Restaurant Empire II

definitely one of the best restaurant tycoon games that money can buy!

A great old game, and development has apparently re-started. If you don't mind the dated graphics, definitely worth trying out!

So, seeing this receive some (very welcome) out-of-the-blue updates well over 15 years after initial release, and ten years after the last blog-post has prompted me to write a review in the vain hope of jogging some interest in a potential Restaurant Empire 3. Restaurant Empire 2 is a restaurant simulation game, in the model of numerous other "tycoon" games. Players can choose either a campaign mode, going through linear missions with time-limits, or a sandbox mode where you can start a restaurant (French, Italian, American, German and a Coffee Shop) from scratch. The campaign mode does have some interesting features, such as cooking competitions and a gradual unlocking of dishes and cuisines, but personally, I've always enjoyed the sandbox element of the game more. In starting a restaurant, you have control over the menu (including drinks), restaurant layout, staff, staff training and decor, amongst other things. While some of the options are basic by today's standards, some are surprisingly in-depth - for example, every dish can be customised to use a specific quality of every individual ingredient, should you wish, allowing for some interesting optimisation options. The sandbox has random events in which customers can recommend new suppliers and ingredients, or bolster a chef's skills, further improving dishes and quality. With the goals in the sandbox being open-ended (the only real metrics are a 1-5* restaurant rating and your profit margin), things like this keep it interesting and quite engaging as you iron out the kinks noted from customer complaints. There's nothing much else to write home about. The music and graphics were dated back in 2009 when it released. But that's not going to hamper your enjoyment of the game - if you're a fan of pure management simulations, you'll have a lot of fun here. RELEASE RE3.

cooking

This is a fantasic gem of a game. My favourite restaurant sim, and the fact you get 1 and 2 for the price is great value. While an older game, I think it still stands up well today, and great the developer has begun some quol improvements.Its a fun wee game, definately pick it up.

You know the saying "they don't make 'em like they used to?" Well, it's true. The shopkeeping genre has been a wasteland for a decade and a half at least. But on the other hand, re-releases of retro games have been a big thing in the mid-2020s. Sims 1 and 2 just came out again in 2025, Atari brought Transport Tycoon Deluxe back from the dead (OpenTTD aside), and Enlight Software decided "hey, why not put a fresh coat of QoL paint on Restaurant Empire II and revive interest in it?" Well...I played this game to death back in the aughts. And it is every bit as much fun as it was when I was in college. One of the best management sims ever made, if I'm being honest. And even in 2026, a welcome edition to a genre that has stagnated. This game is better than Chef RPG, for example. This is an absolutely outstanding use of 20 bucks. And the community is full of ideas for the dev to do even more, something they may even explore doing if they get good sales and good reviews. So here's my good review. You, the reader, can provide the "good sales". Make simulation gaming great again!

ótimo jogo, já joguei ele por muitos anos, ultimamente eu tentei jogar outros jogas de simulador de restaurante, porem nenhum me engajou tanto quanto essa, a parte do gerenciamento, tempo de preparo, é simples de entender, porem desafiador de dominar, recentemente os devs começaram a atualizar um jogo que eu jogava há anos atras, recomendo.