Harryhausen’s is the upcoming restaurant in Monstropolis, the new Monsters, Inc.-themed land coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Based on the memorable restaurant from the original 2001 Pixar film, Harryhausen’s brings one of the monster world’s most recognizable locations into the park as a full dining experience rather than a quick visual reference. In the film, it is best remembered as the restaurant where Mike Wazowski takes Celia Mae on their date, only for the evening to spiral into chaos after Boo accidentally enters the monster world.
The restaurant’s name is itself a tribute to Ray Harryhausen, the legendary stop-motion effects artist whose creature work influenced generations of fantasy and monster filmmaking. That reference makes the location especially appropriate for Hollywood Studios, a park originally built around movies, animation, special effects, and the craft of entertainment. Even as the park has shifted away from its working-studio premise, Harryhausen’s still connects to that deeper Hollywood idea: monsters as movie magic.
Disney has described Harryhausen’s as one of the key destinations that will help bring Monstropolis to life when the new land begins opening to guests in 2027. The restaurant will spotlight the famed sushi chef from the film as a new Audio-Animatronics figure, with his many tentacles preparing monster-worthy creations. Disney has also clarified that the menu will include more than sushi, which is important for a major in-park restaurant expected to serve a wide range of Hollywood Studios guests.
Its placement in Monstropolis should make Harryhausen’s more than a simple themed eatery. The new land is built around the idea that humans have finally been invited into the monster city after Monstropolis’ shift from scream power to laugh power. In that context, dining at Harryhausen’s becomes part of the story: guests are not just eating near Monsters, Inc.; they are stepping into a once-exclusive monster restaurant now open to human visitors.
Harryhausen’s also carries weight because it is replacing part of the former Grand Avenue/Muppets-area dining footprint, where Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano once operated. That makes it part of a major generational change at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, as the park continues moving from studio-backlot theming toward immersive franchise neighborhoods.
Harryhausen’s is already one of the most intriguing pieces of Monstropolis because it combines film nostalgia, themed dining, character-driven humor, and a rare new restaurant Audio-Animatronics figure. If Disney executes it well, it could become one of the most distinctive dining environments in Hollywood Studios.