While some people love cooking every night, there's no doubt about the fact that others think it's a chore. So, why not let a professional chef do the cooking for you? There are so many amazing restaurants around the globe to choose from, with menus offering everything from fine dining to home comfort classics. And although most of these restaurants serve their food and drink on normal plates and in normal glasses, it seems as though these bizarre restaurants didn't get that memo.
This Hardly Looks Appetizing
We get that restaurants want to be unique. They want to stand out from the crowd and offer something people have never experienced before, but surely it's not too much to ask for our food to be served on something that isn't over 30 years old and completely unsanitary? Of course, we have nothing against Whitney Houston or Kevin Costner, and we're not even mad about the hint of nostalgia in this dish.
What we take issue with is the fact that there's not even a barrier between the dessert and the VHS tape! We dread to think how many people have touched that thing over the years. Yikes.
Awakening the Senses
They say that when you lose one of your senses, your other senses are heightened. So, is that what's happening here? The restaurant that decided to offer cocktails in this Spider-Man-inspired vessel obviously wanted their customers to really appreciate the taste of the drink. So that's obviously why they decided to blind the customers in the process! And if you don't believe us, just look at that poor guy.
There is literally no way to drink this thing without being poked in the eyes by Spidey's fingers. So, let's just hope that the drink was worth the hefty optometrist bill.
Number Two Particles, Anyone?
Well, this is all kinds of wrong. We're so disgusted by this picture that we can't bear to look at it. But at the same time, there's something about it that's so entrancing we can't seem to look away! After all, it's not every day you see that a restaurant's dishes are stored just steps away from the toilet. And what makes this whole situation even worse is the fact that the last person didn't close the lid!
We don't know how this setup managed to pass a health department inspection, and we don't even want to think about the extra sprinkling of number two particles on this restaurant's food.
Pizza-Ception
Don't get us wrong; we love pizza as much as the next guy. We could eat pizza all day, every day, and we have one too many leftover pizza boxes stacked in our kitchen. But it's safe to say that we've never seen a pizza box like this before! Yes, that is a pizza inside of a box of pizza, and we're not quite sure what to think about it.
On the one hand, we're here for the extra pizza. But on the other hand, we're not here for pizza that's touched countless dirty surfaces before reaching our dinner table.
The Tastiest Art Around
While many of the pictures on this list are mind-boggling and unsanitary, this one is actually pretty cute. And while we don't know anything about art, we're willing to base our whole personality around it if it involves cheesecake samples. Just look at them! Teeny food is adorable, and it's even better when it's made of cream, a buttery biscuit base, and delicious sauces. We're definitely sold on this one.
Sure, the cheesecake sample on the right does look a little bit like a raw egg, but we're willing to bypass that if it tastes like mango or lemon curd.
Fine Dino-Ing
While we understand that people think ordinary round plates are boring, we do have to question how far restaurants are willing to go to be different. And here's the big question; is a dinosaur too far? In fact, nothing about this dish makes sense. For starters, we're not quite sure what this dish is, or why the chef decided to place the onion rings around the dinosaur. Is this supposed to be fine dining?
Secondly, why choose a dinosaur in the first place? We have a feeling that this dino definitely isn't dishwasher safe, and we all know that the onion is known for its lingering smell and taste.
With a Side of a Hefty Drycleaning Bill
Eating at a restaurant is expensive in itself - even if you choose the cheapest thing on the menu. So, the last thing you want is to leave the restaurant with a hefty dry cleaning bill, too. But we have a feeling that the person who ordered these pancakes left empty-pocketed after this restaurant experience. Yes, you read that right. Those are pancakes and not a strange-shaped omelet covered in gravy.
But why would a chef serve a saucy dish on a sideless chopping block? The syrup eventually dripped onto this customer's pants and shoes and was a complete and utter mess.
A Michelin-Star Dessert
Many chefs spend their careers hoping to earn a Michelin star or two. These stars are the epitome of fine dining and give restaurants a chance to really stick out from the crowd with their menu. And while those who have the money to eat at these restaurants expect the best, we don't blame these diners for feeling pretty short-changed when this dessert was placed in front of them. We all know that shoes shouldn't go on the table, after all.
