Long a hangout of A-list celebrities, the Pump Room Restaurant in Chicago is still ‘hopping’ in the 21st century. The restaurant, memorialized in Frank Sinatra’s classic “Chicago”, was one of the first high level restaurants to open in Chicago after the Prohibition era. The eatery has seen countless celebrities including Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, Ronald Reagan, John Barrymore and countless others. For a while, it’s luster faded somewhat as the dining scene in Chicago led by Charlie Trotter passed it by.

The Pump Room opened in 1938 under the ownership and management of Ernie Blyfield. He took the name from an 18th century London pub favored by celebrities and nobility, including Queen Anne. The original pub got its name from the hot drinks pumped into the cocktails of its stylish clientele.

The Chicago Pump Room was an immediate hit, and for a time its Booth #1 may have been the most sought after table at any dining establishment in the country. In addition to Sinatra, who frequently held court with Jilly Rizzo and a number of other associates in Booth 1, it was occupied at various times by Clark Gable, John Barrymore, Gertrude Lawrence, Bogart and Lauren Bacall. Liza Minnelli may have been the youngest Booth 1 regular, taken there many times during her childhood by her mother Judy Garland.

Blyfield died in 1950, but the Pump Room remained a Chicago hot spot and hosted a new era of superstars including Mel Brooks, Beverly Sills, Paul Newman, Robert Redford. More recently, Michael J. Fox, Eddie Murphy and Mick Jagger have made appearances. A funny story involves former Genesis drummer Phil Collins, who was refused entry for not wearing a jacket. The incident was commemorated in the title of his next solo album No Jacket Required which has since sold over 14 million copies worldwide and launched Collins into solo superstardom. Following its release, the Pump Room sent Collins an apology”and an appropriate jacket so that the incident wouldnt be repeated.

The Pump Room was purchased by a large restaurant management group in the late 1990′s. They spent a lot of money to renovate the facility, overhaul the menu and hire a top flight chef. While the Pump Room’s golden era trade mark flaming food served on a sword was a tragedy of city fire codes, the menu is now on par with any in the city serving a sophisticated interpretation of classic American cuisine. In addition to the revamped cuisine, the Pump Room upgraded its wine offering and expanded the bar area.

The Pump Rooms stature has been maintained by current executive chef Nick Sutton. The star of the place, however, is still the almost palpable sense of history that the dining room offers. Considering that the giants of civilized culture”from Bogey all the way to the Chairman himself”have held court in that room, it is a pretty intoxicating aura. Fortunately, the Pump Room is once again worthy of such legends, and its renaissance is a victory for culinary civility in a world too often overwhelmed with Olive Gardens and Red Lobsters.

Ross Everett is a Las Vegas and hospitality industry historian as well as an expert on NFL football betting. He has served as an advisor for many restaurants and nightclubs. In addition, he’s a noted fight sport journalist, and writes extensively on strategies to successfully bet on NFL football, MMA and boxing.

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