While we can’t actually apparate to Diagon Alley, journey to Middle Earth, or take an elevator ride to Mount Olympus, there are some fandom-y places grounded in reality that can give us a glimpse of the fictional worlds we wish we could escape to so badly. Specifically, how about some restaurants, hangouts, and bars? So many TV shows these days have iconic public eateries as a part of their regular sets, and a few of these either truly exist, or the restaurants that inspired the fictional versions do. So, if you’re planning a new year holiday, check and see if any of these locales are on your route, because stopping may provide the emotional respite you’re looking for.
MacLaren’s Pub from How I Met Your Mother
If you’re in New York City and want a place to grab a drink and pretend that Marshall and Lily are on their way, check out McGee’s Pub on 240 West 55th Street, just a few blocks from Central Park, and not too far from Rockefeller Center. When creating MacLaren’s, How I Met Your Mother creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas took elements from four different bars they frequented in their youth, but McGee’s was the basis for the atmosphere of the fictional hot spot. The real life restaurant offers “How I Met Your Mother Mondays” with a specialty menu including items like: “The Best Burger in New York,” “The Bro Code Combo,” and “TedMosbyIsAJerk.com.” So, if grabbing a brewski and chatting it up with some friends is on your itinerary, you’ll need to stop at McGee’s.
Central Perk from Friends
While you can’t visit the actual Central Perk, at least you can visit the Friends Experience while you’re in NYC. There’s a replica restaurant where you can order all kinds of fun, tasty, Friends-themed delicacies, and then you can wander through the exhibits which include the insanely iconic apartment where all the action took place and the wedding chapel where Ross and Rachel tied the knot. It’s the ultimate experience for Friends fans, and a definite must if you’re in or near New York City. Sit on that awesome orange couch at 130 East 23rd St (Corner of East 23rd St & Lexington Ave) and live out all your grandest Friends memories. Oh, and good news Texas-based Friends fans: there’s a Dallas location, too!
Mystic Grill from The Vampire Diaries
Now, if you’re taking a trip down south, particularly in the Atlanta, GA area, you’ll want to make sure to visit the Mystic Grill in Covington, GA, especially if you’re a fan of The Vampire Diaries. They’ve famously been used in shooting all the shows in the TVD universe at one time or another, and have a fantastic location to check out the town square area, which has been used time and time again for all kinds of supernatural show hijinks. They have a full bar, so you can order a bourbon and sit, maybe even imagining a ghostly vampire presence at the next barstool. And if you’d like to absorb the scenery, sidewalk seating and their rooftop seating gives you a great view of the entire Covington area, including the visually stunning clocktower right next door. So, whether you are there for a Vampire Diaries fan tour or are just driving through, this is a fantastic place to grab a bite or a drink, and just take in the iconic atmosphere around you.
Cheers from Cheers
Are you looking for a Boston bar where everybody knows your name? Well, then the Cheers Bar is the place for you. This Beacon HIll location served as the inspiration for the Ted Danson comedy’s setting, back when it was the Bull & Finch Pub. Now, it’s a hub of Cheers fan fun, selling merchandise and themed food, on a menu broken into sections like “Sam’s Starters,” “Norm’s Sandwiches,” and “Diane’s Entrees” to name a few. It’s another great place to take a break from the hustle and bustle of travel, whether Boston is your final destination or just a pit stop on your way.
The Crown and Anchor from Ted Lasso
The newest entry to our list of great fictional restaurants is a home away from home for Ted Lasso and his assistant coach, Beard. Known on the show as The Crown and Anchor, the real restaurant is called The Prince’s Head and is located at 28 The Green, in Richmond in the United Kingdom. It’s actually right down the street from the exterior to Ted’s apartment and all the sights you see on screen. It’s a cozy, 300 year old place, and a perfect spot to relax for a bit. If you’re really quiet, you can probably imagine the sounds of darts hitting the board, and Mae yelling at Richmond fans to keep it down. Ted Lasso may be a new show, but using locations like The Prince’s Head gives the show that weathered feel you can only get in the UK.
Pop’s Chock’lit Shoppe from Riverdale
We’ve had plenty of bars and pubs, but what about a great milkshake? Then a stop at the diner from the Riverdale pilot is next on our tour. While the Pop’s Chock’lit Shoppe you see nowadays on screen was built in a parking lot for filming, the scenes from the pilot were shot on location at Rocko’s Diner, 32786 Lougheed Highway in Mission, BC. Riverdale isn’t the only show to use Rocko’s but it is the most iconic these days. You can sit in Archie and Jughead’s booth and envision what it would look like if a bunch of Southside Serpents came buzzing up on their bikes for a quick bite. So, if you’re driving up north and need a sweet treat, you can get an Archie Shake and pretend for a moment you’re thinking all those crazy Riverdale thoughts.
JJ’s Diner from Parks and Recreation
Last, but most certainly never least, is the one, the only, JJ’s Diner. Made famous by Leslie Knope and Ron Swanson’s dedication to their food, this Parks and Recreation hotspot does have a real world counterpart, well, two actually. The exteriors come from a place in Atlanta, GA, called The Landmark Diner, but the interior shots come from an actual restaurant as well. Sadly, you can’t order your waffles and other assorted breakfast foods at Four ‘N 20 Restaurant in Sherman Oaks, CA, anymore, since they closed thanks to COVID-19, but maybe whoever buys the place next will enshrine it as JJ’s Diner forever. But, at least you can stop at Landmark Diner and take your picture outside, and maybe order some breakfast food in Ron’s honor. All the bacon and eggs they have, maybe?