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As we near year’s end, we’re re-posting a few heavily commented-upon posts from earlier in 2007. Here’s one of our favorites, from September. This post also inspired my all-time favorite negative comment (#12).
I’ve never been in a great public restroom. I was under the impression they were all basically disgusting, with varying levels of nastiness.
Apparently, I’ve been going in all the wrong places.
Cintas, a company that sells corporate restroom supplies, has been naming America’s Best Restrooms since 2001. This year’s winner: Jungle Jim’s International Market in Fairfield, Ohio.
Considering my grocery store does not have public restrooms, I’m impressed. And that’s just the outside.
Here’s the America’s Best Restroom write-up: “Jungle Jim’s International Market is approximately 300,000 square feet of shopping ingenuity - it has Amish food, a cheese shoppe, garden center, international cuisine, cooking classes and eight aisles of pet supplies to name a few. And in the heart of it all, you’ll find that Jungle Jim’s famous restrooms stop shoppers dead in their tacks. Talk about bathroom humor — the entrance doors are actual port-o-lets. Unsuspecting shoppers patiently wait their turn until they see three or four people exiting. Upon opening the door they discover a gigantic, modern restroom within. Truly a luxurious port-o-potty - Jungle Jim’s style!”
Here are some other bathrooms you’d be lucky to find across the country.
Waffle House of America
Lawrence, Michigan
Fifth Place, 2004
“Guests are greeted with soothing piano music and your eyes are quickly drawn to the focal point of the room, a beautiful hand-painted vanity. The bathroom stalls have a crackled paint finish and even the toilet seats are hand painted with roses. A panoramic mural of painted clouds surrounds the stalls to complete the outdoor garden atmosphere. No expensive contractors of decorators turned this bathroom into such a treasure. It was lovingly created with help from craft magazines, Mom and ideas from the Discovery Channel.”
Wall City Toilet
Boston, Massachusetts
Third Place, 2004
“During ten years of development and engineering, Wall’s team took onto consideration comfort, hygiene, accessibility, cleanliness and security, as well as quality and design. The result: the world’s smallest footprint for a self-cleaning, fully automatic toilet. The ergonomic design and technological conveniences of Wall’s automatic public toilet create and amenity that allows all individuals, regardless of disability, to meet their needs in an easy and efficient manner.”
Yavneh Day School
Cincinnati, Ohio
Fourth Place, 2003
“We used a picket fence/bird house theme. All items were donated by employees. A selection of potpourri , sprays and lotions are arranged on a charming shelf. The idea for the bathroom was from our elementary school principal, Dr. Susan Moore. It has picket fence wallpaper, a shelf with bird houses, a green mirror, flowers, and even a bird house light switch cover!”
Art Chicks
Louisville, Nebraska
Second Place, 2004
“The Art Chicks bathroom is always super-dooper clean and has all the things a ‘chick’ would need - great soap, hand lotion, double ply Charmin Bath tissue, feminine hygiene supplies, hairspray and, of course, a great mirror.”
Lee Davis Texaco
Mechanicsville, Virginia
Fifth Place, 2001-02
“Both the men’s and women’s restrooms are decorated with a touch of warmth from home. Different from being the gas station type restrooms with plain walls, a sink and a toilet, we want people to feel at home and welcome. There are pictures on the walls and rugs on the floor. The women’s bathroom has flowers and the men’s bathroom has plants to make them more decorated.”
University of Notre Dame, Main Building
South Bend, Indiana
First Place, 2002
“The restrooms in the Main Building have Stovax Victorian tile floors (imported from England). The main door to all restrooms is refinished in their original glory of stained wood. Interior partition doors are finished solid oak mounted to marble finished partitions. Drinking fountains are inside a partitioned portion of the restroom. Faucets on sinks are designer accented with chrome and brass. Counters are built in for diaper changing and/or for luggage/bags. The lighting is classical 1800s style lighting suspended from the ceiling in reflector bowls.”
(Any Notre Dame students or alums care to weigh in? Should the bathrooms be on the campus tour?)
This might be a loaded question in light of the Larry Craig scandal, but have you ever had a great experience in a public restroom? Tell us about it, or nominate that john for next year’s trophy.
