Al Capone's Hideaway & Steakhouse near Chicago
The Ambience is 1920s Speakeasy Littered with Reminders of Scarface
Aug 26, 2009
If a person can rationalize paying at least indirect homage to a known gangster, racketeer and criminal nicknamed "Scarface," he or she might enjoy a visit to Al Capone’s Hideaway & Steakhouse in a remote area 40 miles west of Chicago.
The food is good, the drinks are interesting, the service is excellent and the ambiance is 1920s Speakeasy.
But be prepared to be surrounded by pictures, news stories and cartoons about Alphonse Capone, the cocky, cigar-smoking gang leader who terrorized Chicago during the 1920s and early 1930s Prohibition era. Actually, the place is so full of Capone quotes, photos and paraphernalia that a visit can be justified as research on the crime of that era.
"When I sell liquor, they call it bootlegging," Capone said. "When my patrons serve it on silver trays on (Chicago’s) Lake Shore Drive they call it hospitality."
Where else would one find such rich research material along with good steaks and fine wine?
Capone Jailed for Tax Evasion
Two other bits of rationalization:
- Capone was never convicted of the murders and other violent crimes he was accused of. The feds had to settle for jailing him on tax evasion.
- The restaurant is not and was not owned by Capone or his family.
Scarface may have hidden there in the 1920s, but he didn’t own the place. It was originally owned by Gladys Reitmayer and her husband. According to the restaurant website, they "made their own beer in a hidden cellar behind the chicken coop and pumped it to their thirsty Prohibition Era patrons through an intricate copper tubing system that remains underground to this day."
A bathtub, now on display just inside the restaurant, once held the booze.
Claudia, Bill & Amanda Brooks
The current owners have just borrowed Capone's name. The "hosts" are identified as Claudia, Bill and Amanda Brooks, also respectively known as "Madame, "Speakeasy Bill" and "The Assistant."
The hideaway is located next to a beautiful section of the Fox River between St. Charles and Elgin in northeast Illinois, just south of the Wisconsin border. Legend has it that Capone used the river to escape when all those law enforcement people came after him.
Several large whiskey barrels stacked on the small entrance porch provide a hint to what’s inside. A sign apologizes for the smoking prohibition inside and within 15 feet of the entrance, blaming the ban on the government.
Tommy Guns & Roaring 20s Paraphernalia
Downstairs, right inside the entrance, there’s a small bar, a tiny shop full of Capone and Prohibition era paraphernalia, including toy Tommy guns. The famous booze bathtub sits at the entrance to the rich, dark-colored dining rooms. Black-uniformed waitresses offer what the menu calls "great steaks, wines, microbrews, spirits, premium cigars and more." The smokes are promoted as "Speakeasy Cigars."
The entrees include:
- A 24-ounce lobster tail for $79.95
- A 12-ounce filet mignon for $41.95
- A 32-ounce porterhouse for $46.50
- A collection of "Enforcer" chopped steaks in the $20 to $25 range.
The "Speakeasy" on the second floor offers Saturday night Dixieland music in keeping with its "Roaring 20s" theme.
According to the Chicago Historical Society, Capone was accused of bootlegging, running brothels and other illegal activities and of personally murdering or masterminding the killing of numerous people. Although he was the first criminal listed as "Public Enemy No. 1," he was never convicted of the violent crimes. He always had someone to provide an alibi or was able to bribe his way to freedom. He was finally sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for income tax evasion.
Directions to the hideaway are available by phoning 1-888-SCARFACE.
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