Some people ask me, “How’d a boy from Long Island wind up owning a restaurant in Chicago?” If you’re going to ask, I’m going to answer. I got my first taste of the restaurant business at Philbin’s Goalpost in Amityville in 1969 working for Gerry Philbin, the great defensive end, from the NY Jets Super Bowl Champions.
In 1980, I moved to Chicago and got a job as a bartender at The Palm, the first one, in the old Mayfair Regent Hotel. That’s where I met Jimmy de Castro, who most people would know from his days of running the Loop radio station, and has gone on to do just a few things since. Jimmy is now a partner in Keefer’s. I guess you could say The Palm and meeting Jimmy had a pretty profound impact on my life. Falling in love with Chicago had something to do with it too.
Then in 1992, I took a job as general manager at Ruth’s Chris, in time overseeing eight of their locations. After nearly 10 years there, which sometimes felt like seventy dog years, and no hope for an ownership stake, I was ready to have my own place. I wanted my name on the door. My brother Richie went in on it with me, and we opened Keefer’s in 2001.
We didn’t want our place to be just another steakhouse. There are already enough in Chicago. So while we’re known as a steakhouse, we also have John Hogan, a classically trained French chef. And a classically trained French chef is something you won’t find at most steakhouses. Which is why unlike the average corporate or chain restaurant, Keefer’s has daily specials and uniquely un-steakhouse items like foie gras, coq au vin, lobster pot pie, or an appetizer consisting of asparagus wrapped in prosciutto with melted fontina cheese fondue. You won’t have those things at a regular steakhouse. But here, you’ll find them right alongside some of the best cuts of New York Strip, rib eye, and filet mignons in the city. Yes I’m biased, but it’s also true.
And this might come as a surprise to a lot of people, but corporate chain restaurants do not have a chef at each restaurant. Cooks learn the corporate menu and follow the formula.
At Keefer’s we have daily specials because John Hogan gets inspired, and is here to invent them. One day we had sea urchin on the menu. And someone was like, “Really? A steakhouse with sea urchin as a special?” When we do unique dishes and only three people try it, we think it’s worth it, because it makes those three people feel special, they get to try something they wouldn’t be able to try at other places. Especially other steakhouses. And they talk about this with their “foodie” friends.
But even though our food is special, we like keeping things simple and straightforward.
For example, in French, frisée is a type of lettuce. Here, we call it baby curly endive. While the French have a Salade Lyonnaise (from the town of Lyon), here, we call it Country Salad, since it also has bacon and egg. Many of our guests come here for business. They want to focus on the people they bring here. Not whether they are pronouncing a menu item the right way.
As businessmen, Richie and I like having a clientele that is trying to get business done. Our strength is knowing the business world. Our guests are trying to make a living, just like our team. We want to give our guests a nice calming feel, the reassurance that comes in knowing that they are at a local restaurant that knows how to take care of them.
It may be our turf, but we want our guests to feel like it’s also theirs. Which should not sound all that surprising, from a Long Island kid.
Richie and John will soon be following with their own thoughts.
Glenn Keefer - Chicago restaurateur
Some people ask me, “How’d a boy from Long Island wind up owning a restaurant in Chicago?” If you’re going to ask, I’m going to answer. I got my first taste of the restaurant business at Philbin’s Goalpost in Amityville in 1969 working for Gerry Philbin, the great defensive end, from the NY Jets Super Bowl Champions.
In 1980, I moved to Chicago and got a job as a bartender at The Palm, the first one, in the old Mayfair Regent Hotel. That’s where I met Jimmy de Castro, who most people would know from his days of running the Loop radio station, and has gone on to do just a few things since. Jimmy is now a partner in Keefer’s. I guess you could say The Palm and meeting Jimmy had a pretty profound impact on my life. Falling in love with Chicago had something to do with it too.
Then in 1992, I took a job as general manager at Ruth’s Chris, in time overseeing eight of their locations. After nearly 10 years there, which sometimes felt like seventy dog years, and no hope for an ownership stake, I was ready to have my own place. I wanted my name on the door. My brother Richie went in on it with me, and we opened Keefer’s in 2001.
We didn’t want our place to be just another steakhouse. There are already enough in Chicago. So while we’re known as a steakhouse, we also have John Hogan, a classically trained French chef. And a classically trained French chef is something you won’t find at most steakhouses. Which is why unlike the average corporate or chain restaurant, Keefer’s has daily specials and uniquely un-steakhouse items like foie gras, coq au vin, lobster pot pie, or an appetizer consisting of asparagus wrapped in prosciutto with melted fontina cheese fondue. You won’t have those things at a regular steakhouse. But here, you’ll find them right alongside some of the best cuts of New York Strip, rib eye, and filet mignons in the city. Yes I’m biased, but it’s also true.
And this might come as a surprise to a lot of people, but corporate chain restaurants do not have a chef at each restaurant. Cooks learn the corporate menu and follow the formula.
At Keefer’s we have daily specials because John Hogan gets inspired, and is here to invent them. One day we had sea urchin on the menu. And someone was like, “Really? A steakhouse with sea urchin as a special?” When we do unique dishes and only three people try it, we think it’s worth it, because it makes those three people feel special, they get to try something they wouldn’t be able to try at other places. Especially other steakhouses. And they talk about this with their “foodie” friends.
But even though our food is special, we like keeping things simple and straightforward.
For example, in French, frisée is a type of lettuce. Here, we call it baby curly endive. While the French have a Salade Lyonnaise (from the town of Lyon), here, we call it Country Salad, since it also has bacon and egg. Many of our guests come here for business. They want to focus on the people they bring here. Not whether they are pronouncing a menu item the right way.
As businessmen, Richie and I like having a clientele that is trying to get business done. Our strength is knowing the business world. Our guests are trying to make a living, just like our team. We want to give our guests a nice calming feel, the reassurance that comes in knowing that they are at a local restaurant that knows how to take care of them.
It may be our turf, but we want our guests to feel like it’s also theirs. Which should not sound all that surprising, from a Long Island kid.
Richie and John will soon be following with their own thoughts.
Tags: chicago restaurateur, glenn keefer, profile
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Glenn, everyone I suggest your restaurant to…love’s it! It’s great to see some of my favorite guys doing so well! Tell the boys (& the Deacon) I said HI!
Genn, Myself and 5 of my good friends dinned at your Steakhouse on Friday Jan 15th to celebrate a birthday. We has a most wonderful experience. The wait staff was great and the food unbelievable. Look forward to dinning there again soon. I am very good friends with Duane Kelley, and we have lunch there often. Thanks again for a unforgettable night. Pam