Don’t worry, Fishtown. La Colombe doesn’t have to burn down and Frankford Avenue doesn’t need to be destroyed for you to get your post-apocalyptic fix. That feeling of decay and destruction from movies like “Mad Max” and video games like “Fallout” will be felt when walking into a new restaurant coming to the neighborhood.

  The Fillmore is getting two new neighbors: Mad Rex, a post-apocalyptic-themed restaurant, and Urban EEL, a sports-themed upscale lounge. Both of these conceptual eateries will be located on the same block and have some form of virtual reality experiences and entertainment options when it opens to the public in the spring, according to Michael Johnigean, owner of the upcoming eateries.

  According to Johnigean, Mad Rex will “look like the end of the world when you walk in,” referring to the cracked floors and planned display of gas masks.

  The theme doesn’t stop with aesthetics. To conceive an accurate post-apocalyptic menu, Johnigean thought of the basics of what we use to cook our food, or lack thereof. “It’s the end of the world; there’s no electricity or gas ranges,” Johnigean said.

  To keep with this idea of no gas or electric ranges, Mad Rex customers will have the option of cooking meals on their own on 800-degree slabs of rock. But if diners don’t feel comfortable boiling water, let alone cooking on sediment, they’ll still be able to get an earthy taste with a pizza made in a clay oven that burns natural firewood. Either way, Johnigean claims the “food is going to be amazing.”

  Oh, and the apocalypse spared the chefs, apparently: Johnigean says that Mad Rex will have an in-house pastry chef making sweets from scratch and a butcher cutting fresh meat. The chefs will work in a kitchen that’s enclosed in glass for customer viewing.

  Meanwhile, EEL stands for “Entertainment Eatery Lounge,” but its meaning is fishy too. “There’ll be a 14 feet by eight feet tank with moray eels and tropical fish in the middle of the room,” said Johnigean. But according to Johnigean, eel will not be on the menu.

  In addition to acting as a full restaurant, Urban EEL will have five theatres for movies and presentations that will be available to rent. Urban EEL and Mad Rex plan to hold events a couple times a month as well.  Both spaces are for all ages and are affordable, according to Johnigean.

  Johnigean also believes that more stimulation is needed at restaurants — he believes people spend too much time on their phones while eating out. He wants to change that with an emerging technology that’s been getting quite a bit of buzz lately — virtual reality. “I want to change the way people experience eating,” said Johnigean.

  A VR chamber will allow users to create an account to access what Johnigean calls a “cloud” of “hundreds of realities” through virtual-reality goggles at both Mad Rex and Urban EEL. The goggles will give “survivors” the “highest sensation” of virtual-reality experiences. “You’ll be able to go diving or go to Alaska,” Johnigean said.

  For visitors of Urban EEL, a few rounds of virtual-reality golf can be played.

  “This isn’t a restaurant where you’ll have to pay $50 a person,” said Johnigean. “It’ll be delicious, affordable and fun.”

  If you want to see more detail concerning the interior of either eatery, you’ll have to wait for the sake of suspense. According to Mad Rex’s website:

  Disclaimer: These photos are conceptual and final designs may vary. Because this is the first location of its kind, we’re sorry to say the Mad Rex must maintain a bit of mystery. Prepare for a unique experience, full of surprise & excitement, as the Mad Rex will be something you have never seen before.

  Johnigean says that Mad Rex and Urban EEL are only two of the many projects he’s working on in the city. He anticipates that Mad Rex and Urban EEL will be ready to open by the end of April or early May 2017.

  Sounds like a post-apocalyptic dream come true. •