Best Big-City Restaurants for Celebrity Spotting
Though you may not roll with a celebrity entourage, you can at least pretend like you do at popular A-lister restaurants across the U.S. Rub shoulders with the glitterati at their favorite dining spots -- don't worry, we won't blame you for sneaking a selfie or two between bites of your dinner. Here's a round-up of some of America's hottest, big-city hangouts for celebrities.
Spotted Pig -- New York City
Courtesy Spotted Pig
Owned by Michelin-starred chef April Bloomfield and celebrity chef Mario Batali, the Spotted Pig has been a culinary sensation since first opening its doors in New York City's West Village neighborhood. Beyond the cozy gastropub's reputation for brilliant food, the restaurant's dining area is a who's who of A-listers. Some of the celebrities who've chowed down here include Kanye West, Taylor Swift, Jay Z and Beyonce, Ryan Gosling and Jake Gyllenhal. To give the restaurant even more celeb cred, Kanye tweeted after the 2015 Grammy's, "If you wanna have a drink with me, book a table at the Spotted Pig when I'm back in NY." What to order? Deviled eggs, devils on horseback, sheep’s milk ricotta gnudi with basil pesto.
RPM Italian -- Chicago
It's been said RPM Italian's motto could be, "For celebrities, by celebrities!" Former E! Network host Giuliana Rancic and her husband, real estate mogul Bill Rancic are the owners of Chicago's trendy RPM Italian -- and celebrities in their own right. Though you might spy Giuliana shaking up cocktails behind the bar on special occasions, diners also stand a chance of seeing other stars in their midst, from local sports sensations to Hollywood actors, and musicians. Some notable figures who have dined here include Lady Gaga, First Lady Michelle Obama, Michael Jordan, Cindy Crawford, and Lisa Marie Presley. What to order? Popular dishes for celebs and regular folks alike include wood-grilled octopus, 38-oz. prime dry-aged bistecca fiorentina, and prime beef meatballs.
Prime 112 -- Miami, Florida
Courtesy Prime 112
There's no shortage of sexy, stylish nightlife in Magic City, which may explain why the sultry city attracts scores of celebrities on the see-and-be-seen circuit. If you're hoping to ogle the 1 percenters, head to their favorite Miami Beach hangout: Prime 112. Billing itself as America's first modern steakhouse, the restaurant dishes up the city's finest cuts of dry-aged beef, lamb and Kobe beef sliders to an ever-rotating cast of A-list clientele. Glitterati sightings include Oprah Winfrey, Bill Clinton, Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen, Leonardo DiCaprio, Alex Rodriguez , Dwayne Wade, NFL team owners Jeff Lurie and Jerry Jones. What to order? The steaks, of course! Plus, save room for truffled lobster mac and cheese and fried oreos with French vanilla ice cream.
Chateau Marmont -- Los Angeles
The legendary Chateau Marmont rises above Los Angeles's storied Sunset Strip like a white castle in the hills. Since the 1920s the famed hotel and its restaurant and bar have played host to some of the world's most famous, including Errol Flynn, Bob Dylan, Clark Gable, Paul Newman, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Jim Morrison, Marilyn Monroe, Boris Karloff and Mick Jagger. Today the spot has yet to lose any of its star appeal, and it's possible to spy stars like Jennifer Lopez, Leah Rimini, Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper and Robert Pattinson dining or drinking in the Chateau's hallowed halls. What to order? Dig into the popular Chateau burger, bucatini with clams or the iceberg wedge salad.
Blue Duck Tavern -- Washington DC
When the President of the United States of America dines somewhere, you know it's gotta be good. Tucked inside the Park Hyatt hotel in Georgetown, the Blue Duck Tavern is a beacon for celebrities staying within the Beltway. Everyone from politicos to movie stars and musicians have come to this see-and-be-seen hotspot. Famous folks who have sat at the Blue Duck's coveted tables include Barack and Michelle Obama, Oprah, Gayle King, Ben Affleck, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson. What to order: Wood oven-roasted bone marrow and pan-roasted rockfish from the nearby Chesapeake Bay.
Andrea's -- Las Vegas
Barbara Kraft
Amidst the glitz and glam of Las Vegas's Wynn Resort and Casino, lies the award-winning, Asian-inspired Andrea's restaurant. The celeb-magnet overlooks the Encore Beach Club pool, and brings a sexy nightclub appeal to meals as diners enjoy slick beats from a nearby DJ. The laundry list of celebs who have paid Andrea's a visit reads like a Grammy's, Emmy's or Oscar's roll call: Lady Gaga and boyfriend Taylor Kinney, George Clooney, Martha Stewart, Billy Joel, Ashley Greene, Elijah Wood, Mario Lopez, and "Sports Illustrated" models Chrissy Teigen and Katherine Webb. What to order? The Wagyu beef and lobster roll, New York strip steak with wasabi demi glacé, or five-spice garlic lobster.
It's the gospel truth: Sister Louisa's is an Atlanta icon where you're likely to find yourself admiring a kitschy religious-themed art collection and drinking a cheap beer while rubbing elbows with the latest celeb to visit the ATL. Better known to locals as, "The Church," Sister Louisa's is housed in a 2,100-square-foot loft that's chock full of bric-a-brac, including a mind-boggling collection of hundreds of paint-by-number religious paintings. Recent celebrity sightings include Lady Gaga, Ben Stiller and Jonah Hill. What to order? This super-chill bar is known for cheap beer; plan to grab a PBR tall boy, or a Miller High Life before hitting up the ping pong tables.