September 3, 2025
Billy Goat Tavern: A Chicago Classic, Dressed Up
From cursing the Cubs to being parodied on Saturday Night Live, our latest capsule collection features sharp, witty accessories you can wear anywhere.
“CHEEZBORGER! CHEEZBORGER! CHEEZBORGER!”
The Billy Goat Tavern is one of the most iconic establishments in all of Chicago, with locations at Navy Pier, in Wrigleyville — and even below ground!
The restaurant was founded in 1934 by William “Billy Goat” Sianis — who got the nickname when a goat fell off a passing truck and came into what was then the Lincoln Tavern. Sianis adopted the goat and changed the name of the bar to Billy Goat Tavern.
Since then, the restaurant has served as the unofficial clubhouse for Chicago journalists, and is inseparable from Chicago history, with ties to the Cubs, Saturday Night Live — and now, The Tie Bar.
Our latest collaboration includes ties, pocket squares, and cufflinks to bottle that spirit into sharp, witty accessories you can wear anywhere.
Hungry for more? Keep reading to learn more about the history of the Billy Goat Tavern and see more photos from our photoshoot at the Lower Michigan Ave. location!
Chicago Cubs Curse
Billy Goat cemented itself in Chicago history on October 6, 1945, when Sianis attended game four of the World Series between the Chicago Cubs and the Detroit Tigers. Sianis bought two tickets, but was stopped at the gate when security wouldn’t let him bring his pet goat Murphy into the park.
When he protested, the owner of the Cubs at the time said his pet couldn’t join him at the game, “Because the goat stinks.”
The legend of The Billy Goat Curse says that Sianis threw up his arms and said, “The Cubs ain’t gonna win no more. The Cubs will never win a World Series so long as the goat is not allowed in Wrigley Field.”
And for years, they didn't. The Chicago Cubs went from being one of the best and most storied franchises in baseball to, historically, one of the worst.
Over the years, the Cubs and Sianis’ relatives tried to break the curse multiple times, even inviting goats onto the field before games — but to no avail. That was, until 2016, when the Cubs won their first World Series in 108 years, defeating the then-Cleveland Indians in an extra inning Game 7.
Saturday Night Live
In 1978, Saturday Night Live parodied Billy Goat Tavern in the sketch comedy show’s third season.
The sketch featured John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray and Loraine Newman, and was written by Don Novello when he was an advertising copywriter in Chicago. Belushi and Murray, both Illinois natives, knew Billy Goat from their time at the iconic Second City theater.
The sketch played off the fast-paced, abrasive and playful nature of the tavern, Belushi rushing the indecisive customers — “C’mon, c’mon, c’mon, c’mon, we haven’t got all day!” — and Aykroyd shouting “Cheezborger! Cheezborger! Cheezborger!” from the grill line.
Billy Goat Tavern x The Tie Bar
This new capsule collection brings together heritage graphics, sly details, and polished materials — made for the fan who knows the lines and the local who knows the door.
Two Goat Ties, grillmaster cufflinks, and even a pocket square giving you the Anatomy of a Cheeseborger. Wear it to the game, the wedding, or the corner booth. Cheeps sold separately.
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