Berghoff Cafe
17 W Adams St
(between Dearborn St & State St)
Chicago, IL 60603 (312) 427-7399
- Nearest Transit:
Monroe (Blue, Red)
Library (Orange, Brown, Purple Express, Pink)
Madison/Wabash (Orange, Brown, Purple Express, Green, Pink)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
23 Reviews for Berghoff Cafe
After all the media hoopla about tradition and rebirth/recovery I finally stumbled into the Berghoff with a group of conferencees. Nice atmosphere and nice service overall. Only major problem--the food really was sub-par. I ordered the 18$ "famous Wiener Schnitzel" and expected a rich hearty meaty german meal. Instead I got what looked and tasted like a medium sized chicken fried steak, dry and next to a minimal amount of undercooked greens. Oh and a side plate of fried potato chips. What gives?
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Other than being very touristy, I LOVE this place. Nothing better than classic German food. You have the cranky waiters, beer/rootbeer up the wazoo, tons of antiques and spaetzles. It's as Midwestern and a loop landmark with the WASHROOMS sign (not Bathroom or WC). This is Chicago! The food is delicious, especially if you love German as much as I do. I'm glad they didn't end up shutting this place down!!
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I would love to give this place five stars, but can't. The positives of this place are its history/atmosphere and location. As a Chicago institution of sorts, lots of tourists make their way by. It's good for an after work brewski, or a quick bite to eat for lunch.
So why can't I give this place five stars, even though I want to? It comes down to price and quality. I've eaten here a few times, and the food just isn't that good. I could have slapped together the breaded fish sandwich (forget which kind of fish) on rye with ingredients from Market Day. I don't mind crappy food, but don't charge me $12 and expect me to have a grin on my face. None of the food has ever blown me away.
The Berghoff belies its historical status as the "oldest restaurant in Chicago" by selling itself on that very point. It's lost most of its old town charm in renovations, and tourist-pandering. Nonetheless, it is an inescapable landmark of Chicago dining. While I would recommend visiting the bar (and its Berghoff-bottled drink selections) over the dining room, it's still a classic in my book when it comes to Chicago restaurants. The waitstaff is friendly, unpretentious, and attentive, like someone stopping on the L to help you with directions. The ambiance, while not authentic, is open and warm. The interior is covered in beautiful hard wood flooring and paneling, doing its best to imitate the historic charm of Berghoffs past. Tables are spaced out well enough to assuage the noise and bustling of its crowds. The food is generally well thought out and executed. The menu is somewhat of an abstraction from traditional German food (upon leaving, the name was the only thing that tipped me off to the Berghoff's German roots), but still has a firm grounding in simple meat 'n' potatoes dishes. I would recommend ordering simple and straightforward, selecting items you're comfortable with rather than attempting some of the more adventurous menu choices (I usually wouldn't recommend ordering a burger at such a place, but in this case, it's a pretty sensible choice). The price scale at the Berghoff does not necessarily reflect the quality, so order according to your desired bang for the buck. It's a perfect restaurant to take aunts and uncles when they come to visit, or to direct people towards when in the Loop, or to go for an extended Loop business lunch. Every Chicagoan should dine here at least once to pay respects to its history. However, in terms of a serious dining experience and food excellence, you may want to tread lightly and approach with humbled expectations.
When i was a kiddie, my dad brought me to the berghoff quite often. It was one of his FAVORITE restaurants. So when we heard they weren't *quite* closing down.... in fact, they were keeping the restaurant alive by having a cafeteria style restaurant with some of the ol' goodies, I was SUPER excited.
My excitement ended shortly after my first bite. Mother got the roast beef sandwich... seriously....the poor cow must have been raised in the Sahara, because the beef was SOOO DRY i almost choked.
My german potato salad was um.... I don't know. It just wasn't good.
I got a cobb salad as well (the only non-germanesque thing we got) which was actually pretty good, but I expect the GERMAN stuff to be good at a GERMAN restaurant.
So anyway... it's not horrible but definitely steps down from the Berghoff of yore.
..... mama
(sorry, had to)
Solid place for a quick downtwon lunch. You won't be disappointed. Cafeteria style place, with great specials, deli selections, salads, etc.
Prices are reasonable. I like this place.
