Disclaimer: The Fandads were invited to attend the opening of Oktoberfest. All thoughts, opinions and full stomachs are our own.
Last Friday the Fandads were invited to celebrate the beginning of Oktoberfest at Hofbräuhaus Chicago in Rosemont, IL. This is the second time that we were invited to this event and it was a lot of fun and let us tell you about it if you have never been.
As soon as you enter the Hofbräuhaus you are hit with the noise of the laughing crowds, the music filling the air and the aroma of amazing food that is being cooked in the kitchen. The location is a lot bigger than what you see on the outside, the beer hall seats more than 500 guests and it feels like you have just been transported into another world. A world of incredible beer.
The Hofbräuhaus Chicago uses the original recipes handed down more than 400 years ago by Wilhelm V, the Duke of Bavaria. With its state of the art brewery the beer is micro-brewed on-site according to the purity law from 1516. Hofbräuhaus Chicago features four brews regularly on tap: Premium Lager, Light, DUnkel and Hefe Weizen (which was our favorite.) Throughout the year, Hofbräuhaus Chicago also features a variety of seasonal beers including Oktoberfestbier, Winter Hefe Weizen, Maibock and more. The brewery tanks hold at the perfect temperature easily enough beer for 10,000 34-ounce steins.
The last time we attended we dined on the Crispy Roast Shanks. This time we tried some different meals and we were not disappointed with our choices at all. The portions are huge and I’ll advise you to save some room for dessert. Yes, the dessert there is fantastic and the cake that we ate was nice and rich.
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| Schnitzel Wiener Art |
Along with the amazing food and incredible beer, there is a lot of entertainment to keep you busy while enjoying your delicious meal. Yes, we do mean busy, because you will be getting up from your seat many times to dance and sing-along to the house band that performs on the weekends. This is what makes Hofbräuhaus a great place to bring the family, because you are encouraged to stand on your seats and dance along. I can think of two kids that would just love to do that.
Other than the dancing and singing along there is the famous Masskrugstemmen contest (stein-holding competition) which requires strength, stamina and pure determination. 10 men have to hold a full stein parallel to the ground using only one arm for an unlimited amount of time until there is only one man left holding his stein. Last year I competed in this contest, but this year I sat back and cheered the competitors on.
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| The Stein-holding competition |
Hofbräuhaus Chicago is a great time and you should definitely check it out during Oktoberfest which runs from September 15 until October 29th. You can visit their website to check out their hours and house specials and remember, it is always fun to experience Hofbräuhaus Chicago with friends. We were lucky to hang out with Daddy’s Grounded at this event. When you get a chance check out his coverage of that night and he has an awesome 360° view of the nights events.
Hofbräuhaus Chicago is the first German/Bavarian beer hall and restaurant in Chicago which creates a true Bavarian beer hall experience that is even more than a dining adventure. No ordinary restaurant, Hofbräuhaus Chicago offers an energetic party every day, compete with authentic German bands, boisterous sings-alongs, dancing in the aisles and on the benches, and freshly brewed beer. From its live bands to its delicious food, Bavarian hospitality abounds. Guests can savor schnitzels, sausages, sauerbraten, pretzels and so much more.