The place itself - like its menu - is a study in contrasts. The exterior portends a perhaps ho hum restaurant, but the interior... ah... the interior: sophisticated, unpretentiously elegant with almost intimately defined dining areas within a huge space: areas defined by draping curtains and/or level changes. Spaciousness affords comfortable, almost private dining. The music was curiously Cuban. The bar is dramatically dark and itty bitty with 6 lonely stools that were quickly gobbled up by 6PM. In front of the bar: 2 back to back banquets of plush sofas - the only ' booth-like' dining available. Reserve one of these! The $12 dollar martini was delightfully cold. The waitress suggested glasses of wine that were priced at $15 - $20 PER GLASS! (I think there are $10 glasses of wine on the menu) The menu... ugh!... the menu! Italian? Asian? Indian? Come for the reasonably priced and well prepared pastas (my dining partner had the Penne Arrabiata. The penne was nicely al dente and the arrabiata was tasty, tho not as spicy as it might have been) or try the appetizers or small dishes, and you may get out with your bank account intact. At the suggestion of the waitress, I ordered one of the day's specials: Sea Bass in a black bean sauce on a bed of red rice. If you have to ask for salt, you know the dish leaves something to be desired. At $35. for an entree, I expect to want to lick the dish clean. I've had expensive entrees in fine dining establishments where every morsel was so mouthwateringly delicious that I have not been embarrassed to lick the dish clean. At Maxwell's 148 - for the hefty price of $35 bucks, the sea bass was lackluster; the sauce bland and the red rice was cold! This dish was ridiculously overpriced. No value. No happy taste buds. If you go, go with a Groupon and enjoy the ambiance, the friendly service (but ignore the 'suggestions' to go for the pricier selections) and ...stick to the pasta!
(2)
Trent M.
Absolutely delicious! After moving up to Natick from the NYC area, I have finally found a restaurant that doesn't make me miss home. The fusion of Italian and Asian cuisine is precisely perfect. The only reason I didn't give Maxwell's five stars is because I don't think a restaurant in Natick, Massachusetts, even as good as it is, should be charging NY city prices.
(4)
Marianne S.
Just went there for our Valentine's Day special meal. And what a treat it was. We went there looking for a special meal and, boy, were we satisfied from start to finish! The cocktails were great. My husband went for a Mai Tai and I got a special Manhattan. Both were delicious. We split the salad (hearts of romaine with Gorgonzola and bacon) which was nicely served on separate plates. For mains,the Hubster got the Kobe beef burger while I got the special pasta (spinach fettuccine with salmon and spring peas). Management made great wine suggestion pairings, exactly what we wanted. Both entrees arrives in time, warm and beautifully prepared. For dessert, we split the cannoli with the specialty fig cocktail. Perfection. Unlike another reviewer, we don't try to scam restaurants by flouting written Groupon restrictions. We do expect great service coupled with fine food in a fun atmosphere. In this, we were not disappointed. For special evening, we has a great time, the food was great and the service outstanding.
(5)
Allen P.
Have been there twice and both times the food was excellent and the service was great. Had a reservation and go right in when it was busy. The waitress we had was very nice and made great suggestions. Plan on going back soon
(5)
Andrew D.
On Saturday July 20 at 8 PM, my GF, myself and a buddy arrived at Maxwell's 148 for dinner. As soon as we were seated, the waiter (a tallish middle-aged man) came over and had an evident attitude when I showed him the Groupon for $40 off (and cost $20). FYI, our dinner cost $195 without the Groupon so it was not cheap. His attitude started before he knew anything about us. And, we were dressed well, e.g., sport coats, so it couldn't have been the way we looked. That attitude made him the most obnoxious and condescending waiter that I have experienced outside of Paris in the 1980s. Here is one example. We decided to order a bottle of wine. Since we had all ordered food, I asked him for a recommendation. He said that he didn't have any. So, I asked about a few Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio brands, especially about how dry they were. He commented "Is dry the only characteristic you seek. What about mineral content?" I joked that I was seeking Magnesium also to supplement my vitamin pill. After I decided on a wine, he said "Let me talk to you out of that. It doesn't go with the food, and you know that the wine has to complement each person's food." His voice dripped sarcasm. Then, he suggested a wine that wasn't on the menu with a smirk on his face! If it hadn't been for my GF and buddy, I would have demanded to see the manager and complained right there. But, they wanted to avoid any conflict and so I let it slide to make their dinner enjoyable. But, I am warning everyone about this terrible service and suggest that you avoid this restaurant, irregardless of the good food unless Since I have been to Maxwell's a number of times, I have written the management to give them an opportunity to remedy this problem. If I receive an adequate response, I will modify my review. Without such a response, I will never set foot in Maxwell's again.
(1)
Steve W.
We had reservations for 8:30 pm on a sat nite. Service was decent. Bread basket consisted of fried wontons and some bread with humus for dipping. We got the catch in the bag and the 14 oz ribeye. She did not care for the catch in the bag. My ribeye was good. The calamari app was ok. It wasn't as a bit heavy on the batter. We used a groupon. The prices are a little high.
(3)
Marilyn B.
We have been to Maxwell's several times and the food is adequate for some and inadequate for most. I ordered the veal chop the last time I was there and surprised it came with JUST the veal chop. Although the veal chop was large, I could not believe it did not come with a side or salad. It was a good thing we had 3 appertizers before the meal! The waitress was lovely and she was very warm and knowledgeable. The appertizers were okay, but I have had LOTS better. The calamari was not appealing at all. Back to the veal chop, it was tough and the red sauce NOT Italian tasting at all. One of the people in our party had chicken marsala and could not eat the chicken it was so tough. I complained to the chef and it was taken off the bill. I must say, I wondered who was doing the cooking while the chef made his rounds to the table. Grades: Waitress: 4 stars Appertizers: 2 stars Drinks: 1 star Food: 2 stars PRICE: Way out of line for what you get
(3)
Kim P.
This is the best food in the area. Service is outstanding! It feels like you are in fancy NY place.
(5)
Paul G.
Maxwell's appears to have a high opinion of itself, but the quality of the experience doesn't justify the attitude. Set in a strip mall in an industrial section of Natick, the restaurant will never be mistaken for Maison Robert, so its prices and pretentiousness are somewhat out of synch. We chose the place for a Mother's Day brunch. We called the evening before to verify that they were serving and were told that that every time slot was booked except for the last seating at 2 p.m. This seemed odd, since Open Table listed many open slots before that. We booked on Open Table for 1 p.m. without problem. We erred in booking a table for two even though we planned to bring our twin infant daughters. The maitre d' informed us that we should have booked a table for four and it would be extremely difficult to accommodate us because the restaurant was "booked solid" until 2. We sheepishly waited while a table was found. Upon entering the dining room, we were surprised to find that the restaurant was only about 2/3 full. It remained that way for the hour we were there. In fact, there were several tables for four that were never occupied during our meal. The food would probably rate four stars if it weren't for the prices. We thought $10 for a small basket of breads was a lot, although the cornbread was some of the best we've ever had. Dana's mimosa was small and overpriced at $10. She had french toast with mango cream cheese. Good, but a small portion for $14 with no sides. I had an omelet, which was also good but not worth $15. We agreed that J&M Diner in Framingham delivers comparable quality for half the price and includes potatoes, which cost an extra $10 at Maxwell. We noticed there was no salt and pepper on the table. Upon request the waiter brought the salt in a small dish and offered a few turns of his pepper grinder. The message: Maxwell's food should need no embellishment. Puh-leeze. Total bill for two entrees, bread, fruit cup and the mimosa: $53 before tip. Next time we'll probably hit J&M.
(2)
Lisa I.
I really like Maxwell's. Yes, their menu is a little weird, with a combo of Italian and Asian, but the food is really good and the restaurant itself is nice and classy. Definitely not what you'd expect given its location or looking at it from the outside. Get the mushroom risotto cake and the truffle mac & cheese- SO GOOD!!
(4)
Ariel P.
I really wanted to like this place. My wife and I went a few months back and were a little disappointed. They claim to be fusion, but I think it is more like multiple cuisines coming out of the same kitchen. There wasn't any Asian influence in my Italian dish. I think that when they figure out what cuisine they stick with, their quality will only go up. The bolognese I had had too much tomato, and should never have been paired with orichiette. The pasta didn't have the right mouthfeel. My wife got the pad thai, and she thought it was pretty decent. We had two servers throughout the night. One was good, and the other had a lot of room for improvement. I don't mind waiting for courses, but 25 minutes is a little much after ordering coffee and dessert. As I said, I really wanted to like this place. I will give it another shot in a few months, and hopefully will be writing a better review.
(2)
Laurie T.
My sister and I adore this restaurant. Whenever she visits from out-of-town, we make a point of coming here for lunch. Every time we've been there, the same waiter has greeted us -- a polite and friendly older gentleman who is very familiar with all the dishes. The lunch entrees we've ordered include: * Frittata of the Day * General Max's Chicken * Scallops Capasante * Seafood Cioppino I enjoyed all of those dishes, but especially loved the cioppino. It was served in a large bowl filled with succulent seafood in a light tomato & white wine broth. This dish also had the highest bang for the buck in my opinion. My sister and I order dessert each time we go, usually sharing the pavlova. It's filled with fresh blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and kiwi fruit, which are topped with whipped cream and cherry sauce. Underneath all the fruit are two slices of shortcake. This dessert is meant to be shared by 3-5 people, but we have no trouble polishing it off. It's that yummy! I look forward to taking my sister here for lunch again when she's in town. :)
(4)
Vianna K.
This place is absolutely in its own category--in an extremely good way. It is one of those places that has a personal touch; the owners are vested emotionally and financially in the place and it shows. The reliable excellent service puts most other restaurants to shame--go there just once and see what I mean. My cousin and I have been regulars here for a year or two and have gone both on week and weekend evenings to enjoy a fabulous dinner to celebrate special occasions or just being us. Every time we go, casually dressed or dressed up, we end up feeling that meals should be enjoyed and that dinner is a celebration that is taken for granted more often than not. The outside is nice but unassuming, the inside is elegant and warm: divided into sections that provide a little privacy, chairs and booth options, candles and lighting making this a romantic and cozy place. We like to admire our surroundings while we have a house special cocktail: trying the black fig vodka in a martini here is a must! Fair warning: the cocktails, although good are not cheap and we find it worth it but those on a tight budget may not. We've tried most of their appetizers and are always pleased. Again, the menu has a variety of food that range from affordable to indulgent, so be aware that the meal can become pricey if you do like to indulge. The foie gras, for example, is an excellent treat but is definitely indulgent on calories and money. Our other favorite is anything that has the creamy mushroom cognac sauce and/or risotto. Really sumptuous. That indulgent calories and money statement goes for the Lobster gnocchi in that same creamy mushroom truffle cognac sauce, to which we recommend adding scallops--if you're gonna spurge, just go for it--it is so delicious. We sometimes dream about it. The chocolate espresso torte with a bit of real whipped cream on top meets my chocolate criteria and is good enough that I will take it home. However, I can not stress enough that as good as the food is--the service is what sets this place apart. From the moment we step thru the door to when we leave, we feel special. That is a great feeling.
(5)
Adrienne M.
2.5 stars, if Yelp allowed half stars. My boyfriend and I came here for lunch, using a $40 voucher purchased for $20 from BuyWithMe.com . Because we had to spend $40 (no change or credit is given if you don't use the whole voucher) we decided to each order an entree and maybe share some apps and desserts. None of the desserts or appetizers sounded particularly appealing, so we decided to split three sandwiches: the portabello mushroom parmesean, the kobe beef burger with bacon and blue cheese, and the roasted duck and carmelized onion with brie. The waiter commented "THREE SANDWICHES?" which made us feel a little awkward about it. I guess using these vouchers is always a little awkward though. They brought us several baskets of wonton chips to snack on while we waited for our sandwiches, which came out fairly promptly. Our ratings for the sandwiches were as follows: Portabello mushroom: B. The mushroom was breaded nicely and had a nice tomato sauce, but there was too much feta on the sandwich and it overwhelmed everything else. Duck: B+. This would have been a solid A if it had come with the advertised Brie. Everything was great, the duck was roasted perfectly and the sauce complemented it nicely. But there was absolutely no brie!!!!! Kobe: B-. This was a pretty "meh" burger. We couldn't even tell it was Kobe beef (and I've had Kobe beef before that was a-mazing). The fries that came with the sammies were ok but nothing special. They were so large and not really fried, so they tasted more like roasted potatoes. Good but not really hitting the fries craving. I was prepared to give this place three stars, because the food was pretty good, and while other menu items were very pricey, the sandwiches were fairly reasonable at $10-$15 a piece. However after we had paid the bill, we asked the waiter to box up all our leftovers and he only brought us 2 of the 3 sandwiches. He threw out our duck sandwich (the best one!) and the leftover fries. Granted, the duck sandwich had the smallest leftover portion and there were only 10 or so fries left, but he should have asked us before tossing it! Especially after we clearly said we wanted everything boxed up. That knocked the restaurant down a star in my book. Another thing that irked me was when I came on here to write the review, I saw that they were having a three-course restaurant week menu for $20! We each could have gotten three courses and used up our voucher perfectly. The restaurant is not featured on the main Restaurant Week Boston website, and nobody mentioned it to us at the restaurant, so we had absolutely no idea they were doing that until we came to Yelp. That's pretty annoying, because we almost certainly would have done that. Also a final note on the price - while some menu items are pretty reasonable, others are insanely overpriced, most notably the pastas, which are reasonably priced at around $12-$15 but then charge you SIX DOLLARS to add chicken. I don't think I've ever seen a restaurant charge more than two or three dollars to add chicken to a pasta dish. Unless they're putting two pounds of chicken on your meal, they're making something like a 400% profit on that charge.
(2)
David M.
Party of three, week-night, all seafood, all of it a tad tired and some of it frankly fishy. Gravlax was whiffy but not really too salmony or dilly, and wanted acid perhaps and possibly a prerinse. Flounder in an Asian-spiced ricepaper wrap was bland, and cioppino, while a nice broth-sauce, was salty in the current style and slightly overcooked, the squid seriously so (rubbery). A real error for the price and the ambition. These are house specials, moreover. An expensive gruner veltliner tasted very fine, however, subtle and crisp. And service, treatment, and staff solicitousness were of the highest caliber, outstanding for the suburbs (or anywhere else). Also appreciated and unusual were the wide aisle and table spacing and the low noise level. I would return but not sure what I will order.
(2)
alison m.
Can I give three and 1/2 stars??!! Service needs some improvement. The food here is wonderful, although I am not an expert as to whether or not it is truly Italian/Asian Fusion. It is really some Italian dishes and some Asian dishes and the 'bread' they serve at the beginning is a little of both. My meals there have been very good, cooked well and my boyfriend who is a very picky eater LOVED his meals both times. I have only been there with a Groupon, and can't say I will go without a groupon seeing as the prices are $20-$30 per entree. Our first visit we arrived early, let the host know and waited at the bar with drinks. We were not even approached by the host until an hour later when the bartender inquired as to why we had been at the bar so long without ordering dinner. Once he relayed to the host we were still waiting he brought us to the only empty table in the house (next to the bathroom/kitchen entrance) and we noticed this table had been emtpy the entire time we were waiting to be seated. We actually were seated 10 minutes past our reservation time. On a fluke we attempted one night to walk in without a reservation. I waited at the host station for a good 5 minutes, made eye contact with a waitress, the bartender and a man in a suit that I assume was the host or manager. No one approached me or even asked me to wait a moment!! I walked out very disappointed. Third visit food was good, we got the same silly little table by the restroom/kitchen. Our waitress was a little 'off' and I was greatly diappointed in my drink. I ordered Red Sangira, it took her asking me to repeat my order, her serving me white sangria, then a very long wait and I had red sangria. This tasted and looked like red wine on ice with a lemon and lime thrown in it. If I get another groupon I would go back only because their beef with broccoli is the best Ive ever had! P.S. can you please put water in those empty fountains in the middle of the restaurant, or at least fill them or cover them up! They look like dirty empty swimming pools and ruin what really is a nice and upscale atmosphere restaurant!!!
(3)
Mike M.
Gotta give this place 5 stars. 6 of us went last night for the first time and while some of us were late, the server was very accommodating. We started with the Black Fig Martini, which ended up being so good we got another. They make their own black fig vodka, it was awesome, not too sweet but with great fig flavor. The server said it's sold in a few liquor stores around, and we will be picking some up for sure! We had a few appetizers, and the calamari was some of the best we've ever had, very fresh tasting and the aioli sauce was just right, not too heavy, but just right. But the real star of the show (besides the atmosphere) was the food! Everyone got something different from Italian to the Asian and there wasn't a bad dish. One of us got the Pork Chop Milanes and a few of us had a bite. One of the best pork chops I've ever tasted, it was like a giant piece of veal! Overall a very nice place, a little pricey for drinks and apps, but the main dishes are very fair prices and good size portions. Will be back for nice suburban nights out! Boston or better atmosphere out in Natick.
(5)
Ellen B.
The very good - our waitress was super - nice, recommended a very nice, reasonably priced wine, and paced our meal well. The good - our salads were good as was the chicken pot sticker small plate. The bad - my bolognese was so bad I sent it back. It wasn't bolognese - it was a bad red sauce (tatsed like a cheap one from a jar) with a tiny amount of ground beef. The cioppino I had instead was so hot that any seasoning/flavor was gone. My brother had a house speciality called catch in a bag. The fish was so overcooked as was the rice paper "bag" it was cooked in that he too sent his meal back. Just awful. And I can't tell you the last time I sent a meal back because it was that bad. Ribeye was good - and cooked a very nice medium rare. Waitress handled everything very nicely though we found it odd that the manager never came over to ask what was wrong. He simply brought the new entres.
(1)
Cynthia A.
My husband and I went there recently and he order the bolanese (spell?) and I ordered a pasta in a cream sauce, we had scallion cakes as an appetizer which was out of this world, we spilt a ceasar salad, the desserts did not seem appealing so we skipped that. I ordered a regular coke and received a diet coke, my husband ordered wine with fruit. Overall the food was good, defintely high priced, service was average, not remarkable. With a groupon overall it was worth it. I would go again.
(4)
Daniel T.
Absolutely fantastic food. Best pork chop I have ever tasted. Black fig martini was amazing. Service was impeccable wait staff was very attentive. All in all in was a great experience and I highly recommend.
(5)
B R.
Ick. Ridiculous prices and attitude and mediocre to poor food. Specials for 45-55 bucks in NATICK (Silly over blown town. NOT the center of the universe) in a strip mall next to a delivery pizza place ? For that price I can east at Blue Ginger, Morton's, and a whole host of trendy places. RUN AWAY. this is some kind of cruel joke. I expected hidden cameras and someone to jump out and ask me how I could really eat this food or pay that price.
(1)
Geoff m.
I am reticent to write this review since everyone has the right to run their restaurant as they see fit. If I could, I would give it zero stars but Yelp doesn't allow that option. The menu is all over the place and totally unfocused. They advertise that the food is both Italian and South asian. It is neither. Just a sloppy attempt at creating fusion food. None of the 6 people at the table enjoyed the food. I had shrimp and spaghetti fra diavolo. the shrimp were over cooked, the pasta undercooked, and the sauce was sweet with just a little pepper. Not even close to a real Fra diavolo. Every other dish was over sauced , over dressed and just blah. I have to commend the partner who handles the wine. We ordered a Torbreck rhone styled wine that was inexpensive and a great aussie version of a cote du rhones. We ordered another but they were out. He offered the only other rhonelike wine and I had tasted it recently and wasnt impressed so i ordered a erath oregon pinot that he brought out but it was thin and really weak. He took it back and we took his advice and got the other rhone wine. The fact that they don't carry French wines is an issue for me as well. And I am from the same ethnic origin as the owners. But they are entitled to carry whatever wines they want. I will NEVER go back to this place !!!
(1)
ruby r.
This place rocks. Go for lunch to get a feel for the menu without spending too much $$. The bread and wonton basket is delicious and the food is well thought out and delicious every single time. It's a bit fancy so if your favorite restaurant is Olive Garden you might want to stick with that. Enjoy!
(5)
Robin H.
I had my first visit to Maxwell's 148 about a month ago! I loved it! The location made it easy to get to, and there was plenty of parking! We all started with a round of drinks, everyone was more than satisfied. On to dinner. Everyone had a different meal, and though I can't remember what they had everyone LOVED their dish. I had a dish of Pad Thai! It was delicious. Not too spicy, and a perfect amount of all ingredients. I try to never finish everything I eat at a restaurant (since I believe they put more than one serving on a plate) HOWEVER, I couldn't put my fork down, it was too good! I'm actually heading back to Maxwell's tonight (for the 2nd time) dinner time can not come soon enough! As much as I want to try something else, I think I'll have to order the Pad Thai again! It's just too great to pass up! Please check out Maxwell's 148, you won't regret it!
(5)
S M.
We were told they didn't have any open reservations available, but if we showed up on a Sat night (6:30pm) we'd probably get a table. We got there a little bit later and were able to get the only free table in the place. Drink prices high for Natick but not outrageous. $10+ for most cocktails. I loved how they had $25 cocktail 'upgrades' to premium liquors. Whatever. Sushi appetizer was stupid expensive and the accompanying veggies were drowning in mayo. Yick. The fish itself was good, but $18 for 4 little slices was high. Mains were good. Nothing super spectacular and a bit over-priced. $20 for pasta and $25 for fish with a couple pieces of asparagus. Service was pretty good. Waitress seemed to really care and the bread/water/other wait staff did their jobs well. Overall decent, but like some other reviewers said, they want to think they are a few steps above what they are. Drop the prices a notch and relax a bit, and it's a pretty good place.
(3)
I Y.
