Really beautiful church. Great acoustics too. All churches should look something like this.

St. Alphonsus Roman Catholic Church is a Gothic masterpiece of perfection in the Lakeview area of Chicago. The church's first members originally were of German, Irish and Polish descent. It still ranks among the greatest church, according to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese. The church has a rich history, starting from 1882--1889, when it was first incorporated in Chicago. The architect, Adam Boo, created an athenaeum 125 feet long and 50 feet wide, while the interior is 20 feet high, with a 20 foot cross centered over the alter. The chapel has a seating capacity of 1,200. The entire facade is made from blue Bedford rock. So are the gracefully curving stairways, veranda, and tall imposing tower, which rises to a height of 200 feet above the foundation. When the church is viewed from the outside, it truly is a reverent sight to behold. The interior of the church features two marble side alters, donated by the Ulsamer Family and the Rouen Family. The present alters each weigh 40 Tons. A massive organ has over 3,000 pipes located high up in the balcony's choir loft. The original organ and balcony were destroyed in a 1950 fire, then rebuilt. Four large clocks are located in the tower, 150 feet above the streets. My Son and I recently made our pilgrimage to this church to pray and light candles in honor of my Mother and Father, who both recently passed away. It was one of the most historical and beautiful churches I've ever been in. I've edited some of my pictures, since it is dark inside and lightening them shows the details much better. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did. The only thing missing from that day was the tower bells. If only I could have heard them ringing. 51/100 read more

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Most of the recent reviews are for Oktoberfest, but my rating is for the overall church. I became a parishioner over the summer after just giving one mass a try. The architecture and interior of the church are beautiful. I really enjoy Fr. Shawn's sermons and can easily follow his style and message. I also think it's a really fantastic community, always with so many activities going on and very welcoming. There is an especially active young adult group. Oktoberfest is obviously one of the most popular, but there are other social events like fish fries, trivia night, indoor volleyball, and the list goes on! To feed your spirit and intellectual side, there are weekend retreat opportunities, theology of the body, views from the veranda (speakers during the summer), and much more! My favorite is getting involved with volunteering. St. Al's advocates for great causes ranging from some typical like giving trees to serving dinner at women's shelters to helping with the school community. All in all, St. Alphonsus is a very nice church to belong to. read more

Herren und Damen *serious and earnest voice* Ich liebe Oktoberfest und es macht spass. Very pleased with Oktoberfest. From the start I liked how diverse the crowd (though busy and got ÜBER busy as time went on). Singles, couples, families, people with dogs, older people, people with babies. Guys in liederhosen wandering around. A guy who dressed like David the Gnome. The attractions were, in a word, interesting. Some booths sold Native American stuff. One sold Mexican panchos. Another vintage jewelry. Another I think cable. Ect. Typical for a Chicago Fest. We ordered: Beer! No boots available, there were steins and cups and like four or five kinds. Cavapcici It was a minced meat kabob (not German) in a flatbread with chopped onions, pepper, salt, and ajvar (a relish made of bell peppers, garlic, and chili in this case). It was good. Caponies Deep fried feta and spinach dumplings with marinara on top. Good and nice portion size. Delicious. Caponies Margarita pizza Thin crust with fresh delectable ingredients. Deep fried cookie dough These were three fried egg rolls filled with chocolate chip cookie dough with syrup and ice cream. Rich! Everyone working was so nice. The crowd was really nice and friendly. I talked to several people and even spoke German with one : ) The Fest raises money and is non profit so I think it's worth checking out. read more

The reviews of this fest on the church's site are ridiculous. Get over yourselves that all you had was Bud Lite left at 9:30pm. The world didn't end and you're still alive and well to write and moan about it. I attended this fest on the Friday it was on, and it was fun. The church hall had entertainment, and the tent outdoors was fun too. Catching up with friends over beers, in a church hall, with polka? A good old-fashioned night in Chicago (if you grew up in the area, you spent many a summer night running around to parish carnivals and fests). This isn't the Lincoln Square Mayfest, where you get the privilege to wait in line for everything on a slow day for up to 15 minutes and step around barf and overflowing porta-johns. The food was all local stuff. Yes, not all of it was German, but we're also not in Munich either. How about you open up a German restaurant and donate bratwurst to the fest next year? Keep in mind this is put on by a non-for-profit (a church), so everything was donated and served by volunteers. Thus, if you weren't happy it wasn't 'German" enough, then put on some lederhosen and help out next year. My main gripe is with how some patrons behaved. Granted, it's a festival with alcohol in the youth ghetto of Lakeview. However, it's still the grounds of a church. It's not necessary to act like you're at a fraternity party every time you leave the house. read more

