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Name: Max’s Restaurants
Address: 1001 El Camino Real, Redwood City, CA, 94063
Telephone: (650) 365-6297
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 2.78

Max’s Restaurants

1001 El Camino Real, Redwood City, CA, 94063

(650) 365-6297
Store is closed

Max’s Restaurants Menu

Homemade Soups

Chicken Matzoh Ball Soup

Russian Cabbage Soup

Cup Of French Onion Soup

Homemade Soup Of The Day

Clam Chowder
Big Bold Salads

Caesar Salad

Greek Salad

Bistro Salad

Fresh Pear Salad

Sweet And Sour Spinach Salad

Roasted Beet Salad

Albacore Tuna Salad

Guys Chinese Chicken Salad

Grape And Walnut Chicken Salad

Shrimp Louie

Chicken Tostada

Grilled Chicken Cobb

Skirt Steak Cobb

Mango Chicken Salad

Poached Salmon Salad
Maxs Famous Sandwiches

Corned Beef On Rye

Pastrami On Rye

Chopped Chicken Liver On Rye

Corned Beef And Pastrami

Corned Beef

Corned Beef

Corned Beef

Turkey Bacon And Swiss Club

Big Bacon

Big Bacon
Good Noshin

Not-so-mini Reuben

Crispy Fried Calamari

Shrimp Cocktail

Barbecue Pork Or Chicken Quesadilla

Buffalo Chicken Wings

Giant Nachos

Thai Chili Wings

Fresh Chopped Chicken Livers

Mojito Shrimp And Steak Bites

Cheesy Garlic Bread

Crispy Potato Skins

Pound Of French Fries

Sweet Potato Fries

Potato Latkes

Hummus
Wraps

Caesar Chicken Wrap

Roasted Vegetable Wrap

Barbecue Pork Wrap

Asian Chicken Wrap
Sandwich Odyssey

Braised Beef Brisket Melt

Chili Glazed Meat Loaf

Roast Beef To The Max

Crab Cake Club

Grilled Salmon And Dill Havarti

Tuna Caper Salad
Maxs Sliders

Black Angus Sliders

Turkey Burger Sliders

Barbecue Pulled Pork Sliders

Healthy Meal suggestions for Max’s Restaurants

Homemade Soups

Chicken Matzoh Ball Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Russian Cabbage Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cup Of French Onion Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Homemade Soup Of The Day [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Clam Chowder [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Big Bold Salads

Caesar Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Greek Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bistro Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fresh Pear Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sweet And Sour Spinach Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roasted Beet Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Albacore Tuna Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Guys Chinese Chicken Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grape And Walnut Chicken Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shrimp Louie [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Tostada [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Chicken Cobb [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Skirt Steak Cobb [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mango Chicken Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Poached Salmon Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Maxs Famous Sandwiches

Corned Beef On Rye [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pastrami On Rye [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chopped Chicken Liver On Rye [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Corned Beef And Pastrami [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Corned Beef [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Corned Beef [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Corned Beef [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Turkey Bacon And Swiss Club [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Big Bacon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Big Bacon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Good Noshin

Not-so-mini Reuben [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Crispy Fried Calamari [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shrimp Cocktail [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Barbecue Pork Or Chicken Quesadilla [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Buffalo Chicken Wings [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Giant Nachos [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Thai Chili Wings [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fresh Chopped Chicken Livers [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mojito Shrimp And Steak Bites [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cheesy Garlic Bread [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Crispy Potato Skins [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pound Of French Fries [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sweet Potato Fries [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Potato Latkes [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Hummus [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Wraps

Caesar Chicken Wrap [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roasted Vegetable Wrap [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Barbecue Pork Wrap [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Asian Chicken Wrap [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Sandwich Odyssey

Braised Beef Brisket Melt [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chili Glazed Meat Loaf [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roast Beef To The Max [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Crab Cake Club [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Salmon And Dill Havarti [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tuna Caper Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Maxs Sliders

Black Angus Sliders [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Turkey Burger Sliders [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Barbecue Pulled Pork Sliders [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Visit below restaurant in Redwood City for healthy meals suggestion.

Denny’s ( 1201 Broadway St )

Applebee’s ( 1135 Veterans Blvd )

Visit below restaurant in Redwood City for healthy meals suggestion.

Denny’s ( 1201 Broadway St )

Applebee’s ( 1135 Veterans Blvd )

Write An Anonymous Review

Masha K.

Good food, nice friendly atmosphere, good service, love it
(4)
LisaMarie W.

I think there are several tricks to eating at this Max's and having a decent meal. 1) Don't be in a hurry--if you are this is the wrong spot because they will disappoint you. 2) If the menu item seems to be too sophisticated or difficult to prepare, it is and don't order it-- this kitchen seriously lacks talent, sandwiches, salads, baked potatoes are good...salmon, steaks, etc not such a good idea. If you like your food to proper temp (med-rare) you won't get it, be a vegetarian for the day. 3) Don't ask for help with the menu-- the service staff will just try to up sale you, they don't seem to be too well trained. Most likely just there because they have to be, every server I have had has seemed disinterested and annoyed. 4) Eat dessert-- it's the best thing they have and will make you forget whatever else awful which happen previously. 5) Have somebody else pay for the meal--you'll regret the meal less afterwards. However, if you order a simple salad, ice tea, maybe Matzo ball soup and cheesecake...TO GO, you'll be happy :)
(2)
Jesika S.

Went there for Mother's Day and was really disappointed in the service and food. It took almost an hour to receive our food and food was cold. Complained to manager and he took $20 off the meal and didn't even come over to apologize. Will not be going back.
(1)
TC W.

Max's has and always will be just meh. I keep going back thinking it may be better. It looks so inviting, the bakery display so delicious. And I admit I keep going back, because they have a good kids menu and the cocktails (namely the Maxarita are yummy). But the food is very blah. It's not made anymore appealing by the food portions. I want to like it - their menu is so varied, but honestly it's all sort of tasteless. Service is generally friendly and speedy even when they are slammed. Still, every time I go there, I feel like I am getting back together with a bad boyfriend: was he really that marginal? And then the food comes and I remember why we broke up. I probably should dump Max's for good.
(2)
Jenn D.

I will not be fooled again... I use to love the food at this place, even after actually working here for a few years a long long time ago. I have come a few times in the last couple years & have been disappointed each time. Last night was the last straw, I do not think I will ever step foot in here again. I came last night only to support my son's school. I have decided to call the school & give suggestions on where else in town these types of fundraisers can be held. They kept the high prices but the quality of the food is drastically declined. I'm not sure what was changed about the crab cakes, but they are most defiantly NOT the "Max's Famous Crab Cakes" they used to be!!!! They are charging $15.99 for what tasted like fried mush. I did not taste real crab meat at all, it all tasted like filler & I was stabbed by a piece of shell or something in my cheek. YUCK!! My teenage daughter ordered the Penne Alfredo. For $13.99 this was a huge let down as well. The sauce was bland & thin, she said "Blah" after each bite. My son enjoyed his chicken tenders. Hard to mess those up I guess. But another thing that bugged me is that when our food was delivered, we were not asked by anyone if we needed anything else. My daughter got up twice to get us ketchup & then again for parmesan cheese. I would have ordered a bar drink to have with my food, & both my kids would have asked for re-fills. Moving on to dessert: My daughter ordered the Brownie Sundae. Although it looked pretty, the chocolate sauce tasted burnt & had a what my daughter described as a throw up after taste. The brownie itself was very old & dry & had a graininess to it. She took all of 2 bites. On the bright side, there was our server. He was having a busy night, each table with kids being the fundraiser night. But he still gave us good service. He was nice & understanding of the children's needs. When he realized no one was eating the brownie, he took the dessert off the check even though he had already swiped my card & presented me with a revised bill. However, even with his efforts, I do not think I will ever visit a Max's again & I'm sure I will have to say something if I hear someone mention they are going there.They have had too many chances & I feel like I am being ripped off each time I leave completely unsatisfied.
(1)
Samuel W.

The waitress was great, but we had a problem and asked for the manager. Max's law #7 states that if you call for the manager, "we will fix it in a flash" Don't believe a word! Manager was not hopeful and honestly could not care less. This repeat customer will take his business else where and suggests you eat somewhere else also.
(2)
cory w.

We go out to breakfast/bruch at least 2 times per week; we don't ask a heck of alot. On Mother's Day, the place was quite empty. I remember when Max's was the place to go to, so I was excited to go! *? Manager greeted us gruffly *seated in a very cramped 4-person table; everyone was bumping chairs *got one cup of coffee after about 15 minutes; no one ever asked if we wanted refill--we were tempted to get it ourselves! *food was cold, cold! sausages inedible; terrible! *I ordered a "make your own omelet;" it wasn't an omelet, it was overcooked scrambled eggs with some sort of bacon pieces. It was supposed to have brie, but I got two teeny, teeny slices on top; one of them with the rind on! *english muffins were rock hard and cold! We couldn't even spread the refrigerated-cold squares of butter that they gave us. couple of little things of two types of "jam" *Not even one "Happy Mother's Day" *we truly did not know who our server was! *not that we wanted to take anything home (our plates were pretty full, which is very unusual, but someone grabbed our plates, no acknowledgement, etc. *on our way out, sitting on a shelf where everyone passes by, were plates of food...is this hygenic? Say if my kid stuck his snotty finger in it? Also, not even under heaters! *I related my concerns to the manager of Max's---NOTHING! Ah!!! $60+ for 3 meals, a kids meal, one cup of coffee, one soda, water....cold, cold, inedible food.... Truly, go to IHOP of something such; it's actually much, much better, and much, much cheaper. The service at IHOP spins circles around the waiters at Max's RWC
(1)
Treena F.

Had to take the boyfriend to Redwood City to pick up his motorcycle and we decided to get something to eat. He is familiar with the area and took us to Max's as I was craving a large menu with options: breakfast & lunch. I had the chicken creaser wrap with and arugula salad and he had the BLTA with French fries and onion straws. It seems like it took a while for a food to come out but overall it was really tasty. I especially liked the Arugula salad as they put red potatoes, fresh corn, and baby tomatoes on it. Different and tasty. I also sampled the french fries and onion straws which were also really good and seasoned well.
(3)
Sharon H.

This is a decent family place. It is not anything brilliant but a nice place to take the kids. I am not a fan of huge greasy portions but we made good use of the leftovers today for lunch and we still have enough for dinner. It is good for a visit once every 6-10 months. The shrimp cocktail was a good value for money. The shrimp were decent sized and the three of us split it. Our kiddo went crazy over it.
(3)
Marie H.

The assistant manager/host with the blonde streaks is very un-inviting, rude, and lacked the stellar customer service that any managerial level employee should have. He literally looked at me and my 2 guests with no smile, no simple "hello or hi"... He just looked up at us so I looked back at him for a few seconds not knowing if he was going to offer to seat us or did we seat ourselves, etc.... So I walked in half way into the restaurant now and he finally grabbed some menus, mind you still not sayin "HELLO or HI". He placed the menu's down on the table and just looked at us and walked away. AGAIN, did not say a peep! WTF? Luckily our waiter/server was excellent. He was totally polite and at the end of the meal I asked who the male individual w/the bad streaks was - he admitted that this "assistant manager" has gotten complaints before from customers... Food was great but to have that guy be the face of the company when you first walk in is a terrible terrible terrible first impression. I almost wanted to walk out...
(1)
alissa B.

So first of all I go in to place an order to go and they help a lady that came in after me.. Second I placed my co workers order which was chicken nachos, quesadilla and 2 shirley temples wit extra cherries, Then my order which was a small order of chicken soup.. I get my co workers order first and it comes to 27.00 dollars, I thought damn that's alot! Then my little order a soup was 8.00! I told them nevermind to for get it. So I take my co workers their food and the nachos had NO CHICKEN! which was 4.00 extra, then they look at the Shirley temples and theres NO CHERRIES! I won't be returning there for lunch!
(1)
Kerry K.

I have not at Max's in a long time since when last I did it was very sub par--So I was very pleasantly surprised last night my family and I went out to dinner--Meagan my 6yo had the grillled BBQ chicken which was very moist and a huge breast--She got corn and peas for a side and they were very yummy also ( Mom always takes a bite) My man had the reuben on rye with a ceasar salad--The corn beef was piled thick and very non fatty--The ceasar was very good--My man said that The Refuge in San Carlos is better though--And I had the lamb burger--OMG to die for- I highly recommend it--It did not have a wild gamey taste but a very subtle lamb flavor- It had lettuce, feta cheese and sundried tomatoes--YUM--I also had the chipotle mac salad , which I enjoyed since it was not heavily laced with mayo-- We had leftovers and I have to say our waiter was okay--It's max's not a 5 star dining experience--So I didn't get my second refill of ice tea --No biggie--Good stuff--
(4)
Anna N.

I've came here for dinner and it was boo-boo. So for that I take away 1 star. However 5 super stars for breakfast! Shhh, don't tell anyone about this best kept secret. Saturday and Sunday they serve an amazing breakfast starting at 8 am. Bacon is the bizness! Cornflake French Toast like whaaaat?! Very cheap prices and you can order a Bloody Mary to cure that weekend hangover. Best of all, there is no crazy wait and noisy crowds.
(4)
Abey Q.

My third time there and it will be my last. You will never see me, my family, or any of my friends again. I will tell all of my friend's who have autistic children never to come into your restaurant. I hope people see this review so they can get the full effect of what happened during our visit to Max's Restaurant. Here it goes: My husband and our 9 year old autistic daughter arrived for lunch (Feb 23, 2012) to meet up with the mother-in-law. I ordered the Cesar salad (overpriced), hubby got the Cesar salad and onion soup (overpriced), mother-in-law ordered the pot pie(overpriced), and my daughter asked for the corn dog with fries. We didn't wait too long to start getting food. Only problem was everyone except for my daughter got food because only three plates were brought. Server then said the cook was making the fries fresh and it would only take a moment. (Yeah right, you forgot her food and rushed it). So everyone else gets food and if you know anything about autism she could have a meltdown because everyone else gets their food and she has to wait. Waiting......for an autistic child......not good. I tried to subside the anxiety by giving her all my croutons from my salad. Server brings her food and it's hot. Not just hot, but SURFACE OF THE SUN HOT.....HOT LAVA....not kidding. We inquire with the server why her food is so hot and if they can do anything to cool it off. I suggest putting it in a refrigerator or freezer, but she says she'll get the manager and leaves. More time to wait. Meanwhile, my kid is going nuts cause her food is on the table and she can't touch it because if she did she'd end up with third degree burns in her mouth. Manager comes over and we tell her the food is VERY HOT and what can be done about it. She tells us the food must be hot when it leaves the kitchen. No apologies.....nothing. We got no help to fix the situation and made to feel helpless in solving the problem. You have a problem with something @ Max's? Too bad because they don't care. My husband realizes this manager just doesn't get it and he stops the conversation with the manager by saying "We are done talking about this" I try and save the situation by cutting the fries into smaller pieces and stab holes in the corn dog to release the heat faster. More time to wait for the food to cool off. Eventually she gets to eat the food, but over 15 minutes have passed since the food first arrived at the table. I was happy to leave.
(1)
Gregory F.

Fun place. Cool people. Good food.
(4)
Ashlee J.

Grandma's chicken calls to my husband in his sleep! Every time we went to eat out when we lived in Redwood City my hubbie wanted to eat here. The food is damn good! It is kid friendly so my lil guy can make a mess & no one bats an eye. My girlfriend (who has 2 of her own) & I would regularly meet here cause the food is just that awesome. The spinach, pear salad with grilled chicken. Warning: portions are huge!
(5)
D G.

Great Thai salad and the Soup of the day. Yummy! I love Max's take out. Fresh, homey and yummy! Their Rubeen is delicious. The Thai salad is flavorful, healthy and delicious. Thank you. I am enjoying it!
(5)
Destry H.

I came here to have lunch with five of my friends that I haven't seen for quite some time. Like since high school....! We were greeted and seated promptly by a very nice young lady. I can't really put my finger on it, but our server just seemed to not be very interested in his tables. In particular....our table! Maybe it was just me? I guess it's the gentleman in me, but if the female persuasion were present, which there were three present....I always will allowed the ladies to have the first opportunity to place their orders if they so desire? Our server appeared to be bothered about that the fact not all of the ladies present were undecided and were not ready to order? I just played it off and ordered last. None the less, my first time dining here and I'm just excited to be here with some very special friends. As we placed our orders, I asked for a glass of water from our server and he looks at me and repeats, in a very sarcastic voice, "one glass of water, that's it?" Well, I replied in a polite manner....yes please, I would like to have a glass of water! I seldom like to complain about anything, but this server was getting on my nerves. None the less, our order was placed, and approximately 30 minutes later, our food arrived at our table. To say I was very hungry would be an under statement. I had the Reuben Sandwich and shared a slice of apple pie and vanilla ice cream with one of my friends. Overall the presentation of our lunch was good. The Reuben that I had was packed full of corned beef and sauerkraut but was a bit light on the thousand island dressing. Despite having to add some of their table condiments( Cranberry Mustard ) to kick my Reuben up a notch....the sandwich was yummy! So overall, my score card goes like this. Presentation of Meal = B Taste/Flavor = C Service = D- Price/Cost = C Thank goodness for healthy portions, and good friends....because if my first dining experience at Max's Restaurant was going to be based upon our server,....it was going to be all downhill for this review! But I will give Max's another opportunity if ever in the area again for lunch!
(3)
Jeff R.

I've brought a few friends here since I came last, and they've loved it. The San Ramon restaurant was way less classy, so this is my go-to Max's now. I just visited yesterday and I decided to get the sliders, some potatoe skins (with HUGE chunks of bacon), and my friend got the tri-mushroom pasta with the addition of chicken. SUPERB! The portions were way too big for us to finish, but our server, Iliana, came back regularly to check on our drinks and food regularly. The manager was also very good about stopping by and checking on our food. We didn't opt for dessert this time, but I'm DEFINITELY going to try the Chocolate Peanut Butter dessert soon! For the complainers (*cough* Diane B. *cough*), it sounds like you should have spoken up! I have never been denied when asking for a pickle at Max's! Besides, it's in the menu, I think there's a Max's Law that says the customer is always right!
(5)
Vato L.

Old outdated, and heavy heavy food. Use to be good 10 years ago..needs a face lift and a menu overhaul
(2)
Vy N.

Breakfast on the weekends, they take reservations AND there's no wait? Done. The corned beef hash is good, they don't skimp on the meat and portion is sized for two meals. Gluten free items are marked on the menu.
(3)
Steve P.

I have been going to max's for some time and when you want a great meal that's where you go and have variety. Well this past weekend I had a friend from out of town and he likes to go there so we want and had the most terrible food. The bread rolls were stale and my fries were cold ..... They did bring out fresh ones, it was too late. Then you figure ahhhh dessert ... Love the eclair ... Get one to go and it's stale and only half filled .... had to throw it out . I guess there is a reason why there empty at dinner time ...... This is terrible.... Not what I expect from a max's .
(1)
S L.

lousy service. When my older friend and I went there, I ordered the rib eye. First time they gave me a cut that was too well done and not a rib eye ... a leaner cut. Unfortunately dining with a government employee, the 2nd cut was also incorrect, who gave me the look for me not to protest. The overall tab was also incorrect.
(1)
Johnny J.

It's not the same as it use to be......very disappointed!
(3)
Ron M.

I came in here after a really really long day..the staff really worked to accommodate me. Understanding that I was tired they did everything they could to make me more comfortable. The food was really good and reasonably priced. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone. This is a really great place ;)!
(5)
Laura F.