While we're sure there's a fancy-schmancy story behind this flip-flop dessert, we're also sure that this is one of the weirdest things we've ever seen. We really hope those flip-flops weren't used.
That's Just Feral
You know you're at a fancy restaurant when you're served fancy bread before you even order off the menu. In most cases, the waiters will place a basket of bread on the table, or serve you a piece straight onto your plate. This restaurant decided to do something a little different, though. Instead of serving their bread in a sanitary, and completely normal way, they decided to serve it in roadkill. You know, as you do.
We don't know what possessed this chef to do such a thing, but we can only assume that it was the spirit of the dead animal. That's the only logical explanation for such a bizarre decision, right?
A Greek Discount
Nowadays, restaurants and fine dining establishments are all about "deconstructed" food. They serve everything from deconstructed cheesecakes to deconstructed burgers, and it's just a fancy way of saying that they kept the individual foods separate. This restaurant decided to do the same thing with their Greek salad, and, for some reason, they decided to use an upside-down wine glass and a shot glass to help them bring this strange vision to life.
This deconstructed salad just doesn't make any sense, and we do have to wonder whether you get a discount for having to make your salad yourself. But if anything, they probably charge you even more!
Sleepy Salads
You can bet your bottom dollar that every restaurant on this planet has a salad on the menu. It's perfectly normal to have these dishes served in restaurants, but what's not perfectly normal is to serve these salads on anything other than a bowl or a plate. After all, why would you serve it in anything else? Well, this chef decided to try something new anyway and somehow landed on a pillow.
We couldn't think of anything worse than our avocado sitting on Egyptian cotton pillows - even if the thread count was pretty high. Surely these things are impossible to wash?
A Running Bean
If you've never had fried green beans before, you're seriously missing out. They're both crunchy and soft, and deliciously savory but sweet when dunked in ketchup. So, we have to give kudos to this chef and the restaurant for putting these fried green beans on the menu. We do have to question why they decided to serve these treats in a pot that they then stuffed into a sneaker, though.
Are these green beans actually running beans? Whatever the case, we're so glad the chef decided to put the green beans in a pot before putting them in the shoe, at least.
Is It a Salad? Really?
We don't want to be all doom and gloom on this list, so we are going to give this salad credit where credit is due. It does look pretty delicious, after all. But while we can appreciate the mustard seeds and the tomatoes, it wouldn't be right if we didn't call out this restaurant for its plating. Actually, can you call it plating if the food isn't actually on a plate?
For some reason, the chef at this restaurant decided to serve their "salad" in a bust of a woman. But, in reality, it looks more like this salad was a bust.
The Straw of Doom
While some people prefer fine dining restaurants, there are others who can't get enough of fast and convenient food. And you probably don't need us to tell you that street food is hugely popular in China. But have you ever tried holding a drink and a plate of food at the same time? It can be pretty difficult, so we do understand the thought process behind this Cola/Xiaolongbao combination. But in practice, it gives us the heebie-jeebies.
Sure, we appreciate the ease with which someone can carry both their drink and their food. But we just can't stop thinking about that straw, and all of the flavors dropping down into the Cola.
"I'll Take a Shrimp on the Rocks"
It's not uncommon for drinks to be served "on the rocks." In fact, you might only ever order your liquor on the rocks! But we guess this fine dining establishment decided to incorporate this idea into their menu, too. They devised a dish that would allow customers to eat a single raw shrimp on the rocks - but we think they should have thought about this a little more than they did.
Bypassing the fact that the shrimp is raw (why?), the fact that the shrimp looks similar to the rocks is just a recipe for disaster. We can sense some expensive dental bills coming their way.
We're Guana Pass on That
In no world is eating your food off something that looks like an animal a valid or excusable idea, but that didn't stop this restaurant! And out of all of the animals, they decided to serve their white chocolate dessert in a ceramic iguana. But what freaks us out the most is the fact that you can't even really tell that this iguana is made from ceramic. It looks weirdly real.