I came here with my boyfriend after a movie because it was nearby and seemed like a good restaurant according to Yelp. Bread service: The fried wonton chips were pretty addicting with the sweet dipping sauce. It also came with 2 pieces of bread and hummus dip. Yummy. Starters: The grilled calamari with white beans on arugula was ok. The beans were flavorless but if eaten together with the arugula and calamari it wasn't too bad (make sure to squirt some lemon juice over the entire dish). The moo shi duck appetizer had a lot a flavor... too much flavor IMO. Maybe a little less hoisin sauce would be good. Main entrees: I had the lobster gnocchi with wild mushroom. It was creamy, mushroom-y, and yummy. The portion was a good size - I had to recruit my boyfriend to help me with the dish. My boyfriend had the catch in the bag entree. It was a mix of seafood wrapped in edible rice paper. That was ok. I think I would stick with the Italian dishes because I find the Asian dishes to be a little too sweet for me. Desserts: We had the chocolate espresso terrine and the lemon cheesecake. Both were delicious. The terrine was dense and rich... perfect for my palate. The cheesecake was light and fluffy. It was yummy, but I was expecting a little more lemon kick to it. Service was awesome. Our waiter was very friendly. Chef Maxwell was rounding the dining room and making sure everyone was enjoying their dishes. We will probably come back again and try out some of the other dishes.
(4)
Amica M.
Quality does not equal pricing.
(2)
Abraham L.
Well written wine list paired with excellent Italian/Asian inspired fusion food. The flavors that Chef Mitch works with here are very complimentary. the idea of pairing these two cuisines is very good. The service is excellent, with high standards. So much so, that as my friend and I were still finishing our appetizers, I saw our entrees approaching with a quick dive back into the kitchen so as not to rush us. BIG thumbs up for dining room awareness on that one. the staff was also extremely accommodating throughout our meal. Try the Fig Vodka martini as it is truly an original item in this restaurant. Also try the fig vodka neat with the chocolate terrine, a true match for chocoholics everywhere!!!!
(4)
Morgan W.
It's been a couple months since I tried Maxwell's 148. I hadn't been here before, and I'm not above admitting that when they mentioned the steak special that was $75 I may have blanched a little and considered checking my phone for places to get a second mortgage, but... The food I actually ordered was really delicious, and the service was very nice. Perhaps a tad serious for my taste, but really nice and attentive. We really enjoyed it.
(4)
Carrie A.
I am not sure where or what Goeff or Alan were or ate on the 10th or 11th of July--seriously. I have no formal training. My palate does though and while I am vegan my husband is not complicating our dining out experience. The owner operator and chef has always and I mean always gone out of his way to make our experience delicious and carefree~The staff is exceptional and they have a unique way of blending a personal experience with a fabulous meal, I crave the truffle fries and my husband thinks the steaks are prepared perfectly every time. Highly recommend!
(5)
Mariel M.
The menu at this restaurant is VERY random but it does seem to work...although, I did enjoy the Asian inspired dishes a lot more than the Italian food. Perhaps it was because I was more in the mood for it but everything that we had was delicious. We started with the duck scallion pancake which I LOVED. My boyfriend however, was not a big fan...but that wasn't because it wasn't good, it's because he doesn't particularly like onions and just got it to share with me since we were celebrating my birthday dinner. We also got a small plate of chicken dumplings which he enjoyed a lot. For our salad course, we split the beef Carpaccio which was fresh and light. I enjoyed how they split the salad for us prior to bringing it out. For dinner, I got the bang-bang shrimp which was flavorful and filling. It came with four huge pieces of shrimp and a wonderful rice and vegetable medley. My boyfriend tried the carbonara which he said was good...but a little too creamy for his liking. I think he liked mine a bit better and had what I like to call "order envy". We had a few of the specialty cocktails as well...a coconut, mint and rum concoction as well as a fresh watermelon margarita. The waitress was super nice and answered any questions that we had regarding the menu and the size of the plates. It was a little annoying towards the end of the meal when we were clearly finished but she was concentrating more on setting the tables for the next day. I wouldn't mind but the place had cleared out and we were ready to go at that point. Overall, I'm glad that we tried this restaurant...the menu intrigued me when I first saw the Groupon featured. I'm not sure if I would come back but maybe for a special occasion or a nice night out. It's definitely worth a try. P.S. the next time I go, I am definitely saving room for the Strawberry Shake martini!
(3)
DOUGLAS D.
This is a Boston/ NY caliber restaurant in Metrowest. If is far better than anything on RT 9 and it shows in the quality of the food. From the Mushroom Risotto appetizer to the Cowboy Steak entree, Maxwell's 148 delivers from every angle. Great decor, excellent service and an amazing menu. Don't bother going to Boston anymore!!
(5)
Alex K.
Date of visit: 1/16/11 My experiences with Maxells 148 has always been pleasant. First of all, I greatly appreciate the warm "Welcome back!" greetings. Not many restaurants know about this trick to win their customers' hearts. As a wine-enthusiast, I am deeply impressed by the variety and quality of wines offered by your restaurant. The Balleto Pinot Noir, Torcicoda Zinfandel and the Crossbarn Cab I had last night were all top notch wines with a fair price. The Crossbarn I had last night was deep purple in color, quite opaque, cherry nose, opulent style, big and full-bodied, packed with ripe cherries and black berries, little tannins, some dark chocolate on the back palate, not too complex in dimensions, but was a satisfying block-buster. The tempura shrimp appetizer I had was stunning. The battering was crispy and brittle, but not hard. The shrimp was fresh, large and tender. The sauce tasted like a Japanese salad dressing mixed with spicy sauce. And the pickles, seaweed and carrots served well to add colors to the dish, and the sourness increases appetite. Maxwells has this amazing ability that can turn foods/drinks that I dislike into foods/drinks I like. For instance, I usually dislike Pinot Noir. Most pinot offered by restaurants are bottom grade wines being sold per glass cheaper than a house cab. However, my experience with the Balleto Pinot was shockingly pleasant. Another example, yesterday I ordered the Barrata. It was a mistake. I thought it was hot, melty mozzarella, but it turned out to be fresh mozzarella. I hate fresh mozzarella and fresh uncooked tomatoes since childhood. But I loved the dish! The fresh mozzarella I knew was wet, soggy and tasteless. But the fresh mozzarella I had yesterday was chewy outside, creamy inside, not too wet, and actually had the "mozzarella taste" (I wonder where they got this from!!!). And the fresh tomatoes I had were grape-like in texture, and the pesto and garlic gave it great aromas and flavors. The fettuccine entree I had was perfect. I asked for a simple creamy pasta with "a touch of the Tuscan sun", and I got what I wanted. The pasta was al dente. The creamy sauce was intensely packed with flavors, but not too cheesy or heavy. And the true essence of the dish was the fresh tomatoes - burning-red-hot, but still fresh and juicy - really gave me "a touch of the Tuscan sun". I was expected traditional Italian sun-dried tomatoes, but this was even better. It is NOT easy to make a simple pasta tastes THAT good. Chain restaurants like Vinny T, Bucca or Bertucci can never do this correctly. The portion was also just right - generous enough to satisfy, but not overly large, which leaves the audience begging for more. I found myself still dipping the sauce after I finished my pasta. The bathroom was, still, spotless. It's really difficult to find something to criticize... I still retain my 5-star rating for Maxwells on Yelp... I just wish I live closer, and don't have to drive 40 minutes to get to Maxwells...
(5)
Maureen R.
My boyfriend and I are from the more central Mass area, and wanted a night off and out of Worcester. We both work in restaurants at night and having a night off is something any waitstaff/manager can appreciate. We decided to use Urban Spoon to find a place in the Natick area that wasn't chain. When we stumbled upon Maxwell's, we read the reviews and checked out the online menu. Some of the reviews were helpful - food recommendations, and not to judge the restaurant by it's exterior. We had made a reservation, but opted to sit at the bar instead. The bar is small (only seats 4) but was perfect for us. We were presented with a list of specialty cocktails and the helpful, friendly bartender guided us through the menu. I am a fan of St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur and was delighted to see 2 drinks made with it. I tried one and my boyfriend tried the other. Both were delicious, clean and crisp. After hearing about the dinner specials, we asked for recommendation on appetizer selections. By suggestion we chose to try the Beef Carpaccio and the Mushroom Risotto Cake. Both were outstanding. The cheese and the capers on the beef, with arugula salad on the side was delightful. We were served bread with chili dipping sauce, and homemade humus on the side. We used the bread to finish up the sauce on the risotto cake -- couldn't let any go to waste! The side of humus that comes with the bread is to die for as well! Everything so far had great flavor and mixture of textures. For our main course I decided on the Sole. It was with crab and sauteed spinach. The most amazing part of the dish was the sauce. The lobster, sherry sauce infused with butternut squash. It had great color and flavor. It was served with the option of fresh ground pepper, and every bite was excellent. I would go back just for this dish! My boyfriend had the Gnocchi ai Aragosta, which had fresh lobster meat, wild mushrooms, truffle sauce, cream & parmesan cheese. SO GOOD. After his first bite he said that they were easily one of the best gnocchis he has had. We knew they had to be homemade. And sure enough, we asked the bartender and they were. After dinner and chatting with our bartender, Randy, we tried a sample of their Black Fig Vodka. They infuse vodka in house and have just recently started selling it to the public. The vodka is delicious. The fig taste is uncanny. My boyfriend tried their signature Black Fig Vodka Martini, which was served with 3 jumbo blue cheese stuffed olives - his favorite. I opted for an Espresso martini, which was made with an actual shot of espresso. We again turned to the guidance of our bartender for a dessert recommendation. Per his suggestion, we ordered the carrot cake. Carrot cake is easily one of my favorite desserts, but I was hesitant because they put pineapple in their version. Randy had be on the money throughout the entire meal and I trusted his input. The carrot cake was AWESOME. The mascarpone frosting was light and the perfect companion for the carrot cake. Overall it was an excellent dining experience, and we couldn't have been more satisfied. I encourage people to try Maxwell's 148! It is worth the drive!
(5)
Calvin F.
My ex and I went here with a Groupon, and probably wouldn't have otherwise, not that we didn't have a good time (we did). It's way out in the suburbs -- which is good if you live there -- in this nondescript little strip mall. Really easy to miss. The parking is in a shady lot behind the building. And they're closed on Mondays. But once you go inside, you're suddenly in this super-swankly French dining room with staff to match. Every person with whom we interacted was exquisitely professional and/or welcoming. The man at the front was more of the amusing and outgoing variety. Everyone else was almost obsequious. For people not used to fancy dining, it was almost embarrassing, but that just means they're doing their jobs right. The food was excellent, and in surprisingly satisfying portions. Like any place that serves high quality food, it's way more filling than you would expect for the volume. They brought out a mix of bread initially with a couple of dipping sauces. The chili sauce with the bread is AMAZING. The calamari was okay (had better; serving it with marinara sauce is an interesting idea, if not the best one ever). The salmon, on the other hand, was excellently tender. The prices are a little stiff, but it /is/ "fine dining," so I suppose you'll have to excuse them. If you need a place to take a date for a fancy night out and you live out in the 'burbs, this place is probably for you.
(4)
Suzy L.
Maxwell's is one of our favorite places for a semi-swanky night out without having to pay to park. We came here on a whim one night because of a triple-miles promotion on one of our CCs, and have been back a few times for special occasions. The interior of the restaurant is gorgeous, and Randy who runs front of house is so friendly (and not in a fake pretentious way like you sometimes encounter at more upscale places). We've had a few different servers and by far the best was our first (a tall man with a distinct Spanish accent, but I can't remember his name!), but they've all been good. The menu is pretty eclectic, and we've never had a bad item. The lobster rangoons on the small plates menu are really fabulous, full of flavor and not greasy at all. I'm partial to the duck soba noodle stir fry, easily one of the best meals I've had. On our first trip there, my husband wanted gnocchi but not with the lobster cream sauce. Not only were they fine with substituting the bolognese sauce usually served on orchiette, but they also charged us the same price as they would have for the orichiette, when the gnocchi must have been more expensive. They also took excellent care of us on our anniversary with a complimentary cookie plate and glasses of port. The wine list is small, but well edited and covers all the major bases well, especially for a white drinker that doesn't do chardonnay like me. :-)
(5)
Sheryl L.
Great food. Wonderful attentive service. Coming from someone with a severe food allergy which is all too often not taken seriously, Mitchell maxwell and his team make sure that I am happy and alive to write this review. With randy greeting us like we are family and Stevan making sure our glasses and bellies are full, and of course the amazing mr maxwell himself checking in on us with every course I'd ask; why go into Boston ? Natick has it all!!
(5)
Phoebe C.
I am absolutely floored by all the great reviews this restaurant received. I really hope that it was just a really bad night for them. I believe it was a Wednesday night. We called earlier that day to make a reservation and they told us they were pretty full but had an opening at 7:30p. Fine. When we arrived, the place was pretty empty. So much for us needing a reservation. We arrived and were greeted nicely. The ambiance was so promising. First con of the evening was our encounter with the waitstaff. Our twelve year old waitress greeted us cheerfully and before we could place drink orders, proceeded to go off on a spiel about the menu, the house specialties, and her personal favorites, which was a unnecessary and tawdry. I ordered the Catch in a Bag, which was supposedly a house special. It turned out to be bland fish wrapped in soggy rice paper. I should have sent it back but picked at it instead. The vegetables were overcooked and the "hoison glaze" was syrupy and much too sweet. I was totally disappointed! My uncle also ordered a fish dish and it wasn't much better. His wife had pasta dish, which was the most acceptable dish of the night. From this experience we all agreed the Asian fused with Italian just wasn't working. They should have chosen to do either Asian OR Italian. At least do one thing well. Maybe I should have stuck with the safer pasta dishes. So much for taking a trip out to the suburbs...
(1)
Ben L.
My wife and I stopped here for lunch with a groupon, and it was great. Food, service, selection, drinks, everything was top notch. We only live a couple blocks away, I'm surprised it took us so long to get here (perhaps because it is a rather understated exterior for a nice restaurant.) I will definitely head back here when we want a nice meal close to home. We were also amused by the Christmas music that started playing in the middle of July.
(5)
Mary P.
I went to Maxwell's 148 last night for a date night with my boyfriend. We tried to make a reservation at 7:30 but they had nothing available until 8:30. The exterior and location are definitely deceptive... the inside is cozy and upscale. We started off with two small plates: Crab Stuffed Mussels and Teriyaki Pork Wings. The Mussels were very fishy tasting and a bit dry, but the Wings were delicious! I also ordered a Pomegranate Margherita which was very good. For an entree, I ordered the Koh Samui Seafood. The broth was delicious, but unfortunately the seafood was nothing special, and again very fishy tasting. I also would have liked more noodles. My boyfriend ordered the Ribeye with truffle mashed potatoes. His dinner was delicious! Lastly, we got the lemon cheesecake and that was marvelous as well. I think next time I will stick to dishes that I know I will like, and stay away from the seafood. All in all, very good if a bit overpriced.
(4)
Jenny C.
The food was pretty good and tasty, but not worth the price in my opinion. My husband had the catch in a bag and I had the Balinese Duck Pasta. Both were good, but not something I would go out of my way to come back and have again. I think the best part was the wanton bread sticks with the sweet & sour dipping sauce. It's trying very hard to be a high end restaurant and not exactly succeeding. The experience was OK at best. Not something I would recommend to a friend or anyone else for a night out. The staff also was a bit rude and I saw them staring at us and talking about us several times through the night. They could have at least been a bit less obvious gone to the kitchen or something. This made me feel pretty uncomfortable.
(2)
Amanda L.
This place was so surprisingly elegant! Hidden in a small strip of stores off 135 in Natick (near the Wellesley line), Maxwell's 148 is intimate, beautifully decorated and features excellent service with a varied and extensive menu. Though the entrees are expensive, especially for the suburbs, the decor and service stand up to the pricing. I actually came with my mother for a weekday lunch and we were so pleasantly surprised, we plan to go back. I could see this place being a great choice for an anniversary, rehearsal dinner, or any other special occasion. We both had the margherita pizza and fried wontons with garlic-red pepper dipping sauce -- both delicious. I can't wait to try some of the menus other offerings. The bar looked well stocked, though we did not drink. Parking is out back, which is a little off-putting, but once you step inside the atmosphere of the restaurant makes up for it. Definitely recommend, especially if you live in the Natick/Wellesley area -- couldn't be more convenient!
(4)
Jessi E.
Maxwell's was featured as a Groupon deal a while back, so we decided to check it out since it's right down the street from my boyfriend's house. Not sure if we would have ever tried it if it wasn't for the Groupon ... As others have noted, the outside of the building is very nondescript and dull. In fact, it kind of looks like a dentist's office from the outside. However, I think it works for them b/c it makes the interior feel that much more impressive. The food was good, although I found the portions a little small for the price, even by gourmet standards. It almost feels as if they were taking advantage of offering city dining in the suburbs - knowing that people will pay more to have something gourmet close by. I guess that's good marketing though. Two BIG things that make this restaurant worth it: 1. Happy Hour Deals, I think it's M-F 4-6 2. Their e-mail list. Sign up on their website, they send out deals all the time - that are much more reasonable then their full-priced menu.
(4)
Vin S.
The non-descript building on Central Street in Natick suggests a small office building or strip mall, but walk through the doors and the ambiance is instantly transformed into an Asian-inspired tranquil setting. The lighting is low but not dark. The walls are adorned with heavy curtains in muted earth tones, and the whole of the restaurant is decorated to impart a Zen garden-like feel. While atmosphere is nice, you better have great tasting food in hunger satiating quantities if you're going to charge the above prices that Maxwell's 148 does. And while the food IS good, and there IS an ample amount of it, the true beauty of this restaurant lies in its wonderfully eclectic fusion of Asian and Mediterranean cuisine. Sounds a little odd, but as a for instance, the pre-dinner bread basket consists of focaccia bread and fried wontons with dipping sauces of a sweet & spicy chili paste with crushed peanuts and a small plate of humus. The entrees are generally Asian or Italian themed, or a combination of both. For starters I selected the Cop 'o Pho -- a lobster basil broth soup with rice noodles, spouts and a shrimp/crab ball. Delicious. For dinner, cioppino -- basically an Italian shellfish stew that was done to absolute perfection in a spicy tomato broth similar to a Fra Diavlo sauce. It was filling, presented beautifully and tasted wonderful! The staff at Maxwell's 148 is attentive and professional. They were unobtrusive yet always seemed to be there when I needed my water glass refilled, and they were friendly and informative. Overall, very classy. This restaurant is a real hidden gem. STRONGLY recommend!
(5)
VaczWest V.
My husband and I visited this restaurant for the first time this weekend (Sat 1/22). As newcomers to the Natick area (all of us having just moved out of the city recently) we were very much looking forward to our dinner as we've heard wonderful things about Maxwells. I have to say, however, we were very disappointed in how we were treated that evening. When I arrived I told Randy (general manager) that we were early for an 8 pm reservation because my husband and I wanted to have a drink beforehand. I was told there wasn't any space at the bar and to sit in host area. That's fine BUT we were more than happy to stand in the bar with a cocktail where there's more than enough room even when all of the bar seats are occupied. So we did just that and seats opened up right away. The bartender seemed very preoccupied with the couple and their young daughter that were having dinner at the bar (while observing their 16 yr old's birthday dinner) so waited 5-7 min. before ordering a drink. When our friends arrived (a little before 8 pm), we told Randy we were all here and he offered to take us to our table which was the last table in the house before the restrooms and kitchen. Now, I've worked at a number of restaurants in town (Abe and Louie's and the Atlantic Fish Co. to name a couple) and those types of tables are typically reserved for "walk-ins", not reservations as NO ONE likes to sit a foot outside of the restroom or outside of the kitchen with the traffic of the wait staff and customers moving in and out of the bathroom. We asked Randy for something else and explained that we'd prefer to not sit outside of the restrooms/kitchen and asked for one of the two booths that were about to open up (one had the check, one was one dessert). We even said we'd be happy to wait additional time for something else....He said he couldn't promise us a booth and that we could wait for something else. Fine. By 8:45 we were starving and at that point disappointed as one of the booths opened up and he seated another, LATER, reservation there. When we expressed our frustration (stating that we waited for a long time, we had a reservation, we've all worked in the industry and understand that certain tables are better than other, etc.) Randy placed his hand on my friend's shoulder and replied (in a patronizing tone) "look, I had a table for you, you CHOSE not to sit there" as if to say "not my fault and if you'd like to leave then leave" which was totally offensive - especially given that we just dropped almost $100 at the bar. No guest should be spoken to like that AND no guest with a reservation should have to wait as long as we did. We got the message - Maxwells obviously cater mostly to its "regulars" and I realize we are not "regulars" (and after this visit, we never will be), BUT that does not excuse Randy's behavior. It was our first time dining here (our friend's second visit) and we very much so felt as if we weren't welcome. The message we got felt a little like "hey, I have more important customers than you so you'll sit where I tell you to sit and if you don't like it, then go somewhere else". And that was that. We chose to sit once the party of 12 girls had left because after waiting for almost one hour, we were starving. Our server, Katie was wonderful but unfortunately, by then the night had pretty much been ruined...which is very upsetting since we spent well over $300 at this establishment. I don't care who you may THINK you are BUT in this economy no restaurant can afford to be so arrogant (and we know how quiet things are during the week). Whether it's our 1st or 50th visit, we should have been treated a little better...and with some compassion. We will never dine here again.
(1)
Manda S.