Food was decent, but I wished I hadn't eaten when I visited the bathroom after lunch. It was severely under-supplied. Like worse than a gas station. No toilet paper on any of 3 large tp holders (in the stall that was available; one other was taken, though I wouldn't count on that person having any tp either). No seat covers to use in lieu of tp. I got to the last three paper towels in the entire bathroom to use as tp. And when I went to wash my hands, not only were there no paper towels left to dry them but I could barely get any soap out of the dispensers. Yuck. There was practically no one in the restaurant at the time, so high traffic could not be blamed. The bathroom was generally grimy, so the situation felt intentional -- like management is cutting some serious corners. I can't imagine how an employee at a restaurant that maintains this kind of bathroom could possibly follow proper protocols for food preparation, even if management bothered to explain them. Bathrooms don't get that low on supplies if they are restocked regularly and without anyone who works there noticing and remedying the situation. Don't eat at this Max's.
(1)
Jon N.

I've been going to Max's for years for lack of anything remotely close to a deli around here, and finally.....I'm giving up. The food is terrible. It's not even really a deli anymore. It's just a collection of random items on a menu. They have a corned beef sandwich, and a pastrami sandwich. A couple of other deli items here and there, but that's about it now. Nothing is any good. I ordered something with latkes in it, and they were so gross, I couldn't eat them. They were doused with pepper and were so greasy they were nausea inducing. The corned beef it came with was flavorless and it might as well have come out of a plastic bag from Safeway. Why can no one execute on the simple concept of of deli restaurant in the San Francisco area? This makes no sense to me. It's a very basic style of restaurant and there seems to be no one around who can do it. While at one time Max's was borderline acceptable it is now flat out godawful. There is nothing left here to go back to. If I want a hamburger, there are a million other places to go get one. If I want anything else they serve, I can go anyplace else and find better. So much for this place.
(1)
Christine D.

Terrible service. Mediocre, overpriced food. Not a value. A waste really, of the calories the money, and my time. I used to like this place a few years ago and I think it gradually went downhill. I have gone back a few times hoping for a bit of the old experience, and the past two times I promised myself never to return. After last Sunday, I really won't. The staff seemed so unhappy and uncaring. They are untrained and unmanaged and it must be lousy to work there based on their expressions. The only thing exceptional about this place is their commitment to styrofoam.
(1)
Missing M.

Went here for my birthday (the actual birthday was the next day) dinner and when we asked for the free desert that comes with having one of they frequent diner's card, we were told we had to wait until my actual birthday - literally less than 4 hours away. While to food was okay, it is over priced for basic options. The onion strings are fantastic according to my husband and my boy likes their burgers. I mix it up each time I go and except for the hot rolls & butter at the beginning of the meal, I am more often disappointed than not. The bartender does make decent drinks tho'
(2)
Christina G.

Came here on a Friday night, about 10 minutes until 10 pm (their closing time), but they said they'd still stay open a bit later. Even though we waited about 20 minutes for the rest of our party to arrive, and the doors were already locked at this point, they were still very accommodating and put a few baskets of their fresh baked rolls on the table. The french onion soup was just as expected, plenty of mozzarella melted on top, but a bit skimpy on the croutons. Crab cakes were okay, they were on the small side, but small means you get so much more!! It was served on a bed of green onions (unevenly chopped, hmm, a bit confusing). It's all decked out with christmas tinsel and such, so pretty. Great service here, really.
(4)
Gregory B.

I have been visiting this restaurant now for a number of years and up to recently would have always have happily recommended it to others. The Reuben sandwich's are very good, as indeed are most of the items on the menu. My partner is very fond of their chicken pot pie and as I said, I would normally have given the restaurant a much higher rating and recommendation. However that said, the place STINKS and I mean this literally. The two times I've gone there recently I have noticed a horrible stink emitting from the WC area and I truly mean horrible. Having mentioned this to a young manager there on our last (and in this case final visit) I was told that the staff were well aware of the offending stench and had tried a number of remedies to overcome it, but alias the problem I was told, was one that originates from the buildings drains and according to the young woman, it was the responsibility of the management company who run or own the shopping center there and thus out of Max's control. I have to be honest, that after her explanation it still wasn't clear to me why this problem hadn't been addressed properly, but quite frankly by then I didn't care, as all I wanted to do was get outside and into some fresh air. The smell is that bad. I kid you not! I then called the Max's World company HQ number, to mention it to someone there, but after leaving a message and no one there bothering to return my call, I decided to write this review: in hopes that someone in Max's upper management might occasionally look at these Yelps from time to time, and will as a result, address this serious issue at their Redwood City location. It's a shame really, as the food is very good, inexpensive and the staff are always professional and attentive to their customers. But the problem with the drains unfortunately trumps all of that and I will not be returning there again. It is also disconcerting that a company that claims in its advertising to be so customer oriented has failed to return a customers calls or sort out their foul smelling restaurant, as one would expect them too and in fact see to it as a matter of some urgency, but there it is the place STINKS.
(1)
Alana M.

I used to love coming here and also the Burlingame location when I was a kid. I think I probably requested going here every single year for my birthday. A couple weeks back I stopped here for a quick lunch and was a little disappointed at the quality of the food. I remember it being much better. Now it's pretty regular and nothing special. One thing I must recommend is pretty much all of their desserts. My personal favorite is the chocolate chip cheesecake. A small slice is something like ~$8 and the whole cake is like ~$60 but it's 100% worth it, and I am usually a cheap person.
(3)
Marcia R.

I got the chicken pot pie it was okay but kind of bland not enough seasoning in it. All of my friends didn't seem too impressed with their food either. We also were right next to the bathrooms and it smelled kind of bad as you can imagine. I probably wouldn't go back. Also kind of expensive for not being that great of food.
(2)
Chary P.

Here a few times before for breakfast. Next best thing if you don't want to cook. Reasonable $.
(4)
Dan B.

I come to this Max's once a year, like clockwork, when they donate part of the night's profits to my daughter's school. The rest of the year I forget it's even here. That pretty much sums up how I feel about the place. Uninspired food. Boring menu (burgers, sandwiches, generic seafood), and a somewhat glossy 80s/90's ambiance more reminiscent of diners on the east coast. I can't help it; I think of this place, and leisure suits come to mind every time. To their credit they have an extensive kids menu, good service and a decent beer list. (Plus the aforementioned fundraisers) However if you ever find me hanging out at their tiny, depressing bar, please kill me.
(3)
Derek T.

We chose Max's for a family gathering of 12 people. I can cut a restaurant a lot of slack when dealing with a big group, but they totally failed us at every turn. The service that day was the worst I've experienced. 40 minutes after our order had been taken, we finally brought the manager over. He investigated and found our order had not been put in. We were the huge party in the middle of the room, and I just don't get how they could look at us sitting there for 40 minutes and not realize they weren't cooking anything for us. The manager apologized a little and defended himself a lot. When the food came (over an hour after ordering), about half the group was disappointed with their meal is some way. Granted, we were kind of sour at that point, but I'm talking cold french onion soup, which they then microwaved, and happened to be the main course of my 95 year old grandma, the guest of honor. That was pretty much the last straw. The dishes that pleased (monte cristo sandwich and an omelette) bring my review up from 0 to 1. I would have to be "desert isle" hungry to subject myself to that service again.
(1)
Rubrime B.

Good food and customer service! Prices are good!! :) for breakfast steak and egg: good!!!! And I didn't know but the bar has few TV and you can watch any games!!! If you like soccer (la liga,champions league, etc) you should definitely go!!!!
(4)
Ricardo L.

I came here with my two younger cousins One of them had the Chicken fried chicken- I had a small taste, and overall was a good plate chicken was cooked well mash potatoes where good too, however the broccoli side was bland no seasoning. The other had the Chinese chicken salad- Nothing special regular salad I had the mixed Reuben half pastrami and have Roast beef with a side salad. The bread was perfectly toasted, the pastrami and beef where juicy and tender, the salad was also good but on the smaller side. Atmosphere was relaxed not to loud not to quite. Service: Slow it was around 2pm and not busy, about 1/4 full and our waiter forgot to get our drinks three times! It was just water and a Sprite Overall will be back for a Reuben.
(3)
John C.

Food quality has slipped over the last few years, disappointing to long-time diners. Still serve a decent meal but Max's has lost a lot of its appeal for me. The portions are smaller than before, and cost the same or more so it's now a bit more pricey. Had the fried calamari, which was very good, cooked crispy and not greasy, and still tender inside. A good beginning. But the crab cakes were tasteless and lacking in any crab flavor. Frozen maybe? The signature Reuben (corned beef) was very disappointing. This used to be large and spectacular, with high quality meat. My reuben arrived with tasteless corned beef and sauerkraut, on lightly grilled bread. The potato salad was also tasteless, but with off flavors. Not worth $15 - a decent reuben, but no longer the great sandwich it was before. Menu has been trimmed down to two pages. They have retained many favorites but they seem to be struggling to maintain quality in the kitchen. Not recommended, especially if you remember Max's from years before.
(2)
Daniel Y.

I haven't been coming to Max's for a long time so I came here to eat. My experience on December 9th, 2012 is that the food was really good, but not in the top of the line that it used to be. I ordered the Ruthless Ruben and it was good. The pastrami was tender, but a little too greasy but the bread was chewy. The fries however were pretty bad, would not recommend getting the fries, I need to remind myself to get their gormet Potato salad. I would come again to try the experience again.
(4)
sara w.

Horrible service and sub par food! I ordered the veggie eggs Benedict, add bacon please, and my fiancÃ©e ordered the joes special, both of us requested extra crispy hash browns. Easy enough right? Not for these people! First of all there was literally only 2 other tables occupied, so why am I waiting 10+min for extra coffee to come around? Then food comes. One of our hash browns is limp, pale & NOT crispy. First fail. Then: my eggs Benedict HAD NO EGGS! Wtf?! They have a whole section of EGGS BENEDICT, so how are you going to give someone English muffins with toppings & hollandaise with no poached eggs? When I told the waitress about it, she wasnt apologetic & said it didn't come with eggs! Ummm, but eggs Benedict by nature come with poached eggs! That's just a GIVEN! So she takes it back, brings it back with poached eggs & we try to settle into eating our blah food. Then when the bill comes, not only did she charge me over 3+ dollars more for eggs on eggs Benedict (!!!) but also charged me for a veggie frittata, not the veggie Benedict, which was also over $3 more than what I ordered! Should have listeners to the 2 star rating & ate somewhere else. Epic fail for not even trying on a super slow morning! Never coming back!
(1)
Yvette D.

I ordered a ceasar salad and a turkey club with avocado to go. When I got back to work, they had given me a salad with brown disgusting lettuce. No avocado on my sandwich and the lettuce there was brown as well. When I called the restaurant to complain, the lady said yes the salad was brown cuz she checked and apologized and gave me 1/2 of my money back for the inconvenience. She was nice but compared to any other Max's I have been too this was by far the worst. I will never go to this one again.
(1)
Diane B.

I hadn't been to any of the Max's for quite awhile, but the last couple of times it was the one in Stanford Shopping Center. I used to come to this one in the early 2000's when I working on a project at the courthouse for a year. I had fond memories of it, and especially of the chopped liver sandwich. My dad made possibly the best hand- chopped liver in the world, so it's hard to compete, but with the passage of time (last time I had his was probably 20+ years ago) I've grown to accept other versions. With that in mind, I stopped for a trip down memory (hi cal and chol) lane. I ordered the half sandwich and a bowl of the cabbage soup to fully appreciate the Eastern European experience. There was a problem with the menu - it described all the sandwiches, which included a side salad, with their prices and then in a boxed text said any of the above could be ordered as a half sandwich with soup. It didn't have a price for the half sandwich, and it didn't indicate that if you opted for the half, you didn't get the salad. I was a bit disappointed about no salad, but that was a smaller disappointment than the chopped liver itself and the lack of A KOSHER DILL PICKLE!!!! which is surely de rigeur with any such sandwich. I love a good dill pickle, and should have just asked for one, but my waiter wasn't around much after I ordered, and I wasn't in the mood for pushing the issue. I preferred to suffer in silence and complain, on Yelp, later. The cabbage soup was delicious, with lots of cabbage and chunks of brisket, although I could definitely do without the inclusion of raisins. The rye bread and the sauteed onions on the sandwich were good, but I definitely needed more onions for a good ballance. Now for the chopped liver... anyone who knows this stuff and likes it, knows it should be creamy and fatty, with some texture and adequate amounts of salt pepper and hard boiled egg. There was very little egg, and no noticeable yolk, which would have added some of the needed creamy, richness. It had almost no salt and pepper and there was a definite off note. At first I was afraid it might have been not quite fresh, but after having reevaluated, I realize, it had something added which provided an acid note, either lemon or vinegar. As you can see from many of my other reviews, I'm all for acid when it's called for, but it's totally inappropriate in chopped liver. I felt like I'd squandered a high caloric meal on something that just wasn't very good. Rats! Food: 14/40 svc: 11/20 atm/intangibles: 12/20 value: 12/20 49/100= (I hate to say it because the soup was good) F + 1 star
(1)
M C.

My father flew out for Thanksgiving. Shortly after I picked him up at SFO, we were in the mood for a nice Thanksgiving meal. I looked around the internet and found all sorts of places...that were fairly pricey. To be honest, Max's turned out to be no exception to the pricey rule. I mean, a T'giving dinner for both of us turned out to be some $35. Turkey and dressing were delicious and literally on our table within FIVE minutes after we ordered! Refills of water for me and coffee for him were consistent. Service was smiley and attentive; the waiter got a generous tip. The restaurant's ambiance was, well, it felt like a slightly more upscale Denny's, if that makes any sense, but it was perfectly clean and comfortable to me. The crowd even seemed to be in great spirits. Just a friendly atmosphere. I don't know how Max's is throughout the rest of year, and I somehow have my doubts that it would be top quality food. But, maybe I shouldn't judge a book by its cover. I know we were satisfied with Thanksgiving dinner there.
(4)
Kathleen M.

I think they ad MSG to the Chicken Masala, or as I would call it, headache on a plate. Just as I finished dinner, I got a headache which took 4 ibuprophen to get rid of. The next morning, I heated the leftovers for breakfast and before I finished the last bite, another headache. I would avoid this place for health reasons.
(1)
Jen H.

Pretty good! I ordered the veggie wrap, which came with spinach, mushroom, feta cheese, avocado, roasted bell pepper, caramelized onion. the service was great for a diner-typed restaurant. I would come back again and try their dessert!!=) Everyone's meal look delicious--large portion sized meals, and DECENTLY price--avg $10
(4)
chey m.

My experience at Max's tonight was very poor. I was very dissatisfied with the service and the food. We purposely went to max's early to beat the crowd 5:30pm when we entered there was not many patrons in the restaurant. The people next-to-us had the same waiter taking their order right before ours was taken. They were served within 15 minutes we waited 40 minutes for our food (one salad and two hamburgers). Our waiter only came by once towards the end of the 40 minutes to state that they were taking a long time and they needed to get "one more thing." What is one more thing? After Finally getting our food our waiter never came by to ask if the food was okay, if we needed anything else and did NOT fill our glasses with any more water. I will never be back to Max's.
(1)
Cat C.

Had dinner here with my dad a couple weeks ago. We've been coming here for years, but have been on a Max hiatus for at least a year. As always, they brought us glasses of water and hot rolls. Eww one of the glasses of water had some stuff on it, but I just took the other one since my dad ordered a lemonade. Total bill before tip was around $28-29ish. I got a 6 oz burger (don't remember the name) with melted cheese, caramelized onion, & avocado on sourdough..this was under $9 with seasoned fries & onion strings. My dad got a chicken fried chicken breast which came with a side of mashed potatoes and a couple broccoli heads. The burger was pretty good except I would've preferred the onions to be like onion strings, they were thick pieces & kept falling out of the burger. I wasn't very hungry so I saved half and some of the fries to take home. I had a bite of my dad's chicken fried chicken which was tasty & moist. Max is an okay place if you're craving sandwiches or dinerish food, or if you simply don't know what you want to eat! I have always liked their Matzo Ball soup, BLT, & Chinese Chicken salad, though I haven't had them in awhile I should probably stick with my good 'ol faithfuls. As others have mentioned, they are kind of overpriced, but at least they give you pretty decent portions! 2.5ish but I'll round up to 3. And as the napkins & menu say, this is no place for a diet!
(3)
Nixon L.

This place could get crowded. Food is great. Parking is no problem. Service is slow at times, but overall i was served by pretty cool folks.
(4)
Susan D.

This is a old standby for my mom and I for lunch when I come and visit her in her neck of the woods. The menu is huge and takes us forever to study it and figure out what we feel like eating. The food is usually consist and I've had salads, matzo ball soup, turkey burgers, and artichoke special platter, etc... always plenty of food. There desserts are sinfully evil and good to share. Just had a triple layer cheesecake with some chocolate mouse layer in it. Shared the small piece and it was perfect for two. For me I like to be more adventurous when eating, but my mom is into more standard fare so Max's is perfect for her. And I can always find something that works for me. The place is large and has lots of seating, has a clean bathroom the only downfall is sometimes parking can be tough even though its in a shopping center. There are always a million cars and no spaces when we go. Guess its life living in the peninsula, its been awhile so I've forgotten.
(3)
Tom A.

I'll preface this review my saying I've only been there once -- today. Maybe it was an off day for them, maybe not. The food was good, quite good in fact. I ordered Eggs Benedict and it was quite well done, with real hollandaise sauce, not the quick-mix or canned stuff that some places try to get away with using. That said, the service was surprisingly off. I and another couple were left standing at the hostess station for several minutes while not 1, not 2, but 3 people tried to figure out how to ring up an order for something on their new computer next to it. One of them couldn't break loose for the 30 seconds it would take to seat each of us? At restaurants open for breakfast I'm used to having servers or bus boys swing by every few minutes to see if I needed a refill on the coffee; that should be SOP, I figure. Unfortunately, quite a while went by each time before someone checked, and I had to ask for it once. A solo diner eating breakfast shouldn't need to spend 45+ minutes doing so unless they want to, and I didn't. I may give this place another try sometime. Maybe.
(2)
A A.

The service here has always been terrible. The food used to be decent which made up for the lousy service, however over the last several months the food quality has gone way down and I can't stand going here anymore.
(2)
Arcelia S.

The general manager was super cute she's a 10 for sure. Did excellent service and our server was so awesome we had to take pics with him and give him a $75 dollar tip like a boss ! Thanks so much for everything loved them pickles
(5)
Jen G.

Had a huge group (11 people) meet here for lunch. Restaurant was very accommodating and reserved a good amount of space for us. Our group ordered several reubens, salads, sandwiches. I had a pastrami reuben, which was quite tasty. The dessert portions are huge and I would recommend sharing one dessert order with 1-4 people. One person ordered a big eclair (which turned out to be much bigger than we all thought it would be)-- the one enormous eclair fed 5 people in our group.
(3)
phil h.

There is a famous saying at the entry to every Max's: "This is a good place for a diet...this is a bad place for a diet" I've come to tell you that this is a great place for a diet because eating here will make you sick to your stomach. I had the bbq beef brisket which was actually gray in color and leathery in texture. The sweet potato fries? Cold. The cole slaw? Soggy. Even my beer tasted skunky. Now I'm sitting at home, $25 lighter in the wallet with my belly rumbling. This is a bad place for a diet, indeed.
(1)
Meghan P.

