So far in my food adventures I have posted a variety of restaurants, and this past Friday I visited a Chicago must-see. Billy Goat Tavern is not where you will find classy dishes or even great service, but that is what gives it a special charm. Right across from the Tribune Building, this dive has been visited by the likes of Anthony Bourdain and has even had a Saturday Night Live skit based on it.
When you walk into the restaurant, you will notice the walls of rainbow colored goats and Chicago paraphenelia, detailing Chicago’s history. Its name is linked to a legend where William Sianis, owner of the Billy Goat Tavern, brought his goat to a Cubs game. The goat was not allowed to enter and Sianis cursed the Cubs, saying they would never win again. And to his word, the Cubs have suffered from the Billy Goat Curse and have never recovered!
Besides its interesting history, the Billy Goat Tavern has a very specific way of doing food. With only 20 items on the menu, mostly consisting of burgers, hot dogs, and steak, the cashier was very aggressive in pushing their double cheeseburger. They do not serve fries, only chips, so I decided to go with their special in order to get the entire experience. The burger itself was only $5.65 with tax, which is very inexpensive considering its downtown location and despite being very simple (no lettuce or tomatoes), it tasted really great. Like I said, this isn’t going to be your 5 star burger, but it is a great place to grab a quick bite or have a couple beers with friends, while watching the game.
I highly recommend this place to Chicago tourists, so the next time you have friends come visit, take them here! It is also just a 5-minute walk from AMC River East so it is a great place to get dinner before watching a movie. If you want to see more food adventures, check out my food blog, where I have a bunch of restaurant reviews and recipes. Happy eatings!