This place brought a tear to my eyes. My great grandmother was German and we lost her when I was 19. All she ever cooked us was authentic German food from scratch. When I say scratch, I mean the sauerkraut she served was made with the cabbage she raised in her garden and me and my little brother helped to shred and can. Since she passed I have spent a long time trying to find a restaurant that could even hold a candle to her cooking and today I think I finally have. Everything I ate here tonight made me think of my nana. The potato pancakes were perfect, the sauerkraut was so good that I ordered seconds. The apple butter had just the right amount of cinnamon. The cabbage relish was excellent on the pumpernickel bread. If you haven't figured it out by now I would suggest if you want German food in Pittsburgh you need to go to this place and go hungry. Our waitress was also perfect. We were so full we couldn't eat dessert so she boxed it up so we could eat it later at the hotel. read more

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Food was great. We had a party of 8 and got a table near the front windows. The decor was dated but the food & service made up for it. I got the Sauerbraten which was delicious. Others had weiner schnitzel & a selection of sausages. We tried several of the appetizers and all were great. For dessert some of us got Black Forest cake and others got the strudel. It was not my favorite Black Forest cake but the strudel was great. Our server was great and very attentive. We will be back. read more

Very good food and great service .I would highly recommend this hidden gem!Authentic German food and great selection of German beer. read more

Max's Allegheny Tavern - A beautiful woman - German Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The food is awesome and so is the service. Every time we are in town we go to Max's. The neighborhood is so quaint

This restaurant is my favorite German restaurant in Pittsburgh. Their food is the most genuine German entrees here. Service is always great and the atmosphere is wonderful. Of course, the German beers are very tasty. When I first visited this place it was called Max & Erma's, but they were forced to change it by another restaurant chain. read more

This gem of a restaurant sits in what was once considered Deutschtown. Very good and great staff.

Amazing. We got takeout so I can't speak to the service or ambiance, but the takeout came with every condiment, silverware, rolls, and garnish, and everything was hot, and boxed appealingly. It was clear that everything was home made, nothing overly fancy, just comfort food. Value for money was excellent as well, I received much more than I could eat. Wish I lived in the area so I could eat here regularly! read more

Traveled to the neighborhood from the South Hills to get an urgently needed camera part. Who knew one of the only Camera stores in Pittsburgh were in Deutschtown? Found this place on Yelp and had to check it out. Now to the restaurant. We arrived mid-afternoon and the place was understandably quiet. The sat at the bar and were greeted by a friendly bartender. The place was great inside, very historic-looking. We had a few German Oktoberfest beers and shared a soup. I was torn between getting something German (love German food but you can't find it everywhere), but I decided to go with the Pittsburgh-style fish sandwich (I live in Atlanta and you can't get a big fish sandwich anywhere). The fish sandwich was just what I needed. My wife got the turkey sandwich and potato pancakes which was also great. Definitely recommend! read more

I was not a fan of the food at all. Everything was very bland and the red cabbage tasted like pure vinegar. The schnitzel was dry. It's also overpriced for what you get. I would not recommend this place. read more

I fear that the best days for this restaurant are in the past. The food was overly steeped with a vinegar taste. The cole slaw was inedible. Disappointing as we were looking forward to a tasty classic German dinner. Our server was very nice though. read more

Fantastic food and place! Not many holes like this anymore. The menu was huge and extremely reasonable prices. Great authentic German food but something for everyone! We loved it. read more

Our first stop in Pittsburgh, what a great start! Had a couple of yuenglings, a warm, salty yummy soft pretzel and a big ole plate of German goodness in da tummy! The Peasant Platter had knock wurst, weisswurst and a pork chop on top of heap of sauerkraut...with potato pancakes, spaetzel and a basket of baked breads! So.much.food. And oh soooo good! The bar is cool, staff is really nice and I believe they offer their patrons a free ride to and from on game days! read more