I love this church. I think its very inviting to all ages of Catholics or those who are interested in Catholicism. I have been attending services here for years and my husband (then boyfriend) wanted to attend Christmas Eve mass with me in 2012 and so I brought him. He fell inlove with the church and has started going to services with me. He has always been interested in Catholicism and now he is in the process of converting. My only comment is that if you want to get married in this church, you have to book in advance. We're talking about at least a year in advance. It is a very popular church especially to young adults. They also have services in Spanish and German :) read more

I've made this my parish of choice. It's close to home and is gorgeous inside. So far, I've enjoyed every pastor. The sermons are good, mass isn't dragged out, and the music is beautiful - not gloomy. I really enjoy the bulletin - there are great articles about relating the week's readings to everyday life. There is also a section for young adults (20s & 30s) with different events like volleyball, cocktails after mass, and speed dating! I haven't checked any out yet, but at least I know they are there! They are currently working on the church - I'm excited to see it's beauty really drawn out. read more

What they used to say back in the day, in Catholic school, was, "Our Lady of Victory, pray for us." Surely, Catholics still use this incantation to rouse the troops to victory. And victory is just what St. Alphonsus achieved with their Oktoberfest this year. It's good to always have The Lady and The Big Guy on your side. Perhaps the good Catholics at St. Alphonsus read my prior review, as they really shored up their fest this year and did it up right. The Church says The Big Guy and the Church forgive you if you do your Penance, and St. Alphonsus surely did do its Penance. In years past, the Oktoberfest had become too big for its britches in the area behind the church and had just gotten out of hand with too many people in way too small of a space. This year, the church expanded the fest onto Southport over a span of a few blocks, alleviating the crush of crowds of yore and making this year's fest possibly their best ever. Fest goers were able to get about the fest without any difficulty thanks to the more expansive fest grounds and open lanes for foot traffic. The only nominal complaints I had were six-dollar, twelve ounce Swill Lights (Oyster Fest did six-dollar pints of Guinness), seven-dollar craft beers (this isn't Wrigley Field), no cookie truck this year for the first time in several years and the standard, boiler plate bad bands playing the same tunes on a loop. But I forgive you for that, St. Alphonsus, because forgiving is what Catholics are supposed to do, and I'm a team player. Victory is at hand. Well done, St. Alphonsus. read more

Review for Oktoberfest only. Oktoberfest! Yes, German food, beer, and music! Nope. It was only another reason for people to get together and drink. Becks and Bud Light? Rib sandwiches, pretzels, funnel cake, and fried snickers? Don't get me wrong I'm all down for having those at a festival, but when it's one to represent a huge deal in Germany then it's just not right to NOT have things from the homeland. Where's the German potatoes and spaetzle? The Warsteiner or Oettinger beers? The band sound fantastic and I get it, this festival aims to attract the 21-30 crowd, but sometimes you just gotta teach people a little bit about a culture not give them another reason to down a drink. The layout was also awkward. Wouldn't pay $5 for this again. read more

Very poorly planned and executed oktoberfest. There is no way that they obeyed firecodes - there were so many people packed into the basement and the parking lot. It literally took 45 minutes to get a bratwurst. Another 30 to get a drink. ONE drink. Well, I might as well get back in line to get my second drink. I really wish I hadn't bought the groupon because that meant I was stuck standing in lines until all of my tickets were used up. Literally 80% of the people at the fest were in a line of some sort, meanwhile the band was playing Katy Perry and Lady Gaga songs. I don't know of any other oktoberfest where everyone is as bored, sober, and hungry as the one here. read more