I'd really give this Max's 3.5 stars but will round up to 4 because I can't believe it only has 2.5 stars right now! The menu is long and diverse and has something on it for everyone! I love all of their salads, french onion soup, and, of course, desserts! The setting is also nice and this is a fun place for a casual group dinner...
(4)
Eric M.

I came here on a rather empty Tuesday night for the first time with a group of 4. The service was great, the meal came out fairy quickly, and the portions were gigantic (which you can't really complain about.....it's a second meal the next day). I ordered a Roasted Vegetable Wrap that was absolutely delicious. The addition of portabello mushrooms really took it to the next level, especially with that tzatziki sauce. Prices are reasonable (about $15/person average for a meal). Can't say anything bad really, just want to reserve my five-star rating for when I go back again to try their drinks/other dishes. Recommended though
(4)
Leanna P.

So I usually have a few cocktails and the big boy Reuben (which I highly suggest), but last week when I went to Max's I tried their Skirt Steak salad which I highly recommend... Both the managers were there and I was greeted warmly when I arrived. The staff and everyone was great. Overall, it was a great dinning experience. I was so full that I got a keylime pie to go which I ate the next morning for breakfast (oops ;-)) and it was Devine! Max's is sooooooooooo good!
(5)
Dave N.

I know that Max's is a chain. Still, I came here after visiting the Barnes and Noble in the same shopping complex and I was very pleasantly surprised by the good food, good drinks, and good atmosphere I was treated to when I sat at the bar. I had one if their signature deli style sandwiches and it was really quite tasty and satisfying, and at what I considered to be a fair price, especially given how generous the meat was piled on. I think I had a Reuben, but I don't recall for sure. All I know is that Max's Deli seems to do well at all their locations, and I can vouch for this one based on my last experience.
(4)
Manny C.

Long wait for service
(2)
Jason G.

Max's is a place that I am willing to eat, but unlikely to put forth when we're looking for a place to eat. They have a pretty big menu, but I've only sampled a small bit of it. Mostly salads and corned beef or pastrami sandwiches. What I've eaten I've enjoyed pretty well. Their plates are pretty big, which makes their prices fairly reasonable. Their desserts are pretty good, but we rarely order them because they're really just way too big for us. Service at this Max's is spotty. If you're sitting in the back, it's easy for your server to disappear for a while, in which case you might be out of luck unless you're willing to walk to the front and find him. Overall, I wouldn't avoid the place, but it's not something I actively recommend.
(3)
bob j.

usually love max's restaurants, but this time at this one(and on mom's day!) was highly disappointing 10am 1/3 full seated ok waitress took order HALF AN HOUR plus for lukewarm food to arrive not going back
(2)
Steve L.

Best food and service of any max's that I've been to
(4)
Lisa S.

This service has always been hit and miss at the Redwood City location, but now since the new ownership. It's awful! There are about 3 great waiters there, but if you get anyone with the exception of them, be prepared for an awful experience. The staff is not trained well and when I expressed my complaint to the manager, he could care less. The other Max's in Palo Alto and Burlingame have great service. Redwood City used to get our business once or twice a week, but why should you have to walk out of a dining experience pissed off. We're going to find somewhere else to take our business.
(2)
Rebecca S.

LOOOOOVE Max's soo much Food is generally excellent and the menu is HUGE - seriously, everything you've always wanted to eat, and mondo portions of it too. I'm giving it only four stars because I've occasionally ordered a thing or two that I haven't been in love with (I'm extremely picky), however, when this happens the waiters are happy to send it back and bring you something else free of charge. Oh and did I mention the bread is delicious?! Gotta love the raisin buns. MMMM :)
(4)
ROMA M.

Haven't had Max's in some time, but was in the mood for one of their famous Ruebens. What a disappointment price wise and taste wise. BLAND BLAND BLAND and the corned beef tasted like ham because it was such a cheap quality of deli style meat and not traditional corned beef. Paid $15 for a sandwich that looked like a sandwich made from home. Awful food.
(1)
Steve L.

Really 2.5 stars, rounded to 3.... After our friends and us dropped off our daughters at a holiday party for their cheerleading team, we had about a hour and a half to kill. We haven't eaten that much in the morning, and it was already 12:30, so wanted something substantial for lunch. Haven't been to this Max's in a while, and it was down the road, so we decided to drop on in. Were seated one of the booths in the back. This booth was noticeably darker than the other booths because the light was out. Funny, I noticed this and the host didn't. We were offered another table, but we wanted a booth, so I requested to have someone replace the bulb. Shortly one of the staffers came by with a bulb. Already settled into our booth, we didn't feel like piling out, so I went ahead replaced the bulb for them. Now all settled and I can see the menu. What we ordered: -Turkey, Roast Pear and cambozola on croissant: Comes with choice of salad or fries. Sounded very good from the menu, and pretty sizable when it arrived. However, it would have been nice if it the sandwich was warmed or toasted instead of cold. Cold brie with turkey, lettuce, tomatoes, with no dressing left it pretty dry. My preference if it would to be have baguette instead of a croissant. -Caesar Salad: this came in a large bowl. Came with croutons, and friend requested extra anchovies. Didn't take a bite, but commented the salad was a little bland. -Not so mini Reuben: This is an appetizer-sized Reuben sandwich. Not as heavy on the meat as the regular sandwich. Grilled between two pieces of rye bread, cut into sixths, with toothpicks in each sixth. Came hot to the table, and the meat was moist and tasty, with the Swiss cheese nicely melted into the sauerkraut. Still good. -Soup and half sandwich: soup was potato leek, and for my half sandwich, I got a corned beef, pastrami, and Swiss with 1000 Island dressing. Soup was little thin for my preference. A little bland, needed salt. Half sandwich was great! Meat was nicely piled, with cheese melted everywhere. Spread on some deli mustard and horseradish sauce, and it was ummmmm..... -Mac and cheese (from kids menu): Youngest was with us, so she wanted this. Came in a large bowl and generous with the mac and cheese. I thought the sauce, though cheesy, was thin to my liking. But was OK for my daughter because she finished most of it. Gotta say, the service was good and very attentive. Our server overheard us saying that we needed to get going to pick up our kids, he had our bill ready as he was clearing the tables, but asked anyway if we wanted dessert. Although the menus for all of the Max's are very similar in offerings, consistency and quality are not all the same. I had some hits and misses with this location over the years, but not enough to me to avoid this place.
(3)
KW S.

My wife and I took her 94 y/o Mom there for her birthday a couple of days ago. I ordered the beef brisket sandwich which came to me with quite a bit of fat in it. My wife's Cousin and her husband also dined with us, but she took charge and asked the waitress to bring me something else, which she did without hesitation. I though the staff were very well trained and disciplined in making my dining there the best it could be and I would recommend this restaurant without hesitation. We entered the restaurant from the parking lot and my wife and I thought it was nothing more than a pub like dining until the waiter took us to the back and we were surprised by the larger accommodations that wasn't visible from where we entered in.
(4)
angela h.

Terrible service. We went here to celebrate my husbands birthday on 11/20/10 (Saturday dinner) with the family. Our waiter was the older gentlemen, he was very unfriendly and he never once cracked a smile. He was very rude when taking our order and not very helpful guiding us through the menu. He never came by to ask how our meal was or to refill our water. We had to literally chase him down and ask for water, extra napkins, etc. After dinner we ended up waiting 15 minutes for our check. Needless to say, we won't be back.
(1)
Bill A.

Was out doing the last errands of 2011. I was hungry for good comfort food. The only place that I knew of that had what I was looking for was Max's in Rewood City on El Camino Real. It has been a few years since I last ate at Max's. I remembered that the food was always good and large portions. I had the Soup of the Day (Chicken Gumbo) and the Ruben with french fries. The soup was out standing. Very well seasoned and a large portion. The sourdough rolls that came with it were freshly baked and still hot when they arrived at the table. The Ruben sandwich was fantastic. The outside was crunchy and the inside was creamy. The sandwich was piled high with pastrami and lots of sauerkraut. and 1000 Island Dressing. I have eaten a lot of Ruben sandwiches in my lifetime and this was one of the best ones. The French Fries were cooked oerfectly and crunchy. I could not of asked for a better lunch. The 4-star rating that I am giving Max's is more for the food, than the service. I had a very nice young woman who was my waitress. She was a good waitress. I asked her what the Soup of the Day was and she told me lentil soup, then said that was yesterdays soup. She admitted to me that she did not know what the Soup of the Day was and had to ask another staff member. In my experience when I order the Soup of the Day 90% of the will not know what it is and have to ask the mananger or another staff person. This is a major problem for me. When I eat at a restaurant on the same level as Max's, I expect superior service. When my waitress does not know what an item is on the menu, then I really have to blame management. They need to train their staff better. I recommend Max's solely on the food. Be warned about the wait staff.
(4)
April W.

Been going here for years. We almost always order food to go, since the service in this restaurant is not great. The main problem is that they won't bring your check. You can be sitting there for 30 minutes with your dinner finished and they won't bring the check. I must have chased the wait person down 30 times to get that check. This problem has been going on for years, we don't eat in the restaurant anymore. Food can vary. We've had good luck with the pan crisp salmon and the Guy's chinese chicken salad. Bad luck with the petrale sole (mushy and really disgusting). Chicken pot pie is full of potatoes, not much chicken. Their sandwiches are good but pretty expensive for what you get. The niagara falls cake is amazingly good -- white buttercream frosting over chocolate cake. If you order to go, make sure you check your order before you leave. It's common for them to forget to include the cranberry sauce with the turkey or to put the sauce on the salmon, and the sauce is very much needed on the salmon. Sometimes what they give you is completely different than what you ordered.
(3)
Bryan H.

Great staff, Excellent Food, ...i actually created my yelp account because of this restaurant !! Best place to have a good family dinner!!
(5)
Alice G.

Max's, what the hell happened? When I worked in Redwood City, we would sometimes order from this place during overtime shifts. Every time, I loved what I got. Some time later, I came here on a date and, again, was quite satisfied. It's been about a year since then, and I went to Max's for dinner last night. I ordered the broiled salmon with lemon Dijon sauce, simply because I hadn't had it before. This was a mistake. I should have gone with what I knew was good. I couldn't taste a single hint of anything Dijon-y about my salmon, and the only thing lemony about it was the half a lemon on the side that I could squeeze onto my fish if I wanted. Which I did, but that didn't do much to improve it. It was overcooked and dry, dry, dry. The broccoli was cooked about the right amount, but was completely bland. I could have made the same thing much better at home, and it wouldn't have cost me twenty bucks. If it were up to me, I would have paid more like $5 for this meal. Maybe $8, because at least the mashed potatoes and the strawberry lemonade were good. One of the "laws" on the menu even says that someone will come by within four minutes of you getting your meal to make sure you have everything you need. That did not happen; I didn't see hide nor hair of my waiter until I'd eaten as much of my disappointing food as I could stand. And I don't usually even notice bad service, but when you make a point of stating how good your service is on the menu--even going so far as to give a time window--you better damn well live up to your claims! It also didn't help that I had to listen to two douchebags (and I don't use that term lightly) at the next table talking about skateboarding, how to avoid committing to their girlfriends, and Amsterdam's red light district. Bleugh. I know, that's not the restaurant's fault and I'm not blaming them for it, but it sure didn't do my appetite any favors. I'm still giving this place three stars because I still have hope that it was just an off night, and it wasn't bad enough to put me off the place completely. Also, their desserts are freaking amazing and will last you an entire week even if you have a crazy sweet tooth like me. ...At least I assume they are. I didn't get one last night, because I just wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible so I wouldn't have to listen to the douchebags any longer than I had to. But if I go back to Max's and order one of their massive $7 eclairs and it sucks, I will lose all my faith in humanity.
(3)
Michael Kay K.

Alright, so I was in from Los Angeles on a job project and we happened to be staying right down the street from the Max's Restaurant. The elevator guy on duty recommended the restaurant to us so we decided to check it out. We had the soup of the day (cabbage soup) and it was BOMB!!!! So good that we each had two. We went back twice a day for three days in row. Totally not our style btw, but the food really was good. And we were hooked on the cabbage soup (which apparently they serve every day, score). The fresh baked bread is absolutely awesome too. We tried a bunch of stuff on their menu, and it was all good. Just don't try and eat heathy here. Salads are not the best. Stick to the fattening stuff. Ruben sandwiches, burgers, wraps, fries, cakes, pies, soups, pancakes etc. I'd give them 5 stars, but I had their chicken liver dish on the last day, and it was HORRIBLE. So bad that I had to drop them to a 4 star. Please take that off the menu. I'm partly at fault for ordering chicken liver, but outside Max's I am a fan (grilled onions and sour cream, yummm). Summary: Eat here, order fattening food, and then go to the gym.
(4)
Matt M.

Had the Philly Cheesesteak. It tasted good, but I think it gave me food poisoning. I threw up that night after eating it, and I hadn't eaten anything else since that morning. The service was also very bad. The waiter seemed distant the entire time, as if he had much, MUCH better things to do than wait on my table of 6.
(2)
Ashley F.

Ate here for breakfast on a Sunday. Hardly a crowd; it was mainly geriatric and family when we were there. I would compare it to a Denny's, only better in my opinion. The food was good. I ordered the crab cake eggs benedict and a side of avocado and my boyfriend ordered the breakfast burrito. I was happy with my benedict; I really liked their hollandaise sauce. My boyfriend really enjoyed his burrito, stating that he was surprised to find it not greasy at all and actually seemed light and filling. The only thing that turned me off was what I saw where the ready orders sit at the pass for pick up. One of the members of the wait staff had no regard for the fresh plates of food sitting at the pass. He was trying to speak with one of the cooks on the other side, but apparently had to speak over a plate of food instead of stepping a foot to the left where he would find a clear and open pass. I just thought that was slightly distasteful. Who knows what his mouth may have deposited. At least you if you're paying attention you can sort of watch the pass. I'd say that for me, this would be one of those places I would probably love to hit up after a good hefty night of drinking.
(2)
Michelle B.

I met up with a potential client for my business here for a quick lunch to go over a few things...service was very sweet....the restaurant reminded me of back home in NOLA. The little bus boys always smiled at my 15 month old. The tuna melt was good---nothing to brag about, my husband pastrami sandwich was a bit dry---but its just deli food. I did however enjoy the great customer service and the atmosphere. Id def go here again for another meeting being my office that I just bought is in Redwood Shores.
(3)
Stephanie E.

I met a girlfriend for lunch yesterday. We were going shopping in that area and decided on Max's because we wanted to splurge on one of their great desserts! Well that turned out to be disappointing.. I'll get to that later. A little background about me, I owned a small diner for years and then went on to be a sales rep for a national food service so I know a few things about restaurants. Anyway, my lunch came and it was just plain bad. I got an egg salad sandwich With fries. The sandwich was tiny, about 1/3 of an inch of egg salad ( Max's is famous for their large portions, I usually can't finish my food, but yesterday that wasn't the case). They used the "ends" of a tomato on my sandwich and the lettuce was old and wilted. My fries.....forget about it........they were cold and limp. The waitress never came back to see if everything was ok. I had to flag her down to get a refill on my soda and they weren't even busy, probably about 30 percent capacity. My friends' lunch was ok, nothing great. Here's the clincher..... We ordered a piece of cheesecake to split. I noticed that the waitress had a funny face on when she put it on the table. I looked at it and there was a big hole on the bottom where the graham cracker crust should have been, so I said very politely, "can we please have a new piece of cheesecake because this one is missing a lot of the crust and that's our favorite part". She took it away and about 10 minutes later brought us a "new" piece. I looked at it sideways and realized it was the SAME piece of cake and someone had scraped the bottom of the pie tin and tried to "glue" it back together to make it look like a new piece!!! So I asked for the manager, I explained the cheesecake situation and, no joke, she said "did someone in our kitchen use glue to put it back together?" not sarcastic, just ignorant...I said we'd like out check minus the cheesecake, she said ok and that she would find out what happened and would let us know, I mean really, do you think we cared at that point? We wanted to pay and get out of there. Needless to say, she never came back, and we'll never go back there either! Just a side note....I used the restroom halfway through lunch and it was messy and dirty. That's a true sign that the kitchen is probably dirty and no one who works there cares about cleanliness. P.S. this is an addition to my review. I just talked to my friend that I had lunch with that day, she took her leftovers home. Two days after we had our crappy lunch, she decided to eat her leftovers.......and she discovered a hair in her food......just disgusting!!!!! Don't eat there!
(1)
Andrew M.

Had breakfast here for the first time. Not impressed at all. The service was very slow and the kitchen screwed up our order. Noticed others around us were having similar struggles as well.
(2)
Andrew Z.

Came here for my brothers birthday lunch. I ordered the NY steak which came with garlic mashed potatoes which were great, no lumps and creamed spinach which were also not too creamy or salty. I ordered the steak medium and it was cooked as ordered. My mom got the crab cakes with mixed veggies. She loved them. My uncle got good 'ole fish and chip which he also liked very much. My brother ordered a Joes double stuffed baked potato which was huge. It had mushrooms, ground turkey, onions. I have never seen a potato that big. He was very pleased. After lunch we were all stuffed and my brother still had room for desert. He ordered the hot fudge sunday with a huge macaroon on top. It was soo huge that my mom, uncle and I helped my bro finish it. It was crowded at lunch time but the staff were professional and quick. I personally like the burlingame or stanford mall sites more because of their live evening piano performances.
(4)
Melissa R.

Overall, 3 stars! The server I had was very friendly and provided great service. However, how much food do you think I need to eat? I ordered one of the night's specials and I was presented with a plate that looked like it could feed a family of 5. The food was decent, but nothing special. I would recommend this place for a lunch versus a dinner since the lunch options are better on the menu.
(3)
Dani D.

My rating is a 3.5 just because my hamburger was tasty and the way I like it. Was somewhat busy at lunch, but overall a good experience. The prices are not too bad. I have not tasted many things on the menu, but that may change.
(4)
John T.

We came here for lunch. We love their food. The big question at Max's is always whether they will get around to serving you or not. It seems today it is more not. We sat for several minutes, someone gave us water and menus were on the table: it was good that we could look and see what we wanted. We made our decisions and put our menu down (a sure sign we are done) and waited...and waited...a couple of wait staff walked by but we were not their table. Finally, someone came and took our order. After a bit we were brought our iced tea, and we began our wait again. Now I can understand if the place is jumping and there are folks all over but the dining area was about half full and everyone was moving at a leisurely pace. My date and I had lots to talk about but even after we had solved all of the world's problems we were still waiting. The wait might have been better passed if there was bread or something on the table (Max's used to give some rolls, maybe not with lunch now...) The food came, and it was what we expected, excellently prepared, and delicious. We had beet soup, chicken liver pate and a mini reuben: all of it good. None of it was piping hot: just middling warm so we could eat it quickly. I would love to rate this visit higher, but the wait just killed it for us. Lunch was great but it didn't seem to move well and while they were friendly, they were s-l-o-w...so I felt the need to knock off a star...ah well...chalk it up to a bad day and maybe we will be back.
(2)
Chris B.

One must chuckle at the sign at front saying something to the effect that food critics are not welcome. Why, does your food suck or something? Well they don't suck but they are not the most exciting eats either. The biggest problem? Slooooooooow service. I had a BLT with avocado for lunch - it's $10.99 and comes with a very small salad. Pretty expensive if you ask me. Luckily the bacon was spot-on, hence the reason for the 3 stars because otherwise this place would linger in the two star range. To be fair my wife had the Reuben and she said it was pretty good, which is similar to a lot of people say about the Reuben. And they have local beer on tap, and that is a good thing too. I also always see coupons come in the mail for these guys and they have whats looks like a decent happy hour special, so there ya go.
(3)
Victor M.

