Max Lager's Wood-Fired Grill & Brewery

Max Lager's Wood-Fired Grill & BreweryMax Lager's Wood-Fired Grill & Brewery
Max Lager's Wood-Fired Grill & BreweryMax Lager's Wood-Fired Grill & Brewery
Brewery, Bar, Eatery

320 Peachtree St
Atlanta, Georgia, 30308
United States

(404) 525-4400 | map
maxlagers.com
BEER STATS
Average:
3.71
Beers:
39
Ratings:
186
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.68
Reviews:
46
Ratings:
61
pDev:
14.13%
View: Beers | Place Reviews
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Photo of acmurphy696
Reviewed by acmurphy696 from Georgia

4.93/5  rDev +34%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5
I had a Hoplosion IPA and a Max Burger, which were excellent.
The bartender was helpful, and there was a soccer game on from England with a couple of British guys behind me commenting.
Excellent.
Apr 20, 2019
 
Rated: 4.09 by Griffith from Connecticut

Mar 18, 2019
 
Rated: 3.66 by Abe_Froman from Massachusetts

Mar 12, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by Bshaw22 from Wisconsin

Aug 24, 2018
 
Rated: 4.11 by Rubezahl from Pennsylvania

Jul 29, 2018
 
Rated: 3.69 by Jlang2012 from South Carolina

Jul 02, 2018
Photo of flagmantho
Reviewed by flagmantho from Washington

3.83/5  rDev +4.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.75 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4.25
My wife and I stopped at Max Lager's for dinner while we were in Atlanta a couple weeks back. I thought the place was really good -- the neat, industrial-and-brick atmosphere was welcoming, if perhaps a bit TOO clean (it sort of reminded me of a chain place). They only had 6 house beers available when I visited, though among those was a Belgian quad which was really quite serviceable. We both really enjoyed the food, though, and I could see returning there for just that (I did a brisket sandwich and my wife did the fried chicken dinner -- straightforward but very well done).
May 18, 2018
 
Rated: 3.68 by PaleAleWalt from New York

May 14, 2016
 
Rated: 3.66 by jcMPLS from Minnesota

Dec 24, 2015
 
Rated: 4.08 by Daniellobo from District of Columbia

Oct 26, 2015
 
Rated: 3.64 by thatoneguymike from Georgia

Sep 08, 2015
 
Rated: 4.21 by Jimmyknows from California

Apr 27, 2015
 
Rated: 3.43 by wisegreensoul from Idaho

Mar 30, 2015
 
Rated: 3.73 by kylehay2004 from Illinois

Mar 02, 2015
Photo of BMMillsy
Reviewed by BMMillsy from Florida

4.05/5  rDev +10.1%
A lot of hate for this place, and I can't figure out why. Really neat building with a cool upstairs area. Service was nice. Got a sampler and most of the beers were perfectly acceptable. I didn't eat, but others said the food was decent enough. If you're in this part of town, I'm not sure there's a better place to walk to. Definitely worth checking out.
Nov 25, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by GeorgiaBeerGuy from Georgia

Nov 06, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by SeanHMechEngineee from Michigan

Jul 03, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by jhamil3 from Georgia

May 23, 2014
Photo of Suds
Reviewed by Suds from Missouri

3.54/5  rDev -3.8%
vibe: 2.75 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.75 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
While on a business trip to Atlanta, I visited this brewpub for a group dinner. Located downtown, in a refurbished brick building, it was walking distance from the Marta. Although it was an attractive, open, and well lit place, I didn't enjoy the atmosphere as much as I expected. The tables are very close together and it was loud...very difficult to hold a conversation.
The beer selection was respectable. I specifically liked the Belgian offering, although the amber was also malty and enjoyable.
Servers, despite being very busy, we're prompt and attentive. I didn't have a chance to talk to them about the beer, though.
Solid, but nothing exceptional.
Feb 01, 2014
Photo of mwar
Reviewed by mwar from Kentucky

4.53/5  rDev +23.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.5
In town on business and this seemed to be one of the few brew pubs downtown. It was 5:30 on a Tuesday. Not more than 10 people in the place. They have a huge upstairs, so I assume when an event is going on in downtown they are packed.

