I work on the North Shore and have heard many coworkers rave about Max's. Â When I finally tried it, I wish I had not waited so long. Â Entering Max's is like going into your grandmother's living room. Â Very welcoming and nostalgic.
The menu is bigger than I expected with a variety of traditional appetizers and sandwiches along with a large selection of German items. Â Everything from multiple varieties of schnitzels, sausages, chickens and a sampler platter that lets you choose a combination of all of the above. Â All of the items we tried were full of flavor and served at the perfect temperature. Â Speaking of being full, the food is very rich so you will leave with a full stomach. Â
They have a good selection of beers and even offer a sampler option. Â The dessert selection looked delicious, but we were beyond stuffed so will have to savor them on a future visit. Â I can't wait to go back!
I have a confession to make........the thing I like most about Max's is their bread!!! They are free....they are fresh made....hot and soft...different kinds....and so so delicious!
I'm not a big fan of German food, but it's just my personal taste. The portions are large and atmosphere is very relaxing and casual. I like it.
After feeling "crowded out" by the throngs of people converging upon Downtown and the North Shore for the Three Rivers Arts Festival this past Sunday we decided to venture a bit deeper into the North Side and give Max's Allegheny Tavern a whirl. My partner has been in the basement before for various work-related functions, but I had never been there, despite driving by on numerous occasions.
  We easily found on-street parking and entered the restaurant. I immediately loved the decor in the entry room/bar area, and those pleasant furnishings continued into the more intimate rear room where we were seated. We enjoyed the beautiful wall tapestries, and I thought the old newspaper-like menus were pretty cool! I was surprised (in a good way) at the old-fashioned urinals in the men's room. In a city that has struggled to nourish and revitalize its history over the years I was already a fan of how unique Max's was in the regard of feeling "authentic" in an era of predictable chains.
  We were initially enticed by the prospect of ordering fried soft pretzels stuffed with cheese as a shared appetizer only to find out they were not available. We settled for the non-cheese-stuffed version, which were "melt in your mouth" good and were handsomely complemented by tangy honey mustard. We were a bit dehydrated after walking miles around the city, yet our waitress was very attentive in consistently replenishing our water glasses as soon as they were half-empty. I was craving a burger but was tempted instead by the fried fish sandwich, which I ordered with a side of potato pancakes and applesauce. My partner ordered a fried chicken sandwich with the same side I did.
  Our food arrived surprisingly promptly. My fish sandwich was HUGE! I had enough to take home and enjoy for a post-work meal the following evening. The fish tasted fresh, although I wasn't a fan of having to pick small bones out of my mouth in exchange for enjoying that freshness. The bread it was served upon was tasty as well. The potato pancakes were thick, fresh, and were delicious when enjoyed with the chunky applesauce. My partner also thoroughly enjoyed his own sandwich.
  As if this wasn't good enough our check was only $22! We will definitely be back soon, at which point I look forward to trying a burger!
This place is the bee's knees. I try to go here at LEAST once a week. The food is great, the service is equally good (I can only speak for the bar area). I get the pierogies appetizer. It's fried pierogies, lots of sauteed onions (i mean, a lot), and sour cream with onion dip. Amazing.
Review Source:I had Max's sausage platter on a recent visit. Nice menu with something for everyone and taste. Loved the kraut, and wursts included with the meal. The cheese wheel appetizer was a huge hit too!
Fun place and our server was great. Â She definitely helped give this place a family friendly feel.
Max's is a nice German restaurant in the North Side and it has a decent bar too. Â I'd much rather go here then a place like the Hofbrauhaus. Â Unlike Hofbrauhaus, you won't find live accordion music or dancing on the tables here, but what you will find is a quality German meal. Â I say leave places like the Hofbrauhaus to the tourists, I want a real German meal.
I went for lunch this past weekend and had a kielbasa sandwich with sauerkraut on it. Â It was very good, exactly what I wanted from a German restaurant and the service was good too. Â The food was served with rolls and a side. Â I substituted a spinach salad with hot bacon dressing for a side.
I've been to Max's a few times and have been very pleased with both the food and service. I recommend trying the spinach salad with hot bacon dressing, potato pancakes, and the pretzels.
