Always look forward to an evening out here, have eaten almost everything on the menu over the years…read moreand never have been disappointed.

Max's Lakeside | Lake Rabun, GA…read more Some restaurants serve food. Some serve memories. Max's serves a little of both. Pulling in, you'll find a few parking spaces out front and a modest lot behind the building. Nothing fancy, but enough to get the job done. The restaurant has that classic Lake Rabun lodge feel with warm wood, a covered porch, string lights, and the kind of atmosphere that immediately encourages you to slow your pace. Around here, nobody seems to be in a hurry... and that's exactly the point. One of my favorite discoveries happened before we were even seated. I asked about the unique hostess stand and learned it isn't made to look like an old boat... It actually is one. The desk was built from the founder's real boat, the Whip-R-Will III. The original photograph sits beside it like an old family album. It's little touches like this that give a restaurant personality instead of just an address. Our server, Emily, was outstanding. Friendly, funny, confident, and genuinely engaging. We joked from the moment we sat down. When she told me the trout was locally sourced but couldn't remember the name of the supplier, I asked, "Was it called...a river?" She laughed, rolled her eyes just enough, and informed me I was being silly. Fair enough. Emily knew the menu well, her recommendations were thoughtful, and she made the experience feel relaxed instead of rehearsed. During our conversation she casually mentioned she had just graduated nursing school. Congratulations, Emily! As a fellow nurse, welcome to one of the greatest professions you'll ever love... and occasionally question around 3:00 a.m. While chatting with Jessica, the manager, I mentioned something I'd noticed throughout Rabun County. So many local businesses seem to hire young people. Jessica smiled and explained that's simply part of the community's culture. Businesses here believe in giving local kids an opportunity to work and earn money. Emily herself came highly recommended by a longtime local customer after working at another nearby restaurant. I love hearing stories like that. You can't manufacture community. Either you have it or you don't. Now... The food. Being an avid angler from Florida, there was absolutely no way I was leaving the North Georgia mountains without ordering the locally sourced trout. If you're surrounded by mountain streams and still order frozen fish from somewhere else, you deserve to have your fishing license temporarily suspended. I wanted this dish to be spectacular. Unfortunately, it never quite found second gear. Presentation was beautiful, but both my wife and I agreed the trout landed around a 5/10. The fish was moist, so it wasn't overcooked, but the skin lacked that crispy finish I was hoping for. The seasoning was too restrained, and there was a slight gamey flavor that surprised both of us. Considering how proudly the trout is recommended, I expected cleaner, brighter flavors. The rest of the table had a better experience... mostly. My wife, daughter, and granddaughter all ordered the Shrimp Scampi. The presentation was excellent. The shrimp were cooked properly and the garlic butter sauce was light instead of swimming in grease. Unfortunately, everyone agreed it needed more seasoning. My daughter's complete review consisted of exactly four words: "Olive Garden is better." Sometimes the shortest Yelp reviews hit the hardest. My brother ordered the Meatball Hoagie, and that thing disappeared faster than free samples at Sam's Club on a Saturday afternoon. He described the meatballs as tender, flavorful, and generously sauced without turning the roll into edible papier-mâché. The fries were crisp, hot, and exactly what you'd hope for. If I come back, I have a feeling I'll be following my brother's lead instead of chasing trout. My grandson ordered the cheese pizza and left behind little evidence that it had ever existed. Kids don't care about locally sourced ingredients, chef philosophies, or handcrafted sauces. They ask one simple question: "Is it good?" Judging by the empty plate, the answer was yes. Walking out, I realized something. The best part of Max's wasn't necessarily the trout or the pasta. It was the people. The history behind the building. The old boat greeting guests at the front door. The conversations. The fact that a manager takes pride in hiring local young people. The fact that a newly graduated nurse is serving tables with a smile while beginning the next chapter of her life. Restaurants can copy recipes. They can renovate dining rooms. They can redesign menus. What they can't fake is character. Max's has plenty of it. Billy's Final Cast Food: 6.5/10 People: 10/10 Atmosphere: 9.5/10 Value: 8.5/10 Photo Worthy: Worth the Cast? Absolutely. Not because I found the best trout I've ever eaten... ...but because I found another great story. And sometimes that's the best catch of the day.

Excellent dinner at the Grill last Friday! I had seared tuna - perfect - with crispy Brussels…read moresprouts- amazing with bacon jam on crème fraiche. Hubby ordered the flavorful and delicate large rack. Dinner was a great value, beautiful lake view. Had eaten there a few times prior but were never blown away. This time they prepared top notch plates!

