# American restaurants in foreign countries other than fast food? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 24, 2013, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-restaurants-in-foreign-countries-other-than-fast-food/664417 "2013-07-24T21:13:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-restaurants-in-foreign-countries-other-than-fast-food/664417/41 "2013-07-25T02:00:20Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > The _size_ of the burgers is certainly authentic… > > But, seriously? I have _never_ heard of serving a burger with a fried egg on it this side of the Atlantic. Admittedly, I’m midwestern - it _could_ be some East Coast thing I’ve never heard of. It’s not unheard of in NW Indiana. If you’ve ever heard of Miner-Dunn, in Highland, they have the Major Dunn burger, which has fried egg and bacon on it. I think Three Floyd’s in Hammond used to have a burger with fried egg, too, but I don’t see it on their current menu. It’s not common in your neck of the woods, but it does exist. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-restaurants-in-foreign-countries-other-than-fast-food/664417/42 "2013-07-25T02:03:47Z")
Lots of steakhouses with circular dining benches and round tables. Reminds me of Harris in SF. ---
**Author:** ![jovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-restaurants-in-foreign-countries-other-than-fast-food/664417/43 "2013-07-25T02:15:39Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > It’s nothing like the Denny’s in America. We went to one in Kyoto one morning and to my great dismay they only had Canadian bacon. It got no better from there. It was expensive as hell too. I left hungry. Japanese Denny’s despite sharing a name and a logo with the American chain is a completely separate entity. It’s what we call here a “family restaurant” and along with Cocos and other chains isn’t particularly considered American. The quality of food is, IMO, much better than American Denny’s. Entrees go for 700 to 900 yen or so, you need to add another 0 to get into “expensive as hell” territory. Non-fast-food chains that are more explicitly American include the steakhouse　[Bronco Billy](http://www.bronco.co.jp/). Other than that, there are several diner-type places, but you’d have to look hard to find something other than steak or hamburgers. Off the top of my head, I remember [Grand Central Oyster Bar](http://www.oysterbartokyo.com/) in Shinagawa (Tokyo). ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-restaurants-in-foreign-countries-other-than-fast-food/664417/44 "2013-07-25T02:21:39Z")
> [@jovan](#): > > Non-fast-food chains that are more explicitly American include the steakhouse　[Bronco Billy](http://www.bronco.co.jp/). Broco Billy seems to lose a little in the translation. From the _Presdent’s Message:_ > [@](#): > > I have you a heart of appreciation of our customers to carry the heart of their own to create a mind of their own together to make a meal of you, carry with a meal of our customers, as well as get the money from customers. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-restaurants-in-foreign-countries-other-than-fast-food/664417/45 "2013-07-25T02:28:43Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > It’s nothing like the Denny’s in America. We went to one in Kyoto one morning and to my great dismay they only had Canadian bacon. It got no better from there. It was expensive as hell too. I left hungry. > Let me repeat that - I let a fucking Denny’s hungry. After eating. I would have just ordered another 2 breakfasts but it was more than I could bear at that point. Ha, when I went to the one I found in Tokyo I’d been walking around a lot and was pretty hungry, and I was thinking “Man, they have Denny’s here! I’m going to get me a great big plate of greasy, fatty, American food!” I’d been living in Japan for almost a year at that point and was really excited by this idea. It was something of a let down to discover that their menu wasn’t what I was expecting. Still, I remember the French toast being good and it seemed cheap for Tokyo to me. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-restaurants-in-foreign-countries-other-than-fast-food/664417/46 "2013-07-25T02:31:55Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > Still, I remember the French toast being good and it seemed cheap for Tokyo to me. Yeah I guess I was expecting too much to think it would mimic the prices in Chicago. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-restaurants-in-foreign-countries-other-than-fast-food/664417/47 "2013-07-25T02:46:15Z")
Besides all the fast food chains, Panama has “American style” chain restaurants like TGIFriday’s and Don Shula’s Steakhouse. We also have a couple of independent restaurants with menus featuring typical US-style restaurant fare, like steaks, ribs, and specialty burgers. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-restaurants-in-foreign-countries-other-than-fast-food/664417/48 "2013-07-25T02:46:38Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Word, the Bird! [Menu](http://www.thebirdinberlin.com/menus/bird_berlin_menu_eng.pdf) I’m in SE Indiana & I want to go to there! ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-restaurants-in-foreign-countries-other-than-fast-food/664417/49 "2013-07-25T03:32:15Z")
In Thailand, we have two Hard Rock Cafes, in Bangkok and Pattaya. I think that started in London but counts because it was established IIRC by a couple of homesick Americans desperate for American food. Outback is here, which despite its Aussie trappings is a Florida-based chain. It’s very good. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Woodhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Miss\_Woodhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Woodhouse)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-restaurants-in-foreign-countries-other-than-fast-food/664417/50 "2013-07-25T05:06:44Z")
> [@](#): > > There’s a Japanese dish called omurice (“omelet rice”) that I would often see on the menu in Western style casual restaurants. It always made me wonder “Is this what they think we eat?” The Wikipedia entry has photos of some fairly classy looking versions of this dish, but if you search “omurice” on Google Images then that’s more what I remember seeing – an omelet with fried rice inside or underneath and ketchup poured all over it. So not gross or anything but it seemed like the sort of thing an American would only make if they had nothing but eggs, ketchup, and leftover fried rice in the fridge. It was my impression that the Japanese didn’t exactly consider this American food, though. Omurice is definitely Western-influenced and not a traditional Japanese dish, but it didn’t seem to be considered really “foreign” either. You have solved a life long mystery for me. Growing up my dad tried to pass off fried rice as a standard omelet filling. I knew it wasn’t normal, American fare. I guess it’s standard for a man who spent several years living in Japan when he was in his twenties. (I’m still not going to eat it even though I know where he got the idea now. I don’t do eggs and rice.) ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-restaurants-in-foreign-countries-other-than-fast-food/664417/51 "2013-07-25T07:14:21Z")