Comments (55)
Comment
I think that is genius! I went to a German circus “flic flace” a few days ago and they had about 5 or 6 of port a johns lined up with a line out in front but the bathrooms were pretty nice!
posted by Judy on 9-5-2007 at 6:59 am
Anyone been to Bucky’s in Texas?! That place has some amazing restrooms. Bucky’s is a gas station that is gigantic and sells anything you would ever need! I think it is the only gas station that I have ever seen with advertisements displaying “Bucky’s 99 miles away”
posted by Isaias Torres on 9-5-2007 at 7:00 am
There’s a place in downtown San Diego called Bucca De Beppos (sp?) anyways, their bathroom’s are highly decorated of old lingerie models and kids peeing. It’s pretty funny. They’re normally really clean too.
posted by Sara on 9-5-2007 at 7:16 am
The most creative bathroom I’ve ever seen is the ladies room at Dixie’s in Pearl City, HI. The first thing you see when you walk in is a male mannequin, fully dressed, posed as if at a urinal. The first time I walked in, I seriously thought I was in the wrong restroom. There are also funny quotes written all over the walls and stalls. A must see and read!
posted by Robin on 9-5-2007 at 8:46 am
The Hermitage Hotel in Nashville has a really fantastic men’s room, which has been preserved in its 1930s Art Deco style. There’s also supposedly a secret tunnel.
posted by Amanda on 9-5-2007 at 9:06 am
As a current student at Notre Dame, I feel I must throw in my own two cents. Last year, a friend of mine had a class in the main building (the dome). He told me that sometimes he would purposefully wait until before that class just to use those restrooms. They’re that good.
posted by Joey on 9-5-2007 at 9:10 am
Most of the public restrooms in France featured stalls that were completely enclosed rooms; Full door and walls on each of them. It was great.
Nobody peaking through the cracks at you. No hearing your neighbors business, or them hearing yours. And to the chagrin of Larry Craig, no open floor space though which you can communicate with your neighbor.
posted by n2y2 on 9-5-2007 at 9:25 am
I live down the road from Jungle Jim’s, and I laugh at their restrooms every time I go there. Amazing store, everything you could imagine in it. I was told that the manager was called to a woman that was disgusted by the fact that she had to use a port-o-potty, and he calmly told her to go inside and check it out…after she did, she felt a little foolish =-P
posted by Steph on 9-5-2007 at 10:15 am
I second Bucky’s on I-10. Lots of clean restroom stalls, with hand sanitizer everywhere.
posted by Lizard Breath on 9-5-2007 at 10:28 am
While on a youth choir trip to Washington DC many moons ago, I encountered some interesting public bathrooms.
One was a Port-O-Potty that was completely - COMPLETELY - covered on the inside with algebra equations and notes.
The second was another Port-O-Potty that appeared to have had a person explode inside it. Sitting on the seat was a can of Schlitz beer.
The third was a regular public restroom. The toilets were the unique feature. They didn’t so much flush as they evacuated everything including air from the immediate vicinity of the bowl. I kid you not, these toilets would suck your lungs out if you put your head down there. Instead of the usual running water sound that accompanies a toilet flushing, there was just a horrendous “WHOOOOSH!!!!” and everything was gone. Some of my friends and I were in one of these bathrooms. My friend Steve was in a stall and the rest of us were waiting for him to come out. In the stall next to him, someone was in obvious gastric distress. There would be a huge grunt followed by the “WHOOOOSH!!” Then more grunting and more whooshing. Over and over and over. My friends and I were just doubled over with laughter. Finally, Steve emerged from the stall next to master pooper. He stared at us for a moment and said “What?”
posted by Anthony on 9-5-2007 at 11:23 am
I don’t remember the name, but there’s a bar in downtown Butte, Montana where the men’s restroom is covered floor-to-ceiling with magazine pictures of naked ladies and the women’s restroom is plastered with nude males. I appreciate the equality.
posted by Rachel on 9-5-2007 at 1:20 pm
Are you serious that you have never been in a public restroom? In what world do you live? Or do you literally never have to interact with common folk such as myself. Im flabbergasted. Do you not go out? Do you never leave the immediate radius of your own abode?
posted by Omega on 9-5-2007 at 1:47 pm
My husband and I went to Ireland for our honeymoon and one of the books we had read mentioned Ireland’s top toilet award. We happened to be passing by it one day so naturally we had to stop. Whoever wrote the book had been severely misinformed. This restroom was the 2nd runner up in 2002 and we were there in 2006. Not only did the actual toilet not have a lid, it didn’t even have a seat; it was just the bowl! Not exactly what I would call a top toilet!
