Cancel

Open app

Search

Max Brenner New York

3.7 (5.3k reviews)
Closed 10:00 am - 11:00 pm
Updated 2 weeks ago

Order Max Brenner New York Takeout or Delivery

Max Brenner New York Photos

Business Info

MAX BRENNER NEW YORK ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Classy
Casual
Good for groups

You might also consider

Recommended Reviews - Max Brenner New York

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

Brenner Burger
Alejandra I.

Worth the hype! The food is sooo rich and every bite tastes better and better. The food is very buttery but it makes it taste great! The dessert was on a next level though. The chocolate from the churros was so creamy and yummy. The place was not too full and not extremely noisy either. The waiter was definitely attentive and very sweet. Definitely want to return next time I'm in NYC

Chocolate Martini and Espresso Martini.
Tami K.

We went for drinks and will definitely come again when we visit New York. The chocolate martini is so good. We also has the espresso martini. I wished the one in Las Vegas was still there so I could try the food.

Drinks
Virginia P.

Ambiance at Max Brenner Restaurant was ranch style rustic and ruff with wood beams on the ceiling, wood tables and chairs. It reminds me of camp. The classic cheese burger & the waffle fries were good & basic (stingy on fries - more fries please) The 3 Shrimp tacos were good (was more like an appetizer than a entree) , the Southwestern Cesar salad with chicken was fulfilling & the Lemon herb chicken with mashed potatoes was a nice entree. The Dessert was a chocolate crepe it okay nothing to brag about & The "Homemade churros" was hard, not chewy or soft, it came with chocolate, caramel & strawberry sauce, I wasn't impressed. The place is huge on the inside & seems to be a popular place based on the crowd when I was there, went after our play at Daryl Theater. Our server was perfect. I'd recommend this place if you're not looking for elegant dining.

Bar area
Stephanie G.

Great dessert spot, and it does get crowded. Luckily, they take reservations which is a good idea to get. Also, it's a pretty extensive menu from regular entrees to an array of desserts. After we had a big meal, we opted to just try a couple of the drinks instead of a full dessert and went hot and cold. The peanut butter hot chocolate was rich and creamy and came in a "hug mug" cup which was handleless but still held a lot of drink in it. We also go the chocolate hazelnut hot chocolate which was really a knockout. It was tall and sweet with a very strong hazelnut flavor with the shavings on top. There are a lot of options so everyone can get what they want. Even though it was crowded, the service was responsive. There is a small gift shop in front, and we wanted to get a gift box, and the associate there was very helpful even though she was multitasking as hostess. The items are a little expensive, but they are high quality, and both the drinks we had were worth it to indulge in a sweet treat.

Menu
Cat C.

After spending the day in the city, we were decided to head here for dinner and dessert. It's been a while since we were last here. Retail store in the front. They have updated and expanded their menu since we were last there. Street parking only. We started off with a chocolate shake and then shared a pizza and panini. Better than I expected. We ended the evening sharing Max Famous Chocolate Mess Party which was decadent! If you are chocolate fiends like our family, you can't go wrong coming here at least for dessert. Service was friendly and attentive.

Grace A.

Truthfully, the first time I walked into Max Brenner, I was confused and couldn't process what kind of establishment it was because of how huge and multifaceted the restaurant looks. I was in NY for one of the first times in my adult life and I think I literally walked in and asked the hostess what the place was. She was really nice about telling me it is a restaurant and didn't make my confused New Jerseyan self feel bad. For context, I believe there is a bar area, a dining room, however the decor was beautiful and caught me off guard. I had a solo dinner here on a day that I was exhausted from work and wanted a pick me up dinner. My server, Ian, was very patient with my menu indecisiveness and how long it took me to order, which I very much appreciated, and his suggestions were on point. I feasted with my eyes first, then my phone camera, then I devoured the waffles. I'd been craving brunch and brunch for dinner helped my sour day turn sweet. When I was a kid, my cousin who lives abroad visited for a business trip and had large plastic syringe shaped chocolates. Super cool, and ever since then I told myself, "When I grow up I want to go here!" and that I finally did, and it definitely lived up to my expectations. I have a family history of diabetes and I am a competitive weight lifter, so I don't indulge in sweets often, but every time I have a hard day in the office I think about coming here. I will be back soon, and please give Ian a raise and bonus!

