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We visited the first Tesla Diner. It was surreal and heavy on nostalgia, but we'd go back.

Business Insider

8 hours ago

Business Insider

We visited the first Tesla Diner. It was surreal and heavy on nostalgia, but we'd go back.

Dozens of Teslas — of all models and colors — packed into the lot of Elon Musk 's new diner on Monday evening as West Hollywood's newest restaurant celebrated its grand opening with fanfare, curiosity, and at least one protester. The retro-futuristic eatery drew a pedestrian crowd that at times circled the block and provided a promenade for tricked-out electric vehicles. Diehard Tesla fans and curious onlookers alike stopped in for a bite to eat and a selfie with a popcorn-serving humanoid robot. The unusual atmosphere paired a mix of nostalgia and science fiction: "The Twilight Zone" played on giant screens, servers dashed by on roller skates, and EVs and robotics were proudly on display. "Aiming to be a fun experience for all, whether Tesla owners or not. Will keep improving," Musk wrote on X following the Tesla Diner's official opening. While the buzzy diner was a bit chaotic, Business Insider's Ben Bergman and Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert agreed: the architecture was eye-catching, the atmosphere was intriguing, and the menu, served up by celebrity chef Eric Greenspan, was tasty enough to warrant more visits. Representatives for Tesla did not immediately respond to a request from Business Insider for comment. A past-meets-future design Tesla applied for permits for a "Tesla restaurant and supercharger station" in Santa Monica in 2018, just months after Musk first hinted at his plans to build a retro diner at a charging station. After years of waiting for construction to be completed, one would expect the Tesla Diner to be worth ogling — and it didn't disappoint, especially at night. The diner sits on a corner of Los Angeles's famous Santa Monica Boulevard, aka the historical Route 66, and it features sleek, curved edges, a rooftop patio overlooking two 45-foot-tall drive-in screens, and retro neon signs. The expansive parking lot has V4 80 Supercharger stalls, making it the largest urban charging hub in the world. Dozens of Cybertrucks — some polished, several modified for off-roading, and one adorned with a DogeCoin-themed vinyl wrap — paraded through the lot on opening night while other models of Tesla vehicles honked their horns or blew bubbles. Inside, the restaurant looks like what you might expect an animator from "The Jetsons" would dream up: a vintage perspective on the future. The crisp white walls and shiny white tile floor stand in stark contrast to the black ceilings with neon blue lighting. The seating is familiar to anyone who's been to a diner, though few patrons stayed in the main dining area. Large clusters of customers formed around the "pick-up" area of the bar, waiting for their orders, while others ate upstairs on the Skypad. Large, rounded windows fill many of the building's walls, and artwork includes prototypes of humanoid robots created by Tesla: Bumblebee, a 2022-era droid, and iterations of Optimus, which the company is working to bring to market. A classic diner menu, reimagined Chef Greenspan, a James Beard award nominee and Food Network personality known for his imaginative takes on old-school favorites, took control of the kitchen for the Tesla Diner's opening service. The menu, available 24 hours a day, highlights classic diner fare: smash burgers, hot dogs, tuna melts, club sandwiches, chicken and waffles, tallow fries (wagyu chili and cheese optional), and milkshakes. Breakfast options, also available around the clock, include breakfast tacos, avocado toast, biscuits and gravy, yogurt parfaits with berries, and cinnamon rolls. Prices range from $9 to $15 for entrées, which come in Cybertruck-themed packaging, and sides run from $4 to $12. Kids' meals are $13 a piece, and drinks start at $4. No alcohol is served on-site. Though some on social media were quick to critique the price point, prices are comparable to other nearby restaurants, including the classic Astro Burger joint down the street, established in 1972, which offers similarly priced grub