However if you go to our local Hooter’s, there are chick flicks playing in the women’s restroom which I think is a great idea…I wanted to stay in there and watch the rest of the movie. I’m sure that was the intention: leave the boys alone and maybe they’ll spend more money! ;)
posted by CB on 9-5-2007 at 1:50 pm
ND alum here. Yup, those are nice bathrooms in the main hall. CONFIRMED!
RandomEsq
posted by RandomEsq on 9-5-2007 at 3:13 pm
After the shocking allegations hurled at me by Omega, I need to clear the record.
I’ve never been in a GREAT public restroom.
In the last two days, I’ve taken care of business in both Starbucks (America’s Public Restroom) and Kinko’s (not known for their facilities). Put it this way - neither will show up on the 2008 “America’s Best” list.
Just wanted to clear my good name. And letting you all know that I pee in public somehow does that.
posted by Jason on 9-5-2007 at 3:35 pm
I read about a toilet where the ceiling and walls are way mirrors. How awkward can you get?!
posted by Marcel on 9-5-2007 at 5:11 pm
There is a tea parlor in Temecula, Ca called “Truffles and Lace” the bathroom is decorated in Victorian style and is very nice. The toilet paper is pink and perfumed and they have real hand towels that you drop in a little bird cage basket when you are done!
posted by melissa on 9-5-2007 at 6:09 pm
Anyone been to Bass Pro in Springfield, Missouri? If you’re the outdoorsy type, you will enjoy their restrooms (provided you don’t mind being watched by a stuffed squirrel and it’s friends).
posted by frosty on 9-5-2007 at 7:05 pm
I’m sad to admit that I’ve never be3en in a great public bathroom either. A few of the one’s around my home town are actually closer to the opposite end ot the commode spectrum.
The Hooter’s rest room sounds great, though. Chick flicks in the bathroom is a great idea!
posted by heather on 9-6-2007 at 1:09 am
The ladies’ room at Quaker Steak & Lube in Sharon, PA used to be pretty cool, with beefcake pictures everywhere. I’m assuming them men’s room is done up in a similar style. I haven’t been there in a couple of years, so things may have changed.
posted by Rachel on 9-6-2007 at 6:15 am
Are you people serious?!?! No one has ever been to the Kohler Art Center bathrooms in Sheboygan WI??? They’re famous! It will blow your mind! Look up the John Michael Kohler Art Center, click on “Exhibitions/Collections” then on “Washrooms”
Each one was “created” by a different artist, take the time to look at all the pictures or go visit the art center, it’s worth it. They’re so cool that they sell postcards of them in the gift shop.
posted by Emily on 9-6-2007 at 7:52 am
I’ve been to the Bucky’s in Texas several times, it was on the way between home and where I went to college, the restrooms are built to handle huge volumes, so you don’t have a giant line waiting for the one toilet. The men’s room has a wall of urinals, about 10-12 urinals along one wall each in it’s own little alcove for privacy, best gas station bathroom I’ve ever used.
posted by William on 9-6-2007 at 10:06 am
There is a bar at Pacific Beach in San Diego that has in the women’s restroom a large mural of Tarzan. There is a wooly loincloth over his junk that can be lifted up………where you find a leaf in place of Tarzan’s manhood.
posted by Kelly on 9-6-2007 at 11:34 am
I’ve never been to a GREAT public restroom either, but one of my most memorable public restroom experiences was at the Globe Theatre Museum in London… 2 toilets in one stall. Risque? or practical?
PS-Did reading this blog/comments make anyone else have to visit the restroom?
