The Berghoff is one of the oldest restaurants in the City of Chicago. Established at the corner of Adams and State in 1898 by Herman Berghoff, it featured the newly introduced Berghoff Beer for a nickel a mug, along with a delicious sideboard of sandwiches served for FREE to attract people to the restaurant. From there it blossomed into a full service restaurant, featuring delicious German entrees, steaks and seafood. The building has stood at 17 West Adams, unchanged, since 1950, and the four floor restaurant inside is decorated with gorgeous, old world feel, brass fixtures and richly polished wood, huge kitchens, a bakery and banquet rooms.
Mr. Herman Joseph Berghoff, a native of Dortmund, Germany, introduced his beer at the World's Fair in Chicago in 1893. His reputation as a brewmaster quickly blossomed and he was even able to achieve success during prohibition by serving his delicious rootbeer. One of The Berghoff Restaurant's claims to fame is their liquor license, posted proudly behind the bar, the first issued after the fall of prohibition: License number 1.