Legend for Chart: A - AMBIENCE B - FOOD C - MERCHANDISE D - BOTTOM LINE A B C D E Planet Hollywood Movie props, Oscar-night dresses, a waiter with new O.J. jokes. Totally entertaining. First rate. Cap’n Crunch Chicken for the kids. delectable thin-crust BBQ pizza for you. Want a souvenir? Swipe a paper place mat. Save your money for the Motown store. Long wait, but one “Planet of the Apes” drink and you’ll think Charlton Heston is your date. Hard Rock Cafe Noisy, but has less energy, more checkered tablecloths than a Monday night at Houlihan’s. Did we say Houlihan’s? We meant TGI Friday’s. Still, the Buffalo wings are great. If you don’t already have one of these T shirts, your 10-year-old does. Ditch the line and save time, money around the corner at the Cosmic Coffee Shop. Harley-Davidson Pickup scene for commuter crowd; H-D signature eagle statue hovers over front door. Stick to the burgers. Bomber jackets are $275. Feeling really reckless? Spring for a menu. They’re $10 each. Great place if you like dining in an upscale gas station. Motown Cafe Gotta love a place with a giant 45 on the ceiling. Soft lights, great all-girl bands. Delicious. Sweet-potato fries, ribs, collard greens the way they were meant to be. We want that cool $42 silver-banded Motown wristwatch for Christmas. Bring anyone but kids – unless they’ll get worked up over seeing a Martha Reeves dress. Brooklyn Diner The blaring marquee outside belies the art-deco interior. Small, low-key, friendly. Best burger and fries this side of Lutece. Three Mikasa-esque china patterns on the table. Mercifully, none. When you’re tired of the pounding themes up the street, come here to relax. Jekyll & Haydee Club Coney Island meets Trader Vic’s. Safariclad staff speaks into headsets, forgets to serve. What does one eat in a three-story dungeon? Mozzarella sticks and watery margaritas. $27 safari hats, $5 cloisonne pins, $80 plastic skulls. What was the theme here, again? Stop in with the kids to see Disney-style haunted-mansion entrance. Look around and go.