Max's Allegheny Tavern - Peasant platter...more like feed a village platter!!! - German Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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I decided to treat myself to some authentic German food for lunch today. I recently spent a few weeks in Germany and after being there, I feel I can vouch that Max's is the real deal when it comes to German cuisine. The interior has the look and feel of what comes to mind when thinking of a European pub. The staff is warm and courteous and the service is top notch. I got waited on promptly and lunch was in front of me within ten minutes of my ordering it. My meal today consisted of one of the items on the "February Specials" list. It was breaded veal on a plate smothered in a brown mushroom gravy (think Jäger Schnitzel and substitute veal for pork) with Hot German Potato Salad, Sauerkraut and some homemade rolls. Delicious! My only disappointment was that I came here for lunch on a work day and couldn't include one of the German imports thas was on tap. They have (notably) Hacker-Pschorr Weisse, Hacker-Pschorr Munich Gold, Köstritzer Schwarzbier, Warsteiner Pils. There's also Yuengling Lager and Iron City products available on tap, but common, drinking a domestic while enjoying schnitzel or wurst simply makes no sense to me. We're lucky to have such a fine German establishment in our city. Genießen Sie das Essen! read more

Max's Allegheny Tavern - Breaded veal and gravy with sourkraught and hot German potato salad - German Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Definitely my favorite German restaurant, this place brings back memories.... *sigh*. It's a long-time North Side staple, and the atmosphere has a "well worn" appeal with old pictures of the local Germanic community and of the area. This place has it's own personality! As for the food... well, you can't find much better German food than this and at this price! Both of my parents favor the peasant platter. 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). I will always associate Max's with the best, most flavorful German food at an affordable price! read more

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Eh? This is supposed to be this traditionalist blast from the past, but the food is all so low quality, that it's a past I'm just Not into. All of the German classics were present, and this could be such a wonderful cultural experience in this place that's been here forever, but it's all just a gimmick. The meats were all very low grade and potato pancakes lack any flavor. Just greasy pods. 8 different dishes and nothing was great. I'd say dip in here and have a small sampling of the sides and enjoy the antique atmosphere that way. Don't waste $$ on a meal. read more

Best German food in the Burgh. Hands down. In the heart of Deutschtown, Pittsburgh's historically German/Austrian enclave, this is real German cuisine- heavy, delicious and traditional. The schnitzels are amazing, and the brats are pretty good. Max's is far and away better than the breweries or chain theme restaurants. The place is quiet , to be sure. If you're looking for dancers in lederhosen and want to sing drinking songs, go elsewhere. This place is all about the food. And it is worth a trip. read more

I've been here once because this was an easy place to meet for dinner with a friend. I enjoyed eating here well enough. I'm honestly not a die-hard fan of German food, although I guess that wouldn't have mattered: a peak at the menu beforehand revealed that this place's menu is mostly Americanized - proof of this is the fact that my salad was topped with French fries (only in Pittsburgh...). Trust me, even if you don't really like German food, there'll at least be a sandwich you'll like here. Thinking about my usual "overall" summary, I have to say this place wasn't bad and served as a reasonable place to meet - the beer menu looked nice from what I saw and the atmosphere was pretty cozy and even nostalgic and homely - but man, the dining options really weren't that extraordinary. I'm still torn as to how to feel about its menu, because on the one hand obviously it being Americanized meant even I could find something to enjoy, but on the other I feel bad for the people who do like German food and may not be getting what they hope for. It wasn't bad enough that I'd say don't try it and see - just understand it may not be exactly what you expect. read 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. read more

Max's Allegheny Tavern - Selection of buffet desserts - German Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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. read more

Max's Allegheny Tavern - Roasted pork loin, with German potato salad and sauerkraut. - German Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

This was a treat--I was not aware of any other popular places for German food around other than Hofbrauhaus, and I definitely did not expect the cozy interior from the divey bar appearance on the outside. Coming in late on a weeknight, there were barely any other customers, but they graciously took us in and provided us with great service the entire time. The menu is cute with a historical newspaper replication on the outside, which was great for learning about this place and its origins. The menu is quite large, but thankfully there are sampler options which allow for trying multiple options at once. Seeing as most also come with two sides, this made for a very big meal. The sausages were fantastic and flavorful, as were the schnitzels, which were perfectly seasoned and very tender. The one topped with the runny egg and anchovies was especially memorable and is convincing enough to just get that by itself next time. Some favorite sides included the spatzle, which was soft and chewy, and of course the potato pancakes. Definitely would return to try more again next time. read more

Max's Allegheny Tavern - Sampler platter with sauerbraten, schnitzel ala Holstein, and Count Esterhazy schnitzel - German Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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I work on the North Shore and have heard many coworkers rave about Max's. When I finally tried it, I wish I had not waited so long. Entering Max's is like going into your grandmother's living room. 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. Everything from multiple varieties of schnitzels, sausages, chickens and a sampler platter that lets you choose a combination of all of the above. All of the items we tried were full of flavor and served at the perfect temperature. Speaking of being full, the food is very rich so you will leave with a full stomach. They have a good selection of beers and even offer a sampler option. The dessert selection looked delicious, but we were beyond stuffed so will have to savor them on a future visit. I can't wait to go back! read more