Let me start by saying the service was superb! Very personable bartender who knew his beer. Happy to let you sample before committing to a pint.

Tried four of their home brews, all were well above average. I am a stout/porter guy and the Max Black was one of the best I have had. Very easy drinking. The Collaborator Wheat Wine was unlike any other beer I have ever had. Don't pass up the chance to sample it. Though I am not fond of IPA's, the Keller Pils was better than most.

An impressive selection of bottles were available as well.

I ordered a arugula salad. It was tasty, but very small for the price ($9). No bread accompanied the salad. What the hell...I was here for the beer, and at $5 a pint the overall value was more than fair!
Dec 20, 2012
Photo of thagr81us
Reviewed by thagr81us from South Carolina

3.7/5  rDev +0.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5
This was our last stop before going back to the hotel bar to get wasted. It was on the way back so we figured why not. Tickers gonna tick afterall! Upon walking in it was obvious that this was a functioning brewpub as there was a lot of brewing equipment right up front upon walking in. We went in and took a seat at the bar off to the right. Obviously I went with the sampler of what they were pouring currently. They mainly only serve their own brew here which is always nice. They did have a wide variety of styles available which would make it easy for others coming in to decide. Glad we got the chance to stop in here, but I would like to go back again and have more time to spend there.
Sep 14, 2012
Photo of dirtylou
Reviewed by dirtylou from Oklahoma

3.58/5  rDev -2.7%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
downtown Atlanta - not a beer destination area, or a destination of any sorts really

on peachtree street - older brick building, fairly generic interior.

woodfired meat, brickoven pizzas - lots of buzzwords but just average quality

the tv situation was a bit dry in the main bar area.

the hopsplosion IPA was servicable but the oktoberfest and grand cru were just OK.

an OK hotel-district stop, good service, pretty decent food and average craft taps. We more or less stumbled upon this place and were reasonably content with the results.
Sep 24, 2011
Photo of BEERchitect
Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky

3.75/5  rDev +1.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
What a relief! After a six-hour drive into Atlanta and settling into our hotel near Centennial Park, I'm in desperate need for a couple beers and dinner. Luckily Max Lagers offers the only symblance of craft beer anywhere nearby. A quick four or five block brisk walk delivers us to the doorstep of a historic brick building that hugs the Peachtree Street sidewalk and anchors the corner of a transit city block in a relaxed urban setting. Regardless of the use of sneakers, it seems that parking wouldn't be a tough negotiation at all.

A quick show to our booth seating near both the bar and the picture windows to the street was met with a very kind waitress ready to take our orders. Though the service was a bit inconsistent with the pace of service, all orders arrived in good order.

The order of beers proceeded much quicker that I'd typically recommend through the Max Gold, Hopsplosion, Gimme Chocolate Bock, Imperial Mocha Oatmeal Stout, and finally the Gran Cru. With a dinner that started with an extremely savory spin/artichoke dip and a dinner of chicken, garlic, and pesto pizza; topped off with the fried cheesecake desert, the food and beer experience went very well.

Where all the beers were very cleanly fermented, I particularly liked the subdued carbonation and reasonable serving temperatures that gave an English impression to the beers and provided a very fond session. Recipe formulations revealed a few bright spots with the Hopsplosion and Max Gold, but a dry-roasty bite with the darker ales and the Gran Cru that will happily appease those with a sweet tooth. They also serve a Max Red, of which I didn't get around to trying, and a smattering of rotational beers per season and such. It seems that there's 5-7 beers on tap at our visit.