[[Review for Oktoberfest]] SHAME! How DARE you guys call this an Oktoberfest. Just an excuse for a bunch of hipsters to get drunk on MILLER LITE to NON-GERMAN music. Bought a groupon for 3-nights, free stein, and 22 food/drink coupons. WASTED my damn money and time. BECKS??? That's your idea of German Beer? Sure it's from Germany but where was the good, dark German beer?? And pairing Becks with Miller Lite is just shameful in itself. Pretzels were cold, flavorless and hard. The woman serving the pretzel apologized for only having spicy brown mustard but there was ketchup... I told her "it better be spicy brown mustard if since it's German." SHAME! The bratwurst served was flavorless and shitty. The potatoes, I won't even call them kartoffel, were disgustingly sweet and awful. The sauerkraut. Ugh. Overall, the food was horrible. Gyros. Italian Sausages. Nachos. Pizza.... THIS IS NOT FUCKING GERMAN FOOD. This was just another Chicago festival with a bunch of drunks. Thanks for nothing. So much for celebrating German culture. read more

This church is stunning and is truly a Chicago gem. It is one of the oldest churches in Chicago and was constructed in the late 1800's. The church shows its German roots when it hosts Oktober Fest every year. read more

St Alphonsus Church - Churches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This review is for Oktoberfest. Will definitely be returning next year. My fiance and I had an amazing time, even if we went on Sunday afternoon (the last day) when the weather wasn't great and the festival was being wrapped up. We clearly missed the 20-something Saturday-night crowd who came to see Sixteen Candles. I see why other reviewers would be grumpy about the crowds, but all street festivals are overcrowded. (Besides....why would you go to Oktoberfest to see an 80's cover band?? We had a much more authentic experience waving our beer mugs at the Polka band in the tent!! They rocked! :) The festival is held in the parking lot of the church, with port-a-potties and a huge white tent. We had bought Groupons which were an amazing deal. 3 day entrance, 3 beers, a plastic souvenir mug and a bratwurst - $20. The festival was well-organized in my opinion, and our VIP tags, coupons and mugs were laid out and given to us at the same table. We had no problems getting beer (three plus stations) and they had good selection - including Stella and 312, if I remember right. We waited probably 15-20 minutes to get bratwurst, but the other stations (funnel cake, potato pancakes) were minimal wait times. Do try the combination platter of authentic Polish/German food which was SO YUMMY - applesauce, sour cream with potato latkes, polish sausage, and pierogies. It was affordable (maybe $8-10) and we were full and very happy after all the beer, and bratwurst, and the combination platter! read more

I am not sure how you can rate a church... 2.5 stars for Oktoberfest!! 2.5 stars for architecture!! read more

St. Al's is phenomenal--both aesthetically and spiritually. Father Hurlbert gives some of the best homilies I've heard...they are always easy to relate to, put into words his congregation can understand and typically very uplifting. He has a great energy and you can tell he loves what he does, which is inspiring. The church itself is unbelievably gorgeous! The renovations have been wonderful to watch and the results are stunning. I went "church shopping" five years ago when I moved to Chicago and can't believe how lucky I got with this find. I don't live in the neighborhood anymore, but it's worth the commute! Also, the events they put on are all very good. From Oktoberfest, happy hours and cross-parish events to the educational seminars they hold, everything is done well and with great amounts of effort. Be sure to check out the Sunday 5pm mass if you're a young adult! read more

My husband and I were looking for a new Catholic church since we moved around the city. We wanted to join this one since we live so close. We went to several new members meetings and thought the place was excellent until the clergy and staff found out my husband was a successful doctor. We were told and I quote "we expect a large donation from you because you are a doctor." THE NERVE! I cannot believe they explicitly asked us to give them a large donation. You should be ashamed of yourselves! This is not what the church is about. SHAMEFUL! I will never step a foot in this place and if you are like myself looking for a new catholic church stay away from this one!! I have shared this story with all of my family and friends to get the word out. I am HORRIFIED that all you saw is us was dollars. For shame. read more