We don't know if the chef was trying to make it seem as though the iguana was pregnant and the customer was meant to eat her eggs, but that doesn't make things any better. In fact, it makes it worse!
A Sensory Experience
More and more fine dining establishments are trying to give their diners a "sensory experience." They're trying to prove that eating can stimulate so much more than just your sense of taste and smell. And while we appreciate the effort they're trying to put into this, we can't help but think that some chefs aren't quite understanding the dining experience. No, most guests don't want to have chocolate sauce shoved in their hands.
We really hope this person washed their hands before they were covered in chocolate sauce. Even worse, we hope they didn't use hand sanitizer just before the big chocolate moment.
Taking "Cool Coffee" to the Extreme
The world is in the midst of a major coffee revolution. People young and old are finding joy in coffee again and experimenting with all kinds of flavors, strengths, and even presentations. And while we have to congratulate this restaurant for creating a cool take on iced coffee, we do have to question whether this idea has a few limitations. You know, like the fact that the block of ice will melt!
You couldn't take your time drinking this coffee, otherwise, you'd be dealing with a major spillage that would probably see you banned from this restaurant for life. It would be pretty awkward, too.
Body Shots off Pinocchio
Have you ever wanted to do body shots off Pinocchio? No, neither have we. In fact, we don't think that thought has crossed anyone's mind before, but that didn't stop this cocktail bar from adding this strange cocktail to their menu! While drinking this mini martini, drinkers can then do a shot off caviar off a creepy wooden hand, and the whole thing is just downright strange. It's making us feel a little uneasy, actually.
While we love a martini as much as the next person, we just can't help but think that the Pinocchio story is an unnecessary extra. No offense to Pinocchio, obviously.
Less of a Flight, More of a Shipment
Flights are extremely popular in the United States, and we can understand why! The idea of ordering a flight lets you try smaller portions of different types of food - like pasta, for example. And while we love the idea of ordering a whole load of different pasta, we have to say that this looks more like a shipment of pasta than a flight of pasta. Yes, that's a whole lot of food.
What makes this whole thing even worse is the fact that this pasta has just been shoved on a wooden slab. And we bet the Italians of the world are beside themselves right now.
Don't Pee Afraid
Street food is a whole different kettle of fish compared to fine dining. After all, with no restaurant to eat in, street food vendors have to come up with unique ways to serve their food. And while most opt for eco-friendly pots and containers, this street food stall decided to go for something a little different. Of course, we've heard of wrapping food in newspapers, but this is one step too far.
If we saw that our food had been wrapped up in someone's urine report, we'd report the food stall to the health department. We know it doesn't have actual urine on it, but it's still pretty gross, right?
A Cracking Plate
It seems as though more and more restaurants are choosing to use wooden boards as their plates and dishes, and if we're being totally honest, we don't hate it. Sometimes this rustic charm can really work with the menu, and sometimes it looks absolutely beautiful. But you have to cater your plates to the food you're serving - and it's probably best not to serve a saucy dish with a board that has a giant crack running through the middle of it.
This unlucky patron had to deal with the juices of this meal dripping down onto their legs for the whole meal, which isn't ideal. Luckily, they were wearing shorts, so it could have been worse!
Start Your Licking Engines
The only acceptable amount of licking you should do in a restaurant is licking your spoon at the end of a delicious dessert. It's even frowned upon to lick your plate - even if you do that at home! So, why do these fine dining restaurants want their customers to lick more than what's considered to be a normal licking amount? We have no idea, and we have no idea what this is, either.
This looks like some kind of pink chocolate dessert, but if someone could explain why it's being poured into her hands when there's a perfectly good bowl underneath, that would be great.
Embrace Tradition
There are two kinds of people in this world. There are those who have way too much money in their bank account and pay an extortionate amount for fine dining experiences, and then there are those who just want to enjoy a good meal. And you could say that those two people fall into these two categories. Thankfully, we're with the majority of people who just want to embrace the tradition of a good old buffet.
