ADDRESS: 32 Kiseleff Avenue
PHONE: +40 0311 076 371
WEB: www.hardrock.com

The Hard Rock Cafe is a global institution in the bar and restaurant world; loved by many, but not by all. The first was opened in London’s Mayfair in 1971 by two Americans, Peter Morton and Isaac Tigrett, and there are now 149 Cafes around the world in 53 countries. The one in Bucharest opened its doors three years ago in a great location by the lake in Herestrau Park.

I have to say that on balance I am a fan of the HRC formula, for various reasons. The main ones are the standard of service, the consistancy of the offering, and the attention to detail. The Bucharest HRC ticks all of these boxes, and in a city where I think you would all agree the standards of service vary enormously, the HRC is a long way ahead of the game due to good training methods and maintaining standards.

If it’s a burger you fancy then the Cafe is hard to beat, although my own favourite is the BBQ  ribs – the best in town!

A characteristic feature of Hard Rock Cafes is the live music in an intimate setting: you can enjoy the gig whilist eating those ribs. Call or look at the website for details on up coming events.

The memorabilia around the walls is always interesting, and here they currently have one of John Lennon’s suits which was donated by Paul McCartney.

The Bucharest HRC has a large island bar in the middle of the floor as you walk in where you can eat, drink or both. To the right of the bar is the smoking section and to the left is the non-smoking section, which leads out onto the very large lake-front terrace.

All in all I would say the Hard Rock Cafe in Bucharest operates with a very high standard and makes you leave feeling as though you’ve had a good time and that’s one of the reasons they have a very loyal following.