History | LitBoh

In 1920s Chicago, few places distinguished themselves as remarkably as Little Bohemia. Here, culture, class and vice, blended together beautifully. It was the place where everything happened and everyone wanted to be.

The dining room was a common retreat for both city elite and notorious gangsters. Sharing a beer with men by the likes of Mayor Anton Cermak and John Dillinger wasn't uncommon (both were well documented regulars). It was also a regular meeting place for the early Pilsen Society, the United Veterans of the Civil War, and the early Chicago Police Union. It was the scene of two police shootouts, three separate murders (literally in the middle of the dinning room), and at least 9 federal citations for violations to the Volstead act.

Behind the scandal and crime, there were several attempts, by multiple organizations, to shut Little Bohemia down, but it was simply too much of a community staple for even the most ardent temperance league.

For over 60 years this was the gathering hub of Pilsen, and the center of Chicago's Bohemian society. Its sophisticated style and elegant ambiance made it a magnet of elite society. That energy is soon to be unveiled once more.

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In 1920s Chicago, few places distinguished themselves as remarkably as Little Bohemia. Here, culture, class and vice, blended together beautifully. It was the place where everything happened and everyone wanted to be.

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For over 60 years this was the gathering hub of Pilsen, and the center of Chicago's Bohemian society. Its sophisticated style and elegant ambiance made it a magnet of elite society. That energy is soon to be unveiled once more.