Here's Where Californians Can Visit The State's Last Remaining Rainforest Cafe

Rainforest Cafe — a themed dining chain that immerses hungry patrons in a lush, rainforest-inspired setting complete with animatronic animals, jungle noises, and fountains — had about 45 locations during its heyday in the early 2000s. Today, the chain has just 16 U.S. locations across 11 states, in addition to locations in Ontario, Canada (which is actually located right next to Niagara Falls!); Tokyo, Japan; Paris, France; and Malta. While some states, like Texas and Florida, boast multiple Rainforest Cafes between them, Californians are down to a single one, located in the Ontario Mills shopping mall in the SoCal city of Ontario. At one point, there were three other Californian Rainforest Cafes (including one in Downtown Disney), but they closed down between 2013 and 2018.

Ontario Mills sounds like a solid location for anyone searching out their first Rainforest Cafe experience. The mall is home to more than 200 stores, is located next to the Ontario International Airport, a movie theater, and (coming soon as of February 2026) Slick City Action Park. So even if Rainforest Cafe is your primary destination, you can fill up the hours before or after your meal with some quality shopping and entertainment opportunities. And don't forget — Rainforest Cafe itself is known for having a sizable merch section, where you can find anything from Rainforest Cafe-branded apparel to jungle-themed toys, plushies, etc. Many of these feature Rainforest Cafe's signature mascots: Cha! Cha! The tree frog; Bamba the gorilla; Iggy the Iguana; Maya the Jaguar; and others.

Although the chain may not be as large as it once was, the age of social media doesn't seem to be hurting it, and many younger diners seem eager to capture the experience — both in person and on film. The food itself is described as both American and tropical. The menu looks pretty standard (salads, burgers, pasta, etc.), although, in keeping with the Rainforest theme, dishes may have creative names like The Beastly Burger (essentially just a double-patty burger with your typical burger toppings); Jungle Steak & Shrimp (sirloin steak with both shrimp scampi and coconut shrimp, plus vegetables); and Python Pasta (chicken alfredo). For dessert, you can even chow down on a Sparkling Volcano, a brownie-cake sundae topped with two kinds of sauces, candy rocks, sprinkles, etc.

When it comes to the consensus on Reddit, some people in the r/nostalgia subreddit seem surprised that it even still exists; others recall enjoying the food, while perhaps more discerning palates claim the food is mediocre, it's all about the atmosphere. There are reports of animatronics largely not working at certain locations, which detracts from the overall experience, and parents have mixed results with taking kids there, as the atmosphere can be over-stimulating. Still, many have fond memories of visiting Rainforest Cafe at the height of its popularity and seem pleased to know it's still around.