Disclaimer: I go to church here. That being said, I never felt like I had to review my church or any church for that matter. Yelp does not seem to be the right place to evaluate where you put in your spiritual time or effort. If you are Christian, you should be going to church as regularly as possible, and you should try out churches on your own to see what fits your particular spiritual needs. I personally love this church: the vibrant and young (25-45) parishioners, the beautiful church and facilities (it's incredibly gorgeous inside), and the intellectually and spiritually stimulating homilies from the priests. Majority of the church is well-educated, and therefore the homilies are never dumb-downed and more like an entertaining college lecture at times. They also try to honor and cater to the German and Spanish culture that helped form the church with Spanish and German masses. Education, Arts, and Charity works are abundant here. The Pastor, The Rev. James Hulbert, is a charismatic and magnetic figure with whom it is a pleasure to speak. As for Oktoberfest; I will work on creating a separate page for that event, b/c those reviews should not be here. Although it is a Saint Alphonsus sanctioned event, it is not the core identity or component of the church. Yes it is not perfect...it's not even a 100% German experience, but the concentration should be on the fact that it is 95% staffed and worked by church volunteers, not some professional event company, and the funds help with so many amazing and charitable programs. If you want the fest to improve, write the church or attend a meeting for the event. read more

Please know first off: this review is not of the church, it is about the church's Lenten fish fry. If you are going to the fish fry merely to support the church then obviously it's a great cause and by all means, please go. However, if you are going to the fish fry to enjoy a great fish dinner, this is not the place for you. Let me say that I recently moved to Chicago from Michigan, and where I'm from, Lenten fish fries are plentiful. For about $8 at a number of churches, you get a self-serve, all you can eat, fish fry. I'm talking fresh, hand-dipped fried fish, baked fish, salad, potatoes, french fries, rolls, macaroni and cheese, cole slaw, applesauce, juice, and dessert. Unlimited. Naturally, we wanted to continue the fish fry tradition and searched the Chicago area, and were actually disappointed to find a small number of churches who took on this tradition. Maybe we just didn't look in the right place - who knows. But we chose St. Alphonsus. The fish fry is $12, which is the most I've ever paid for a fish fry, but it's also BYOB, which is a perk. The volunteers were all friendly, and once we were settled, we were eager to dig in! To our first surprise, it wasn't self-serve, but rather the plates were brought to us. We received two pieces of fried fish, a scoop of mac n cheese, some cole slaw, and a cookie. We asked for ketchup, they didn't have any. They did have little packets of tarter sauce, but not all 6 of us like that, so that was disappointing. The fish tasted good, but clearly wasn't fresh fish - it truly seemed like a box of frozen fish just fried up in oil. And that was it. No really - for $12... that..was...IT! My friend asked if there were seconds, and the volunteer said we could have seconds for $12. If the fish fry was $6, I wouldn't be writing this review. But it was $12. I realize this is a church fundraiser, but I would have rather donated $10 to the church and spent my money elsewhere on a better dinner. For six of us, we spent $72. For $20, we could have bought a box of Gordon's frozen fried fish fillets, two boxes of Velveeta mac n' cheese, a bag of cole slaw, and a bottle of wine. Or for $56, we could have gone to Edgewater Lounge, where they have UNLIMITED fish n' chips for $8.95. Again - I'm not giving a bad review of the church. But the fish fry was so disappointing - and half of our party left hungry. We ended up leaving and buying a couple of frozen pizzas to finish the night. I walked in with high expectations of what a fish fry should be because I only grew up with the all you can eat fish fries. I am not suggesting a fish fry to be a place to pig out on food - but for $12, I would at least expect some ketchup. I will cherish my fond memories of Michigan fish fries, and for now, leave the fish fries to the Chicago restaurants, not the churches. Jesus may have been able to multiply the fishes and the loaves, but St. Alphonsus can not. read more

I love this parish. It has made me start going to Mass again. I like the 5p Mass on Sundays. I like Father Hurlbert's sermons. Once I went and he used the word "jacked-up" and I knew I would be coming back. For Young Adults they have a lot of offerings. The people are nice. When you go to Mass on Sundays afternoons it's all young people, very few older folks. I like that. Once a month, Father goes with the young adults to a pub around the corner. How cool is that???!! read more