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The asparagus and portabello sandwich is fantastic here. I've had it twice and both times it was great, though it took longer than other sandwiches since it's a pressed sammie. It comes out so gooey and delicious. I break my one soda a month rule to drink the root beer here. So great. Finding seating here at peak times can be kind of crazy, but since the place is so large something opens up pretty quickly.
Thank ye gawds that they didn't take down the classic sign, modify this place too much when it "closed". Same German ambiance, same delish food. Oldskool Chicago . . . but cleaned up a bit.
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I don't think so. Berghoff's was closed and then the main site reopened for banquets or something and is almost never used. (There is some reason to believe the Berghoff family plans and some time to close the restaurant and convert the site top another use).
The remainder is being used for this pseudo German restaurant, a pale imitation of the former. Sauerbraten, which was served previously with creamed spinach and potato pancakes is now served with non-German accompaniments; you can still get the creamed spinach, but they can't make a potato pancake for sh#t. Pork and Veal dishes, along with their Duck entree are similarly afflicted. Harder to get refills on the terrific breads than before; service is also down.They may stilll have decent sandwiches, but the closing of the original Berghoff's is a big loss for Chicago.
Well they certainly didn't waste any time reopening this fancy diner, er, restaurant, with new menus (same German fare), new air (ah, the marvels of a thorough cleaning), and new waiters.
WHAT? So this whole close/open thing was allegedly concocted, in part, to get rid of the self-contracted waiters that had been there for decades? Close it for a month or two to give it a good scrubbing before turning it over to the daughter to run?
Well, whatever. It was sort of a fancy suburban-looking place before the new management came in, and it's now a little more polished, service-wise, with the same interiors as before. Same German comfort food, same moderately high prices.
It's ok, but the more I eat at these relics of Chicago's past, the more I feel like it's all a bit Disney. I step into a German restaurant like this, and I want to be served by a 50 year-old waitress named Helga who can serve 8 pints of beer with two hands and an extra one squeezed in her double-D cleavage...not a waiter named Chad pushing us to buy root beer with a Berghoff label.
I wonder how many employees there actually speak German?
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When the Christkindlmarket in Daley Plaza came to an end, I thought my chances of getting a reasonably-priced, quick German lunch in the Loop had become non-existent. But no! Now I have the Berghoff to comfort my German-loving belly until next December. Their menu has most of the staples (sauerbraten, bratwurst, etc.) but is peppered with other typical non-German deli fare for the non- meat/potatoes/cabbage crowd. One unfortunate omission from this menu, however, is spatzle.
How the Berghoff Cafe sailed under my radar up until last week is a mystery to me, but I will make up for this by spending many of my lunch hours in the future wolfing down hot meat in the recesses of the Berghoff. Yeah, I said it.
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So I don't know if I ate the Cafe or the restaurant or what, but based on the previous reviews, I ate here.
No - it didn't feel German. No - the menu wasn't a laundry list of traditional German dishes. No - even the German dish I got didn't feel German. Did I enjoy it anyway? Yes.
Maybe it was the unbelievable Hefeweizens that I drank that settled it for me. Maybe it was the fried green tomatoes that pushed me into liking it a bit more. (Yeah - I don't know where the German comes into that, but they were good.) Maybe it was the fact that the not-a-German waitress told us point blank that despite the fact that the menu touted the tomatoes as an entree, there wasn't anyone going to get full off of them.
So if you're re-visiting Berghoff's to reminisce I guess you're out of luck. I wouldn't know what the old joint was, so I can't say anything but that I liked it. I don't like touristy crap and I don't live in a cookie cutter house in a cookie cutter neighborhood, for what that's worth. Don't go here to reminisce about your time in Germany either. Do go here for a darn good beer and some pretty decent fancy food.
They make the best German chips - crunchy on the sides and potato-y on the inside. The old Berghoff decor remains; lots of dark wood, tile flooring, and very high ceilings. I'm glad they didn't completely gut this Chicago landmark!
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I love it here. It is the basement of the old restaurant and it is great. The food is fast and tasty. I very much recommend the chili and fries- it is actually more like thick potato chips with chili served on top. It is very tasty.
There is also a line for made to order salads and sandwich- plus a daily selection of featured entrees. Around 12pm the place gets a little crowded and you might have to weight for a while. I have never had trouble finding a seat though.
They also have a great selection of desserts and drinks at the check out stand. My only complaint is that there is a ten dollar minimum for debit cards. I never have cash on me so I always have to use my card. As a result I have to end up buying dessert to reach the ten dollar mark-- I guess that is not so bad.
