A $4 million redesign of the north pool area had been completed by June 2008. During 2008 and 2009, the hotel offered its Relax pool parties as a laidback alternative to Rehab. HRH Beach Club opened in March 2010, along with the two-story Skybar. The area was meant as a quiet and sophisticated alternative to the original, adjacent Hard Rock pool, where Rehab was held. The new beach club added three pools to the resort, and it featured an upscale and modern design similar to the HRH Tower. Skybar was designed as a relaxing location, with capacity for only 200 people, to avoid crowding. In 2015, the pool area was ranked number one by USA Today readers, as part of a list of the top 10 hotel pools in the U.S. Restaurants Aside from the adjacent Hard Rock Cafe, the resort itself included two restaurants at the time of its opening: Mortoni's, an Italian restaurant; and Lucky's 24/7, a 24-hour coffee shop, later known as Mr. Lucky's. Mortoni's was popular among celebrities. The restaurant had seating for 120 people and featured a view of the pool area. Several restaurants were added in 1999 with the resort's expansion. One new eatery was Nobu, a Japanese restaurant by Nobu Matsuhisa, with actor Robert De Niro as a partner. Nobu continued operations inside the Hard Rock until the closure of the resort in 2020. Peter Morton's father, Arnold J. Morton, was involved in developing the new restaurant A.J.'s, also added in the 1999 expansion. In addition, Harry Morton created Pink Taco, a restaurant which also offered approximately 150 types of tequila. Simon Kitchen & Bar, by chef Kerry Simon, was added in November 2002, before closing five years later. A new Italian restaurant, Ago, was open by 2008, as part of ongoing renovations. Ago was owned by Agostino Sciandri and De Niro, and it replaced Simon. At the time, Nobu was in the process of an expansion. A steakhouse, Rare 120, opened in April 2009. It was developed and marketed by the Dolce Group, and was operated by the Hard Rock Hotel, before closing in 2011. A 170-seat restaurant, 35 Steaks + Martinis, opened in 2012. The Culinary Dropout restaurant opened later that year, and featured a uniform-free wait staff. By 2013, the resort included an Asian restaurant known as Fu. Forte Pizza opened in 2015, and Goose Island Pub opened its first