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    Billy Goat Tavern - Chicago

    3.7 (1.4k reviews)
    ModerateBurgers
    Open 7:00 am - 1:30 AM (Next day)
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    Billy Goat Tavern - Chicago Photos

    Business Info

    BILLY GOAT TAVERN - CHICAGO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Divey
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

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    This is a nod to a classic Saturday Night Live sketch.
    Jeremiah A.

    My fiancée and I wanted to be sure and try Billy Goat Tavern while on a trip to Chicago. We were very impressed. As an old SNL fan, I appreciated the nods to one of their sketches from decades ago. Upon entering, we noticed the classic decor , with photos of famous visitors, news clippings about the restaurant, and TVs showing local sports. The menu is simple, and we tried a cheeseburger and a double cheeseburger. The service was friendly and efficient. Once we had the burgers, topping them was up to us, with plenty of options at the topping bar. We paired the burgers with a couple of local brews. We enjoyed the experience very much. We'd happily come back on a return visit to Chicago.

    Obama burger, chips, and drink
    Zay M.

    After visiting the bean with my sons, I wanted a good burger from a local spot. Google led me to Billy Goat. We walked there and arrived around 7:30pm on a Tuesday. It is located on the lower level and my son actually noticed the signage stating the establishment was on the lower level. Outside can be a bit sketchy as there was a person with bizarre behavior. Inside, things were fine and retro. You order at the counter and it was made right then and there. They have 2 sides, one is calmer and has a couple TVs with games; the other side is a little louder with music and the bar. I got the Obama burger (2 patties, bacon, caramelized onions, and an egg) w/ chips & drink. (Note: No fries). I got my sons the double burger (plus chips and drink; one had bacon on their burger). The Cashier was very friendly and helpful! The food was ready quick and it was very delicious! You add your own toppings. They don't have "combos" so everything is separate. The drinks were $3 and the chips were about $2.50, which is a little on the higher end. For 3 "combos" it was a little over $50.

    Menu
    Joey L.

    Billy Goat is very quick, quite tasty and a unique stop in the river area, for both its location and its offerings. I've visited here every time I've been in Chicago and the food hasn't changed in many years. It's still a bar and a diner style burger restaurant that serves breakfast sandwiches from 6am and then burgers mostly until the late night/early morning. The breakfast sandwiches are winners, fresh cooked eggs, greasy meats, and a soft bun. The steak and egg with cheese comes out to a pricy $18 but it hits all the bad spots in the am. It's also tight next to the river so there are other businesses and buildings nearby that have gotten more expensive and upscale while Billy Goat has stuck to its roots. It's a little tricky to find but start out on upper street level Michigan Ave and look for a set of stairs with a Billy Goat plaque, head down and the tavern is to your right.

    Brie G.

    Honestly, like any good Chicago staple, there are rules. It's not a fancy spot, but it's iconic. Service is so fast, because they've seen it all! Know what you want when you walk in so you don't hold up the line - it'll go faster than you think! Nice to have pickles and onions out so you can fix up your cheezborger to your tastebuds' liking. The full bar will keep the party going if that's the vibe. Whether we should or not, this is a great spot to end the night. Get some carbs and protein into your belly before you fall into a slumber. NO PEPSI....Coke! P.S. hot tip, don't look for french fries here, this is a potato chips only kinda spot. The food is good, but know the single cheeseburger is like a kids meal size from your favorite fast food spot.

    Cheeseburger
    Hayley P.

    This place is a no frills burger joint in downtown Chicago. When we came in we were looking for lunch and somewhere to rest our feet after sightseeing all morning. It's old school in the best way possible. My partner and I both ordered double cheeseborgers. And here you get to dress it up how you want, which I loved!!! As many pickles as my heart desires. The food came out quickly and they cook it right in front of you. We ate and relaxed, you see all kinds of people coming through during the lunch rush. It was a fun peek into what downtown Chicago life is like. The staff are all very nice and efficient. This is a great spot for a quick lunch.

    Bar
    May W.

    Love the ambiance and history of Billy goat tavern! Always a great time here when visiting Chicago! Aside from the cultural history (the Billy goat curse on the cubs and SNL skit, the double cheezeborger here is pretty good. No frills burger and they have a self-serve toppings bar. They also have a bar with their own Billy goat beer.

    Inside
    Kevin Z.

    A must see while in Chicago, fun little "dive bar" that's been around since the 1930's. Larger inside than it looks, several different bars and seating areas. Has the while "cheeseborger, cheeseborger" thing from old SNL which is very cool. The cheeseburger was okay, not great, with a Coke of course, "no Pepsi", and chips no fries. Had a great time.

    Basement bar
    Gi S.

    Basement bar. No frills, fast friendly service. I come here everytime I'm in Chicago!

    Andrea U.

    I smelled the burgers outside and all the memorabilia inside was pretty cool. The pickle bar was eye-catching. A little tricky to find it was sort of underneath the river walk, under Michigan Avenue near Hubbard Street and Rush, off the beaten path and literally hidden. But the curse is what brought us in, we didn't eat here. The Billy Goat Tavern curse is a sports legend that claims a curse was placed on the Chicago Cubs in 1945 when William "Billy Goat" Sianis was ejected from Game 4 of the World Series with his pet goat, Murphy. Upset, Sianis cursed the Cubs, vowing they would never win the World Series again. This legendary curse is said to have explained the Cubs' 71-year championship drought until they finally won the World Series in 2016, with the Murph the Goat curse reportedly broken.

    Nick G.

