The world has more options than ever to enjoy their media online. Streaming has made your couch the place to be for the biggest TV and film releases, cutting deeply into the profit margins of networks and movie theaters. When it comes to major streaming services, Netflix remains the OG. It changed the game, not to mention giving viewers some incredible content to watch. Now, Netflix wants to join the rest of us in the real world and is doing it by starting a restaurant.
That is correct. Netflix has launched a pop-up restaurant on the Las Vegas Strip. It currently has a one year "culinary residency" in the MGM Grand, though it's not hard to imagine that it could be extended if it goes well. Netflix's first attempt at a restaurant, Netflix Bites, was 2023's pop-up at the Short Stories Hotel in Los Angeles. It ran for six months and, like many of Netflix's original series, was met with mixed reviews at absolute best.
The Las Angeles iteration of Netflix Bites was thematically focused on the streamer's cooking competition shows. That means the decor and the menu. Netflix Bites Las Vegas has taken a much wider view of Netflix's offerings to inspire its look, drinks, and food. Basically, anything Netflix has produced was considered fair game in developing this eatery. That includes Stranger Things, Bridgerton, Squid Game, and even Netflix's newest partner, the WWE.
Some reviewers have suggested that the new Netflix Bites gives off a vibe reminiscent of Planet Hollywood, likely due to the obvious film and television connections. The Planet Hollywood Restaurant & Bar at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas closed its doors in 2023, nearly 30 years after it first opened on the Strip. It's worth noting that Planet Hollywood is now its own resort and casino in Las Vegas, a move that isn't out of the realm of possibility for Netflix at this point.