I really hate to say this but it is not good. Ive been here 5 times and will not go for 6 I tried to make it work, tried stanford, redwood city... Done. :@ Overpriced by a large margin. Understaffed. NOT tasty. Drinks are like medicine for the sickening atmosphere.
(1)
Jeremy M.

Oh yeah, forgot to mention. They have some of the BEST iced tea north of the Mason Dixon. And even served traditional style with the pot of hot tea and a large glass of ice. Add some brown sugar and touch of lemon..pure heaven. Love it!!
(5)
Genaro R.

Both my girlfriends and my stomach hurt after eating here. I was excited to eat here since I have not been here in at least 5-6 yrs. The service was wait til I die slow. I swear there was only one waitress for the whole damn restaurant. Absolutely ridiculous how long it took to get our coke then our food then our dessert. Wait times in between were like 20 min. here and 20 min. there. WOW. I had the jerk chicken which was burned. The sides were good. pork and beans and chili butter corn. My girl got the mushroom pasta with wine sauce and it was bland and tasteless. We ordered a side of alfredo sauce to infuse some taste. Last we thought we would save the meal with some good dessert since I remember dessert being good here. We got a piece of the ultimate chocolate cake and it was old and refrigerated. We were very disappointed with the whole experience and we wont be coming back. Unfortunate since I planned on making more trips there if it proved to be as good as I remember. =(
(1)
Heather P.

Screw you Max's. I used to love you. Your big sammiches, your overflowing french onion soup, your massive chocolate cake slice..that was before you turned into a jerk. The last few times we've been there the food quality has been lacking. But beyond that their treatment of my friends service dog was beyond unforgivable, it was lawsuit worthy. On two separate occasions we were told that we were only allowed to sit in certain seats far away from other people. Because "people didn't want to sit near us". "The dog was gross". "People might have allergies", "no one likes being in the same room as a dog" and a host of other reasons. They literally have an area for "special people", children & those with handicaps. We complained on both visits to the manager. On this last visit the manager swore he was going to come back and take care of us personally but then we never saw him again. I'm done with your second chances Max's. Someone seriously needs to sue you.
(2)
Kannika L.

First time at Max's Restaurant for dinner on a weeknight. The complimentary bread was surprisingly very good. It was warm, tasted fresh, and there was a different types to choose from. I ordered the meatloaf for my entree and was disappointed. The meatloaf itself was just all right, it was placed on top of cold mashed potatoes, and came with a side of large slightly undercooked broccoli that tasted like icy hot. The waiter was really tentative on refilling water though, so that was a plus. The others at my table ordered a caesar salad with anchovies and that looked pretty good. If I had to come here again, I might do crab cakes with side of caesar salad with anchovies.
(2)
Tracy O.

Wow, this place totally took me by surprise. My fiance and I came here expecting a small diner, and were taken (pleasantly) aback by the large restaurant. Food is kinda expensive (~$15 for most entrees) but we both enjoyed our meals. Iced tea came hot with a cup of ice to pour it over. My open-faced steak sandwich was greasy (brushed with butter?) but it was overall pretty tasty, and my fiance's pasta was good. Both portions were huge and filling. I'm totally coveting the cakes they have at the bakery, but so far, my diet willpower has been holding strong!
(4)
Robert H.

When you can pay around $15 dollars a person for the best reuben you can possibly eat and a beer, that calls for four stars. haha. Pluses: 1) Reuben is damn good, corned beef tastes like they cook it and slice it themselves, and sauer kraut is always fresh. There 2) Deserts are fucking great. I'll gladly pay the extra 8 dollars to get some chocolate cake here. 3) Service here is very good. All of my servers have been top notch in paying attention. Minuses: 1) It gets a wee bit noisy. 2) Sometimes I have to wait 30 minutes for my beer.
(4)
Todd B.

Maybe its the area stuck in the 60 did feel treated as a paying customer my friend and I was wondering how long before they would take our order the place was not busy then we had to see how long before we could get a refill on coffee while the manager watched us the whole time so I got up and got my own wow is that area still stuck in the 60's how do you give no stars to this place
(1)
Lee R.

decent establishment, cool decor, great service
(2)
Kat R.

I first got introduced to Max's Restaurant years agao back in Washington D.C. when they still had performance infused into the experience. At the time, it was a musical performance of Tom Sawyer. I was in high school but that experience always stuck with me. Flash foward a dozen or so years later for my next encounter with Max's. The opera theatre part of the experience is long since gone. At first, I only tried their food through take out between the Burlingame and Redwood City locations. I was never disappointed. The portions were huge and satisfying. I mostly ordered their different salads. Within the past two months, I've at least gone to the Redwood City Max's location two or three times. And still pretty much ordering their salads. I've also ordered from their bar which served very good drinks. Their desserts have also been a cut above the usual. If anything, I have found myself overwhelmed with their large portions. Be sure to bring your appetites! Their service was always prompt and friendly and helpful in making suggestions. Each time, I left I was satisfied and content. My favorite taste of dessert was from their ultimate chocolate and vanilla eclaire. You definately need help of more than one person to savor it. My favorite salad so far has been their cobb salad. Both the chicken and steak are both equally tasty. I look forward to trying more of their menu.
(4)
Linda F.

Things sure aren't the same as they used to be. My husband picked up two sandwiches and they were terrible. The hamburger was Terrible. The rye bread was barely grilled. Very dissatisfied customer. Will not be back
(2)
Matt S.

Classy joint, pricy as hell. Chicken Matzoh Ball soup and some Black Angus Sliders is what I ordered. It was 20 bucks just for me. The desserts are just excellent. Its a formal environment, but its good for kids, and good to celebrate after an event. Great for large parties as well. I would suggest this for a nice dining experience on El camino in Redwood City. Also fun to watch Cars drive by while eating, only for true car enthusiasts.
(4)
Herb M.

Weird shrimp salad and the thousand island dressing was not thousand island. Looked like it but sure did not taste like it. Service very slow with almost no one in the place. Asked if we wanted bread well into our meals. A bit pricy. Not as good as it was years ago IMHO. Doubt wage will return.
(2)
Christopher L.

It is what it is. A solid diner for a good hearty breakfast etc. My friend and I both got the breakfast hash (corned beef and potatoes topped with 2-3 eggs over easy). It's not as classy as the one in Burlingame, but it'll do for a quick meal. Service was quick and attentive, with frequent refills as needed.
(3)
Rudy S.

This is probably one of the best restaurants I have ever been too! I went with about 10 of my cousins and we all had a great time. The food was awesome and the desserts were delicious!! Best cheesecake I've ever had! The servers were so nice and we had no problem with our food and the manager was also very polite and friendly too. I definitely recommend going here and having some lunch or dinner.
(5)
Amy I.

Stopped by with my family to celebrate my youngest's birthday. Man, is this place old looking. Not just an old style...just plain old. The Food The bread, especially the cinnamin one was delicious. They come to your table warmed which is really yummy. - Guy's Special Chinese Chicken Salad (or something like that). The lettuce was hacked to death, chopped by a blind man perhaps. Chicken was old and cold - definitely not cooked fresh. (I've been watching too many of the Gordon Ramsey shows and I would say, this was cooked day(s) in advance and heated in a microwave.) Dressing was okay...was originally soaking with the lettuce, but the server kindly took it back and gave me new salad with lighter dressing. Did not help...still was no good. And, I know you don't want to waste food, and I guess I wasn't necessary expecting an entirely new dish, but I dunno...it was just funny that I noticed that my half bitten chicken piece was placed on the top of my new salad. - Sandwich: this was actually very good, (as it is in the Stanford location as well). The meat is good, the bread is nicely toasted, and the dressing and coleslaw in them are a wonderful combination. - Frenh fries: love that they are the steak fries, but over salted for sure. My son called it "spicy fries". - Blackened trout: looked amazing. Flavor was bland. - Salmon: I didn't try this one, but my aunt said it was delicious. - Giant eclair: was okay. Not bad, not great. I guess I was looking forward to a more custardy filled eclair but instead it was a vanilla and chocolate pudding. - Iced tea: i love the way they do it here which is they give you a tall cup of ice and a small pot of brewing tea. You pour it in the cup and make your own instant iced tea. The Service A little mixed on this one. Our waiter was hot and cold. One minute he was really nice and smiled and brought extra plates without asking. The next, he seemed like he really didn't want to be there. After dinner I had asked him about the freshness of the desserts, specifically the eclairs. I expected him to totally sell it, but instead, he said he didn't know and shrugged it off. Told me it was made at the commissary (what's that?) and delivered to them. So then I asked, is it delivered daily? He said yes. He look irritated that I was asking him these questions and waited impatiently with pen and paper in hand, waiting for me to say I wanted it. I should have said no thanks, but I took a risk and ordered it. I was just baffled at the way he answered the questions and a little annoyed at the attitude. You don't know if your food is fresh? So...he was good, and then he was not, and then he was good again. Toss up. The Verdict Would I go again and would I receommend. The answer would be NO to both of them. I definitely would not come back to this Redwood City location for sure. If I need a bite to eat at Stanford Mall, I might stop by the quick window counter there and order a sandwich, because they are indeed good. But otherwise, skip.
(2)
Mia B.

Ate dinner there on Tuesday early evening, predictably not a busy time. The decor and ambiance project elegance, and the menu has both elegant and down-home offerings. My friend had the cobb salad and I had beef brisket, which was tender and flavorful. The waiter never hit his stride with us, hovering over much at first, then ignoring us once he took our order. I was surprised since it seemed he did not have a full station. Pricing is my main disappointment. At $14.99 the brisket was very reasonably priced, but the wine list made up for it. My friend suggested a white she was familiar with (I should have ordered the chianti, I know!) that tasted a lot like plain water. If the per glass wine price was friendlier I might have ordered dessert too -- the display case contained quite a few that I will try if I go back. The total bill with tip was $56 for one substantial entree, a large salad, and 2 glasses of mediocre wine. At other comparably priced restaurants I've left feeling happier with the experience. Even so, I would go back for the chance at one of those desserts!
(3)
Julia R.

You can't go wrong when there's corn beef and matzo ball soup on the menu. The service is always good and quick and the food is always fresh and tasty. The prices could be a little less steep but overall I really love this place! Now they are serving breakfast too!
(4)
Jaime O.

Stopped in for lunch - I had the half BLT with russian cabbage soup. My driver had the turkey bacon swiss sandwich with fries. The portions were big and the quality was good. Service was fine and I enjoyed max's its a very nice environment.
(4)
Willie D.

Every time I am out this way I go to Max's.....I know the wait at lunch is ridiculous.....but the sandwiches are just that good.....the Matzoh Ball Soup is rocking, the Reubens (on grilled rye w/ pastrami, cheese, sauerkraut and thousand-island dressing).....amazing...... Highly recommended
(5)
Kim S.

When my husband and I moved back up to NoCal in 2003, we were rental house hunting. We needed sustenance so we went to the Max's in Burlingame where we had great service and the food was humongous and tasty. When the waitress overheard me teasing my husband about how we were going to end up at McDonald's for our first anniversary in a couple of days, she got us a wonderful sundae (gratis) with 'Happy first anniversary' written in chocolate on the lip of the bowl. It was the sweetest (literally and figuratively) that we had ever been given for our anniversary. From that experience, we started going regularly to the Max's chain with our friends and family. Then, it started to just go down hill. The service became surly and the food was questionable. I remember coming in sick to get some of the chicken soup (that I'm sure cures everything) and waiting for 45 minutes for it. Take away. Not at a table, but take away. It wasn't just Burlingame but Palo Alto and Redwood City. It was at the point where neither my husband or I wanted to ever go to Max's again. That was over three years ago. Tonight, we went to Max's because my husband knows that I swear by the chicken soup to cure all my sicknesses. We took our toddler with us and hoped for the best. We were pleasantly surprised. We were seated immediately (at six pm on a Saturday night) by a smiling staff member. Within two minutes, we were given water and asked for our drink order. Within five minutes of that, we got our drinks and made our food order. The waiter wasn't exactly Mr Personality but he was polite. The hot dog and fries our son got were tasty and he ate up most of it. My husband got the ultimate grilled cheese sandwich (brie, munster and provolone) which he really liked. I got the grilled veggie wrap with a side salad of corn, greens, sliced grape tomatoes, red onions and potatoes in a nice sweet and tart vinegrette with a tzaziki sauce for the wrap which was really tangy. It was a good filling sandwich. We were both pleasantly surprised at how nice people were and the food was good unlike the last time we went in where we waited 20 minutes to order and another 45 minutes for our meals. This was post lunch hour when it was quiet in the restaurant. So on a busy Saturday night, we were pleasantly surprised. Max's says they don't want critics but to be honest, you need to some times hear that your place has some issues. If it's nitpicky, fine, you can ignore it but if it is something major like your staff is really rude and your food makes me want to go anywhere but to your establishment, then it's time to consider the options. Hopefully, when we go back to another Max's, we'll be pleased again.
(3)
James L.

This is my daughters favorite restaurant. The service & Food are good. A lot to choose from. A little pricey though. My wife likes the specialty drinks from the bar. They really are good with the kids. Great family restaurant
(4)
frances m.

I've been to other Max's and I did like this one. I had the philly cheesestake I really liked it, sure it's not a real philly but hey it satisfied a craving. My Mom had the patty melt and that was very good, and our friend had the pastrami she really liked, we all liked the fries. We all only ate half our sandwiches so we could have dessert what a dissapointment, the chocolate cake tasted old and anyone who knows me knows I know cake. The carrot cake or maybe they should rename it fruity coconut cake where were the carrots? It was moist ,but not a good carrot cake. The hunt shall good on.
(3)
Trisha H.

Since we always like to try local food at all areas we visit, we decided to try this restaurant that was down the street from our hotel. Low-key, place. Big menu, not sure what to get. I just order an ordinary BLT and french onion soup. If your a big fan of that particular soup....its to die for! Big bowl with lots and lots of melted cheese on top. Its almost a meal in itself! The sandwich was OK...nothing spectacular...but what do you expect its a an ordinary sandwich anyway...and my BF got the Lamb burger. Now for you more adventurous people out there. This that is what you should try. He said it was very good, and the fries very nicely seasoned. In the area where there is a Max's go for it and try it!
(4)
Jon K.

mediocre food for high-end prices. Definitely not a place to go if you care about your health. I can make anything on their menu, better, myself. Except for the desserts. But again those are unhealthy and WAY too expensive.
(2)
David F.

I don't know why this is so poorly rated. The food is decent and there is a good atmosphere. But, what I think really makes this a good place are their desserts. They are massive and very, very good. If you don't want to eat dinner there, thats fine, but you should have dessert here.
(4)
kimberly l.

The food's okay. The service, though, was terrible. I don't know if it was an off night or what, but they messed up three out of four of our orders, and brought us a half-order of an appetizer when we'd ordered a whole one. It wasn't exactly rocket science, but we were willing to let it go, but for one thing. At the time, my friend had a cast on her leg, and had to be in a wheelchair - they did nothing to accomodate her, and when we were trying to leave, the waiters and waitresses were IN OUR WAY, staring at us, and didn't move until she said excuse me. They got up out of their chairs, but they didn't move away, which caused her to bang into various chairs and tables on her way out. WTF.
(2)
Meghan M.

I LOVE the matzoh ball soup and get it every chance I get. I also LOVE the niagara falls cake and hardly ever try another dessert because it is soo good. We tend to order out from here more often than eating in. The staff are always very friendly, especially the two guys who man the take-out and dessert areas. They are so nice and always make me feel very welcome.
(4)
R. M.

Their food is consistently good quality. The chicken soup, the sandwiches, the desserts, the iced tea are all great. But the service and the atmosphere are hit-or-miss. Some of the waiters have been pretty good and some have been awful. They really need to work on the consistency of their service.
(3)
Lauren W.

So I've never actually been to this particular location, just ordered food from it through work, so I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and award two stars. I have to imagine eating in must be a better experience than having their food delivered. Must be, since I've never actually ordered anything I liked from this place. As in, I'll take two bites, then throw it away and get something from the vending machine instead. Yeah. But maybe I'm just picky.
(2)
Laurie R.

Oh, Max, what has happened to you? I've been eating here for at least 8 years, maybe longer. I went tonight and was so disappointed. First, duct tape on your seats and a slight musty smell doesn't project "clean restaurant with good, fresh food." It actually projects a "down-on the heels, I hope I don't get food poisoning tonight" image. Next, I actually thought our waiter was the bus boy. He was quite good at coming to our table and staring at us. Actually speaking to us was another story. I couldn't figure out why the busboy was bringing our alcohol. He just put our drinks on the table and left, without ever saying a word. Weird. The food was OK, once the waiter finally came back and took our order. The portions were actually quite small, considering it's Max's. I'm used to having more than enough food for lunch the next day. Tonight I ate my whole sandwich, and I'm not a big girl. It was just a small sandwich. Even my husband commented on the puny size. Finally, when you have five people, including three kids, and the parents only order two desserts for the kids, you should probably double check to make sure you got the order right. Our birthday boy was pretty mad that the waiter didn't bring the dessert he ordered. Once again, if the waiter had just repeated the order instead of stomping off, it wouldn't have been a problem. Finally, don't just take away the leftovers without asking if we want it boxed. He just threw the food away, when we had planned on taking it with us. Goes back to the "not speaking" thing again. All in all, the food was still OK, but it's just not the same Max's we've known and loved all these years. It's sad when a restaurant you really liked needs surly waitstaff and duct tape to stay in business.
(2)
Ruth T.

The food's good and there's lots of it. The desserts are indeed sturdy and marvelous. For pastrami, though, I'd opt for Harry's Hofbrau down the street, or the Max's in the Stanford Mall or downtown SF next to the Opera. Points off for the dark and dingy decor, and some of the strange attitudes that have me thinking Max's? or, nah - some place else, when I'm nearby, lately. Definitely GOOD for takeout, at this location: there's nothing wrong behind the kitchen doors.
(3)
Steve K.

We enjoy eating at this establishment but have noted that the portions have decreased and the menu items don't seem to change. The food is usually tasty but the staff always seem to be in a hurry. Our table was not cleaned well and had to be redone.
(3)
Lynette D.

The food was ok, the service was ok. Not sure if I would come here again, but if I was starving and craving a reuben, I would probably go back. The only thing I would do differently would be ordering it to-go. The service was ridiculously slow.
(3)
John S.

It's ok eats. The food is a bit bland. I wouldn't go there on a date or anything after knowing what the food is like.
(2)
NB B.

I've been here twice and it sucked both times. They try to foo foo what should be standard diner food and fail miserably at it. They make the waiters dress up as if their food was something to be proud of. I drive by and see this place packed with people looking at their 50 page menu. Sad really.
(2)
Brandon M.