Excellent brunch. Â Will go back for dinner.
We went here for brunch. Â While smallish the selection is quite varied and really really good. Â I enjoyed the omlets that were custom made and the waffles.
I really am looking forward to going back here for dinner as the menu looked really tastey and the food being brought to other tables looked really good.
Both the hostess and the server were polite and attentive.
The food isn't as good as it once was. Â The atmosphere is kind of dark and needs to be updated. Â We ordered potato pancakes that had to be returned because they somehow tasted fishy (I don't even want to speculate). Â The other items we ordered were ok. Staff is great, very friendly and attentive.
Review Source:What to eat for dinner? Hmmm, a nearby German restaurant sounds good (and it was). There's nothing extraordinary to get into detail about so:
1 star for free street parking
1 star for ample seating/tables
1 star for friendly service
1 star for a very good meal
Simple, yet effective. Danke.
After hearing Hofbrauhaus-haters say that Max's Allegheny Tavern is the only place to go in Pittsburgh for German food, my husband and I decided to finally try the restaurant this afternoon.
We were seated in little booths right next to the bar. They were cozy, but the seats reminded me of old fashioned church pews. Our waitress soon brought us a little basket of four rolls with butter, sauerkraut relish, and apple butter. Though I liked the different varieties of bread, it was nothing special. The relish and apple butter were a nice touch though.
Our waitress was busy with both waiting tables and tending the bar, but she managed to check on us pretty frequently. Our food also came out relatively promptly. I order the Wiener Schnitzel with Potato Pancakes and Spatzle on the side. The Wiener Schnitzel was amazing -- by far the best I've ever had! The veal was tender and the fried surface was perfectly crispy. However, the sides sadly did not match this main dish. The Potato Pancakes were oddly bitter, and I did not enjoy them with either the sour cream or applesauce. I only ate two or three bites and completely stopped eating them. (I must add that Hofbrauhaus's potato pancakes are delicious and something that I order every time that I go there.) I also did not enjoy the Spatzle, but I am accustomed to eating cheese Spatzle.... So I may be reviewing this harshly since I'm just not used to plain Spatzle, but in my opinion, it was terribly bland and watery.
Overall, Max's Allegheny Tavern served one incredible item (Wiener Schnitzel), but everything else was merely mediocre. Because of this, I really don't plan on returning to the restaurant again any time soon. I'll be sticking with the fun environment and overall good food at Hofbrauhaus, actually.
I have a friend that loves this place, and I have been told it's the best German food in Pittsburgh so I had to give it a try.
I had the Roasted Loin of Pork Stubenkuchen Style with German Style Potato Salad, and Sauerkraut. Everything was really good. The Pork was delicious and that mushroom gravy that they put on it was nothing short of amazing. I want a whole bucket of the stuff to put on everything. The Sauerkraut was interesting featuring shredded pork mixed in. The german potato salad was good but was pretty much what I expected.
Their draft  beer Selection left a little bit to be desired but featured 5-8 beers many of them popular german style beers.
I got a good idea what this place is all about and I have to say that I will be back for more.
Looking for alternative places to brunch, we ventured out to Max's. The service was quite attentive. The brunch offering was reasonable but not overwhelming. It consisted mainly of waffles, omelette station, fried chicken, stuffed cabbage, potato pancakes, sausage, bratwurst, bacon, and a selection of pastries.
The quality of the food was okay, but none of the offerings stood out as memorable. If you are looking for a reasonably priced brunch you could do worse than Max's, but you could also do better.
I was highly disappointed. I heard rave reviews about the food but it was no where near as good as it was made out to be. I got the yagersnitzel. While the sauce was excellent, the veal was very hard to cut with a knife. It was also not pounded evenly and raw on the thick end. The spatzel was soggy, mushy and not drained properly. It was swimming in water. The rolls must have been refrigerated and were ice cold. The relish and apple butter were great however. Â I also do have to say the German potato salad was dynamite.
We also ordered a spicy bloody mary and were given what tasted like watered down bloody mary mix  and vodka with nothing else in it. It was bad...the you can't drink it kind of bad. We had to spice them up ourselves with Worcestershire and Tabasco plus add salt and pepper to get them to taste OK.
