Brookville Hotel

105 E. Lafayette Ave., Abilene, KS - (785) 263-2244

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Posted By Michael Stern on February 20, 2008 1:10 PM

Buffalo Bill slept at the Brookville Hotel in the small town of Brookville, as did untold numbers of cowboys when Kansas was the end of the line for trail drives up from Texas. It was opened in 1870, and it has built a reputation for bountiful family-style chicken dinners since 1915.

The old Brookville Hotel closed last year, and a new version has just opened in Abeline. It’s a brand-new building (its design is reminiscent of the old facility), and the old-west charm of the old railhead town of Brookville is absent, but the menu remains the same one that made Brookville a destination for generations of hungry Kansans who think nothing of driving two hours each way for Sunday supper. 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.

Any Roadfooders who happen to be in the vicinity of Abilene and have time for supper, please drop us a note and let us know how you like the reborn Brookville Hotel.

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Posted By j hawk on October 9, 2006 7:23 PM

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.

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