8 of the Most Unusual Restaurants in the World
Restaurants are places that we go to enjoy a nice meal, socialize with family and friends, enjoy a romantic date with our significant other, and celebrate various occasions. However, there are some restaurants that are so unusual that they attract various visitors throughout the country and even the world. It could be the design or the dining environment that makes a restaurant different, among many other things. People who visit these places may simply be curious, or they may wish to escape from the ordinary and enjoy a fun, unique, and memorable experience.
The following are eight of these bizarre, yet very cool restaurants.
Haohai Robot Restaurant
The first thing you would probably notice when walking into the Haohai Robot Restaurant in Harbin, China is robots carrying trays of food to tables. That's right- it is robots, not humans, that wait on diners at this restaurant (They address each guest as 'Earth Person'). Not only do they serve tables, but they also cook the food. There is even a robot that entertains guests by singing to them.
Each robot cost the American equivalent of $31,500 to $47,000, although eating at the restaurant is quite cheap, only $6 to $10.
Ithaa Undersea Restaurant
You can enjoy a good meal while being surrounded by marine creatures at all sides of you at the Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa in Rangalifinolhu, Maldives. The restaurant, name Ithaa, is situated five meters below the Indian Ocean and is the world's first all-glass underwater restaurant. It is encased in transparent acrylic, which offers guests a 270 degree panoramic view of breathtaking ocean scenery.
The Ithaa Undersea Restaurant can seat up to fourteen people.
Dubai Ice Bar
As the name suggests, almost everything at the Ice Bar in Dubai is made out of ice. This includes the tables, chairs, plates, glasses, and even the bar itself. It is the first restaurant of its kind in the Middle East region (though other ice restaurants already existed in different parts of the world prior to the building of the bar in Dubai).
Just make sure to dress extra warm before visiting, as temperatures at the restaurant fall below zero degrees Celsius (32° F)!
Mahika Mano Hammock Cafe
You can enjoy a relaxing experience at the Mahika Mano Hammock Cafe in Tokyo, Japan. Instead of sitting in chairs, guests lay back in hammocks while sipping a tasty drink. The hammocks come in various colors and sizes; some can fit a group of people, while others are just large enough to accommodate a lone visitor seeking relaxation.
The cafe also doubles as a showroom for a Japanese company that designs hammocks, so guests not only can relax in the hammocks, but they can purchase them as well.
Kayabukiya Tavern
If you thought robots waiting on guests was cool, what about monkeys? At Kayabukiya Tavern in Utsunomiya- located north of Tokyo, Japan- that is exactly what you would see. Adorned in little black-and-white checkered shirts, these adorable monkeys offer hot towels to newly seated customers (They don't cook nor serve the food, though). The monkeys work a maximum of two hours per day and receive yummy boiled soy beans as compensation.
It is best to visit the restaurant in the early evening, as that is when you will have the highest chance of seeing the monkeys in action.
Calico Cat Cafe
At Calico Cafe in Tokyo, Japan, you can do more than sip tea; you can pet and play with one (or more) of approximately twenty cats. Calico is a type of cat cafe, a growing trend in Japan. People often visit these cafes after a stressful day of work to relax with a hot drink and a bunch of purring felines. Cat cafes are also great places for those who are not able to have cats because they live in apartments that do not allow pets.
When visiting the Calico Cat Cafe, just make sure to follow these rules: no cat nip, and do not pet cats wearing ribbons (This indicates that they are still too young) nor those that resist your advances.
Waterfall Restaurant
The Waterfall Restaurant in San Pablo City, Philippines is named so for a good reason: it is literally situated right at the foot of a waterfall called Labasin Falls. At this restaurant, which is part of the Villa Escudero resort, visitors get to enjoy popular Filipino dishes while fresh spring water runs over their feet. People can even sit or lay down under the falls if they wish (That would definitely make for a great photo)!
Dinner in the Sky
Dinner in the Sky is clearly not a typical restaurant. In fact, it is really a platform that is lifted up to 180 feet into the air. Twenty-two guests are strapped into seats, which are secured to a dining table, and enjoy meals served by waitstaff while taking in the scenery (However, those who are not fond of heights might feel their meal coming back up again).
Dinner in the Sky is based in Belgium, although its services are available in fifteen nations.
© Jennzie at HubPages, 2012