Went here for my birthday dinner and all I can say is WOW. Our experience begins outside, where the place looks completely unassuming, almost like they are trying to hide the gem on the inside. Once inside, you are greeted with a lovely sitting area for people waiting for a table, but even though it was a Friday night this place was not packed enough for that (fine for me, I don't like crowds). We were seated at a nice table next to one of the small pools in the floor (very nice, excellent for the ambiance). Our waiter immediately brought us water and told us the specials of the day. Within seconds we were given the house appetizers, also known as the wantons and foccacia with the hummus dip and spicy/sweet sauce. It was quite delicious and they readily gave us more without a fuss. I ordered the foie gras as my meal along with the truffle fries to split between the three of us. My sister, with a bit of a cold, asked for the bread soup and then the Pasta Americanna (sp?). The said that even though her nose was stuffed up she could still taste the soup, which she said was excellent. My boyfriend has different tastes when it comes to food and just asked for a simple meal of pasta with cream sauce, which was not on the menu but was ordered and delivered to him without so much as a bat of the eye. He said his meal was also excellent. My foie gras was great, though I don't know if I'm suited to say that because I've never had it before but I ate it all! The truffle fries were also yum yum yummy, even the BF had some and he usually won't try stuff like that. The wine I had was just great, I usually hate wine but then I feel like I never get a "good" one. This was a pinot noir that was like drinking alcoholic butter (nice and smooth going down) and not at all like the vinegar I've slurped before. In the end, the food, service, and ambiance were great, if a bit pricey but it was a special occasion and I knew what I wanted and was willing to pay for it. Go here if it's your birthday, anniversary, of if you REALLY want to impress your date.
(5)
Wendy W.
I am blown away that the Zagats raters end up giving this place a 26 for food. No way! It is just not good enough for that kind of rating. So 3 of us went there this past Saturday night. Maitre d' was very warm and welcoming. We'd called to say our movie got out late and would be late for our reservation. When we showed, he asked about the movie and chatted a bit with us before leaving us. Great guy. Our waiter? Not so much. He just wasn't that attentive, although I have to say that I LOVED the fact that he brought me a complementary glass of wine when our bottle was finished and my husband and daughter still had some in their glasses but mine was empty. A great gesture ("to keep them company" he said, as he put the glass down in front of me). Oh and place is gorgeous - great atmosphere. The problem is the food. They start you with a basket of nice focaccia, fried won tons, chili sauce and hummus. The won tons were a bit heavy, but very tasty. Overall a nice start. We ordered one serving of scallion pancake to share as a starter. It was basically inedible. (We should have let them know, to be honest, but we didn't. We just picked at the edges of it.) It was dripping in oil rather than crispy. I'm not an expert, but maybe the oil wasn't hot enough? In any case, it was just unpleasantly oily. Then we had 2 salads - one was Japanese seaweed with baby spinach, the other arugula with Padano cheese. Both were very nice. For our 3 mains, I had sauteed skate wing with capers over wilted baby spinach. It was very tasty, but again a bit too much oil. The plate was swimming with oil in fact. But I enjoyed the dish. My daughter had pad thai which was just so so My husband had pasta (orechiette) with sausage and broccoli. It was also just so-so. Nothing at all wrong with it, but nothing interesting either. At these prices, we would all have expected some creativity in the dishes. They were just average. For dessert, we had pavlova with fresh berries which was wonderful - just perfect. They also brought us a tiramisu on the house, which was nice of them. So to sum up the food, some very nice things, several very average things, and one terrible (the scallion pancake). Not what I would expect from a 26 rating on Zagat.
(3)
Derick F.
Maxwell's is a nondescript building in a strip mall (we actually drove by it), but I too was amazed at the decor and ambiance when we entered. The menu is very eclectic with half 'american-bistro' and half 'seafood/sushi-inspired' dishes, but it works well. Half of our party had the Gnocchi with Lobster, and the other 3 had entree-envy. It was absolutely delicious. The other courses were great too, but I heavily recommend the Gnocchi. Will be returning...
(5)
Matt W.
Hidden gem and very surprised by the menu and food quality. Very creative dishes and great service. We'll definitely be back.
(5)
David C.
Surprisingly extraordinary. Great selection, quality, and service. Highly recommend.
(4)
Apolinaras S.
Five stars all the way! Usually I could care less about the ambiance.... heck I will sometimes ignore bad service for amazing food. If chef is good and food is good - put a bench in the middle of the field and I will come. But I did not have to worry about atmosphere at Maxwell's. It was all top notch. That all said, since chef Mitchell actually come out of the kitchen to check and make sure customers are taken care of, the place runs like a clock and atmosphere is great. And BTW, he is a really nice guy. I was expecting pretentious waiters and bartenders, but that was not the case. How about the main reason to be at the restaurant - food?. There are the fantastic dishes he has on the menu and than there are "specials". Go for at least one special. He just got in a nice big fresh tuna. Chef jumped on creating couple of specials to make sure tuna is enjoyed at its freshest. And what a great result. Tuna tartar was FABULOUS! If you get a chance to order it - DO IT! For the main dish - duck breast with cherries and brussel sprouts - fantastic! I rarely order duck, since most restaurant do a horrid job and turn it into a greasy hockey puck. Not chef Mitchell. Last time I had duck that well prepared, I was at Opera in Chicago. I would venture to say that chef Mitchell did a great job making this hard to prepare dish perfect.
(5)
Sara P.
I almost, selfishly, didn't want to write a review because I wanted this place to be my own hidden jewel. But the food is just that good...in my humble opinion. Thank you Chef! I've been there with my husband quite a few times for dinner only, and I've had consistently high quality, delicious food. And the service has always been excellent (thank you Katie), both on a weeknight and the weekend. The dishes are rich and flavorful. My favorite dishes include the Ribeye, Sole, the Catch in Bag and SeaBass. On one of the specials nights, they make the best Osso Bucco (hands down). And I had this amazing chocolate cake for desert one night. Heaven. At dinner time, when the kitchen isn't crazy, you'll likely see Chef Maxwell talking to guests, inquiring about the food/experience. This is an excellent sign of the care/thought/blood/sweat/tears that he makes to ensure customers have a top notch dining experience. I am willing to pay for good food and service, and Maxwells 148 does not disappoint. I get my money's worth. Make reservations. It is a pretty popular spot, especially on the weekends.
(5)
Alina D.
Food was rich but good. Service was top notch very professional. Alcohol was totally overpriced. They managed to find the smallest martini glasses to serve with and charge you $12 for the cocktail. Wine is served in oversize goblets with barely an inch of liquid. Apps and desserts are well priced to increase your tab. The pricing is high for a restaurant in a strip mall. Not sure I would make a trip back.
(3)
Jeannette L.
The food is good, the service is great. I especially recommend the sommelier, he is very professional and knowledgeable. I've been there several times and always had a good time. One time though, I had a waiter who was a little off. At the end of the meal, I ordered a liqueur and found a fruitfly floating in it. I pointed it out to my waiter, and he said "No, that can't be, are you sure?" Really??!?! THAT's what you say to customers when they find bugs in their drinks/food? For the price I'm paying, I'm expecting them offering me something free and apologizing. I'm still giving it a 4, as the waiter might be an anomaly, so I would just avoid that waiter whenever I go.
(4)
Meg M.
SO.. Often my reviews are filled with a bit of sarcasm and a crapload of backhanded wit but I am gonna be serious with this one. For the reviewers who said that this place "tries to be pretentious"- I couldnt disagree more. The interior of this restaurant is impeccable, stylish, different and beautiful. I would have a wedding reception here for sure. Its absolutely stunning. I arrived earlier than my Aunt who I was meeting for dinner and Randy the Manager showed me to a spot at the bar. The bartender greeted me warmly and offered me the wine list. I chose their Pinot Noir by the glass and it was delicious. I asked the bartender about the concept of Italian and Chinese cuisine because its something I find really interesting. Its not fusion, its just that the chef is madly in love with both of these places and their cuisine. As I enjoyed my wine I glanced around the room. The servers moved gracefully around the tables and Mitchell Maxwell approached tables to speak to them about the food and answer any preparation questions or requests they may have. There is a certain joy I take in seeing a chef doing table visits... not because he has to but because he sincerely wants to. The difference between the two is always incredibly evident. Shortly before I finished my wine my Aunt arrived and we were shown to our cute private table near the back side of the room. Our waitress (little blonde-sorry i dont remember your name!) greeted us with a smile and told us about the specials. We let her know it had been a while since we had seen each other so we woould be taking our sweet time to catch up. The entire evening she paced us slowly and left us alone but at the same time.. we never needed anything. If our plates were empty, or our glasses low.. someone appeared almost magically and it was done. As for the food... it was excellent. We started with a lobster rangoon appetizer that was yum yum yummy and perfectly filled and fried. We then split the beet and goat cheese salad that was phenomenal. I could eat that every day. I ordered the orrechiette bolognese and my aunt ordered the orrechiette with brocoli, sausage and garlic sauce. They were brought out in big wide bowls and the pasta was cooked perfectly. The portions were perfectly sized.. enough to bring home but not so much that you feel like you will have to eat it for two meals. I am not a huge fan of leftovers so I like when there is only a bit to take with me if I want. At the end of our three hour meal I was happy, full and ready for bed. I live in South Boston so to hit up Natick is a bit of a haul but I think my Aunt and I will make this a monthly thing. I will also definitely be taking Tim there when he returns for a romantic welcome home dinner. Thank you Maxwells. Your staff is lovely, my night was lovely and you should be proud of what you have going on there in Natick. I'll be back to try the lobster gnocchi!
(5)
Amanda M.
We were planning to be in the metro west area one night so I made reservation at Maxwell's 148 for dinner at 8:30pm. When we walked in a little early we had to wait about 15 minutes so we ordered drinks and sat in the entry way...a little awkward. The lychee swizzle drink was good and the waiting period gave me the perfect opportunity to take in the sights and sound of the dining room. The decor looks like it is straight out of the Bombay Company catalog and some people were dressed up and others were more casual. Two completely separate parties were chatting about how their t shirts were from Ann Taylor or J. Crew, maybe they should have been seated together. Anyway we were seated and right next to us was a large banquet table full of mostly women and a few men, which I soon found out was a 40th birthday party for a cougar in the making! Since the overall feel of the restaurant is low key and dimly lit, these loud ladies were on center stage. The drinks were flowing the other diners were staring as the night progressed. They were there before we entered and they were still there when we left...I hope they left a good tip for the multi-person waitstaff that was devoted to them. On to the food itself...the fried calamari as an appetizer was crisply fried and not chewy and it was served over a ladelful of marinara sauce. I decided on the lobster gnocchi since everyone seems to rave about it and my BF had a steak with truffle mashed potatoes. The gnocchi was good and there was a decent amount of lobster to be had, however the addition of lots of sliced mushrooms seemed a little out of place. I almost feel like they were in there to fill the over-sized serving dish. The steak was cooked nicely, but the mashed potatoes just seems plain and simple without any truffle flavor. The weirdest thing was the breadbasket that is served. It comes with two pieces of focaccia and the rest of it is filled with fried wonton wrappers all served with duck sauce, marinara and hummus? I think this is a perfect example of how confused this restaurant seems. It is clear they are going for an upscale atmosphere with a fusion menu of Asian and Italian dishes, but I feel like they should just pick one or the other. I'm not sure that the price tags are justified however I would like to try their lunch menu.
(3)
Rosemary A.
Dosen't look like much from the outside, but you can't judge a book by it's cover. Elegant inside; food innovative and delicious; service outstanding.
(5)
Andrew C.
This is definitely a hidden gem. A neighbor told us about the place and I still had a bit of a hard time finding it. The outside looks like a real estate office but the inside is really nicely done. The food was very good and you can tell them take pride in their service. We had some delicious garlic cheese Focaccia to begin with and I had the pasta Bolognese while my wife had a steak with a stuffed mushroom. We split a macaroni and cheese side just to try it out. All was very good. The fried won-ton wrappers they gave us free were good but I wish they were hotter coming out. We'll definitely be going back. It wasn't the meal to end all meals but it is definitely a good step above the average fare in the area and the service makes it worth the splurge once in a while.
(4)
Diane L.
Busy for a Wednesday night. Must be the buzz about Google buying the place or maybe I have this confused with a different business. Regardless, the food was exceptional and the service both professional and timely. Hudson Valley Foie Gras is a must and Maxwell's does Izzy proud. The lobster gnocci are the epitome of culinary decadence. The specialty cocktail list was missing any whiskey concoctions, but a thoughtful wine list overcame that omission. Even my west coast wine label cartoonist would have approved. Thepourfool still couldn't fit his tumescent head in the door. We fed him table scraps on the way out. Maxwell's is a suburban gem that artfully melds French and Asian influences. Worth the trip from Boston.
(5)
Tom G.
I had lived in Natick for about a year before I found this gem. Nice place for food and conversation.
(4)
Coren D.
I've been here twice, and my wife goes at least once a month. Menu is New American/Asian Fusion. Mitchell Maxwell, the chef/owner, is always in the dining room checking on patrons. He takes note of your tastes and even will make changes or additions to the menu to suit you. Randy at the front of the house is always accomodating and friendly. Best dish: Lobster gnocchi.
(5)
Dennis L.
We decided to finally try this place out. The ambiance here of warm lighting, woodwork, and brown velvet is comfortable, as is the service of the maitre'd and chef checking in on customers. We had a somewhat new waitress, it seemed, but that is normal. The starter is a mixture of a 'focaccia' (really more like an herbed lavash, being as thick as the bread at The Helmand) and fried 'wonton strips' served with a chili peanut sauce and an either artichoke or asparagus dip. We shared their foie gras, which flavorwise wasn't bad, served with fig, but either the crostini was too fragile or the foie gras was too firm. It was impossible to spread the foie gras, the crostini breaking apart. In flavor, the foie gras is light and without aftertaste. I ordered the red snapper filet, flavorwise was fine, but I had issue with the texture. I had to basically crush the fish against the plate with the knife in order to cut it. The fish itself in flavor was very delicate, a contrast to the frustration I had in cutting it. The sauce seemed very, very light for a 'Sichuan' style sauce, like it was afraid to offend the senses. No sign of those frighteningly hot to most Sichuan peppers, and it had as much kick as the 'hot' sauce at Anna's Tacqueria. The rice was done fairly dryly, even for basmati. The vegetable mix could be a little better in selection. Broccoli seems a bit odd in coupling with bok choy for the dish, not going well with the sauce... if tossed with the sauce. I would have either kept it separate or used another combination like using napa cabbage and/or water chestnuts. My friend finished her plate of cioppino, which was loaded, a good sign because she finished the whole plate including the sauce. For the area, it isn't bad, but for the price point, I am not sure if the value is there.
(3)
Erika S.
I recently visited Maxwell's with an old friend who lives in the area for a "celebration dinner". I apologize in advance, because I feel a lengthy and somewhat whiny review coming along. First off, I must say that Natick seemed very suburbia to me to have this type of establishment in it, but that was from my initial reactions. Upon walking in, the ambiance easily blew me away. After sitting through dinner I realized that this restaurant tries very, very hard to actually be pretentious. Who goes for that? Don't get me wrong, the ambiance was beautiful, and romantic, but the food should match and the prices should be in range for what's in the area and according to my friend, they were not on point. They were in fact all over the board and some didn't make any sense. Okay, let's get down to food & drink. We were seated and given time to decide on what we'd like to drink. We had both decided that we were in the mood for some sort of fish and wanted a wine to compliment that so the waiter suggested a bottle of Casa Silva Sauvignon Gris 2006. It was light, crisp and very good. For an appetizer we had decided to share the arugula salad. It was nicely prepared, very fresh and went very well with the wine. The spiciness of the arugula with the shaved cheese and the delicate olive oil and lemon were just what I was looking for to start off dinner. However, must say that for $12, it was a rather small salad that we were told was enough for two to share. It took me much longer than usual to decided what I wanted for my entree. I understand that they were going for an Asian Italian fusion restaurant but those favors rarely mesh and I didn't really see anything fused. I saw Asian inspired dishes and then some Italian dishes, all of which were over priced even for Boston, but hey, we were celebrating! So after a good 15 minutes and picking apart the menu and all of it's quirks I had decided upon Gnocchi al Tartofu and my friend had decided on the Chilean Sea Bass. Here is where the lull in the evening set in... it took a solid 30 minutes from app to entree. To me that was not acceptable. We ordered everything at the same time, and there was no explanation that any of the dishes would take longer, nor should anything that we ordered need extra preparation. In any case, our dinner had finally arrived and I must say that while I wasn't blown away with presentation, the food was good. The gnocchi was ricotta based and was not lead-like and was coated with a light wild mushroom sauce and shaved truffles. It was also tossed with Maine lobster meat, but there was not a lot. For the $45 price tag on this entree I was expecting more....more lobster, more pizazz. Good is good, but the price wasn't right. I did sample the Chilean sea bass which was spot on. The fish was excellent and was served with crab raviolis plated over a thin tomato sauce with more baby arugula. He didn't eat much of the arugula because we had it as an app and would have probably substituted it for something else had he realized it was the vegetable on the plate. Over all that dish had everything just right. Again, the wine did compliment both of our dishes. The waiter cleared our table and let us talk and digest for a little before presenting us with the dessert menu which has an impressive listing of dessert wines, scotches, bourbons, cognacs, ports, grappas, etc. Even though we were stuffed, we are both die-hard chocoholics and decided to share the chocolate espresso terrine served with a belgian dark chocolate sauce. I decided that I was going to end the night with the Bonnie Doon Post Harvest Frozen Muscat and he was going to finish with one of the grappas.. the name escapes me. The terrine was served and was a very large portion. We were unable to get through half of it, but the half that we conquered was heavenly. The dark chocolate sauce was perfection in a drizzle, it was a nice balance of semi-sweet chocolate. We lingered over our drinks and eventually called it a night. We were not rushed in any way by the service staff. The waitstaff was very friendly and efficient. All in all, the food was great, but a little off as far as pricing goes. I did peruse the drink menu and was floored to see martini's in a category all their own because they were $69!!! Whether it's JW Blue, Don Julio Real Anejo or Kaufmann vodka, you're only using about 2-3 oz at the most and even that won't come close to that price. That's just absurd. Some of the "regular" martini's looked okay and the wine by the glass list was extensive. I have no problem paying for a great meal if you are getting what you pay for which is part of the problem here. They are putting high price tags on things as part of an image but don't deliver on the promise of the food.
(3)
Bella and Aleksey R.
I was going to give this place 3 stars, but A. insisted on a 4. I came upon this restaurant when I was looking for something different and was admittedly intrigued by this place's concept - Mediterranean Asian fusion. We were here on Friday night and it didn't look very busy. The service was very good, you could tell that they were making a very concerted effort to provide a good experience for you and meet your needs. The decor was also very nice with large drapes separating the main dining room and dimmed lighting. I think I may have gone somewhat astray in my choice of dish though - I picked something called evil jungle vegetables and black rice. I wasn't expecting the rice to actually be black. My dinner companions got pasta dishes and said they very good. A. got a Kobe burger and also enjoyed it.
(4)
Rita F.
Have I died and gone to heaven?...and heaven is in Natick? Wow what a delicious lunch. With few expectations, we came to Maxwell's 148 with a Groupon and a sneak peek at the lunch menu on their website. We were totally blown out of the water. The crystal chandelier and velvet draperies with the modern Asian touches left us wondering what was to come. Randy, the friendly general manager/owner, greeted us and took our order. Randy is a real foodie and is very knowledgeable about the Boston food scene. Mitchell the chef/owner came by to see how we were enjoying our meal. I must say, everything we ordered was wonderful. We shared a delicious Crab Cake. It was moist and fresh tasting. I ordered the lobster gnocchi in a mushroom cream with lobster. My friend had the special, lamb on Chinese noodles with spinach in a complex sauce. Both were wonderful. I can still fantasize about the gnocchi melting in my mouth with the succulent lobster meat -yum. We shared a banana spring roll with caramel sauce, a perfect ending to our meal. After lunch, our host let us sample the house's own fig flavored sipping vodka which was divine. This restaurant is expensive, more than I can justify for regular visits but this is a special place and I'll be back. Treat yourself--Don't Miss Maxwell's 148.
(5)
Julia W.
As a follow up, my husband and I were married on November 16th and we chose Maxwell's as our venue. The food was impeccable, the service was exceptional, and the value was unbeatable. The best decision we made during our wedding planning process was choosing Maxwell's for our reception. I can't recommend it enough!
(5)
Kathleen T.
This is a terrific restaurant way and beyond what would be expected in Natick off the beaten path. Excellent service, food cooked perfectly, and, yes,it is for special occasions, but a great alternative to going to Boston for great food and atmosphere.
(5)
William G.
There are many "good" restaurants,in the western suburbs,but Maxwells 148 in Natick tops them all.Their manager and staff couldn't have done any more,to make our dining experience any better.The food was exceptional,every course was perfectly presented and delicious.It could not have been any better.We have eaten everywhere,over the years,and Maxwells 148 is the best of the best.We will visit again soon.
(5)
Han K.