My office building just remodeled the bathrooms 3 months ago, so they’re pretty nice as of now
posted by me on 9-6-2007 at 1:15 pm
Long ago when I lived in Tallahassee, Florida, I used to frequent a local Cajun restaurant called Good Time Charlie’s. The men’s room didn’t have urinals, but rather a large porcelain trough that was always filled with ice cubes. A sign above the trough read “Laissez les Bontemps Roulez - Pee on the Ice.”
posted by Ken on 9-6-2007 at 3:48 pm
The Madona Inn in San Luis Obispo has an elegant wall-size waterfall instead of urinals - and women are routinely given tours of the men’s room. They also have kid-sized toilets and toilet stalls.
posted by Serena on 9-6-2007 at 4:20 pm
I think they should name the Craig bathroom, “The Wide Stance Powder Room” — for real men.
posted by David on 9-6-2007 at 5:08 pm
More than once, while visiting smaller pubs in rural Ireland, I found no urinals in the mens rooms, but rather a shoulder high brushed stainless steel wall, with a shallow tiled trench at the base. Water would lightly cascade down over the wall when you ‘flushed.’
posted by Ron on 9-6-2007 at 8:31 pm
Back in the early 80s when I was in college in Minneapolis there was a bar whose ladies room had a unique feature. The top half of the entire wall above the sink was some kind of special mirror so you could see people in the bar, yet they couldn’t see you in the bathroom. You could usually tell women who were visiting it the first time because they would double-check upon exiting to confirm you couldn’t see inside. I do not remember if the men’s room was the same.
posted by carol on 9-6-2007 at 9:49 pm
In San Francisco, the best women’s public restroom is the fourth floor of Nordstrom. They have an entire lounge separate from the actually stalls and sinks where you can just relax for a while. It’s always clean and nice.
The new Bloomingdale’s also has one women’s room that has a lounge outside. I think it’s on the 2nd floor. But I’ve been to some of the others that were still clean and nice, just not AS nice.
posted by kellie on 9-7-2007 at 4:25 pm
I live in Cincinnati, and I must say that Jungle Jim’s is my favorite non-mallish store to date. Their event center bathrooms are amazing, and the store itself is incredible. I’ve yet to see, or use, the port-a-potty bathrooms yet though, maybe the next time i want authentic chinese anything…
posted by annie on 9-7-2007 at 9:58 pm
I want to second frosty’s Bass Pro Shop nomination, I’ve used the one at Arundel Mills Mall near the Baltimore Airport. My one criticism is that it is designed as a fishing cabin so I didn’t realize it was a restroom until I’d asked the staff twice where they were located.
Another chain with consistently nice restrooms is Wegmans, they have a nice imported tile floors, and both foam soap and hand sanitizer dispensers.
While it’s not consistent chain-wide, the Trader Joe’s in Annapolis, MD has an outstanding bathroom, decorated much like household powder room, but larger and with sample table from which you can try all of the soaps and lotions they sell at the store.
(and before I get accused of knowing way to much about public bathrooms, I’ll just note that I have recently potty-trained two kids and that involves a lot of visits to the potty)
posted by Cy Guy on 9-8-2007 at 3:47 am
The Anthony’s Pier 66 restaurant on the waterfront in Seattle has delightful restrooms. Each stall has a high-end toilet, individual sink, and real hand towels that you deposit in a basket as you leave. The lobby of the restroom has a beautiful hand-blown glass sink which is lit from below.
I hate to admit it, but restrooms often make or break a facility for me. I usually add something about them to my Yelp reviews if they’re memorable in any way.
posted by JuliaZ on 9-12-2007 at 9:43 am
I’m surprised it got to #26 before anyone mentioned the Madonna Inn. I’m glad to know its still around. The decor is renowned for being tacky all through the place, not just the men’s room.
posted by Anne on 9-12-2007 at 10:43 am
Google “see through public toilet” for pictures of the see-through loo.
