'Saved By The Bell' Pop-Up Lures Mr. Belding To Bring Back Brunch

The "Saved By The Bell"-themed diner is reinstating brunch service in a big way in Wicker Park. The TV-themed pop-up is relaunching brunch on Sunday, July 17 with a one-day guest appearance from the actor who played principal Gerald Richard Belding. Yes, Dennis Haskins will be on hand and reservations to spend the day with Mr. Belding go online 11 a.m. Friday on the pop-up's homepage.

From July 17 on, Saved by the Max will bring back weekend walk-in brunch with the same menu they served before nixing brunch last month, one week after opening. There's a caveat, as brunch service will be offered "until supplies last." Right after opening, the diner suffered some operations problems and replaced brunch with a brown bag take-out option saying they wanted to focus on getting dinner service right. They'll drop take-out once seated-brunch service returns.

Tickets for the Mr. Belding brunch cost $35, but there's limited space as brunch lasts from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Haskins will likely float around the diner much like fellow cast member Ed Alonzo did when the pop-up first opened. The price covers a biscuit, choice of entree and side. The restaurant, a carbon copy of the TV show's set, features a wood-paneled area that looks like Belding's office. No doubt, they'll make good use of the space during Haskins' appearance.

[Photo: Marc Much]