Beautiful setting. Great food. Excellent service. Anxiously wait for them to reopen every spring.read more

Didn't like the fact we requested a both and multiple were available this is not 1950 I will not…read moresit in the back of any restaurant

We moved from a foody city, Charleston, SC to Hayesville NC a year ago. Decided to try your…read morerestaurant last night. We were immediately greeted and sat in a booth. Our waitress, Alecia, was very attentive. However, this is where the positives stop. Maybe we made the wrong choice for an entree. Ordered 2 country fried steaks, okra, green beans, collards, cole slaw. Our waitress warned us a table of 20 had just ordered, so it might be a while. Our food came out at an acceptable time frame, but it was all cold. The steak was extremely thin, topped in cold, white gravy. The green beans and collards were obviously out of a can, with a little "sprucing" up with bacon bits. Cole slaw was ok. The price of these entrees did not reflect the quality of the food...very cafeteria-like and tasteless. Not at all what we were hoping for. We may come back, but only for dessert!

Historic and warm hotel in the woods near the lake - what more could you ask for? We spent the day…read moreon Lake Burton and stayed at the hotel one night and very much enjoyed the stay. We had dinner at the hotel and it was excellent! We sat out on the covered deck and it was a beautiful night. I had the pork chop and my wife had the chicken, both dishes were fantastic. We split a cherry cobbler for dessert and it was quite marginal. They have a nice wine menu here as well. Service was on-point and we are looking forward to a return visit!

Very enjoyable! Worth the $. Our waitress Jasmine was lovely as was the rest of the staff. Looking…read moreforward to going back.

I've been coming here with my family since 2004, last time was 2023. I'm really disappointed! The…read morefood was BLAND! NO taste what so ever! No salt on the food even the grits had no taste! Time to change the family tradition of comimg to the Old Mill when in Pigeon Forge. Service and.ambience where good.

absolutely amazing service, our server ERIN( by all means I couldn't have asked for a better…read moreserver) her service was on point and was consistently at the table if we needed something, she had it ready. 100/10 experience we enjoyed our food and loved the service. The ambiance was nice because they're wasn't many people at night.

Very cool dockside restaurant on lake Lanier. We were at a conference and decided to stop be here…read moreand grab lunch. It's a little tricky to find, but there's someone as the booth that can help direct you. The views are lovely! And the food was great. Typical dock side options, such as fish sandwiches, burgers, and fries. The staff is kind and I love the different types of covered outdoor seating. Everything was reasonably priced

It pains me to write this, but the food has taken a drastic nose dive. Portions have shrunk and the…read moreoverall level of food quality has dropped significantly. Still love the atmosphere and the wait staff and will continue to visit since it's a great overall bar, but they have to do something about the kitchen. Son ordered a shrimp po-boy. 5 total shrimp on there. When you used to order fries, they covered the plate, now it's a small basket. Chicken sandwich was dry and bland. Do better... To be clear, this has been the case for the last several visits. Was hoping each time it was a fluke.

i tried this place on a whim with my boyfriend. upon our arrival, we saw that they were PACKED. and…read morethat is for good reason!! we waited about 30 minutes before getting seated. the hostess and our waitress were both really kind, very attentive. my boyfriend ordered the chicken & churros waffle, YES it is as good as it sounds. topped with guava butter this was actual perfection!! i had the pork belly benedict which was also reallyyy good. SO much flavor, but if you're like me and can't handle too much during breakfast i don't recommend ordering it bc it's A LOT of food lol i couldn't finish. it's huge pieces of pork belly with eggs on top of cornbread cake and served with potato wedges!! tbh SOOO cheap for all that you get. normal eggs benedict elsewhere are about the same with so much less food. we also tried their specialty whipped coffee which was okay, i think i expected more since it's one of their most popular items but it's worth trying for sure. the restaurant is basically a house so it feels really cozy and is a super cute spot for a brunch date. i would feel overwhelmed bringing a big group of people here but they have a lot of outside seating too! overall such a great brunch place, definitely made it to one of my top favorites :)

What a cool brunch spot! We were coming from out of town and came here with some friends. Such a…read morecozy place to enjoy brunch with friends and family. We were craving chicken and waffles, and they did not disappoint! The chicken was juicy and flavorful, and the waffle was perfectly fluffy. Such a good combo! And the coffee was on the sweeter side, but SO good. I couldn't stop drinking it! Our server was great and very attentive, which made the experience even better. Definitely would come back when we're back in Atlanta!

