Gruben’s Uptown Tap

Specialties

Our goal at Uptown is to provide the very best Comfort Food and Excellence in Hospitality in a friendly, edgier and «looser» atmosphere welcoming all to participate. We believe in paying homage to our pasts and learning from it to create a stronger future. Here At Uptown we are not focused on the jewelry you may wear or the tattoos you’re sporting. We believe the individual sells them self appropriately.

History

Established in 1987.

A Brief History

of

The Uptown Eatery & Tap

This company was founded by Stephen & Jason Gruben. They can trace back to at least five generations of their families involvement with a tavern business. From Germany and early on in the United States, most of the Gruben «heads» of the families were blacksmiths and bar owners. You can see items like old liquor licenses and pictures of these men on the memorial wall in the barroom of the Uptown Eatery & Tap today. Stephen and Jason vow to always learn from their pasts as a rule and guide to the future.

From the first Wirth (Tavern or Inn) in Germany, to the bars and eateries that came to the United States, then Joliet, IL. All of the Gruben males followed a timeless tradition of service and love while treating all of their customers the same. Their philosophy was simple… be kind to your fellow man and never allow a thirsty person to go without a drink or hungry person stay unfed.