The Max Brenner “chocolate shop” right in the heart of Greenwich Village in lower Manhattan is a popular spot amongst tourists and locals alike. Its New York location is one of four in America, in addition to locations in Australia, Singapore, the Philippines and Israel.

When you walk in, it’s like entering a secret back-room that wasn’t featured in either of the Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory movies, with pipes overhead claiming to contain chocolate, as well as oversized chocolate bars larger than your torso.

For food and drink options, I highly recommend their hot chocolate if it’s cold outside, or a milkshake if it’s warm. Though a bit overpriced, you’ll know that it was completely worth getting the moment it hits your taste buds.

Max Brenner is known for its legendary desserts, but I was surprised to receive great entrees on more than one occasion. More importantly, these entrees came at fairly low prices (considering that I was in Manhattan). Both the spicy chicken 3-cheese pizza I had my first time, and the Brenner Burger I had during my second visit far exceeded my expectations. However, definitely be sure to save room for dessert, as they have a wide variety of choices including crêpes, waffles, cakes and more.

The service is above average, bearing in mind that it is an incredibly busy place. It also isn’t the best place to try to get into a serious conversation, as it is very loud. Overall, I would definitely recommend Max Brenner to anyone interested in having a reasonably priced meal with some delicious dessert.

Address: 841 Broadway, New York, NY (just a half-block from Union Square)

RATING

Food: A-

Décor: B

Service: C+

Overall: B