    Stopped by Billy Goat Tavern and ordered a double cheeseborger. The burger itself was simple, old school diner style with thin patties, melted cheese, and a soft bun. I added raw whole onions and ketchup on them. Nothing fancy, but it hit the spot if you're in the mood for something quick and straightforward. The place has a lot of character with its history and that classic Chicago feel. SNL brought me here. Service was fast, and the atmosphere is more about the experience than the food itself.

    Ham and cheese, onions

    No frills sandwich shop. Went because of the history, stayed because of the cheap and delicious food. Appreciated the free condiments and toppings bar!

    Stephanie V.

    Billy goat tavern is a no frills burger joint. Burgers are made on the line and not necessarily to order. There's a condiment bar with your basics, onions, pickles, mustard, mayo and ketchup. You take your food to a table or belly up to the bar for a Billy goat lager or dark ale. Pro-tip- the stairs are just past the clock building next to the street where you go down and you'll find the tavern tucked away amongst the loading docks.

    Bar menu
    Craig S.

    Great old school dive on downtown Chicago. I stopped by to check it out and enjoyed some ice cold old style on draft. Definitely taking a step back in time. Cool vibe. The food is very reasonably priced and looked good. Nothing fancy but cool. Enjoy!!!

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    5 days ago

    Classic Chicago spot! Great central location, perfect for a lively late-night bite. Burgers and hotdogs at fast and friendly service.

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    Business owner information

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    Paul S.

    Thanks Brie! We hope to see you around again very soon:)

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    Great food and great service, a throw back to dining in Chicago. SNL nailed it. Cheeseburger is awesome, no frills, just good food.

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    Page 1 of 35

    Billy Goat Tavern - Chicago Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Billy Goat Tavern - Chicago

    Are kids ok?

    Most definitely. I would let them watch an old SNL video of the skit, so they know why you're there first though. Lots of seating and the food is on the kid level...nothing fancy.

    Is it wheelchair accessible?

    Sorry Billy Goat Tavern is not wheelchair accessible, there are stairs down into the restaurant . They may have made alternative entry by now, so if you want to go, you should call...

    View All 3 Questions

    Au Cheval

    Au Cheval

    4.4(9.6k reviews)
    1.3 miWest Loop, Near West Side
    $$

    One of the best burgers I've ever had. The bone marrow was really tasty too, I've never had it…read morebefore

    Often times in my reviews, you hear about emphasis on service and how I have repeatedly said that I…read morewish service in this country would improve (my comparison point being India). A brief background; been in Chicago for about 15 years. Heard of Au Cheval back in 2015 or 16. Took a while to give it a shot and went; wait for 2 hours. Hmmmmm, didn't work out. Tried a second time 2 or 3 years later. Still didn't happen. Tried a third time when I had a friend visiting from overseas....wait time was just so long and just didn't have the 'desire' to wait that long. I think for the first time in my life, I had to kick myself as I wish I would have waited the very first time. Had my nephew visiting me from out of town. While I did want to take him to Au Cheval, with the limited time I had, I did not want to wait. I happened to go on their website and noticed that they now offer reservations. That was one of the most beautiful sights I had seen in a long time. Not only do I get to take my nephew out to Au Cheval, but I myself finally get to try the burgers here that have been the talk of the town and were rated the best burger in the United States of America for many years. My nephew absolutely devoured and loved the burger. He was in heaven. I cannot say I was not in heaven myself because the burger was absolutely epic, but that's not just what this review is about. This review is about one of the few joints in America that I have come across and that provided the level of attention to detail and went way above and beyond what I would have ever imagined in my wildest dreams to make this a memorable lunch. She had gone with my mother-in-law as well, so it was my mother-in-law, my nephew, and I. My mother-in-law is a vegetarian, and we figured we would go ahead and get the fries. What we did not know was that the fries are in beef tallow or have some beef seasoning (I forget), so in the end, she was not able to eat anything. My nephew and I just ordered each a burger. Our server proactively brought a house salad, which was vegetarian, and he said, "This is on the house. You guys enjoy the burgers." That, honestly, is a level of service that goes beyond usual service, but there was human empathy involved here. After a while, the head chef comes out, super friendly, and asks how everything was. He then says, "I heard you've been waiting 10 years over here, and I hope it was worth it." He made sure my mother and I were comfortable, and he made sure my nephew was comfortable. The level of service and care here was very special, and I personally appreciated it from the heart. For me, it was a memory built with my nephew and my mother-in-law, one that is going to stick with us for the rest of our lives. Not to mention, I am getting hungry right now, so I need to make a reservation and go down there tomorrow.

    Photos
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    3.5 stars Attention…read morevegetarians: The fries are fried and brined with beef tallow*. You can get a vegetarian version of the sweet potato fries. We popped in here for a quick bite before husband's show in Wrigleyville. It was pretty empty what we arrived and the overall ambiance feels sterile. It did pick up with more tables while we were there. I got the veggie version of the Little DMK and the Lazy Refresher mocktail. *I ordered fries for us to split, which is when the waitress warned me about the fries. I really appreciated the call out, but was surprised it wasn't on the menu itself. Husband got the patty melt and noted that the beef tasted very peppered. Both burgers were fine. My drink was a little sweet, but overall good. Staff was friendly and attentive, but even if I were in the neighborhood, I don't see it as a place we'd frequent.

    Photos
    DMK Burger Bar
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    Lamb, feta (on top), tapenade, tom and onion salad, tzatzki (on bottom)

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    Billy Goat Tavern - Chicago - burgers - Updated September 2026

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