I'm making these mental notes for places I bring out of town clients and just put Max's on the list. I've avoided this place many times because of how pretentious and crowded it has always been. But, there is a reason for the many people coming here. It's written on the glass door, it's written on their high quality disposable napkin: This is not a good place for a diet. What is it that people don't understand about this? I think I like Max, he's a straight shooter, tells you like it is, makes no excuses, offers quality product and nice atmosphere. Simply these words would normally scare someone like myself. But people, they do warn you, there are signs everywhere... the dessert display right in front has double layer carrot cake, scones the size of baseballs, the large mug of apple cranberry or apple blueberry nice crusted cobbler. So, I order the pastrami sandwich and wasn't threaten by the size because I've been to places that serves huge portions that you have to eat the sandwich with a fork and it's messy and it's more meat than I eat in a week. Max's portion is big, but not that huge. It's not messy, they serve it with a whole kosher style pickle that was very crunchy and the sides of potato salad and cole slaw are served in little ramekins. I'm not a big fan of these two sides because not many places make it exceptional. I have to say, I really like the flavor of both, not too mustard or mayo taste like delis would normally serve to their clientele. This has to be the only few exception that I would rave about potato salad. The rest of the menu has all types of food that people who appreciate food would love. Steaks, salads,etc. Of course I avoided the dessert but put in a mental note that if I need to pamper myself with just a dessert, this is the place. They have large booths in back so I know my client and I can get comfy and just brainstorm my next project. The food will make them think it's like a party with me and not a job related meeting. That's a plus. Again, repeat after me "this is not a good place for a diet".
(4)
Sarah B.

Max's has been around a long time and it's sad to me to see it decline. This place offers the WORST service. The wait time is ridiculous and the servers and rude and inattentive. I've completely boycotted this restaurant (especially this location). The last straw was when my credit card statement came back with an extra $15 added to my charge. Since then, I have not returned. The only thing I miss is the iced tea and matzo ball soup.
(1)
Robert H.

We always enjoy coming to Max's because we can always count on good quality food with big quantities. My daughter loves the Reuben sandwich, my son the burgers... What you can't finish, you can take it to go for later snacking. While it's not always the cuisine of choice for me, but when your family have divergent tastes, this is a good place to satisfy all the different hankerings in one place.
(4)
mary c.

Last night I had a party of 8 and 18% gratuity was included in the bill automatically. This is not a surprise, but another 9.2% sales tax was charged on top of the gratuity. While "tip" and "gratuity" mean essentially the same thing, seems like in Max's the gratuity becomes a "service charge" which is mandantory and taxable. I hope the tax department is aware of this. BTW, I ordered the port ribs and they are pretty dry.
(2)
Leonard H.

I ate at the Max's located in the Stanford shopping center. The food was very good, but the service was pretty poor. I think my waiter was a bus boy that had been promoted. His english was really bad.
(3)
Robyn C.

I used to love Max's but they've declined to the point of oblivion. It used to be one of our groups standard "good eats" locations, as you could always get a good solid meal and a cocktail close to home for a decent price. I particularly enjoyed this locale as they offered the twice baked stuffed potatoes. My Fave is the BBQ chicken with the sauce on the side and my second fave was the Joe's potato. The Joes should have sautee'd mushrooms, red onions, spinach, ground beef etc. The last time I ordered this not only were the mushrooms raw and cold, so was the red onion. It was tasteless. I had been looking forward to this all day and was really disappointed that this was so bad. Come on folks, RAW??? There were other items that were also faves but they too have changed. The service is soo bad. Once they finally take your order you never get another chance for a refill. Good luck.
(2)
Rick T.

This place is simply not worth it, folks. The food isn't very tasty, the prices are high and the restaurant seems to have a pretty high opinion of itself. Why reward this type of business? In its defense, I feel that I must add that my wife loves the corn flake french toast.
(2)
Kevin S.

If I walk into a dead quiet restaurant--almost empty--don't try to shunt me off to some crappy tiny little table just outside the swinging kitchen door. You're not going to lose revenue by offering me a big comfy booth or a table where I can spread out and relax a little in the hour I'll be there. And worse yet, don't get all nasty with me when I have the temerity to politely ask for another table. Your "policy" is stupid and your judgement is worse. Buh bye.
(1)
Stephanie S.

Redwood City Max's is not owned by the original Max. Avoid at all costs! The owner is rude, abusive, and hostile when approached with a legitimate complaint. Though I had my receipt, he insinuated that I was lying. I ordered "To Go" at the restaurant. The Prime Rib dinner was inedible. The meat was grey covered with a liquid pepper sauce and the creamed spinach was a solid lump. Also, I was billed for an item that I did not order. Because of the holiday, I called 2 days after and spoke to a "manager" to resolve the situation and was asked for my receipt number which I gave and then was told I would be called back. It never happened. I called again in 2 weeks the same person said for me to come to the restaurant which I did. The situation escalated to the owner. I was shocked and appalled at the aggressive response from the owner. Even with my receipt he was questioning my honesty. (and the food's bad, too) Never again!
(1)
Barn M.

The food was good. They weren't the best fish and chips ever, but it was reasonable. The portions are generally sizeable, and should not leave anyone hungry after the meal. The decor is not fancy but acceptable.
(3)
Dank G.

deli style food at an above average sit-down deli style price. if i were a kid or an old person i'd like this place. the desserts are also overrated.
(2)
Oksana T.

I think this is the only chain restaurant I would consider going to a third time. If you are on a diet, this is not the place to go - the entree portions are enormous. But when it comes to their rich cakes and ice cream - you better hold on to your seat. (Those are made extra sturdy).
(4)
Adam B.

Had the chicken caesar wrap. It was ok... chicken was a bit dry. Atmosphere is lacking.
(3)
Dante S.

Have you ever left a place so grumpy that you wished you had an iPhone JUST so you could yelp your displeasure sooner? I remember this place being open a lot later, but apparently I was wrong, a fact the staff so efficiently pounded me in the head with last night. Let me say that I used to work nights in a restaurant, and I wasn't a super fan of the late night stragglers either, but I would always seat them and serve them and let them eat in a leisurely way while I went about my closing duties. Almost everyone was understanding of us needing to do other things while they ate, so long as we checked back on them often enough. You never expect stellar service so close to close time. My friend and I got there at 9:40, which I admit is a bit late for dinner, but we only wanted desert. Not that we had a chance to say that, as the hostess threw down our menus and advised us to order quickly so the kitchen could close up. I started to ask her for the desert menu but she was already out of ear shot. We had to ask for the desert menu from the server who showed up a few minutes later. He swiped the dinner menus from us (seriously dude, I would have handed them to you) and tromped off to get the desert menus. He more or less hovered while we looked it over. Once we placed our desert order he started to walk away when my friend asked for a beverage. He told her that they were out of coffee. Out of coffee? That being said, desert was good. My friend had the low carb/no sugar espresso cheesecake (I'll take her word for it being awesome) and I had the apple and cranberry cobbler. I had to take most of mine home as it was simply too big to finish, at least before our bill was stood up on the table between us. How late was it? 10:15. There were other diners left, too, who weren't being shooed away, so I don't know what the deal was. Sure, fine, we get the idea, we're leaving. Oh, don't worry, we won't bother you again.
(2)
Henry M.

Went for breakfast and ordered the "two of everything," and (almost) everything was awful. The pancakes were heavy and rubbery (probably pre-made and then reheated) and the sausages were fatty and tasteless, the kind of stuff I imagine they might serve at San Quentin. No wonder there were only two tables occupied (including mine) at 8:30 on a weekday morning. Never again!
(1)
Spencer S.

Had Cocktail shrimp to start then I had the BBQ Pork Sandwich, and finished it off with a chocolate fudge brownie. All were very good.
(4)
Betty O.

Raw bacon on my turkey swiss not under cooked but RAW!! I found out the restaurant has new owners, that explains the hit and miss with food and service. also try looking at the cook area next to the cakes look at the filth on the walls and the floors holy crap. don't bother contacting customer service THEY DON"T CARE ANYMORE
(1)
Ed C.

This place exemplifies the motto of "Quantity Over Quality". The food was a definite "meh". A lot of food but not a lot of taste. The lamb burger was sooooo dry that I needed to have a sip of water with every bite to get it down. Totally flavorless too. The best tzatziki in Greece couldn't make that burger any better. I also had the matzo ball soup. Now I'm not Jewish nor am I a matzo ball aficionado but it tasted like they just threw a matzo ball into a bowl of Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup. "Oh vey!" The Max's Famous Reuben Sandwich was alright. The rye bread was nicely toasted, however on the menu they claim that the Reuben may be messy. Not so! I don't think I dripped a bit of sauce, or grease, or whatever was supposed to be dripping out of the sandwich. The service was good. Our waiter was very attentive. He also had a lot of recommendations. I wanted to order lemonade but he suggested the Mango Madness (mango juice, pomegranate juice, orange juice, and soda). How can you say no to that??? Awesome recommendation. I would go back just for that drink. The food quality matched that of a Mimi's Cafe, TGIF's, or Applebee's. I don't think I would recommend this place. The 2 stars is for the service and the Mango Madness.
(2)
Robin P.

What is great about Max's? Well, it's open late, can seat large and rowdy parties, has quite rapid service, the desserts are scrumptious, and the calamari is best I have had anywhere (bumped it up from two to three stars). You may ask, what about the entrees? Well, I have yet to have a truly good main course at Max's despite numerous visits. In general I am left pondering the deliciousness of the calamari and the complete inadequacy of the entree. You may also ask, why do you keep frequenting this location? Good question with a simple answer: the calamari.
(3)
Todd L.

Very consistent never bad but never great either.
(3)
Y Z.

Two quality notches below Max's Opera Cafe at Stanford Shopping Center
(3)
John M.

Just tried this location last week. I have to say, it is almost as good as the Burlingame location! Amazing how consistent the food is between the locations. (ok, maybe just amazing to me... How do they do that?) Service was also very good. Try the Reuben, you will probably have to take half of it home!
(4)
Ali L.

Typically good here but tonight sucked. They ran out of prime rib special and the meat I ordered was dried out and nasty. Sent it back. Lackluster service too. Waiter very nice but SLOW.
(2)
Chris L.

This was a family gathering spot....emphasis on WAS! Now, food is ridiculously overpriced, food went downhill, service is poor at best, silverware is commonly dirty, etc. If you remember the good days at Max's and want to revisit that, just keep it as a positive memory. There is a reason the yelp vote has such a low average. I imagine McDonald's is better reviewed.
(1)
Kristine T.

Over the years I've come here off and on, it hasn't been my favorite place but every once in a while I'll crave something from there. When I went in recently they have changed their menu to offer less healthy options which is kind of a bummer, considering most people are on the trend of this. ie. they used to offer a whole page of dishes that were tailored to being more health conscious and that's gone and when I asked about specifics ie. turkey pastrami they said no more. Their desserts are huge, their wine offerings kinda suck, and the service is mediocre. All in all I'd say stick to one of the smaller, local downtown redwood city places for better food and dining.
(3)
Nicole B.

I got the grandmas chicken which I have been ordering for years. The chicken was not that great and the usual excellent sauce was way too watery and did not full fill my expectations. The side was a large carrot sliced into 3 long strips and was over cooked. I think this is one of the worst max's I have been to. Beware
(2)
Ashley C.

I tried ordering something simple, impossible to not ruin and they do. Soup and salad, easy right? Wrong took one bite and sip out of each and that was all I ate. This Max's is really going down hill. Do they not care anymore and just giving up? I don't understand, they have so much potential and they're just letting it all go down the drain.
(1)
Pamela K.

Food is always very good, but the service is a hit and miss. We went Friday and our server seemed good, but seemed to forget about us halfway through our meal. Brought one plate out wrong. Brought one drink out wrong. Go when they are not busy and you'll have great service. The breakfast is good now too.
(3)
Shilpi D.

I liked the food here. My husband is half Jewish, and when he had made his fantastic Matzoh ball chicken soup, I fell in love with Jewish food. This place doesn't compare to Jerry's in Los Angeles, but the food was good nevertheless I had the half tuna and Matzoh ball soup combo. Hubby had the corned beef and soup combo. We had the gigantic eclair for dessert Good quality meats, fresh ingredients, consistently good food across all their locations. Service was abysmal. The ambiance was not "kosher" at all. But the food was pretty decent.
(4)
Mark M.

Stoped on the way down from San Francisco a few weeks ago, and after being impressed with the menu selections ended up getting the French Onion soup because we had another 2 hour drive south and it came out and it was HUGE!! Probably the bigest bowl of soup I have ever had..it was amazing!! Deffintly reccomend for the Great SERVICE and the atmosphere..
(5)
Douglas B.

Brunch on sunday or dinner on a weekday it's always the best place for food!
(5)
Alex F.

This Max's location has pretty good food. Cheap mimosas! The service has always been great, here. I really like the staff. It is a very comfy place.
(4)
eric k.

Max's is actually one of my favorite places to go. Sure.. I've had some not-so-great experiences here, but I know it's not a bad place to eat, and the prices match the decor... a little nicer than your TGIF/Applebees etc. Today I went with a couple of friends... was looking for something not-as-heavy... so I ordered the Pear Salad.... wow... that was really good.... service was good.. yes.. prices are a little higher than I like, but I wasn't coming here for a bargain... not too busy during lunchtime... good stuff!!!
(4)
Meaghan B.

Another "round up from 2.5 stars" review. We stopped in here while we were in town for a conference. The staff seemed really out of it - and it was only about eight-thirty and they claim to close at ten. Several staff members stepped around us at the hostess station when finally a bus boy came by and said that someone would seat us soon. Once seated, a waitress came by and rattled off a spiel about "finally having a new menu" and the new menu items are... and the special is... Having never been there before, I wasn't particularly interested in what was new. Then she stood there, just waiting. I finally told her that we weren't ready to order. She quite literally huffed and then walked away. Then a young man came by and said *he'd* just found out he'd be taking over our table and gave us a slightly different spiel about the same special and the soup of the day. He took a drink order. The first waitress came back, almost immediately, and just stood there again. (I noticed, by this time, that they have a "rule" on the menu about never asking you "Are you ready to order?" Silence is not a way around this!) I told her I'd need a few more minutes. The waiter came back with our drinks and asked if we had any questions. By this point, I was confused. Then the waitress asked the waiter near our table which table was her "last table" and he stated that he didn't know for sure. She came back to our table and stood there again - I finally admitted my confusion and said "I was under the impression that young man was our waiter now?" and she said "Fine, if you want him." and walked off. What?! To be fair, the waiter was very nice, prompt and the food was pretty good. I also got a chocolate covered macaroon the size of my head. Half of the steak came back to the hotel with us - huge portions! The food was nothing to write home about, but it was certainly clean, decently prepared and reasonably tasty. So, to sum up, decent food and strange service.
(3)
Geoff D.

Four stars for Max's slightly-upscale diner menu from which we order out regularly. Two stars for the busy street-side spot and particularly dreary interior at this location. If you want to eat in, go to the Max's at Stanford Mall.
(3)
Kat S.

used to like this place for their menu items, even though service was always bad...but the place is just getting worse and worse. the bathroom stinks, the kitchen area stinks, there's food lying around the kitchen not properly stored, and the last time i ate salmon there it was so overcooked it was like jerky...yes, it was to-go, but i still think the food i get to-go should be edible. so disappointed since i really used to love their caesar salad, but it's going to be a loooong time before i break down and give them another chance
(1)
Co L.

The food is okay, if you have all night. I don't know what the deal is with this place. Maybe my bad luck? We always try to give Max's another chance because the food is decent and hope that the super slow service was just a bump. Not so though. Every time we go, I feel like gouging my eyes out with my spoon because number one, it takes for ever to get service, two, takes for ever to get my food, three, takes for ever to close out the bill. I wish the service was faster because we do bring it up when the "where to eat?" comes up, but then we remember the waiting, and waiting, and waiting.
(2)
Cindy S.

I went to Max's for lunch today. One more time I was very disappointed. I told the waiter that I am not a chef and even I could do better than what he did. The waiter went away and came back and said the chef said "Oh, well'. Just what a customer wants to hear. I have been to the one in San Francisco and it was great. This one is awful!
(1)
Kim N.

For the longest time this and the one in SF were the only Max's that had breakfast items. It's been a while but I'll give it the 4th star for that since I loved their corned beef hash. Definitely expect two meals from whatever you're ordering unless you're a bodybuilder and frankly, the lack of NY style delis makes this one of the few places around where you can get those huge honking deli style sandwiches.
(4)
Shannon M.

I used to dislike the food at this place but their cooks must have changed. This is an all right place to eat at. I can think of better places but my younger brother loves this place and the restaurant is very child friendly (they give coloring books and crayons to each child). I have consistently had the pear tree salad and the vegetarian wrap (comes in a greenish colored wrap that gives it a good look on the plate) and they have both been good to very good. Why am I only giving it three stars? I just don't care for how the place is laid out or much for the location (not a big fan of Redwood City). So, location is two stars and food, as of late, is three point five stars.
(3)
Tim S.

I have been to this place 3 times. One of the times the waiter we had sucked. We had to get the attention of another waiter when we needed refills on our drinks like 2-3 times that night. The other 2 times was a decent experience. This place has great salads and deserts. Not my favorite place but the food is definitely worth the price and the service I would rate at 3 stars out of 5.
(3)
H C.

The Reubens are great here but, wow, is it really worth nearly $10 (for the jr.)? The regular is nearly $12... We got the "lunch menu" but none of the prices seemed reduced. Maybe only the cover of the menu is different between lunch and dinner menus! Our server - not so great. I would have preferred the bartender/server who seemed to have his timing right and customers happy. He was bartending and waiting on tables - just as many as our server - and still helping her carry out her entrees. Note to self: Stop ordering/eating so much so you can't order dessert! The dessert display sure looks good!
(3)
Herm C.

Good old Max's. I hadn't been here for years. I headed over to meet a friend for lunch. Ack! I'd forgotten what a mess parking is. It's located in the same plaza as a Safeway and to say the parking lot is poorly designed is an understatement. But after doing a crawl up and down the rows, I found a space near Safeway and made my way into Max's. I had the pastrami and corned beef sandwich and the crabcakes. Started off with the crabcakes. Not just one or two, but a whole plateful...and they were quite tasty. Firm on the outside and tender on the inside. The pastrami and corned beef sandwich came with a side I wasn't totally enthused about. A trio of salads. Potato, cucumber (?) and cole slaw. All were passable, but I wouldn't ever order them if they didn't come with the sandwich. Now the pastrami and corned beef are another matter. They were quite good. Ample portions of meat in the sandwich. Service was actually quite good too. Waitress came by promptly to take our order, refilled our drinks and check was brought promptly. All in all a very good experience since I was grumpy with how long it took me to get through downtown Redwood City and get a parking space. I would go again!
(4)
Jim S.

Just got back from Max's on a Wednesday evening. It wasn't very busy but still the service was slow. My wife and I ordered the skirt steak with "jumbo" prawns. The food arrived warm with the mashed potatoes slightly cold around the edges. The skirt steak was tender and cooked well though the seasoning was just okay to me. The "jumbo" prawns looked like medium size shrimp and were rubbery. It took over 15 minutes before the waiter returned to ask if our food was okay, by which time we were pretty much done with Max's. Needless to say, we won't be back.
(2)
Sarah H.

