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    The Berghoff Restaurant

    3.7 (1.4k reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 8:00 pm

    The Berghoff Restaurant Photos

    THE BERGHOFF RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Carmel cheesecake, Carmel flavored crust
    Steve H.

    Good German food, a few other options on menu and didn't fit German food, all sausages are good with a really nice spicy mustard, potato pancakes were smaller and tasted like hash browns, missing flavor that should be in them, beef was nice, potatoes and veggie's tasty and cook well, desserts cheesecake and strudel topped my list of desserts. With Adams street brewery, lots of good beer selections, I had Da Dizzy a juicy sour that was just right, my server had good recommendations and service was fast and humorous. Make it reservations we arrived at 5 to empty tables 10 min later the place was full on a Thursday,

    Beer flight
    Paula C.

    Visited on a Monday for a lunch reservation for two. The restaurant was not busy, but the atmosphere was great. We started with a flight of beers, which offered a nice variety. For our main courses, we ordered the Reuben sandwich and the Pork Schnitzel platter--both were absolutely delicious. For dessert, we requested the German chocolate cake. There was a slight mix-up, and our waiter initially brought us the black forest cake instead. However, as soon as we pointed this out, he promptly and politely corrected the order. Overall, it was a very nice experience and a great restaurant we'd recommend.

    Karyn M.

    The Berghoff has been family owned and operated for more than 125 years. That means they are probably serving the same food they served your grandparents. This was decorated for the season with large Christmas trees and I even saw Santa walking around and talking with kids. There were a lot of groups (multigenerational) dining for the holidays. We started with the giant pretzel and ordered traditional dishes like schnitzel. The menu has made concessions to modern times -- I saw salads, paleo dishes, salmon. If you are looking for hearty dishes, beers, and a festive setting, do like your grandparents or parents did and eat here.

    Liver and onions with carrots, asparagus, atop mashed potatoes
    Sarah W.

    Our group of 5 stopped in here on a Sunday night for a late dinner, which was a great choice because of so many menu options to make everyone happy. Service was great and food was brought out very quickly. Noise level was mild and we enjoyed being seated at our round table which allowed for easy conversation. The food was divine. I had beef liver and onions served over a huge portion of creamy mashed potatoes. Roasted carrots and asparagus also rounded out the dish and overall a very lovely presentation. This was enough food for two; however, we tried our best to make a dent. Would love to return when we visit the city again.

    Leslie C.

    Wow! What a cool and historic place. Family owned and operated for over 125 years! Huge place! Many rooms for dining. Oktoberfest was going on in one area, and down below in the lower level was a wedding reception. Festive decor and excellent German food. I had the Ragout from the Oktoberfest menu and it was delicious. My boyfriend's goulash was very flavorful too. The cocktails are tasty too. Wonderful service from Chris. Lovely experience!

    Sausage appetizer with German potato salad
    Benjamin H.

    Visited again and went for the schnitzel. Comparatively, I would suggest sticking with their sausages. They have a wonderful knockwurst and bratwurst. The schnitzel was average. Also, TRY THE HOUSEMATE ROOT BEER. It is complex and flavorful. The Christmas decorations are quite beautiful and German. If you find the pickle ornament on the tree, you get a free drink. Our server was attentive and recommended the goulash for my partner, and it was rich and comforting.

    Menu
    Jessica W.

    Stumbled in here to escape the cold for a beer and some live music but couldn't find a seat so went over to the dining area after seeing that giant pretzel float by... Not typically the dining menu I would go for but it is BIG. We did only get the Bavarian pretzel and beers- both were average. I did really like both the beer cheese and the sweet mustard though! The service in the dining area was slow, I objectively had a bad seat because I was in a square table about 4 inches from a full round table in a corner so the waiter couldn't get to them without bumping into me, and the hostess was rude. Honestly, I likely would have given it 4 stars if we were in the lively bar area because that's what we came for but maybe in a bigger group the dining area would provide better service.

