Pun-tastic Restaurants

With a Snoop Dog-inspired name, this Vietnamese restaurant is located in the suburbs of a major Washingtonian suburb. With more than a dozen different variations of the brothy cuisine known as pho, a vast selection of wok-fired dishes, you’ll leave Pho Shizzle asking yourself, is this place is pho real? Yes, it is.

The beer abides at the Big Legrowlski. Of course, a bar named for the Cohen Brothers cult classic "The Big Lebowski" that specializes in craft beer could only exist in Portland. They ooze chillness, offer 16 Le-brew-skis on tap... and serve White Russians, too.

And if you don't know, now you know... that there's a BBQ joint in Montana that's named for Biggie, the East Coast rap legend. The Notorious P.I.G. serves up St. Louis-style ribs, pulled pork, burnt ends, slaw, beans, mac and cheese, and tons more. Locals and visitors alike rave about this place... afterwards you'll ask yourself if it was all a dream.

For those of you who haven’t hopped aboard the frozen custard train, now’s the perfect time. This delicious riff on ice cream, invented in Coney Island, is now something of a Missouri speciality. Although these dessert stands are plentiful in the Midwest, this one’s name takes the cake.

It only takes seeing how many times bacon is listed on the menu to know what inspired the name of this Texan food truck. Other menu items offer deep-fried but delicious street food fare that will delight the senses and concern dietitians everywhere. We don’t care- it’s worth it.

For fare as trendy and as fresh as electronic music, head to Turnip the Beet. Their rice bowls and wraps are like a well-composed song: everything works together and inspires you to move and dance.

If I rubbed a magic lamp and got three wishes, one would be for unlimited gourmet weenies. The closest I can get in real life, though, is to head to Nashville's I Dream of Weenie. It's a VW bus that serves up delicious hot dogs (like the incredible Rebel Yelp), food truck style. Once you get your order, borrow a blanket and sit on the grassy patch next door to enjoy your meal. Also, they do Weenie Brunch on Sundays and it's amazing.

What does Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" have to do with tacos? Not much, but naming your Mexican joint "Tequila Mockingbird" is pretty punny. They offer over 100 kinds of tequila, so even the most straight-laced, Atticus Finch-like among us can find something to drink. And remember... "Shoot all the tequila you want, if you can handle it, but remember... it's a sin tequila mockingbird."

One taste of the shawarma from Pita Pan and you'll feel like you're in Neverland. If you're craving fresh, healthy Mediterranean food, this is your spot: they have all the standards, like hummus, falafel, kebabs, and more. And, of course, their pita is delicious. It's made of faith, trust, a little bit of pixie dust... and regular pita bread ingredients, too.

Breakfast sandwich aficionados, rejoice! You can have your Nova Scotia Lox bagel and delight in the clever wordplay of this Connecticut cafe. We just wonder if they’ve ever left a couple pieces in the toaster too long and ended up with Lox, Stock, and Two Smoking Ba- oh, never mind.

My heart will go on... all the way to Thai Tanic in Washington, D.C. There are more than a few Thai joints in the neighborhood, but none with punny names other than Thai Tanic, and it doesn't hurt that they serve up delicious takes on Thai standards as well as more adventurous offerings like pad kee mao, lad na, kra pow, and more... and booze. Basically, this place is an unsinkable choice for a meal!

Imagine the Pastabilities (and the possibilities) of a restaurant with a name like this! Their pasta is fresh, the toppings delicious, and their hot tomato oil, served over linguine or as a dip for bread, is stellar. At this place, all things are pastable.

Chicago's Wiener's Circle is famous for three things: its punny name, it's delicious Chicago-style dogs, and the famously sassy (borderline abusive) service. They're open super late, so if you're looking for drunk food or a late-night snack, coming here is a must if you're in town. Sure, between the perfectly greasy grub and hilariously mean servers, you might not leave feeling like wiener, but you will leave satisfied.

Even though the West Hollywood location of 9021 Pho isn't in the 90210 zip code, it still has that chic, modern, California vibe. Plus, any reference to "90210" automatically makes me think of the TV show "Beverly Hills 90210" and I guess it kinda might be a place where a modern day Donna Martin might eat?

This Northern California restaurant specializes in tapas, or sharable appetizers of Spanish cuisine. Their menu explores beyond the borders of Spain, particularly in the form of a dish named ‘the Marco Pollo’. We recommend the Kobe steak sandwich- it’s tapa-notch cuisine.