Montrose's New Hangout
Comfort food rock star chef is ready to open his new Montrose restaurant — and it's late-night friendly
Max's Wine Dive, the restaurant known for having the ingenuity to combine fried chicken and champagne, will open its second Houston location in Montrose on Jan. 28. As CultureMap was first to report last March, the new location sits at the corner of Fairview and Taft, next to Cuchara.
At 2,400 square feet, the new Max's may seem small, but is actually 400 square feet larger than the Washington Ave original. That's good for another 20 seats, bringing the total to 100 inside with another 20 or so on the adjacent patio.
One thing that will be the same at both locations is the presence of Michael Pellegrino as the location's executive chef. The company had initially planned for Max's Montrose to have a new face helming the kitchen, but a representative tells CultureMap that Pellegrino is a "gourmet-comfort food rock star" who's capable of handling the additional load.
One thing that should help Max's make those new friends are the restaurant's signature late night hours.
Half of the Montrose location's menu will be unique. While the dishes aren't finalized, they will include duck confit pies, clam chowder fondue and chicken and sriracha dumplings. Of course, the restaurant's signature burger, fried chicken and egg sandwich are the same at all six locations across Texas.
"This is an exciting time for me, as well as for the Max's brand,” Pellegrino said in a statement. “I am thrilled to be given this creative opportunity to showcase additional menu items. We’re looking forward to rocking it in Montrose.”
Inside, the space has been decorated with local artwork, a half-wall that divides the bar and dining area and a vintage jukebox.
"Max's Wine Dive is a great fit for the Montrose area and we are excited to showcase a brand new 'right side' of the menu and a beautiful new space," CEO and founder Jerry Lasco said in a statement. "We are thankful to our guests, patrons and the new friends we’ll be making as we grow into this dynamic community."
One thing that should help Max's make those new friends are the restaurant's signature late night hours. With the wide array of bars in the area, the restaurant's closing time of 12 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday will definitely be a draw. As will the too-rarely seen Friday and Saturday brunches.
There can never be enough brunch options.