St. Alphonsus Church is considered one of Chicago's landmarks, but all I really know it for is its beautiful architecture and Oktoberfest/Kid Fest! Oktoberfest admission is only $5 and they have some amazing food which is decently priced. Kid Fest was definitely more than I bargained for. With two little ones running around, they had an obstacle course bouncey thingie, balloon animals, face painting, even a mad scientist, more games inside the tent and crafts for the kids to do. Definitely worth the $5 admission cost! read more

First off, yes the Spanish Mass was in the basement church in 1975. It had NOTHING to do with political correctness, and everything to do with the size of the congregation. The German Mass was also in the basement church, and it was once a week in 1975. Some people will find fault wherever they can. At least Fr. Hurlbert tries. If there wasn't a Spanish Mass at all, then there'd be complaints as well. Only a priest can preside at Mass. If you want perfect Spanish, go watch Telemundo. read more

Disclaimer: I am not a churchgoer but I am a huge fan of architecture. The inside of this church is absolutely stunning and worth stepping foot in, maybe even converting. Beautiful. read more

However, The Polish plate was a lot better from that one stand.

My Wife and I were on a week long trip to Chicago in the second week of May. We were staying in an Air BnB on Sheffield. We walked through the neighborhood for the 7:45 mass Sunday am. The church is as others have said "stunning". The Priest was a great orator. But the real jewel of this church is the choir. A young man with an unbelievable Baritone voice accompanied by an excellent pianist. This guy sang Ave Maria for Mothers Day. It doesn't get any better. If you are ever in the area I highly recommend going to this mass. Wow! read more

Something feels wrong about reviewing a church. But you know what, who cares? I used to pop in here a few years ago while my husband and I were in our "courting" days. I loved this church, the architecture, the people, the excitement that I felt from others about actually being Catholic and practicing together. When we moved back in the area a few months ago, we registered for the parish together. The Sunday 10:30am mass is filled to the brim with young families with little munchkins running around the back of the church. The homilies are sometimes a bit slow going but there's always a great message. I can really get my prayer on here and that's really what it's all about! read more

We were here for a wedding. It's gorgeous in side, it's what you would imagine an old catholic church to look like. If you are going to get married in the Catholic Church, this is a beautiful venue to look into. read more

I think it's quite odd that people would rate a church based on an event like Oktoberfest. Although it's a big event for this parish, it's certainly not the main focus of going to this or any other church. If you're looking for a party and are disappointed by the one offered here, go find another party. The church is gorgeous inside. Beautifully restored. I consider the music at the 10:30 mass to be the highlight of what the church offers, as one can worship through and with music, whether one is a participant (including singing hymns) or merely a listener. The sermons are... well... it depends on who is preaching, of course. The pastor's sermons are heartfelt and offered with conviction, but they are poorly structured and written. It is often difficult to follow the ideas through from beginning to end. I would appreciate more connection between the homily and the lectionary, and between the homily and the concerns and issues of the city, country, and world. We are all a part of these circles, and I don't think the sermon should be so disconnected from them. Another priest has very erudite homilies, but they are extremely dry. I've heard some good homilies there too--don't get me wrong-- but in general the norm should be much higher, especially in a large and influential church like this one. The only drawback to this mass is that there are a lot of squalling children who really should be taken to the narthex to calm down and feel more comfortable, instead of distracting everyone else. Yes, children of all ages must be welcome in church, but if a young child is so unhappy that she or he is crying, I think it is better parenting to attend to the child's needs in a quiet, more private place, and then return to worship if possible. It's better for the child, and more considerate of the other people in the assembly. I wish this parish (and every parish!) would be a lot more explicitly welcoming of gay men, women, and their families. Although it would certainly be controversial, it is the right thing to do. Surely Jesus would not exclude and vilify those who are different from the majority, and neither should the church. I'm not hispanic, so I have no idea what that ministry is like there. All in all, I think this is a good parish, and a good place to visit. Go to hear the wonderful classical music (the choir and organist are superb) and stay for the spiritual uplift too. read more

Beautiful Church, super orthodox Catholic priests. Culturally very old school German. The church is gorgeous, even the basement looks amazing - like another church. The priest I spoke with is very Traditional and active in his parish. I went to a first communion by mistake - just happened to walk into a Mass and it was first communion - the priest made a point to tell the attendees that photos and videos are not the point, but to pray with and for the kids. He will make time for getting photos downstairs and outside later. read more

