Ernie Byfield opened The Pump Room in the Ambassador East Hotel on October 1, 1938; exactly four days before Game 1 of the 1938 World Series...The New York Yankees vs. the Chicago Cubs. Dapper stars of the Yankees included Joe DiMaggio and Lou Gehrig, while the Cubs had the famous Dizzy Dean, and the man who had just hit the most famous home run in Cubs history (the Homer in the Gloamin), Gabby Hartnett.

That was the kind of clientele The Pump Room began drawing immediately; Famous ballplayers, movie stars, singers, writers, and journalists were regulars at Chicago's famous restaurant.

On opening night, celebrities like actress Gertrude Lawrence, who was starring in a play in Chicago at that same time, established its reputation. From that moment on, The Pump Room became the place to see and be seen, and Booth One became one of the most renowned tables in the country.

People dined at the Pump Room just to see who was in Booth One. One night it would be John Barrymore. Another night, Bette Davis. Still another, Jane Russell (Photo at The Pump Room). Two extremely famous couples went to Booth One on the night of their weddings: Humphrey Bogart & Lauren Bacall, and Robert Wagner & Natalie Wood.

When she was a girl, Liza Minelli spent many nights in Booth One with her mother Judy Garland. Judy even included a reference to the restaurant in her version of the song "Chicago". And Frank Sinatra dined there many many times.





The Pump Room continued to be a go-to place long after the original owner Ernie Byfield died in 1950. Irv "Kup" Kupcinet of the Chicago Sun Times was there all the time, meeting and greeting the stars. Ed Sullivan camped out there when he was in Chicago (photo). Paul Newman and Robert Redford lunched on ham sandwiches and pilsners every day during the shooting of “The Sting”. Michael J. Fox, Eddie Murphy and Jim Belushi all dined there while they were in town.





Even rock and rollers stopped by. When the Stones were hanging out at the Playboy Mansion around the corner, Mick Jagger ate at the Pump Room. David Bowie and Fleetwood Mac ate there too. Only one rock star was refused entry; the drummer of Genesis, Phil Collins. He was so offended at being stiffed (because of a dress code violation), he named his solo album "No Jacket Required." (The restaurant apologized by sending him a new "jacket" after the album became a hit.)

The Cubs' greatest connection to the Pump Room was a certain announcer who lived in the Ambassador East hotel for twenty five years and dined there all the time: Harry Caray.

The Pump Room still exists in the Ambassador East, but it's no longer the place to see and be seen. It does, however, have a pretty good "Tasting of Suckling Pig with Rillettes, Fennel, Vanilla" for only $25.