What is something that sounds like a parody of America so bizarre you wouldn't think it could possibly exist in real life?
A Dallas-Fort Worth area Texas bar caught the attention of the internet for seemingly being the answer to that question.
The bar is called Bar9Eleven.
The theme?
All the horrors of September 11, 2001 in the United States.
The attacks on September 11, 2001 were perpetrated by the terrorist group Al-Qaeda and took the lives of 2,977 people (not including the 19 terrorists responsible) in the initial attack.
Planes were hijacked and crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington DC and United Flight 93 crashed in a field in Pennsylvania after the passengers aboard the flight fought back.
The bar has drawn heat for being in bad taste.
The bar owner, Brent Johnson, features a number of plaques around the establishment detailing his own personal experience trying to open a Tex Mex restaurant during the attacks—essentially turning the day itself into a narrative about his own life, rather than the tragedy.
@jessebtyler/Twitter
@jessebtyler/Twitter
But Johnson hit back at the poor taste comments, saying he wants everybody who comes into his bar to "never forget that day."
The bar's name was changed after a 2013 remodel.
Johnson reportedly chose the name after seeing a survey saying "80% of Americans" didn't know the 9/11 anniversary was coming up, although there is no evidence such a survey exists.
"I opened my restaurant on the most tragic day of my life—9/11 was just a very tragic day for our country. It was very somber and it's become a sacred day for all of us."
Johnson had no feelings about naysayers on Twitter, saying ''the only people who say that are people who don't know me and are not from Fort Worth.''
Nevertheless, it stands as a strange yet perfect encapsulation of USA culture.
@PreetBharara/X
@RepBrendanBoyle/X
@twesq/Bluesky
@christopherharris/Bluesky
@evangelinewarren/X
@FrankC164/X
AMC