Berghoff Restaurant
Hearty German cuisine served in a historic Loop building has made this a Chicago classic.
The Scene
Impressive stained glass, quarter-sawn oak woodwork and a historic photography
collection make for an ambience to be reckoned with. The Berghoff is a
well-oiled machine, the gears turned by career waiters (many of whom have worked
here longer than most patrons have been alive). Opened in 1898 as a corner
saloon, the restaurant enjoys the distinction of having received Chicago's first
post-Prohibition liquor license.
my half eaten Weiner schnitzel and creamed spinach at the Berghoff
The Food
Diehards love the sauerbraten, schnitzel and creamed spinach. The menu now
includes lighter Americanized dishes, but German food is the main draw. Onion
soup is soft, sweet and hearty; the miniature bratwurst and knockwurst appetizer
is excellent. The veal bratwurst is remarkably smooth-textured; the pork
knockwurst is coarser, served with smoky kraut and warm sweet-sour potato salad.
Successful schnitzel is moist and flavorful, with a delightfully flaky crust.
Warm, flaky, cinnamon-apple strudel earns a spot on the "best of" list.
the restaurant window
Photos of the Building
taken just prior to the restaurant's closing on February 28, 2006
standing in line to get last dinner prior to the closing