I will note their servers were excellent. I have no complaints at all about the service!
My husband has eaten there before and was sorely disappointed as well. I don't know if it was a bad day, but I'd be weary of spending another $75 for lunch for 3 people and getting sub par food and a bar that can't pull off a basic drink. I hate to say, buy I got better German food at Hofbrahaus (sp?)
this is hands down the best german restaurant in pittsburgh.
It is fantastic, although there are two menu items that are inedible. Â DO NOT ORDER THE CHICKEN VIENNESE, OR THE GOULASH.
I absolutely LOVE this place. Â I always get the Sampler Platter and get two knackwurst and a Schnitzel Lichtenstein and then take half of it home. Â this review isn't very exciting, bc now I'm thinking about how I was Schnitzel Lichtenstein...
Reasonably priced, and the interior reminds me a little of eating at my grandmother's house.
I really thought I'd never be back. Â The goulash I had was so so gross. Â But then, Â was roped in by some friends who were doing a Sunday brunch book club. Â Of course I couldn't miss out on tantalizing conversation... so I obliged. Â
I really had no clue what they offered for brunch options, but quickly learned they have a a pretty decent size brunch buffet. Â I'm not below buffets at all, it's the fat kid in me! Â Most things still looked a little questionable to me, but I went for the big ticket items. Â Make your own omelets, potato pancakes and dessert. Â I'd hit up the buffet again, but still be hasty to check out the regular menu again. Â
The omelet was made right in front of you, so I added cheese, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes and onions. Â I was super excited about it because it was the size of a football. Â Sadly, it was pretty tasteless. Â I don't think they added any salt or pepper to the egg mix, so it came out really bland, despite loading up on ingredients. Â
But the potato pancakes... I could survive on them forever. Â They were amazeballs! Â Add some sour cream and I was in potato patch heaven! Â I had to keep myself from getting more because of the other thing I loaded up on... dessert. Â
The desserts looked unassuming, but they were also awesome. Â I had a smattering of delectable bites. Â The scones were so moist and tasty. Â I had to stop myself from taking more than 20. Â I also had some carrot cake, brownies, cookies among other things I inhaled and didn't pay attention too. Â Should I be embarrassed? Â Probably. Â But I don't care because it was darn good!
I honestly can't get enough of this place. Â We used to come here after going to Pirates games since its right up the road. Â Now its one of my favorite places to go out with my friends.
Its a bit pricey (~$15/person), but the quality and quantity is superb. Â The service is pretty good. Â The atmosphere has a nice feel to it, perhaps its the antiquity.. I love the cuckoo clock and tapestries they have.
Now, to the food:
The bread they give you... with apple butter!! ... is very fresh and tasty. Â Try not to fill up on it while waiting on your huge main course.. The Bavarian soft pretzels were warm and soft when we ordered them. Â Also delicious.
The sampler platter is a great deal if you don't know yet what you like. Â You get 3 entrees and the typical sides for ~$16. Â My favorite, though, is the schnitzel liechtenstein, with sauerkraut and potato pancakes. Â Fresh and delicious everytime.
I would definitely recommend this place to anybody who likes ethnic, or German/Bavarian food, or just trying new stuff. Â It's awesome.
5 hours north of Pittsburgh, there's a land known as Toronto.
Not a burgh or a sylvannia because it's derived from Native Indians.
Toronto is not very German influenced by any means if at all.
With that backstory in place, you can take this review with a grain of Rice.
Which we have a plenty in Toronto, not the Americanized Chinese either.
The look on my companion's faces say it all. Â It's not the most life changing Food ever.
That is completely understandable and I know the basis of German Cuisine.
Many techniques are basics of any Culinary education, except education cost money.
If you cook German at home already, you've already got a good background headstart.
Very Grandma type classical retirement home in middle of nowhere small sidestreets.
Put some tables and chairs, let the mid-age Ladies serve you Beer and Food.
As other's have said, the Ladies warm up as the dinner moves on to latter stages.
"German Beer Sampler" $8.95
Spaten Lager, Kostritzer Black lager, Warsteiner Ale, Hacker Pschorr Weisse.