and retro vibes. For dinner, one BI reporter and their date tried the Tesla Burger, Fried Chicken & Waffles, Tallow-fried fries with wagyu chili and cheese, Hash Brown Bites, Epic Bacon, and two milkshake flavors. At breakfast, another BI reporter had breakfast tacos, a cinnamon roll, and an iced latte. Everything sampled was worth a second bite — there were decidedly no disappointments on the menu items tried. However, the food was somewhat inconsistent, as one might expect from a grand opening, when the kitchen is still working out the kinks. Half of the Tesla Burger had a classic smash burger texture, while the other was so thick it was medium rare in the center. The bacon had some burned bits and some chewy ones, and the tallow fries varied in texture. The breakfast taco was tasty, but it was overpowered by too much cheese. Several customers during the dinner service complained that their meals took upward of 45 minutes to be served. Eater reported that Musk himself demanded every item on the menu be "epic" or be removed from its list of offerings. The "epic" bacon — with maple glaze and black pepper — was perhaps the least exciting bite of the meal, in one reporter's view. All told, however, the menu was solid diner fare: nothing revolutionary, but it hit the spot. Still working out the kinks The Tesla Diner was bustling within hours of its opening, with trash already strewn on the floor and foot scuffs highly visible on the light-colored flooring. Greenspan could be heard shouting through the restaurant during dinner service, calling out orders to be re-fired or rushed as the kitchen dealt with wave after wave of guests flowing through its doors — typical for a grand opening. For a place emphasizing technology and robots, there was also a lot of human help. Scores of helpful and friendly staffers guided drivers to their spots and helped handle all the traffic. As one reporter was eating their meal, a worker came over to ask: "How are you enjoying everything?" Upstairs on the Skypad, an Optimus robot was serving popcorn to guests. Staff gave conflicting information on whether the bot was controlled by a human operator. One said the bot was "legit" serving up the treats on its own, while another — who was serving as security for the bot when BI stopped by — said its human operator was no more than 30 feet away. The demonstration was meant to "mimic" what the real operations would look like when the bots were fully operational, the second staff member said. Tesla representatives did not immediately respond to questions about Optimus' autonomy. The diner is open 24/7, and for Tesla owners, it's useful to have somewhere nice to go and grab a bite or just work on your laptop during the 45 minutes or more it can take to charge your vehicle. During the opening, idle fees — which Tesla charges when a vehicle remains plugged into a Supercharger after reaching its limit and the station is at least half full — were waived. Tesla drivers are supposed to be able to order food directly from the screen in their cars, though that feature was not available as of Tuesday. One worker said it would be ready on Wednesday after a "software update." Fans and curious passersby outweighed critics by a large margin. At least one anti-Musk protester was spotted outside during the dinner service, with a sign that read "Workers should have power, not the billionaires!" While it remains to be seen how long the novelty of the Tesla Diner will linger at this location, Musk has said this is just the first of many souped-up Supercharger stations to come. On Monday, shortly before the Los Angeles location opened its doors to the public, Musk confirmed in a post on X that he's planning to build a second drive-in near SpaceX's Starbase spaceport in Texas. "If our retro-futuristic diner turns out well, which I think it will, @Tesla will establish these in major cities around the world, as well as at Supercharger sites on long distance routes," Musk said in a separate post. "An island of good food, good vibes & entertainment, all while Supercharging!" Whether the diner guests are primarily Tesla drivers or inquisitive onlookers, the Tesla Diner makes it clear that Musk is expanding his EV brand — and the food was pretty good.