Baked Cookie Dream
Tasnim C.

Went to Max Brenner for dessert but was amazed by their dinner instead. My cousins and I all got an assortment of items for dinner and dessert, but everyone agreed that the spicy vodka pasta was the star of the show. It was so flavorful and a really big portion! Two of us were able to share it. I got the baked cookie dream for dessert to share, which was a little disappointing. But honestly, that pasta made up for everything.

$230 for party of 5 adults eating dessert
Liu H.

As a kid, I loved coming to Max Brenner for birthday and graduation celebrations. It was a family occasions near Union Square. I think my 15th birthday was spent here. Over the last couple of years, it feels like it's just been going downwards. Prices have gone up, staff cut, menu's stagnant, business suffered. When we arrived at 6pm on Friday- it was crickets. The restaurant we once known is no longer there. Only one customer was sitting at the bar the entire time we dined. No bartenders were in sight and the gift section was closed. I remember saying to the waitress how quiet it was for a Friday night. She then whispered back, "Shhhh....Don't jinx it!". Indeed, maybe I've jixed it. The whole evening we were there, the business was bad. This led me to want to point out a couple of things (these are the things I have noticed as a long time New Yorker who has been to Max Brenner numerous time). Number 1. Every one is upset and not happy about high inflations. But for Max Brenner, you don't have to increase your prices to adopt to the current "economy". If you want to have regular customers, adopt and make it comfortable for your customers. Make your menu a little more affordable. I remember a waffle with topping used to cost $12-$14. Today it is double that, and we are talking about waffles with some toppings. If you go a little deeper in your food analysis, the cost of your ingredients aren't expensive. It's 90% flour, sugar, chocolate and some fruits (with the exception of eggs that have went up in price). Your basis operations ingredients are cheap. These is no reason to increase your signature dishes as if people are doing fine dining at your restaurant. Decrease your food price, increase in quantity. Number 2. People are no longer drinking like how they used to. For a cup of a specialty alcoholic drink we order, it was $17. $17 for an alcoholic drink that wasn't serve in a nice glass. It was disappointing. Max Brenner - your specialty is not in alcoholic drinks, either you limit or update your alcoholic options. Otherwise, it would be a waste of your alcoholic license. I also suggest that you price your milkshakes at around $6-$8. Classic fondue $25 max. Sides like addition banana max $2, not $3.5 for a half of a banana - to me that's ridiculous. Number 3. Expand your breakfast menu beyond 4pm. Your current menu has a few savory items for lunch and dinner. It is not diversified enough for the afternoon and evening crews. I understand that dessert is Max Brenner's specialty, but with the way the restaurant industry is going, you'll have to adjust to accommodate. Number 4. Use your space wisely. This location is big, expand to use the bar section as an in house kitchen. Come up with creative combo breakfast deals. Make it dinning friendly. Put more of your gift sets out. Number 5. Clean your space!! Not sure what the hygiene is like in the back end at the kitchen but the bathroom and the space seem dirtier than usual. If the restaurant is already feeling dirty when it's quiet, imagine when it gets crowded? I know the rent at this location must but high but without adjusting your pricing and increase the quantity of your customer basis, I just feel that it would be hard for me to return as a regular customer.

Abram R.

February 19, 2026, decided to go to restaurant after attending and covering the Winter Film Festival with some of my colleagues. The food and service were excellent. The manager came over a number of times to make sure all was going well. I have known the evening manager for many years, his professionalism and kindness as well as his staff is why I always come back when in the area. Thank you all! We had a number of dishes too and all taste delicious. The business continues to be remodeled.

