Harry Caray’s Tavern, 700 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611 (312-527-9700).
Starters $14.95-$6.95; Entrees $24.95-$19.95; Salads $18.95-$12.95; Burgers and Sandwiches $17.95-$15.95.
“Holy Cow!”, one of the famous lines from Chicago’s most beloved sports commentators, Harry Caray, is likely to pop into any baseball fan’s mind when walking into Harry Caray’s Tavern.
One December afternoon, I had the pleasure of dining with three friends from my hometown at Harry Caray’s restaurant in River North. The entrance of the restaurant is right at the start of Navy Pier. There are a ton of photos of celebrities posing with the statue of Harry Caray that cover all the walls of the restaurant. The walls are also plastered with jerseys of Chicago’s football and baseball teams inside glass cases that separate the rooms.
Harry Caray’s Tavern opened in River North in 1987. The commentator had seven restaurants plus one museum which, in addition to highlighting Chicago sports, honors Harry Caray and his love for Chicago.
When we first arrived at the front desk, we were seated right away. The pleasant lady who served us kept coming by and asking if we were okay and needed anything else. She was very polite and understanding. It only took about 15 or so minutes for the food to arrive.
The table already had mustard, ketchup, hot sauce, salt, and peppers in the middle. The burger I got was the “Holy Cow!” burger with water. The food came in a nice basket with French fries on the side with a slice of pickle and toothpick on top of the burger. The server gave us a pitcher of water so we could refill our drinks. One of the people I went with agreed to split our burgers, and gave one half to the other. She had “The ‘108’ Burger” with fries as well.
The “Holy Cow!” burger was thick and juicy with lettuce, smoked gouda, candied bacon, and Harry Caray’s steak sauce on a Brioche bun. The same goes for “The ‘108’ Burger”, but it had sharp American cheese, lettuce, red onion, tomatoes, pickles, and Harry’s secret sauce on a Brioche bun. Both were delicious and meaty/substantial – exactly what one would like in a burger.
I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who is in Chicago looking for a nice sit-down dinner with family or friends. One flaw is that the restaurant is very out of the way; those who are already in Chicago and want to go to Harry Caray’s for a good burger would need to find a place to park and then walk to the Navy Pier. Although it is right at the entrance of the Navy Pier, the restaurant was full, so reservations are recommended.