There's a somewhat uptight Applebee's-like quality to the restaurant that extends from the decor, to the scripted service, layout, and ambiance. The saving grace of exposed brick, rustic wooden and metal elements, higher quality of foods, and of course the in house made beers prompts a response of character and charm. The price tag is somewhat reflective of the added charm as we felt that most items were tilted toward the pricier side of quality.

We had a fine time with dinner and drinks, but next time, we'll rein in on the orders because of price consideration and overall staged quality that kept us from really relaxing (this certainly wasn't because of the lack of social lubrication). If in town, any Atlanta beer lovin' resident should give an evening to this brewpub. The same goes for anyone who's visiting the Centennial Park area. But Atlanta offers some better beer venues further up Peachtree or in Decatur for those visiting nearby areas to them.
Sep 21, 2011
Photo of mynie
Reviewed by mynie from Maryland

2.8/5  rDev -23.9%
vibe: 2.5 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 2.5
"The name's lager..."

*raises Ray-Bans*

"...Max Lager."

Spent a whole week in Atlanta and I didn't make it to Brickstore. Sigh... well, this place is right next to the hotel, might as well check it out.

The vibe is a little uppity but not pretentious. It just happens to be where upper middle class people go to drink. Unfortunately for me, residing as I do firmly in the bottom third of income earners, the beer prices were outrageous. Like, wow sort of outrageous. Like, I'd have to think twice about paying 7 bucks for a pint of a exemplary regular-strength beer, and asking me to do the same for decidedly middle of the road, unadventurous micro brews is sort of rude.

The staff was fine. The decor was woody and they had a nice porch upstairs where you could drink. Downtown Atlanta is a nice place, and it's nice to get to look at it while you drink.

But the beers, like I said, were nothing special. And the prices were insane. In a city where seemingly every bar has at least a handful of good craft beers on tap, you might not want to bother stopping here.
Apr 13, 2011
Photo of rjochman
Reviewed by rjochman from Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +11.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 5
Atmosphere is good. Great bar/restaurant set up. Awesome to see the pipes and brewing equipment throughout the building, especially on the second floor.

Good selection of local beers. Had the Max Red brewed by them. Really enjoyed it with my food.

Food: great selection of different dinner choices. Got the buffalo burger and enjoyed every bit of it.

Would definitely go again for a night outing with a group or to get some drinks and watch a sporting event.

It would be nice to have everything(brewing equipment) on the first floor but it is nice to have the option to go upstairs to the other bar.
Dec 11, 2010
Photo of joedon
Reviewed by joedon from Minnesota

4/5  rDev +8.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
An old brick building converted into an upscale downtown pub. Vibe was brick and copper with dim lighting.

Six house-made beers on tap and about 30 in bottles; almost all craft beers and imports. I tried the "Hopsplosion" IPA and a Belgian dubbel. Very tasty IPA, about equal to a SN Celebration. The Belgian was below average: very weak carbonation and dark/cloudy/murky beer.

Food was about typical pub menu with some special pastas, and steaks. I had a very good cheeseburger and my friend had pulled pork quesadillas. Both were good choices.

I thought the prices were a bit high: six dollar pints and nine dollars for the house wines. More like New York prices than Atlanta.

Service was timely and friendly but I didn't make any beer-talk with the bar keep.

Overall, a decent place for beer but not outstanding.
Nov 10, 2010
Photo of NWer
Reviewed by NWer from Washington

4.55/5  rDev +23.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | food: 5
Four guys in town for a weekend of baseball and beer.
The only place downtown worth going back to was Max Lager's.
Starting with the owner/proprietor. Attention to detail is exceptional. I even saw him bus tables to help out where needed.
They had a pork tenderloin special that was to die for. Only in the South do you find great pork and this set the bar to a new level. It was succulent! The pork melted in your mouth and the flavors of the sauce with potato and asparagus left me wanting it again the next night.
The beer is very good and compares well to any to be had anywhere. Especially the Hopsplosion. But then I'm a hophead with attendant bias.
The one minor issue is with how a beer is drafted upstairs. Not quite right - I should have asked for an empty glass to re-pour it more vigorously in order to liven it up a little.
Aug 17, 2010
Photo of glid02
Reviewed by glid02 from Georgia

3.73/5  rDev +1.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
My company moved offices temporarily and we're now just a few blocks away from this location. Needless to say I stopped in.