Maybe 2 and a half stars because the food itself is actually tasty, cooked properly, and the service is spot on. Let's start with the good points. The interior of the restaurant (which used to be Hiro Sushi, one of the better sushi places in the area so when that closed down I was always going to hold it against the next restaurant coming into that space) is charming, relaxing, modern, and very well done. It's very cool and chic. The service is really quite nice, very friendly and accommodating, not perfect but certainly passable for a fine dining establishment. The food itself is good. Not awesome or outstanding. But good. Now let's get to the flaws. My waiter was a little on the neurotic side and my wife and I just never clicked with him, he felt a little strange instead of inviting in our interaction with him, but that's just one waiter. The menu is overpriced IMO, and as I said before the food although is tasty, is not worth the price in any way. My wife's tuna appetizer was mediocre at best the peanut noodles she got could have come from any take out chinese food restaurant, her salmon entree although cooked properly was just boring and overpriced just because there was a "lobster ragu" meaning a few chunks of lobster sautee thrown on top of the plate. My salad of spinach and king crab could have come out of a trader joe's container (just insipid and lifeless, a cold lump of overcooked king crab unseasoned with baby spinach leaves that just felt a little tough, in a boring miso dressing that tasted like it could have come out of a bottle) and my main course of braised ginger short ribs with pan fried noodles although was delicious, was plated messily, and to be honest would have made anyone asian cringe with the amount of sauce they slathered on the dish (which is bizarre since my wife's salmon dish was dry as a bone). All the dishes were messy in plating. It wasn't sloop on a plate, but it certainly wasn't beautiful to look at either. Dessert was okay, the meyer lemon cheesecake my wife had looked a little too airy for her liking, my dessert was delicious but wasn't exactly inventive (it was caramelized bananas with glorified ice cream with toasted coconut and macadamia nuts). Cocktails were above average but at $12 a little steep for what you get. The one big problem I have with this place is unnecessary pretentiousness. There's nothing wrong with having a swank dining room, a great staff, but when the food doesn't match the decor, alarms go off in my head, and when I noticed that some cocktails on the menu cost $69 (that's not a typo), the wanna be pretentious alarms really start to go off. I'm all about high quality liquors and I know the costs, but when I was reading the ingredients, it shouldn't have costed that much (or even half that much). I have a serious problem with high end restaurants that serve Asian fusion cuisine. I never liked Blue Ginger for the same reason, even if you elevate the cuisine, it's still in the end flavors that many people are familiar with at significantly cheaper prices. I can get a fine authentic Chinese meal of equal or better quality in food but the atmosphere might suck but it'll cost me half or more less. Why should I pay double the price for a meal that takes the same flavors but just dresses it up a little? And in Maxwell 148's case, it's not even that dressed up.
(2)
Aron S.
Note: this review is abbreviated due to time constraints but I'll get back to flesh it out later on. In the meantime... I visited Maxwell's 148 because I was interested in scoping it out for a potential future event. I had heard some good things about it and read some reviews on other sites that left me with some hopeful expectations. There is a dirth of inspiring fine dining restaurants in metrowest and I was hopeful that this would add to the few I consider worthy of praise. But you know what they say, "Expectations are the baggage of Life, travel lightly" If you haven't picked up on the foreshadowing by now, let me be clear as glass: I was disappointed. Maxwell's has all the trimmings of a fine dining restaurant (except for the funky location on Rt 135) though perhaps a bit overdone for the 'burbs, but what really let me down was the food. The cuisine is characterized as italian-asian fusion which from the beginning doesn't really work in my mind, either as a blending of the two cuisines or, as is the case here, a menu that features dishes evocative of both cuisines. I understand French-Asian fusion because the preparation and presentation of French cuisine compliments asian ingredients and sensibility, but the Italian cuisine is at heart a earthy cuisine emphasizing excellent Italian ingredients cooked and presented simply. We ordered selections from each part of the menu - appetizer, main, dessert - representative of both cuisines and were disappointed at every turn. Although I can't recall which items we ordered the general concensus was a lack of finesse with ingredients and poor interpretation of classic dishes. This included overhanded seasoning, imbalance with flavors and ingredients and an overall discomfort with the execution. While the staff was friendly and attentive enough, the food let us down. One more note: The restaurant purports to have a excellent wine selection but I found it to be limited and imbalanced. The prices were moderate to high compared to other restaurants and we were led completely astray by the recommendations from our server. Guys, Italian wine and Asian food just aren't a natural pairing. To be fair, I've only been once and every restaurant can have an off night, so I will try it again and will report back.
(2)
S Y.
This seems to be a favorite among people at school (er, faculty and staff anyway). It's not walkable from campus and the prices are not college-friendly. The decor is very simple and there is a small reflection water pool in the middle of the restaurant, which might make it a really pretty place at night. I went for lunch with two of my bosses on a weekday. The service was good, of course, because there wasn't that many people. The chef even came out to say his greetings and our server was very pleasant. Three out of four of us ordered fish and I can't say too much about it because I'm not that great of a fan. The rest of the menu didn't seem too exciting and as I had gotten back from Italy only about a month ago, I had no desire to try and have good pasta outside of it. My boss offered me a drink so I took her up on the offer, despite the fact that it was 1 in the afternoon and I actually had to go back to work later. I had an Asian Pear martini which was quite strong. Too strong that I only sipped it about 5 times because I could feel my face getting red. The attentive waitress noticed and asked if I did indeed like it and if I wanted something else instead. We capped off our pretty fancy lunch with a 4 plates of desserts that we shared. It's been months so I don't remember what we had but everything was delicious! Overall, I'd recommend this place but perhaps at night if looking for ambience. Too bad it's in the middle of nowhere and there's nothing much else to do around there after it but if you live in the area, try it!
(4)
john k.
It's hard to imagine what the psychological make up is of the negative reviewers here. Perhaps they found themselves in over their class or financial head? This place is superb head to toe, in every regard. Believe the rave reviews, disregard the gnarly ones. Whoever they were, is was them having the problem, not Maxwell's. We arrived an hour early by our own mistake, and were greeted at once and shown to a nice table. Food top of the mark.
(5)
alan m.
The food is very ordinary. Not one of six meals served at our table was very good. For the price charged, this restaurant is a ripoff. The wine was excellent and well presented by the maitre de. It is a shame that the cuisine does not match the ambiance. We will not return.
(1)
Kristina K.
As other posters mentioned, you would never expect to find a great restaurant inside this building. In fact, you'd probably drive right past and not even realize. Once inside you totally forget what the outside looks like as the inside is well decorated. The better part is the food. My husband and I go here regularly whenever we want to treat ourselves to a great meal and have yet to be disappointed. They always start you off with an assortment of bread or wontons with dip sauces. The food is always fantastic and the service is great. Another nice touch, the chef has come out to ask us how we like our meal every time we've gone. The only thing I wish they would change is to bring back the weeknight Prix Fixe menu!
Nice ambiance. Nicely dressed servers. Service was mediocre. Server was more interested in selling us bottled water, telling us drink/food specials (which he couldn't remember), and enforcing gender stereotypes than listening to us. We can live with bad service, but not bad food, and the food was underwhelming. We had soup and foie gras for apps., burger and fish for main dishes, and 3 glasses of wine. The wine was fine---more-or-less what we expected for the prices and glasses we got. The soup was good---seasoned correctly and flavorful. The foie gras was not---it had a strong acidic/metallic taste which we have never tasted before (after 30+ foie gras dishes); it tasted good w/ the toasted brioche and preserve, but not alone. The main dishes were also a bit hard to stomach---overcooked and underseasoned. The Natick Sel de la Terre has better food, wine and service for comparable prices.
I decided to take my girlfriend out for a quiet, romantic dinner date recently, and after reading the other reviews on Yelp, we went to Maxwell's 148. The exterior of the building is a strip mall and it does not suggest upscale dining in any way; however, there were several signs directing us to the parking lot in the rear of the building, so I knew we were at the right place. Walking in the front door, we were stunned at the interior decor - heavy drapes cover the walls, soft candlelight, ad the decor is pleasing and seems very well thought out. We ate there on a Saturday night, and I called in a reservation two days in advance for 6 PM. When we got there, the host didn't have our reservation on file! That's simply unacceptable. Minus one star. If you go there, then I suggest making a reservation online through their website, and then call to confirm the reservation a few hours in advance because it seems they can't get their act together. Fortunately, they had a few open tables at 6 so they were able to seat us. The host took our coats and lead us to a small table in the back. Before dinner service rally got started, I saw someone who appeared to be the chef mingling with customers at a few other tables - a nice touch, especially at a fine dining establishment. Plus one star. The menu is a fusion of Asian and Mediterranean food. I'm writing this review several weeks after we ate there, so I can't remember what we ate, but we didn't have any complaints about the food. The wait service was prompt but not intrusive. The room was filled with quiet conversation most of the night, which is what we were looking for. Then they seated a loud part of eight at the table next to us. Now, I know they had to scramble to ge us a table (because they screwed up the reservation) and that the restaurant isn't responsible for the behavior of their guests, but their obnoxious behavior ruined the quiet, romantic atmosphere and almost ruined the night for me. I would hope that they would seat larger parties in a private room separate from the main dining room, like at many other restaurants in the area. In short, this restaurant is worth a visit, but confirm your reservation before you set out (if you've made one) and ask for a quiet table if you're going for a romantic evening.
Maxwell's 148 is a first-class dining experience that, sadly, ends with the taste of the food. I was impressed with the high-level of attentiveness and the fine touches like the handsome china and silverware. But I left the restaurant wondering to myself, is anyone there actually tasting what's coming out of the kitchen? I'll cite one emblematic example: I didn't mind paying $38 for the pasta with truffles special, but what was the point when any subtle flavors that might have been there were drowned-out by all that parmesean cheese? Everything else I got was equally mediocre. Maxwell's 148 could be awesome, but somebody needs to pay attention to the food.
(2)
BARRY G.
So only reason not a 5 because ac not working. Very good service. Very creative cuisine. Waiter, Ceto? Was knowledgeable. First time had honest to goodness shaved truffles. Yup, strip mall in Natick, MA. TRY IT, YOU WILL BE VERY PLEASANTLY SURPRISED.
(4)
julesmary p.
Meh. So I was excited when I saw the menu. I like truffle fries, I like red curry and thai basil. Menu gets a 10. Execution gets a 2. The prices are absolutely ridiculous and not at all in line with the experience. $9 for a bottle of water? $10 for a side of fries? $30 for three scallops and some eggplant slices? You're in Natick, not on Nantucket.
(1)
Michael A.
I had a lovely experience at Maxwells the other night. An important note; they are under new ownership and with Chef Eric taking care that all his guests are completely satisfied, you'll not only have a great meal but also respect the dedication of his staff. Our waitress knew the Chef's menu inside and out, not to mention all of the ingredients that went into each meal we inquired about. So from a service standpoint they are spot on. As for the meals themselves, I opted for the chicken marsala. Unfortunately the chicken was too tough and the marsala sauce too thick. When Chef Eric asked how our meal was I told him my concern and he quickly brought me a new entre of my choice. I chose the chicken pad Thai instead and it was incredible! Really appreciated the effort... Also love their complimentary wantons and bread basket! Will be back with friends!
(4)
Steve A.
This is probably the best restaurant in the Natick/Framingham area. I like the food and the atmosphere and they have a great bartender. If you like good craft beers forget about it but wine and cocktails they do a nice job. ( Come on guys bring in a Sclupin IPA) Been there 5 times and always good. Filet, shrimp and Sea Bass really nice and the portions are good. The only thing we didn't like was they put Brie cheese all over our salad which ruined it. That and large pieces of bacon that weren't chopped up were the only thing all 4 of us didn't like. I really like the place. I gave it 4 stars because of the service - it's never bad but it can be it or miss. The last time we went over female server was outstanding. She only works on weekends but what a difference she made. Lastly, it's not cheap.
(4)
Rita M.
We visited our daughter in Natick from San Diego, CA. She was so excited about finding a GEM in Natick as they usual dine in Boston. To find a special restaurant so close to home would be amazing! The ambience was just lovely, warm and friendly atmosphere. The Martini's were amazing as well as the wine and the wanton's with 2 dips. As we ordered we were excited about our appetizers and dinners to come! Sadly to say we were SOooo disappointed, except for our daughter who ordered Chilean Sea Bass. My husband's Gnocchi was so undercooked Too firm and so heavy. My scallops were over cooked and dry! Our son-in-law ordered an Asian dish and was also disappointed.also our Calamari was so over cooked and tough. The worse we ever tasted, and it's one of our favorite appetizers! The Soft Shell grabs were just ok. To say the least we did not find a GEM, but an overpriced restaurant with food not up to expectations. However, Jackie our waitress was super... Find a new chef!!
(2)
Rachel R.
My experience here at Maxwells 148 was unforgettable. Between the exceptional service and the amazingly Delicious and fresh food,I will recommend this restaurant to anyone in the area!!!
(4)
Candice B.
I decided to take my mom out for a nice dinner 2 days before Thanksgiving, and also to use up my Groupon that is going to expire in a week, so off to Maxwell 148 we go. I have made a reservation beforehand on Open Table, but nothing was available until 9pm, so I made the reservation anyway and told my mom to eat something small before going to dinner. We decided to go around 8pm, hoping for an early seating. I checked in with the host, who seemed very courteous. I mentioned to him that we have a 9pm reservation but will wait here for anything available before that. He acknowledged our request and we were patiently waiting in their small waiting area. Upon walking into the restaurant, my mom was weirded out by the decor at the front. As we were sitting around waiting to be called, she quietly said to me, this place reminds me of a funeral home. I looked around, and agreed with her. It is just a very odd vibe, but looking in the restaurant, it seems like it would be a nice, classy place. We were patiently waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting..... 8:55pm, we were called to be seated. Great, 5 minutes earlier than our reservation time but hey, I was still pretty patient and hopeful to this point. We were already starving, so when we got to our table, we were pretty much ready to order. My mom does not drink and I usually don't drink at dinner, so we didn't plan on ordering any drinks, and just wanted water. 10 minutes go by, our water glasses were still empty and our stomach growling. Another 5 minutes go by, at about 9:10pm our waitress finally showed up to take our drink order. We told her we wanted water, and she disappeared and came back to fill our glass. As she was filling our glass, she gave us the daily specials and told us she'll be "right back to take our order". When she finally came back, we put in our appetizer and our meals. This was about 9:15pm. We got our basket of wontons and toasted bread, along with sweet and sour sauce and hummus for dipping. This alone is worth the 2 stars I'm giving this place. I should have just asked for another basket of that and call it a night. The appetizers arrived shortly after. We went with the Toasted flatbread with spinach and 3 cheese. It was actually pretty good! I was hopeful the rest of the entrees will be the same. we mawed down the flatbreads and was ready for our entrees. Then we waited and waited and waited and waited.... I looked around the restaurant, it was almost 9:45pm and most patrons are either already eating their entrees, ordering desserts or paying the bill. Apparently everyone had also waited until the last minute to use their Groupons, so that's why it was so packed in the restaurant. Our waitress barely came over to check on us, and just as we were saying to have our food wraped up to go, they came. The Beef Carpaccio salad was super small. I mean, I asked the waitress about the size, but did not expect it to be a cup of Arugula and 3 pieces of filet mignon tataki. For a $15 salad, I didn't think it was worth it. Then my Kobe Pub Burger medium well was cooked with a pink/red center. I am usually a medium rare girl when it comes to steak, but I like my burgers a little more cooked, so maybe this was my fault that I should have gotten it medium well. The fries were not that good, onion strings was not crispy (if it was supposed to?). I share half a burger with my mom and neither of us took more than two bites out of it. For a $19 burger, I definitely have had better. The food itself wasn't so bad, but it was the slow and inattentive service that made the experience worse. We were so tired by the time we finished our meal (by finished I mean we took two bites and picked at it and basically stopped eating). It was already 10:15pm, our waitress was chatting away with another table. Pretty much after she took our order she came back once to check on how the food was, then never saw her again, until we were waiting to pay our bill. For 15 minutes she was chatting away, so I got the attention of another waitress and she finally filled our glasses with ice water and then had our waitress bring us our check. I laughed when she asked if we wanted coffee or dessert. Sweetie, I don't want to be there until midnight, so no, just the check is fine. $47 for mediocre food and slow service at 9pm on a Wednesday night... nooooo thanks.
(2)
Sara M.
I really wanted to like this place. So much so that this was our fourth visit. Metro west has so little in the way of good restaurants that I was excited when I heard about maxwells. The good...service has always been great. Very friendly and attentive. The "bread basket" is great with a fun selection. The bad....over priced. I don't mind spending almost $30 on an entree if it's good, well cooked, and properly seasoned. Sadly that's not the case here. Don't get me wrong, all of the food is not "bad" but all the entrees are over priced by at least $10. We had a pork special once that literally was like shake n bake. Over cooked and dry. It was also hard to eat because of all the bones. I love a good bone in pork chop but this reminded me of the pork my mom would buy on sale at stop n shop as a kid in the 70s. Thin and loaded with fat and gristle. The drinks are okay but what's up with serving them in giant water glasses?? So bizarre, and takes away from the cocktail itself. The pad Thai is nothing special either. The burgers are good, but only worth it if you go on burger night when they are on special. So I don't think we will be back. The service is the only saving grace. They always welcome us and the manager always check in. I like them so much I hate to write a bad review but I hope they read it and make some changes....metro west could use a good dinning spot.
(2)
zack t.
My wife and kids have been going to Maxwells 148 for years. Its an undisputed jewel of Natick. The food is fantastic, the service is superb, the ambiance is very pleasant. I thought it couldn't get better, but i was wrong. The new owners have brought the restaurant to new height, move over DelFriscos and Mistral, Maxwells 148 is IT.
(5)
Jennifer H.
My son took me here for a birthday/Mother's Day celebration. The service and the food were both out of this world! The waitress went above and beyond to treat us right. She even put birthday candles in my dessert. :-) The calamari appetizer was wonderful. I had the penne with arugula, my daughter had the spinach fettucine, one of my sons had the kobe pub burger, and the other one had the Pad Thai. Everything was delicious! The brussels sprouts we had were also quite tasty. I will definitely go here again when I return to Massachusetts. My only regret is not getting the waitress's name so I could give her the recognition she deserves. She has dark hair and worked on Thursday, May 15th in the evening. Thank you for everything!
(5)
James O.
Just had dinner at Maxwell's. We have been living in the area for years and avoided it because of some old reviews that were negative. BIG MISTAKE. I don't know what changed but it was wonderful. We split a salad, I had a porcetta special and my wife had the Kaffir scallops. Both were delicious, with unique flavors and perfectly done. We split a bread pudding special dessert which my wife ( who doesn't like bread pudding) loved. I had a Negroni which was perfectly mixed and the wines were excellent and reasonable. Our waitress Tyla was professional and attentive. The owner came by several times to speak with us. It was clear the staff enjoyed working there. The only reason for 4/5 is that I am very jaded. It takes a lot to get a 5. Nevertheless, they came close. If I could I would give them a 4.5. We will definitely go back.
(4)
Leah G.
Best meal in MetroWest! We go out a lot and do the usual Legals, Prime, Coach Grill, Olga's and we were happily blown away by how delicious the food was and how nice the decor is. We ate like kings... pork wings that we were licking our fingers from, tempura avocado, what? never have even seen it on a menu and it was great. The truffle pasta special was by far the best pasta I have ever had. The veal chop I ordered was flinstone style, so big I will be eating the rest tonight! It was tender and cooked to perfection. The creamy polenta was also the best I have had. The evil veggies w/ scallops was good but not sure we would order it again and instead we are dying to try the gnocchi with lobster next time! We cannot wait to go back.
(5)
Donna M.
We have been here twice since the new owners, Luke and Chef Eric, have taken over, and we are most encouraged. The service was proficient and friendly, in fact, everyone was very friendly. And the food was excellent! It is really wonderful to have such a good restaurant in Natick. We will be back!
(5)
Sarah M.
I have been to this hidden gem three times, and have yet to be disappointed! I strongly recommend the lobster gnocchi, just as long as you enjoy lobster (duh) cream sauces or alfredo, and mushrooms... All three I cant get enough of. Also, the portion of lobster is more generous than expected. The service is exceptional and its nice to see that the chef makes his way around to see that all his guests are enjoying the food... Dont be deterred by the look of the outside. It is quite a pleasant surprise once inside.
(5)
Bentley B.
Pricey but really a wonderful spot and excellent food. Terrific service. So nice to find knowledgeable well trained wait staff who take a sincere interest and know the meals. Our second visit was as nice as our first a few weeks ago. Will definitely be returning for more.
(4)
Deb W.
At first glance, an Italian/Asian fusion restaurant was an odd concept. I still don't quite get the relationship between Italian and Asian food but the menu has a good variety of both cuisines. The appetizers were delicious but slightly over priced. We ordered truffle fries, calamari, mussels in curry sauce and they were all very good. The entrees, however, were unimpressive. My bf ordered the catch in a bag which ended up being a 28 dollar large spring roll. It didn't have much seafood flavor to it since the fried shell covers up most of the flavor. I ordered the pasta carbonara with scallops. This was decent but I've had better at Olive Garden. For a 26 dollar dish, I was not impressed. Overall, the food is decent but way overpriced for what it is.
(3)
Shana K.
lovely... wonderful service, excellent food, truly indulgent (our group of 4 had the couch seating!)
(5)
Meghan O.
This was my second visit to Maxwell's 148. I hope this was just a fluke but our experience was so awful that I feel compelled to share it. We had a party of 6 girls on a Wednesday night. When my friend called to make the reservation, they asked her to please call if our headcount changed (after taking a credit card to secure the reservation). So when someone dropped out of the party and someone else joined, she called them to let them know. Three of our six arrived at the same time and they asked again if we still had 6 people in our party. Now, I get it. People flake, etc but this is the first of 3 more times they asked in one night. I don't know if they had a party of 8 who wanted our table or what but seriously? So they sat us and the waiter (Stevan) asked again if we were still 6. Then we were given drink menus. We asked for food menus to order some appetizers and the guy who gave us the drink menus said he would ask someone (presumably our waiter?) 15 minutes went by and 2 more of of friends arrived, we asked again for a food menu. The drink waiter said "he knows." I guess our waiter already knew we wanted menus but didn't want to give them to us? In the end we waited 30 minutes for our menus and it was our drink waiter (who ended up being our waiter for food too) brought them to us. One member of our party was 30 minutes late so we wondered if they have a policy of not bringing menus until the entire party arrived, but they never said that so we don't really know. After she arrived, our waiter was very nice though pushy about upselling especially for drinks. I don't have much to say about the food. It was fine but overshadowed by our completely negative experience with the waitstaff.
(2)
Fantasia A.