Business Insider

9 hours ago

Business Insider

We visited the first Tesla Diner. It was surreal and heavy on nostalgia — but we'd go back.

Dozens of Teslas — of all models and colors — packed into the lot of Elon Musk 's new diner on Monday evening as West Hollywood's newest restaurant celebrated its grand opening with fanfare, curiosity, and at least one protester. The retro-futuristic eatery drew a pedestrian crowd that at times circled the block and provided a promenade for tricked-out electric vehicles. Diehard Tesla fans and curious onlookers alike stopped in for a bite to eat and a selfie with a popcorn-serving humanoid robot. The unusual atmosphere paired a mix of nostalgia and science fiction: "The Twilight Zone" played on giant screens, servers dashed by on roller skates, and EVs and robotics were proudly on display. "Aiming to be a fun experience for all, whether Tesla owners or not. Will keep improving," Musk wrote on X following the Tesla Diner's official opening. While the buzzy diner was a bit chaotic, Business Insider's Ben Bergman and Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert agreed: the architecture was eye-catching, the atmosphere was intriguing, and the menu, served up by celebrity chef Eric Greenspan, was tasty enough to warrant more visits. Representatives for Tesla did not immediately respond to a request from Business Insider for comment. A past-meets-future design Tesla applied for permits for a "Tesla restaurant and supercharger station" in Santa Monica in 2018, just months after Musk first hinted at his plans to build a retro diner at a charging station. After years of waiting for construction to be completed, one would expect the Tesla Diner to be worth ogling — and it didn't disappoint, especially at night. The diner sits on a corner of Los Angeles's famous Santa Monica Boulevard, aka the historical Route 66, and it features sleek, curved edges, a rooftop patio overlooking two 45-foot-tall drive-in screens, and retro neon signs. The expansive parking lot has V4 80 Supercharger stalls, making it the largest urban charging hub in the world. Dozens of Cybertrucks — some polished, several modified for off-roading, and one adorned with a DogeCoin-themed vinyl wrap — paraded through the lot on opening night while other models of Tesla vehicles honked their horns or blew bubbles. Inside, the restaurant looks like what you might expect an animator from "The Jetsons" would dream up: a vintage perspective on the future. The crisp white walls and shiny white tile floor stand in stark contrast to the black ceilings with neon blue lighting. The seating is familiar to anyone who's been to a diner, though few patrons stayed in the main dining area. Large clusters of customers formed around the "pick-up" area of the bar, waiting for their orders, while others ate upstairs on the Skypad. Large, rounded windows fill many of the building's walls, and artwork includes prototypes of humanoid robots created by Tesla: Bumblebee, a 2022-era droid, and iterations of Optimus, which the company is working to bring to market. A classic diner menu, reimagined Chef Greenspan, a James Beard award nominee and Food Network personality known for his imaginative takes on old-school favorites, took control of the kitchen for the Tesla Diner's opening service. The menu, available 24 hours a day, highlights classic diner fare: smash burgers, hot dogs, tuna melts, club sandwiches, chicken and waffles, tallow fries (wagyu chili and cheese optional), and milkshakes. Breakfast options, also available around the clock, include breakfast tacos, avocado toast, biscuits and gravy, yogurt parfaits with berries, and cinnamon rolls. Prices range from $9 to $15 for entrées, which come in Cybertruck-themed packaging, and sides run from $4 to $12. Kids' meals are $13 a piece, and drinks start at $4. No alcohol is served on-site. Though some on social media were quick to critique the price point, prices are comparable to other nearby restaurants, including the classic Astro Burger joint down the street, established in 1972, which offers similarly priced grub and retro vibes. For dinner, one BI reporter and their date tried the