Memorable | One of the Best
Brookville Hotel
Review by: Michael Stern
** THIS RESTAURANT IS PERMANENTLY CLOSED **
The Brookville Hotel used to be a piece of the bygone west. It closed in 2000 and a brand-new building in Abilene was designed to look like the original. While the old-west charm of the old railhead town of Brookville is absent, the menu here in Abeline remains the same one that made Brookville a destination for generations of hungry Kansans. Fried chicken is the main attraction – half a bird, skillet fried and served with mashed potatoes and chicken gravy, with side dishes of corn, cottage cheese, baking powder biscuits with sweet preserves, sweet-and-sour slaw, and ice cream for dessert.
Directions & Hours
Information
| Price | $$ |
| Seasons | All |
| Meals Served | Dinner |
| Credit Cards Accepted | Yes |
| Alcohol Served | Yes |
| Outdoor Seating | No |
What To Eat
Brookville Hotel Recipes
Discuss
What do you think of Brookville Hotel?
2 Responses to “Brookville Hotel”
John McCaw
August 6th, 2021
The Brookville Hotel closed permanently several months ago. A new eatery may reopen in the same site under a different name, but it hasn’t happened yet. https://www.ksnt.com/news/local-news/after-covid-closure-abilenes-brookville-hotel-returning-with-new-name/
j hawk
October 9th, 2006
Brookville Hotel actually used to be in Brookville, Kansas, but the small town couldn’t handle the constant interruption of “out-of-towners”; so they moved to the much more accessible I-70 location in the mid ’90’s.
As a child growing up in a town 20 minutes from Brookville, it was always a treat to make the drive and enjoy the family style serving portions of chicken, mashed potatoes and coleslaw that rivaled the most seasoned of farming community recipes. After leaving home for college and adulthood, I would always make sure that trips back to see family included a drive to Brookville, where fond memories and comfort food took me away from the stresses of my normal daily routine.
I won’t go back again, and I haven’t since they moved. I’ve heard too many stories about how it “just isn’t the same”; although they literally took everything from the old location and transplanted it right out on the highway. I would much rather hear a cricket chirping in the backyard than a semi-truck whizzing by after finishing such a decadent feast.
For me it was as much about the tradition as it was about the food. After dinner we would always walk through the second floor of the historic hotel; floorboards creaking under us, and the magical thoughts of those who came before us always made for a wonderful journey into the past.
If you get a chance to drive by the original, I wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to do so. But if you want a good ‘ole down-home authentic fried chicken meal… go see your mama, you’re probably overdue for a visit anyway.