I just moved to the area and wanted to try this place for dinner. I was surprised by the elegance of the interior of the dinning room in comparison to the exterior. I loved the feel and atmosphere. I believe an owner who was wearing a chef jacket greeted and seated us. I felt a little under dressed but it wasn't an issue. The waiter was excellent! I think he was Italian and he gave great advice with the drinks and menu. I loved my meal from beginning to end. Very original dishes that combined Asian and Italian on the menu. I had pad Thai with lobster. The martini was perfect. No complaints! The price was on the high end but felt on par with the quality of food. I recommend this place for a date night. It's just as good as any restaurant in boston .
(5)
Robert B.
This was a cool little spot to eat. I would say the food was really pretty good. The waitress tried I believe, but probably had a hard time focusing as she was in between breaks and probably needed that maintenance hit of meth to get back on track. A little odd to have a waitress in this condition in a white table cloth joint. I mean she was nice enough, but I guess dumping a full soda in my lap at the beginning of dinner may have tainted this review a bit.
(3)
Reid F.
I used to like this place, but that was a long time ago. Now, it is overpriced and pretentious, and the food and service are mediocre (at best). In addition, the menu is very confused (Italian and Asian). There are so many better places to eat in MetroWest that it's confounding that someone would pay those prices for that food.
(1)
Micheal A.
I tried posting last week but it didn't show up on the Yelp site. From worst to first. Last Saturday we decided to try Maxwells 148 because of the new ownership. We had a 7:30 reservation. The host said our table was not ready when we arrived at 7:25 and they they were waiting for some people to finish up. 7:30 came and went. 7:45 is the time I give a restaurant (15 minutes) to honor a reservation. They kept apologizing about the wait. Well, no luck. Finally at 8:00 pm. I "dickishly" said that it was unacceptable and that they better make good for the delay. FINALLY, at 8:06 we sat. So how does this terrible experience translate to a five star review.????? This restaurant team knows how To "DO THE RIGHT THING". All appetizers, which were delicious, and the first round of drinks was on the house. The Chef/Owner even came out of the kitchen to apologize and recommend some items. Lobster fried rice is a must.,as is the large order of beef carpaccio. We had a duck special app which was amazing. All of the main courses duck special,veal chop, penne arabiata ,cod all amazing. Can't wait to go back and will recommend it to everyone.
(5)
Thomas O.
Was very dissapointed with the quality of food. About the same quality as a road side dinner. The prices was a rip off. Will never go back.
(1)
Andy R.
Was excited for Maxwell's but unfortunately it fell well short of expectations. Went for lunch with one guest. We had appetizers of calamari, cheese bread, both were fine but also hard to mess up. We also had eggplant lettuce wraps, and while the eggplant was tasty it was served with small pieces of romaine lettuce as the "wrap" which was totally useless. It should have been served with iceberg or Boston bibb which could actually wrap stuff inside . We ended up eating the eggplant with a fork. Overall apps were 3 stars maybe. Where it fell apart was the 2 Kobe beef burgers for entree. Ordered medium rare, both were served raw, not rare, raw. The waitress was good and took them back right away for new ones but the second round was not much better. They were medium rare on the inside but the seared crust was thick and like charcoal destroying the flavor of the kobe beef. The pan or grill was clearly WAY too hot on both attempts which makes me question if the chef has any idea whats he/she is doing, that is basic stuff. You want a crust but not just burned and uncooked inside. Burgers were half star rating. The best part of the meal was the cocktail, a tequila and grapefruit specialty drink from the menu. I would have a second but my first sat empty on the table for a good 10 min before I was asked if I wanted another. We had a bottle of descent Merlot which was pretty good. I want to give Maxwell's another shot but not sure I will, it was pretty much just a fail on all accounts, with the exception of the staff who were very courteous.
(2)
Amanda P.
One of my favorite restaurants! Food is beyond amazing, the chicken Marsala is the best I've ever had!! Waitstaff is professional, attentive, and overall very friendly. Best food, cocktails and atmosphere outside Boston :)
(5)
Matthew T.
Love the food, atmosphere and every attention to detail. Fun to go with friends or date night. Awesome, delicious food every time. Highly recommend it
(5)
Haley P.
My mom and I went on Black Friday in the evening to check the place out. The exterior is nondescript and next to a laundromat or generic pizza place. Nothing to speak of. We went inside, and despite seeing a few empty tables and two open seats at the bar, the host would not sit us. He actually told us we were looking at an hour wait...we decided to sit in the waiting area and see if the bar opened up. In this time, the chef actually came out and greeted some friends, but told them he wasn't allowed to seat them. Then two couples with reservations came in. One couple said they had called that morning to say they would have one more person in their party and the pompous host declared that he did not get their phone call, and that he gets about 50 voicemails a day and could not recall theirs. He then told them he "could not simply pull up a chair to their table" and that they could keep their reservation for two or reschedule. The second couple was early for their reservation, and he told them they would have to wait. We decided not to bother and went to Whole Foods. We went back this evening only because we had to use the Groupon my mom had. We had a 6p reservation and arrived on the dot. The third person in our party was running a few minutes late (both my mom and her friend are on-call doctors). We told the same rude host that she was in the car on the phone so that he would seat us. When she did arrive 15-20 minutes later (note, our waitress had JUST brought us water at this point) he brought her over to the table, and remarked "SHE CLEARLY WASNT IN THE CAR ON THE PHONE." Actually, she was. Jerk. The food was good, and our waitress was decent. Decent being a stretch. I had to remind her about our drinks and food twice. What should have taken an hour, took more than two. For some reason, the staff/owners have an air of entitlement. I don't know why they think they are they are worthy of a spot in the Ritz, but they do. This place was not worth the money, even with a Groupon. Our custom-made stir fry from Whole Foods the night before was better, by far. I am an architect, and construction project manager. Please note that their second means of egress is actually blocked by cooking equipment. In the event of an emergency, the cook staff will be screwed and the restaurant ought to be sued. If you hear a fire alarm....run for the front. On our way out, I asked that the host (who is apparently also a co-owner) apologize for the (inaccurate) comment he made. He would not apologize. Don't waste your time. The food is good, but you can find it for half the price elsewhere.
(2)
Eddy J.
Maxwell's has truly figured out the recipe for success. Restaurant puns, anyone?! But seriously, they have all the ingredients to ensure you have a great time. Fool me once, shame on me, fool me twice?!?! Alright, I'll quit being sophomoric and give you the scoop on this place...damn, you just got served. BOOM JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WAS DONE I COME BACK, MOTHER FUCKER. Seriously, though, I don't call myself the best & funniest reviewer on Yelp just to waste your time with puns. Let's get down to business: Maxwell's has great drinks, great food (who doesn't love fusion these days, so trendy!!!), great service, and they have fucking pools of water next to couches where you sit. Who can ask for anything else? Well, those damn vegetarians can, but not to worry! Maxwell's offers plenty of options for that annoying daughter/son who's become vegetarian after one semester at Amherst College because her/his "understanding of consciousness has profoundly changed."
(5)
dajian x.
I made reservations on Open Table. Incidentally, I was required to call and confirm the reservation before 2:00 pm on the day of the dinner. Maybe it was simply because this was on a Saturday. It was a little bit of a nuisance. When I arrived, I was seated quickly. The manager greeted me. Service was excellent; it seems that service is a cooperative effort by the waitstaff. The menus were on what seems like copper backing or copper sheet. This appears to be a touch of elegance. The waitstaff was assertive in making recommendations. I had the pork shoulder special. My wife had the fish and rice paper with Chinese vegetables. Both of these dishes were extremely tasty and well presented. The pricing of the dishes was somewhat high. This other people said the place does not handle sound well. It does get a little overwhelming. The restaurant also attempts to squeeze in as many tables and people as possible. So there's a feeling of being somewhat compressed. The manager came by at least once. The chef also came by once which was very nice. But when I try to engage him I felt the disconnect. Overall this restaurant is exponentially better than anything I've eaten the Merrimack Valley where I live. The mix of Italian food and Asian food gives this restaurant breadth in scope and good quality. The restaurants locally where I live pretend to be something better and upscale which they are not, and often succeed in this failure or illusion. Maxwell's does not have that shortcoming. Overall this is a was a delightful experience. I would highly recommend this restaurant to others. I would give this restaurant four and one half stars if permitted.
(4)
Sam D.
Went for dinner and had heard that it was expensive so we were ready for the Boston prices. What we didn't expect was the mediocre bland food, horrible service, and level of pretentiousness that I have not felt at any five star restaurant. When we made it clear that we wanted the check and leave it took another 3/4 of an hour for our server to complete that task. Lastly, even leaving to get our coats was a huge process with people coming in not moving to allow us to exit. Huge disappointment and would not recommend.
(2)
Chris M.
Great Asian fusion style restaurant. We went on a Saturday night and it was packed. Our waitress got held up a few times and the manager ended up being our server. Food quality is top notch and they have some different items. I had the avacado, crab and gravlax salad followed by the filet mignon with mashed potatoes. No draft beer and the wine was a bit high in price but the selection was there.
(4)
John R.
We went to Maxwell's two weeks ago; it was our second time there the first being a good 7 years ago. They've remodeled since then but the interior is still awkward, they need a restaurant architect. I left with the exact same opinion and almost the same experience as the last time. The food is hit/miss and lack's consistency, not just conceptually but also the quality. Some things burst with flavor and others are bland and to make matters worse we had temp issues with the food being tepid, both times we went. We had to send a dish back because, although cooked it was sort of room temp. Concluding our meal this time again the dessert (bread pudd) was tepid and unappealing and the coffee was room temp. Is it Asian Nouveau or is it Northern Italian? Persoanly I think the chef does the Asian better than the Italian! I think if the chef were to hone his skills/influence on one of the two we would have a better experience. I'd venture to say he could give Wellesley's Iron Chef a run for his money, IF he were to focus on (1) concept. In addition, it's "stuffy" in a formal, unappealing way, they are trying too hard and/or take themselves too seriously. I imagine a manager constantly scrutinizing and micromanaging the staff (who looked uptight). Yes, the service was excellent although it's easy to spot a server trying to learn the fine dineing ropes; lack of confidence and inability to deliver without being somewhat nervous and overly attentive (not in a good way). Both times we' ve been we felt it was overpriced. It's not NYC, L.A., Chicago or San Fran., nor a Zagat top 5 in Boston ... it's Framingham, and as said the concept/quality doesn't merit a 5 star aura. Having a monumentally extensive wine list isn't going to put you on the map of The Countries or area's best. One can have a fine dining restaurant with an extensive wine seletion in the burb's without city pretention.
(2)
A G.
What an amazing spot - just moved to the area and we're kicking ourselves that we had never tried this. Excellent service, and incredible food - highly recommended.
(5)
Smedley B.
Our meal was pretty horrible. The duck appetizer was good, but after that, it went downhill fast. Their version of creamed spinach was full of starch or flour and had the consistency of paste. The pasta dish we had was dry and served warm not hot. I had to send back my cioppino because there was shell on the shrimp and the mussels and scallops were too tough to chew. The steak they replaced it with was literally 50% fat. We ordered a few of the house specialty cocktails and they were terrific. Also, the management was very nice about not charging us for the food and expressed a desire for us to give them another chance. So, the service was fine, but the food was not.
(2)
Ellen S.
We met some friends for dinner here on Saturday night. After a long day of housework preparing for some painting to be done, I was ready for a glass of wine and a fabulous meal. We found that and more at Maxwell's 148. Between the 4 of us we had a plate of olives (DELICIOUS!), roasted beet salad - YUM!!, gnocchi w/lobster - to die for delicious!, steak with baked portabella mushroom, roasted brussels sprouts - YUM!, and then ended with some of their yummy desserts! I don't live anywhere near Natick but I am ready to go back again!
(4)
Liz B.
This is my fourth time to Maxwell's 148 over the past four years - it has been going downhill, that is menu choices going down and prices going up, over the course of my experience. Although on this trip the food was at least a three star, maybe a four star, Yelp meal, I didn't appreciate the attitude. My friend and I both had bought the Groupon ($20 for $40 of food) and we had hoped to use them together. I called four days ahead of the reservation to see if we could be seated at tables next to each other since the voucher states "one per table" (many places make exceptions on this knowing the same amount of food will be ordered with one table of four vs. two tables of two). The manager would not allow either option. I asked to speak to the owner, Mitchell Maxwell, and he too would not budge. I asked him if sticking to his rules was worth loosing a repeat customer (if you can't look me up in your customer database and know how many times I have been in, get a way to...) over and he told me that was up to me. NO, it's actually up to YOU, because if you were nice to me, I'd have come back! But since you were not, and refused to accommodate my request for two tables side by side, I am not returning. His excuse was that he had sold 3,000 Groupons and if he were nice to everyone, he wouldn't make any money. #1, if you can't accommodate the Groupons you sold, then don't sell that many, and #2, I don't see how you make any less money putting two tables of two next to each other, or just having two separate checks at a table of four. Heck, four people together might even order more drinks... For me, more than 1/2 the experience of dining is how I am treated, and this ruined my experience before I even walked in the door. People can spend their dining out dollars many places. Please, Mitchell Maxwell, give people a reason to come to you. Treating REPEAT CUSTOMERS like second class citizens is just not cool.
(2)
Dave A.
Excellent food and worth every penny! Great place for a special occasion or a business dinner without driving into Boston. Its 5 stars all around for this gem.
(5)
Kosmo K.
Good burger and cooked perfectly. Pasta dish was very salty. Thought the place was overpriced. Unlikely to ever go back. Went back to finish using a gift card and food was awful...got the cod which had a terrible sauce on it making it inedible. Sodas are $4.95! and it took us over 20 minutes from the time we asked for the check until we paid and left...and that place was nearly empty. This place is well bellow average food quality, the menu is very weird and the prices are very high. Don't waste your time.
(1)
james b.
Was visiting from out of town and came here with my brother and his wife on Christmas eve. Service, food and atmosphere don't really get any better than this. It was a friendly waitstaff who tended to us and made sure my multitude of allergies were not affected by anything I ordered. The food was superb. The table we sat at offered us a great deal of privacy and the noise level was nice and low even though the place was full.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Accepts Bitcoin : No Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Romantic, Upscale Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Kate G.
The place itself - like its menu - is a study in contrasts. The exterior portends a perhaps ho hum restaurant, but the interior... ah... the interior: sophisticated, unpretentiously elegant with almost intimately defined dining areas within a huge space: areas defined by draping curtains and/or level changes. Spaciousness affords comfortable, almost private dining. The music was curiously Cuban. The bar is dramatically dark and itty bitty with 6 lonely stools that were quickly gobbled up by 6PM. In front of the bar: 2 back to back banquets of plush sofas - the only ' booth-like' dining available. Reserve one of these! The $12 dollar martini was delightfully cold. The waitress suggested glasses of wine that were priced at $15 - $20 PER GLASS! (I think there are $10 glasses of wine on the menu) The menu... ugh!... the menu! Italian? Asian? Indian? Come for the reasonably priced and well prepared pastas (my dining partner had the Penne Arrabiata. The penne was nicely al dente and the arrabiata was tasty, tho not as spicy as it might have been) or try the appetizers or small dishes, and you may get out with your bank account intact. At the suggestion of the waitress, I ordered one of the day's specials: Sea Bass in a black bean sauce on a bed of red rice. If you have to ask for salt, you know the dish leaves something to be desired. At $35. for an entree, I expect to want to lick the dish clean. I've had expensive entrees in fine dining establishments where every morsel was so mouthwateringly delicious that I have not been embarrassed to lick the dish clean. At Maxwell's 148 - for the hefty price of $35 bucks, the sea bass was lackluster; the sauce bland and the red rice was cold! This dish was ridiculously overpriced. No value. No happy taste buds. If you go, go with a Groupon and enjoy the ambiance, the friendly service (but ignore the 'suggestions' to go for the pricier selections) and ...stick to the pasta!
(2)Trent M.
Absolutely delicious! After moving up to Natick from the NYC area, I have finally found a restaurant that doesn't make me miss home. The fusion of Italian and Asian cuisine is precisely perfect. The only reason I didn't give Maxwell's five stars is because I don't think a restaurant in Natick, Massachusetts, even as good as it is, should be charging NY city prices.
(4)Marianne S.
Just went there for our Valentine's Day special meal. And what a treat it was. We went there looking for a special meal and, boy, were we satisfied from start to finish! The cocktails were great. My husband went for a Mai Tai and I got a special Manhattan. Both were delicious. We split the salad (hearts of romaine with Gorgonzola and bacon) which was nicely served on separate plates. For mains,the Hubster got the Kobe beef burger while I got the special pasta (spinach fettuccine with salmon and spring peas). Management made great wine suggestion pairings, exactly what we wanted. Both entrees arrives in time, warm and beautifully prepared. For dessert, we split the cannoli with the specialty fig cocktail. Perfection. Unlike another reviewer, we don't try to scam restaurants by flouting written Groupon restrictions. We do expect great service coupled with fine food in a fun atmosphere. In this, we were not disappointed. For special evening, we has a great time, the food was great and the service outstanding.
(5)Allen P.
Have been there twice and both times the food was excellent and the service was great. Had a reservation and go right in when it was busy. The waitress we had was very nice and made great suggestions. Plan on going back soon
(5)Andrew D.
On Saturday July 20 at 8 PM, my GF, myself and a buddy arrived at Maxwell's 148 for dinner. As soon as we were seated, the waiter (a tallish middle-aged man) came over and had an evident attitude when I showed him the Groupon for $40 off (and cost $20). FYI, our dinner cost $195 without the Groupon so it was not cheap. His attitude started before he knew anything about us. And, we were dressed well, e.g., sport coats, so it couldn't have been the way we looked. That attitude made him the most obnoxious and condescending waiter that I have experienced outside of Paris in the 1980s. Here is one example. We decided to order a bottle of wine. Since we had all ordered food, I asked him for a recommendation. He said that he didn't have any. So, I asked about a few Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio brands, especially about how dry they were. He commented "Is dry the only characteristic you seek. What about mineral content?" I joked that I was seeking Magnesium also to supplement my vitamin pill. After I decided on a wine, he said "Let me talk to you out of that. It doesn't go with the food, and you know that the wine has to complement each person's food." His voice dripped sarcasm. Then, he suggested a wine that wasn't on the menu with a smirk on his face! If it hadn't been for my GF and buddy, I would have demanded to see the manager and complained right there. But, they wanted to avoid any conflict and so I let it slide to make their dinner enjoyable. But, I am warning everyone about this terrible service and suggest that you avoid this restaurant, irregardless of the good food unless Since I have been to Maxwell's a number of times, I have written the management to give them an opportunity to remedy this problem. If I receive an adequate response, I will modify my review. Without such a response, I will never set foot in Maxwell's again.
(1)Steve W.
We had reservations for 8:30 pm on a sat nite. Service was decent. Bread basket consisted of fried wontons and some bread with humus for dipping. We got the catch in the bag and the 14 oz ribeye. She did not care for the catch in the bag. My ribeye was good. The calamari app was ok. It wasn't as a bit heavy on the batter. We used a groupon. The prices are a little high.
(3)Marilyn B.
We have been to Maxwell's several times and the food is adequate for some and inadequate for most. I ordered the veal chop the last time I was there and surprised it came with JUST the veal chop. Although the veal chop was large, I could not believe it did not come with a side or salad. It was a good thing we had 3 appertizers before the meal! The waitress was lovely and she was very warm and knowledgeable. The appertizers were okay, but I have had LOTS better. The calamari was not appealing at all. Back to the veal chop, it was tough and the red sauce NOT Italian tasting at all. One of the people in our party had chicken marsala and could not eat the chicken it was so tough. I complained to the chef and it was taken off the bill. I must say, I wondered who was doing the cooking while the chef made his rounds to the table. Grades: Waitress: 4 stars Appertizers: 2 stars Drinks: 1 star Food: 2 stars PRICE: Way out of line for what you get
(3)Kim P.
This is the best food in the area. Service is outstanding! It feels like you are in fancy NY place.
(5)Paul G.
Maxwell's appears to have a high opinion of itself, but the quality of the experience doesn't justify the attitude. Set in a strip mall in an industrial section of Natick, the restaurant will never be mistaken for Maison Robert, so its prices and pretentiousness are somewhat out of synch. We chose the place for a Mother's Day brunch. We called the evening before to verify that they were serving and were told that that every time slot was booked except for the last seating at 2 p.m. This seemed odd, since Open Table listed many open slots before that. We booked on Open Table for 1 p.m. without problem. We erred in booking a table for two even though we planned to bring our twin infant daughters. The maitre d' informed us that we should have booked a table for four and it would be extremely difficult to accommodate us because the restaurant was "booked solid" until 2. We sheepishly waited while a table was found. Upon entering the dining room, we were surprised to find that the restaurant was only about 2/3 full. It remained that way for the hour we were there. In fact, there were several tables for four that were never occupied during our meal. The food would probably rate four stars if it weren't for the prices. We thought $10 for a small basket of breads was a lot, although the cornbread was some of the best we've ever had. Dana's mimosa was small and overpriced at $10. She had french toast with mango cream cheese. Good, but a small portion for $14 with no sides. I had an omelet, which was also good but not worth $15. We agreed that J&M Diner in Framingham delivers comparable quality for half the price and includes potatoes, which cost an extra $10 at Maxwell. We noticed there was no salt and pepper on the table. Upon request the waiter brought the salt in a small dish and offered a few turns of his pepper grinder. The message: Maxwell's food should need no embellishment. Puh-leeze. Total bill for two entrees, bread, fruit cup and the mimosa: $53 before tip. Next time we'll probably hit J&M.
(2)Lisa I.
I really like Maxwell's. Yes, their menu is a little weird, with a combo of Italian and Asian, but the food is really good and the restaurant itself is nice and classy. Definitely not what you'd expect given its location or looking at it from the outside. Get the mushroom risotto cake and the truffle mac & cheese- SO GOOD!!
(4)Ariel P.