Tesla Burger, Fried Chicken & Waffles, Tallow-fried fries with wagyu chili and cheese, Hash Brown Bites, Epic Bacon, and two milkshake flavors. At breakfast, another BI reporter had breakfast tacos, a cinnamon roll, and an iced latte. Everything sampled was worth a second bite — there were decidedly no disappointments on the menu items tried. However, the food was somewhat inconsistent, as one might expect from a grand opening, when the kitchen is still working out the kinks. Half of the Tesla Burger had a classic smash burger texture, while the other was so thick it was medium rare in the center. The bacon had some burned bits and some chewy ones, and the tallow fries varied in texture. The breakfast taco was tasty, but it was overpowered by too much cheese. Several customers during the dinner service complained that their meals took upward of 45 minutes to be served. Eater reported that Musk himself demanded every item on the menu be "epic" or be removed from its list of offerings. The "epic" bacon — with maple glaze and black pepper — was perhaps the least exciting bite of the meal, in one reporter's view. All told, however, the menu was solid diner fare: nothing revolutionary, but it hit the spot. Still working out the kinks The Tesla Diner was bustling within hours of its opening, with trash already strewn on the floor and foot scuffs highly visible on the light-colored flooring. Greenspan could be heard shouting through the restaurant during dinner service, calling out orders to be re-fired or rushed as the kitchen dealt with wave after wave of guests flowing through its doors — typical for a grand opening. For a place emphasizing technology and robots, there was also a lot of human help. Scores of helpful and friendly staffers guided drivers to their spots and helped handle all the traffic. As one reporter was eating their meal, a worker came over to ask: "How are you enjoying everything?" Upstairs on the Skypad, an Optimus robot was serving popcorn to guests. Staff gave conflicting information on whether the bot was controlled by a human operator. One said the bot was "legit" serving up the treats on its own, while another — who was serving as security for the bot when BI stopped by — said its human operator was no more than 30 feet away. The demonstration was meant to "mimic" what the real operations would look like when the bots were fully operational, the second staff member said. Tesla representatives did not immediately respond to questions about Optimus' autonomy. The diner is open 24/7, and for Tesla owners, it's useful to have somewhere nice to go and grab a bite or just work on your laptop during the 45 minutes or more it can take to charge your vehicle. During the opening, idle fees — which Tesla charges when a vehicle remains plugged into a Supercharger after reaching its limit and the station is at least half full — were waived. Tesla drivers are supposed to be able to order food directly from the screen in their cars, though that feature was not available as of Tuesday. One worker said it would be ready on Wednesday after a "software update." Fans and curious passersby outweighed critics by a large margin. At least one anti-Musk protester was spotted outside during the dinner service, with a sign that read "Workers should have power, not the billionaires!" While it remains to be seen how long the novelty of the Tesla Diner will linger at this location, Musk has said this is just the first of many souped-up Supercharger stations to come. On Monday, shortly before the Los Angeles location opened its doors to the public, Musk confirmed in a post on X that he's planning to build a second drive-in near SpaceX's Starbase spaceport in Texas. "If our retro-futuristic diner turns out well, which I think it will, @Tesla will establish these in major cities around the world, as well as at Supercharger sites on long distance routes," Musk said in a separate post. "An island of good food, good vibes & entertainment, all while Supercharging!" Whether the diner guests are primarily Tesla drivers or inquisitive onlookers, the Tesla Diner makes it clear that Musk is expanding his EV brand — and the food was pretty good.

