Max's Place

Attentive and quick bartender, nice local crowd, reasonable drinks and nice ambience. Will definitely be back.

Best bar in Sheridan Pal and Ravenswood (allegedly). Theresa is an absolute gem. Dean the manager is fabulous. And the Phil is my unsung hero. Jax is an absolute queen. Ari is my favorite. Justin makes me happy every Sunday. Bobby, well let’s just say he’s always a present. The patrons are about as mixed as you can get. The dive bar atmosphere that has almost disappeared from Chicago is alive and well here.

Great local bar

Great neighborhood dive, always a good crowd, darts, and cheap drinks. Classic Chicago.

This place rocks. Good value, good service, great vibe. Theresa was really nice about changing the channel when I wanted to watch the Maryland women’s basketball game. Cool queer friendly vibe.

My favorite place to stop at whenever I’m in the neighborhood. Theresa is a national treasure and makes me and everyone feel welcome every time

I’m honestly really disappointed because a huge part of why I loved coming here was Jason — he brought such great, welcoming energy and made the whole experience feel fun and personal. Since he’s no longer there, the vibe just isn’t the same; it feels flatter and less engaging, and you can really tell something is missing. It’s surprising how much one person can shape the atmosphere, but in this case it’s obvious. I will say the Miller Lite is still ice cold and great as always, but I truly hope the management finds a way to bring back the kind of energy that made this place special.

My friend and I went into Max’s on a Friday night, a little after 1am. There were a lot of people there, but no one at the bar. Both bartenders made eye contact and refused to speak to us, especially odd, because no one else at the bar was getting drinks. We sat there for five minutes, looked around, and decided to leave. Our understanding was that this was a bar that welcomed all people, but it became clear that this space was only interested in serving cisgender gay men. It did not feel like a welcoming spot for women, let alone two straight-passing queer women. We popped by Carol’s, and the bartender said that we weren’t the first women to complain about their experience at Max’s. Such a disappointment, especially for Uptown.

Love this bar. It strikes the perfect balance between dive bar and cozy gay bar. The bartenders are awesome (special shout out to Justin!). I love that I can get an Old Style in a frosty mug for $3.

Welcoming and friendly