When they’re not busy making films, recording music or setting sporting records, many stars seem to invest in their own restaurant business. Whether in New York City, Los Angeles or Las Vegas, there tends to be a classy celebrity-owned restaurant in most major cities around the United States. If you’re keen to eat a meal that has at least a partial connection to your favorite star, read on for five top restaurants you might like to check out.
Jay Z — 40/40 Club, New York City
Musician, producer and entrepreneur Jay Z opened his 40/40 Club in New York City more than 10 years ago, and the venue is still going strong. The 12,000-square-foot luxury sports bar (that also doubles as a night club with a popular restaurant to boot) is the perfect place for sports lovers to visit.
40/40 was named after the baseball feat of hitting 40 home runs and stealing 40 bases in a single season that only four of the sport’s players in history have achieved. The club pairs its baseball theme with plenty of style as well — on top of the gold baseball bats hanging on the walls, the venue features chandeliers strung from gold cables, box-style seating, and hundreds of gold Champagne bottles set up around the bar. In addition, 40/40 provides patrons with access to private rooms that are fitted with pieces of sporting memorabilia, as well as billiard tables. The club serves a variety of American sports-bar cuisine that includes beef short ribs, southern fried shrimp and Buffalo wings.
Michael Jordan — The Steak House, New York City
Another great venue for sports fans to visit is basketball legend Michal Jordan’s restaurant, The Steak House N.Y.C. The venue is one of a number of food-based businesses that Jordan has invested in as part of the Cornerstone Restaurant Group. The restaurant opened in 1998 and is located within the landmark Grand Central Terminal in New York City.
Train lovers and history buffs love to eat at the venue to enjoy the atmosphere and setting that pays homage to luxurious train travel of the past. The venue has a layout that resembles a dining car, and it serves up a number of “Historic Cocktails” that are named after trains or routes that were once travelled. Food-wise, The Steak House menu features meals that include not just red meat but also seafood and other classic dishes. Famous food reviewer Ruth Reichl considers the venue a “new kind of celebrity restaurant,” so patrons are sure to enjoy their meal and the ambience on a visit to the establishment.
Ryan Gosling — Tagine, Los Angeles
Fans of Hollywood heartthrob Ryan Gosling will want to schedule in a visit to the Los Angeles–based restaurant Tagine that the actor invested in a few years ago. If you’re hoping to eat in a venue part-owned by Gosling, book a flight to Los Angeles on a website like Flights.com and then head to Beverly Hills. Fitted out with plush banquettes, photographs taken by portraitist Dan Winters, and many handmade mirrors, Tagine serves up modern Moroccan cuisine. The head chef at the restaurant, and Gosling’s partner in the business, is a cook that the actor first met when sampling catered food on set. The two men became good friends and, not long after, restaurant partners as well.
Eva Longoria — SHe by Morton’s, Las Vegas
Although actress Eva Longoria used to be famous as one of the desperate housewives, these days she also owns what is labeled as a “female-friendly boutique steakhouse” in Las Vegas. The restaurant opened just last year and is situated within The Shops at Crystals, at Aria Hotel. The venue combines fine dining with fashion and music and features runway fashion shows, opulent decor, private dining rooms, and an indoor/outdoor lounge. To cater to female clientele, SHe serves up smaller portion sizes, and mirrors located on dessert menus to help patrons reapply their lipstick without having to even leave the table.
Robert De Niro — Nobu, New York City
Robert De Niro is one of the most prolific celebrity restaurant owners, having been the co-founder of a large number of venues over the years. One of the most renowned is the very first Nobu restaurant that opened in New York City in 1994. The establishment is the flagship venue in the Nobu brand that has world-famous chef Nobuyuki “Nobu” Matsuhisa at the helm. De Niro invested in and co-founded the restaurant with Nobu and restaurateur Drew Nieporent, and it has been a hit with patrons since it first opened. Serving up modern and innovative cuisine in the hip suburb of Tribeca, the restaurant has received a Michelin Star and been awarded three stars from The New York Times.