Belgian Waffle Dubai Toppings
Jolie S.

Max Brenner is one of those places that I always wanted to try just for the novelty of it, but never got around to it. That is, until February of this year! We visited for a family member's birthday, and I have to say, considering the size of our group (8,) our server was attentive, and super calm and helpful. I chose the single Belgian Waffle Dubai option, and it was crisp, yet soft in the middle, which I love! I'm so glad I got the toppings on the side, so I could control some of the sweetness level of my dish (the toppings were SUPER sweet.) My husband ordered a Spicy Rigatoni Vodka dish, and it really was better than I expected considering they specialize in chocolate. and not Italian food. I actually finished his dish- it was that good! My Chocolate Old- Fashioned was also delicious. No regrets on finally making the visit to Max Brenner's:)

Waffles
ThuyVy N.

Tried this spot and even got a reservation but we ended up getting there a half an hour earlier and they were able to seat us. It didn't seem very busy and maybe that's because there was construction happening outside which made it harder to find. Overall the food is good just really sweet, so if you have a major sweet tooth you should def come. If I was like 8 here I would've gone crazy, nowadays a little too sweet for me. Nice service and great experience though. The espresso shake was really really good.

Plain waffle, chocolate on the side
Christopher B.

This place feels a little outdated, like it was probably a big hit 10+ years ago. But, they do have a rather large menu, to my surprise anyway, that features a lot more than chocolate. Someone nearby ordered a burger and it was the biggest most perfect looking burger I've ever seen. But my fam popped in for chocolate -- hot chocolate in a hug mug, crepes covered in chocolate and strawberries, and a brownie dessert. They liked it so much we returned later during our stay for breakfast. Our servers were nice and helpful on both occasions. I enjoyed their Mexican coffee with a little alcohol in it, and then their black coffee for breakfast. Both went well with kids leftovers!!

Hot Milk Chocolate (2 stars)
Phi N.

Come for the waffles, not the drinks Came in to try some hot chocolate after the Christmas market, but couldn't help ourselves to ordering the Max French toast waffle. The waffle was the highlight-- it was scrumptious and amazing. For drinks we tried the frozen hot chocolate and pistachio milkshake. The hot chocolate was super rich; too much chocolate for me. As for the pistachio milkshake, I couldn't taste the pistachio at all

Pizza slice left over , my kid wouldn't even eat it at the restaurant

See all

Photo of Rob P.
151
449
1396

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

3 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Jeff K.
6
31
10

4 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 0
Love this 3
Oh no 0
Photo of Tami K.
19
12
7

6 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 2
Oh no 0

6 months ago

Helpful 4
Thanks 1
Love this 2
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Jenny L.
212
1210
2599

10 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 2

10 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Phi N.
160
1806
7420

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Chris K.
80
82
64

4 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of M L.
1
57
0

8 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Lina F.
196
580
1118

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 1
Love this 2
Oh no 0

Page 1 of 133

Max Brenner New York Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Max Brenner New York

Do you guys sing happy birthday or have any birthday specials?

Yes, all the waitresses that are not busy will sing happy birthday. And they will bring you a cute little pastry. I can't remember what it's called but it's the same pastry for everyone who's celebrating their birthday there and it also comes with… Read more

Hi , do you have to be vaccinated to eat indoors?

The vaccine and mask mandate for indoor activities has been lifted in NYC, therefore no vaccine is needed.

Are there outside seating?

Do you guys plan on being open after sept 30th?

We are working on our reopening plan. Hope to have a set date for reopening soon

Are you open for takeout?

Thank you for your interest. We are still closed due to covid restrictions. We hope to reopen soon

Is it still closed?

Yes we are still closed.

Is Max Brenner currently open during Covid?

We are currently closed until indoor dining is available. Hopefully soon!