Near Vicenza Italy, there was a Buffalo Grill that was rated by others as okay. Also a steakhouse by the new (2006 I think) theater that invited a bunch of Americans from the base to sample the burghers, fries, etc… that was pretty good the one time I went. I ate Italian 99% of the time. Saudi Arabia has a broasted chicken and shrimp chain (I suppose fast food but a take-off on American stuff) called Al Baik. Way superior to the Kentucky Fried chicken places also there. They did chicken better. Crisper, bigger pieces, less greasy/slimy, and great shoestring fries. The choice of discerning westerners. ---
**Author:** ![Batistuta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/58956e/32.png) [@Batistuta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batistuta)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-restaurants-in-foreign-countries-other-than-fast-food/664417/52 "2013-07-25T07:55:22Z")
There’s quite a popular Cajun restaurant in Gothenburg, Sweden. All I’ve heard are good reviews. But I’m afraid I have no idea as to how it compares to REAL Cajun cuisine, sorry ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-restaurants-in-foreign-countries-other-than-fast-food/664417/53 "2013-07-25T08:51:52Z")
Hard Rock Café (started by two American expats in London), Foster’s Hollywood… there are others, but that’s what comes to mind. They always seem to be chains. ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-restaurants-in-foreign-countries-other-than-fast-food/664417/54 "2013-07-25T09:24:13Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > A gem:Ha. No. The bacon and cheese are fine, even if most American restaurants wouldn’t use that specific kind of cheese, but the egg is weird. I’ve also never heard the word ‘Goujons’ before in my life and the odds of their getting cajun right are pretty much nil. (Not that they should feel too bad about that last. The odds of a Montana restaurant getting cajun right are also pretty much nil, but some still try.) > > Great examples from the rest of you as well. I should have known the Chinese would have some odd examples. I think the Egg is a regional thing in the US - I know of a few places in my town in Washington State that sell burgers with fried eggs on them. I think it MIGHT be something that is done in the Northeast US as well (though I could be wrong) ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-restaurants-in-foreign-countries-other-than-fast-food/664417/55 "2013-07-25T12:01:07Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Word, the Bird! [Menu](http://www.thebirdinberlin.com/menus/bird_berlin_menu_eng.pdf) Well, OK, but are those English muffins they’re using for buns? ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-restaurants-in-foreign-countries-other-than-fast-food/664417/56 "2013-07-25T12:03:24Z")
> [@lawoot](#): > > I think the Egg is a regional thing in the US - I know of a few places in my town in Washington State that sell burgers with fried eggs on them. I think it MIGHT be something that is done in the Northeast US as well (though I could be wrong) Used to be unheard of. Still not “common.” I suspect we picked this up from the Australians. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-restaurants-in-foreign-countries-other-than-fast-food/664417/57 "2013-07-25T12:09:00Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > There’s a Japanese dish called omurice (“omelet rice”) that I would often see on the menu in Western style casual restaurants. It always made me wonder “Is this what they think we eat?” The [Wikipedia entry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omurice) has photos of some fairly classy looking versions of this dish, but if you search “omurice” on Google Images then that’s more what I remember seeing – an omelet with fried rice inside or underneath and ketchup poured all over it. So not gross or anything but it seemed like the sort of thing an American would only make if they had nothing but eggs, ketchup, and leftover fried rice in the fridge. It was my impression that the Japanese didn’t exactly consider this American food, though. Omurice is definitely Western-influenced and not a traditional Japanese dish, but it didn’t seem to be considered really “foreign” either. Damn! I used to make that all the time in college. I did not know it was an actual “thing”. I, personally, would be using Sriracha or salsa instead of ketchup, but otherwise that is it–for the very reason you state. ETA: I, too, have heard of the egg on burger thing, but still would qualify it as “unusual,” or at best “not uncommon”. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-restaurants-in-foreign-countries-other-than-fast-food/664417/58 "2013-07-25T12:17:32Z")
There are other US chains in London - Chili’s, TGIFs, even a few Chipotles. I tend to avoid the first two since I avoid them in the US, and haven’t tried a UK Chipotle yet (although there’s a similar chain called Tortilla I’ve tried which produces entirely edible burritos). There’s also some TGIF-style UK chains like Frankie and Benny’s, which I also avoid. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-restaurants-in-foreign-countries-other-than-fast-food/664417/59 "2013-07-25T12:22:09Z")
> [@hibernicus](#): > > In Dublin we have a place called “Captain America’s cookhouse and bar”.\* There’s another place called Eddie Rocket’s that I ate at my last night in Dublin. It’s set up like a 50s dinner and wasn’t too bad. They didn’t really have much American food though. I also saw a lot of Papa John’s attached to Ireland’s Supermac’s, which seemed kind of strange to me. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-restaurants-in-foreign-countries-other-than-fast-food/664417/60 "2013-07-25T12:42:42Z")
So the world’s idea of “American food” seems to be: burgers, steaks, fries, fried chicken, and maybe some occasional cajun food for a change of pace. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-restaurants-in-foreign-countries-other-than-fast-food/664417.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-restaurants-in-foreign-countries-other-than-fast-food/664417.md?page=4)