I really wanted to like this place. My wife and I went a few months back and were a little disappointed. They claim to be fusion, but I think it is more like multiple cuisines coming out of the same kitchen. There wasn't any Asian influence in my Italian dish. I think that when they figure out what cuisine they stick with, their quality will only go up. The bolognese I had had too much tomato, and should never have been paired with orichiette. The pasta didn't have the right mouthfeel. My wife got the pad thai, and she thought it was pretty decent. We had two servers throughout the night. One was good, and the other had a lot of room for improvement. I don't mind waiting for courses, but 25 minutes is a little much after ordering coffee and dessert. As I said, I really wanted to like this place. I will give it another shot in a few months, and hopefully will be writing a better review.
(2)Laurie T.
My sister and I adore this restaurant. Whenever she visits from out-of-town, we make a point of coming here for lunch. Every time we've been there, the same waiter has greeted us -- a polite and friendly older gentleman who is very familiar with all the dishes. The lunch entrees we've ordered include: * Frittata of the Day * General Max's Chicken * Scallops Capasante * Seafood Cioppino I enjoyed all of those dishes, but especially loved the cioppino. It was served in a large bowl filled with succulent seafood in a light tomato & white wine broth. This dish also had the highest bang for the buck in my opinion. My sister and I order dessert each time we go, usually sharing the pavlova. It's filled with fresh blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and kiwi fruit, which are topped with whipped cream and cherry sauce. Underneath all the fruit are two slices of shortcake. This dessert is meant to be shared by 3-5 people, but we have no trouble polishing it off. It's that yummy! I look forward to taking my sister here for lunch again when she's in town. :)
(4)Vianna K.
This place is absolutely in its own category--in an extremely good way. It is one of those places that has a personal touch; the owners are vested emotionally and financially in the place and it shows. The reliable excellent service puts most other restaurants to shame--go there just once and see what I mean. My cousin and I have been regulars here for a year or two and have gone both on week and weekend evenings to enjoy a fabulous dinner to celebrate special occasions or just being us. Every time we go, casually dressed or dressed up, we end up feeling that meals should be enjoyed and that dinner is a celebration that is taken for granted more often than not. The outside is nice but unassuming, the inside is elegant and warm: divided into sections that provide a little privacy, chairs and booth options, candles and lighting making this a romantic and cozy place. We like to admire our surroundings while we have a house special cocktail: trying the black fig vodka in a martini here is a must! Fair warning: the cocktails, although good are not cheap and we find it worth it but those on a tight budget may not. We've tried most of their appetizers and are always pleased. Again, the menu has a variety of food that range from affordable to indulgent, so be aware that the meal can become pricey if you do like to indulge. The foie gras, for example, is an excellent treat but is definitely indulgent on calories and money. Our other favorite is anything that has the creamy mushroom cognac sauce and/or risotto. Really sumptuous. That indulgent calories and money statement goes for the Lobster gnocchi in that same creamy mushroom truffle cognac sauce, to which we recommend adding scallops--if you're gonna spurge, just go for it--it is so delicious. We sometimes dream about it. The chocolate espresso torte with a bit of real whipped cream on top meets my chocolate criteria and is good enough that I will take it home. However, I can not stress enough that as good as the food is--the service is what sets this place apart. From the moment we step thru the door to when we leave, we feel special. That is a great feeling.
(5)Adrienne M.
2.5 stars, if Yelp allowed half stars. My boyfriend and I came here for lunch, using a $40 voucher purchased for $20 from BuyWithMe.com . Because we had to spend $40 (no change or credit is given if you don't use the whole voucher) we decided to each order an entree and maybe share some apps and desserts. None of the desserts or appetizers sounded particularly appealing, so we decided to split three sandwiches: the portabello mushroom parmesean, the kobe beef burger with bacon and blue cheese, and the roasted duck and carmelized onion with brie. The waiter commented "THREE SANDWICHES?" which made us feel a little awkward about it. I guess using these vouchers is always a little awkward though. They brought us several baskets of wonton chips to snack on while we waited for our sandwiches, which came out fairly promptly. Our ratings for the sandwiches were as follows: Portabello mushroom: B. The mushroom was breaded nicely and had a nice tomato sauce, but there was too much feta on the sandwich and it overwhelmed everything else. Duck: B+. This would have been a solid A if it had come with the advertised Brie. Everything was great, the duck was roasted perfectly and the sauce complemented it nicely. But there was absolutely no brie!!!!! Kobe: B-. This was a pretty "meh" burger. We couldn't even tell it was Kobe beef (and I've had Kobe beef before that was a-mazing). The fries that came with the sammies were ok but nothing special. They were so large and not really fried, so they tasted more like roasted potatoes. Good but not really hitting the fries craving. I was prepared to give this place three stars, because the food was pretty good, and while other menu items were very pricey, the sandwiches were fairly reasonable at $10-$15 a piece. However after we had paid the bill, we asked the waiter to box up all our leftovers and he only brought us 2 of the 3 sandwiches. He threw out our duck sandwich (the best one!) and the leftover fries. Granted, the duck sandwich had the smallest leftover portion and there were only 10 or so fries left, but he should have asked us before tossing it! Especially after we clearly said we wanted everything boxed up. That knocked the restaurant down a star in my book. Another thing that irked me was when I came on here to write the review, I saw that they were having a three-course restaurant week menu for $20! We each could have gotten three courses and used up our voucher perfectly. The restaurant is not featured on the main Restaurant Week Boston website, and nobody mentioned it to us at the restaurant, so we had absolutely no idea they were doing that until we came to Yelp. That's pretty annoying, because we almost certainly would have done that. Also a final note on the price - while some menu items are pretty reasonable, others are insanely overpriced, most notably the pastas, which are reasonably priced at around $12-$15 but then charge you SIX DOLLARS to add chicken. I don't think I've ever seen a restaurant charge more than two or three dollars to add chicken to a pasta dish. Unless they're putting two pounds of chicken on your meal, they're making something like a 400% profit on that charge.
(2)David M.
Party of three, week-night, all seafood, all of it a tad tired and some of it frankly fishy. Gravlax was whiffy but not really too salmony or dilly, and wanted acid perhaps and possibly a prerinse. Flounder in an Asian-spiced ricepaper wrap was bland, and cioppino, while a nice broth-sauce, was salty in the current style and slightly overcooked, the squid seriously so (rubbery). A real error for the price and the ambition. These are house specials, moreover. An expensive gruner veltliner tasted very fine, however, subtle and crisp. And service, treatment, and staff solicitousness were of the highest caliber, outstanding for the suburbs (or anywhere else). Also appreciated and unusual were the wide aisle and table spacing and the low noise level. I would return but not sure what I will order.
(2)alison m.
Can I give three and 1/2 stars??!! Service needs some improvement. The food here is wonderful, although I am not an expert as to whether or not it is truly Italian/Asian Fusion. It is really some Italian dishes and some Asian dishes and the 'bread' they serve at the beginning is a little of both. My meals there have been very good, cooked well and my boyfriend who is a very picky eater LOVED his meals both times. I have only been there with a Groupon, and can't say I will go without a groupon seeing as the prices are $20-$30 per entree. Our first visit we arrived early, let the host know and waited at the bar with drinks. We were not even approached by the host until an hour later when the bartender inquired as to why we had been at the bar so long without ordering dinner. Once he relayed to the host we were still waiting he brought us to the only empty table in the house (next to the bathroom/kitchen entrance) and we noticed this table had been emtpy the entire time we were waiting to be seated. We actually were seated 10 minutes past our reservation time. On a fluke we attempted one night to walk in without a reservation. I waited at the host station for a good 5 minutes, made eye contact with a waitress, the bartender and a man in a suit that I assume was the host or manager. No one approached me or even asked me to wait a moment!! I walked out very disappointed. Third visit food was good, we got the same silly little table by the restroom/kitchen. Our waitress was a little 'off' and I was greatly diappointed in my drink. I ordered Red Sangira, it took her asking me to repeat my order, her serving me white sangria, then a very long wait and I had red sangria. This tasted and looked like red wine on ice with a lemon and lime thrown in it. If I get another groupon I would go back only because their beef with broccoli is the best Ive ever had! P.S. can you please put water in those empty fountains in the middle of the restaurant, or at least fill them or cover them up! They look like dirty empty swimming pools and ruin what really is a nice and upscale atmosphere restaurant!!!
(3)Mike M.
Gotta give this place 5 stars. 6 of us went last night for the first time and while some of us were late, the server was very accommodating. We started with the Black Fig Martini, which ended up being so good we got another. They make their own black fig vodka, it was awesome, not too sweet but with great fig flavor. The server said it's sold in a few liquor stores around, and we will be picking some up for sure! We had a few appetizers, and the calamari was some of the best we've ever had, very fresh tasting and the aioli sauce was just right, not too heavy, but just right. But the real star of the show (besides the atmosphere) was the food! Everyone got something different from Italian to the Asian and there wasn't a bad dish. One of us got the Pork Chop Milanes and a few of us had a bite. One of the best pork chops I've ever tasted, it was like a giant piece of veal! Overall a very nice place, a little pricey for drinks and apps, but the main dishes are very fair prices and good size portions. Will be back for nice suburban nights out! Boston or better atmosphere out in Natick.
(5)Ellen B.
The very good - our waitress was super - nice, recommended a very nice, reasonably priced wine, and paced our meal well. The good - our salads were good as was the chicken pot sticker small plate. The bad - my bolognese was so bad I sent it back. It wasn't bolognese - it was a bad red sauce (tatsed like a cheap one from a jar) with a tiny amount of ground beef. The cioppino I had instead was so hot that any seasoning/flavor was gone. My brother had a house speciality called catch in a bag. The fish was so overcooked as was the rice paper "bag" it was cooked in that he too sent his meal back. Just awful. And I can't tell you the last time I sent a meal back because it was that bad. Ribeye was good - and cooked a very nice medium rare. Waitress handled everything very nicely though we found it odd that the manager never came over to ask what was wrong. He simply brought the new entres.
(1)Cynthia A.
My husband and I went there recently and he order the bolanese (spell?) and I ordered a pasta in a cream sauce, we had scallion cakes as an appetizer which was out of this world, we spilt a ceasar salad, the desserts did not seem appealing so we skipped that. I ordered a regular coke and received a diet coke, my husband ordered wine with fruit. Overall the food was good, defintely high priced, service was average, not remarkable. With a groupon overall it was worth it. I would go again.
(4)Daniel T.
Absolutely fantastic food. Best pork chop I have ever tasted. Black fig martini was amazing. Service was impeccable wait staff was very attentive. All in all in was a great experience and I highly recommend.
(5)B R.
Ick. Ridiculous prices and attitude and mediocre to poor food. Specials for 45-55 bucks in NATICK (Silly over blown town. NOT the center of the universe) in a strip mall next to a delivery pizza place ? For that price I can east at Blue Ginger, Morton's, and a whole host of trendy places. RUN AWAY. this is some kind of cruel joke. I expected hidden cameras and someone to jump out and ask me how I could really eat this food or pay that price.
(1)Geoff m.
I am reticent to write this review since everyone has the right to run their restaurant as they see fit. If I could, I would give it zero stars but Yelp doesn't allow that option. The menu is all over the place and totally unfocused. They advertise that the food is both Italian and South asian. It is neither. Just a sloppy attempt at creating fusion food. None of the 6 people at the table enjoyed the food. I had shrimp and spaghetti fra diavolo. the shrimp were over cooked, the pasta undercooked, and the sauce was sweet with just a little pepper. Not even close to a real Fra diavolo. Every other dish was over sauced , over dressed and just blah. I have to commend the partner who handles the wine. We ordered a Torbreck rhone styled wine that was inexpensive and a great aussie version of a cote du rhones. We ordered another but they were out. He offered the only other rhonelike wine and I had tasted it recently and wasnt impressed so i ordered a erath oregon pinot that he brought out but it was thin and really weak. He took it back and we took his advice and got the other rhone wine. The fact that they don't carry French wines is an issue for me as well. And I am from the same ethnic origin as the owners. But they are entitled to carry whatever wines they want. I will NEVER go back to this place !!!
(1)ruby r.
This place rocks. Go for lunch to get a feel for the menu without spending too much $$. The bread and wonton basket is delicious and the food is well thought out and delicious every single time. It's a bit fancy so if your favorite restaurant is Olive Garden you might want to stick with that. Enjoy!
(5)Robin H.
I had my first visit to Maxwell's 148 about a month ago! I loved it! The location made it easy to get to, and there was plenty of parking! We all started with a round of drinks, everyone was more than satisfied. On to dinner. Everyone had a different meal, and though I can't remember what they had everyone LOVED their dish. I had a dish of Pad Thai! It was delicious. Not too spicy, and a perfect amount of all ingredients. I try to never finish everything I eat at a restaurant (since I believe they put more than one serving on a plate) HOWEVER, I couldn't put my fork down, it was too good! I'm actually heading back to Maxwell's tonight (for the 2nd time) dinner time can not come soon enough! As much as I want to try something else, I think I'll have to order the Pad Thai again! It's just too great to pass up! Please check out Maxwell's 148, you won't regret it!
(5)S M.
We were told they didn't have any open reservations available, but if we showed up on a Sat night (6:30pm) we'd probably get a table. We got there a little bit later and were able to get the only free table in the place. Drink prices high for Natick but not outrageous. $10+ for most cocktails. I loved how they had $25 cocktail 'upgrades' to premium liquors. Whatever. Sushi appetizer was stupid expensive and the accompanying veggies were drowning in mayo. Yick. The fish itself was good, but $18 for 4 little slices was high. Mains were good. Nothing super spectacular and a bit over-priced. $20 for pasta and $25 for fish with a couple pieces of asparagus. Service was pretty good. Waitress seemed to really care and the bread/water/other wait staff did their jobs well. Overall decent, but like some other reviewers said, they want to think they are a few steps above what they are. Drop the prices a notch and relax a bit, and it's a pretty good place.
(3)I Y.
I came here with my boyfriend after a movie because it was nearby and seemed like a good restaurant according to Yelp. Bread service: The fried wonton chips were pretty addicting with the sweet dipping sauce. It also came with 2 pieces of bread and hummus dip. Yummy. Starters: The grilled calamari with white beans on arugula was ok. The beans were flavorless but if eaten together with the arugula and calamari it wasn't too bad (make sure to squirt some lemon juice over the entire dish). The moo shi duck appetizer had a lot a flavor... too much flavor IMO. Maybe a little less hoisin sauce would be good. Main entrees: I had the lobster gnocchi with wild mushroom. It was creamy, mushroom-y, and yummy. The portion was a good size - I had to recruit my boyfriend to help me with the dish. My boyfriend had the catch in the bag entree. It was a mix of seafood wrapped in edible rice paper. That was ok. I think I would stick with the Italian dishes because I find the Asian dishes to be a little too sweet for me. Desserts: We had the chocolate espresso terrine and the lemon cheesecake. Both were delicious. The terrine was dense and rich... perfect for my palate. The cheesecake was light and fluffy. It was yummy, but I was expecting a little more lemon kick to it. Service was awesome. Our waiter was very friendly. Chef Maxwell was rounding the dining room and making sure everyone was enjoying their dishes. We will probably come back again and try out some of the other dishes.
(4)Amica M.
Quality does not equal pricing.
(2)Abraham L.
Well written wine list paired with excellent Italian/Asian inspired fusion food. The flavors that Chef Mitch works with here are very complimentary. the idea of pairing these two cuisines is very good. The service is excellent, with high standards. So much so, that as my friend and I were still finishing our appetizers, I saw our entrees approaching with a quick dive back into the kitchen so as not to rush us. BIG thumbs up for dining room awareness on that one. the staff was also extremely accommodating throughout our meal. Try the Fig Vodka martini as it is truly an original item in this restaurant. Also try the fig vodka neat with the chocolate terrine, a true match for chocoholics everywhere!!!!
(4)Morgan W.
It's been a couple months since I tried Maxwell's 148. I hadn't been here before, and I'm not above admitting that when they mentioned the steak special that was $75 I may have blanched a little and considered checking my phone for places to get a second mortgage, but... The food I actually ordered was really delicious, and the service was very nice. Perhaps a tad serious for my taste, but really nice and attentive. We really enjoyed it.
(4)Carrie A.
I am not sure where or what Goeff or Alan were or ate on the 10th or 11th of July--seriously. I have no formal training. My palate does though and while I am vegan my husband is not complicating our dining out experience. The owner operator and chef has always and I mean always gone out of his way to make our experience delicious and carefree~The staff is exceptional and they have a unique way of blending a personal experience with a fabulous meal, I crave the truffle fries and my husband thinks the steaks are prepared perfectly every time. Highly recommend!
(5)Mariel M.
The menu at this restaurant is VERY random but it does seem to work...although, I did enjoy the Asian inspired dishes a lot more than the Italian food. Perhaps it was because I was more in the mood for it but everything that we had was delicious. We started with the duck scallion pancake which I LOVED. My boyfriend however, was not a big fan...but that wasn't because it wasn't good, it's because he doesn't particularly like onions and just got it to share with me since we were celebrating my birthday dinner. We also got a small plate of chicken dumplings which he enjoyed a lot. For our salad course, we split the beef Carpaccio which was fresh and light. I enjoyed how they split the salad for us prior to bringing it out. For dinner, I got the bang-bang shrimp which was flavorful and filling. It came with four huge pieces of shrimp and a wonderful rice and vegetable medley. My boyfriend tried the carbonara which he said was good...but a little too creamy for his liking. I think he liked mine a bit better and had what I like to call "order envy". We had a few of the specialty cocktails as well...a coconut, mint and rum concoction as well as a fresh watermelon margarita. The waitress was super nice and answered any questions that we had regarding the menu and the size of the plates. It was a little annoying towards the end of the meal when we were clearly finished but she was concentrating more on setting the tables for the next day. I wouldn't mind but the place had cleared out and we were ready to go at that point. Overall, I'm glad that we tried this restaurant...the menu intrigued me when I first saw the Groupon featured. I'm not sure if I would come back but maybe for a special occasion or a nice night out. It's definitely worth a try. P.S. the next time I go, I am definitely saving room for the Strawberry Shake martini!
(3)DOUGLAS D.
This is a Boston/ NY caliber restaurant in Metrowest. If is far better than anything on RT 9 and it shows in the quality of the food. From the Mushroom Risotto appetizer to the Cowboy Steak entree, Maxwell's 148 delivers from every angle. Great decor, excellent service and an amazing menu. Don't bother going to Boston anymore!!
(5)Alex K.
Date of visit: 1/16/11 My experiences with Maxells 148 has always been pleasant. First of all, I greatly appreciate the warm "Welcome back!" greetings. Not many restaurants know about this trick to win their customers' hearts. As a wine-enthusiast, I am deeply impressed by the variety and quality of wines offered by your restaurant. The Balleto Pinot Noir, Torcicoda Zinfandel and the Crossbarn Cab I had last night were all top notch wines with a fair price. The Crossbarn I had last night was deep purple in color, quite opaque, cherry nose, opulent style, big and full-bodied, packed with ripe cherries and black berries, little tannins, some dark chocolate on the back palate, not too complex in dimensions, but was a satisfying block-buster. The tempura shrimp appetizer I had was stunning. The battering was crispy and brittle, but not hard. The shrimp was fresh, large and tender. The sauce tasted like a Japanese salad dressing mixed with spicy sauce. And the pickles, seaweed and carrots served well to add colors to the dish, and the sourness increases appetite. Maxwells has this amazing ability that can turn foods/drinks that I dislike into foods/drinks I like. For instance, I usually dislike Pinot Noir. Most pinot offered by restaurants are bottom grade wines being sold per glass cheaper than a house cab. However, my experience with the Balleto Pinot was shockingly pleasant. Another example, yesterday I ordered the Barrata. It was a mistake. I thought it was hot, melty mozzarella, but it turned out to be fresh mozzarella. I hate fresh mozzarella and fresh uncooked tomatoes since childhood. But I loved the dish! The fresh mozzarella I knew was wet, soggy and tasteless. But the fresh mozzarella I had yesterday was chewy outside, creamy inside, not too wet, and actually had the "mozzarella taste" (I wonder where they got this from!!!). And the fresh tomatoes I had were grape-like in texture, and the pesto and garlic gave it great aromas and flavors. The fettuccine entree I had was perfect. I asked for a simple creamy pasta with "a touch of the Tuscan sun", and I got what I wanted. The pasta was al dente. The creamy sauce was intensely packed with flavors, but not too cheesy or heavy. And the true essence of the dish was the fresh tomatoes - burning-red-hot, but still fresh and juicy - really gave me "a touch of the Tuscan sun". I was expected traditional Italian sun-dried tomatoes, but this was even better. It is NOT easy to make a simple pasta tastes THAT good. Chain restaurants like Vinny T, Bucca or Bertucci can never do this correctly. The portion was also just right - generous enough to satisfy, but not overly large, which leaves the audience begging for more. I found myself still dipping the sauce after I finished my pasta. The bathroom was, still, spotless. It's really difficult to find something to criticize... I still retain my 5-star rating for Maxwells on Yelp... I just wish I live closer, and don't have to drive 40 minutes to get to Maxwells...
(5)Maureen R.
