Reassuringly, a handwritten sign in the window on this reviewer’s first visit read “Yes, we’re open.” The front wall of the building is covered in a few different types of brick, the whole thing about as wide as a two car garage, maybe. A single window in the middle of the exterior wall lets in precious little light but when the weather allows, the door is left open to let a few extra rays trickle in. The bar is cash only, a large ATM Inside sign over the front door a clear giveaway. The neighborhood block that surrounds Max’s Place is relatively quiet by Chicago standards, a sushi bar next door and a few other businesses resulting in ample parking out front.
The space inside is pure dive bar. Not a kitschy explosion of beer signs or a Prohibition-era speakeasy, but an honest Chicago dive bar that consist of a bar, a few stools and not a whole lot else. Thanks to its Sheridan Park location, the bar is LGBTQ+ friendly, marked by the pride flag affixed to the back of the space. The amenities here are simple, an electronic dart board, a CD-based jukebox, a pay phone (I didn’t test it) and alcohol. Specials are posted around the single room dive, most related to deals on buckets of domestic beers.
Light wood paneling creeps halfway up the walls throughout Max’s Place, the floor below it either replaced or refinished. The long bar takes up the majority of the room, a large wooden shelf behind it that combines a traditional bar back with dining room hutch vibes. Inside, a complete mish mash of glassware can be seen, much of it branded Cubs, a collection that expands into coffee mugs in different sizes. Many Chicago dive bars are labeled as ‘shot and a beer’ dives but it’s hard to argue with that distinction for Max's Place, few liquor bottles readily apparent but a board with the bar's shot specials prominently displayed.
