Bust out the lederhosen and get ready to sing drinking songs, because Oktoberfest is about to begin. (In Germany, it runs from Sept. 22 to Oct. 7.) There are lots of spots to celebrate here in Chicago, but they’re not all equal. So who has the edge when it comes to providing all of the Okotoberfest essentials — the eager new kids on the block or the reliable old standbys? We’ve broken it down for you.
BEER
PROST (2566 N. LINCOLN AVE. 773-880-9900) vs. RESI’S BIERSTUBE (2034 W. IRVING PARK RD. 773-472-1749)
PROST New school: This Lincoln Park newcomer, whose name means “cheers” auf Deutsch, offers 12 draft beers (mostly German) and 10 to 15 bottled beers (all German), depending on the season. Highlights include Schneider Aventinus, a wheat doppelbock ($7 for a half-liter) and Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse ($6 for a half-liter). If you’ve got stamina, go for the 2-liter glass bierstiefel (boot). Don’t see your usual on the menu? Owner Brian Reynolds says, “If we don’t have something, just suggest it, and we’ll have it next week.”
RESI’S BIERSTUBE Old school: Herbert and Ingeborg Stober opened Resi’s in 1964, and it’s been a Chicago staple ever since. With 13 beers on tap, including two seasonal brews (right now you’ll find Hacker Pschorr Oktoberfest and Spaten Oktoberfest, both $6 for a half-liter) and about 40 German bottles, Resi’s is tough to beat. Our pick: Kostritzer, a dark lager that’s surprisingly light going down ($3 for a quarter-liter; $5 for a half-liter). (CHECKMARK)
FOOD
17 WEST AT THE BERGHOFF (17 W. ADAMS ST. 312-427-3170) VS. MIRABELL RESTAURANT (3454 W. ADDISON ST. 773-463-1962)
17 WEST AT THE BERGHOFF
New School: This Loop spot may have a fancy new name as of last year, but many of the classic menu items you’d have found at its predecessor, The Berghoff Restaurant, remain. These days, you’ll find some tasty new dishes too. Dig into the sausage trio (bratwurst, steamed knockwurst and sauteed smoked Thuringer, $14.95) or the sauerbraten ($16.25) for a true taste of Germany, or go contemporary with grilled hangar steak ($14) or herb-crusted tilapia ($13.95). (CHECKMARK)
MIRABELL RESTAURANT
Old school: Anita and Werner Heil opened Mirabell’s doors three decades ago, in 1977; now it’s a North Side institution. The most popular item on the menu is wiener schnitzel ($17.95), which comes with homemade spaetzle and soup or salad; we like the boiled pork shanks, served with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes ($18.95). Eating light? Try the bratwurst and sauerkraut appetizer ($4.95) — and, yes, bratwurst is considered “light” when you’re talking about German food.
ATMOSPHERE
UBERSTEIN (3478 N. CLARK ST. 773-883-0300) VS. CHICAGO BRAUHAUS (4732 N. LINCOLN AVE. 773-784-4444)
UBERSTEIN
New school: Fraternity house meets German beer hall at this year-old Wrigleyville spot. Sure, they have 1-liter beer steins, a Bavarian blue-and-white checkered color scheme, and long, beer garden-style tables — but they’ve also got flat-screen TVs (this is Cubs country, after all) and German beer chants plastered on plastic banners. And did we mention that their motto is, “It’s Oktoberfest every day”?
CHICAGO BRAUHAUS
Old school: Get a true taste of Deutschland at this 42-year-old Lincoln Square beer house founded by brothers Harry and Guenter Kempf. You’ll find traditional long wooden tables, waitresses in Bavarian-style costume and a lederhosen-clad German band pumping out the oompah tunes. If it’s your birthday, they’ll serenade you, and you get to wear a fun little feathered hat. Long after Oktoberfest is over, the party continues here. (CHECKMARK)
THE BOTTOM LINE: We’re glad the Berlin Wall crumbled, but old-school German is still the way to go for an authentic Oktoberfest experience. Tschuss!
