Route 66 begins — or ends, depending on your perspective — in Chicago, in the Loop. Two key landmark sites remain on old Route 66 in downtown Chicago. Both are restaurants with glorious neon signs: The Berghoff and Lou Mitchell’s.

First, some history about where old 66 ran in Chicago. When it was new in 1926, it began/ended at Jackson St. at Michigan Ave. In 1937, that terminus moved east two blocks to Lake Shore Drive. In 1955, Jackson St. was made one way eastbound at Michigan Ave. Westbound Route 66 moved north on Michigan Ave. for one block, and then onto one-way-west Adams St. So it remained until Illinois decommissioned its portion of Route 66 in about 1977. (Signs came down on the rest of the route state by state through 1985.)

The Berghoff

The Berghoff’s roots trace to about 1870 when German immigrant Herman Berghoff came to America and began brewing beer in Indiana. He moved to Chicago in 1893 and opened his beer hall’s doors in 1898. With Prohibition he converted the place to a restaurant. After Prohibition, the Berghoff won Chicago’s first ever liquor license and beer was back. The Berghoff has been at 17 W. Adams St. for all these years.

The Berghoff

My first experience with The Berghoff was in 1983, as a junior in high school. All of us who learned the German language — ich spreche immer noch genug Deutsch mich verstanden zu machen — made a field trip to Chicago. We capped the day with dinner at the Berghoff. It was the nicest restaurant I’d ever visited — and this blue-collar kid was not prepared for Chicago restaurant prices. The least-expensive meal on the menu was beef tips in gravy with potatoes. That and an insultingly thin tip tapped me out.

I visited it for a second time on a business trip in 2018 with a few of the engineers who worked for me. We stopped in here for dinner and a beer after our business was done. We lived a little higher on the hog than I did in 1983, especially since we could all expense our meals.

My wife and I had our Chicago getaway weekend in January. A bartender at the Palmer House Hilton, where we stayed, recommended a place called Lou Mitchell’s for breakfast the next morning. It’s on Jackson St., about a mile and a quarter west of Route 66’s beginning. You cross the Chicago River on the way.

Lou Mitchell's

Compared to The Berghoff, Lou Mitchell’s is a Johnny-come-lately to the scene, opening in 1923. That predates Route 66 by three years. But the restaurant plays up its Route 66 heritage, even posting a replica of an original Route 66 sign on a lamp post outside.

Lou Mitchell's

Our breakfast at Lou Mitchell’s was a wild ride. We were greeted with a donut hole as we entered — which neither of us took, as both of us must follow gluten-free diets. There was a small box of Milk Duds for my wife, too.

Our chatty, entertaining waitress at one point sat down next to me in our booth and talked with us for several minutes. She revealed that she’d worked at Lou Mitchell’s since the early 1990s! She also marveled in mock frustration at the rest of our dietary restrictions — my wife is allergic to egg whites, making breakfast a challenge. I have to avoid onions, garlic, and beans, which thankfully isn’t challenging at breakfast time.

Lou Mitchell's

I ordered the gluten-free pancakes and two scrambled eggs. While we waited, our waitress brought each of us a plate with a prune and an orange slice. What the heck; down they went.

I regretted it when breakfast came. The two pancakes looked to be a foot in diamater. The mass of eggs was as big as of both of my fists together. I couldn’t eat it all — and let me tell you, I can put away vast quantities of food. Our waitress told us that Lou Mitchell’s serves nothing but double-yolk eggs. I can’t imagine how they manage that! Then she revealed that when you order two eggs Lou Mitchell’s serves you four or five.

It’s a point of personal pride that I eat all of the food served me, but I just couldn’t manage it at Lou Mitchell’s. I left about half a fist’s worth of eggs and half of the pancakes behind.

May the Berghoff and Lou Mitchell’s prosper for many years to come. Being able to enjoy landmark places like these on Route 66 in Chicago or beyond is what makes following the Mother Road rewarding.

Olympus XA on Kodak T-Max 400.

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Comments

12 responses to “Landmark restaurants on Route 66 in Chicago”

  1. J P Avatar

    Both sound like great places to try! Suddenly my normal sparse daily breakfast doesn’t sound so appealing.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Lou Mitchell’s was definitely an experience! I remember the Berghoff being more of a white-tablecloth place in the 80s but last time I was in (a couple years ago) it was less fancy. But the beer remained good!

  2. Mike Connealy Avatar

    More nice work from the XA, and TMAX is hard to beat for its smooth tonal gradation.

    Enjoyed the focus on the starting point of Route 66 from our vantage point midway along the road in Albuquerque. We have seen a steady loss of the old 66 landmarks here, but a few have been saved including the El Vado Motel, with the renovation financed by the city.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      T-Max 400 could well be my favorite b/w. It just works for me in so many situations.

      I’d love to finish touring 66 one day. With my sons in 2013 we made it almost to the Texas border before we ran out of time and had to turn back.

      The loss of the landmarks is inevitable I suppose. Old buildings without fully lucrative uses get deferred maintenance and then the end is in sight. It often takes government or philanthropic intervention to save them.

  3. M.B. Henry Avatar

    Yum! I wish we would have had more time to explore Chicago on our 66 trip, but we did leave enough time for some deep dish! :)

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Chicago is an awesome town to explore!!

  4. nataliesmartfilmphotography Avatar

    Great photos Jim 👍

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Why thank you! [takes bow]

  5. Ward Fogelsanger Avatar
    Ward Fogelsanger

    Been to the Berghoff many times. Wish I’d have known about Lou Mitchell’s for breakfast on ORD layovers.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      You’d have needed a long layover to get there from ORD!

  6. Richard Novak Avatar
    Richard Novak

    Great article and pictures Jim, thanks. Definitely need to put Lou Mitchell’s on the list for a future visit.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Oh yes, It’s a great experience!

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