The Favorite Restaurants Of 13 Legendary '80s Celebrities

Even the biggest '80s celebrities are just like everyone else. They have their butlers put their gold-plated pants on for them one leg at a time before they count their cash and throw coins to their faithful followers — you know, the usual. So it's no surprise that many of these showbiz luminaries enjoy eats and treats at their favorite restaurants, the same as the rest of us. Do they get last-minute tables without reservations and tip 60% no matter what the bill comes to? Probably; it's hard to say with celebrities, especially those who came up in the '80s, when everything was larger than life, especially the hairstyles.

Maybe you've seen your favorite '80s superstars popping into their cherished eateries when their cooks have the day off. If you're lucky, you've spied Cher at Serendipity 3, NYC's legacy dessert shop, or hung out with "Conan the Barbarian" himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger, as he pressed flesh with the public at Ohio's own Schmidt's Sausage Haus. And if you've bumped into Madonna at Cantina Caruso in Kent, England, it's probably because there's only one table there. Aren't celebrities wild? 

If you've ever wondered which restaurants the most stellar '80s celebrities hold near and dear to their diamond-crusted hearts, this map of the stars' favorite eateries is just what you need to quell your curiosity. Get on your platinum-lined slippers, recline in your French silk hammock, and discover where the brightest stars of the neon decade spend their dining dollars.  

You might picture John McClane from "Die Hard" as more of a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy. And for '80s action hero and all-around superstar Bruce Willis, who immortalized the character, you'd be absolutely correct. Specifically, Willis is a known fan of the cheesesteaks at Roman Pantry, a New Jersey establishment that slings some of the state's best hoagie-style bites. Willis is one of the Garden State's biggest success stories, so a comfort locale close to his roots is a natural fit. Not coincidentally, Roman Pantry in Penns Grove happens to be close to Willis' home town of Carneys Point.

The restaurant serves cheesesteaks with the traditional toppings — peppers, onions, American cheese — but also thinks outside the box with marinara and mozzarella for a pizza-style grinder. And the fact that Willis' endorsement is shown proudly on the Roman Pantry website is testimony that the actor thinks the eatery serves "the best cheesesteaks on the planet." That's mighty high praise from an '80s icon who can eat anywhere on the planet he chooses — and likely has over the years.

For a taste of authentic European cooking, "Terminator" star Arnold Schwarzenegger drops by Schmidt's Sausage Haus in Ohio. The German-themed eatery has been around since 1886, when it began as a Columbus meat-packing plant. Five generations later, Schmidt's is a homey diner callback to the megastar's Austrian upbringing, serving rich, savory dishes that bring a taste of Europe to the American heartland.

The restaurant jumped onto its Facebook page to post photos of a visit from the ex-governor of California. It's a yearly ritual for Schwarzenegger to stop in at Schmidt's whenever he's in town for the Arnold Sports Fest and his body building competition, the Arnold Classic. Snapshots abound online of fans making merry with the superstar during his visits. For Columbus celebrity watchers on the search for a superstar to light up their Instagram accounts, it seems like Arnie is one to count on year after year (but we'll skip the "I'll be back" reference ... it's too obvious).

The Material Girl herself could have her pick of any restaurant on the planet, but Madonna gravitates toward Cantina Caruso in the seaside English seaside town of Margate when she's hungry for a bite with a sip of wine. This Kent-based spot has become a regular stop for the "Like a Virgin" singer when she's in town between personal and professional jaunts around the world.

Cantina Caruso opened in 2018 as a companion restaurant to the rustic Italian spot Bottega Caruso. It quickly made an impression, though Madonna has played coy on social media about how much she loves the deli and wine bar, refusing to reveal its name so she could keep it all for herself. It's not for nothing she's holding her cards close to her chest though; the spot is so small, there's only one table, and an influx of Madonna fans hoping to catch a glimpse of the superstar would ruin the intimate atmosphere — and most likely drive Madonna elsewhere.

Rocker Jon Bon Jovi doesn't need to go out of range to find his favorite restaurant. He just pops into JBJ Soul Kitchen, his own award-winning New Jersey eatery, where he can be seen helping behind the counter and helping wash dishes to keep his working class foundation intact. It's an opportunity for him to stay connected to his roots while being available to his public in an unexpectedly visible way for such a well-known and charitable '80s celebrity.

