Can you really call yourself a celebrity if you haven't invested in a restaurant business? But while the name on the lease might draw curious customers to an old-school bar or a fine dining institution, these celebrity-owned restaurants are only as good as the food and drink they serve. So which famous person–backed diners, cafés, bars, and restaurants across the country are actually worth your money? Some might surprise you...
Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the most famous celebrity-owned restaurants in America, counting down to the best of all.
Our selections are based on genuine user reviews, awards and accolades, and the opinions of our team. They're also regularly checked and updated.
Ping pong club-meets-restaurant, SPiN is the perfect choice if you fancy a change from the usual drinks and dinner – and plan to work up an appetite beforehand. Now in eight US locations, plus one in Toronto, Canada, the laid-back and lively chain is part-owned by actress and activist Susan Sarandon, who helped launch the first club in Manhattan in 2009. The menu includes tacos, pizza, and sharing starters such as nachos and wings.
Made famous by the TV series of the same name, Wahlburgers is a joint venture between actor Mark Wahlberg and his brothers Donnie and Paul, the latter an experienced chef. As documented on the award-winning reality show, the family opened their first burger bar in 2011 in Hingham, Massachusetts, and now the franchise has 34 locations across the USA, as well as one in Canada, four in Australia, and two in New Zealand.
Country music singer and songwriter Dierks Bentley is the owner of American gastropub and go-to place for happening nightlife Whiskey Row, with locations in Scottsdale and Gilbert, Arizona, Denver, Colorado, and Nashville, Tennessee. On the menu are sliders in soft brioche buns, cheeseburgers, sandwiches, and chicken and waffles, to name a few options. The Nashville venue typically boasts an impressive lineup of country musicians, too.
Not one to shy away from business ventures, rock musician Sammy Hagar ('The Red Rocker') has also turned his hand to restaurants. Cabo Wabo Cantina, with locations in Las Vegas and Cabo San Lucas in Mexico, does Mexican-style quesadillas, shrimp dishes, enchiladas, and burritos, and has live music daily. Hagar also owns Sammy’s Beach Bar & Grill in Honolulu, Maui, Las Vegas, and Cleveland.
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Lisa Vanderpump and her husband, Ken Todd, once ran roughly 30 restaurants but now keep themselves busy running two successful spots in LA and two in Nevada. SUR in West Hollywood serves southern European dishes, while TOM TOM focuses on delicious cocktails and bar food in the same area. Wolf by Vanderpump is found at Harvey's Lake Tahoe, Nevada, and Pinky's by Vanderpump is in Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.
Best known for his role in HBO’s Generation Kill as Sergeant Antonio ‘Poke’ Espera, Jon Huertas is the owner of the Cali-Mex restaurant and bar Clutch Roadhouse in California’s Venice. Situated on Highway 1, the roadside spot is known for its dry-rubbed BBQ, motorcycles, and classic cars. Stop by for Taco Tuesday or check out the mighty MexiCali menu with options such as fire-grilled barbecue, seafood, tacos, tortas, and burgers.
This cozy Rhode Island restaurant, serving retro American comfort food, is owned by actress, model, and 2012's Miss Universe Olivia Culpo and her family. Situated on a country road in North Kingston, south of Providence, the building has been designed to feel like a restored barn and opened in 2017 to much fanfare. Stop by pastoral Back40 for a hearty plate of baked mac 'n' cheese, fried chicken sandwich, or crispy fish tacos.
In 2014, Modern Family actor Ty Burrell opened Beer Bar in Salt Lake City, Utah. He launched the venture with chef Viet Pham, winner of Food & Wine magazine’s Best New Chef award in 2011. Committed to using local ingredients, the bar serves spicy sausages, apple strudels, and Belgian fries, along with Pham’s signature 'Reuben Brat' sandwich with pastrami, bratwurst, Swiss cheese, and pickled vegetables. Burrell also owns the bar next door, Bar-X, with his brother Duncan.
Country singer Jimmy Buffett, who famously sings Margaritaville and songs about Caribbean island life, owns a global chain of hotels, resorts, casual-dining restaurants, and casinos under the same brand name. At Margaritaville, expect to fill up on Southern American classics: crispy fried wings with blue cheese, chicken quesadillas, nachos, and plenty of shrimp. Naturally, the restaurant has an extensive margarita menu.
She famously played a bartender in Coyote Ugly, but in real life, actress Piper Perabo co-owns several New York restaurants. Located in Soho, Chelsea, Williamsburg, Union Square, and West Village, the outposts of Jack’s Wife Freda serve tasty breakfasts, lunches, and dinners inspired by global cuisines. On the menu are classic burgers, salads, matzo ball soup, Persian meatballs with tahini, and chipotle chocolate cake. Perabo is also an investor in Employees Only, a speakeasy in West Village.
