TX Max's Wine Dive Expands to Chicago, Atlanta, Denver

Texas-based wine-and-snacks chainlet Max's Wine Dive is expanding, big time: the restaurant has announced they're expanding to Atlanta, Chicago, and Denver. Max's — which is known for, um, "wine divey" food like oyster nachos, fried chicken, and more — currently has five Texas locations in Houston, Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio. No word on any moves after this; all three new locations will open in the Spring/Summer of 2014. Here's a press release:

MAX'S WINE DIVE SIGNS LEASES IN ATLANTA, CHICAGO AND DENVER

Houston-Based Restaurant Group Expands Award-Winning Concept Outside of Texas for the First Time

HOUSTON (October 10, 2013) – MAX's Wine Dive, the renowned "gourmet comfort food" concept with five locations in Texas and a mantra of "Fried Chicken and Champagne? Why the Hell Not?!?," announced today the signing of a lease in Atlanta's midtown district, Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood and Denver's Capitol Hill area, marking the first locations for the award-winning concept outside Texas.

"We are thrilled to bring our restaurant to these thriving metropolitan areas," said Jerry Lasco, Founder and CEO of Lasco Enterprises, which owns and operates MAX's. "MAX's Wine Dive is a great fit for all three neighborhoods, which have a lively mix of restaurants, retail, office and residential spaces. We like to tap into the pulse of a neighborhood and are excited to showcase our cuisine, wine and atmosphere in these great cities."

Since the debut of the first MAX's Wine Dive in Houston in 2006, the restaurant concept has grown to five locations with more than 200 employees. While each MAX's Wine Dive location features the same "MAX's Classics" on the left side of the menu, each one also showcases a seasonal menu on the right side. Changing three times a year, these chef-driven offerings are unique to each MAX's as they are designed and created by that particular location's Executive Chef and culinary team.

MAX's Wine Dive's "Classics" menu items include MAX's famous Southern Fried Chicken with mashed potatoes, collard greens and Texas toast (consistently recognized as one of the top-10 fried chicken dishes in the country); The Fried Egg Sandwich with truffle oil, applewood-smoked bacon, Gruyère, lettuce tomatoes and garlic black truffle aioli, sandwiched between two pieces of artisan sourdough; MAX 'n Cheese consisting of cavatappi pasta tossed in truffle cream with provolone, Gruyère and Parmigiano-Reggiano; and Nacho Mamas Oysters with crispy fried Gulf Coast oysters and garlic aioli on crispy MAX's wonton chips, habanero salsa and cilantro.

During the past seven years, the MAX's Wine Dive concept has garnered numerous accolades and awards including Wine Enthusiast Magazine's "The Nation's 10 Best Brunches" in 2013, Travel + Leisure's "Best Wine Bars" in 2012, OpenTable Diner's Choice for "Top 100 Brunch Restaurants in the U.S.," and Southern Living Magazine's "The South's Best Fried Chicken." MAX's chefs have appears on Food Network, the Cooking Channel, and a multitude of local networks. Most recently, Nation's Restaurant News named MAX's Wine Dive one of the "50 Breakout Brands" for 2013 as well as one of five "2013 Hot Concepts" in the United States.

The new MAX's Wine Dive locations in Atlanta, Chicago and Denver are slated to open in the spring/summer of 2014. MAX's Atlanta will be located at 77 12th Street NE, Atlanta, GA 30309; MAX's Chicago will be located at 1482 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, IL 60622; and MAX's Denver will be located at 200 E. 7th Avenue, Denver, CO 80203.

For more information, visit www.maxswinedive.com and www.lascoenterprises.com. Like us on Facebook at MAX's Wine Dive Atlanta, MAX's Wine Dive Chicago and MAX's Wine Dive Denver. Follow us on Twitter at @maxswinediveatl, @maxschicago and @maxsdenver.

· MAX's Wine Dive Coming to Midtown Next Spring [Eater Atlanta]
· Texas-Based Max's Wine Dive Coming to Covo Space [Eater Chicago]
· All Expansionwire Coverage on Eater [-E-]