Were you a kid of the 90s? If so, you might understand why my friends and I were so, so excited to visit the popup restaurant Saved by the Max in Wicker Park. Modeled after The Max on Saved by the Bell, the restaurant (at 1941 W. North Ave.) lets all of your childhood dreams come true. You feel like you stepped inside of the 90s sitcom set and can be whoever you want to be – Kelly Kapowski, A.C. Slater, Lisa Turtle, etc. The atmosphere coupled with some really good food makes the ticket price completely worth it. Keep reading to find out why you’ll want to snag tickets to Saved by the Max before its run is over December 29, 2016.
So obviously my girlfriends are a bit of Saved by the Bell super fans. We held a dinner night a week previous to our reservation to watch some old episodes, and we couldn’t believe the nostalgia! We couldn’t wait to head to the Max, which I’d bought tickets to the day they went on sale. Originally the popup was just going to be around for a few months, but so many people (like us) were obsessed that they stretched its run!
Sure, you probably could have lured us to a Saved by the Bell-themed restaurant just on that premise alone, but I couldn’t wait for the food. It might be modeled on an after school diner, but Chef Brian Fisher wanted to make the menu anything but. Our dinner tickets included an appetizer, entree and dessert, so we all got to sample plenty off of the menu. I ate the AC Sliders, Tori’s Fried Chicken (the chicken and waffles are made with Korean spices and Goose Island beer) and pie of the day from Bang Bang Pie.
Some foodies might tell you they’ve had better food, but can you really beat the menu at any other diner? Additionally, eating the meal in a booth made to look exactly like Belding’s office was just the icing on the cake.
If you’ve ever dreamed of living like Kelly and Zack, even just for a night, book your reservation at Saved by the Max now. Spots have already filled through November, but you might be able to get a walk-in reservation or get a spot at brunch. Whichever way you get your Bayside fill, it’ll be tubular!
Sarah Lagen
I finally went there this weekend and it was amazing!! A 90’s dream!! Great post Jennie!
xo, Sarah