While “Rick’s Place” doesn’t exist in real life, it was heavily inspired by a real cafe called Rick’s Café Américian, which was featured in the classic 1942 film Casablanca.
The movie’s Rick’s Cafe was a sophisticated nightclub and gambling den that became a neutral meeting ground for people of all backgrounds during World War II, including refugees, Nazis, and French officials. The film’s most iconic scene takes place at Rick’s, where Rick Blaine (played by Humphrey Bogart) must choose between his love for Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) and helping her husband, Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), escape the Nazis.
Today, there is an actual restaurant in Casablanca called Rick’s Café Casablanca, which was opened in 2004 and is designed to resemble the film’s setting. The restaurant features a Moroccan-inspired interior with a central courtyard, live piano music, and an extensive menu of Moroccan and European cuisine.