Hofbrauhaus Chicago: German Brewery with Authentic Bavarian Flavors

We stopped into Hofbrauhaus on a whim, looking for a beer. This location actually offered indoor seating, probably because of it high ceilings and vastly spread out tables. Ordered a liter of the Hofbrauhaus original lager. Went down smoothly. The menu is limited due to the circumstances. Disappointed they did not have the potato soup. However, we split the sausage plate, which of course was delicious! I have been to several Hofbrauhaus's including the original in Munich. This location is equally fun. And our waitress was a pure delight.

Came here after ice skating. A place where you can grab a drink and a bite. This place is in a plaza with other restaurant. Right next to fashion outlet mall. I would say the place look huge inside. Minus the COVID I would say is a place where you can hold a party. Would come back here to try new things. We only got drinks and appetizer. There are parking available.

As of this writing, this place has already been reviewed nearly 1000 times, so I'll merely report my experience. I've been here a handful of times, and I love it. I have no idea about authenticity, how it compares to being in Germany, etc. I come here fully expecting a rowdy, raucous atmosphere with fun music, crazy shenanigans like stein holding contests and "shot and a swat," and HUGE steins sloshing with beer. And to this end I've never been disappointed. If you're trying to grab a quick bite before catching your plane, this place might not be for you. Yes, there's a bar counter with quick(er) seating and service, but if you're rushing for a plane you're missing the point of a biergarten. Here, you're supposed to linger. Relax. Laugh. Celebrate with friends and strangers alike at the intentionally communal long tables. Make those strangers into new friends. Put down the damn phone and be present. There's plenty to take in here. At a themed restaurant like this there's enormous overhead. So yeah it's pricy. It is what it is. I don't visit every day. But if I'm going to splurge, I'm always happy that I splurged here. And I can't wait to do it again. --Jayson

Excellent brewery and a must try! The beer is very good with many varieties and the food is also good! Stopped here for a quick bite to eat and drink before flying home. Was a great experience! The place was pretty empty since it was the middle of the day. But can only imagine how great it would be during peak hours. At the time, they also had an ice skating rink outside. Plenty of parking in the lot and it's connected to a mall/shopping area. Had a rental car so this worked out. But you could also Uber/taxi here. Definitely stop in for an ice cold beer if you're in the area!

This is sort of the kind of place you go more for the experience than anything else. A microbrewery they have their brewing tanks on full display. We stopped by on a Friday night for drinks and dinner before catching a movie. Ambiance is unique, string lights, wide open space with high tops as well as long tables and benches you might find yourself sharing a table with some neighbors. The wait staff are also dressed up in their German dress. Food is pretty decent, albeit a bit expensive, but I guess you get the live entertainment (music, people getting paddled for shots, etc). Overall a decent place to sit back and enjoy a few.

Fun place to go with a group of friends. Big beers, big pretzels, and live music. Who doesn't love a place where you can stand on benches, sing, dance, and watch people get paddled when they have a shot. Had the pork belly appetizer which was very good. Pretzel is always good too. The food is never exceptional, but it's good. This is more of a hanging out with a large group of friends kind of place. Not a romantic date night or very special dinner type of place. It's more of a hang out with rabble-rousers place. It's always a good time when you go with a group of friends.

Good beer, awesome lively entertainment, & Uber good service. I order pork shank before the 1pm start (available at 1pm Friday/Saturday) and waitress said it wouldn't be an issue. The little kids loved the live music and were so thrilled the whole meal.

I thought this place was fun. The food, beer, and service would have gotten 3 stars, but I added a 4th for the band. We dropped in two different nights and both times Die 3 Lederhosen were playing. They were awesome! Their music kept the ambiance happy and fun and that was what set this place apart for me. The place is basically a great hall. There is a partition and party room to one side but in the hall you can see everything and everyone. There was a guy next to us who informed us that this is the only Hofbrauhaus outside of Germany. He said the Rosemont one did a pretty good job of keeping to the traditions, which he greatly appreciated. That also earned some points in my mind. The beer was pretty good. Both nights I had the Dunkel. The food was also pretty good. I got a grilled chicken with spatzle. Three of us also had split a giant pretzel to go with our beers. I was pretty full at the end of the night. A friend of mine told me sometimes they give spankings upon request with the paddles. We did not request, nor did we witness any of that happening, so unfortunately my rating does not reflect that. A good time overall and an interesting experience.