Hasenpfeffer. Â Â Â Â Weiner Schnitzel. Â Â Â Â Sausage Platter(Brat, Knack, Weiss)
Potato Pancake. Â Potato Salad. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Sauerkraut.
Applesauce. Â Â Â Â Â Sweet/Sour Cabbage. Â Spatzle.
There were parts that were noticeably sloppy unless that's the local taste preference.
Spatzle(bland) could have been done much better and so could the Potato Pancake.
Potato Salad was warmed as usual but quite sour and wet mushy fork unfriendly.
First ever Hasenpfeffer, memories of Bugs Bunny(the Cartoon). Danke schön. A-OK
I used to live in Germany and was very excited to find a "German" restaurant in Pittsburgh.
The beer is good. Ja. Â The wurst also tastes good.
But the schnitzel was soggy and tasteless.  I really really miss good schnitzel.  The spätzle (or "spaetzle") also was soggy and tasteless, apparently boiled in water and served without any sauce or seasoning.  Come to think of it, the sauce on the schnitzel wasn't very good either.
They need to up their game. Â Not the place for a homesick German.
Heck yes, breakfast buffet! So, that's what this review is about... cheap, delicious brunch foods. TO STUFF YOUR FACE WITH.
Omelets made-to-order or freshly made potato pancakes (with ample helpings available of apple sauce or sour cream).
Sausage and peppers or giant waffles (um, that giant bowl is NOT butter, by the way, it is a generous dollop of whipped cream).
Coffee aplenty.
Every Sunday.
It's all there -- whether your breakfast tradition is German or American. And whatever side of "brunch" you waver, you will eat very well. Perfect for those days when you're feeling the MOST hungover and JUST CANNOT WAIT FOR YOUR FOOD.
Bonus: dessert table full of your German favorites. Or, you know, find some new ones.
The food is simply four-star good, but the atmosphere and service are definitely worth a star all by themselves. Max's is cozy in a neighborhood hangout kind of way, with a menu that will hit the spot if "nouvelle" is not your favorite cuisine. Â They do have a vegetarian sandwich, but we went for the potato pancake reubens (turkey and regular) with onion rings and apple sauce and were very pleased. Â The pancake batter is on the floury side, so they are more pancake than latke, but they were good nonetheless. Â
If I lived a little closer, I'd be here all the time - local North Side brews, and a menu I'm looking forward to exploring from top to bottom. They even have my favorite dessert from when I was little, Black Forest cake, so you know I'll be back for that.
Max's is a great German restaurant. Â I've been a semi-regular patron for over 20 years and have never been disappointed. Â
The portions are huge--entrees come with your choice of two sides. Â I always get the potato pancakes and the spatzle. Â The pancakes come with a side of chunky applesauce (it tastes homemade and not overly sweet) as well as sour cream. Â The spatzle comes with gravy (I believe it is pork gravy) and are always perfectly cooked. Â Other sides that are good is the German-style potato salad and the slaw (v. tangy in a vinegar sauce).
Their saurbraten is good and my friend swears by the rabbit dishes, but I almost always get the sausage sampler. Â The sausages are always fresh, perfectly cooked and Max's carries a nice spicy/brown mustard that's a perfect accompaniment.
I have yet to get dessert there, because I obviously cannot exercise any control and gooble up everything on my plate (an assortment of breads and rolls also come with the dinner, and the apple butter is very good). Â However, they do have a nice selection of desserts, ranging from cake to strudel. Â
Their non-German options are also very good: Â vegetarian sandwich and omelettes are good and available for lunch.
And they're usually in the Entertainment/Enjoy book-great to save some jingle money. Â Even without a discount, for the quality and quantity of food, it's an excellent value.
We (my fiance and I) went out for a pseudo-couples' date with our good friends, Sara and Thom, to Max's to introduce them to some of the most authentic German food in da Burgh. Where most people associate Hofbrauhaus with the ultimate German beer-hall experience, I prefer Max's for the quieter, less raucous environs. (At least when it's not Oktoberfest)
We'd been there once before and immediately fell in love with the place. I (still) keep raving about the Sausage and Cheese platter. They've got some good Gouda. The Potato Pockets (pierogies) were OK -- I'd take some Pierogies Plus or Forgotten Taste over Max's, but that's just me.