    Interior
    Kitty L.

    Years ago, we used to dine in The Berghoff Restaurant in downtown Chicago very often when we were actively attending Broadway shows.  Its location makes it such an ideal restaurant to have a pre-show dinner.  A couple of days ago, we played it a visit again as we were going to a show in The CIBC Theatre, which is only a 4-minute walk away.  We parked at the Adams Wabash iParkit Garage, which is a mere 2-minute walk to the restaurant. The Berghoff has more to offer other than its ideal location.  The restaurant is the oldest restaurant in Chicago, but it is maintained really well, clean and beautiful.  When we visited, it was festively decorated for St. Patrick's Day. They serve delicious authentic German fare.  As we were in a hurry, each of us just ordered a drink and an entrée.  Berghoff must have tons of experience serving food for show goers, as the staff were efficient and the food came out quickly. Daughter had a In Cold Blood ($13) and a Reuben Sandwich ($21.95), hand-carved corned beef (or turkey), Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, on house-made rye.  She ordered it without Thousand Island dressing which was included in the menu.  Hubby and I each ordered a Wiener Schnitzel ($27.95 each), pan-fried breaded veal cutlet, creamed spinach, house-made spätzle.  He had a Root Beer ($3.6) and I had an Iced Tea ($3.4).  The Wiener Schnitzel was piping hot, nicely cooked with a crispy light batter and rather tender veal.  It even brought back good memories from our respective trips in Germany and Austria. I enjoyed the house-made spätzle a lot. Daughter liked her Reuben Sandwich too. There is a 3.5% surcharge to every check, as specified in their website. Good thing that it was not a surprise for us. Actually, the service stood out the most this time.  When we were caught in very slow traffic in the expressway on our way to the restaurant, I called The Berghoff and spoke to Brian on the phone, and told him we would be 15 minutes late.  He was very kind, assured we would have our table, and thanked me for telling him.  When we finally arrived 25 minutes late, Brian was still so welcoming, cheerful, and friendly.  As he was leading us into the dining area, he let us choose either a booth or a table.  Fortunately, it was still early for dinner, around 5:30 pm, there were still a few tables available.  When we were eating, the restaurant became packed. Our server, Isaiah, offered flawless service too.  He's also very kind, friendly, and professional.  I informed him that we only had an hour before we needed to leave for the show.  He assured us that he would make sure we leave on time, and he delivered his promise.  Actually, it only took us about 52 minutes from sitting down to finish!  Our dining experience at The Berghoff was delightful and perfect!

    Dining area
    Rhett B.

    I have meant to come here for years but between work and their limited COVID hours it took me a while! As a big fan of Breweries and beer brewing in general I was excited to visit this historical monument to the craft. Upon arriving for lunch we were quickly greeted and seated. Immediately I noticed the variety and quality of the beer offered was far above average! The menu was filled with predominantly German and UK inspired meat based dishes with few offerings for vegans, vegetarians, or pescatarians. The ambiance was very much a older, touristy, kitschy vibe similar to what you might feel at somewhere like the Walnut room. Service reflected a similar kind of "tourist hospitality worker" vibe and not in the overly performative happy way, more in a - "I'm on hour 13 of my Bubba Gumps shift down at Navy Pier" kind of way. Not to say it was bad or anything, everyone was super kind but definitely had an exhausted/burnt out feel. We had the Fish and Chips and the French Onion soup. The fish and Chips was what you might expect from an upscale pub, but the soup was absolutely phenomenal. I honestly would go back for just the soup alone! Beer was great! In short: -Food was amazing -Drink was great -Ambiance was touristy, elderly, supper club vibe -Pricing = Tourism premium However the big drawback here is prices. Listen I understand it's expensive operating a business like this in Downtown Chi but at some point fried bar food and sandwiches; is just fried bar food and sandwiches - and paying $20+ per plate is crazy. Similar feedback on the beer pricing. Overall I don't like the idea that their repacking traditionally low cost, working class food and drink and selling them back to people for premiums which rival a mid-tier steakhouse. Come here once if your enticed by the locations history but beyond that I can't understand why anyone would come back here. (Except for maybe the decent priced cup of soup!). Would love to see owners take this place in a different direction which focuses less on serving high spender tourists and instead appealing to Loop workers looking for great happy hour spots that won't break the bank. Make it a true spot loved by Chicagoans.