I love this place. After a night a partying there's nothing better than getting some great German food at Max's. The bratwurst is fantastic, the coffee is delicious, and the strudel is to die for. Now every time I go to Pittsburgh, I'm coming here. read more

Max's Allegheny Tavern - Apple strudel - German Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Oh my! This is an outstanding German bar/restaurant. For a starter go with the cheese & sausage plate - the mustard that comes with it is fantastic. For an entree, the Reubens are popular and very good; I went with the sample and absolutely love the Jagerschnitzel and Wiener Schnitzel with the peas on top (can't remember the name). Solid kraut and delicious spätzle that practically melts in your mouth. I would have liked to see a few more German beers on tap, but with Spaten Octoberfest you really can't go wrong. read more

This place was recommended by the nurses at a nearby hospital. All of the beer and food was delicious. The server was very friendly. Fun ambiance with a full bar and some booths and tables. Traditional German fare done right! read more

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The dining area felt like I was transported into the 1940's, complete with decor that probably dates to that time period. The hosts and servers looked like they've worked there for years, and were genuinely knowledgeable about the cuisine. Even the prices were what I'd consider competitive 20 years ago, as a family of six only ran up a bill of $100. The only complaint I have is the food itself, which was largely hit and miss. The German potato salad was awful, and the kielbasa was undercooked. The rest of the meal was fine, but nothing mind blowing. Give it a try if you're really into German food and like a fun atmosphere. read more

Max's Allegheny Tavern - German Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

When I travel, I seek out German Restaurants. However based on my recent experience at this restaurant, I would definitely pass. If you are looking for authentic German cuisine and not just a sour dinner, look elsewhere. read more

A friend and I were visiting Pittsburgh and decided to eat dinner here. The service was respectable, as our server was attentive and told us the prep times of various appetizers so that food and appetizers wouldn't come out at the same time. The food was another story. Everything was incredibly bland. The sauces had no flavor. The vegetables had no seasoning, and tasted freezer-burned. The spaetzle wasn't cooked with any butter, parsley, pepper, cheese, or anything. They were just tiny lumps of flour noodle. Nothing we ate was particularly interesting or tasty. It was just kind of there on the plate. If this were $9 at a diner, it would be fine. But $18 is absurd to charge for these dishes. read more

We really liked this place. Old school tavern, German cuisine. We had the potato crusted cod and a keilbasa Ruben on potato pancakes. Both were delicious. We started with fried provolone which was really good. I also tried the Einlauf soup which is flour dumplings in chicken broth. I tried this because my Dad used to make it. It tasted just like my Dad's, bland. I enjoyed it because it reminded me of my Dad, I won't get it again. I am looking forward to going back to get the grilled pastrami on rye and Weiner schnitzel. Great service too. read more

We Visited Max's Allegheny Tavern while in Pittsburgh with friends a couple of weeks ago. It's a lively, friendly neighborhood spot. Before sitting down in the one of the homey dining rooms we hung out in the bar area to check out the beer offerings and partake of free and abundant popcorn. I also got a chance to observe the steady flow of regulars stopping by to chat and drink in a spot that was clearly almost a second home to many of them. The bartender was a real pro, and by the time we moved on to our table I felt like I'd known him for years. Dinner was the way dinner with a group of friends is supposed to be -- fun and unhurried. We ordered a round of appetizers and were able to spend time chatting without being rushed to order. The food was classic American German fare, and I have to say I liked it a lot, even if things seemed to be a bit heavy on the salt (does anyone go to a German spot looking for low sodium offerings?). The consensus was that the entrees were good but not great, with some not as warm as they should have been. Serving sizes were generous: by the time we finished the entrees no one around the table had enough capacity left to sample a dessert. My verdict: Probably not the place to go if you're looking for gourmet cuisine. But if you are in downtown Pittsburgh and seeking a place to have a good meal and a few beers with friends in a friendly spot, this is the place to go. read more