On a beautiful early summer day with warm sunshine and gentle breezes, it was a pleasure to sit at…read moreone of the outside patio tables, overlooking the colorful flower garden and the lazy river -with food and service that lived up to this restaurant's positive reputation and its 5 star reviews. Food: 5/5 We decided to try a leisurely lunch. The menu is not large, but it has enough variety to be interesting. Everything we tried was delicious. The smoked salmon appetizer portion was large, but the best part was the great flavor. I can see why this choice has been on the menu for years. The Vidalia onion soup will be a surprise for the non-Georgians who expect it to be similar to a savory beef broth like French onion soup. Georgia's onions from the Vidalia area are sweet and tasty enough to carry the soup without the help of a meat broth and the green pesto sauce offers a nice additional touch. The salmon on fresh salad was done perfectly. The panka-crusted cod with mashed potatoes and spinach was outstanding. Both were seasoned so lightly that the true flavors shone through. The portions were generous enough that dessert at the time would have been too much, but others can do as we did and take home one of the dessert choices. Next time we plan to try their sandwiches which looked yummy at other tables. Service : 5/5 Service was excellent from the pleasant greeting, through the entire meal. Our server, Clayton, couldn't have been more helpful with the menu, as well as being very efficient and amiable. He made sure our food was served promptly and our beverages glasses were full, and our requests were met quickly. Facility: The facility lends itself to the riverside experience from the canoe in the entryway ceiling to the flowers and bird feeders just beyond the patio tables. The white tablecloth ambiance informs you that this isn't a fast-food experience. There are tents set aside in a more private are of the garden as a lovely venue for special events Location : This isn't a quick roadside stop next to a 6-lane highway. Even though the restaurant is convenient to dine in an Atlanta suburb, the roads to the restaurant wind and meander for a short distance through one of the prettiest neighborhoods, with a canopy of large old trees, with lovely fences, hedges, and gates lining the road. There is courteous valet parking at the front door. The restaurant is not inexpensive but it is well worth the prices paid, in our opinion.

After trying twice to order takeout I have been unsuccessful. Depending on the night they…read morearbitrarily decide whether they will take takeout orders. I'd understand if they stated it online or somewhere but they decide each evening whether or not they will take any takeout orders and then only way to find out is by calling. This is incredibly frustrating because you can't plan or count on being able to get food from there and with a menu as expensive as theirs that's just unacceptable, in my opinion. My impression is that they are stuck in the 1980s around when they opened and don't want to update the experience. Hence their post strict dress code and arbitrary takeout policy.

If you haven't been to The Mad Italian, you're missing out. We had the cheesesteak sub, spaghetti,…read morecheesy bread, and the sweet Thai wings, and every bite was phenomenal. The cheesesteak was loaded with perfectly seasoned meat, the spaghetti was rich and flavorful, the cheesy bread was hot, buttery, and cheesy, and the sweet Thai wings were absolutely incredible--the perfect balance of sweet with just enough kick. The portions were generous, everything came out fresh and hot, and you can tell they take pride in the food they serve. It's not often that every single item on the table exceeds expectations, but The Mad Italian absolutely delivered. We'll definitely be back. Five stars!

My Philly-area born husband definitely votes for The Mad Italian as having the best cheesesteak in…read moreAtlanta! They also have a great gluten free pizza crust. The "Ghost" white pizza with spinach was delicious. Despite the crowds on a Saturday, our server was friendly and efficient. The restaurant has a very casual atmosphere with a large area with tabletops near the bar.

Very nice experience. In the area and wanted pizza. Ordered a 10" deep dish pepperoni pizza, which…read moredid arrive quicker than expected. The pizza was very good unfortunately could not taste the pepperoni over all the cheese and sauce. There was plenty of pepperoni however probably not the best topping to order with the deep dish pizza. Service was good and liked the Smithwicks Red Ale I ordered with it. I ate half the pizza for lunch and the other half for dinner, good both times. I did attach a picture of the pizza. If in the area again, I would go back.

This is the first review I've ever written. We've ordered out here pretty often over the years…read more More times than not, our order has been wrong: missing a side, wrong entree, missing or wrong sauce, you name it - it's been missed. Todd, the manager, scoffed when I told him how many times our order has been wrong over the years. I don't recommend this location, the management, the to-go staff. Always check your order/food, especially if you're getting it to-go and like to tip.