After all, there's nothing better than being able to fill your plate with all kinds of delicious beige food. Who wants to eat a deconstructed painting? We bet it doesn't even give you the meat sweats.
A Michelin Star Restaurant
One thing we will never get over is that the same company behind Michelin Tires is the one that awards fine dining restaurants their Michelin stars. Something about that doesn't compute in our brains - but is that what they mean by a Michelin-star restaurant? Food in a Michelin tire? If not, this restaurant didn't understand that concept at all, as they tried to award themselves their very own Michelin star.
Apparently, this is supposed to be a different-flavored pizza. But we can't help but think that the term "pizza" has been used loosely here. It looks like there are sprinkles next to the olives and the red onion.
Barbie-Q Meat
In recent months, Barbie fever has well and truly taken over the world. The famous doll has found her way back into the limelight thanks to Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, and Greta Gerwig, and it seems as though restaurants are even buying into this new trend. But while we always prefer our meat to be served on a plate, it seems as though they decided to use a Barbie doll as their model instead.
While it's certainly a different concept, we can't say it's unique. After all, everyone knows that Lady Gaga was the first one to rock the meat dress. And this Barbie just doesn't seem to have the same star quality.
Watch Your Arms
Fine dining restaurants love to trick customers into thinking their money isn't going straight into the pockets of the owners. So, they create elaborate pieces of "art" for their customers to enjoy - and this is an example of one of them. But we can't help but think that this would have worked so much better in a bowl, as it just seems a little too pretentious. Are you supposed to get sauce all over your arms just because you want an extra raspberry?
This whole situation could have been made so much better if they'd just stuck to normal restaurant rules. But we guess this chef wanted to be different. Or maybe they really loved tables.
A Pizza Cone of Shame
Don't get us wrong; we love all of the elements of this dish. We love pasta (especially the extra saucy kind), and we love pizza bread. We even love these things together! Yes, shove a dollop of pasta on our pizza, and we'll be a happy clam. But putting these things all together into a wire cone and calling it a pizza cone? Well, that's just one step too far. And we feel dirty just looking at it.
The thing about pasta is that you have to serve it in a bowl. There are no ifs and no buts. It's one of the messiest dishes you could eat, and this whole concept just begs the question... why?
Not an Egg-Cellent Idea
Using throw-away plates and serving vessels make sense when you think about it. It means that the restaurant staff can spend less time doing the dishes and more time focusing on the food and general customer service. So, while we appreciate the efforts to work smarter and not harder in this particular restaurant, sometimes it's worth working a bit harder. At least if you want to keep your restaurant's reputation intact.
For some reason, this chef still decided to serve their breakfast in an egg carton, and this whole image is causing us some major confusion. What condiments are in that egg carton? And why is there a random cherry?
Some Extra Iron
It's important to make sure that you're eating balanced meals that provide you with the right nutrients and minerals. And iron is one of them! You can meet your iron quota by eating the likes of cereal, spinach, chocolate, soybeans, and meat. But it seems as though this restaurant wanted to go one step further and offer their guests literal iron in the form of barbed wire. Let's hope the customers got their tetanus shot after this.
We're not sure what the food stuck on this barbed wire is, but there's a high chance that we wouldn't eat it if it came to our table like this. We're not rich enough for that hospital bill.
Sweetening the Pot
Hands up if you love tiramisu? We're going to assume that you're all waving your hands in the air like you just don't care right now, as tiramisu is arguably one of the best - and one of the most common - desserts in the world. It's a pretty simple dessert and one that can stand alone in its deliciousness without any fancy presentation. That didn't stop this restaurant from trying something new, though.
Of course, the jelly jar isn't awful and is something we could ignore if the dessert was good, but we do have to question why they decided to sugar the lid of the jelly jar.
A Real Cookbook?
For years, we were under the impression that a cookbook was just a book that offered written recipes. But we guess we were wrong, as this is a real cookbook! Yes, this person went to a restaurant and was served their appetizer inside the pages of a menu book, and we can safely say that we've never seen this before. What happens next, though? Do you eat the pieces separately? Or do you build your own appetizer?