I use to really like Max's. Okay, well, I still really like the food and have few complaints (Matzo Ball Soup is good, but suffers on some days.....). Prices are a little on the high side, but everything is always good and they have delicious desserts! Why the low star rating? The service. We work ten min. away but we can't come here unless we have a 90 min lunch. Because they're too slow! Getting seated is usually easy (usually), but ordering takes forever. We usually know what we want when we sit down, but it always takes at least 10-15 min. before someone comes to take the order. The waiters/waitresses are a mixed bag. Some are friendly and really good, others are terrible, terrible, terrible. We never know what we're going to get. One time we were ready to order food and drinks at the same time, but the waiter asked that we do the drink order first (um, okay) then proceeded to take a full 15 min. to bring 5 people sodas and water. We had been sitting there over 30 min. before we finally got to place our food order, thus insuring that we would be back late from lunch. Last time we went 3 of us ordered Arnold Palmers (ice tea+lemonade), a standard drink, like a soda. When the bill came we had each been charged for 2-3 drinks because of the refills. We tried to flag the waiter, but he ignored us. Finally we got his attention and my friend explained that he thought there was a mistake. The waiter was horribly rude and argued with him, saying it was a "specialty" drink, therefore the refills weren't free. We pointed out that refills on lemonade or ice tea are free. He continued to argue and finally, at our instance, took the bill to the bartender to ask. Of course he found out that the refills were free. At least he had the decency to apologize, but that instance cost us over 15 min. and we were back late to work.....
(2)
Jessica S.

Good food but lots of it. More than you can eat in one sitting. well for me anyway.
(4)
Nicole F.

I have had better for sure. The Max's on Van Ness is way better. But getting to the matter at hand. Ehhhh, not good. We went Friday night for dinner and it was a major pass. 1 star for good bread, and that is not saying much. I like that you can have the soup salad option for dinner and I had the retro salad and matzo ball soup. BF had meatloaf which was dreadful. I had a bite and yes, I can agree that there was meat gristle in the meatloaf. What? No, not acceptable. Also the gravy was weak and broccoli was raw. I would not go back!
(2)
anne m.

I work right next to the max's at stanford shopping center and i enjoy coming here for lunch when i get a break and i have 15 extra dollars to spend on a really good salad. I always get the tuna and capers salad, and their mojitos are on hit! mmmm mmmm the menu is a little confusing for me because i usually dont eat very sophisticated, lol but i enjoy the different mini bread rolls they give you, even with togo orders. warm and toasty!
(4)
h a.

We've been going to this Max's for about three years now and the service and food have progressively declined. Our last experience was the last straw. The service was excruciatingly slow, they got our order wrong, and while we were waiting for our dessert we were forced to switch tables so they could seat a big party...no apology, just thinly veiled impatience that we had ordered dessert and screwed up their schedule. We waited around a while longer while they fussed over the new table of customers, with no water or what remained of our food. We got tired of waiting (how long does it take to scoop ice cream?) and asked for the check, which was slammed down on the table without a pause or an apology. So we didn't leave a tip and won't be back.
(1)
anita b.

They have the best corned beef reubens in the world! The staff is a bit rude, and the place needs a good cleaning. But, they have the best corned beef reubens in the world!
(3)
Vicki G.

Have gone to Max's many times. Best for lunch, but we've had dinner here before, also. Tonight, we ordered the crabcakes, having enjoyed them before. Bleah. It was like eating breadcrumb cakes with a slight flavor of crab. Tons of fries, and a little coleslaw. $20.99 Oh well, live and learn.
(2)
l c.

while the food is tasty, i am giving the rating above due to a practice i think is a rip off. the 4 of us ordered enough food and drink that the server shouldn't be concerned about his tip. i don't even know if my issue is related to that but here is the deal. our child ordered a cup of matzo ball soup. after taking a taste , one of the adults ordered the same thing for himself. the child's cost $3.99, the adult's cost $6.99 FOR EXACTLY THE SAME PORTION. we were given some lame excuse about them trying to provide service to the children (huh??). can only feel we were RIPPED OFF. this is a blatant excuse to wring extra $$ from customers. in THIS economy?? we will not be back and will share this experience with others.....
(1)
brook l.

you know - this is one of my biggest disappointments - I used to love Max's! the food was always great for lunch or dinner or whenever the mood strikes you. I think they've started cutting back their portions. Over the last couple of years, I notice the menu changing for the worse, the portions are less visually appealing and are smaller and the service's been suffering. I hope they read it and pick up the pace!
(3)
Corey C.

Ugh, I had a horrible experience here. We waited around 10 minutes for a waiter to come by, the attitude was bad, the atmosphere was dead, a broken echo of an excellent restaurant. It just made me sad to go there, felt like going to see someone do a bad karaoke version of a great song...which is being sang next door by the original musician! Pass.
(1)
Ben L.

Well, I dont know about all these bad reviews, because my girlfriend and I have made Max's our regular eat out resaurant. We go there atleast once a week. The menu has everything you could want and then some. The service is always good and quik. And the food is amazing. Oh and you leave with a full stomach without emptying your wallet. I would recommend this place to anyone looking to eat some good food and not spend much. Try their stuffed potatoes, we have tried them all and they are great.
(5)
J C.

Max's used to be a cool place to marvel at the list of "rules," ogle at the desserts, and try (just try!) to pick something to eat off their ginormous menu. Then I left middle school, and didn't really come back, except for the odd cast party or dinner at the opera cafes in Burlingame and Stanford Mall. I returned to this RWC location the other night with the boyfriend for a quick bite (I wanted a salad, and figured the menu would be extensive enough to fill whatever craving he might have), to find this place has become quite worn around the edges with a dingy feel of a place past its prime. My chicken matzo ball soup (I used to RAVE about Max's chicken matzo ball soup) looked and tasted like it came out of a can, and the bf's fish and chips left a distinctly fishy essence long after we left the restaurant. I'll probably just stick to the opera cafes from now on.
(2)
Melissa T.

A good lunch spot. The portions are big and the sandwiches and salads are pretty great. The dessert selection is also quite tempting, if you've got the appetite. The only drawback is the service is pretty much guaranteed to be really slowww. The dinner menu isn't much to write home about, with equally slow service. Overall, I think this is a good place to go spend a long lunch hour.
(3)
Angela N.

I love Max's!!!! I love going here and while the service can be a little slow it is worth the wait because the food is always fresh and tastes great! I have tried their takeout as well and It is always ready on time, usually less than twenty minutes Fabulous!!! Try the ULTIMATE GRILLED CHEESE OMG it is so Good and the FRIES are to die for!
(5)
Kevin D.

This is my first time at this Max's. I have been to the one in Burlingame and the one on Van Ness in SF and those have been decent. This Max's was horrible. Usually when a restaurant is bad it's either the food or the service. I must say that here it was BOTH!!! Service: We went here to celebrate a birthday on 9/7/08 (Sunday dinner) so we had a large party (9 adults, 2 children). Our waiter was named Abraham and he was very unprofessional and unfriendly. He never once cracked a smile and he had an attitude like he hated working there. He was very rude when taking our order and not very helpful guiding us through the menu. It took him forever to refill our water glasses even after asking him to refill it. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt; with all the mistakes maybe it was his first day/week or first large party but his attitude was unacceptable regardless if it was his first day or not. There were plenty of mistakes made on our order too. 1. My brother-in-law had the turkey dinner with gravy on the side. When the dish came there was gravy all over the turkey and potatoes. He told our UNPROFESSIONAL server that he had stated he wanted the gravy on the side and the server said "Oh, let me go get you some extra gravy on the side." He corrected our server and the server took his dish away with a sigh and no apology. 2. I ordered the corned beef, pastrami, and liver sandwich. I told our server I would like the liver on the side. When my sandwich came it had the liver in the sandwich. I told him I wanted the liver on the side and he said, "We're going to have to make you another sandwich then." No apology about the mistake. He took it back and when the sandwich came back it did have the liver on the side. However, it was missing the grilled onions that the menu said it came with. By this time our waiter was helping other people so I waited for a while (about 5 min.) and then finally got the manager's attention and told her I was missing the onions. She seemed confused and I showed her the menu. She then started making excuses saying that the onions were a new item to the sandwich. I've always thought that liver and onions went together though. She ordered it from the kitchen and I waited about 10 more min. By this time most of the party was done with dinner and I hadn't even started. Our server finally came and asked how everything was and I told him I was waiting for my onions...they had been sitting up on the warmer for a while but I finally got them. Food: The food was decent. My only complaint was that my liver was on the verge of spoilage. It was very gamey and the texture was grainy. When I had it at the SF Max's a month ago, it was very delicious. I took some home since everyone had finished dinner and 2 days later the liver was spoiled. The chicken pot pie was kind of runny. The broccoli with the turkey dinner was unseasoned and still on the larger stalk. The rest of the party enjoyed their food. For the amount of money paid, I expect better service and food. What got to me was that since our party was big, the gratuity was already added. I did not think our server deserved any of it.
(1)
Kathy L.

Yum. Leave the diet at home and put your big girl panties on if you're ordering a cocktail!
(4)
Kimberley M.

Nadine was an awesome waitress! My boyfriend and I were just telling each other that we want to come back to THIS Max's just because the service was so good! The breadbasket is pretty great! I like the way the butter melts on that hot raisin and sourdough bread. I shamelessly eat the bread here. It is very good. The beverages here are always above average. They have cel-ray soda with which to accompany your rueben. What else needs to be said? I really enjoyed my turkey dinner. It was perfect. I loved the way the stuffing was slightly light and chewy on the outside and the turkey gravy they served me extra of was AMAZING on the slightly lumpy just like mom makes buttery mountains of potato goodness. This Max's is nice because there is never much wait for a table. The food is consistently good, except, I have to say rather roundly that the chicken and matzoh ball soup at ALL of the Max's seems to have declined in the past few years. What happened? -No REAL biggie, I will still order it, but there have been conversations amongst other friends and fans of matzoh ball soup, and some consensus seems to have been reached that it used to be a little bit better. -MORE SPECIFIC.... hmmm yeah I should be more specific, the soup recipe seems altered in quantities of chicken breast and less fussed-over (this is coming from a matzoh ball almost once a week at Max's for about five years veteran) Rumour is that some of the Max's went corporate, and perhaps a few changes were made? *shrug* It is still good soup, but I miss it's former glory. A few days ago my Boyfriend and I met my Sister and her Fiancee for dinner here, the food was good and we all had a good time. For an appetizer I ordered some sweet potato fries, the kitchen must have forgotten to drop the fries, (they were pretty cold) which totally seemed to embarrass our server, but she had them drop them in the hot oil again, and they were very good with my passion fruit martini, which was very tasty! I had a turkey dinner with stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, (it was supposed to come with cranberry, but I opted not to) the stuffing had a nice flavor of Italian fennel sausage in it, and it was way more food than I could eat at one sitting. My sister and my boyfriend both had ruebens, both of them looked great and they both liked them. My future Brother in law had a Turkey Brie and (Avocado?) I think sandwich. Everyone really enjoyed the meal. Nadine brought us some cheesecake and key lime pie for dessert, and when I asked for extra whipped cream on the key lime, she didn't disappoint! Let's be clear that a major selling point of this place is the service! AND the food is delicious and served in oversized portions that could easily satisfy a person for a full day.
(4)
Jim G.

A Great Old-Fashioned Place to Eat: Max's for lunch is a great experience. Lots of high quality food for a moderate price. I often get tired of "fast-food" and want a good sit-down and enjoy meal. Max's has the biggest menu with the most choices and options of any place I have visited. You want a sandwitch? They have every kind and variation I have ever heard of (and a few I've never heard of). Great soups and salads. My biggest problem visiting Max's is trying to decide what to order! No problem the warmed bread will keep you going until you decide. Most often, I have a 1/2 sandwitch 1/2 salad option. I have had many selections from their menu and have enjoyed them all! Oh, BTW, don't forget brunch at Max's!
(3)
Susan L.

I was scared to eat here after reading all the bad yelp reviews but I have to say I had a great meal here tonight. I got the pear salad and my beau got the chicken teriyaki sandwich. Both were really good and our waiter was great! Very attentive.
(4)
Cay A.

I loved the coziness of the place. Perfect place to catch up on your emails while having breakfast. Service was good. Unfortunately, pancakes were nothing great and the scrabbled eggs were very dry.
(3)
Jessica G.

Service is always excellent, prices are a little high but they give you big portions. Their Chicken caeser salad is amazing (ask for extra olives! they kind of skimp you) and honestly I would come here just for the dessert. Their cake is so decadent and good! I'm pretty picky about cake because it's usually too dry, but theirs is moist and flavorful. The location is what keeps me coming back. If you're looking for a quick bite and you're in Sequoia Station, I would recommend Max's.
(4)
Chelsey G.

Max's and I go way back. I'll always love them even through all the different management and menus over the years. Even when I know they are slippin. I still will always have love for Maxs. But this location needs an intervention. Made a to go order. Was told 10-15 min. It took 40 min. So I sat at the bar and did some recon. Half of the waiters working were sipping drinks! And a few others seemed hopped up on sumthin. I mean, ya I would probably be sippin on a secret sippy cup too if I was a waiter. BUT shit, get it together. Max's I will always love you, but it is hard for me to see you like this. I am worried about you. Will you accept help? Love, Chelsey G.
(3)
Jennifer J.

Why are you reading this. Don't eat here. It's gross. There are other more palatable venues down the walkway.. Walk out, turn left and close your eyes. You will hit something better. It's a sad atmosphere and a sad extensive menu where nothing is done well but everything is offered. The only redeeming part of this is the desserts and still, they look better than they taste. Oh yeah, and every time we ate here at least one person had the runs. Just sayin'
(1)
P. O.

I came here for a Birthday dinner and ordered the ribeye steak dinner. When it arrived, it lacked the distinct roundness of that particular cut. I asked the waiter if I got the right order. He wasn't sure, brought it back to the cook to verify, came back a few minutes later to say that it was correct. You'd think I would know a ribeye? Disappointed that I paid extra for ribeye and got a cheaper cut of steak. The steak was not that flavorful and was pretty tough. The sides were the best part of the meal.
(1)
Roger K.

Agreed on all counts. This place has gone downhill. On occasion, you can still get a good-tasting meal, and the desserts are still delish, but the service at this Redwood City location is just awful. Such great potential, such poorly run business.
(2)
Zath D.

I have been coming to this maxes since 1995. It used to be great. Now it is terrible. It has been horrible since they started doing breakfast. The same rude chubby Latino server is always my server no matter what.
(1)
Amy D.

This review is for their cake only. 3.5 stars but rounding down for the packaging. The restaurant asks for 48 hour notice if you're purchasing a whole cake, and they were nice enough to make an exception when I called in the morning to place my order. However, we did have to wait a while at the cake counter to pay for and pick up our cakes. We ordered: -Max's Fantasy Torte (Chocolate Cake, Max's NY Cheesecake, Creamy Chocolate Mousse, Covered in Chocolate Ganache, $50, yelp.com/biz_photos/maxsâ€¦ ): Pretty good, but not quite amazing- I think the cheesecake layer was too crumbly/dense. However, the rest of the cake was really good, especially the ganache layer (surprisingly since that part is usually too sweet). I also liked that the cake wasn't super sweet. The biggest negative was the packaging- they just put the cake in a box, WITHOUT a resh whipped cream, cardboard bottom to support the cake. I can't believe they would give such crappy packaging for a cake they are charging $50 for. -Fresh Strawberry Shortcake (Moist Sponge Cake, Fresh Custard, Whipped Cream, Strawberries, Chocolate Shavings, $35, yelp.com/biz_photos/maxsâ€¦ ): Yum- I really liked this cake because of the fresh whipped cream, but it got mixed reviews from my coworkers since the cake part was really dense. However, I thought it was a good deal for the size of the cake and would recommend it. The negative about ordering this cake was also the packaging- at least we got a much nicer box that actually looked like a cake box (versus just a cardboard box), but there were chocolate crumbs all over the top and bottom of the box. Also, the cardboard bottom of the cake was really small, so the chocolate shavings fell off and landed on the table while we were cutting it. Overall, I enjoyed the cakes I tried from Max's, but they have some work to do with the packaging of the cakes based on the prices they are charging. However, I would think about purchasing additional cakes from here, and trying their other cakes. Parking wasn't too bad when we got to the plaza around 12:30pm on a Tuesday, and there were a good number of spots available. However, a lot of them are compact, so it will be more difficult to find parking for a larger car.
(3)
Mikey H.

My parents and I stopped in for a late lunch. Not knowing Redwood City, they had been here before with my aunt who is in a care home. Interesting place. I mean, it was late afternoon, and just looking at the set up, I'm sure it gets crowded, especially the bar area. We were given a booth towards the back. I ordered a turkey club, not toasted. I can tell they made mine first because the heat lamp lightly toasted my bread...lol! My mom had a delicious bowl of the clam chowder and my dad had a burger. Great crispy fries came with. One thing I did try was the cranberry mustard that was brought to the table, along with other mustards. It was pretty darn good on my turkey sand! Our server was friendly and attentive. Overall, it was a very nice meal. There were a number of regulars starting to come in. Some of the servers knew them by name. Nice homey feel. I would come back if ever in the area.
(4)
B C.

They have very poor customer service. Martin the manager did not honor our coupons. They did not have an expiration on the coupons and they still did not honor them. They told us to contact the headquarters in Frisco. This is embarrassing and extremely poor customer service. Even though we were celebrating a bday, he still didn't have the heart to honor the coupons.
(1)
Lo N.

I ordered the fish n chips. The fish batter was soggy.... The fish was over cooked.... The only thing that was good was the fries... Oh n maybe their condiments haha!
(2)
Eddie F.

Personally, the interior of the restaurant needs some updating, but maybe that's the style Max's cafÃ© is looking for. Anyways, the service and food was on point. The waiter we had was attentive and we couldn't ask for a better person to serve us. I ordered the combo corned beef & pastrami sandwich with swiss cheese on an onion roll. The meat was stacked high with melted cheese on a long onion roll. The waiter gave us a bin of mustards and horseradish to add into our sandwich. The horseradish personally made my sandwich heaven!! I again would definitely come back to this place and recommend it others.
(4)
Jonathan C.

The service here is excellent, my food was wonderful. I had fettuccine with tomato sauce and grilled chicken. I added a Cesar salad.
(5)
Daryl B.

Well not really happy. I got my Ribs and they were cold oat the bone. I guess the microwave wasn't working properly. The baked potato was cold because the butter sat there and did not even start to melt. What gives? Maybe just a bad night. I'll give them another chance maybe next time it will be better. The peach tea was really good!
(2)
Sally C.

Honestly, I actually like Max's. They've always been accommodating when I come in a big group on Sunday brunch. They're usually always able to seat us, get us all situated, water is always refilled (that's a biggie)!! The food portions are ginormous here and everything tastes and looks great - your eyes will widen at the sheer size of the food. We've gotten everything from the chicken pot pie to the sandwiches to the omelettes. My giant 6 egg omelette came with a side of hash browns and 2 pieces of rye toast - this was more than filling! They're also extremely flexible and can make any substitution you want, which we always appreciate. Best part is the check-in for dessert deal. Major kudos to our manager and the guy behind the dessert bar! Being the dessert hustler I am, I asked for two desserts instead of one since my group was so large, and they were totally okay with it. Guy behind the counter helped me cut up the giant chocolate eclair into 13 pieces and stuck a toothpick in each one for easy sharing :) It's the little things that count!
(4)
Leigh Ann H.