Big screen villain Danny Trejo, who starred in films including Spy Kids and Machete, is the man behind Trejo’s Tacos, which created a buzz when it first opened in 2016. With options such as blackened salmon, chicken tikka, and jackfruit on the menu, this isn’t your average taqueria. Get your taco fix at four different locations around Los Angeles (and one in the UK), or instead fuel up on coffee and donuts at Trejo’s Coffee and Donuts in Los Angeles.
Joanne Trattoria in Manhattan’s Upper West Side has all the feel of a traditional, family-run Italian trattoria. It’s run by Joseph and Cynthia Germanotta, Lady Gaga’s parents, who have Italian ancestry, but the singer and songwriter herself is said to be part owner. Both the restaurant and Gaga's album Joanne were named after Gaga's late aunt, Joanne. Stop by for house-made spaghetti and Italian meatballs.
Hugh Jackman was inspired to open his own café after meeting young coffee farmer Dukale during a trip to Ethiopia in 1999 with the charity World Vision. Laughing Man Coffee has a flagship café in New York City, where you can buy fair trade coffee, with all proceeds going to charitable programs that support health, housing, education, and fair trade farming. The brand has gone from strength to strength, recently undergoing a refresh and expanding the availability and varieties of its bagged coffees.
Located in Eminem's home city of Detroit, Mom's Spaghetti is named after a lyric from his famous 2002 hit Lose Yourself and has attracted plenty of attention from both fans and the media since it opened in late 2021. The menu at this hole-in-the-wall joint only features two items – the spaghetti sandwich and mom's spaghetti (available on its own or with meat or vegan meatballs). The famous rapper revealed that his favorite is the spaghetti sandwich.
Elon Musk has been threatening to open a diner in Los Angeles since 2018, but this dream really started to become a reality in early 2025. Musk's Tesla Diner & Drive-In is being built on the site of a former Shakey's Pizza – and construction is well underway. According to reports, the restaurant will eventually be open 24 hours a day and include two levels, two movie screens, some dining areas, and electric vehicle charging stations. Perhaps one day soon, it'll be a destination diner.
Actress Sandra Bullock closed her French restaurant Bess Bistro in 2015 after nine years but still owns Walton’s Fancy & Staple – a coffee shop, deli, bakery, restaurant, cocktail bar, and catering company in Austin, Texas. Opened in 2009 in a once-neglected building, it's a modern yet rustic space with exposed brickwork and wooden floors. Classic Southern dishes include biscuits and gravy and shrimp 'n' grits.
In 2022, superstar rapper Bad Bunny and restauranteur David Grutman joined forces to open Gekkō in Miami, Florida. The restaurant's name is inspired by the Japanese word for moonlight, and the whole joint takes its cue from that mysterious-sounding moniker. Fusing the best parts of a Japanese-style steakhouse and a lounge bar, Gekkō aims to offer great food, great vibes, and even greater nights out.
Got a flight to catch at Atlanta airport or LAX? Make sure you check in to Chicken+Beer, the Southern comfort-food diner owned by rapper Ludacris and named after his 2003 double-platinum album. Ludacris teamed up with chef Andrew Tabb to create the indulgent menu, which includes Luda’s Chicken and Waffles with maple syrup, sweet potato, and pecan chutney, and a fried chicken sandwich with pickles, slaw, and spicy mayo.
In 2007, the old Bedford Post Inn building in Bedford, New York was run down and neglected. So local residents Richard Gere, Carey Lowell, and Russell Hernandez came to the rescue and transformed the historic landmark into a luxury inn with eight bedrooms, a yoga loft, two restaurants, and an outdoor terrace. This includes The Barn, which serves casual breakfasts and brunches, and The Tavern, a restaurant with a large wood-fired grill. The place closed briefly in the 2020s and reopened in 2024 under new management.
At the award-winning Francis Ford Coppola Winery, you'll find so much more than vino. Located in Geyserville, California, this renowned resort from the acclaimed movie director promises ‘wine, food, and adventure’ with a vineyard, movie theater, swimming pool, and restaurant, Rustic. The menu includes traditional Italian dishes such as Neapolitan-style pizza and spaghetti al pomodoro. Coppola sold the entire venture to Delicato Family Wines in 2021, taking a seat on Delicato's board.
