Max's Wine Dive

Max’s Wine Dive

“Fried chicken and champagne? ... Why the hell not?!"

Address: 420 Washington Ave Houston TX 77007

“Fried chicken and champagne? ... Why the hell not?!" that’s the slogan at Max’s Wine Dive, a unique bar and restaurant in Houston, Texas. The atmosphere straddles the divide between upscale and casual, with a hip and festive decor. The dining room is high, narrow, and consistently noisy—this is the place for an exuberant celebration rather than a quiet tête-a-tête—with large six-person booths and a bar where strangers start chatting over good food and better drinks. Max’s Wine Dive is known for their late night menu and “reverse happy hour”. They boast a great jukebox, too.

The restaurant describes their fare as “gourmet comfort food”. Their ever-changing menu is organized into small dishes and large dishes, rather than appetizers and entrees. Max's Wine Dive takes an artisanal approach to traditional Texas fare--the classic Southern fried chicken, Kobe burger with brie, and the pork belly mac and cheese with truffle cream are favorites with the regulars. Their Sunday brunch features pancakes, fried chicken with chipotle honey, and a hefty mimosa menu. The pancakes are, well, Texas-sized.

The menu is also scattered with chiles—jalapenos, Serrano, ancho, chipotle, and guajillo (to name a few). The cornmeal-crusted redfish and shrimp with cheese grits and a jalapeño-lime butter are perfect for soaking up a glass or two of wine. The tuna tartare is a more subtle dish and well suited to many wines, graced by lime zest, ginger, and just a breath of habanero. A grass-fed beef hot dog with venison chili and cotija cheese only gets better with the addition of house-made jalapenos.

For dessert consider the Half & Half; one side is a warm chocolate ganache brownie topped with chocolate-hazelnut gelato; the other side is rich bread pudding with a spoonful of salted caramel gelato. Together, they are the Wonder Twins of sugar.

While Max’s serves many excellent beers, but their specialty is, of course, wines. With constant new additions to the wine menu, there’s always something novel for even the most frequent customer or devoted oenophile to sample. All wines are available by the glass with a two-glass minimum. All wines at Max’s are also available for retail purchase, so if you enjoy the glass you have, you can take a bottle home with you. With options ranging from $25 to $600, there’s a wine for every budget.

Not ready to commit to a couple glasses? They have wine tastings every Saturday from 1 p.m.-5 p.m. The sommelier (or as some in this relaxed atmosphere say, “the wine guy”) Jacob Fairchild can make appropriate suggestions for any customer based on your meal, preferences, and budget.