I don’t believe I would be brave enough to use it.
posted by MP on 9-12-2007 at 12:24 pm
Univ. of California at Riverside used to have a little pub in the On Campus Apartment Complex called “The Bull in Mouth”. It’s gone now, but their restroom doors had interesting labels. The ladies room was labeled “men” with a sign shaped like a hand pointing to the men’s room. The men’s room was labeled “ladies” similarly pointing to the ladies room. It was common to find men in the women’s restroom and women in the men’s.
posted by brekkke on 9-12-2007 at 1:32 pm
A month ago I was in this fancy restaurant in Pasatiempo, CA and the ladies’ restroom was amazing. It was set up as a large powder room, with two sinks that had lotions, SPF, & soaps on the counters for use. There were several nice victorian-style chairs in the room, complete with a table that had–gasp!–a chilled bottle of champagne and cups. There were two toilet “stalls”, and the doors were double-doors that reminded me of dressing room doors (you know, they have wooden slats that all go one direction that you can still kind of peak through). The doors opened outward, so you could walk out of them all showy as if to announce to others that you just peed. The whole restroom was quite posh and made me glad I didn’t have to pay for dinner.
posted by insanasum on 9-12-2007 at 5:07 pm
Any old time Mens/Social Club had and often still has great bath rooms with attendants.
I have eaten at the The Pacific Stock Exchange Lunch Club an Art Deco masterpiece now called The City Club of SF. Beautiful.
When I worked at the The SF Symphony they made the downstairs Mens rooms into Ladies for the wednesday matinees because women out numbered men 4 to 1 for those shows.
The restrooms were nice but the built in waste paper baskets had very skinny openings. One or two tossed towels and the top was blocked. After more than a decade of towels all over the place they built ugly extensions to prevent clogging. BTW the ladies room while used more had less mess.
posted by Richard on 9-12-2007 at 10:17 pm
I can’t believe no one has mentioned the men’s room at the Shoji Tabuchi Theater in Branson, Missouri. It is reputed to have cost a million dollars, and has a pool table, among other things. Being of the female persuasion, I’ve not visited myself, but my husband was impressed!
posted by Chinadoll on 9-12-2007 at 10:27 pm
There’s a restaurant in Denton, Texas, where the ladies room walls are covered with book spines, a faux library look. It’s a university town, and there are a lot of textbook spines, but also just books with interesting titles. I’ve never seen anything like it.
posted by Andrea on 9-13-2007 at 7:00 pm
My parents visited Leningrad, Russia years ago and were with their tour group sightseeing. Both of them needed to use a public restroom while walking, and soon they saw one nearby. Each door had the universal sign of a female in a dress, and a male in pants, on the respective doors. Dad said to my Mom, “See you in a couple of minutes.” How true that remakr was! Each entered the correct door. Lo and behold, as Dad walked in, he met my Mom in the SAME ROOM, just separate doors!! There was a large cleaning woman mopping the floor, and a few other patrons milling about, in and out of the few stalls, but Dad decided he did not need to use the facility after all. He was too flabbergasted at the whole set-up.
posted by Sandra Pound on 9-13-2007 at 9:21 pm
ive been in alot of really nice restrooms in my day, and though they are not nesscessarily the most amazing i have ever seen, i really really enjoy the second floor restroom in the university of pittsburgh’s cathedral of learning. they are pretty awesome because to get to them u have to go up these sprial staircases and walk through a lounge area (the mens room has a lounge too i like that because men never get lounges) anyways… u get into the bathroom and they have 4 different types of urinals to choose from so, if you are like me, and have a preference, you get to choose…. my personal favorite are the ones that start around shoulder height and go the whole way to the floor… very nice cause u can get right up to them without having to worry about splashback … also a very nice place because no matter what time of day there are so many toilets that u never, EVER after worry about finding a free one or having to stand directly next to someone else.
posted by randy on 9-13-2007 at 10:32 pm
The best bathroom that I’ve ever witnessed was in Yoho National Park in British Columbia. It was at the end of a 10 km hike, and it was a pit toilet style restroom perched halfway up a mountain. It was built like a log cabin, had a window that you could open while sitting down, and had a deck built on the front. Looked out over an amazing valley with mountains, glaciers, and forest….
posted by Andrew on 9-15-2007 at 4:12 pm
The best bathroom I’ve ever been in was in Beijing. (no, not for the quality) It had a label outside that said, “4-Star Rated Bathroom, issued by the Beijing Tourism Authority.” I took a picture. It was clean (for Chinese standards) but it wasn’t flush toilets, it was just the hole in the ground kind… Seriously, only in China would that happen! (I generally don’t use public restrooms here (China that is) because I value my health.) Chinese women will WAIT for the squatty potties if given the choice. And, there are pictures in flush toilet stalls telling people not to stand on the toilet. I don’t pay much attention to the bathrooms here anymore, but whenever I go to Europe or the US, I’m always in shock with the niceness of the public restrooms.
