It's near where we usually stay in Kowloon, and in walking distance.
Shanghai - AFAIK currently closed. My first HRC and my favorite t-shirt. (until United lost it.

)
Beijing - Very large restaurant, and very crowded since it's near a large expat area.
Singapore -

the worst. Bad service and substandard food. Nothing special here...even bad memorabilia. I didn't even buy a shirt here.
Sydney - Very nice, and conveniently a stop on the city tour bus.
Honolulu - The only time we enjoyed HRC with all four of our kids. The shirt that I wanted wasn't in my size.
Bangkok - Located in a huge tourist area, and very crowded. My first pulled pig sandwich.

Denver - Nice location in 16th street mall. Good service and food. My favorite shirt that I still have.
San Diego (Gaslamp) - Went with Mother Redbeard. Nice nacho appetizer before heading to the airport.
Sacacrappo - Ho hum...nothing special
La Jolla - Old downtown La Jolla, on Prospect Street. Usually not crowded because more trendier restaurants are all around. Had my 40th birthday party there.
Orlando - Largest HRC in the world...two giftshops in case you get lost. It's part of CityWalk at Universal. Nice evening.
Nassau, Bahamas - Possibly the smallest in the world. Only about a dozen tables.
Chicago - Celebrating Redbeard Jr.s graduation from Navy boot camp.
Cabo San Lucas - The nachos tasted like they used canned beef, not the good stuff we've had at other restaurants.
New Orleans - Biz trip to the Crescent City
San Juan, Puerto Rico - I'll count this one as international.

Recently remodeled after a fire a few years ago.
Washington, DC - Cool giant guitar sculpture behind the bar.
Las Vegas - Nice business lunch.
Phoenix - Pre-Freddies snack
New York - Right in Times Square. Great memorabilia. They have the Beatles outfits from the first trip to the US.
London - The original
Paris - Just needed the HRC fix.
Amsterdam - nothing special...overlooking a canal
Dublin - In Temple Bar area. They have a car from U2 suspended from the ceiling.
Cairo - Rather quiet snack before headed to the airport
Sharm El Sheikh - Not surprisingly, in a ultra-tourist area of Naama Bay.

Totals:
Domestic: 12
International: 15

The problem that I have with the international restaurants is there's not usually unlimited refills on Diet Coke because it's in cans and not on fountain.

kluau88 · Jul 3, 04, 1:58 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by redbeard911

Shanghai - AFAIK currently closed. My first HRC and my favorite t-shirt. (until United lost it.

)

Supposed to reopen at a later date...We shall see on this one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by redbeard911

The problem that I have with the international restaurants is there's not usually unlimited refills on Diet Coke because it's in cans and not on fountain.

Surprisingly I've never looked internationally, but I would find it really strange if they served Coke since they use Pepsi in the Corporate owned cafes.

Feebster · Jul 3, 04, 2:20 am

I usually go to HRC if there is one available...not so much to eat as to collect pins. They are a good souvenir as they don't take up much room in the suitcase. My list so far:-

Sydney - My home town and close to work
Melbourne
Surfers Paradise
Singapore
London
Paris
St Thomas
Amsterdam
New York
Chicago
LA
New Orleans
Las Vegas
Newport Beach - A sentimental favourite
La Jolla
San Diego
Tijuana
Aspen..which closed a while back
San Francisco...the old location
Honolulu
Hollywood
Bali

I am planning on a few more visits shortly..I hope

**obscure2k** · Jul 3, 04, 3:25 pm

One of my favorite souvenier t-shirts is from the HR Nairobi

kluau88 · Jul 3, 04, 4:14 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by obscure2k

One of my favorite souvenier t-shirts is from the HR Nairobi

Nairobi = Renegade = fake

There's a few other HRC collectors here on this board.

dhammer53 · Jul 3, 04, 4:26 pm

AAA members get 10% off.

satori · Jul 3, 04, 5:09 pm

I find the HRC Amsterdam to be a reliably good dining spot, near the Leidseplein. So many of the restaurants around Leidseplein are a rip-off with poor quality food and I've always had a decent meal when dining at the HRC.

civicmon · Jul 3, 04, 10:43 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by kluau88

Nairobi = Renegade = fake

There's a few other HRC collectors here on this board.

I collect t-shirts from cheesey chain establishments (though the last HRC I was at in La Jolla was pretty good), and the tackyier the better...

That being said....

I have a HRC shirts from Guangzhou, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.

A Hooters shirt from Buenos Aires

A Planet Hollywood shirt from Singapore. They have a Hooters there... had I known that....

I should probably order shirts from the other places I've been to but haven't gotten a chance to go into like KUL, LON, HKG etc.

I don't think HRC's are bad at all... the one in La Jolla is pretty good in fact for a decent bacon cheeseburger.

DaDOKin DC · Jul 3, 04, 11:56 pm

I just got into visiting the Hard Rock Cafe's in my travels.

I was recently in Singapore and did not think to get a T-shirt until after I left. From their Website, it did not seem they are for sale unless you are at the HRC itself.

Is there any way to get a Singapore HRC T-shirt? (besides eBAY, which I am considering).

NICK

kluau88 · Jul 4, 04, 12:05 am

It is against corporate policy for cafes to do any types of mail phone orders. The only way to get city specific merchandise is either have someone pick it up for you or eBay. They do sell city specific merchandise on the website although you don't get to pick the city and most of the stuff is clearance.

Xplorer76 · Jul 5, 04, 7:47 am

I work 200m away from HRC i Stockholm, it not so big, but nice service and a lot of big plasma screens to watch music on. They used to hava a big car in the seeling, but they rebulid the bar so the car is gone.

percussionking · Jul 5, 04, 10:38 am

Dallas has one. It seems kinda small on the inside but there is an upstairs with an excellent view of the stage and an outside area.

Zarcero · Jul 5, 04, 11:45 am

HRC? I guess I don't really care for them. Nevertheless I have visited several them and have found their burgeres to be pretty good. A lady friend collects memorabilia from them, so on one visit to Kuala Lumpur I picked up some of those long whiskey shot glasses for her.

I didn't like Planet Hollywood either.

My biggest objection to these types of places is the overly loud music.

Z

YVR Cockroach · Jul 7, 04, 6:37 pm

Souvenirs must be comparatively rare, since the location is long dead.

DaDOKin DC · Jul 9, 04, 6:19 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by kluau88

It is against corporate policy for cafes to do any types of mail phone orders. The only way to get city specific merchandise is either have someone pick it up for you or eBay. They do sell city specific merchandise on the website although you don't get to pick the city and most of the stuff is clearance.

Thanks for the confirmation, kluau88, I thought that was the case.
D@mn, not sure when SIN will be on my trip list again.
At least I can stop looking
and just consider eBay.

NICK