Billy Goat Tavern isn’t known for its outdoor seating. The landmark grill owes its fame mainly to a goat and a longstanding curse against baseball’s lovable losers, the Chicago Cubs. Patrons craving juicy cheeseburgers can enjoy both food and outdoor festivities at the tavern’s Navy Pier location, 600 E. Grand Ave.,which now offers outdoor seating and stunning lakefront views of one of Chicago’s most popular tourist destinations.

Inside the tavern, a cook shouts “Cheezborger! Cheezborger!” at expectant customers. Bylines and newspaper clippings adorn dimly-lit walls, and the air is thick with the smell of grease and cigar smoke.

Sometimes the effect on the senses is too much to bare. Those eager to escape the quasi-claustrophobic interior may elect to sit at one of the wooden tables outside. The no-frills outdoor seating refreshingly contrasts the dark and dingy restaurant, giving customers a chance to take in the sun, breathe fresh air and people watch.

A sign warns entering visitors, “Cheezborger! Cheezborger! No Fries… Cheeps! No Pepsi… Coke!” — a slogan made famous by a “Saturday Night Live” skit.

“John Belushi, Bill Murray and Dan Ackroyd used to come here for lunch when they worked for Second City,” says Pito Chacon, who has worked at the tavern for 14 years. “They’d come and hear the manager saying, ‘Cheezborger! Cheezborger!’ Then they took it to ‘Saturday Night Live.’ That was our idea.”

Billy Goat Tavern owes much of its success to baseball folklore. The original owner of the tavern, William “Billy Goat” Sianis, vowed the Cubs would never again win the World Series after his goat was forbidden from entering Wrigley Field to watch the 1945 World Series against the Detroit Tigers. The Cubs lost that year and haven’t returned to the World Series since.

Patrons come to the restaurant for its legendary quality, but they frequent the tavern for its local comfort food.

Order a double cheeseburger at the dated linoleum counter from one of the restaurant’s notoriously disgruntled workers. Next, add toppings from a bar of pickles, fresh tomato, relish, ketchup and mustard. Bite down, and you may wonder if it’s the first cheeseburger you’ve ever tasted.

— Jina Hassan