    Audra M.

    Class from the bottom to the top! When I went with family from out of town, it was all excellent. We felt catered to, from our drinks to our desserts. The ambiance is stellar, service great, and food amazing.

    Sesame Seared Salmon Nicoise Salad
    Padma A.

    I haven't been back at The Berghoff in a while and so glad to have tried it during restaurant week. Such a chicago tradition, the decor and layout has an old world charm about it . Our server Sandra was very polite and attentive. I had the potato perogies and salmon salad both were delicious. Will certainly be back soon.

    sauerbraten
    Jeanne D.

    We haven't been to The Berghoff in decades but we were headed to a concert at Symphony Center and it's nearby. The dining room is beautiful. our waitress was pleasant and attentive. The service was fast. There seemed to be a lot of other concert goers there. My husband had a Czech Pilsner which he enjoyed. We had traditional German food, Sauerbraten and Jaeger Schnitzel. Both were delicious. The sauerbraten came with lots of beautiful vegetables. Especially appreciated the handmade spaetzle. If you haven't been to the Berghoff in a while, or if you've never been, I encourage you to give it a try. We had a lovely dinner that ended with chocolates in celebration of my husband's birthday. We'll be back!

    The ambiance
    Karen A.

    We ate at the Berghoff on a Thursday evening. We chose Thursday because right now they are celebrating Oktoberfest in the bar area. That was fun! There was a Duo playing a very long horn and a euphonium. They were dressed in traditional German folk outfit and played traditional German music. We were seated in the dining room for our dinner reservation and ordered the appetizer of potato pancakes, which was delicious! My husband took the first bite and declared that it tasted like Germany on a plate. And he meant that in the most positive way possible. I ordered Jager schnitzel, which was a little disappointing. I've usually had Jager schnitzel served with with a breaded and and then pan fried pork cutlet. This was a thin pork cutlet which appeared to be pan fried but was not breaded before it was fried. Small distinction, but for me, an important one. Sauce was okay, although not terrific. Sometimes I have received Jager sauce that is creamy, rather than brown. This was brown sauce, with what I think were wild mushrooms in it. Good. Just not great. Hubs ordered the Austrian meatloaf, which was on the Oktoberfest special menu. This was a fabulous dish! Everything about it was delicious! The meatloaf was interesting and flavorful, the potatoes were mashed and tasted as if they had emmenthal or gruyere cheese in them, and the accompanying sauteed spinach was done just right. Still green, but wilted. Would order this dish again in a heartbeat! Beers were fantastic as expected! Apple strudel was okay. I felt like it was too much like phyllo dough rather than choux pastry and I didn't think there was enough extra flavor in side. The apple strudel, like raisins and cinnamon. Also, I really missed having a bit of whipped cream on it. Not sure I would order this again. The dining room is great! I recommend a stop at the berghoff just to see what old restaurants look like. I recommend eating there also.

    Potato pancakes

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    An amazing place. Great german food. We were sad when it closed but is open and perfect!

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    The Berghoff Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Berghoff Restaurant

    What does the the wait time look like during weekends in December?

    Do you have to walk up or Downstairs and if so is there a elevator for handicap people?

    No stairs when I went. Just a ramp to walk into the restaurant!

    Is this restaurant open for indoor dining? The website says it's temporarily closed but Yelp says it's open.

    Do they have valet parking? If so, how much does it cost?