JBJ Soul Kitchen opened in 2011 as an outreach to the community's most in-need residents. Bon Jovi and wife Dorothea, who runs the four-location chain, chose a unique model for the operation: Patrons pay what they can and even contribute labor by washing dishes or helping clean up in exchange for their meals. In addition to taking care of locals, the restaurant has achieved Best of the Best status on TripAdvisor, an honor reserved for the top 1% best-reviewed restaurants in the nation.

It's no fly-by-night affair for pop goddess Cher and her affinity for Serendipity 3, New York's dessert-only restaurant. The Oscar winner has frequented the sweet spot for decades, sampling the goods as popular tastes and trends in confections have evolved. She confided to Jimmy Fallon during an appearance on his show that she'd been visiting the shop since she was 19 years old (via TikTok). Even when the regulars can't get in, Cher told Fallon, her "seniority" ensures her admission.

Serendipity 3 has been in operation since 1954, launching an expansion with a Times Square location in 2024. Cher and Fallon shared one of the restaurant's famous Frrrozen Hot Chocolates with its powdery secret ingredient, which just happened to be the 30 millionth order of the iconic treat and coincided with Serendipity 3's 70th anniversary. The restaurant also featured commemorative Frrrozen Hot Chocolate art purses covered in 2,500 multicolored crystals to honor the '80s superstar and her decades-long devotion. Maybe they'll come up with a custom Cher-endipity dessert to celebrate the 80th.

When you have the world at your beck and call, it's important to find a nook like Perreca's Bakery just beyond Hudson Valley in to duck into for snacks and meals. That's why Jack Nicholson counts the bake shop as his prime restaurant pick. It's been a favorite since he discovered the eatery in 1987 while on location filming "Ironweed." It was a fortuitous meeting that connected Nicholson to a special creation that would seem to change his life forever. 

What delicacy from the Schenectady bake shop could have so completely captivated the Oscar-winning actor that he can't do without it? Apparently, the bread is something he lives for, roping his inner circle into the baked goods supply chain. Perreca's often receives friends of Nicholson's who passed through on their way for a visit and make a stop to bring the "Witches of Eastwick" star fresh loaves. According to co-owner Maria Papa, these travelers are instructed not to show up at Nicholson's house without bread in hand. That's some serious restaurant devotion.

Would you expect everyman celebrity Tom Hanks to cherish a posh restaurant more than he adores the simple burger-based pleasures of In-N-Out? Of course not, which is why it makes perfect sense that this old-fashioned meat-and-potatoes fast food chain rates as one of his favorites. Obviously, he's not alone; even if there are so many people who hate In-N-Out fries, the burger shop is a hit with fans of straightforward fast food, and Hanks appears to be one of them.

The "Big" star spoke up about his In-N-Out affection during an appearance on "Mythical Kitchen," where he clued in host Josh Scherer on the status of the L.A.X. In-N-Out location as the busiest restaurant in the world. Hanks had read that travelers from around the globe head to the locale for a taste of what he calls the "best mass produced cheese Double Double with everything" (via Facebook). It's a food item he'd have as part of his last meal — though he and Scherer nearly forgot to dig into the In-N-Out bag that had been ordered for the episode.

Plant eater Danny Glover heads to Vegan Mob to get his fill of cruelty-free dining. The legendary "Lethal Weapon" actor latched onto the creative plant-based Northern California eatery, where meatless BBQ is the house specialty. Musician Toriano Gordon launched Vegan Mob with a single brick-and-mortar Oakland location in 2019, and while that restaurant is no longer around, there are two others serving up vegan brisket and mac & cheese to comfort food-loving customers. It sounds like one of the best fast-food restaurants to dine at if you're vegan and in search of rich dishes that emphasize enjoyment.

To help Vegan Mob gain even more visibility while showing his love for the animal-free eatery, Glover lent his star power by appearing in ads for the restaurant. One of the clever campaigns was called "Lethal Vegan" and spoofed Glover's well-known Murtaugh character from the movie franchise. It was so popular it spawned a sequel, letting Glover relive his glory days as an '80s action star while helping out his favorite restaurant. The Hollywood connection seems to be working; Vegan Mob also has a food truck, a published cookbook, and a line of grocery store vegan meals in the works.