Eater

9 hours ago

Eater

Next-Gen Alamo Drafthouse Goes the Fancy Private Theater Route

is an editor and reporter for the Northeast region at Eater, focusing primarily on New York City, where she was born and raised. She covers restaurants, bars, pop-ups, and the people powering them. The founder of Alamo Drafthouse is opening a new movie theater in New York — one built entirely for private groups, with multi-course meals themed with whatever's playing on screen. Alamo Drafthouse has been a leader in the rise of dine-in movie theaters over the last decade. Now the Austin-born company is investing in Metro Private Cinema, opening in September at 131 Eighth Avenue, at West 16th Street, in Chelsea. Owner Tim League hopes to expand to other locations soon. At Metro Private Cinema, rather than purchasing an individual seat ticket, a host books a whole private screening room. Choose the movie (there's a range of titles), time, and food/drinks. Rooms — it's a 'twenty-plex' — generally seat between four and 12. The base is $50 per person with unlimited popcorn. It may be about double the price of a regular movie ticket, but it's easy to see it being popular for birthday parties or work events. Much like Alamo Drafthouse is known for, there are culinary add-ons. For example, for a showing of Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers, it would thematically make sense to pair the Les Blank documentary with their garlicky dinner experience that includes a chilled almond soup, charcuterie, roasted rabbit, and succotash. 'Every dish in this menu, from the cocktails to the dessert and everything in between, is kissed or clobbered by God's gift to cuisine: garlic,' the website writes. But you can mix-and-match: There's a Wicked-themed menu; a Goodfellas dinner; and A Christmas Story Chinese roast duck experience, among others. Multi-course meals are about $100 per person. After the movie ends, the group gets about 30 minutes extra time to keep hanging out. The menu was developed by Joshua Guarneri, who previously was the executive chef at the short-lived Bar Avalon in Los Angeles and worked at the Breslin in New York. 'We're going to have a lot of fun,' League said, who, as we spoke for the interview, mentioned pickling projects were happening downstairs at the venue in anticipation of opening. Financially, Alamo Drafthouse invested in the venture and has equity shares, though it is being positioned as an offshoot (League stepped down as Alamo CEO in 2020, but is still very involved in the company he founded). It's his first big move following much drama that has shrouded Alamo Drafthouse. In 2022, the Texas Observer chronicled challenges the chain faced during the pandemic, which included employee layoffs and bankruptcy as theaters struggled during COVID. The publication also called the portrait of working there 'far from fantastic' (a reference to the company's Fantastic Fest), a nationwide chain that 'remains popular despite accusations of union busting and allegations of sexual assault,' referring to issues regarding business associates and customers who had been accused of misconduct over the years. In 2018, Splinter reported that League and his wife, Karrie, had been accused of 'minimizing' workplace issues during the #MeToo era. League said in a statement around that time: 'I've let so many of you down. Over the past few days, I've realized that decisions I have made over these past months have been problematic. I am concerned about what these choices may say about me and the values of this company to employees, customers and the community at large. I'm humbled and deeply sorry.' In 2024, Alamo Drafthouse was acquired by Sony. Earlier this year, Variety reported that Alamo Drafthouse's unionizing workers at the Lower Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn locations ended a 58-day strike after reaching an agreement with management, also bringing back about 70 employees who were previously let go. Despite in-person attendance at theaters shifting, Alamo has continued to open new locations. League says part of what led him to launch Metro Private Cinema in Chelsea was that there was a theater nearby that had closed and he wanted to fill the gap: 'New York is an old city. In order to build a traditional movie theater, you need high ceilings and forty-foot spans; most New York buildings aren't set up for that,' he adds of the business's flexibility, 'We can slide into a former Duane Reade pharmacy, which pushes the idea forward.' It's apace with the numerous members-only clubs in New York, some with their own theaters. Over at Fouquet's New York, a hotel in Tribeca, it was reported by the New York Post that its Cannes Cinema started selling tickets to the public, at $110 for two drinks and a movie, $165 for the movie plus a prix fixe dinner at the property's French brasserie. Dine-in theaters like Syndicated in Bushwick and both Brooklyn Nitehawk locations also offer private event booking. 'There's a certain number of people who would prefer to be in a private place than a huge room with strangers […] it's an alternative that works alongside traditional cinemagoing,' League says. 'And, hopefully, this can grow a new market for people who aren't going to the cinema as much.' Metro Private Cinema Eater NY All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

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We visited the first Tesla Diner. It was surreal and heavy on nostalgia, but we'd go back.

We visited the first Tesla Diner. It was surreal and heavy on nostalgia — but we'd go back.

Next-Gen Alamo Drafthouse Goes the Fancy Private Theater Route

Studio City Extends Toy Story Campaign with Splashing Summer Fun at Studio City Water Park

Hashtags

Try Our AI Features

Comments

Related Articles

We visited the first Tesla Diner. It was surreal and heavy on nostalgia, but we'd go back.

We visited the first Tesla Diner. It was surreal and heavy on nostalgia — but we'd go back.

Next-Gen Alamo Drafthouse Goes the Fancy Private Theater Route

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