Anywho, I think this place is worth a visit.
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Love the Berghoff Cafe! My coworkers and I eat here at least once a week.
If you get there early after they open you get first pickins on the meat. I usually have the corned beef on rye but will also order the roast beef on baguette. The homemade chips are off the heezy! One plate of chips is usually good for 3 people to snack with their sandwiches. They also have Berghoff beer and Berghoff root beer diet and regular. I am so glad they chose to re-open the cafe.
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I'm going to be honest - I only ever order the Asian Salad with Chicken. I absolutely love it and don't want to miss one opportunity to indulge in it. Therefore, I can't quite comment on on the range of food.
But for a quick lunch on a fairly cheap budget ($6.50 for a salad of that size is very reasonable for the Loop), I love it. And there is a bus boy that works there that might be the sweetest man in the world. He always remembers my coworker and I when we sit down and is so happy to take our plates when we finish.
Because I'm tricked by the drop cieling, I'm convinced everyone there is a giant. I feel like Thumbelina when I'm in there. And the wood paneling is hideous but it wouldn't be Berghoff without it.
Yum.
I learned the lesson of consulting an up-to-date guidebook over lunch at the Berghoff. What was once described as a Chicago landmark has now been re-developed as a in'n'out cafeteria lunch dive for downtown white collar workers. I should have gotten one of the German style sandwiches, but instead opted for the chicken parm with "Berghoff chips" and Berghoff root beer. None of these items was particularly spectacular, and I barely touched my chips.
It seems like the restaurant upstairs from the caf would have been the better option - spend a little more money and get a little more quality, or at least get something a little closer to the original Berghoff. (Granted, I also should have ordered something less generic... but still! A forgettable chicken parm?)
Oh how I miss you Berghoff! You and your cute little cafe were my favorite lunch spot when I worked in Central Office. I loved getting the roast beef sandwich on a baguette, with freshly made chips, and topped it all off with your famous root beer (since I can't drink the real stuff on the clock). I only hope that I can find a place similar to yours for lunch now!
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I had gone there over 4 years ago before they closed and went to (17 west)recently for my co-worker's bridal shower after they re-opened. I am so glad they did too! I don't remember not liking any of their food. I don't think every German item on their menu is exactly authentic (according to my Bavarian friend), but it all tastes good to me. It's a German restaurant, but it is quite vegetarian-friendly too. My co-workers and I loved their Artichoke Strudel and stuffed mushrooms. The place looks so classy and has a great ambiance. Their lunch is a bargain. Good sandwiches around 6 bucks at such a classy place! I would go there for lunch a couple of times a week if I weren't stuck on boring Wacker.
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Stopped in for a stein of their Oktoberfest ale. Pretty good, Tuesday night they've got $2.00 steins.
Also tried the Applewood bacon wrapped shrimp, they were Yum, large shrimp, butterflied, wrapped in bacon and drizzled in a sweet bbq sauce.
The bar is dead this early in the week and we stop in usually around 8-9ish. The dining is usually thriving. You'll see many tourists in here nightly.
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I'm so thrilled the cafe was reopened after the restaurant's sad closing. The portabella mushroom panini was delish. And they kept the creamed spinach on the menu - awesome. Definitely need to visit here more often.
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This is the classic German restaurant in the Loop, though it has become more of an institution rather than a great restaurant. The place still draws a huge crowd, so go early for lunch or dinner. The interiors are very elegant decorated, and the waiters are impeccable. The sauerbraten and schnitzel are good bets. The turkey meat loaf has a bite to it, as does the house brand beer and root beer.
The Berghoff closed on February 28, 2006. FAREWELL BERGHOFF!!
If you're downtown in the Loop and your Boss is stressing you out and you just gotta get away for a solid lunch break, then head into Berghoff's. You can sit in the restaurant, but I prefer just to stand at the bar where you can drink Berghoff's own fresh beer from tap. Just call for a "dark" or a "lager" and you'll be hooked up right away. And if you want to save your brain cells for later, Berghoff's homemade root beer is delicious. Next to the bar, several chefs in white aprons and matching hats carve fresh roast beef, turkey and corn beef to make as sandwich, along with "chips" which are more like silver-dollar sized french fries. Stand at the bar, down a brew, chow on some corn beef and you'll be ready to get back in the ring.
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