Either way, this just doesn't seem like a very sanitary idea - especially if they do this with every appetizer! How are you supposed to clean those pages in between meals?
Toppling Over
The general consensus when it comes to plates and serving dishes is that they should at least be practical and be able to hold the food without toppling over as soon as you touch it with a knife or fork. But this restaurant obviously didn't get that memo. They were so focused on trying to make their menu look like a fine dining experience that they forgot things actually have to stand still on the table.
This customer realized that the hard way when their food toppled off their unidentifiable plate and onto the table and their lap. It looks like they didn't even get to eat any before the disaster happened!
Erm... Help?
We're all for fancy cocktails. In fact, the fancier, the better, we say! As long as we're paying for a proper drink that seems worth the money, they can shove all of the cotton candy and dry ice they want in the glass. But we do have to question the thought process behind this particular cocktail. Sure, the glass looks normal... but why is it upside-down? And how is anyone supposed to drink it?
We don't know if this bar expects its customers to be magicians, but most people can't magically turn a glass upside down without spilling the contents in the process. So, we hope they had paper towels on hand.
Chips With a Side of Rust
As soon as you make your way into a Mexican restaurant, you can guarantee that you'll have a bowl of chips, guacamole, and salsa in front of you within just a few minutes. And while we normally love this impressive and prompt hospitality, we bet the people who were greeted with this bowl of chips wish their servers had forgotten about them completely. Yes, that bucket is completely covered in rust!
We can almost taste the metallic taste through the screen, and it's making us feel a little sick. The health inspector was obviously sick when they were supposed to visit this restaurant, too.
Cough It up
The main thing we hate about fine dining restaurants is that the menus often sound delicious, but the actual food is pretty disappointing. That's mostly because the portions are so small - especially if you only get one croquette as your appetizer. But what made this restaurant even more disappointing was the fact that this single croquette was then served on the tongue of a bizarre mask made from metal.
Why was this served like this? Well, we have no idea. Let's just hope that every time you pick up the croquette, the tongue goes back into the mask to retrieve another one.
Fred Flintstone's TV Dinner
It's becoming more and more common for steakhouses to serve their meat on hot stones, so we're pretty used to seeing these things. However, this restaurant decided to take that concept one step further and serve the whole meal on a giant stone! We can't even imagine how heavy this must have been for the server, but we really hope this restaurant only exclusively hires bodybuilders. The average person can't carry 100 of these a day, surely?
If we're being totally honest, this doesn't look all that appetizing. It looks like Fred Flintstone's TV tray dinner, which is nothing we've ever really wanted to try for ourselves. Let's leave it for Fred.
Giving Us the Crepes
Sure, we still don't really know the difference between pancakes and crepes, but we appreciate chefs that put these desserts on the menu. Of course, most restaurants choose to serve their crepes on a giant plate, but one thing we've learned from this list is that some restaurants just don't want to follow the rules anymore. Especially if they have a whole stockroom full of Babushka Barbie dolls and they don't know what to do with them.
The main issue we take with this unusual serving style is the fact that there's a crepe sitting right on top of Barbie's hair - and she's not even wearing a hair net!
A Plate Is a Plate
We've never really thought about it before, but we guess the word "plate" is rather ambiguous. There are so many things out there that are also called plates, including license plates! And we guess this restaurant decided to play along with that ambiguity and serve all of their food on folded license plates. But we do have a few questions about this decision. Firstly, were they cleaned before they put food on them?
Secondly... why? Normal plates have been used for decades, and nobody has had any issues with them until recently. Have you ever heard of the phrase, "Don't fix what isn't broken"?
Pasta or Worm Farm?
The general rule of thumb when it comes to restaurants and fine dining is that the food needs to look edible. It needs to look appetizing, and it definitely doesn't need to look like a worm farm. But it seems as though this restaurant didn't get that memo. For some strange reason, they decided to serve their brown pasta inside of an upside-down wine glass and serve it with some cheese on the side.
All in all, there are some clever ways to serve food - but this is not one of them. This isn't clever, it's not creative, and definitely not appetizing. We'll pass on the worms, thanks!