The Safe House - Milwaukee, WI
A trip to The Safe House in Milwaukee is an experience unlike any other, and the mysterious journey to the men's room is no less memorable.
The Safe House is a longstanding spy-themed bar and restaurant inspired by James Bond, and it goes full-tilt in creating its own world of espionage. On the time-consuming hunt from your table to the loo, you'll encounter an entire maze of twists, turns, hidden passages, misleading doors trying to trip you up, and the fake bookshelf you ultimately pass through to enter. Once you reach the correct door, you still have to provide the secret password to enter the restroom, where you choose between stalls marked "CIA" and "FBI."
Bar 89 - New York City, New York
Bar 89 in NYC makes wondrous use of groundbreaking technology in its impossibly modern bathroom that you won't soon forget.
The selling point that you have to see to believe is the Privacy Glass that is used on the transparent stall doors. It's a mind-blowing innovation that uses crystals and takes advantage of light diffusion to frost up the glass when the stall door shuts. The whole process is a leap of faith for those conducting their business inside an otherwise clear stall, and that makes the Bar 89 restrooms incredibly cool.
Gitane - San Francisco, CA
Gitane in San Francisco prides itself on exhibiting "the sexy playfulness of a 1930's cabaret, the swagger of Serge Gainsbourg, and the audacious spirit of the 70's disco era." With touchstones like those for the restaurant, the owner of Gitane couldn't simply settle for mediocrity with the restrooms.
The commodes at Gitane are designed with such warmth and lovely decor that you almost feel ashamed having to relieve yourself in the room. It's a stunning achievement for a restaurant and cocktail bar restroom, and it adds to the overall experience of Gitane.
Oak Bar at The Hermitage Hotel - Nashville, TN
The men's restroom outside the Oak Bar in The Hermitage Hotel has been a Nashville mainstay for generations. The stylish lime green and black decor has been a part of The Hermitage since the hotel's original design way back in 1908.
This particular bathroom has earned copious placement in TV and magazine spots, has starred in many music videos, and plays a role in Nashville's political folklore. It's tough to imagine a restroom being considered an institution, but the men's restroom outside the Oak Bar is just that.
Vanity Nightclub at Hard Rock Hotel - Las Vegas, NV
The bathrooms at Vanity Nightclub in the Hard Rock Hotel have been some of the most buzzed-about rooms in America in recent years -- bathroom or otherwise. In a city famed for opulent taste and ridiculous expenses, the restrooms at the Vanity have been named the most luxurious bathrooms in Sin City by the Travel Channel.
Clocking in with an overall price tag of $1.2 million, the 2,000-sq-ft bathroom comes complete with a $40,000 chandelier, flat-screen TVs above the urinals, gold-plated accessories, and extravagant vanities, red velvet cushions and gold lace curtains. It's safe to say there's no other bathroom like it in Vegas or America.
76th Floor of Columbia Tower - Seattle, WA
The 76th floor of the Columbia Tower in Seattle is home to the prestigious Columbia Tower Club, a members-only lounge at the top of the tallest building in all of Seattle.
The women's restroom (sorry, guys!) in the club on the 76th floor provides what is widely believed to be the most breathtaking view of all of Seattle. In each stall, at a height above that of the observation deck of the Space Needle, women are awarded their own personal view of the city's entire skyline and the Puget Sound. Now that's a bathroom worth visiting!
Main Street Station Casino - Las Vegas, NV
Okay, so the Main Street Station Casino is actually an off-the-Strip casino in Vegas and not technically a bar; so what? It still serves up drinks and encourages spending and gambling, so we're including it on this list.
The reason for its inclusion is that the men's bathroom houses urinals that are being helped up by actual pieces of the Berlin Wall. Yes, the most historic construction in all of communist history adorns the very spot where drunken gamblers go to relieve themselves in between tables at a Vegas casino that doesn't even take up real estate on The Strip. It may not be much to look at, but that stunning fact alone makes it one of the coolest restrooms in America.
BRC Gastropub - Houston, TX
Hailing from Texas and inspired by the original gastropubs of London in the 90's, BRC Gastropub in Houston is a food and drink lover's dream. Combining an acclaimed menu of Deep South pub food -- BBQ, brisket, "big bad ass biscuits," and burgers with a vast selection of craft beers and wines -- BRC Gastropub hits the sweet spot for just about anybody who enters its doors.
With all those belt-busting menu options and award-winning beers on tap, it's a secondary delight for all patrons that BRC Gastropub has such a pristine and comfortable restroom. With a modern design and clean, spacious stalls, the BRC Gastropub's bathroom deserves its status as contender for Eater's Best Bathroom Award.