Upper Deck Sports Bar & Grill

I want to give this place 4 stars, I really do.

There is just nothing special about this place. I really like it on a weeknight when there are only 2 or 3 people in there. I like sitting at the bar with a friend or two and not having to scream to hear each other or sit arm and arm with a bunch of random other people packed into a place.

The food is low grade bar food. There are plenty of better options to grab a bite. But the place is clean and well decorated - it's definitely a modern sports bar and the staff is friendly.

I'll go back and I'll like it, but if friends ask for a cool spot to go to this probably won't be on my list only because there is nothing special enough for it to stand out. I really want to love you, but for now you're just A-ok.

This is a new bar that opened fairly recently in Dekalb and its a breath of fresh air! As my friend and I walked towards the entrance, loud music was playing and kind of made me nervous (thats probably more of a personal issue if anything)  something about pop-y tunes blasting from a sports bar always does that to me. Upon walking in, I was immediately impressed with the cleanliness of the place.  The front consists of the bar and some tall tables along the wall and once past the bar  it expands a bit with some more tables and a couple booths for those who want to grab a bite to eat. Theres also several arcade games in the back which is kinda fun.

The menu is not very extensive, just all the basics you need: burgers, sandwiches, and some appetizers. There were some pretty good drink specials for a Friday and I opted for their guac and bacon cheese burger with tatertots (yes, tatertots!) while my friend ordered boneless hot wings.  To my disappointment, the actual patty itself had little to no seasoning. But burger was really tasty with all the guac and bacon. They cooked the bacon just the way bacon should be cooked- crispy but not burnt. Yum. I also tried the boneless wings which were pretty big chunks for the price you pay. I was a little thrown off with the flavor as it is not your typical hot buffalo sauce but instead their own which was still good.

The place seemed to have mostly local patrons and a couple small groups of college students on a bar crawl. In my opinion the general  downtown dekalb area does not seem to be utlized by as many college students than there should be, which is a shame because with places like this it can be a pretty fun time and change of pace compared to the usual Starbusters or Mollys that are closer to campus.  I wish the best for this place and hope it continues to prosper!