Is max brenner open now with the pandemic for pick up?

Sorry. We are completely closed until further notice. We hope to see you when we reopen

Is there gluten free options?

Yes

Is it open during thanksgiving? My birthday is the day before thanksgiving and I want to celebrate it on Thursday or Friday.

Yepper. They close early on Thanksgiving, though!

How does the chocolate pizza work, can you add toppings?

Why don't you simply pick up your phone and call them directly and get the most correct and updated answer directly from them? Its phone number is clearly listed in their yelp page.

How much money is usually spent there, that way I know how much to bring?

It really depends on what you order and how many people your paying for. Meals can run from $11 and up.… Read more

I'm thinking about having my birthday dinner here. Is it a good place for a group?

Yes. If you call or reserve ahead of time it will not be an issue. I have had events like this there and enjoyed it throughly. I have had parties with 8-10 people and even went on class trips with 25-30 students and never have been disappointed

Trying to have a birthday dinner for my wife on friday, do I need to make a reservation?

Hi Isailah, Yes, we recommend making a reservation. You can do it over the phone 646 467 8803 or… Read more

Restaurant Week 2017?

Yes, July 24th - August 18th

Find my reservation?

Please clarify and I will be happy to respond the best way that I am able. :o)

View All 19 Questions

You might also consider

Verify this business for free

People searched for Desserts 51,333 times last month within 10 miles of this business.

Verify this business

Monkey Bar - Smoked Whitefish Caesar (~$28)

Monkey Bar

4.3(480 reviews)
2.0 miMidtown East

Getting a reservation here is very hard. One just popped up in my Resy app for lunch though, so I…read morewent for it. It was my first time here although, it has been around for ages. The front part where you first walk in is the bar area with some tables. This restaurant is on the darker side and brings you back in time. Once you walk in further that is where the main dinning room is. This is also on the darker side as you can maybe tell by my photos. The wall paper and art around the restaurant is cool and there are some monkey statues around the restaurant. I was seated in a corner table in a booth area that seemed to be for at least 2-3 people. I thought for sure they would seat me at the bar area. I had a wonderful waitress whose name I think was Taylor but I could be wrong. I ordered the Monkey bread to start off with. It's a very buttery bread with truffle and parm cheese on top. I have alot of allergies and I was searching online if I could even have truffles as I have a nut allergy. So, I asked the waitress and she said she had never heard this. But, she came back to me and told me that White truffle grows near or like over where Almonds grow from but that, they don't use white truffle so I was all good. Well, this was super nice of her to check for me. I had no idea she was going to do this. She said the restaurant has strict protocols when it comes to food allergies. I then got for my main dish the double cheese burger with onions and pickles. To drink I had the cucumber martini. WOW everything was pretty darn good!! I passed on dessert. If you get a chance or a reservation pops up in your resy to go, even if it is for lunch..I highly say go for it.

Made a plan to reserve a table 21 days previous to when we would be in the city - and was able to…read morespike one. There is currently construction and scaffolding in front of the place, but you'll see signage where to go at the opening of the scaffolding. We walked in, past the bar and checked in. We were seated within 5 minutes. I ordered a bourbon old-fashioned and we ordered crab rangoon as a starter. There were a lot of them and the sweet chili sauce was great. For my entree, I ordered the vodka rigatoni and a side of buttered broccoli. The vodka rigatoni was really good - liked the flavor and a decent size of pasta. The broccoli was really good for some reason to me. Also tried the truffle mac and cheese which was incredibly rich and tasted great. As a dessert, we had the chocolate pie which was dense, rich, and topped with a huge dollop of whipped topping. I really liked the atmosphere of the place, loud roaring 20s style with jazz playing. Plus I kept finding myself checking out the mural on the wall. Try it for yourself - but worth the fight to get a table.