Atmosphere is nice. It's got an old-school feel to it with exposed brick everywhere. There's a bar on the immediate right upon entering with a bunch of tables in the back. Upstairs there are pool tables and brewing equipment. A few TV's dot the bar downstairs.

Quality is OK. The glassware selection is limited but appropriate for the most part and the temperature and head are at good levels.

Service is good. I've eaten there and saddled up to the bar and didn't have to wait long either time. I overheard the bartender giving the beer spiel (sp?) to fellow barflies and seemed to know what he was talking about.

Selection is solid - there are about eight local beers on-tap running the gamut of styles. I also saw a decent amonut of micro selections in bottles around the place as well, nothing special but a good selection nonetheless.

Food is good - I've only eaten there once but the chicken tenders and fries were solid if not spectacular.

Value is OK. It's a bit overpriced but given its location I can't say I'm terribly surprised.

Overall in Atlanta this certainly isn't up to the level of 5 Seasons but I'd prefer to go here as opposed to Gordon Biersch. Worth a stop if you're downtown as there's not much else available.
Jul 02, 2010
Photo of brewtopia88
Reviewed by brewtopia88 from Georgia

4/5  rDev +8.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Max Lager's is a pioneering brewpub in downtown Atlanta. They have a great new chef now, and this has allowed the brewer/manager to concentrate on his range of house beers once again. The current atmosphere, food and beers are very nice. The Hopslosion IPA contains a really pleasing hop character, and all the seasonal beers are tasty. Be sure to get a sampler of all the beers and drink alongside the menu items of the new chef. There is an upstairs bar and meeting space surrounded by the brewhouse.
Jun 09, 2010
Photo of shivtim
Reviewed by shivtim from Georgia

2.98/5  rDev -19%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3 | service: 2 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
Finally stopped by Max Lager's during Atlanta Beer Week.
The inside is a hybrid-space, with a bar area right up front, a large dining area, and an upstairs. Large windows, brick, semi-industrial, mostly corporate but a little warmer... reminds me of a nice Rock Bottom. Bar was full of downtown office workers doing happy hour.

They had a decent little selection. The Hopsplosion IPA was not bad at all. Small but decent choice of bottles too from the likes of Terrapin, Dogfishhead, etc. Beer is probably a notch above a Gordon Biersch.

Service was agonizingly slow. I think they were under-staffed for the dinner shift. Had a wood-fired pizza, which was not bad at all.
May 19, 2010
Photo of theopholis
Reviewed by theopholis from California

3.3/5  rDev -10.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 2.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
Looks like an old warehouse or something. Lots of exposed ducting and piping and brick. Pretty typical for a brew-pub these days. I liked it.

Quality of the beers was pretty good. Nothing to write home about. Same goes for the food.

The service was so-so. The bartender took his time getting to me, and the hostess didn't know the hours they were open when I asked.

The beer selection and menu selection were both good. Not great, but they probably had 10 or 12 boutique beers on tap, with another 10 or 12 in bottles.
Mar 15, 2010
Photo of Loki
Reviewed by Loki from North Carolina

2.54/5  rDev -31%
vibe: 3 | quality: 2 | service: 3.5 | selection: 2
Ok, this place is a little hard to review as I don't know whether to review this place as a brewery (which they claim to be) or a bar (which they seem to be better at)

Atmosphere: More restaurant than bar, and more chain, corporate, cold brewery than local brewpub.

I have to break up quality into two categories, one for their beers and one for their guest bottle list.

