Billy Goat Tavern owner, Sam Sianis, passes away after 56 years in charge

Chicago said goodbye to one of its most beloved cultural and culinary kingpins over the weekend as Billy Goat Tavern owner Sam Sianis passed away on Friday, May 15, at the age of 91 after 56 years in charge of the iconic institution.  

For decades, Sianis served as the public face of the famed Windy City burger joint, a place woven deeply into our city's sports, media and pop-culture history. The Billy Goat Tavern, founded in 1934 by his uncle William “Billy Goat” Sianis, became nationally known through the infamous “Curse of the Billy Goat” tied to the Chicago Cubs and through the iconic “Cheezborger, Cheezborger” sketch on Saturday Night Live.

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According to the restaurant’s website, Sianis was born in Greece before immigrating to Chicago in the 1950s and beginning work alongside his uncle at the family business. After William Sianis died in 1970, Sam took over operations and helped transform the tavern into a Chicago staple frequented by journalists, politicians, sports fans and tourists alike.

In a statement announcing his death, the tavern described Sianis as “more than a restaurateur; he was a Chicago legend. His tireless work ethic, devotion to his beloved Tavern, and deep love for this city made him a cultural icon and an inspiration to all who knew him.” The statement goes on to say that Sianis died peacefully in his sleep, surrounded by family.

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Sianis is survived by his wife, children and grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are planned for Friday, May 22nd, at St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church.

Billy Goat Tavern remains a family-operated business with Sianis’s children and other extended family members who have actively worked within the business for years, expected to continue the restaurant's storied tradition.