The spaetzel was to die for, however. It's like a German Mac n' Cheese. And boy, do I love me some Mac n' Cheese. It literally melts in your mouth with its' ooey-gooey-ness.
Drink-wise, I tried their German lager and Thom tried the sampler. Thom is a beer enthusiast. For around eight bucks, you get a GOOD amount of beers to try -- they are not some dinky little shot glass samples, either. Thom had some trouble near the end finishing it...it was so much beer. Bob had a Captain and ginger-ale...in a king-size goblet. Goblets are the ONLY way to serve adult bevvies.
For dinner, I had the pork loin over an apple-raisin gravy/bread concoction. The pork loin was flavorful and tender, and quite delicious. Sara had the sauerbraten and seemed to enjoy it. Bob's burger was ginormous and looked extra tasty.
We finished it off with the Apple Fritters. Now, these fritters aren't for the faint of heart. And they aren't your average dinky small sized portions, either. You get two huge deep fried apple fritters, covered in vanilla ice cream. One person CANNOT eat the whole serving. You must, I repeat MUST share them. If you attempt to eat the whole plate yourself, you will have flavor explosion, followed by severe heartburn. But damn, are they GOOD.
Our visit ended up totaling 2 hours. One thing, though...please fix your outdoor sign. Usually it shines out like a red and blue beacon in the night for people to find their way there, but on Wednesday, it was out. Driving there, I got confused on where it exactly was (but I had a general idea, as I had been there before.).
I wasn't excited about Max's when I first walked in. There were no servers in evidence and I wandered through the entire restaurant looking for an employee to seat me before finally asking the bartender to help. After that, though, things definitely improved. I loved the slightly shabby, old-world vibe. The old photos on the wall were interesting, and the menu slash old newspaper was a pretty cute presentation.
We got appetizers for dinner, and my favorite by miles was the potato pocket with grilled onions on top. (Basically a pierogi.) So good. So, so good. I actually wasn't as excited about the potato pancakes as I expected - maybe because I was expecting more of a latke style flavor profile? Not sure. We also got the stuffed pretzels - total heart attack on a plate - in a good way! I loved that everything we got came with dipping sauces. So fun.
Overall a positive experience. I'd go back.
I've been going to Max's off and on for 31 years (I KNOW! Â How could someone as young as I am been going there for THAT long?) Â Â And I am not from nor ever lived in the North Side!
That said...i have always loved the food and the place. Â I was great the first time and was great last night! Â Most of the mains can be recommended without reservation....last night I had roasted pork with dressing and gravy. Â It was deliscious! Â Â As for sides....I ALWAYS have potato pancakes and sweet and sour cabbage. Â (Because of my eastern european background I am partial to both cabbage and potatoes. Â Do not be afraid of the cabbage unless you dislike sour!
We didn't have dessert, but did have beer and drinks. Â They have a nice selection.
My only complaint was that the food was slow to come out. Â It was a busy Friday night and I wasn't going anywhere so I had anover beer. Â No big problem.
Give Max's a try.....it might make your favorite like it did mine!
Let me start off by saying that I am unfamiliar with German food. I cannot compare what I had with what is served in Germany, but I will describe my experience.
I ordered a special, which apparently changes at weekly or monthly. The name slips my mind but I will describe it thus: homemade mac and cheese (not the processed powder stuff!) with mini shell pasta. Crumbled crackers topped this concoction that tastes eerily like my grandmother's. She is Italian by the way. The mac and cheese has a variety of 3 different sausages sliced: knackwurst, bratwurst, and Weisswurst. The portion was large! I had to take home about 1/3 of my meal. Maybe the breads and side salad filled me up. :) In my opinion, it was good but doesn't do well as a leftover.
My dessert consisted of German chocolate cake. I know, I know...how original. BUT I LOVE GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE!!!! And yes, I do know that German chocolate was created in America by a man with the last name of German...STILL LOVE IT!!!
I NEED to go back soon so I can try more of their food. One visit isn't enough. I had my sample and I want more!
Note: Being that this is a German restaurant, I'll try, TRY to cool it with the Germanic heavy metal references.