posted by greenstrawberries on 9-21-2007 at 6:04 am
If you are ever in a mall with a Nordstom’s, just hold it until you reach that store. The bathrooms are always very clean, with full doors and walls for each stall. I think there are separate baby changing rooms attached to the woman’s and men’s rooms and I know the woman’s room has a seating area - don’t know about the men’s room!! In Ireland, the worst bathroom used to be at the Cliffs of Mohr - ugh, disgusting, but now the new visitor center that just opened has very decent bathrooms! Thank God, because there aren’t many quick to get to potty choices out there!!
posted by Mary Kate on 10-20-2007 at 9:52 am
The ladies room in the Signature Room on the 96th floor of the John Hancock Building in Chicago has a floor to ceiling window on its south side. You can see from the lake all the way west to the United Center (where the Bulls play) and south to Soldier Field (where the Bears play).
posted by Cheryl on 11-7-2007 at 1:17 pm
All of the Kohler bathrooms are better than any of the ones I have ever seen. I should know, I live in Kohler.
posted by Jen on 12-2-2007 at 7:34 pm
I teach at a public high school, and as a last wish to a student who was killed in an automobile accident her senior year, all of the students, faculty and staff got together and painted all the bathrooms in different themes. My mom’s favorite is the women’s restroom right inside the main entrance, made to look like an English garden complete with park bench. I’m partial to the men’s room outside the drama department with the happy/sad masks and a brag wall with many of the shows the department has put on. Definitely wins the award for Best Restrooms in a High School.
posted by Kmanpat on 12-30-2007 at 2:05 pm
The Planet Hollywood in Dallas has a bizarre ladies room (at least when I went a few years back). It’s done in the big black and white tiles but they are set at an unusual angle, so when you walk in your eyes freak out and the whole room seems to be sliding over to one side! Freaky!
posted by dkc on 12-30-2007 at 7:11 pm
A little different. My parents love to tell the story of how I decided that I was potty-training while on a three day car trip to Arkansas. It involved a station wagon, 3 kids under the age of 4 and my decision that I would only go in a bathroom if it was “pink or pretty”. No accidents, apparently I trained so suddenly, but my mom always said that she saw every gas station bathroom on the way to Arkansas and very very few were pink OR pretty.
posted by Pat on 12-30-2007 at 10:30 pm
If anyone has ever been to Nemacolin Woodlands, you know where your money is going. I worked there for “Royal Reception” one year and was totaly blown away by the portapotty. Its actually a trailer with 6 stalls thats air conditioned. They have the really nice cloth paper towels, the sinks have a star design in them, the faucets are real and the toilets are auto flush. The restrooms in the hotels ain’t too shabby either, but man, these topped anything I’ve ever seen.
posted by Sarah on 12-31-2007 at 8:13 am
There is a sandwich shop in Wichita, Kansas that has one-way mirrors in the bathroom so you can see people eating, getting refills at the soda fountain, etc. while you are in there. It can be a bit unnerving.
posted by Danielle on 12-31-2007 at 1:32 pm
there is an Irish-themed resaurant here in Davenport, IA that has a self-proclaimed “world’s smallest bathroom.”
and boy they aren’t kidding! i pity the people that come in larger sizes.
i apologize that i can’t remember the name of the place.
posted by the creature on 12-31-2007 at 3:29 pm
The Safe House in Milwaukee, WI. One of the men’s room doors opens to reveal nothing but a brick wall. The women’s room has a one way mirror so they can spy on their husbands. The real men’s room is fairly hidden. Of course, this is if you can find the place at all, as there is no sign outside to tell you of it’s existence.
posted by Ross on 1-2-2008 at 2:54 pm
Jordan’s furniture in Natick MA has stalls with one-way mirrors (in the IMAX theater area). You can see people walking by, or even peering at your door to fix their hair.
It’s a little creepy, but it gets points for being unusual.
posted by auslander on 6-16-2008 at 1:35 pm