The Timeless Chicago Restaurant Everyone Needs To Visit At Least Once
By Elizabeth Crozier|Published November 14, 2017
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Elizabeth Crozier
Author
An Illinois transplant who grew up and went to school in Indiana for 22 years, Elizabeth holds a BFA in creative writing and has enjoyed traveling across the country and parts of Europe. She has visited half of the states, as well as parts of Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, and regularly travels home to the Hoosier State to see friends and family. With more than five years of writing experience, Elizabeth’s articles have been featured on several websites, and her poetry and short stories have been published in multiple literary journals.
Great eats abound in the Windy City, but some have been around longer than others. Tied to an astounding history, there’s a timeless restaurant located in downtown that attracts both locals and tourists who are lucky enough to know it by name. Best known for its burgers, you certainly don’t want to miss out on a meal at this incredible place. Keep scrolling for the whole story.
Billy Goat Tavern opened in 1934 under the name Lincoln Tavern and has since expanded to eight locations around the city.
The original location sits across the street from the United Center (once known as Chicago Stadium), but you can also find this timeless restaurant at Navy Pier and O'Hare.
The restaurant was named after the owner, who was nicknamed "Billy Goat" when a goat fell off a truck and wondered into his restaurant. He even grew a goatee to embrace the name!
This popular eatery has been made famous through several means. Saturday Night Live has a sketch about the place, and it was written about by famed Tribune columnist, Mike Royko.
The restaurant also claims the Cubs curse. The owner once attempted to take his pet goat to a game for good luck and was denied entrance. It is believed the Cubs lost that game and every other game for 108 years because of this injustice.
Served on a Kaiser bun and containing 100 percent beef, the sandwich is made with thin patties that you can stack about as high as you like. It typically comes with just cheese, onion, pickles, mustard, and ketchup... according to their website, the goat ate the lettuce and tomatoes!
Other delicious menu items include hot dogs, grilled cheese, breakfast sandwiches, and other types of sandwiches.
This timeless restaurant has seen the likes of John Kass, Richard Roeper, and Rick Telander, to name a few.
Billy Goat Tavern has multiple locations, but the original is at 430 N Michigan Avenue. You’ll find more information on the restaurant’s Facebook page and website.
