Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Travel
  3. Food & Drink
  4. News

Explore the Dark World of Tim Burton in Hollywood’s Beetle House Pop-up Bar

By

Filmmaker Tim Burton certainly has a knack for theatrics. Recall Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Edward Scissorhands, and Beetlejuice (… Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice!). Few cities embrace that same over-the-top flair like Hollywood, California. So, it seems fitting that someone would seek to open an “all things Tim Burton”-style pop-up restaurant in the heart of one of the city’s most artistic districts.

Beetle House officially opened in May inside the famed Prospect Theater on Hollywood Boulevard. The theater’s dinner space has been outfitted with a host of elaborate kitsch, all inspired by Burton’s dark, unique film style. The stage has been temporarily converted into an interactive, almost-life-size replica of the fake town in which Beetlejuice was set. Memorabilia from other Burton films, plus vintage medical tools and other oddities adorn the space as well. The entire affair is staffed with magicians, freak show performers, and costumed actors dressed like Willy Wonka, Edward Scissorhands, and the like who more than play up the theme. Patrons are also encouraged to dress accordingly.

Recommended Videos

Novelty aside, Beetle House is a full-service restaurant/bar with Burton-inspired food and cocktails. Expect dinner specialties like Sweeney Beef, Evil Dead Shrimp, and the Edward Burgerhands (yes, really), and the menu notes: “all meat sourced locally from 100% innocent humans.” The drink menu offers the same level of kitsch. Think sweet pumpkin-spiced drinks that recall Jack Skellington and black-and-white cocktails a la Beetlejuice.

The concept originally launched in New York’s East Village more than a year ago. While it was slated to be a temporary pop-up restaurant/bar with a 45-day run, crowds packed the intimate space nightly. It’s since become semi-permanent with no end-date yet announced. Owner Zach Neil has the same plan for the Hollywood location, and will likely keep it open as long as Burton fans keep showing up. Neil was also responsible for L.A.’s wildly popular Will Ferrell-themed pop-up bar, Stay Classy which ran for just ten days.

Beetle House is currently taking reservations for Wednesday through Sunday nights.

Kitschy? Sure, but how cool is it to be able live inside the Beetlejuice world, if only for a drink or two?

Image Courtesy of Marcio Machado/Getty Images

Mike Richard
Mike Richard
Contributor
Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He's kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South…
Topics
Savannah Beyond the Postcard
Take a look at one of the greatest southern cities from a different perspective.
Architecture, Building, Spire

Savannah is one of those cities that seems almost too easy to like. The live oaks are dramatic. The Spanish moss does exactly what it is supposed to do. The brick sidewalks buckle in all the right places. The houses look like they were designed by people who understood proportion, shade, and the value of a proper front step. Even the light seems to arrive with better manners than it does in most places.

I have a built-in advantage when it comes to Savannah. We have family there, so we have been back several times, not just once for the checklist version of the city. I have also done a photography workshop there, which is a terrific way to learn any city. You get up early, stay out late, and pay attention to alleys, doorways, ironwork, reflections, and the way a city changes when the tourists are still asleep.

Read more
I spent 72 hours in London with only a carry-on. Here’s how I did it in style
Luxury travel doesn't require a checked bag
London

Somewhere between the baggage claim carousel and the Elizabeth Line, I realized I'd already won. As passengers from my Norwegian flight to London crowded around the conveyor belt waiting for checked luggage to appear, I was already on my way into the city. Twenty minutes later, I was headed toward central London with nothing more than a carry-on suitcase and a backpack. I've become a bit of a carry-on evangelist over the past few years. Not because I'm trying to prove some minimalist point or because I enjoy seeing how few shirts I can survive with. I just genuinely think it's the better way to travel, especially for a long weekend in Europe.

My recent 72-hour trip from Copenhagen to London wasn't exactly a backpacker's itinerary. It included a stay at one of London's nicest luxury hotels, rooftop cocktails, dinners worth dressing up for, and plenty of walking through Soho, Covent Garden, and the rest of central London. Somehow, everything I needed fit inside my Travelpro Platinum Elite Slim Cabin Hardshell Spinner V2, with a backpack holding my flight essentials.

Read more
This New Montana Hotel Captures the Poetry of the Open Road
Helena's newest boutique hotel revives the spirit of the classic roadside motel.
Corner, Home Decor, Bed

In case you need another excuse for a Montana getaway this summer, a quirky new boutique hotel has opened in Helena, the Treasure State's capital. The Bell Hotel occupies the site of the former Bell Motel, a classic 1950s roadside lodge thoughtfully reimagined by CWG Architecture. Each of its 14 rooms features locally made chocolates, coffee, and artwork. While in town, ask the front desk about the Bell's Picnic in the Park package. The hotel supplies a basket of local treats and a blanket; Montana provides the sublime scenery and glorious weather. You're on your own for companionship.

Hannah honey was a peachy kind of girl /Her eyes were hazel and her nose was slightly curved /We spent a lonely night at the Memory Motel- The Rolling Stones

Read more