In-house beer Quality: Not good. Out of their Hopslosion IPA, I choose their St. Mungo 90 Shilling ale that seemed to be about 50 to 60 shillings shy. Menu say 9% but it was the weakest tasting, wateriest 90 Shilling ale I've ever had. What little malt backbone that it had was cloyingly sweet. Just not a good beer. Everything else seemed fairly boring and given the first results I didn't really want to try another.

Guest Bottle Quality list: Very good. From Victory Yakima Twilight to DFH 90 Min. to some Stone and many other great beers. But this place is a brewery right? What does it say about your beers if your guest bottle list beats most bars in the area?

Service: Good, not great. The bartender was not knowledgeable at all, except for what they were out of. Slow at times, but friendly enough.

I feel I need to review their selection like their quaility

In-house beer Selection: Poor; only five of their beers and they were out of one. Really, you're a brewery and you only have four beers available. You're not a new brewery and you only have four? Really??? I know homebrewers that keep more than four of their beers on tap!

Guest beer selection: Very good. Quality craft beers from around the country and the world. I quickly found many beers that I would have ordered; however, I wasn't there to get beers from other breweries.

Value: Well it wasn't expensive, but I didn't get anything i enjoyed so kind of a toss up.

Overall I have no reason to go back for their beers. That said I could see taking a diverse group here and being happy with the bottle list.
Mar 12, 2010
Photo of Joe79
Reviewed by Joe79 from Georgia

2.9/5  rDev -21.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 2 | food: 4
When I go to Max Lager's, it to play some darts rather than for the beer.
They only keep 3-4 of their own beers on tap, and the 2 times I've been there, none stood out as exceptional to me. They weren't bad, just in my opinion they were like any average reds, pilsners, etc...
They do have a large selection of Atlanta based bottled beer too.
The food was very good, and the service is about average for a brewpub. Pricewise, I found it fairly reasonable.
To have a some brews and play some pool or throw some darts it is a good time, but to sit and just enjoy a few beers, it's not for me.
Jul 27, 2009
Photo of beer2day
Reviewed by beer2day from North Carolina

3.88/5  rDev +5.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
Slight hike from the downtown attractions. We make it a regular stop when heading to Philips or the Georgia Aquarium.

Small bar area with a couple of tv's for sports. 6 beers on tap, all very reasonable and well presented.

Upstairs has a bigger bar area and more of a sports/music theme.

The pizza and apps are all very good. Quesadillas are a personal favorite, as is the BBQ chicken pizza.

APA and Porter are both very good.

If you are in the central downtown area, this is definitely worth a stop.
May 18, 2009
Photo of Ragingbull
Reviewed by Ragingbull from California

3.88/5  rDev +5.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3 | food: 4
On a mini-vacation to Atlanta I stopped in here with the wife and kids. It's an old brick building with exposed wood beams on the inside. The bar and kitchen area are pushed off to one side and feel a bit congested but if you are seated appropriately (as we were) the feel is terrific. The beer selection was standard and there was nothing riveting nor anything bad. The food we had was phenomenal and our server was second to none. My wife actually returned to Atlanta on business and went to Max Lager's with a colleague we liked it so much and as luck would have it she had the same server and the same A+ service. It looks like a brewpub, feels like a brewpub, go visit it like a brewpub. The best thing about it however is its location within short walking distance of Centennial Olympic Park, the Georgia Aquarium, Georgia Dome, Phillips Arena, CNN and the train which can get you to many other places. Atlanta also has great weekday hotel rates if you are looking for a short vacation.
Jul 12, 2008
Photo of BertSugar
Reviewed by BertSugar from Indiana

