Brauhaus Restaurant

Prost! Toast good times with a frothy stein of imported German beer at the Brauhaus, one of Chicago's most authentic and established German restaurants. The family-owned Bavarian supper club has changed little since it opened 46 years ago in Lincoln Square. Chef and co-owner Harry Kempf, dubbed the Ambassador of Lincoln Square, dishes authentic German-American fare in the alpine-cottage-style dining room. Collectible plates displaying crests of German towns and painted scenes of medieval villages decorate the booth-lined walls. Chatty diners sit elbow-to-elbow at the communal tables and belly up to the stalwart carved bar. Seven of the 15 German beers served flow from the Austrian carved Stiegl Tap mounted bar center. A half-litre beer runs $6.50 and litre $12. The oompah band performs nightly, inspiring folks to push back from their schnitzel platter, $16, to polka-down on the dance floor. Seasoned waitresses slap down mounding plates of traditional food German grandmas take great pride in preparing -- liver ball soup, spaetzel, rindsroulade (baked sirloin beef roll served with onions, bacon, pickles and spaetzel). The open-face Ruben sandwich serves two, $12.95. Brauhaus sells giant, imported Bavarian pretzels, $6.50 each. You might hear German spoken at the "Stammtisch," an always reserved table for community leaders to discuss business matters. Harry says, "Here, they cook up deals."