When she was still kicking around Switzerland as one of the country's most glorified celebrity citizens, Tina Turner was a fan of Rico's. Turner could often be seen seated for a meal — and naturally, her presence was noticed. As Rico's owner Rico Zandonella told People after Turner's 2023 death, "You can't imagine the looks, the people dropping their forks and knives, when they saw who it was entering the restaurant."

Indeed, it was likely quite a sight to see Turner and husband Erwin Bach taking a seat in the dining room. Rico's is located in Küsnacht, a small Swiss municipality which is home to only 13,000 people. Turner latched on to Rico's after a surprise party for the singers 60th birthday, which featured a surprise performance by friend Lionel Richie. Turner loved the lemongrass and langoustine soup, and the meat seasoned with Asian spices. But more than a patron, she became chummy with Zandonella, who regarded her death as the loss of a friend.

Supermodel and '80s icon Cindy Crawford makes no bones about her passion for the sensational sushi served at Nobu. She's been a fan of owner and chef Nobu Matsuhisa since he opened his pre-Nobu restaurant, Beverly Hills' Matsuhisa, in 1987, when Crawford was gracing fashion magazine covers at the height of her fame. She followed him to Nobu, which she has since been a fan of for many years.

Crawford is such a Nobu diehard, the restaurant even named a dish after her — and she's the only celebrity to receive such an honor. Owner and chef Nobu Matsuhisa dubbed a tempura dish called kakiage "Cindy Rice" to show his appreciation for Crawford's support. It's only known by that name in the L.A. location, though; Crawford was met with blank stares by staff at Nobu in NYC when she ordered her namesake dish.

It's one thing for a mega-star like Robert De Niro to have been a regular at the chef's counter at Matsuhisa in Beverly Hills in the late '80s. It's something altogether different for De Niro to have felt so strongly about Nobu Matsuhisa's eponymous restaurant that he offered to become a partner in the business and help open the first branch of Nobu in New York City, which he did in 1994. When a celebrity with his kind of high-wattage star power puts his money where his mouth is, the endorsement resonates with other celebrities as well as his fan base.

To convince owner Matsuhisa to branch out on the East Coast, De Niro became a partner in the operation, leading to an entire hospitality and dining enterprise that now includes Nobu locations around the world, as well as a chain of luxe hotels, allowing Nobu to cook in paradise. But when it comes to actually eating at Nobu, De Niro's favorites include rock shrimp and black cod, specialties that also happen to come as part of the perks of ownership. 

He keeps his happenings much quieter now, but '80s Hollywood legend Richard Gere still draws a little attention when he glides into Áurea for a bite to eat. Located in Madrid's posh La Moraleja neighborhood, the Spanish dining room is the site of Mediterranean culinary magic. The eatery opened in September 2024, and the world-famous actor and activist quickly became a regular when he and his wife Alejandra gave up life in Connecticut and moved across the pond to Spain's capital.

Seafood dishes like tuna tartare and red shrimp carpaccio are a heavenly match for the seaside scenery. Gere's well-known Buddhist practices include his following a vegetarian diet, which means he likely indulges in Áurea's thoughtful produce-based risottos and salads – seriously delicious plant-based meals served in a soothing atmosphere. It's a culinary haven that seems to accommodate both his beliefs and his tastes in his new home country.

He crashed onto the scene in "Rocky IV" as Ivan Drago, Russian foil for the Italian Stallion himself, but Dolph Lundgren went on to embody the animated hero He-Man in "Masters of the Universe," proving himself an '80s action star of impressive range. He may be decades beyond his star-making era, but Lundgren still enjoys dining like a superstar at Catch, a seafood and chop house chain the actor calls "our favorite L.A. restaurant" on his Instagram feed. Paparazzi also snapped shots of Lundgren and wife Emma Krokdal making their way out of the eatery after savoring a presumably top-tier meal, something they've made a habit of since the were still just an engaged couple.

Catch has a handful of locales scattered across the U.S., though the "Punisher" bruiser singles out the West Hollywood operation as his chosen spot. Though best known for its beef and fish selections, the restaurant also offers a vegan and gluten-free menu to capture the imaginations of the more selective eaters in town. If you're curious enough to give it a try while cruising through Tinseltown, you might catch a glimpse of Rocky Balboa's nemesis slicing into a filet with his sweetheart in tow.