I went back to my old parish this week and was quite shocked when I went in and saw how much the church interior has changed. Seemed more like a glitzy hotel lobby now. read more

Me and some friends went to their Oktoberfest event last weekend - for about 5 minutes! How does a bunch of booths selling Bud Light, tacos, and gyros have anything to do with German heritage? This should just be called a fall festival, not advertised as a German Oktoberfest. One booth in the mix selling Johnsonville brats does not qualify as German. We were very disappointed, so we hopped the bus up to Lincoln square and went to the Chicago Brauhouse instead. I hope the church makes good use of my $5........ read more

Review for Oktoberfest This was a pretty good time. When you walk in the church and don't know what's happening. You wander around and find an empty cafeteria with a smattering of people. Then you finally find the outdoors where bands are cranking, liederhosen(sp?) is worn and food is grilled and fried and however else it can be cooked. Major carnival food fun and some cool booths of goods to purchase. Neat little Oktoberter, late September, afternoon thing to do. read more

Super friendly parishioners and a beautiful Church. Always having fun social events.

Architecturally, the church is amazing. And its currently being restored to its original beauty. I went there for about three years and almost walked out twice during the sermons. It is VERY conservative. If you like being admonished for using birth control or being gay, then it is the church for you. read more

I used to live in the neighborhood, and the pictures do not lie ... this is a beautiful church. I don't think it's fair that the church is getting busted on yelp reviews over Oktoberfest. I am not catholic, but regularly came to this church as a place of serene and beautiful sanctuary. Someplace to sit and think about a problem, or life, or nothing at all. The door are open. This wonderful, beautiful, magnificent place is FREE and OPEN to all to just come in and sit down. In the summer, the steps outside are great for sitting and people watching. I have found many a peaceful moment in this church. You don't have to be religious to appreciate it's beauty and you don't have to agree with the religion or forgive it's failings (as all endeavors of humans will have) to appreciate the amazing work and craftsmanship that went into building what all involved surely felt wold be a house of hope. read more

Beautiful Church. However, if you are getting married here, they are very conservative and have many strict rules you need to follow. St Alphonsus is popular and always busy, so be prepared for limited time frame on everything pre, during and post wedding. read more

Ok, so in the past other people probably mentioned to them that you can only fit a finite number of bodies into a finite space. No Einstein or Bohr required there. This year they expanded the physical space of the fest to include the street adjacent to the property and they added an extra stage so 2 bands were playing at once. Great moves on their part. Some downsides in my mind were the beer selection, beer prices (where am I....Wrigley?) and the location and low number of portable bathrooms. They were located behind in between church buildings, which makes sense because you don't irritate the neighbors, but there were not signs for them and they were tucked away in a spot that was not so easy to find. There were also too few of them and the lines were long. So overall they have made some very good improvements and with a few more minor ones this could really turn into an above par experience. read more

i went to school here. also attended MANY family weddings here. my parents and grandparents and ALL my family has been married at this beautiful church. its a shame that catholics dont agree with my lifestyle, so i tend not to attend this church as an adult. on the PLUS side. if u turn it on its side... St. Alphonsus church looks like a tie-fighter from STARWARS. read more

Fr. Hurlbert has been the pastor here for many years and has been instrumental in building the faith community and revitalizing the school. We love this parish. read more

I attended St. Alphonsus Church and its school in the 1960's. I absolutely loved this parish!. I recently went to mass there and was blown away (again) by the church's beauty. I no longer live in Chicago, but go to St. Al's whenever I can. The mass is relevant, the architecture amazing, and the vibe exciting. I'm glad others agree. read more

St. Alphonsus Oktoberfest was awful. I took my wife and daughter around 5pm and it was so crowded full of drunk idiots that people kept running into us and spilling beer on all of us. Everything was sooo expensive too. I just couldn't help but think that the church had just decided that they were going to do whatever to make money...like selling indulgences. I even asked one of the church officials for help with something and she was blatantly rude to me. We were so disappointed. We had an awful time and will never go back. read more