Restaurant Preview: Save By The Max

TV-themed pop-up restaurants have indeed become a thing in the last decade with diners from beloved television shows popping up to cater to fans with a mix of food and nostalgia. 

This week, kids who grew up in the 90s can break out the neon sweaters and lather on the hair gel as Saved by the Max– from the sitcom Saved by the Bell- returns as a socially distanced to-go pop-up in Wicker Park.

Dorian’s, located at 1941 West North Avenue, will be host to Saved by the Max. The pop-up, which will also open in Los Angeles and New York, will only be in town from Thursday, August 20 to Tuesday, August 25. By the way, August 20 is National Saved by the Bell Day, because, well, we’re not really sure? I suppose the 19th must have been taken by Beverly Hills, 90210, and the 21st must be National Full House Day. But I digress.

Fans of the NBC Saturday morning sitcom will remember The Max as the fictional diner where main characters Zach, Kelly, Slater, Jessie, and Lisa chomped down on burgers and fries. So what will Saved by the Max bring to the table? Let’s take a look.

The Bayside Burger Preppy Pack features a 1/4-pound single or double Porter Road dry-aged ground beef burger, or you can choose the Beyond Burger veggie option. Each includes lettuce, tomato, pickle, and onion on the side, and fries and a brownie. Also included is a Saved By The Bell Class of 2020 commemorative gift. Prices for this pack begin at $20.

Fans of 90s heartthrob Tiffani Thiessen, who played Kelly Kapowski on the show, can purchase the Kapowski Fries for $4 or “screechify” them (named after beloved dork Samuel “Screech” Powers on the sitcom), by adding cheese for a dollar more. Satisfy your sweet tooth with Zach’s Sweet Talkin Cookies and Max’s Magical Gooey Brownie.

Even though the kids on the show played high schoolers, Saved by the Max offers themed alcoholic beverages as well under the heading of Mr. Dewey’s cocktail kits to go. For $25, you can purchase Lisa’s Midsummer G +T featuring Hendrick’s Midsummer’s Solstice Gin and Fever Tree Tonic. The Zach Attack’s Daiq Pack consists of Plantation 3 Star Rum, Clement Premiére Canne, pineapple, sugar, bitters, and limes, and will run you $20. Finally, you can order the Dear, Jessie, featuring Plymouth Sloe Gin, Mathilde Cassis, cinnamon, absinthe, and lemons for $22. Each pack contains 2 cocktails.

Of course, given the pandemic, Saved by the Max isn’t a true pop-up restaurant as it was when it debuted for a run in Chicago back in 2016. Chicagoans eager to take part in the nostalgia must pre-order through Tock. You can do right now before the opening on Thursday the 20th, where you can pick up your grub and drinks curbside at Dorian’s.

So break out the studded jean jackets, leopard print skirts, and sleeveless button-ups and head to Dorian’s in Wicker Park to celebrate 90s nostalgia at Saved by the Max.

ERIC KAPLAN AND DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO