The Berghoff story begins with Herman Joseph Berghoff. It's the quintessential American success story of an immigrant who built a hugely successful business that has stayed in one family for more than a century.

Herman left his native Dortmund, Germany, at age 17 and landed penniless in Brooklyn in 1870. Barely 12 years later he founded his namesake brewery in Fort Wayne, IN. The beer was well-received, inspiring Herman to open a café in Chicago to showcase Berghoff's Dortmunder-style beer. It sold for a nickel a glass, a dime for a stein, and sandwiches were offered for free.

The bar remained open even through Prohibition by selling near-beer and Bergo soda pop and became a full-service restaurant that still carries the Berghoff name. When Prohibition was repealed in 1933, the city issued liquor license No. 1 to the Berghoff and has done so each year ever since.

Some traditions have died hard at the Berghoff. Long after most restaurants ended the practice, the Berghoff maintained a separate men-only bar. The segregation ended in 1969, when seven members of the National Organization for Women sat at the bar and demanded service. Not long after, feminist Gloria Steinem came in for a much-publicized drink.

In December 2005 third-generation Herman Berghoff and his wife, Jan, announced that after 107 years of operation the Berghoff would close in 2006. In the final days long lines snaked outside the building as customers waited for a last meal at their beloved restaurant. With the opening of 17/west at the Berghoff, Jan and Herman's daughter Carlyn Berghoff brought back her family favorites, adding a modern culinary twist. The downstairs café offers more casual fare. In addition to 17/west and the café, legendary Berghoff family recipes are served from the Berghoff Café, located at O'Hare International Airport, and from Carlyn's Artistic Events catering business.

Find recipes by this family in the The Berghoff Family Cookbook.