This place is definitely best described by the name. Gather is a great place for Lincoln Square locals to meet up in an upscale, yet casual environment. The restaurant designates 50% of their restaurant space to be available for reservations, in order to accommodate and encourage walk-ins from the neighborhood.

The decor is sleek without feeling stuffy. The open kitchen concept allows for a casual connection between patrons and the chef. This setup allows for an at-home-type of experience without having to do the clean up.

Gather offers some fantastic wine and cocktails that set the scene for a fantastic meal. The food menu features great seasonal and locally sourced produce, meats and fish. I have really enjoyed their scallops, mussels and short ribs on different occasions. Of course it is always worth saving room for dessert and going all in with the apple fritter or their buttermilk cheesecake.

No matter what you end up ordering at Gather, they feature items that are local and organic and their menu changes seasonally.