Check out real places named Moe’s Tavern, the Frying Dutchman, Springfield Elementary School and more.
My wife recently wanted to go out for ice cream and I suggested Phineas Q. Butterfat’s Ice Cream Parlor. After looking it up on Google Maps, she realized it didn’t exist. “What reference was that? Simpsons? South Park? Hot Fuzz?” (I’ve been going through a big Hot Fuzz thing lately.)
As briefly self-satisfied as I was, I kinda want to go to Phineas Q. Butterfat’s. It sounds delicious. When she looked it up, I almost wish there had been a result, because it certainly would’ve been glorious.
Later that night, I spent hours plugging the names of different famous locations from The Simpsons into Google Maps to see if I could find their real life equivalents. There aren’t a ton of the signature Springfield landmarks floating around in our non-Springfield world, but there were more than enough to put together this list.
Here are 11 real life places that share the same name as a famous place from The Simpsons.
1 | Frying Dutchman (Kutztown, Pennsylvania)
All-you-can-eat fish doesn’t really do it for me, but all-you-can-eat donuts? My dilemma wouldn’t be devouring them — I would most certainly devour them — it would be which Simpsons reference to make pre-devour. Do I go with the Frying Dutchman-appropriate one of describing myself as no man, but a remorseless eating machine? Or do I go with the more unlimited donut-centric one, saying that since I like donuts I should have all the donuts in the world? That dilemma alone keeps me from truly wanting to fulfill my endless donut fantasy. (And death. It would induce death.)
2 | Aztec Theater (San Antonio, Texas)
Yeah, the Aztec Theater isn’t really the most exciting Springfield landmark but (1) it gave me a chance to run that Love Is Nice image I adore and (2) no one’s named a business Sneed’s Feed and Seed (Formerly Chuck’s).
3 | Rancho Relaxo (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
This is the biggest delta on the list — a desert wellness spa on The Simpsons versus a strip mall Tex-Mex restaurant in Canada. Do they call it Tex-Mex up there? What’s the Canadian equivalent? Newf-Mex? Calg-Mex?
4 | Painless Dentistry (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
There are quite a few businesses named Painless Dentistry around the country; apparently many people have decided that the best way to stand out from all the other dentists in town is to target that lucrative coward market. Very few of the Painless Dentistries have visible signs, even on Google Maps street view. This one in Philadelphia had a sign, so it gets the plug. You missed out, Painless Dentistry of Charlotte, Michigan.
5 | Moe’s Tavern (Rougemont, North Carolina)
There are a few Moe’s Taverns around the country but finding one that appears to be even more dilapidated than Springfield’s seemed like a must-have.
6 | The Jazz Hole (Lagos, Nigeria)
If only the Jazz Hole had an attached carhole, I’d be thrilled. Regardless, if I ever get an email from a deposed prince and he name-drops the Jazz Hole and/or Bleeding Gums Murphy, I’ll toss a few grand his way.
7 | Izzy’s Deli (Santa Monica, California)
I’ve eaten many times at Izzy’s in Santa Monica (unofficial motto: At 2:00 A.M. it’s either here or Denny’s, so… yeah). Like the Izzy’s on the Simpsons, they have sandwiches named after people. Unlike the Izzy’s on the Simpsons, real Izzy’s is almost eerily bereft of surly old Jewish waitresses resenting you for asking for more free pickles.
8 | Evergreen Terrace (Portland, Oregon)
If you’ve somehow missed this Simpsons trivia nugget over the past 200 years it’s been on TV, Matt Groening grew up on a street named Evergreen Terrace in Portland, Oregon. (The street sign above is from the Evergreen Terrace in Portland.) So while the rest of us combine our middle name with the street we grew up on to make our porn name (Dave Wrenford!), he took the street he grew up on and made it the epicenter of a multi-billion-dollar empire.
9 | Springfield Elementary School (Charleston, South Carolina)
I searched in America’s many, many Springfields for a Springfield Elementary. Couldn’t find out (at least not one with a picture). Randomly, Charleston, South Carolina came through — because why *wouldn’t* Springfield Elementary be located in Charleston? Maybe Lisa Simpson should take back all the bad things she said about being a gamecock.
10 | Donny’s Discount Gas (Forsyth, Georgia)
Alright, so Donny’s Propane Gas isn’t quite the same as Donny’s Discount Gas. But as long as once in a while their prices end in 8/10ths of a cent instead of the greedier industry standard 9/10ths, they get dap from me.
11 | Hammock Hut (Helensvale, Australia)
The best part about the Helensvale hammock district is that Helen gets in the hammock with you.
