10 Underwater Restaurants Around the World

No matter what your comfort level in the water is, everyone can appreciate the beauty of sea life in its natural habitat. Underwater restaurants have become a phenomenon that allows restaurant goers to dine with an out of this world view.

Not to be confused with swim-up bars that are popular in many tropical resorts or restaurants featuring large aquariums, these underwater restaurants are genuinely built under natural bodies of water. This makes for a perfectly romantic atmosphere when paired with the fact that many of these restaurants are located at famous honeymoon destinations. 

Even if you're #singleforever, you're going to want to add these restaurants to your bucket list. The food is delicious across the board and the Instagrammability alone will make it worth your investment.

Ithaa Undersea Restaurant

As you will see from the rest of the list, many of these restaurants are located in the beautiful Maldives. Ithaa stands out from the others due to its 180 degree views of the water above diners as they eat their six course set dinner menus.

It was named "The Most Beautiful Restaurant in the World" in 2014 by the New York Daily News, so even if the food isn't world-class, this place is well worth the visit.

Subsix

The seclusion of Subsix adds to its allure because it is located on an exclusive island and is only accessible by boat. The decor is ocean-inspired, including its clam-like bar. Be sure to visit on a Wednesday or Sunday because after 9 pm it turns into the world's only underwater nightclub when they host a biweekly Glow Party. 

Sea

Location: Kihavah, Maldives 

Located in the Maldives, Sea stands out as being home to the world's first underwater wine cellar. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so you'll have plenty of opportunity to sample the world-class dining with a stunning view of the natural underwater environment around you.

Cargo Hold

Cargo Hold may not be an entirely underwater restaurant, but it is designed like the hull of a ship partially sunken under the sea. Diners can choose between a beautiful ocean view and an underwater view of of the water. This is the perfect restaurant for fans of "Titanic," which is everyone as far as I'm concerned. 

5.8 Undersea Restaurant

5.8 is yet another underwater restaurant that calls the Maldives home. As you may have guessed, the name comes from the diners being located 5.8 meters under the water's surface. Although it's home to an intimate 10 tables, it takes home the title for the world's largest all glass undersea restaurant.

The Marine Room

Depending on the tides, diners at The Marine Room in La Jolla, California can watch the waves of the Pacific Ocean crashing against the dining room's glass windows. They offer a "world-class" seafood-centric menu with a lobster special on Monday nights. Keep an eye on their website because every few months they have a cooking class that comes complete with dinner.

Jules' Undersea Lodge

If you're on the lookout for a less sophisticated meal at an underwater restaurant, you can visit Jules' Undersea Lodge in Key Largo, Florida. Once diners get past the scuba diving to arrive at the lodge, they are treated to "world famous pizza delivery."

Poseidon

Imagine a 100 percent undersea resort with floor to ceiling windows and a pod-like dining room with nearly 360 degree views of the surrounding water. The good news is you can travel to Poseidon in Fiji and experience it for yourself. After you enjoy the 5 star food, you can take out your own personal submarine.

Poseidon is not yet taking reservations, but if you're interested, you can put yourself on their list to be notified when they do. 

Under

Set to open spring of 2019 in Lindesnes, Norway, Under offers guests the experience of dining 5.5 meters below the water's surface. Acclaimed Chef Nicholas Ellitsgaard will be in charge of creating the prefix menu every night, highlighting what ingredients he can get from local farmers, hunters, and foragers. 

Hydropolis

Although the opening of Hydropolis resort in Dubai has been delayed indefinitely, I still had to include it for its ambition. The resort has an impressively beautiful design featuring numerous rooms and dining options both above and under the sea. As with everything in Dubai, if the Hydropolis ever gets finished, it will be so over-the-top that the photos alone would be well worth a trip.

Now that you've seen the numerous underwater restaurant options scattered around the globe, I'm sure you'll never look at a restaurant with a simple aquarium the same way again. It's time to grab your significant other for a romantic meal, or just a group of fun-loving friends. Make a trip out of it because I'm sure many of these places were on your bucket list anyway.