My boyfriend and I are from the more central Mass area, and wanted a night off and out of Worcester. We both work in restaurants at night and having a night off is something any waitstaff/manager can appreciate. We decided to use Urban Spoon to find a place in the Natick area that wasn't chain. When we stumbled upon Maxwell's, we read the reviews and checked out the online menu. Some of the reviews were helpful - food recommendations, and not to judge the restaurant by it's exterior. We had made a reservation, but opted to sit at the bar instead. The bar is small (only seats 4) but was perfect for us. We were presented with a list of specialty cocktails and the helpful, friendly bartender guided us through the menu. I am a fan of St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur and was delighted to see 2 drinks made with it. I tried one and my boyfriend tried the other. Both were delicious, clean and crisp. After hearing about the dinner specials, we asked for recommendation on appetizer selections. By suggestion we chose to try the Beef Carpaccio and the Mushroom Risotto Cake. Both were outstanding. The cheese and the capers on the beef, with arugula salad on the side was delightful. We were served bread with chili dipping sauce, and homemade humus on the side. We used the bread to finish up the sauce on the risotto cake -- couldn't let any go to waste! The side of humus that comes with the bread is to die for as well! Everything so far had great flavor and mixture of textures. For our main course I decided on the Sole. It was with crab and sauteed spinach. The most amazing part of the dish was the sauce. The lobster, sherry sauce infused with butternut squash. It had great color and flavor. It was served with the option of fresh ground pepper, and every bite was excellent. I would go back just for this dish! My boyfriend had the Gnocchi ai Aragosta, which had fresh lobster meat, wild mushrooms, truffle sauce, cream & parmesan cheese. SO GOOD. After his first bite he said that they were easily one of the best gnocchis he has had. We knew they had to be homemade. And sure enough, we asked the bartender and they were. After dinner and chatting with our bartender, Randy, we tried a sample of their Black Fig Vodka. They infuse vodka in house and have just recently started selling it to the public. The vodka is delicious. The fig taste is uncanny. My boyfriend tried their signature Black Fig Vodka Martini, which was served with 3 jumbo blue cheese stuffed olives - his favorite. I opted for an Espresso martini, which was made with an actual shot of espresso. We again turned to the guidance of our bartender for a dessert recommendation. Per his suggestion, we ordered the carrot cake. Carrot cake is easily one of my favorite desserts, but I was hesitant because they put pineapple in their version. Randy had be on the money throughout the entire meal and I trusted his input. The carrot cake was AWESOME. The mascarpone frosting was light and the perfect companion for the carrot cake. Overall it was an excellent dining experience, and we couldn't have been more satisfied. I encourage people to try Maxwell's 148! It is worth the drive!
(5)Calvin F.
My ex and I went here with a Groupon, and probably wouldn't have otherwise, not that we didn't have a good time (we did). It's way out in the suburbs -- which is good if you live there -- in this nondescript little strip mall. Really easy to miss. The parking is in a shady lot behind the building. And they're closed on Mondays. But once you go inside, you're suddenly in this super-swankly French dining room with staff to match. Every person with whom we interacted was exquisitely professional and/or welcoming. The man at the front was more of the amusing and outgoing variety. Everyone else was almost obsequious. For people not used to fancy dining, it was almost embarrassing, but that just means they're doing their jobs right. The food was excellent, and in surprisingly satisfying portions. Like any place that serves high quality food, it's way more filling than you would expect for the volume. They brought out a mix of bread initially with a couple of dipping sauces. The chili sauce with the bread is AMAZING. The calamari was okay (had better; serving it with marinara sauce is an interesting idea, if not the best one ever). The salmon, on the other hand, was excellently tender. The prices are a little stiff, but it /is/ "fine dining," so I suppose you'll have to excuse them. If you need a place to take a date for a fancy night out and you live out in the 'burbs, this place is probably for you.
(4)Suzy L.
Maxwell's is one of our favorite places for a semi-swanky night out without having to pay to park. We came here on a whim one night because of a triple-miles promotion on one of our CCs, and have been back a few times for special occasions. The interior of the restaurant is gorgeous, and Randy who runs front of house is so friendly (and not in a fake pretentious way like you sometimes encounter at more upscale places). We've had a few different servers and by far the best was our first (a tall man with a distinct Spanish accent, but I can't remember his name!), but they've all been good. The menu is pretty eclectic, and we've never had a bad item. The lobster rangoons on the small plates menu are really fabulous, full of flavor and not greasy at all. I'm partial to the duck soba noodle stir fry, easily one of the best meals I've had. On our first trip there, my husband wanted gnocchi but not with the lobster cream sauce. Not only were they fine with substituting the bolognese sauce usually served on orchiette, but they also charged us the same price as they would have for the orichiette, when the gnocchi must have been more expensive. They also took excellent care of us on our anniversary with a complimentary cookie plate and glasses of port. The wine list is small, but well edited and covers all the major bases well, especially for a white drinker that doesn't do chardonnay like me. :-)
(5)Sheryl L.
Great food. Wonderful attentive service. Coming from someone with a severe food allergy which is all too often not taken seriously, Mitchell maxwell and his team make sure that I am happy and alive to write this review. With randy greeting us like we are family and Stevan making sure our glasses and bellies are full, and of course the amazing mr maxwell himself checking in on us with every course I'd ask; why go into Boston ? Natick has it all!!
(5)Phoebe C.
I am absolutely floored by all the great reviews this restaurant received. I really hope that it was just a really bad night for them. I believe it was a Wednesday night. We called earlier that day to make a reservation and they told us they were pretty full but had an opening at 7:30p. Fine. When we arrived, the place was pretty empty. So much for us needing a reservation. We arrived and were greeted nicely. The ambiance was so promising. First con of the evening was our encounter with the waitstaff. Our twelve year old waitress greeted us cheerfully and before we could place drink orders, proceeded to go off on a spiel about the menu, the house specialties, and her personal favorites, which was a unnecessary and tawdry. I ordered the Catch in a Bag, which was supposedly a house special. It turned out to be bland fish wrapped in soggy rice paper. I should have sent it back but picked at it instead. The vegetables were overcooked and the "hoison glaze" was syrupy and much too sweet. I was totally disappointed! My uncle also ordered a fish dish and it wasn't much better. His wife had pasta dish, which was the most acceptable dish of the night. From this experience we all agreed the Asian fused with Italian just wasn't working. They should have chosen to do either Asian OR Italian. At least do one thing well. Maybe I should have stuck with the safer pasta dishes. So much for taking a trip out to the suburbs...
(1)Ben L.
My wife and I stopped here for lunch with a groupon, and it was great. Food, service, selection, drinks, everything was top notch. We only live a couple blocks away, I'm surprised it took us so long to get here (perhaps because it is a rather understated exterior for a nice restaurant.) I will definitely head back here when we want a nice meal close to home. We were also amused by the Christmas music that started playing in the middle of July.
(5)Mary P.
I went to Maxwell's 148 last night for a date night with my boyfriend. We tried to make a reservation at 7:30 but they had nothing available until 8:30. The exterior and location are definitely deceptive... the inside is cozy and upscale. We started off with two small plates: Crab Stuffed Mussels and Teriyaki Pork Wings. The Mussels were very fishy tasting and a bit dry, but the Wings were delicious! I also ordered a Pomegranate Margherita which was very good. For an entree, I ordered the Koh Samui Seafood. The broth was delicious, but unfortunately the seafood was nothing special, and again very fishy tasting. I also would have liked more noodles. My boyfriend ordered the Ribeye with truffle mashed potatoes. His dinner was delicious! Lastly, we got the lemon cheesecake and that was marvelous as well. I think next time I will stick to dishes that I know I will like, and stay away from the seafood. All in all, very good if a bit overpriced.
(4)Jenny C.
The food was pretty good and tasty, but not worth the price in my opinion. My husband had the catch in a bag and I had the Balinese Duck Pasta. Both were good, but not something I would go out of my way to come back and have again. I think the best part was the wanton bread sticks with the sweet & sour dipping sauce. It's trying very hard to be a high end restaurant and not exactly succeeding. The experience was OK at best. Not something I would recommend to a friend or anyone else for a night out. The staff also was a bit rude and I saw them staring at us and talking about us several times through the night. They could have at least been a bit less obvious gone to the kitchen or something. This made me feel pretty uncomfortable.
(2)Amanda L.
This place was so surprisingly elegant! Hidden in a small strip of stores off 135 in Natick (near the Wellesley line), Maxwell's 148 is intimate, beautifully decorated and features excellent service with a varied and extensive menu. Though the entrees are expensive, especially for the suburbs, the decor and service stand up to the pricing. I actually came with my mother for a weekday lunch and we were so pleasantly surprised, we plan to go back. I could see this place being a great choice for an anniversary, rehearsal dinner, or any other special occasion. We both had the margherita pizza and fried wontons with garlic-red pepper dipping sauce -- both delicious. I can't wait to try some of the menus other offerings. The bar looked well stocked, though we did not drink. Parking is out back, which is a little off-putting, but once you step inside the atmosphere of the restaurant makes up for it. Definitely recommend, especially if you live in the Natick/Wellesley area -- couldn't be more convenient!
(4)Jessi E.
Maxwell's was featured as a Groupon deal a while back, so we decided to check it out since it's right down the street from my boyfriend's house. Not sure if we would have ever tried it if it wasn't for the Groupon ... As others have noted, the outside of the building is very nondescript and dull. In fact, it kind of looks like a dentist's office from the outside. However, I think it works for them b/c it makes the interior feel that much more impressive. The food was good, although I found the portions a little small for the price, even by gourmet standards. It almost feels as if they were taking advantage of offering city dining in the suburbs - knowing that people will pay more to have something gourmet close by. I guess that's good marketing though. Two BIG things that make this restaurant worth it: 1. Happy Hour Deals, I think it's M-F 4-6 2. Their e-mail list. Sign up on their website, they send out deals all the time - that are much more reasonable then their full-priced menu.
(4)Vin S.
The non-descript building on Central Street in Natick suggests a small office building or strip mall, but walk through the doors and the ambiance is instantly transformed into an Asian-inspired tranquil setting. The lighting is low but not dark. The walls are adorned with heavy curtains in muted earth tones, and the whole of the restaurant is decorated to impart a Zen garden-like feel. While atmosphere is nice, you better have great tasting food in hunger satiating quantities if you're going to charge the above prices that Maxwell's 148 does. And while the food IS good, and there IS an ample amount of it, the true beauty of this restaurant lies in its wonderfully eclectic fusion of Asian and Mediterranean cuisine. Sounds a little odd, but as a for instance, the pre-dinner bread basket consists of focaccia bread and fried wontons with dipping sauces of a sweet & spicy chili paste with crushed peanuts and a small plate of humus. The entrees are generally Asian or Italian themed, or a combination of both. For starters I selected the Cop 'o Pho -- a lobster basil broth soup with rice noodles, spouts and a shrimp/crab ball. Delicious. For dinner, cioppino -- basically an Italian shellfish stew that was done to absolute perfection in a spicy tomato broth similar to a Fra Diavlo sauce. It was filling, presented beautifully and tasted wonderful! The staff at Maxwell's 148 is attentive and professional. They were unobtrusive yet always seemed to be there when I needed my water glass refilled, and they were friendly and informative. Overall, very classy. This restaurant is a real hidden gem. STRONGLY recommend!
(5)VaczWest V.
My husband and I visited this restaurant for the first time this weekend (Sat 1/22). As newcomers to the Natick area (all of us having just moved out of the city recently) we were very much looking forward to our dinner as we've heard wonderful things about Maxwells. I have to say, however, we were very disappointed in how we were treated that evening. When I arrived I told Randy (general manager) that we were early for an 8 pm reservation because my husband and I wanted to have a drink beforehand. I was told there wasn't any space at the bar and to sit in host area. That's fine BUT we were more than happy to stand in the bar with a cocktail where there's more than enough room even when all of the bar seats are occupied. So we did just that and seats opened up right away. The bartender seemed very preoccupied with the couple and their young daughter that were having dinner at the bar (while observing their 16 yr old's birthday dinner) so waited 5-7 min. before ordering a drink. When our friends arrived (a little before 8 pm), we told Randy we were all here and he offered to take us to our table which was the last table in the house before the restrooms and kitchen. Now, I've worked at a number of restaurants in town (Abe and Louie's and the Atlantic Fish Co. to name a couple) and those types of tables are typically reserved for "walk-ins", not reservations as NO ONE likes to sit a foot outside of the restroom or outside of the kitchen with the traffic of the wait staff and customers moving in and out of the bathroom. We asked Randy for something else and explained that we'd prefer to not sit outside of the restrooms/kitchen and asked for one of the two booths that were about to open up (one had the check, one was one dessert). We even said we'd be happy to wait additional time for something else....He said he couldn't promise us a booth and that we could wait for something else. Fine. By 8:45 we were starving and at that point disappointed as one of the booths opened up and he seated another, LATER, reservation there. When we expressed our frustration (stating that we waited for a long time, we had a reservation, we've all worked in the industry and understand that certain tables are better than other, etc.) Randy placed his hand on my friend's shoulder and replied (in a patronizing tone) "look, I had a table for you, you CHOSE not to sit there" as if to say "not my fault and if you'd like to leave then leave" which was totally offensive - especially given that we just dropped almost $100 at the bar. No guest should be spoken to like that AND no guest with a reservation should have to wait as long as we did. We got the message - Maxwells obviously cater mostly to its "regulars" and I realize we are not "regulars" (and after this visit, we never will be), BUT that does not excuse Randy's behavior. It was our first time dining here (our friend's second visit) and we very much so felt as if we weren't welcome. The message we got felt a little like "hey, I have more important customers than you so you'll sit where I tell you to sit and if you don't like it, then go somewhere else". And that was that. We chose to sit once the party of 12 girls had left because after waiting for almost one hour, we were starving. Our server, Katie was wonderful but unfortunately, by then the night had pretty much been ruined...which is very upsetting since we spent well over $300 at this establishment. I don't care who you may THINK you are BUT in this economy no restaurant can afford to be so arrogant (and we know how quiet things are during the week). Whether it's our 1st or 50th visit, we should have been treated a little better...and with some compassion. We will never dine here again.
(1)Manda S.
Went here for my birthday dinner and all I can say is WOW. Our experience begins outside, where the place looks completely unassuming, almost like they are trying to hide the gem on the inside. Once inside, you are greeted with a lovely sitting area for people waiting for a table, but even though it was a Friday night this place was not packed enough for that (fine for me, I don't like crowds). We were seated at a nice table next to one of the small pools in the floor (very nice, excellent for the ambiance). Our waiter immediately brought us water and told us the specials of the day. Within seconds we were given the house appetizers, also known as the wantons and foccacia with the hummus dip and spicy/sweet sauce. It was quite delicious and they readily gave us more without a fuss. I ordered the foie gras as my meal along with the truffle fries to split between the three of us. My sister, with a bit of a cold, asked for the bread soup and then the Pasta Americanna (sp?). The said that even though her nose was stuffed up she could still taste the soup, which she said was excellent. My boyfriend has different tastes when it comes to food and just asked for a simple meal of pasta with cream sauce, which was not on the menu but was ordered and delivered to him without so much as a bat of the eye. He said his meal was also excellent. My foie gras was great, though I don't know if I'm suited to say that because I've never had it before but I ate it all! The truffle fries were also yum yum yummy, even the BF had some and he usually won't try stuff like that. The wine I had was just great, I usually hate wine but then I feel like I never get a "good" one. This was a pinot noir that was like drinking alcoholic butter (nice and smooth going down) and not at all like the vinegar I've slurped before. In the end, the food, service, and ambiance were great, if a bit pricey but it was a special occasion and I knew what I wanted and was willing to pay for it. Go here if it's your birthday, anniversary, of if you REALLY want to impress your date.
(5)Wendy W.
I am blown away that the Zagats raters end up giving this place a 26 for food. No way! It is just not good enough for that kind of rating. So 3 of us went there this past Saturday night. Maitre d' was very warm and welcoming. We'd called to say our movie got out late and would be late for our reservation. When we showed, he asked about the movie and chatted a bit with us before leaving us. Great guy. Our waiter? Not so much. He just wasn't that attentive, although I have to say that I LOVED the fact that he brought me a complementary glass of wine when our bottle was finished and my husband and daughter still had some in their glasses but mine was empty. A great gesture ("to keep them company" he said, as he put the glass down in front of me). Oh and place is gorgeous - great atmosphere. The problem is the food. They start you with a basket of nice focaccia, fried won tons, chili sauce and hummus. The won tons were a bit heavy, but very tasty. Overall a nice start. We ordered one serving of scallion pancake to share as a starter. It was basically inedible. (We should have let them know, to be honest, but we didn't. We just picked at the edges of it.) It was dripping in oil rather than crispy. I'm not an expert, but maybe the oil wasn't hot enough? In any case, it was just unpleasantly oily. Then we had 2 salads - one was Japanese seaweed with baby spinach, the other arugula with Padano cheese. Both were very nice. For our 3 mains, I had sauteed skate wing with capers over wilted baby spinach. It was very tasty, but again a bit too much oil. The plate was swimming with oil in fact. But I enjoyed the dish. My daughter had pad thai which was just so so My husband had pasta (orechiette) with sausage and broccoli. It was also just so-so. Nothing at all wrong with it, but nothing interesting either. At these prices, we would all have expected some creativity in the dishes. They were just average. For dessert, we had pavlova with fresh berries which was wonderful - just perfect. They also brought us a tiramisu on the house, which was nice of them. So to sum up the food, some very nice things, several very average things, and one terrible (the scallion pancake). Not what I would expect from a 26 rating on Zagat.
(3)Derick F.
Maxwell's is a nondescript building in a strip mall (we actually drove by it), but I too was amazed at the decor and ambiance when we entered. The menu is very eclectic with half 'american-bistro' and half 'seafood/sushi-inspired' dishes, but it works well. Half of our party had the Gnocchi with Lobster, and the other 3 had entree-envy. It was absolutely delicious. The other courses were great too, but I heavily recommend the Gnocchi. Will be returning...
(5)Matt W.
Hidden gem and very surprised by the menu and food quality. Very creative dishes and great service. We'll definitely be back.
(5)David C.
Surprisingly extraordinary. Great selection, quality, and service. Highly recommend.
(4)Apolinaras S.
Five stars all the way! Usually I could care less about the ambiance.... heck I will sometimes ignore bad service for amazing food. If chef is good and food is good - put a bench in the middle of the field and I will come. But I did not have to worry about atmosphere at Maxwell's. It was all top notch. That all said, since chef Mitchell actually come out of the kitchen to check and make sure customers are taken care of, the place runs like a clock and atmosphere is great. And BTW, he is a really nice guy. I was expecting pretentious waiters and bartenders, but that was not the case. How about the main reason to be at the restaurant - food?. There are the fantastic dishes he has on the menu and than there are "specials". Go for at least one special. He just got in a nice big fresh tuna. Chef jumped on creating couple of specials to make sure tuna is enjoyed at its freshest. And what a great result. Tuna tartar was FABULOUS! If you get a chance to order it - DO IT! For the main dish - duck breast with cherries and brussel sprouts - fantastic! I rarely order duck, since most restaurant do a horrid job and turn it into a greasy hockey puck. Not chef Mitchell. Last time I had duck that well prepared, I was at Opera in Chicago. I would venture to say that chef Mitchell did a great job making this hard to prepare dish perfect.
(5)Sara P.
I almost, selfishly, didn't want to write a review because I wanted this place to be my own hidden jewel. But the food is just that good...in my humble opinion. Thank you Chef! I've been there with my husband quite a few times for dinner only, and I've had consistently high quality, delicious food. And the service has always been excellent (thank you Katie), both on a weeknight and the weekend. The dishes are rich and flavorful. My favorite dishes include the Ribeye, Sole, the Catch in Bag and SeaBass. On one of the specials nights, they make the best Osso Bucco (hands down). And I had this amazing chocolate cake for desert one night. Heaven. At dinner time, when the kitchen isn't crazy, you'll likely see Chef Maxwell talking to guests, inquiring about the food/experience. This is an excellent sign of the care/thought/blood/sweat/tears that he makes to ensure customers have a top notch dining experience. I am willing to pay for good food and service, and Maxwells 148 does not disappoint. I get my money's worth. Make reservations. It is a pretty popular spot, especially on the weekends.
(5)Alina D.
Food was rich but good. Service was top notch very professional. Alcohol was totally overpriced. They managed to find the smallest martini glasses to serve with and charge you $12 for the cocktail. Wine is served in oversize goblets with barely an inch of liquid. Apps and desserts are well priced to increase your tab. The pricing is high for a restaurant in a strip mall. Not sure I would make a trip back.
(3)Jeannette L.
The food is good, the service is great. I especially recommend the sommelier, he is very professional and knowledgeable. I've been there several times and always had a good time. One time though, I had a waiter who was a little off. At the end of the meal, I ordered a liqueur and found a fruitfly floating in it. I pointed it out to my waiter, and he said "No, that can't be, are you sure?" Really??!?! THAT's what you say to customers when they find bugs in their drinks/food? For the price I'm paying, I'm expecting them offering me something free and apologizing. I'm still giving it a 4, as the waiter might be an anomaly, so I would just avoid that waiter whenever I go.
(4)Meg M.
SO.. Often my reviews are filled with a bit of sarcasm and a crapload of backhanded wit but I am gonna be serious with this one. For the reviewers who said that this place "tries to be pretentious"- I couldnt disagree more. The interior of this restaurant is impeccable, stylish, different and beautiful. I would have a wedding reception here for sure. Its absolutely stunning. I arrived earlier than my Aunt who I was meeting for dinner and Randy the Manager showed me to a spot at the bar. The bartender greeted me warmly and offered me the wine list. I chose their Pinot Noir by the glass and it was delicious. I asked the bartender about the concept of Italian and Chinese cuisine because its something I find really interesting. Its not fusion, its just that the chef is madly in love with both of these places and their cuisine. As I enjoyed my wine I glanced around the room. The servers moved gracefully around the tables and Mitchell Maxwell approached tables to speak to them about the food and answer any preparation questions or requests they may have. There is a certain joy I take in seeing a chef doing table visits... not because he has to but because he sincerely wants to. The difference between the two is always incredibly evident. Shortly before I finished my wine my Aunt arrived and we were shown to our cute private table near the back side of the room. Our waitress (little blonde-sorry i dont remember your name!) greeted us with a smile and told us about the specials. We let her know it had been a while since we had seen each other so we woould be taking our sweet time to catch up. The entire evening she paced us slowly and left us alone but at the same time.. we never needed anything. If our plates were empty, or our glasses low.. someone appeared almost magically and it was done. As for the food... it was excellent. We started with a lobster rangoon appetizer that was yum yum yummy and perfectly filled and fried. We then split the beet and goat cheese salad that was phenomenal. I could eat that every day. I ordered the orrechiette bolognese and my aunt ordered the orrechiette with brocoli, sausage and garlic sauce. They were brought out in big wide bowls and the pasta was cooked perfectly. The portions were perfectly sized.. enough to bring home but not so much that you feel like you will have to eat it for two meals. I am not a huge fan of leftovers so I like when there is only a bit to take with me if I want. At the end of our three hour meal I was happy, full and ready for bed. I live in South Boston so to hit up Natick is a bit of a haul but I think my Aunt and I will make this a monthly thing. I will also definitely be taking Tim there when he returns for a romantic welcome home dinner. Thank you Maxwells. Your staff is lovely, my night was lovely and you should be proud of what you have going on there in Natick. I'll be back to try the lobster gnocchi!
