Berghoff
 

Berghoff

17 W. Adams St. Chicago

Monday through Thursday: 11am - 9pm
Friday and Saturday: 11am - 9:30pm

Telephone: 312-427-3170

Average Cost:$25-40

Red Line stop to Jackson, then head one block north to Adams.


This is some of the best traditional German cuisine in Chitown and the US without taking the plane ride to Deutschland. The restaurant has wooden walls decorated with black and white photos that give a warm and lodge like quality to the dining room. It is furnished with simple wooden chairs and no frills table dressings here since the 1960s. Waiters in tuxedos recommend which wursts are good and what schnitzel is right for you. Try a wurst or braten with a side order of spaetzle noodles, dumplings, or and a side dish of creamed spinach. Most of all, try the famous house beer or one of the many other beers, served by the glass, stein or pitcher. I really like German Weißbier(wheat beer). All of this adds up to a formula for many repeat customers.

see http://www.berghoff.com/ for additional info.

WOW! Those photos make my stomach growl... That duck-in-phyllo looks SOOOOOOOOOOOOO good, with the asparagus and raspberry reduction sauce - http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdi...orum/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by anonplz (edited 01-12-2003).]

The Berghoff has a small branch in the main United terminal at O'Hare.

Being able to get a sandwich there in between flights is the only thing I miss about flying United.

Fun Fact - The Berghoff has the first liquor license issued after prohibition was repeeled. It hangs on their wall and is numbered "one".

FT'er Schurr posted this article in the Midwest forum, didn't want it to possibly get overlooked.

Berghoff is closing in Feb '06 see: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...ck=1&cset=true

Thanks for the heads-up. This is hard for me to understand, as the place is always full whenever I visit. Seems as though the owners could have sold it for something if they didn't want to continue running it.

Never did like the beers too much, though.

Bummer
 

That's a real bummer. I'll miss the Schnitzel. Not a lot of old traditional Chicago places to draw me back. Marshall Field's etc. all memories.

Just another reason to be happy that I live in "new" Phoenix - the old cities back East don't seem to be holding on to their traditions very strong.

I'd like to try to the Berghoff dining room sometime. I've had lunch there and have to say I was disappointed. I'm all for tradition, but a corned beef sandwich on a little paper plate is not that special. And I got tired pretty quickly of all the guys I was with reminding me repeatedly of how it wasn't that long ago that Berghoff didn't even allow women in.

Things I'll Miss when Berghoff's Closes
 

The ability to say after my visit: "My waiter was named 'Christ'".


Edited for updated info about continuing availability after restaurant is shuttered.

Upcoming FT'er Do at Berghoff, see this thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=508594

Wow, I think this is one of four threads discussing the Berghoff.

Anyway, while I certainly prefer sitting in the dining room for a nice meal, the stand up cafe was special in its own way. All that tradition. And cubbie, yeah, it wasn't all that long ago - just about 40 years! ;) I don't know you, but chances are it was well before you were even born! :)

Another story by the tribune.


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/o...l=chi-news-hed

I've been going to the Burghoff on and off for the last 10 years...I will be sad to see it go.

Went with wife yesterday and one of her friends for a last supper if you will.

Line out side 40-50 deep at 5PM waiting to get in. Some one from the Burghoff would come out and look for groups of 5 or 6. Line would more. Then started grabing parties of 2. Now there were 3 of us. Waited in side for a good hour = 30 minutes, while groups of 5-6 and 1-2 went by us, very anoying.

Sad to say another Chicago landmark wil be gone...I have also ripped up my Fields card. :(

During those 10 years, did you ever happen to look up at the sign over the door and notice how they spelled the name? ;)

Another dinner at the Berghoff is planned before they close:

see: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=512951

Posted the same question on the Berghoff topic in the Midwest forum, but might get some more input here now that I found this topic. Has anyone been lately? I'm wondering how early to get there for dinner on 2/23. I land at MDW at 12:30 and have nothing to do for the afternoon. I'd rather do stuff around downtown Chicago, but I know they aren't taking reservations anymore and I want to get there early enough to be sure to have a seat for dinner. Any recent experiences?

As with any popular restaurant where I don't have a reservation, I always get there right when they open for dinner, it has been a very very rare instance where I've been turned away.

--

The Orange Line from Midway drops you close for a couple bucks each way. Maybe take in the Field Museum's POMPEII before dinner.

Sweet Willie:

Do they actually have an opening time for dinner, or can you get served at 3 pm if you want?

Their website just says "M-Th: 11am - 9pm "

OUCH ! scratch my idea then. I thought they had separate lunch/dinner times.

This may affect the second dinner at Berghoff Do.

They do serve the entire time, but IIRC switch from lunch to dinner menu. The restaurants that I"ve seen do this seem to make the switch around 4.

One of my colleagues and I went out for an early lunch last week and he thought that because we were going at 1130 there wouldn't be a line. There were easily 30 people standing outside, with the interior waiting area full as well.

What do you suppose are the odds that there will be an announcement in about two weeks that, "due to popular demand" the owners have come up with a way to keep Berghoff's open?

It would be a nice way to have ginned up probably millions of dollars' worth of free publicity.

I think you'd lose money unless you have some free prime space for the greedy daughter's catering business.