I stopped by here with my wife and another couple for their Sunday brunch buffet. Having never been here but hearing so much about this place I was eager to check it out. I enjoy the area it is in even if it's not the greatest part of town. Parking on street was fairly easy to find right around the corner. The inside was rather neat having that rustic/historic look to it. The menu has a history of the building written inside which is fascinating to read about. The food itself was OK. I loved the red cabbage as it had a healthy amount of sweetness to it. I also enjoyed the make your own omelet bar as that is one of my favorite brunch items! The other food ended up just being average at best. There were some pasta and sausage combinations as well as bacon and fruit. The fruit didn't look too great and I avoided that and the baked goods which sounded underwhelming. Overall a neat experience to dine here. I wouldn't be opposed to coming back and trying out a regular weeknight dinner menu. I like the history part of the building and I think the historical decoration concept inside is neat. read more

Just stopped by for a few cold ones. This place is great. A ton of atmosphere. I wish I could write a full review but that will have to wait until I go back to eat. And I will definitely be back to eat here. The bartender was nice and the beer was cold, what more could you want? I did look over the menu and can't wait to go back. So until I do this it for now. read more

Max's Allegheny Tavern - Max's Allegheny Tavern - German Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Really excellent German food. Everything on the menu is delicious. I always enjoy the knockwurst platter. The potato pancakes are great. I used to think German food was always heavy, however when it's cooked well, the way Max's serves it, it's light, tender and delicious. read more

Sunday brunch is such a great deal and so filling. Some people don't like the potato pancakes but to me they're fab. Highly recommend.

Delicious German fare. We chose the sampler platter. There was so much food at a great price.

If you love authentic German food, you'll want to discover this hidden treasure in the North Side Deutschtown neighborhood. This is a real yinzer favorite (for the uninitiated I will translate from Pittsburghese- a yinzer is a Pittsburgh native). It is a historic tavern and restaurant that has been here seemingly forever with the best German food in town. Come hungry and you'll leave stuffed. The generous portions are very reasonably priced and delicious. You may want to skip the appetizer because they will bring you a bread basket of fresh rolls with apple butter spread and sauerkraut. That's right, sauerkraut. Put in on your roll and enjoy. (Don't judge unless you try it.). The draft beer selection is good, with a nice variety of German or American specialty beers. I started with Kostrizter Swabler, a smooth deep dark caramel colored lager - delicious. I struggled with what entree to order, so the waitress suggested the sampler platter. Good call! You can pick one item from each of 3 columns along with 2 sides. I selected the Jager schnitzel, Schnitzel ALA Holstein, and Schnitzel Liechtenstein. (See my menu photos for descriptions). I was most intrigued by the ALA Holstein, veal cutlet covered with a fried egg, anchovies and capers. This is a taste sensation that is not for the faint of heart. While it was excellent I'm glad I didn't get a full size portion, the sampler was sufficient. I would recommend it. Next I moved on to the Liechtenstein. Veal cutlet, ham, cheese, and green olives. A very nice combination, delicious. Finally, the Jager. This was my least favorite- thin sliced veal covered in mushroom sauce. The veal was rather dry, and the mustard sauce was okay but I think was sauerbraten sauce- sour. For sides I got the red cabbage (delicious) and spatzel with sauce (there's that sauerbraten sauce again). Next time I'll skip the sauce and just go with the butter. There are several other sides to chose from too. Ii didn't really save room for desert, but elected to get a nice strudel to take home. A scoop of vanilla ice cream topping wasn't going to travel well for the 1/2 hour ride home, so the waitress was kind enough to bring me a dish to eat it there. So if you love German food, or want to try it, it doesn't get any better than Max's. Enjoy! read more

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. 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. Weiner Schnitzel. Sausage Platter(Brat, Knack, Weiss) Potato Pancake. Potato Salad. Sauerkraut. Applesauce. Sweet/Sour Cabbage. 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 read more

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Max's is such a unique restaurant! Serving great German cuisine, some of my favorite items on the menu include the Sauerbraten and the schnitzel. There are a variety of imported German beers on tap, all of which are very good. The staff is always friendly. read more

Overall authentic quality food with great service! If you just want to go in for a quick lunch or dinner you can get a sandwich for $8 or if you want a full German dinner or you can get one of their excellent traditional plates loaded with food for around $14-$20 Huge menu with great options and they make one heck of a burger to! read more

The old arcade game was excellent and only a few quarters to play. Drinks nice enough . Bartenders were really nice. NIce enough place. read more

Max's Allegheny Tavern - Packing man - German Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Four different tastes of beer! Foods and services were all good!! Try a sampler dish - all good for 2 people to share - and order dessert! read more

Max's Allegheny Tavern - Beer sampler - German Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania