History

When George Stephen invented the Weber kettle grill back in 1952, he sparked a backyard revolution.
George’s guests couldn’t believe how tasty grilled food could be when quality ingredients are grilled over quality grills. We’ve kept the same attention to detail and grilling expertise at the Weber Grill Restaurant.

View 50 years of Weber grill designs (pdf)

A dining revolution is born
We established the first Weber Grill Restaurant in 1989 in Wheeling, Illinois, to build on the grilling popularity and successes of Weber grills. Whether you're an avid backyard griller who wants to let someone else do the grilling tonight, or a Weber Aficionado who just wants to enjoy great grilled food, we'll meet your needs.

For the past 15 years we've been perfecting our restaurants to surpass guests’ expectations. And we'll continue to grow to keep our restaurants fresh and exciting. One thing that won't change is our commitment to delivering the ultimate, upscale grilling experience. That's what Classic Outdoor Grilling at the Weber Grill Restaurant is all about.

Weber Grill Restaurant timeline

In the late 70’s there was Weber on Wheels which specialized in outdoor corporate parties and picnics. They had six large Ranch charcoal kettles built into a trailer that was driven to the event and the staff cooked, served and cleaned up on the spot.

In 1985 the first indoor restaurant was opened in Palatine on Northwest highway. Guests would order at a counter and the food would be brought on a tray to the table.

The first full service Weber Grill Restaurant was opened in the current Wheeling location in December of 1988. It featured a full bar and a window looking from the dining room into the kitchen.

The Weber Grill Lombard was opened in November 1999. This was the first restaurant to completely open the kitchen up for the guest to see.

The Weber Grill Chicago opened in June of 2002. It completely incorporated the open kitchen into the main dining area.

Schaumburg opened in August 2005 and features the open exhibit kitchen as well as a private dining room with an indoor grill station for cooking classes and private events.