When my sweetie and I started dating, almost 15 years ago, we used to come here fairly often. At some point we stopped, though I can't remember why. I just know that when it would come up, we'd both be like, "Meh, I dunno, let's think of some other place..." So, tonight we were across the street from Sequoia Shopping Center, and I was hungry and feeling under the weather, so I wanted soup. Hey, I know, I can have matzo ball soup at Max's! Seemed like it could be a thing! So, we slide in about 45 minutes before closing. There is NO ONE dining the restaurant except a table of policemen. We are immediately seated, and I already have a problem. The booth area smells like urine. Not like "wind off the restrooms" but more like, stale, old urine -- like a person with incontinence issues or a homeless person who is having a bad bad week. At first, I thought I must be imagining it -- but no, it lingered. So, I ordered the matzo ball soup and the "thai chili wings" and my sweetie has the chicken pot pie. When the soup comes out, well ... I've had better. It didn't taste bad, but if you'd told me that it was canned chicken noodle soup they'd put two matzo balls into, I would have been like, "YUP! That was it!" The wings were not crispy, very fatty, and *drenched* in a giant puddle of syrupy sweet "Thai chili" sauce. I ate a few, but I was not feeling it. My sweetie said he thought his pot pie was fine, but it looked pretty unappetizing to me -- pale crust with a pool of congealed grayish gravy on top. They brought us bread that clearly had been microwaved or heated but was already stale, as if the rolls had been sitting out at least a day. I got increasingly queasy throughout the meal. The service was fast, but perfunctory in that sort of "When you leave, we get to go home" sort of way. At one point, someone cleaning out the restrooms came past our table carrying clear plastic garbage bags of bathroom garbage -- sort of gross to think about. Oh, and I kept smelling that stale urine smell. A baby diaper gone bad? An elderly patron? I have no idea, but it was not a smell I want to have during a meal. So, we paid our check and we left, and I doubt we'll be back. The food wasn't *bad*, but it was so mediocre that we'd probably have had a better experience at Denny's or IHOP. I noticed as we were leaving that the door was dirty looking, the floor was sort of gross, and everything was just, well, *shabbier* than I remember. Not a good vibe. I don't recommend it.
(2)
Danielle P.

Max's restaurant has schtick the moment you walk through the door and you see that one side tells you this is a good place to visit when you are on the diet while the other door advertises the opposite. The portions are hearty and the bread is really good! They recently started opening earlier and serving breakfast and this has become our routine Sunday brunch spot. The staff is friendly, they seat you quickly, and I've never had a service issue. My cup never goes empty because I am being paid attention to while I'm there. They are willing to accommodate vegetarian adjustments to meat dishes without acting like they're doing you some huge favor, which is a huge plus if you're a vegetarian who dines out with carnivores. The last time I went, they were having an artichoke and asparagus festival and many highlighted menu items. They really know how to work up these veggies and highlight their unique tastes in enough ways to fill a feature menu. I ordered one of these items and adored it.
(4)
David M.

OK, so this places has many issues, but I'm not sure it deserves the nearly 2 stars it currently has. Yes, it's a bit old and stodgy. There's no energy there from the servers or the cooks. It's actually a bit sad every time I go in there and I wish they'd give a sh*t about it more and make the highlights shine. Maybe a good visit from Gordon Ramsay would help. But, for takeout at least, you can't beat the Reuben. In fact there's no Reuben that even comes close anywhere in the area. The wraps are quite good and the portions are bordering on ridiculous(ly large). The salads, while not super inspired are huge and fresh. The desserts I never liked, but that's just my opinion. I order takeout from here once every week or two and I'm quite pleased.
(4)
Cathrin P C.

Surprised by the low scores! I love Max's and have been to several locations. I always order the Pastrami Rueben. Husband ordered the Corned Beef. We each shared our other half. I liked the Pastrami more, although they seemed to stuff more meat in the Corned Beef Rueben. Both were extremely filling! Mini me ordered MacNcheese $6 -- it's not your typical Kraft Mac! Wish I saw the free dessert offer before we left but oh well we were all so stuffed :-) Service was very attentive! Minus 1 star for the price of food. $14 for a sandwich?? ...famous or not, that's pricey!
(4)
Rick S.

Delish! Better than I remembered. Used to come here as a kid with the fam. Brought the hubby today and found we are still fans! I got the pan crisp salmon and the green beans were cooked to a garlicky perfection. Hubby loved his prime rib with gravy instead of au jus... It even came with a free dessert! Great job Max's Opera Cafe!
(5)
Steve J.

Just had brunch there yesterday. The portions were big and came hot off of the grill. The only issue was it took a little long to actually get the food. I had the the corned beef hash which was really good with the included pastrami. Everyone else had traditional breakfast fare and were quite pleased. The prices were good and the ambiance was nice for brunch.
(4)
Darcy M.

Louie is the most kind and gracious server!! I love dining here.
(5)
Cherlene W.

We called in and picked up two sandwiches-a roast beef and Munster on rye and a corned beef on rye. They were sad shadows of former Max's sandwiches. Less meat, weak bread. All in all, no bueno. No pickles (who serves sandwiches-especially corned beef with no pickles?). The potato salad was so-so. The dessert case was sad looking as well. They looked dried out and not appetizing. I think I am over Max's.
(1)
Danielle M.

Drove this morning to stacks and a 45 min wait so we decided to try out breakfast at maxs and we loved it. Waiters were nice and the food was really good.
(4)
Aly H.

I am torn. I love Max's, but I am seriously disappointed by it lately. Let me explain-- I used to go to the one in Corte Madera at least once a week and for all birthdays, half birthdays, and special occasions. In recent years, I've noticed the quality of food is slipping. I'm not expecting anything fancy from a restaurant with a 10 page long menu, but the matzoh ball soup used to be to die for, and now it's... underwhelming. As always, the service is outstanding (if not overly attentive at times hah). But, as there motto would agree, I'm here to eat, and the food isn't reliable anymore. I may or may not keep coming back to Max's. Like my childhood memories of their delicious ice cream sundaes, it is fading.
(4)
Stephanie D.

I don't come here a lot but I picked a dinner up last night with some pie and everything was good! Fast service for what I needed to go.
(4)
Greta R.

I don't understand all of the bad reviews. OK, so it's not an authentic NY deli, but did you really WANT a gefilte fish omelet? If you just look at it as a casual restaurant, the menu is awesome - huge salads, wraps, hot and cold sandwiches, and a wide selection of entrees. The Joe's Potato is awesome - double baked potato stuffed with ground turkey, spinach and cheese with a Caesar salad on the side. The french dip is also very good as is the Monte Cristo sandwich. Their iced tea is actually brewed hot tea served with a tall glass of ice. You steep the tea to your preference then pour over ice - delicious. We're here almost weekly with my elderly mother-in-law and everyone treats her so nicely. They all come over and say hello. One lady even gave her a hug last week and asked how she was doing. All of the servers are great, but the guy we had last weekend, Louie, was really excellent. He offered options for variations on our food, took our order quickly, was completely on top of refills and seemed really happy to be there. I was also amazed that he gave such great service when he had so many tables to handle in his section. He really knows how to manage a large table count. The other great part is the value. Not that I want to encourage them to take their prices up, but many lunch items are around $10-12 - that's what Panera Bread charges for a tiny sandwich. I usually get two meals out of their entrees. Great food, great service, great value - what's not to love.
(5)
Angela G.

Bring a coupon - desserts are huge so plan to share. Portion sizes are really big all around. A lot of good sandwiches. Not a good place to go while on a diet. Services is always slow but there are plenty of tvs to watch.
(3)
eric g.

Max's Good Yummy Good The best Food 100% dessert Its A good location Thanks Max's For the hard work & Food Two thumbs up
(5)
Michael W.

Torn between giving them 1 star vs. 2 stars. The second star is sympathetically offered. Alas, this is not the 90's and I'm realizing I've been nostalgically visiting this place once in a while and forgetting every time how mediocre it is now. Got take out for my family. They were friendly enough, albeit a bit low energy. I agree with another reviewer about the "sad" vibe. But mainly I'm specifically writing a negative review -- something I don't often do -- because the peanut/soba/cabbage salad at $13 was ridonkulously bad. Practically the whole container was cabbage. With a smidge of red pepper, crushed peanuts, and soba noodles thrown in there just so the menu item isn't listed as "box of cabbage." Oh, and some dressing on the side. Roughly two tablespoons, if that. About halfway through my box of cabbage, I simply stopped eating and logged into Yelp. Simply pathetic.
(2)
Rose N.

One time when I was little, my mom brought home a dehydrated block of who knows what. She said it was what you ate if you got marooned and were waiting for help to find you. That mystery block tasted better than the food I got from Max's. I ordered the Texas bbq beef brisket and a Cesar salad to go.I can't say much for the staff and service since we didn't interact much but they were totally fine. As someone who has several years under their belt as a server myself, I tend to be lenient when it comes to restaurant food. I have never sent anything back or anything along those lines. If I had eaten in-restaurant, I would have sent it all back after two bites. The brisket was tasteless and nearly entirely fat to the point where I had to spit several mouthfuls into a napkin. Whatever the sauce was, it wasn't normal bbq sauce. It was the flavor equivalent of taking an R rated movie and cutting it down so it could air during a kid-friendly time of day. Bland and boring and nothing like the original. The salad had no dressing. I thought maybe they put the dressing in a side container, but no. There just wasn't any, and the croutons were soft. In the ten minutes it took me to get the food home, the sweet potato fries were soggy. It was legitimately the worst tasting food I have ever had. A packet of top ramen would be more satisfying. I can't even begin to describe how blown my mind is over the fact that food that tastes so bad is actually served here. Even as a human garbage disposal I couldn't finish it.
(1)
Michael M.

We were at Max's Redwood City Restaurant a couple of weeks ago. Food was very good. Service was good up till almost the end of the meal. The food server brought the bill to our table. The bill was figured out, appropriate monies from each of us. The food server came back to our table. He said that we had been given the wrong bill. The bill we received was for another table. The NEW bill was a higher amount of money. No offer from the restaurant for free coffee or a desert for the table. Just the PROPER bill.
(3)
David L.

Not as good as the location in Palo Alto at the Stanford Mall. Pastrami was dry and a bit tough. Matzo ball soup and latkes were ok. Was a bit disappointed unfortunately.
(3)
Ada R.

There were black beans in the French Onion Soup. Was this on purpose? Was this a mistake? Was it April fools day? I was too surprised and confused to even think to ask my waiter if they were supposed to be there.
(2)
J M.

The place wasn't very busy, but while the server was very nice, the service itself was somewhat slow. The food was decent but based on previous reviews, I expected larger portions for the prices. I can't say it was a bad experience, but it's not likely I'd seek this place out again.
(3)
Azadeh A.

I have been coming to Max's for years now, and I can honestly say I have never left without a smile on my face. The staff is very friendly. I usually get the beef sliders (delish!) along with the clam chowder. I love how they are always adding new items/specials to the menu. Most recently, I tried the flatbread pizzas and they are a great addition! My parents also enjoy going for breakfast, which has quickly become a Sunday tradition. I would definitely recommend Max's for breakfast, lunch, or even coffee and some of their famous dessert!
(5)
Sam S.

Stopped by to get 2 Cesar salads to go. Quick service at the counter and the salad was ready within 10 minutes. The salad was good and the chicken I added to it was moist and flavorful. It was all wrapped up and ready to go with everything I need to have a nice salad lunch. Nice choice for a salad on the run...... :)
(4)
Danny N.

I have been going to this location off and on since it ever opened. I'm not sure what it is but it has gone down hill a little. My last visit was 7-7-14 at 6pm. It wasn't busy and server made us feel rushed to order. We were having a business meeting and talking. We told him we would call him over when we were ready, but he just kept coming over making us feel rushed. Food wasn't that great. Turkey burger was dry and salad needed more dressing. We didn't have desert, but I know they are good.
(3)
R N.

The chicken pot pie is about as good as I've had anywhere, full of vegetables and lots of chicken in a creamy sauce with a nice, flaky crust. The server was very pleasant and I'm glad he recommended the pot pie.
(4)
Amanda G.

After living nearby for almost three years, we finally decided to check out their breakfast menu. The reviews for this place are pretty bad, so my expectations weren't high. I was pleasantly surprised by how nice the staff was. I don't who was working when other reviewers were here, but every person we had an interaction with was friendly and helpful. I had my usual: 2 poached eggs, and 1 pancake. (I order the short stack and share one with my husband.) The pancakes weren't the most attractive, they needed to be a bit more golden brown. I was shocked when i had my first bite, and it was delicious. The hubby had corned beef hash, (they use corned beef and pastrami here.) Another shocker, it wasn't greasy. Prices were standard for food, and he brought a bit home. Coffee and soda was priced a bit high, but I guess they make money off beverages. We plan on returning for another breakfast:)
(4)
Victor G.

We went in Monday evening to celebrate a birthday dinner and our waiter was just not paying attention to our requests. He was just rude, always looked at us funny, and luckily the on duty manager was there who actually listened to us, and we told him that his waiter was denying our requests. We did get an apology though, but no free dessert for the birthday dinner. Bummer. I totally get that the waiter may not have had an awsome day at work, but we shouldn't have to fall victim for his bad day.
(1)
Sandy D.

We have eaten here several times in the past, which is why I was quite surprised to find on Yelp - several very negative reviews of this restaurant. There were 5 of us dining, each ordered something different and all of us thought our meal was good - the service was also good as well as the dessert. Not sure why the negative reviews. We would eat here again!
(4)
eric k.

Middle of the road food, but large portions. Good if you're looking for comfort food in large quantities. Service is so-so. Best part is definitely the desserts. They're quite yummy, and again large portions. Oh, chocolate covered coconut macaroons.
(3)
Johnny L.

I usually like Max's - their sammies are bomb and huge and I have a special place in my heart for "comfort food." Unfortunately, we came here for breakfast and it was MEH. I had the corned beef and pastrami hash and it was fairly tasteless. How can corned beef be tasteless when by definition, this cut of beef is cured in salty brine?? My only thought is that since both meat cuts in this dish were sliced, this meat is just an after-thought/convenience for getting rid of their old sandwich meat. I mean, if this meat was in a sammie with sauerkraut and t-island dressing, it would be passable. On it's own... not so much. And what's the deal with a breakfast place open at 9:00a.m. on a Sunday with only two other peeps in the joint?? Was the church crowd coming after we left?? Just weird and eerie to be outnumbered staff to patrons 2:1. Ya feel me?
(2)
Salina Z.

I'm going to give Max's two stars and not one star, mostly because it made me sad eating here. Everyone who worked there seemed unhappy/worn. Except the guy doing the desserts -- he was the only one I saw genuinely smile. Actually, there was a bus guy that was also working hard and helpful. The food actually wasn't as terrible as I was expecting (I had the Monte Cristo). Husband ordered the Max's omelette but they first brought him the Mexican omelette. They fixed it pretty quickly but it showed up later on the bill. The waitress did not seem surprised that we caught a mistake. Hm. The decor is sad and worn, the staff looks sad and worn. Can Kitchen Nightmares help this place? You definitely don't go there for the service. Waitress seemed incredibly out of it; we sat for at least 5 minutes before someone brought us water, then another 10 before someone took our order. Lackluster all around; I think the people have good hearts but love of the job was definitely not there and comes across on all fronts.
(2)
Naylan A.

I was here on Saturday for dinner with my boyfriend and his family. It was not a bad experience as compared to some reviews I have seen on here. Our server was really nice and we got 3 servings of bread for 12 people which is pretty generous. The food is pretty good, I had no complaints except that maybe I should have ordered fries with my Caesar chicken wrap instead of the included side salad... Way too much green. The only problem is that the food came out really really slow. We waited for a while to get our food but I guess it was just a busy night. Overall, it was a decent dinner and I enjoyed it.
(4)
Charles R.

This is a difficult review. On the one hand I love Max's. The chain has a place in my heart from the Opera Cafe days as a place for a drink and nosh after the performance. I do not feel the menu is as dated as some have reviewed. The cold soba noodle salad is fairly on trend. They have lost the NYC diner feel over time which is both good and bad. Some of my personal favorited are gone like the Perl dogs or the brisket. I can take a star from that. What makes THIS Max's great are the staff. My elderly mother comes here often and when I bring her in they all come over to say hello. What more can you say about a staff that goes out of there way to treat a patron like that? They make her feel special and that to me is worth a ten star review. Thank you Max's RWC staff.
(4)
Laura S.

DO NOT GO HERE. I would like to state right offhand that I LOVE writing good reviews. We had family up from LA, and trying to get multiple family members together for a quick meal. The Max's in Burlingame had been outstanding so, silly me. I thought this one would carry that same rep. We arrived around 3:00. There were maybe 10 customers in the place total (and that would be guessing high). We told the waitress we had 7 people. We were seated at a table. It took quite some time to have someone bring over water. While seated at that table, two of the male guests went to use the restrooms. They both came back disgusted. One of the stalls in the men's room had feces all over it. Like all over. They had to thoroughly clean the other stall before they could take turns using it. My husband told one of the male waiters. It was a "ho-hum" response. He stated it was in very bad shape and needed cleaning. He did not elaborate to spare us at the table. We received a text that more people would be joining us. We said that we would be having 10. Again, not busy but the employees acted as though we were putting them out. It was not an "oh sure, great, let us get you another table." We brought our own waters over and the menus they had delivered. We tried our best to not be a PITA. Finally a waiter arrived to take drink orders. I will say our waiter was not horrible. He just was not around much. I had pre-ordered for the two little ones that were joining us. That came off without a hitch and the waiter did great on that. But from there it was downhill. When we finally placed our order, it took an inordinately long time for the food to arrive. My husband and I were splitting a BLT. Do not ever order that. It was almost completely lettuce with a measly slice of tomato and very little bacon. Seriously, do not order this. The table was crowded with plates, and when the plates were empty the waiter was again nowhere to be found. I got up three different times to set used dirty plates on a nearby vacant table. No mention of this was made by the wait staff (gee, thank you for doing that OR I'm sorry I didn't get to these....). The remainder of the food was mediocre at best. The service remained very slow. Three of us had iced teas and we had to constantly request more tea as opposed to the waiter asking if we would like more. I mentioned my dissatisfaction to my husband and he instructed me to not leave a tip. Our bill was $175.00. For a very mediocre meal. Extremely mediocre. And less than satisfactory service. I realize we had two small children and they can leave their share of a mess. But we also cleaned their restroom and cleared our table....so leave a tip? I think not. I felt compelled to tell the manager, especially in light of the fact that the waiter stopped my husband as we were leaving and pointed out that we had left no tip. My husband said "true, we weren't all that happy with our service." When I asked to speak to a manager, the manager spoke to the waiter who was clearly telling "his side." Hmmmm, this is odd. The manager approached me and I explained that I had never been there before and would certainly never return. I thought I would tell her specifics so that she could address them if she chose. We are business owners and certainly if my customers were as unhappy as we were, we would want to know and would want to fix it! I started out by telling the manager about the feces all over the toilet seat in the men's room. I said it was disturbing on many levels. If employees had gone in there and done nothing about it....ewwww. And if employees had gone in there and not washed their hands well and were then cooking our food.....well double ewwwwww!!!! She said that was not good. Right. I then began telling her about the BLT which was mostly lettuce and the very slow service and the fact that I was bussing our table three times. I also pointed out that I am not required to leave a tip. By the narrowing of her eyes at that I could see she has a different viewpoint. I pointed out that TIPS are To Insure Prompt Service and I did not feel I received that. Her attitude was clear - I was being a bitch. I even told her I didn't know if she felt that this feedback was helpful or if she just thought I was a bitch. She said she was sorry I hadn't enjoyed my meal. Hmmmm, let me check. Genuine apology? I think not. DO NOT GO HERE. I would strongly recommend the health department go in. Do NOT waste your money here. Bad service, suspect hygiene (at least on that day) and not remorseful whatsoever. RUN!!!!!
(1)
Alicia A.