    There is no parking at all. Take Lyft or Uber. It's in The Loop. All trains stop nearby Red Line, Blue Line and Elevated Trains.

    Anyone know where in the Chicago area I can buy the Berghoff beer?

    They'll be brewing their own beer again soon on location. The Brewery will be called Adams Street Brewery.

    Welche Art von Schweineschnitzel bereiten sie sich hier vor? ist es Münchener Stil? Danke.

    Ich bin mir nicht sicher, was der Münchner Stil ist. Jaegerschnitzel ist mein Favorit und ich war enttäuscht. Wenn Sie ein wirklich gutes Schnitzel wollen, ist Karl Laschetts auf Irving der Ort zu gehen.

    View All 7 Questions

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    Three Dots and A Dash

    Three Dots and A Dash

    4.1
    (4.2k reviews)
    0.8 mi
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    This place is a yes, yes, and yes! I have a buddy that loves Tiki bars and found this place/made a…read morereservation, so our group came to visit on a Sunday night. The vibe is speakeasy-ish; the entrance is off the street in an alleyway but the interior is very nice, low light, and would be fun for a date night! The staff were attentive and very friendly. My friend got some shots, which were surprisingly good given they were kind of sweet, and I ordered the "mystic lamp" cocktail ($16) which was VERY memorable to me as someone that loves floral drinks -- it was very floral, slightly fruity, and had a lovely chunk of lychee it came with which was delicious! The drink was decent sized too; I've been charged a lot more for much less drink at other speakeasies (those of which I don't plan to visit again any time soon haha). In my opinion, this spot has the perfect combo of great drinks, nice ambiance, cool speakeasy-vibes, but also cheerfulness given the tiki-theme inside. Would definitely rec a visit to anyone visiting Chicago who likes cool bars!

    I can't understand what the fuss is all about here. I couldn't wait to leave…read more This place represents itself as a tiki bar but is the most half-hearted attempt I have ever seen. I was excited for the experience having heard how busy it gets, blah blah. These positive reviewers need to seek out other tiki bars. After you negotiate the alley entrance and go down dangerously dark stairs, you are met with crazy boring decor. I kept thinking there had to be more right? The whole point of a tiki bar is to strike a mood, but hanging a very few polynesian masks on the wall, putting up a grass facade over the bar and dressing the servers in vaguely polynesian outfits is sad. I've seen private tiki bars at people's homes that are more exciting. Add to this a comparably boring music selection played far too loud over boomy lo-fi speakers and you'll wonder what's going on here. So what about the food and drink? Completely uninspired for anyone who's had more than a mai tai before in their life. About a dozen extremely common drink choices is all you get!! No specials, that's it. When I asked if this was the whole cocktail menu, the server said it was but they have a full bar so you can get anything you want. Well, I could get that service at just about any bar in the world, so big deal. Maybe it would be better if you sat at the bar and chatted up the bartender. One could also go taste their rum selections and other cocktails in the Bamboo Room, but I hate that kind of elitist nonsense. That's never been what tiki bars were about. The drinks we sampled were okay at best. Even the namesake 3 Dots and A Dash cocktail was lackluster and used cheap cherries for the dots instead of classic Luxardos. (If you know, you know) The appetizers were okay, but way overpriced. 5 tiny spring rolls for $18. Come on guys, enough already. I'd rather go to the bar at the Polynesian Hotel at Disney than return here. This place is a hard pass.

    Photos
    Interior Entrance
    Interior Entrance
    These Loaded Luau Cheese Fries
    These Loaded Luau Cheese Fries
    Tiki gift shop.

