Rick's Café
Is Rick's Café Worth Visiting?
The film was shot in Hollywood — the café opened in 2004. Here is an honest verdict for cruise passengers with limited hours ashore.
Rick's Café is Casablanca's most famous imaginary landmark — recreated as a real restaurant in 2004 inside a 1930s riad-style townhouse near the port district. Cruise passengers often ask whether they must visit because of the 1942 film. The short answer: only if nostalgic dining matters more than Hassan II Mosque, medina markets or Corniche time on your port day.
No scene from Casablanca was filmed in Morocco — Warner Bros built Rick's on a Hollywood backlot. The real café reproduces the cinematic atmosphere with piano bar evenings, Moroccan-French menu and period décor. Lunch reservations fill on ship days; expect premium pricing compared to neighbourhood restaurants.
The café lies roughly 10–15 minutes by taxi from Port of Casablanca, near the medina edge. A visit consumes 90–120 minutes with travel — viable on 8+ hour calls if the mosque is already ticked off, but a poor use of a 5-hour window when Hassan II Mosque demands priority.
If you go, dress smart-casual for the dining room and book ahead for lunch seatings aligned with your all-aboard time. If you skip it, you lose nothing essential about Casablanca — the city has never depended on Bogart for its identity.
Highlights
- Recreation of the fictional café from the 1942 film
- 1930s riad-style interior and piano bar atmosphere
- 10–15 minutes from Port of Casablanca
- Honest assessment — not a must-see on short port calls
- Premium pricing versus local neighbourhood restaurants
- Better suited to repeat visitors than first-timers
Practical tips
- Book lunch reservations before your ship day
- Prioritise Hassan II Mosque on first visits
- Evening piano bar culture peaks after typical ship departures
- Combine with old medina walk if both are priorities
- Set a firm departure time for return to terminal
Related guides
Casablanca Old Medina — Cruise Passenger Guide
Working souks and unfiltered daily life — Casablanca's medina rewards walkers who want authentic Morocco without leaving the cruise port city.
Best Things to Do in Casablanca from a Cruise Ship
What actually fits ashore when your ship calls at Port of Casablanca — ranked by value for cruise passengers.
One Day in Casablanca from a Cruise Ship
Hour-by-hour templates for 5-hour, 7-hour and 9-hour port windows — because all-aboard waits for no one.
Is Rick's Café Worth Visiting? — FAQs
Was Rick's Café in the movie real?▼
No — the film was shot entirely in California. The Casablanca restaurant opened in 2004 as a homage, not a historical site.
Is Rick's Café worth it on a 6-hour port call?▼
Usually no — mosque and medina deliver more authentic Casablanca in the same window. Consider it only if you are a film enthusiast with time to spare.
How do I get to Rick's Café from the cruise port?▼
Taxi roughly 10–15 minutes to 248 Boulevard Sour Jdid. Confirm fare before departure or use a reputable app.