Capone Brewery Raided by Untouchables

Due to his penchant for self-aggrandizement and talent for publicity-seeking, Eliot Ness and his gang of "Untouchables" has come to be seen as a larger part of the effort to take down Al Capone than, in fact, it was.

Nevertheless, one of Ness' most successful raids took place here, at 2108 S. Wabash. Capone ran a brewery at this location, and on June 13, 1930, federal agents crashed through the doors with a battering ram attached to a ten-ton truck, atop which sat Eliot Ness himself. Five workers were arrested and 200,000 gallons of beer and mash were captured. The evidence was later used as part of the indictment that took down Capone.

The brewery was operated as a tire shop for many years after the bust. Today, it houses a bar and restaurant, "Room 21", which proudly advertises its historic relationship with the Capone brewery. Supposedly, the property houses a number of secret passages meant for quick getaways.