Robert De Niro co-founded high-end sushi restaurant Nobu in 1994. The actor and director teamed up with chef Nobu Matsuhisa for the opening of the original downtown New York restaurant, and the pair have since launched nearly 50 Nobu restaurants and hotels on five continents. Signature dishes include black cod with miso, rock shrimp tempura, and squid pasta with light garlic sauce.
Chip and Joanna Gaines, best-known from the HGTV series Fixer Upper, opened Magnolia Table in 2018. A vegetarian-friendly restaurant in Waco, Texas, it only serves breakfast and lunch with locally sourced ingredients and some produce grown in Joanna’s garden. Joanna has also written a cookbook based on the recipes served at the restaurant.
Scrubs actor Zach Braff is a partner in Mermaid Oyster Bar, a high-end seafood restaurant with coastal vibes in Greenwich, New York. Mermaid Oyster Bar is known for its oyster happy hour and lobster rolls, but it also has some tempting cocktails, such as Mermaid Mule, Black Pearl, and Tidal Wave. The restaurant has several sister restaurants around New York City, all of which give off the same good-time vibes.
Ralph Lauren’s Polo Bar in New York is one of three restaurants the fashion designer owns. It opened in 2015, joining RL Restaurant in Chicago and Ralph’s in Paris (not to mention Lauren's coffee shops and bars). Expect to dine on the designer’s favorite dishes, including shrimp cocktail and the signature Polo Bar Burger, while drinking classic cocktails.
Since his days as the greatest NBA player of all time, retired basketball player Michael Jordan has turned to other interests, including his many business ventures. He owns three Michael Jordan’s Steak Houses across the US (in Chicago, Connecticut, and Washington State) and one in South Korea. The restaurants serve prime 45-day dry-aged steak to the athlete's standard.
When chef Ben Benameur prepared his grandmother’s Moroccan recipes for Ryan Gosling, the Hollywood actor told him it was “food [he] would eat every day for the rest of [his] life.” With nowhere else in Los Angeles serving similar dishes, the pair decided to launch Tagine Beverly Hills in 2004. With candlelit tables and jazz music, the romantic venue is now one of the top-rated celebrity-backed restaurants in LA.
Reality TV stars Giuliana and Bill are the ultimate business partners and husband-and-wife celebrity duo. Bill was the first Apprentice winner and Giuliana is an E! News anchor (the couple met in an interview), but they decided to focus their skills on the restaurant industry. RPM Italian is a contemporary Italian restaurant with a focus on sharing dishes, fresh pasta, slow-roasted meats, and seafood, with locations in Chicago, Las Vegas, Washington, DC, and West Palm Beach. They’re also the co-owners of RPM Steak and RPM Seafood, both in Chicago.
Walking Dead actor Norman Reedus and director Greg Nicotero teamed up to open Nic & Norman's in Senoia, Georgia, where the TV series was filmed. Among the all-American classics on the menu, you’ll find cheesesteaks, meatloaf, fried chicken, and gourmet burgers, including a bison patty burger with Cheddar, caramelized onions, applewood smoked bacon, and the house N&N sauce. There are now more locations in Greenville, South Carolina, Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Lexington and Louisville, Kentucky.
Nicholas Braun made his name as 'Cousin Greg' in Succession, but did you know he also has a thriving side hustle in the restaurant business? Dive bar–inspired Ray's delivers a slice of old-school Americana in New York City; Pebble Bar is an upmarket cocktail spot located in the Rockefeller Center townhouse; the legendary no-frills diner S&P Lunch serves classic sandwiches and bakes; and Jac’s On Bond is a seriously cool NoHo spot that's the perfect place for a bite to eat and a well-made cocktail. All are the perfect cure for the old rumblin' tum, as Cousin Greg might say.
Anybody who's been following The Bachelor will know Ashley Iaconetti and Jared Haibon, but did you know they own a coffee shop in Rhode Island? The pair chose the location because it's in Haibon's home state, and Audrey’s Coffee House & Lounge supports local suppliers and small businesses. It's open for breakfast and lunch every day of the week, and on Friday, the highly rated joint stays open late into the night.
Jon Bon Jovi and his wife Dorothea opened the non-profit community restaurant JBJ Soul Kitchen in 2011 to help "address the issues of hunger and homelessness" in Red Bank, New Jersey. Following its success, the couple opened two more outposts at Toms River, Rutgers University, and New Jersey City University. Diners are offered the chance to make a suggested donation for their meal or buy a 'Pay It Forward certificate' for an additional $20, with the money going towards feeding others in need. Those short of cash can volunteer their time in lieu of payment.
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