1.89/5  rDev -48.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 1.5 | service: 2 | selection: 1.5
This place is a short walk from the downtown business area of Atlanta, so it's a great location...even if it's in the middle of an ugly concrete jungle (this is beer advocate, not architectural advocate so that's another story). Looks like an old mill/industrial building outside. Inside sort of neatly appointed with old gears and tooling and the like. Center island bar with a bunch of various tables for the restaurant portion. I did not try the food, but it all looked and smelled great. The kitchen was hoppin busy and table service looked efficient. The bartender during our visit moved around a lot to make it look like he was busy, but really didn't give great service at all. The beer? All I can say is thank God they had various guest bottles of Victory and Dogfishead. The three varieties of their own stuff (a black lager, a Scottish ale, and a stout...that's it) were uniformly atrocious: poorly balanced body, overtly/cloyingly/inappropriately sweet without a trace of hops. Not recommended. There is a distinct lack of competition that allows a place like this to survive as a brewpub.
Mar 28, 2008
Photo of BigBry
Reviewed by BigBry from Canada (AB)

3.86/5  rDev +4.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5
On my first visit to Atlanta, I found this place within walking distance.
The first thing that hit me was the great smoky barbeque smell hanging in the air. It has a cool, old syle atmosphere. Large bar in the middle, with lots of table space and an upstairs. Friendly and knowledgable waitress.
I think I remember there being 5 of their own beer on tap, with 2 seasonals (barley wine and a cask). The beer I had - Black Max was very good. No time for food on this visit, but hope to be back and sample some more offerings. Overall, a very good experience.
Mar 20, 2008
Photo of kdog630
Reviewed by kdog630 from Illinois

3.3/5  rDev -10.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 2 | food: 3.5
This place appears to be in an old warehouse or factory building in downtown Atlanta. Exposed brick and industrial metal staircases with brewing equipment visible on the main and upper floor.

There was an extensive menu and we got a number of thing to eat.

Unfortunately, the place must be hurting. They only had three of their own beers on tap. The server blamed the hop shortage as weel as the drought. I had a dunkel ale which was pretty good while my friend had the Scotch ale. The rest of the offerings were bottles of macros and a brewery in Athens.

Hopefully, they can rebound from economic and natural setbacks. This place looks like it could be a good place to go on a regular basis.
Mar 18, 2008
Photo of shbobdb
Reviewed by shbobdb from Indiana

3.98/5  rDev +8.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
I was wandering in downtown Atlanta looking for a place to eat while I was at a conference. My labmate said, "Hey, that place brews its own beer, you'd like that!" so we walked in. It had a neat feel to it, it was more like a brewery that tacked a restaraunt onto itself as opposed to the standard brewpub where it is a restaraunt with a brewery tacked on. I ordered the veggie calzone and it was fantastic! It was just dripping with goat cheese and the roasted veggies offered a nice sweet supplement.

The beers were good. I had the pilsner (gold) and the vienna lager (red) and both were quite good. The pilsner was an honest-to-god pilsner, with a nice blast of continental hops and a pleasant malt backbone. The vienna lager was pleasantly toasty, despite what others have said. It reminded me a lot of Eliot Ness from Great Lakes Brewery, if that helps. It was a little thicker than EN, which is why I think some people felt it was more ale-ish but I really enjoyed it.

Overall it was a great experience.
Dec 09, 2007
Photo of mikesgroove
Reviewed by mikesgroove from South Carolina

4.22/5  rDev +14.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 5
Stopped in here for dinner while I was out as I had remembered seeing the name on BA and thought there might be something worthwhile inside. Walked in and the place was fairly crowded, but sat down and ordered right away. Food was very good and the service was extremely quick. I was actually shocked by how fast the food came out. Pretty good selection of taps, including some IBA, which is just great as I had not had any in the longest time. Was in and out rather quickly which was cool with me as it gave me time to make a couple more stops before heading in. Overall a pretty respectable place to eat that has some good brew inside too. I would stop in here again for sure.
Nov 29, 2007
Max Lager's Wood-Fired Grill & Brewery in Atlanta, GA
Brewery rating: 3.71 out of 5 with 186 ratings