Is it the decor? Or is the fame? Or is it gasp…the food? You walk into Margaritaville, looking to have a nice dinner with the family. Instead you walk into Jimmy Buffet’s restaurant feeling as if you are on an island, hearing catchy songs to set the ambiance, “Cheeseburger in paradise, Heaven on earth with an onion slice, not too particular, not too precise, I’m just a cheeseburger in paradise.” You make your way further into the restaurant, to the bar, to order a one of Jimmy Buffet’s famous margaritas, and as you take your first sip, the juice-filed-volcano behind the bartender explodes with a never-ending wealth of margarita juice as it does every half hour. Jimmy Buffet, singer, songwriter, author, and now, businessman, has created a chain of successful restaurants with an island feel to them. Buffet’s Margaritaville brand name has expanded to other areas, such as Margaritaville Casino and Resort and Margaritaville Tequila.
Other famous celebrities, have gone down the same path and tried to become successful business owners in the same way Buffet has. Sylvester Stallone’s Planet Hollywood, a copycat of the world renowned Hard Rock Café, has also been quite successful, luring in fans of celebrities for the run of the mill American food. Or Michael Jordan’s Steakhouse in NYC, where you are served basketball-player sized portions in an NBA ambiance. However, while dining in these restaurants, which I have myself, you cannot help but feel as if you are constantly reminded of the celebrity owner.
These restaurants lie in stark contrast to those restaurants such as Buca di Beppo, Nobu, Tribecca Grill, and Southern Hospitality. Sitting down to dine at one of those restaurants, you come as a fan of the cuisine, not the celebrity. Whereas, many people go to Margaritaville because they know it is Jimmy Buffet’s restaurant, many people dinning at Nobu or Tribecca Grill would not know that Robert De Niro owns the restaurant, that Justin Timberlake owns Southern Hospitality, or that Danny Devito owns Buca di Beppo.
Some celebrities (or former celebrities may I say) are using the restaurant business to regain their fame and to make money, while others own restaurants for the customers to have a good, enjoyable meal. Robert De Niro actually cares about serving his customers with unbeatable cuisine, as it has become a favorite of Leonardo Dicaprio and Madonna.
But what choice to make? Not to say that Michael Jordan’s Steak House is totally lacking in culinary expertise, but it is surely not acquiring any Michelin Stars or getting at the top of the Zagat’s Survey. Nobu surely blows it out of the water in that category. One goes to restaurants such as Michael Jordan’s Steak House or Margaritaville as a fan of Michael or Jimmy, the overwhelming ambiance, and the prestige of dining in a restaurant that boasts celebrity ownership. On the other hand, dining at the Tribecca Grill or Nobu, one goes for the renowned chefs, the never-ending wine list, and the mouth-watering fare. I have dined at both types personally, and left Jimmy Buffet’s humming “Margaritaville,” wondering if I have enough of him on my ipod, whereas leaving Tribecca Grill no thoughts of the movie Casino ran through my head. Bottom line, for food always err towards the understated celebrity ownership, but for family fun go big.