Photos
Monkey Bar - Spicy Shrimp scampi

Spicy Shrimp scampi

Monkey Bar - Truffle Monkey Bread

Truffle Monkey Bread

Monkey Bar - Truffle Monkey Bread (~$35)

See all

Truffle Monkey Bread (~$35)

The Ellington

The Ellington

4.6(386 reviews)
4.7 miManhattan Valley
$$
Casual dining
Romantic vibe

I enjoyed a really nice Thanksgiving meal here. The place was beautifully decorated…read more We had a pre-fixed Thanksgiving meal so I'm not sure what the regular menu is like but I'm sure it's just as good. We ordered two fish dishes (salmon and swordfish) and they were both delicious. The only thing I didn't really like was the rolls were ice cold and so was the butter. Wasn't something I was excited to eat on a cold Thanksgiving evening. The table next to mine was reserved for people who were dining alone and I noticed the waiters and owners made a point to chat with them and make sure they were okay. I look forward to coming here again one day.

Made reservations for brunch, but wasn't needed. The place was rather quiet on Sat, but it was also…read morefreezing outside. Got a cozy window seating and loved the ambiance thanks to their floral interiors along with holiday ligthing right next to our table. Noise levels on the quiet side and easy to have conversations. They have a decent kids menu, and the Chicken Fingers ($10) were perfect for our little one. Huevos Rancheros ($19), and Vegetarian Omelette ($19) which was served with home fries and tossed salad was a good portion. Kimbo Coffee ($4.25) was actually pretty good although would've loved it to be warmer. Refills were slow to come. Food was inline with our expectations. Food arrived within 8-10 mins of placing our order, so yeah, really quick! Our initial server/waiter wasn't that attentive but their crew members were definitely more alert. Overall, pretty decent experience.

Photos
The Ellington
The Ellington - CHICKEN FETTUCCINE

CHICKEN FETTUCCINE

The Ellington - GUACAMOLE & CHIPS

See all

GUACAMOLE & CHIPS

Zou Zou’s

Zou Zou’s

4.2(581 reviews)
1.3 miChelsea, Midtown West, Hell's Kitchen
$$$
Full bar
Gluten-free friendly

Went to Zou Zou's for a little bday celebration with gfs and had a great time. Not to mention,…read morethere was such a sweet little bday care when we got to the table. So thoughtful, and such a great touch to start the evening for us. We decided to order the family style menu and we enjoyed the whole dinner. All of the dishes on the menu were really good and great price for $74pp. I wish we had a 4th in our party so we couldve had the duck, but we'll definitely be returning to do so. The dips were so good and so fresh! I think all of the dishes were perfectly seasoned. I get sad when dishes are overly seasoned or overly salty. Oh, and im not much of a sweet tooth, but their dessert was marvelous and the sweetness was balanced so nicely.

Mixed feelings towards Zou Zou's. Having dined at most of Quality Group's restaurants, we had high…read morehopes for Zou Zou's and booked a table for dinner on Easter. Walking in, it's a stunning restaurant and on this night, not too crowded which made us wonder why they would seat us next to the servers station away from dozens of much nicer tables. Note that I booked through Open Table where I have Gold status which I thought meant you get a better table. Next fail, we wanted to start with a Mediterranean dip, but they only offer that if you go with a $39 tray with multiple dips. Not something a party of two would be able to east, so we skipped apps altogether. Sucks too, because several tables had it and it liked amazing, just too much for two. For dinner I had the Yemeni Au Police Kebab, Filet Mignon which was absolutely delicious. The peppercorn Hawaii really sweetened the meat's flavor. So high marks for the steak. My wife had two small dishes which she wasn't as thrilled with, Grilled Artichokes which were too dry for her liking and Manti, which she liked. Main takeaways. Very pricey, beautiful atmosphere (if you get a nice table) and maybe a place that's better for a group than a couple.

Photos
Zou Zou’s
Zou Zou’s
Zou Zou’s

See all

Max Brenner New York - desserts - Updated May 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...