We'll I came to Max's with a few coworkers this past week. This is one of those places where everything on the menu looks amazing, but for some reason I decided to go with a classic. 1/2 a BLT and a bowl of tomato tortellini soup. It should have been easy to make this good, but it just wasn't. The bread was like a crouton, it was so hard, and they didn't help it by putting no mayonnaise or spread of any kind on it. The soup was like watered down tomato purÃ©e with chunks of onion and celery and a few previously frozen raviolis thrown in. The place was cute, the restaurant was clean, the revive was good, but the food was not impressive.
(2)
Lori G.

They just don't care about the food or customer. I have tried this place on many occasions and hoped it would be good, but I have been disappointed every time. Redwood City really needs a good American/Deli/Desert place, but Max's is just awful and does not do it for me. Today, I order the Tuesday lunch special: an open-faced turkey sandwich with gravy and mashed potatoes. 1) The first problem is an issue I have had many times at this Max's and that is that the sandwich was not prepared as expected. Many times I have been surprised, and not in a good way, when the food arrived. An open-faced sandwich is pretty easy to imagine what you are going to get, but not so at this Max's. An open-faced sandwich should be served with the bread on the bottom and the meat on top with gravy poured over the meat. Instead of the sandwich being open-faced, it was a regular sandwich with gravy poured over the top. So of course, the top piece of bread soaked up all the gravy and left the rest of the sandwich DRY. 2) The turkey was obviously left over from yesterday's special, which would be okay. But, the special was obviously a barbecue dish and the turkey tasted like barbecue. And, since the top bread soaked up all the gravy, the whole dish was dry and the meat was hard to chew. There was an off taste of the barbecue turkey combined with the mushroom gravy, which was Gross. Perhaps if they had prepared the sandwich properly, the barbecue taste would have been masked by the gravy. 3) The cranberry/apple sauce had some mysterious black spots in it. At first, I thought it was the little cranberry specks, but no. These blobs were brownish-black, the size of bee-bees and squishy. I'm not sure what it was. Too bad I couldn't eat the cranberry because it would have helped with the dry turkey meat. Max's should teach their kitchen staff what an open-faced sandwich is. When you have a bad experience, don't bother complaining to the day manager, Dianna, she doesn't care. When I called about my lunch, she wouldn't even come to the phone. I am finally giving up on this place and it's going on "the list." I suggest you find some where else to eat. This place will certainly disappoint you.
(1)
M Y.

I love it because the pastrami in their sandwiches are about the closest to pastrami sandwiches that I've had in New York. Another member ordered the ribs which were just so-so, but as I said to him, you really shouldn't order ribs from a non-rib joint lol.
(4)
Marlon T.

I was driving by Redwood city, and my friend pointed out Max's as a diner with big portions. I was in the mood for a salad, and hoped they offered a hearty Cobb salad. The hostess was quick to seat us, and our server followed up by asking for our drink order to give us time to look over the extensive menu. I did find the Cobb salad, and made sure to order the larger size to get more chicken on the plate. I asked for no tomato and ranch dressing instead of the balsamic listed on the description. Our server offered us bread and butter as we waited, and we really enjoyed the warm bread in the meantime. The place itself was getting full as noon approached, and maybe this is what caused our server to have somewhat slow service. When the food came, it looked great. My friend ordered a pulled pork wrap that had a lot of meat. My salad was big and meaty, the only complaint was that they left the button mushrooms whole. Overall, we enjoyed dining at Max's, had it not been for the slow service and whole mushrooms I would have bumped it up another star. If you're hungry and in the area you should stop by for a huge plate of food!
(3)
Brian P.

Fittest and last time going there. On the window they advertise a "hearty breakfast " for $4.99. Picture shows "perfect hash browns ". So I order it. Waitress says it does NOT come with hash browns.. Ok then why is it in the picture? Food arrives after a very long wait. A huge plate with small food in the middle. Thin bacon, thin sausage, meager eggs. The sausages looked like they from the dollar store. None of the employees looked happy. They looked depressed. Only one spoke to us. Maybe the others don't speak English? Food was basically cheap looking and tasting. Anyone who gives 5 stars is probably being paid or is friends of the owners.
(1)
Maria Victoria F.

I have wondered why the ratings of this restaurant are quite low because I had quite good experiences going to other branches as early as 14 years ago. Today I had a very horrible experience dealing with a waiter and a host from the Redwood City branch. There is a very large prominent banner on the El Camino Real side of the building that CLEARLY states they have a breakfast promo until 11:30am. I entered the restaurant on this basis having entered just before 11:30am and wanting breakfast. I wasn't sure they were going to serve me because I was just at the cusp of 11:30am. Unfortunately there was NO ONE at the front of the restaurant. I had to move further into the interior of the restaurant to find someone who would speak to me. A man called "Jose" eventually came up to me and I asked very nicely "Will you still be able to serve me the breakfast special? Its just 11:30am" He thought a bit, and then got a menu and proceeded to bring me to a table. When we were already near a table, he suddenly says, the breakfast special is only till 11am, it says so here, pointing to a small poster near the bar. I said "Well, the very large banner outside it says 11:30am and that's the only reason I came in here." He said no it doesn't. I said, really, come and see. He said he would look but actually he just told me that it says 11am in the poster and did not actually look. In essence, he disrespected me by not doing what he said he would do and also by completely invalidating my point of view. I was so irritated by this that I went out and checked and there was the banner saying in black and white 11:30am. Seriously this is FALSE ADVERTISING. It does not matter if there are posters inside saying otherwise, there is a HUGE banner outside saying something different. Restaurant patrons make decisions on tiny details like time after all. Its not as if I cannot afford to pay a bigger amount for a meal, its just that my mind was set on the breakfast special and that banner clearly says they serve until 11:30am. Jose even said that the banner outside stated that they serve breakfast until 11:30am but that the breakfast special is only till 11am. This is NOT what it says in the banner outside. So not only was there false advertising, Jose gave me false information! BTW, it makes absolutely no sense to say that they serve breakfast till 11:30 but the breakfast special till 11am, what's the difference? This back and forth by Jose felt like an emotional roller coaster of sorts, it was definitely HUGE lack of competence in the area of customer service on the part of Jose. So I took the picture and went inside to show it to a manager. Finally there was a lady who was in the small table for hosts. I showed her the picture and told her my displeasure and bad experience. She immediately defended Jose and also answered the same way Jose did. Which was to say "It may say that in the banner, but in here it doesn't" She did not understand that THAT was precisely the problem, the LACK of congruency in advertising. They say one thing in a poster, and another thing in a banner. This is wrong! The lady, whose name is Diane, didn't seem to think there is a problem with this which is so bewildering. I told her it was wrong and it wasn't alright and I don't need to be treated with condescension. She started speaking to me like a schoolteacher, slow and condescending, and she said sorry with eyes that were condescending. Even Jose who eventually said sorry looked at me with condescending eyes. Clearly, neither of them was sorry. When I told Diane that I don't think that they are really sorry, she said that I was "attacking them". In my opinion, when service personnel in the front of the room care more whether they are offended or not than actually providing REAL SERVICE to the people who took the time and effort to even go into their establishment, then their priorities are screwed up and they will not do well moving forward. When I told her that it seems she is more concerned that they are being attacked than actually helping solve my problem, she actually laughed. Unbelievable! She laughed!!! The height of condescension. I am not a typically irascible person but these people in the front of the room at Max's should not be there. She offered me water and slowly told me as if I were an idiot "I would talk to you about this if you would calm down" its the typical passive-aggressive not so veiled insult that incompetent people in service professions practice. The fact is I had not felt that she had heard a single thing I said, nor was she open to actually listening. When I protested the way that they were dealing with my case she actually said "You're free to leave". I left. I was angered enough to write this review. Diane and Jose did not do well for me today. They just lost a good customer.
(1)
Lisa S.

Have been to this Max's a lot but last visit I felt that the place was severely understaffed at peak times.. I do like the diner concept and the something for everyone menu but felt it took too long to get our food. On a minor point would be great if they could remodel the main dining room. It is dark and a bit depressing in my opinion. The staff here works really hard, however and have never had a problem with the service, I just think there aren't enough staff members.
(3)
Linzi E.

Went there today for lunch...Only thing I can say is disgusting! I got the fish and chips, they were burnt had no flavor at all!! Even the french fries were all hard and too salty. The only reason it's three stars instead of one is the waitress did a excellent job.
(3)
Catherine P.

Food here is decent but overpriced. They should bring down their prices a bit.
(3)
Kristy C.

Max's was a staple years ago and we always enjoyed it. When we wanted to find a place to celebrate a birthday close to the Caltrain station Max's popped into mind. Unfortunately, it was the worst restaurant meal i've had in years and years. How disappointing! We arrived for an early dinner and were seated promptly. The menu is huge, so we asked the server for some feedback on some of the items we were considering, She proceeded to tell us that the crab cakes were bad, and the BBQ brisket was often tough and bad, and recommended the honey roasted chicken. We ordered the crab cake appetizer (as no one wanted to commit to it as a meal at this point) and they were very tasty. They would have been very good if they had been served hot but they were lukewarm by the time they got to us. The honey roasted chicken however was terrible. The chicken was barely warm, tough and had unappealing rubbery skin. It was served with a shriveled carrot, barely warm mashed potatoes and floating in a soup of sugar. Clearly the entire meal had been roasted and refrigerated then re-warmed poorly. Other friends had the meatloaf...this was piping hot and pretty good, and the chicken cheesesteak. Pretty good, roll was chewy and chicken was dry and overcooked. I ordered fries for my daughter thinking she would eat my chicken too. They forgot her fries. After sending the chicken back, we ordered shrimp cocktail and pork sliders. The shrimp was small, flabby and had been frozen cooked, then thawed. The pork sliders were OK, but again clearly re-heated and the pork hadn't been carefully de-fatted and the first bite was all fat. Over it, we paid the check (over $110) and left. It was a bummer. Max's used to be a fun institution and I feel sorry for the servers there having to serve such embarassing fare. The food is simply not freshly prepared and tfhe kitchen is slow and lazy.
(1)
Marc M.

We did recieve a refund
(3)
b c.

This place is a blast from the past, in a good way. Good food (sandwiches done properly!), good service.
(5)
Renee W.

I am on my way to play tennis with a friend. The food and staff were fabulous. We had an egg white omelette, burrito, coffee...
(4)
Brian D.

Watch out for sloppiness on your bill if not possible theft at this restaurant. I put in an order to go and paid directly for it on my credit card. The bill was $15.26, I marked a line through the tip line and put $15.26 for the total. $20.26 with $5 tip was charged to my card. Of course I will be contacting management and disputing the charge, but this is not the first time I've run into dishonest restaurant staff. Watch your charges folks and keep those receipts until the charge posts. FOLLOW-UP: I contacted the manager by phone, and she looked into it promptly. Her explanation was that there was a charge right after mine with another credit card ending in the same digits, so the clerk made an honest error. She arranged a direct refund to my credit card -- not going the extra mile that I expected of refunding my entire bill for the hassle. Frankly, I find it hard to believe that the clerk wouldn't find a $5 tip on a $15 check unusual and realize his error. But because the manager took care of the issue the same day -- I will give them the benefit of the doubt and give another star for that. I still won't be back anytime soon.
(2)
Gee P.

** This review is mainly for the service, the food here is actually pretty good. Louie gets 5 stars, but I can't say the same for the other servers and managers here** I really used to like this place, then we stopped coming here because the service and management were getting really bad! Fell back in love with this place and have had nothing but amazing experiences since we found our rock star server Louie. He will go above and beyond to give his customers great service! Which is why we keep coming back and will request to only sit in his section. Unfortunately, he was off yesterday when we came in as a party of 8 for dinner, we were taken right back to why we stopped coming here in the first place. Without going into a long story, our server wasn't very great, and management was horrible. We had an issue with one of our dinners and the manager came over and was really rude, defensive and really didn't care to help the situation. She may be new because I didn't recognize her. Either way, as a restaurant you should strive on customer service and hope people come back! Unless we have Louie as our server, I don't plan on eating here again. It's too bad because the food is good, most of the time. Bottom line: ask to sit in Louie's section And you should have a wonderful dining experience!
(2)
Cathy N.

How often have the Boyfriend and I drove by this restaurant and wonder what its all about? What drew us in was the motto, "Everything you've always wanted to eat." When we first entered, the ambiance of the place was like the mixture of Denny's and Original Joe's. Casual but upscale. The hostess greeted us with a smile (which I thought is a plus especially when most places underestimate how much a simple smile can do for a customer upon arrival) and asked us how many people. We were then walked over to a booth (how did he know we would like a booth and not just a table?). Our waiter, Pat (thank you to the Boyfriend with a fantastic memory), graciously greeted us and started us with drinks (I love it when they smile). He served us with right time frame with each question. From starting us with our drinks, with our entrees, and checking in on us whether we're doing okay. I can't forget the moment Pat made a comment after he saw us finished both our plates, "great job." (As if the entire day he haven't served a customer who finished their plates, especially not both people) I do not recall what the Boyfriend ordered, but I remembered mine: Fresh Red Roma Tomato Sauce on Fettuccine with Sauteed Shrimp. It was yummy =] As tired as the Boyfriend was, he remembered how it tasted and said, he like the dish he ordered. So did I =] Result: yes, I would return just to try the other dishes. Yes, the service was professional and sincere. The ambiance was quiet enough to have a nice conversation with your party.
(4)
John M.

I thought the food wasn't so good. I doubt I'll ever go back. From reading the other reviews here, I get the feeling this place was probably awesome like 10 or 20 years ago. But sadly, not now.
(2)
Jae L.

I was incredibly disappointed at the awful service my mother and I received while dining at Max's over the weekend. It's a real treat for us to go out and eat together as we are both busy and life gets in the way. We finally found time and looked forward to having a nice meal together at Max's. BIG MISTAKE. Our server was a woman with short black hair who was incredibly rude to us. She hardly gave so much of a hello and took our orders half-assed. She brought the food and never once came back to check if we needed anything. I needed water, napkins, sauce, a new knife (because mine was dirty), and more. Finally after sitting there the entire time with no service we were beyond ready to leave. I pulled the manager aside and told him about our bad service. She ran over once she saw him at our table. Aside from kind of apologizing, nothing else was done! It takes a lot for me not to tip a server because I too was a server for 7 years. This woman and management didn't give a crap about our experience so I am spreading the word about this place. Don't go! We think she may have racially profiled us.
(1)
Michael L.

Should have listened to the other reviews, this place is horrible. Service was fine, Annette was great. Food was processed, ham on ham and cheese omelet was terrible, cut from a loaf no doubt, bacon had a strange taste to it. Potatoes had a refrigerator taste to them. Butter was yellow as can be, nearly dried out. Wouldn't recommend to my enemy, this place takes the spot of worse place ever!
(1)
Carole C.

Mediocre expensive food options, inconsistently prepared, do not make me want to return here. Combine that with bad service and I definitely won't be back. Caesar salad is good, but what is it with everyone putting olives in Caesar salad? Croutons are often stale, though. Burgers were nothing to write home about. Meatloaf is sometimes great, more often not. I was here two times wondering about why we had bread plates before someone brought out the bread. Weird raisin bread makes the sourdough rolls taste bad, sourdough rolls are horrible unless they are right out of the oven. When they bring the salad with the meal, the meal is cold by the time I got to it. Other times they waited until I was finished with my salad first. I like that they have nice thick napkins, but they never bring extra forks for salad and meal. The first time I had ordered a Coke and they brought Root Beer. I like the music playing in the background, though. I wish they would let me substitute a side salad for the vegetables in the meal. I ordered water to drink for the next couple of visits, but they were not very swift with the refills. The service is slow in general, and the last time I was there I got someone else's bill. Max's is convenient to where I work, but I will check out the other local options in the future.
(2)
Dr. Nicole W.

Im giving 2 stars bc the service is great but they have reallly gone downhill. I have been eating here for years and the last year the quality has been sub par. The food overall is losing its flavor and the cook does not have basic skills. The side sald was served with iceberg lettuce, the matzoh soup has been bland the last few times and this am we tried the breakfast. The sausage and pancakes were good but my husbands eggs were burnt on the edges and raw in the middle as my frittata. The first one was burnt on both sides and the second was burnt on one side and raw in the middle. If I was the manager I would have been at my table in minutes. Nope no acknowledgement from him but they did take my sausage and pancakes off the bill so added another star.
(3)
Johnny B.

worst service ever. I used to enjoy the service at Max's maybe it has new management but it was horrible. I and my family will never eat there again. unless it received new management again.
(1)
Matt M.

Sub par diner experience. The staff tries hard but always gets something wrong in our order, especially on their pricey prime rib night.
(2)
Al A.

Nice atmosphere. Good food. Kind of annoying that the Chinese chicken salad has no cabbage.
(4)
David S.

Horrible,horrible, horrible!!!! I received a couple of gift cards for Christmas, and thought I would try them again... So sorry that I did. I should of just sold the gift cards. Service was terrible, the staff really seams apathetic. The food is okay, but with so many other places to eat, you get what you deserve if you read this review and still ate there.
(1)
Taryn R.

I'm giving Max's 3 stars because, the service is okay, the food is okay, and the speed of service is okay. This place isn't anything special, it's nice to come and sit outside and enjoy the weather, when the suns out. I enjoy the mini Ruben that they offer, grey portion size, but greasy, and very likely to give you a stomach ache if you aren't used to such rich and filling food. Staff is friendly, and accommodating but it too awhile to get a side of ranch for my fries. I'd return if I was in the area.
(3)
J K.

Service was unacceptably slow. It took 15 minutes after being seated before anyone came over to take our order or say anything to us at all. It took another 35 to 40 minutes for our food to arrive. No one said a thing about the delay, not a single apology. The couple seated next to us ordered immediately before us, but they were finished with their meal and were waiting for their check, at least 5 minutes before we even got our meal! The food was decent, everything tasted anywhere from okay to delicious. But the unacceptable service is not worth going back.
(1)

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Address : 1001 El Camino Real
Redwood City, CA, 94063
Phone (650) 365-6297
Website https://www.maxsredwoodcity.com
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :8:00 am - 9:00pm

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Accepts Bitcoin : No
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes

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Max’s Restaurants

1001 El Camino Real, Redwood City, CA, 94063

Max’s Restaurants Menu

Homemade Soups

Big Bold Salads

Maxs Famous Sandwiches

Good Noshin

Wraps

Sandwich Odyssey

Maxs Sliders

Healthy Meal suggestions for Max’s Restaurants

Homemade Soups

Big Bold Salads

Maxs Famous Sandwiches

Good Noshin

Wraps

Sandwich Odyssey

Maxs Sliders

Masha K.

LisaMarie W.

Jesika S.

TC W.

Jenn D.

Samuel W.

cory w.

Treena F.

Sharon H.

Marie H.

alissa B.

Kerry K.

Anna N.

Abey Q.

Gregory F.

Ashlee J.

D G.

Destry H.

Jeff R.

Vato L.

Vy N.

Steve P.

S L.

Johnny J.

Ron M.

Laura F.

Jon N.

Christine D.

Missing M.

Christina G.

Gregory B.

Alana M.

Marcia R.

Chary P.

Dan B.

Derek T.

Rubrime B.

Ricardo L.

John C.

Daniel Y.

sara w.

Yvette D.

Diane B.

M C.

Kathleen M.

Jen H.

chey m.

Cat C.

Nixon L.

Susan D.

Tom A.

A A.

Arcelia S.

Jen G.

phil h.

Meghan P.

Eric M.

Leanna P.

Dave N.

Manny C.

Jason G.