Gone are the days of plain old cafes. Now, people want an experience. A place where the décor, food, and ambiance don’t just serve your cravings but transport you straight into another universe.

“Imagine stepping into a dimly lit, rocky interior, surrounded by flickering torchlights and stone-carved seating. Which takes diners into an underground wonderland, complete with stalactites, ambient dripping water sounds, and a prehistoric vibe. Sounds cool, right,” says Shivesh Bhatia in one of his reels, 28, Food Blogger. But would you go back after that first magical visit? We asked a few café hoppers about their thoughts on theme cafés, and their answers were as mixed as a Barista’s special latte.

Kamya Jhamb, 19, student at Maharaja Agrasen Institute of Management Studies, pursuing Bachelor of Business Administration, feels that the real attraction for such places like Covah – The Cavern (₹3,000 for two) and Begeterre (₹3,000 for two), Sector 43, Gurgaon is unique food and drinks. On the contrary, Hazel Gupta, 19, Fashion Communication student at Pearl Academy, immersive experience is more important for her.

“When it comes to presentation, it’s usually up to the bar. Themed food that not only tastes good but also looks like a work of art makes the experience complete,” says Hazel. As she had an incredible time at Rooh, Mehrauli. “It costed us around ₹40,000 for 6 people. The food was mouthwatering, and the presentation was perfect. I was in absolute awe of it. And will surely go back again someday.”

While Kamya believes that they are a one-time attraction, exciting at first but lacking the depth to keep people coming back. She thinks this because she visited Bastian- at the top, Bombay. Their food wasn’t found very amusing by her, which costed ₹6000 per person. But a 10 on 10 was given for the vibe.

Theme cafés are like that one overhyped movie, exciting in the trailers, but sometimes, the actual experience doesn’t live up to it. Sure, they make for a killer Instagram post, and for a while, you feel like you’ve stepped into another world. But if the food is bland, the service is slow, and the whole place feels more like a photo-op than a restaurant, then, it’s probably a one-time visit.