“Cheezborger! Next! Cheezborger! No Fries, Cheeps, No Pepsi, Coke! In the 60s, when Don Novello worked as an advertising copywriter in Chicago, he frequented the Tavern and heard Sam yell out to customers: “Cheezborger! Cheezborger! Cheezborger!” Later he went on to work as a staff writer for a new sketch comedy show in New York called “Saturday Night Live”. Inspired by Sam and the Tavern, he used that experience to write one of the greatest SNL skits of all-time.

Check out this great interview on Billy Goat history with Bill Sianis:

http://chicago.eater.com/archives/2013/04/17/billy-goat.php

For the complete history of the legendary Billy Goat Tavern, check out Rick Kogan’s Book “A Chicago Tavern” http://thebillygoattavern.com/souvenirs/index.php/books/book-a-chicago-tavern.html

HAPPY NEW YEAR Billy Goat Fans! We hope you’ve had a great 2012 and wish you good luck in 2013!

If you are celebrating on Navy Pier, join us for the fireworks show! There’s two shows - one for families at 7 PM and another at midnight.

We’d also like to wish Don Novello a Happy Birthday! For those of you who don’t know Don, he wrote the Olympia Cafe skit which made Saturday Night Live famous! http://thebillygoattavern.com/legend/snl/ His birthday is on New Year’s Day - HAPPY BIRTHDAY DON!

Our good friend Rick Kogan wrote a complete history of the world-famous Billy Goat Tavern - A Chicago Tavern a Goat, a Curse, and the American Dream. This is the story of a real Chicago legend. It’s packed with tales that include:

• The antics of “Chicago’s Greatest Inn Keeper” - William Sianis
• The real story of The Billy Goat Curse
• Billy’s Nephew Sam Sianis
• The SNL skit that immortalized Sam and his tavern
• Mike Royko and the journalists who are regulars

BUY IT NOW! http://thebillygoattavern.com/souvenirs/index.php/all-products/book-a-chicago-tavern.html

A Chicago Tavern by Rick Kogan

Check out this amazing set of photos of The Goat from the Chicago Tribune:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/about/chicagolive/almanac/chi-091227-billy-goat-tavern-pictures,0,578557.photogallery

Ordering at the Billy Goat may go something like this: “Cheezborger! Cheezborger! You want doublecheez?!? Who’s next!?! WHO’S NEXT!?!” If you take more than one second to answer: “Don’t look at the menu, look at ME! I order for you - DOUBLECHEEZ!” If you only feel like a single: “No. DOUBLECHEEZ!!!” If it’s the end of the week: “It’s Friday, doublecheez for everybody! It’s payday! Triplecheez for the big guy!” Want French fries with that? “No fries - CHEEPS!” Thirsty? “No Pepsi - COKE!” To drink: “Coke or Diet?!”

Such rantings by the Billy Goat staff have gone on for almost 40 years and originated when Billy Goat Sianis and another Greek immigrant by the name of Bill Charuchas would entertain patrons by yelling out: “Try the double cheese! It’s the best! No fries, cheeps!” In the 1978, Sam Sianis and Charuchas were immortalized by Saturday Night Live’s John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray and Loraine Newman. The sketch was originally written by Don Novello (of Father Guido Sarducci fame) when he was an advertising copywriter in Chicago. John Belushi and Bill Murray knew the Billy Goat from their Second City days, and the rest is history. As a result, the Billy Goat Tavern achieved national infamy. When in Chicago, Don Novello and Bill Murray still come by and visit Sam and the Billy Goat staff and have their “Doublecheezborger”!