For many years, I hosted a weekly food truck event at the Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood. What’s crazy is that during all that time, I only ate at the Hard Rock Cafe once.
My ears perked up when a rumor started making the rounds about the upgraded Hard Rock Cafe in the new guitar building. Why? The word on the street was that they were now grinding their own beef in-house, which was music to my eyes.
Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe Burger Room
Hard Rock Cafe in Hollywood is one of a few select locations with a Burger Room that grinds its beef daily. Yes, it’s kind of like the old-school Fuddruckers minus the hanging carcasses. The newly revamped steak burgers (with a signature blend that includes brisket) are great, answering that age-old question of what was in their burger blend.
I was torn about which burger to eat, so I went with the classic Legendary Burger: a fresh-ground half-pound burger patty with applewood-smoked bacon, onion ring, Tillamook Cheddar Cheese, lettuce, and tomato on a toasted bun. After I removed the lettuce and tomato, we were in business.
Looking back on it, I should have gone straight up meat-cheese-bun. With a freshly ground burger like this, it’s best to keep it simple.
I upgraded the burger side to bacon cheese fries for a few bucks more. If you’re a meat and potatoes guy like me, then you’ll understand how greatness of this option.
Hard Rock Cafe in Hollywood, Florida
Other than the burger, the Tupelo Chicken Tenders are my go-to appetizer. Although they’re not considered an appetizer, in my mind, chicken tenders are starters.
These beauties are perfect with the honey mustard dipping sauce. If you manage to leave some room for dessert, I suggest the homemade apple cobbler.
Hard Rock Cafe
1 Seminole Way
Hollywood, FL
(954) 315-9112
Website – https://cafe.hardrock.com/hollywood-fl/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/hardrockholly
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/seminolehardrockhollywood
Monday 11:00 am – 12:00 am
Tuesday 11:00 am – 12:00 am
Wednesday 11:00 am – 12:00 am
Thursday 11:00 am – 12:00 am
Friday 11:00 am – 1:00 am
Saturday 11:00 am – 1:00 am
Sunday 11:00 am – 12:00 am
Hard Rock Cafe Obsession
In 5th grade, I was envious of other kids who had t-shirts proving that they had been to the Hard Rock Cafe in New York or Chicago. Honestly, I didn’t even know what it was, but I knew I wanted one of those shirts.
On one of those careless summers of my youth, we vacationed in California. We visited Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, Six Flags Magic Mountain, and Universal Studios. My aunt (who lived with my grandmother in Glendale, California, at the time) mentioned that there was a Hard Rock Cafe not far from their house.
My aunt’s info set the wheels in motion. I knew I could not have a perfect trip if I did not go to Hard Rock Cafe before I left.
After that fateful day, when I ate at that Hard Rock Cafe, I started collecting branded merchandise from different Hard Rock Cafe locations. Of course, my merch obsession would subside as I got older, but that HRC logo still has a special place in my heart.
Before a Miami or Hollywood Hard Rock Cafe location in Florida, I would try to convince anyone I could to make the three-and-a-half-hour drive to the Hard Rock next to Universal Studios Orlando.
Finally, when the Miami location in Bayside Marketplace opened, I, along with a few of my closest friends, waited in line at the grand opening so that we could eat there on its first day (there was an over 2-hour wait).
I’m not necessarily proud of that last fact since I’ve ceased the wait-in-line thing.
I Love the Hard Rock Cafe Logo
Most of my obsession came from the place’s branding, mainly the logo. The food always plays second fiddle to their massive marketing machine. Hard Rock Cafes always hype how great their burgers taste.
Are they that good? I don’t frequent the Hard Rock Cafe at Bayside. It’s a tourist trap. Most people who want to eat at the Hard Rock go to the hipper Hard Rock Seminole in Hollywood.
I don’t blame them. However, suppose you’re looking for a more authentic Hard Rock Cafe experience. In that case, you’ll probably want to visit the Miami location since it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of its Broward County counterpart.
It’s packed to the rafters with historical music memories. However, if you’re looking for a more formal dining experience, the Hollywood restaurant will be more your speed.
Hard Rock Cafe World Burger Tour
The Hard Rock Cafe‘s culinary team evaluated more than 160 local burgers in 2017. The crowd favorites made it to the Hard Rock Cafe World Burger Tour lineup. Hard Rock Cafe menus between May and June 2017 featured the following World Burger Tour offerings:
- Seminole Cattlemen Burger (Seminoles of Florida United States) – fresh Seminole beef topped with bacon-infused Heart of Palm coleslaw, fresh tomato, and Tupelo breaded gator tail, smothered in Seminole wing sauce.
- Tango Salsa Burger (Buenos Aires, Argentina) – shake it up with andouille sausage, Certified Angus Beef®, salsa criolla, garlic aioli, Monterey jack cheese, fresh arugula, and a fried egg to top off the burger.
- Banh Mi Burger (Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam) – coated in tangy house-made Vietnamese glaze, topped with sliced cucumbers and pickled vegetables, accompanied by a garnishment of cilantro and green onions, all on a Certified Angus Beef® patty.
- Tennessee BBQ Burger (Tennessee, United States) – like a good country ballad, this Certified Angus Beef® burger brings happy tears with BBQ dry rubbed premium beef topped with pickle slices, Memphis slaw, pulled pork, pig sauce, crispy onions, and cheddar.