Michael Jordan's Restaurant - Menu and Attractions

Menu and Attractions

Michael Jordan's Restaurant billed itself as "sporty and casual", with an American menu. Dishes included steak, sole, pasta, hamburgers, ribs, chicken, pork chops, and salads, along with "Juanita's Macaroni and Cheese", which was based on a recipe from Jordan's wife.

The restaurant was housed in a three-story red brick building, which had formerly served as part of a cable car powerhouse. The building was adorned with a 25-foot (7.6-m) high cutout basketball on its roof and a 30-by-30 foot (9.1-by-9.1 m) banner of Michael Jordan. The first floor comprised a 150-person capacity sports bar, a 6-by-20-foot (1.8-by-6.1-m) video wall, and a gift shop. It also contained a large collection of Michael Jordan memorabilia, such as jerseys, trophies, shoes, photographs, Sports Illustrated magazine covers, and children's drawings of the basketball star. The 200-seat main dining room, which featured a portrait of Jordan by Chicago artist Ed Paschke, was on the second floor. The Jordan family had their own private room on the second floor, and the restaurant staff claimed that Jordan visited as often as three times a week. The third floor of the building was a meeting and banquet hall.

Michael Jordan's received mixed reviews from critics. Eleanor Lee Yates of the Fayetteville Observer said the restaurant was "a pleasant surprise", while Sandra Kallio of the Wisconsin State Journal praised it for "excellent food, superb staff and relaxing atmosphere". However, the Chicago Tribune's Phil Vettel described the restaurant as "mediocre".