It was Kay's pick, and she surprisingly threw the dart at Max's, a place I've forgotten exists.
Pickled herring is something I've had before; my Polish grandmother introduced it to me as a lad. Before we even arrived, I sleuthed the menu online and instantly knew that I wanted The Herring In Sour Cream as our appetizer.
The sour cream is just a blob laid on top of the pile of herring and serves to temper the herring's sugary flavor. The herring itself was so thick yet so delicate and exquisitely candied it had me...*ulp*...
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DEaQLN272AX4&s=b9a91462f4cd285ee0a226eb10d19986f695e84dc6f79c6df97df7d97d3a77cd" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/w…</a>
A cornucopian assortment of somewhat stale rolls were included with apple butter and a sauerkraut relish, both of which would have tasted even better on hot dogs.
Also making for a fine frank fixin' was the Sweet and Sour Cabbage, a colorful take on the sauerkraut we all know and love. I had that along with their German Potato Salad (you get 2 sides with an entree). Max's potato salad tastes more like potatoes au gratin that anything you'd find in a deli, but it made for an errr...Acceptable accompaniment.
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DGkiuJg5HhtM&s=9dc341244a0fafec623c8c04df47eac8681b7f3fe1d517a33d21005f716bed40" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/w…</a>
And yes, the potatoes played the role that "Ein Heller und ein Batzen" does in the above song. It was...the proverbial quiet before the storm...
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D7DJ_WZLSBQU&s=aa2f8ae72415a7b69cbece92ceb60d7f3a166b8ed7b623f256a19625daacc9fd" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/w…</a>
Schnitzel is something that has haunted my culinary imagination since I saw it prepared on an episode of Great Chefs years ago. Belatedly, I now had a chance, but which one to try? There were six...
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DIW4G9U7IBLQ&s=d50abfdae2560cf660b3c2a3ebc460f5070399b4ad96d6bb8eb598b299d75645" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/w…</a>
However, with Max's Sampler Platter, I could try three. Wiener Schnitzel (the prime, naked Schnitzel), Schnitzel ala Holstein, and Schnitzel Royale would make up my trio. Each of them tasted like the thinnest and best boneless pork chops I've never had, despite the use of veal. Schnitzel ala Holstein is named after a count and is served with Gouda and a tomato slice. Schnitzel Royale comes topped with capers, anchovies, and a perfectly executed fried egg. The Holstein was the richest, the Royale the most pungently memorable. All of them came off as tender, crispy breakfast fare I had been missing out on for too long, but I can finally say beyond a doubt that Schnitzel is pure, risen splendour...
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DUojVLi1x4ak&s=c68dbe681023ab62878edcab2be67b441ae78adecdd6702804bea44045200b95" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/w…</a>
For dessert it was Apple Strudel. Layered, flaky dough and a thermal filling involving the freshest of apples collaborated to create a pastry that succeeded with simple elegance.
P.S. Our server was brusque to a degree but warmed up to us once  we sang praises of the food.
P.P.S. The power went out for about five minutes as we dined. Uh-oh...
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DXtBXcCsfytA&s=97fcb2a1106d4c416a694da1abedcbbeda1686c7c06a2e4059d57207c5c8097a" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/w…</a>
After a long day at work I met up with a friend for some German fair on the northside. I don't get out to this neck of the woods that often so it was a treat for me! All appetizers are  $2.99 during happy hour so we went with the Potato pockets which were perogies in my book. They were crispy and creamy, and topped with fried onions. They also had a side of french onion sour cream. Pretty tasty stuff! Plus they gave you so many I could have filled up just on the app. I ordered the Bell's Oberon while my dining partner ordered the sampler. I have to say that she wasn't that impressed with the brew. "Dirty pipes" and I quote. I had the same taste from my order so I focused on the food.
We both ended up ordering Max's Goulash that was suggested by another Yelper! You can't go wrong when you have that recommendation. This is not our small town neighborhood goulash made from egg noodles and a mix with ground beef. The noodles in this feast were homemade and chunky, piled high with a peppery meaty sauce infused with fall off the fork beef, carrots, peas, and tiny pearl onions. If you remember yesterday was a cold, rainy, gloomy day. This was real comfort and I had to take it to go. Rain is still in the forecast so leftovers will be grand!