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    Bisous

    Bisous

    4.4
    (119 reviews)
    1.3 mi

    The Chicago food tour commences... First stop, drinks at Bisous! This cocktail bar was listed no…read more 39 on the top 50 bars in North America for 2025. It was no wonder when we arrived that there was a line out the door. We waited around 45 minutes, and the bouncer was a really nice fellow who kept track of the numbers and people at the door. Upon entering, we were immersed in a dimly lit retro-style lounge. It was quite loud inside and packed as we walked to our seats. The server was great at taking our orders and offering suggestions. I opted for the French 75, which featured sparkling wine and mixed gin, brandies, and citrus. The drink was delicious, but STRONG. I don't know what they put in the cocktails in America, but I am always finished after one drink. Needless to say, we were all struggling to finish our own drinks. My favourite touch was the coasters, I ended up keeping all of them so that I can reuse them at my galentines event next year. The 'bisous' with the kiss on the other side is a perfect touch! I think the drinks are fairly priced for USD. I would love to return someday to try other drinks and bar bites, and also try their sister bar, Sparrow.

    My boyfriend and I were visiting Chicago (from Las Vegas) 2 weeks ago, and were very excited to…read morecheck out Bisous, as it looked nice inside and had good reviews. Imagine my shock when we didn't even make it past the bouncer because he was so rude, AS OTHER RECENT REVIEWS HAVE MENTIONED AS WELL! We had dinner nearby and walked to Bisous after, and saw there was a line of 5 or 6 people outside. We expected this as we knew Bisous is a first come, first serve bar. We were curious what the wait time would look like, so we approached the front door to ask a host or employee inside (we assumed there'd be a desk with an employee working it who could give us a wait time). We had no problem waiting, just wanted to see how long they estimated it would be! Before we could even fully open the door, the bouncer swung the door open from the other side and hit me with the door. I stumbled back a few steps and he looked at us and said, and I quote, "What do you want?". I laughed at first because I thought he was joking and putting on a tough guy act. He was not. We quickly explained we just wanted to see what the wait time was, and he said "don't you see there's a line outside?" We said yes, and explained we just wanted to know a rough estimated wait time. He just blankly stared at us while ushering us out. Both my boyfriend and I have worked in customer-service roles for a very, very long time. This encounter was not only extremely rude and unprofessional, but he also hit me hard enough with the door to send me stumbling back, and then said nothing about it and continued to address us in a tone that was nothing less than annoyed and irritated. We didn't end up going inside because that encounter left such a bad taste in our mouths. I don't believe in spending my money at establishments that don't treat their customers with the bare minimum respect they deserve! Bummed we didn't get to experience it, as I'm sure it was lovely inside and I can only hope the rest of the employees were much more kind and accommodating, or at least able to answer a simple question. Fire your "bouncer" (??) and hire someone with some basic customer service and communication skills!!

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    Interior bar
    Interior bar
    Inside
    Inside
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    Interior
    The Alderman

    The Alderman

    4.6
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    The Alderman has been on my list for quite some time now. I am so excited that I finally was able…read moreto snag a reservation and check it out. If you didn't know, it is located inside of Pilsen Yards. It's a nice small intimate setting, but I loved every single detail about it. If you are not able to sit at the booth, there are four seats at the bar where you can still enjoy the experience. The ambience was amazing. It was nice and cozy, dimly lit, candles everywhere kind of gave a romantic feel in a sense. The art on the wall was like no other. Very bold, vibrant, and told a story. The selection of music was great, It was a vibe the entire time. My bartender's name was Scotty. Scotty was everything. He was so knowledgeable about the drinks. He had amazing suggestions and he could even put a twist on it if you allowed him. He's also very passionate about his craft and it shows once you a taste of the drinks that he prepared. I had such an amazing time. Not only did he prepare a great drink, but he was so personable and checked on everybody throughout the night and made sure everyone was doing OK. I loved it there. I cannot wait to go back another day. This is hands-down one of my favorite speakeasies. What a hidden gem.

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    Old fashions
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    Yeah, we tried a lot of cocktails

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    Yeah, we tried a lot of cocktails

    The Berghoff Restaurant - bars - Updated July 2026

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