The Country House is a restaurant located at 241 W. 55th St. in

Clarendon Hills, Illinois Clarendon Hills is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 8,427 at the 2010 census. It is a south-western suburb of Chicago. History In 1961, TWA Flight 529 crashed in Clarendon Hills, killing all 73 passengers o ...

. It is known for casual dining, long-standing history, and the “Best Burger” of 2016 as voted by ''West Suburban Living''’s yearly “Best of the West”.

History

The restaurant was opened in 1922 by Emil Kobal. The two-story building served two purposes. The bottom floor was opened as a tavern and small grocery store, whereas the top floor served as his family's home. In the times of prohibition, The Country House remained open to the public, and is rumored to have still served alcoholic beverages to local regulars. The Country House has changed hands twice since its opening. In 1957, Richard Montanelli bought the business for his mother, but it suffered under her declining health. 4 area residents purchased The Country House from Montanelli in 1974, and it underwent extensive renovations under their ownership, including the introduction of a new menu. Its "famous" burger was featured on this menu. One by one, 3 of the original owners, including his brother and former majority owner Patrick Regnery, sold their shares to the remaining partner. By 1989, David Regnery retained sole ownership. In 1985, a second Country House was opened in

Lisle, Illinois Lisle ( ) is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 22,390 at the 2010 census, and in 2019 the population was recorded to be 23,270. It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Illinois Technology and Resea ...

. In 1996, a third Country House was opened in

Geneva, Illinois Geneva is a city in and the county seat of Kane County, Illinois, United States. It is located on the western side of the Chicago suburbs. Per the 2020 census, the population was 21,393. Geneva is part of a tri-city area, located between S ...

. Several locations were tried in Lisle but it has since closed. Only the original location has remained profitable. David Regnery died in 2009 and Patrick returned to run it, as the only other remaining sibling has no restaurant experience.

References

https://www.burgerone.com/ghost-story/ {{DEFAULTSORT:Country House Restaurants in Illinois Restaurants established in 1922