Do you know Max & Erma's? Well say hello to just Max (no seriously, Erma sold out.)
Max's specializes in delicious German fare (think Hofbrauhaus, only better) and a delightful atmosphere. This is the type of restaurant that after you go once, you just want to go back again and again. You'll be in the middle of finals and think "sampler platter please." If you're going out in the North Side to catch a game or out to a museum, I highly recommend stopping by Max's to partake in a meal. I have yet to be let down.
Definitely my favorite German restaurant, this place brings back memories.... often a bit negative (as it's right near the hospital... yes, my Mom took me there after my arm breaking fiasco, that time I got hit by the car, during my Dad's heart catheterization, etc.), but also wonderful as I could literally lose myself in their vast array of tasty foods. Â It's definitely a North Side staple, and the atmosphere has a "well worn" appeal with old pictures of the local Germanic community and of the area. Â This place has it's own personality, which is a plus in my opinion!
As for the food... well, you can't find much better German food than this and at this price! Â Both of my parents favor the peasant platter. Â Me, I love the stuffed pretzel appetizer, all the different sausages (the weisswurst is amazing!), and their kasespatzle (thick, doughy egg noodles with butter and cheese). Â I will always associate Max's with the best, most flavorful German food at an affordable price!
I have been eating their sauerbraten since I was a little girl. Â I love this place. Â I love the old-fashioned decor, the room setup makes you feel as if you're in an old house, and there is a piano that plays itself by the bar if you feed it a quarter.
if you're a first time visitor, i reccomend their wonderful sampler platter that allows you to choose 3 (i think) entrees and some sides.
superyum!
Despite living in PIttsburgh for most of my life, I've somehow managed to never eat at Max's Allegheny Tavern until recently. Â
My initial impression of the restaurant was positive - the place had an old neighborhood feel to it, a small crowd was drinking at the end of the antique hardwood bar, and the German murals on the walls made me crave an icy-cold German lager with a stout head of foam. Â I thought about how well German potato salad would taste with that beer. Â So I grabbed a seat at the bar and eagerly awaited the first taste of my beer.
And I waited...and waited...and waited some more - for over 15 minutes before someone came around to take the order. Â Actually that isn't quite accurate. Â Two employees came around - one to the end of the bar, and one behind the bar directly opposite me. Â Both of them stared at me. Â Neither one greeted me or asked me what I would have like to order. Â I stared back, incredulously, and even made a "what's going on here" palms-extended-upward-shoulder-shrug gesture. Â Neither one took the hint.
Finally a third employee came around the bar and took my order. Â Great, I thought to myself, finally that beer. Â She served the beer in a Mason jar. Â WTF?!? Â Who serves imported German lager at a German restaurant in a freaking Mason jar? Â Max's does. Â The beer was devoid of its head, likely the result of a bad beer pour and/or a less than perfectly clean glass (an endemic problem with Pittsburgh restaurants, in my observation). Â I was sad. Â I quaffed my beer quickly in an attempt to salve my irritation and opened the menu.
My first impression of the menu can be summed as follows: "Uh-oh". Â The menu is huge with a number of "slow-food" stews and braises. Â The restaurant is more than half-empty. Â How can a restaurant prepare such a large number of menu items, including more than a few labor-intensive dishes, freshly every day and still stay in business when the place isn't even half-full? Â Answer: They can't. Â The food isn't fresh.
I ordered the Wiener Schnitzel. Â I love properly prepared Wiener Schnitzel. Â Made with fresh butterflied veal breast, slightly pounded and seasoned, well-coated in fresh bread crumbs, and pan-fried in clarified butter until golden brown on the outside and juicy on the inside, Wiener Schnitzel is the ultimate comfort food. Â
Sadly, Max's Wiener Schnitzel had nothing to do with properly prepared Schnitzel. Â The veal was super-thin, had a texture that strongly suggested it had been mechanically processed, and tasted as if it was pre-breaded and frozen. Â It wasn't pan fried either. Â The breaded, frozen, puck was simply dropped into a fryolater - where the breading puffed out and fell off of the meat in places (which doesn't happen when the cutlet is resting against the cooking surface under its own weight as when the dish is properly pan-fried). Â The edges of the sad Schnitzel had curled up and it looked a horrible mess on the plate. Â Curly Schnitzel?!? Â My stomach dropped.
