The Reservoir: Uptown Chicago

A stone’s throw away from Lake Shore Drive, the Reservoir is the first of many underrated restaurants to welcome you off the parkway and into the lively Uptown neighborhood. For those who stop by for a beer or a fresh burger, it’s a treat, to say the least, but for neighbors and residents living adjacent to Montrose Ave, it’s a second home. From their curated seasonal cocktails and brews to their daily specials (ranging from Taco Tuesday’s to Build-Your-Own Burger Thursday’s), this local watering hole provides more than just a warm meal and a place to gather, it’s the community so many are searching for amidst a city crawling with local options. If you’re lucky, you get to call yourself a customer. If you’re local, you instantly become a regular. From the back of the house to the best bartender North of Irving Park Road (lookin’ at you, Terri!) walking in the front door feels like you’re being welcomed home. It’s clear to everyone who eats there that David, the owner, treats his staff like family. And even when COVID shuttered most of their indoor seating options, he bent over backward to create an environment that both his staff and his customers felt comfortable dining in. If you’re in the Uptown area, you don’t have to look far for great food from all over the world, but if you’re looking for a simple beer and the best sweet potato fries you’ve ever laid eyes on, look no further than your local watering hole, The Reservoir.