Max's Tavern

550 East 13th Avenue Eugene, OR 97401
Phone: (541) 349.8986

Located in: U of O Campus Area
jazz & blueshappy hourdivepoolrock and rollhipsterscollegehippynon smokingbeer
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BarFly's Review of Max's Tavern

The much beloved UO campus area institution has been recently renovated and is still chock full of crusty regulars, hempy hippies, happy hipsters, and college doods galore. Afternoons are the best time to drink from a tall frosty mug and chat it up with the friendly bartenders.

1x Pool table + live music regularly

No Bars nearby
Reader Reviews of Max's Tavern
Love it

I bartended briefly there when I lived in Eug/Springfield in 1995. I loved the bar, and spent every night there. Great people, very friendly mix of old loggers, students, hippies and just regular folk like me. I remember a guy calling himself "Pink Man" used to ride through the bar on his unicycle dressed in a pink unitard, it was really a great place.

Reviewed Anonymously by Ed on May 24, 2009, 2:28 pm
really is Meaux's

I used to bartend at Max's so what they say about the friendly bartenders is true but that thing about no frat boys is not. The aforementioned doorman is no longer there. The popcorn rocks, the beer is cold and cheap, there is a great mix of people and yes, it really is Mo's Tavern. No the thing about the statue right down the street isn't true, we are in agreement that the statue is in Springfield. Matt Groening used to live in Eugene and Max's was his bar. When the bar closed to remodel, Mo's closed to remodel and on the show came back with the same paint colors as the new Max's did. Coincidence? There is a cartoon there drawn by Groening of Mo in front of the bar, as if it's an old snapshot, and the sign in front says "Grand Opening Meaux's Tavern". You be the judge but Maxim magazine agrees too. The owners will never really say. People who have been around for years say that when they were filming Animal House in Eugene and Cottage Grove, John Belushi drank nightly at Max's with the crew. The old guys, especially Jack Flash, can give you the history if you can hunt them down during the day. I miss that place.

Reviewed Anonymously by schwag girl on February 9, 2009, 9:08 pm
Even back in the Sixties

Great fun and pride to read that Max’s is still alive and kicking and still has friendly bar…..eh…..beertenders. I was one of them (Dutch exchange student 1968-1971) and all we had to offer was beer and matches. And free peanuts on Wednesday-nights. Jack Nicholson and Karen Black dropped by a couple of times while shooting Drive, He Said at UofO’s McArthur Court. On some Sunday-afternoons Dutch students came in to listen to radio-broadcasts (in Dutch) of European Cup Matches. The regulars didn’t mind. This coming September I plan to visit the US, drive to Oregon, stop at Max’s and get the one thing we didn’t serve in the Sixties: a free beer.

Reviewed Anonymously by Guido on January 25, 2009, 8:57 am
max's

I'm sorry to say, but I've had bad experiences at Max's. On the surface, they seem really cool, but you have to be "cool." They don't just accept anybody. If you deviate ever so slightly from their hipster worldview, they'll find whatever excuse they can to boot you out the door. Too bad, because in many ways, it seemed like a cool place.

Reviewed Anonymously by Joe on October 10, 2008, 1:13 am
The Simpsons

According to Wikipedia: "Moe's Tavern is based on a real bar called Max's in Eugene, OR. Located right off of the University of Oregon campus on 13th street, Max's is just a few blocks away from the Pioneer Statue (Jedediah Springfield statue)". Is it true?

Reviewed Anonymously by Cocal on June 26, 2008, 11:26 pm
good ol max's

they play sweet caroline when they want you to get the hell out and everyone stands on the benches and sings a farewell song...its awesome

Reviewed Anonymously by chris on May 19, 2008, 11:55 pm
the good ole days

i remember this place from way back in the day my best memories are from max's i miss this place dearly my best friends and best times of my life were spent here sailor dave and john mann were veterans of this place miss you brothers

Reviewed Anonymously by carl on March 22, 2008, 1:47 am
Max's - A place to drink

Aah yes, it is great to hear that Max's still rules, I used to drink there periodically around the mid 1990's, and it's refreshing to hear that this sacred space is still in existence. Nice.

Reviewed Anonymously by Ratboy on February 24, 2008, 12:59 am
Max's

Max's is an awsome tavern!!! There are alot of punk frat-boy types, but they're offset by the cool local's. They have a goofy door guy who thinks and dresses like 'The Fonz', but he's harmless & means well.

Reviewed Anonymously by Michael on November 9, 2007, 5:26 pm
why maxs is fuckin sweet

well I just got back from Max's and I can say with full honesty, this might be my favorite bar in Eugene. Laid back atmosphere..free popcorn and the knowlege you're drinking at homer simpsons bar can't be beat.

Reviewed Anonymously by drwierd on September 10, 2007, 5:47 pm
It even made Neil Diamond seem cool ...

It was a balmy July night when I was first introduced to Max's Tavern, located conveniently on 13th street, mere blocks from the UO.

Bowls of fresh buttery popcorn adorned the tables (which I'm now convinced is the perfect bar food) inlayed with chess boards. We hadn't come for chess though, we had come for one thing: beer. And lots of it.

Which was a good thing for us, because Max's Tavern has a good selection of it on tap, from Guiness to PBR, and Mirror Pond to Broken Halo.

Next thing we knew, it was closing time, and I for the first time experienced the power of 15 smashed Eugenians singing Neil Diamonds "Sweet Caroline" at the top of their lungs and pounding the tables and rattling the popcorn bowls. Neil Diamond is so much more manageable when you've got a gut full of Guiness and are eyeing the pretty bartender lady who you've been giving 260% tips to for the latter half of the night.

The best part about the joint, I found, was the service. The bartenders are nice and personable, and always stop by the table to see if you need another beer ... and another, and another, and another ... No, I take it back, the best part of Max's is the complete lack of frat boys (I guess they're all down the street at Taylor's). Combine that with the service, and you've got a first class boozing establishment for anyone with an aversion to popped collars.

Reviewed Anonymously by Baby Jesus on September 10, 2006, 8:37 pm
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