My sides, German potato salad and braised red cabbage, were equally awful. Â The German potato salad had an unnatural glossy sheen - the kind that typically comes from bottled sauces that contain high fructose corn syrup. Â The "bacon" in the dressing was nothing more than tiny flecks of some sort of processed, possibly faux, "meat". Â The potatoes were suspiciously uniform in thickness and roundness - exactly the homogeneity that is found in pre-peeled, pre-sliced, vacuum-sealed processed potatoes. Â It was a gluey, sickly sweet, mess. Â I didn't have more than a bite or two. Â The braised red cabbage didn't taste fresh - it tasted like it had been sitting in a steam table for a day or two and my order was its last chance to be eaten. Â
Max's Allegheny Tavern bills itself on their web site as, "The Best in German Fare. Â The Best in Service".
That's total bullshit. Â It's awful - both for service and fare.
If you want good, authentic, German fare (in which the Schnitzel is properly pan-fried to order and delicious), join the Teutonia Mannerchor down the street. Â
I'll never return.
Crap! Â I can't believe that I missed a "First to Review" by just a matter of weeks. Â Max's Allegheny Tavern has been a shining star and a "must" for my Pittsburgh rotation of places to visit. Â Years ago, when I worked on the Northside for Heinz, I spent many a rowdy Friday night here in the basement with factory workers. Â
What's there to say? Â It's a Northside institution and always has a mixed crowd that is super cool and friendly. Â The bartenders are friendly and manage to remember my name and drink choice even though I'm here only a few times a year. Â My Friday nights here must have made quite an impression! Â I love the decor here, dark wood paneling with lots of stained glass, and the downstairs bar is where the naughty people hang. Â Jukebox and room for dancing. Â The food is very homey and very reasonably priced. Â The German nachos are always worth ordering, and they are smothered with Gouda cheese. Â The spatzle is also a creamy indulgent treat. Â And for those seeking the real Deutsch culinary experience, they have a large variety of sausages and schnitzels. Â So it's a sausage factory in more ways than one.
Stopped in for buffet brunch with Andy P. during our road trip from Dallas to Connecticut.
The iced tea served in pickle jars accentuated the ambiance perfectly - it feels like a German brunch! Â The menus are particularly fun. Â Buffet options are varied but all interesting. Â I remember a chicken part being especially good, and some good pastries.
Fun and delicious.
Ambiance: 21/25 stars
Food: 18/25 stars
Service: 19/25 stars
Bathroom: 18/25 stars
Probability of going back: 30% (If I'm ever in Pittsburgh again)
How can there be no reviews of Max's Allegheny? This north side German food institution in Pittsburgh has been around for years and years and has menus that tell you so. They also tell you the story of the north side of Pittsburgh, which I also found interesting. The place itself has a lot of character and looks like it's seen a lot of years there. It's a little weathered, but definitely homey and sturdy.
Randy S. and I headed there post Tazza D'Oro on a Sunday for brunch. It happened to be the same very Sunday the Pens were playing the Flyers in game 7, so all the waitresses were wearing Pens paraphernalia, which definitely added to the experience. On Sunday morning it has a brunch buffet with all the standards, plus a healthy dose of Germanic add ons like German farmers breakfast (eggs, sausage and gravy-ed potatoes), red cabbage, pork chops, sauerkraut and potato pancakes.
The brunch buffet is in a room with a giant tapestry of Neuschwanstein behind the guys at the omelet bar. If that's not rad, I don't know what is. We told the waitress we were going in, went and got back and sat down to find our two ice teas on the table in mason jars (always dope).
The food was just what you would expect in Pittsburgh: gut busting. It wasn't artisinal or fancy, healthy or particularly remarkable, but it was pretty fonking good and to eat that food in that restaurant really made me feel like I was in Pittsburgh. I can imagine all the food there would be of the 'hot and brown' category, in a positive way. And the waitress was probably the nicest on our drive from Dallas to CT.
A really fun place, if showing it's age (though remorselessly).
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