(5)Amanda M.
We were planning to be in the metro west area one night so I made reservation at Maxwell's 148 for dinner at 8:30pm. When we walked in a little early we had to wait about 15 minutes so we ordered drinks and sat in the entry way...a little awkward. The lychee swizzle drink was good and the waiting period gave me the perfect opportunity to take in the sights and sound of the dining room. The decor looks like it is straight out of the Bombay Company catalog and some people were dressed up and others were more casual. Two completely separate parties were chatting about how their t shirts were from Ann Taylor or J. Crew, maybe they should have been seated together. Anyway we were seated and right next to us was a large banquet table full of mostly women and a few men, which I soon found out was a 40th birthday party for a cougar in the making! Since the overall feel of the restaurant is low key and dimly lit, these loud ladies were on center stage. The drinks were flowing the other diners were staring as the night progressed. They were there before we entered and they were still there when we left...I hope they left a good tip for the multi-person waitstaff that was devoted to them. On to the food itself...the fried calamari as an appetizer was crisply fried and not chewy and it was served over a ladelful of marinara sauce. I decided on the lobster gnocchi since everyone seems to rave about it and my BF had a steak with truffle mashed potatoes. The gnocchi was good and there was a decent amount of lobster to be had, however the addition of lots of sliced mushrooms seemed a little out of place. I almost feel like they were in there to fill the over-sized serving dish. The steak was cooked nicely, but the mashed potatoes just seems plain and simple without any truffle flavor. The weirdest thing was the breadbasket that is served. It comes with two pieces of focaccia and the rest of it is filled with fried wonton wrappers all served with duck sauce, marinara and hummus? I think this is a perfect example of how confused this restaurant seems. It is clear they are going for an upscale atmosphere with a fusion menu of Asian and Italian dishes, but I feel like they should just pick one or the other. I'm not sure that the price tags are justified however I would like to try their lunch menu.
(3)Rosemary A.
Dosen't look like much from the outside, but you can't judge a book by it's cover. Elegant inside; food innovative and delicious; service outstanding.
(5)Andrew C.
This is definitely a hidden gem. A neighbor told us about the place and I still had a bit of a hard time finding it. The outside looks like a real estate office but the inside is really nicely done. The food was very good and you can tell them take pride in their service. We had some delicious garlic cheese Focaccia to begin with and I had the pasta Bolognese while my wife had a steak with a stuffed mushroom. We split a macaroni and cheese side just to try it out. All was very good. The fried won-ton wrappers they gave us free were good but I wish they were hotter coming out. We'll definitely be going back. It wasn't the meal to end all meals but it is definitely a good step above the average fare in the area and the service makes it worth the splurge once in a while.
(4)Diane L.
Busy for a Wednesday night. Must be the buzz about Google buying the place or maybe I have this confused with a different business. Regardless, the food was exceptional and the service both professional and timely. Hudson Valley Foie Gras is a must and Maxwell's does Izzy proud. The lobster gnocci are the epitome of culinary decadence. The specialty cocktail list was missing any whiskey concoctions, but a thoughtful wine list overcame that omission. Even my west coast wine label cartoonist would have approved. Thepourfool still couldn't fit his tumescent head in the door. We fed him table scraps on the way out. Maxwell's is a suburban gem that artfully melds French and Asian influences. Worth the trip from Boston.
(5)Tom G.
I had lived in Natick for about a year before I found this gem. Nice place for food and conversation.
(4)Coren D.
I've been here twice, and my wife goes at least once a month. Menu is New American/Asian Fusion. Mitchell Maxwell, the chef/owner, is always in the dining room checking on patrons. He takes note of your tastes and even will make changes or additions to the menu to suit you. Randy at the front of the house is always accomodating and friendly. Best dish: Lobster gnocchi.
(5)Dennis L.
We decided to finally try this place out. The ambiance here of warm lighting, woodwork, and brown velvet is comfortable, as is the service of the maitre'd and chef checking in on customers. We had a somewhat new waitress, it seemed, but that is normal. The starter is a mixture of a 'focaccia' (really more like an herbed lavash, being as thick as the bread at The Helmand) and fried 'wonton strips' served with a chili peanut sauce and an either artichoke or asparagus dip. We shared their foie gras, which flavorwise wasn't bad, served with fig, but either the crostini was too fragile or the foie gras was too firm. It was impossible to spread the foie gras, the crostini breaking apart. In flavor, the foie gras is light and without aftertaste. I ordered the red snapper filet, flavorwise was fine, but I had issue with the texture. I had to basically crush the fish against the plate with the knife in order to cut it. The fish itself in flavor was very delicate, a contrast to the frustration I had in cutting it. The sauce seemed very, very light for a 'Sichuan' style sauce, like it was afraid to offend the senses. No sign of those frighteningly hot to most Sichuan peppers, and it had as much kick as the 'hot' sauce at Anna's Tacqueria. The rice was done fairly dryly, even for basmati. The vegetable mix could be a little better in selection. Broccoli seems a bit odd in coupling with bok choy for the dish, not going well with the sauce... if tossed with the sauce. I would have either kept it separate or used another combination like using napa cabbage and/or water chestnuts. My friend finished her plate of cioppino, which was loaded, a good sign because she finished the whole plate including the sauce. For the area, it isn't bad, but for the price point, I am not sure if the value is there.
(3)Erika S.
I recently visited Maxwell's with an old friend who lives in the area for a "celebration dinner". I apologize in advance, because I feel a lengthy and somewhat whiny review coming along. First off, I must say that Natick seemed very suburbia to me to have this type of establishment in it, but that was from my initial reactions. Upon walking in, the ambiance easily blew me away. After sitting through dinner I realized that this restaurant tries very, very hard to actually be pretentious. Who goes for that? Don't get me wrong, the ambiance was beautiful, and romantic, but the food should match and the prices should be in range for what's in the area and according to my friend, they were not on point. They were in fact all over the board and some didn't make any sense. Okay, let's get down to food & drink. We were seated and given time to decide on what we'd like to drink. We had both decided that we were in the mood for some sort of fish and wanted a wine to compliment that so the waiter suggested a bottle of Casa Silva Sauvignon Gris 2006. It was light, crisp and very good. For an appetizer we had decided to share the arugula salad. It was nicely prepared, very fresh and went very well with the wine. The spiciness of the arugula with the shaved cheese and the delicate olive oil and lemon were just what I was looking for to start off dinner. However, must say that for $12, it was a rather small salad that we were told was enough for two to share. It took me much longer than usual to decided what I wanted for my entree. I understand that they were going for an Asian Italian fusion restaurant but those favors rarely mesh and I didn't really see anything fused. I saw Asian inspired dishes and then some Italian dishes, all of which were over priced even for Boston, but hey, we were celebrating! So after a good 15 minutes and picking apart the menu and all of it's quirks I had decided upon Gnocchi al Tartofu and my friend had decided on the Chilean Sea Bass. Here is where the lull in the evening set in... it took a solid 30 minutes from app to entree. To me that was not acceptable. We ordered everything at the same time, and there was no explanation that any of the dishes would take longer, nor should anything that we ordered need extra preparation. In any case, our dinner had finally arrived and I must say that while I wasn't blown away with presentation, the food was good. The gnocchi was ricotta based and was not lead-like and was coated with a light wild mushroom sauce and shaved truffles. It was also tossed with Maine lobster meat, but there was not a lot. For the $45 price tag on this entree I was expecting more....more lobster, more pizazz. Good is good, but the price wasn't right. I did sample the Chilean sea bass which was spot on. The fish was excellent and was served with crab raviolis plated over a thin tomato sauce with more baby arugula. He didn't eat much of the arugula because we had it as an app and would have probably substituted it for something else had he realized it was the vegetable on the plate. Over all that dish had everything just right. Again, the wine did compliment both of our dishes. The waiter cleared our table and let us talk and digest for a little before presenting us with the dessert menu which has an impressive listing of dessert wines, scotches, bourbons, cognacs, ports, grappas, etc. Even though we were stuffed, we are both die-hard chocoholics and decided to share the chocolate espresso terrine served with a belgian dark chocolate sauce. I decided that I was going to end the night with the Bonnie Doon Post Harvest Frozen Muscat and he was going to finish with one of the grappas.. the name escapes me. The terrine was served and was a very large portion. We were unable to get through half of it, but the half that we conquered was heavenly. The dark chocolate sauce was perfection in a drizzle, it was a nice balance of semi-sweet chocolate. We lingered over our drinks and eventually called it a night. We were not rushed in any way by the service staff. The waitstaff was very friendly and efficient. All in all, the food was great, but a little off as far as pricing goes. I did peruse the drink menu and was floored to see martini's in a category all their own because they were $69!!! Whether it's JW Blue, Don Julio Real Anejo or Kaufmann vodka, you're only using about 2-3 oz at the most and even that won't come close to that price. That's just absurd. Some of the "regular" martini's looked okay and the wine by the glass list was extensive. I have no problem paying for a great meal if you are getting what you pay for which is part of the problem here. They are putting high price tags on things as part of an image but don't deliver on the promise of the food.
(3)Bella and Aleksey R.
I was going to give this place 3 stars, but A. insisted on a 4. I came upon this restaurant when I was looking for something different and was admittedly intrigued by this place's concept - Mediterranean Asian fusion. We were here on Friday night and it didn't look very busy. The service was very good, you could tell that they were making a very concerted effort to provide a good experience for you and meet your needs. The decor was also very nice with large drapes separating the main dining room and dimmed lighting. I think I may have gone somewhat astray in my choice of dish though - I picked something called evil jungle vegetables and black rice. I wasn't expecting the rice to actually be black. My dinner companions got pasta dishes and said they very good. A. got a Kobe burger and also enjoyed it.
(4)Rita F.
Have I died and gone to heaven?...and heaven is in Natick? Wow what a delicious lunch. With few expectations, we came to Maxwell's 148 with a Groupon and a sneak peek at the lunch menu on their website. We were totally blown out of the water. The crystal chandelier and velvet draperies with the modern Asian touches left us wondering what was to come. Randy, the friendly general manager/owner, greeted us and took our order. Randy is a real foodie and is very knowledgeable about the Boston food scene. Mitchell the chef/owner came by to see how we were enjoying our meal. I must say, everything we ordered was wonderful. We shared a delicious Crab Cake. It was moist and fresh tasting. I ordered the lobster gnocchi in a mushroom cream with lobster. My friend had the special, lamb on Chinese noodles with spinach in a complex sauce. Both were wonderful. I can still fantasize about the gnocchi melting in my mouth with the succulent lobster meat -yum. We shared a banana spring roll with caramel sauce, a perfect ending to our meal. After lunch, our host let us sample the house's own fig flavored sipping vodka which was divine. This restaurant is expensive, more than I can justify for regular visits but this is a special place and I'll be back. Treat yourself--Don't Miss Maxwell's 148.
(5)Julia W.
As a follow up, my husband and I were married on November 16th and we chose Maxwell's as our venue. The food was impeccable, the service was exceptional, and the value was unbeatable. The best decision we made during our wedding planning process was choosing Maxwell's for our reception. I can't recommend it enough!
(5)Kathleen T.
This is a terrific restaurant way and beyond what would be expected in Natick off the beaten path. Excellent service, food cooked perfectly, and, yes,it is for special occasions, but a great alternative to going to Boston for great food and atmosphere.
(5)William G.
There are many "good" restaurants,in the western suburbs,but Maxwells 148 in Natick tops them all.Their manager and staff couldn't have done any more,to make our dining experience any better.The food was exceptional,every course was perfectly presented and delicious.It could not have been any better.We have eaten everywhere,over the years,and Maxwells 148 is the best of the best.We will visit again soon.
(5)Han K.
Maybe 2 and a half stars because the food itself is actually tasty, cooked properly, and the service is spot on. Let's start with the good points. The interior of the restaurant (which used to be Hiro Sushi, one of the better sushi places in the area so when that closed down I was always going to hold it against the next restaurant coming into that space) is charming, relaxing, modern, and very well done. It's very cool and chic. The service is really quite nice, very friendly and accommodating, not perfect but certainly passable for a fine dining establishment. The food itself is good. Not awesome or outstanding. But good. Now let's get to the flaws. My waiter was a little on the neurotic side and my wife and I just never clicked with him, he felt a little strange instead of inviting in our interaction with him, but that's just one waiter. The menu is overpriced IMO, and as I said before the food although is tasty, is not worth the price in any way. My wife's tuna appetizer was mediocre at best the peanut noodles she got could have come from any take out chinese food restaurant, her salmon entree although cooked properly was just boring and overpriced just because there was a "lobster ragu" meaning a few chunks of lobster sautee thrown on top of the plate. My salad of spinach and king crab could have come out of a trader joe's container (just insipid and lifeless, a cold lump of overcooked king crab unseasoned with baby spinach leaves that just felt a little tough, in a boring miso dressing that tasted like it could have come out of a bottle) and my main course of braised ginger short ribs with pan fried noodles although was delicious, was plated messily, and to be honest would have made anyone asian cringe with the amount of sauce they slathered on the dish (which is bizarre since my wife's salmon dish was dry as a bone). All the dishes were messy in plating. It wasn't sloop on a plate, but it certainly wasn't beautiful to look at either. Dessert was okay, the meyer lemon cheesecake my wife had looked a little too airy for her liking, my dessert was delicious but wasn't exactly inventive (it was caramelized bananas with glorified ice cream with toasted coconut and macadamia nuts). Cocktails were above average but at $12 a little steep for what you get. The one big problem I have with this place is unnecessary pretentiousness. There's nothing wrong with having a swank dining room, a great staff, but when the food doesn't match the decor, alarms go off in my head, and when I noticed that some cocktails on the menu cost $69 (that's not a typo), the wanna be pretentious alarms really start to go off. I'm all about high quality liquors and I know the costs, but when I was reading the ingredients, it shouldn't have costed that much (or even half that much). I have a serious problem with high end restaurants that serve Asian fusion cuisine. I never liked Blue Ginger for the same reason, even if you elevate the cuisine, it's still in the end flavors that many people are familiar with at significantly cheaper prices. I can get a fine authentic Chinese meal of equal or better quality in food but the atmosphere might suck but it'll cost me half or more less. Why should I pay double the price for a meal that takes the same flavors but just dresses it up a little? And in Maxwell 148's case, it's not even that dressed up.
(2)Aron S.
Note: this review is abbreviated due to time constraints but I'll get back to flesh it out later on. In the meantime... I visited Maxwell's 148 because I was interested in scoping it out for a potential future event. I had heard some good things about it and read some reviews on other sites that left me with some hopeful expectations. There is a dirth of inspiring fine dining restaurants in metrowest and I was hopeful that this would add to the few I consider worthy of praise. But you know what they say, "Expectations are the baggage of Life, travel lightly" If you haven't picked up on the foreshadowing by now, let me be clear as glass: I was disappointed. Maxwell's has all the trimmings of a fine dining restaurant (except for the funky location on Rt 135) though perhaps a bit overdone for the 'burbs, but what really let me down was the food. The cuisine is characterized as italian-asian fusion which from the beginning doesn't really work in my mind, either as a blending of the two cuisines or, as is the case here, a menu that features dishes evocative of both cuisines. I understand French-Asian fusion because the preparation and presentation of French cuisine compliments asian ingredients and sensibility, but the Italian cuisine is at heart a earthy cuisine emphasizing excellent Italian ingredients cooked and presented simply. We ordered selections from each part of the menu - appetizer, main, dessert - representative of both cuisines and were disappointed at every turn. Although I can't recall which items we ordered the general concensus was a lack of finesse with ingredients and poor interpretation of classic dishes. This included overhanded seasoning, imbalance with flavors and ingredients and an overall discomfort with the execution. While the staff was friendly and attentive enough, the food let us down. One more note: The restaurant purports to have a excellent wine selection but I found it to be limited and imbalanced. The prices were moderate to high compared to other restaurants and we were led completely astray by the recommendations from our server. Guys, Italian wine and Asian food just aren't a natural pairing. To be fair, I've only been once and every restaurant can have an off night, so I will try it again and will report back.
(2)S Y.
This seems to be a favorite among people at school (er, faculty and staff anyway). It's not walkable from campus and the prices are not college-friendly. The decor is very simple and there is a small reflection water pool in the middle of the restaurant, which might make it a really pretty place at night. I went for lunch with two of my bosses on a weekday. The service was good, of course, because there wasn't that many people. The chef even came out to say his greetings and our server was very pleasant. Three out of four of us ordered fish and I can't say too much about it because I'm not that great of a fan. The rest of the menu didn't seem too exciting and as I had gotten back from Italy only about a month ago, I had no desire to try and have good pasta outside of it. My boss offered me a drink so I took her up on the offer, despite the fact that it was 1 in the afternoon and I actually had to go back to work later. I had an Asian Pear martini which was quite strong. Too strong that I only sipped it about 5 times because I could feel my face getting red. The attentive waitress noticed and asked if I did indeed like it and if I wanted something else instead. We capped off our pretty fancy lunch with a 4 plates of desserts that we shared. It's been months so I don't remember what we had but everything was delicious! Overall, I'd recommend this place but perhaps at night if looking for ambience. Too bad it's in the middle of nowhere and there's nothing much else to do around there after it but if you live in the area, try it!
(4)john k.
It's hard to imagine what the psychological make up is of the negative reviewers here. Perhaps they found themselves in over their class or financial head? This place is superb head to toe, in every regard. Believe the rave reviews, disregard the gnarly ones. Whoever they were, is was them having the problem, not Maxwell's. We arrived an hour early by our own mistake, and were greeted at once and shown to a nice table. Food top of the mark.
(5)alan m.
The food is very ordinary. Not one of six meals served at our table was very good. For the price charged, this restaurant is a ripoff. The wine was excellent and well presented by the maitre de. It is a shame that the cuisine does not match the ambiance. We will not return.
(1)Kristina K.
As other posters mentioned, you would never expect to find a great restaurant inside this building. In fact, you'd probably drive right past and not even realize. Once inside you totally forget what the outside looks like as the inside is well decorated. The better part is the food. My husband and I go here regularly whenever we want to treat ourselves to a great meal and have yet to be disappointed. They always start you off with an assortment of bread or wontons with dip sauces. The food is always fantastic and the service is great. Another nice touch, the chef has come out to ask us how we like our meal every time we've gone. The only thing I wish they would change is to bring back the weeknight Prix Fixe menu!
(4)Alan S.
Last night we went to Maxwell's to celebrate my fiancé's birthday with friends and family. We had such a great time! The atmosphere is very cozy and the service is outstanding. Having been to Maxwell's before we knew the food and drinks would be top notch. Try the coconut martini or gin n bear it, outstanding. I would recommend this place for a quiet evening out for two people or a large party.
(5)Jason R.
Nice ambiance. Nicely dressed servers. Service was mediocre. Server was more interested in selling us bottled water, telling us drink/food specials (which he couldn't remember), and enforcing gender stereotypes than listening to us. We can live with bad service, but not bad food, and the food was underwhelming. We had soup and foie gras for apps., burger and fish for main dishes, and 3 glasses of wine. The wine was fine---more-or-less what we expected for the prices and glasses we got. The soup was good---seasoned correctly and flavorful. The foie gras was not---it had a strong acidic/metallic taste which we have never tasted before (after 30+ foie gras dishes); it tasted good w/ the toasted brioche and preserve, but not alone. The main dishes were also a bit hard to stomach---overcooked and underseasoned. The Natick Sel de la Terre has better food, wine and service for comparable prices.
(2)John B.
My wife and I went to Maxwell's 148 this past Tuesday and were delighted at the level of service and the quality of food. Although not initially intrigued at the prospect of Italian and Asian cuisine together....the execution was perfect. The ambiance was perfect and polished. Our server was friendly, helpful and was knowledgeable when directing us to wine...I got exactly what I asked for when advice was sought. The appetizers could have been entrées (not in size, but in complexity and quality), I recommend the Moo Shi Duck over scallion pancake with hoisin glaze...amazing. The scallion pancake was a surprise and was more of a biscuit, but it worked perfectly and had an amazing flavor reminiscent of scallion pancakes, but better. For entrées we had the catch in a bag and the pork chop Milanese, which were both grand slams. The pork chop was the best I've ever had in terms of tenderness, done-ness and taste (quite a statement). The sauce and cheese were perfect compliments and made for a decadent dish. As for the catch in a bag, which on this day was filet of sole with a shrimp glass noodle stuffing, pan seared & roasted in an edible rice paper served with Asian vegetables & hoisin glaze. This dish was AMAZING. The fish was so fresh, not a hint of fishy smell, just a clean deep water flavor accompanied by thai basil, cilantro & ginger. This dish could be easily over salted, but the chef seasons it perfectly. Speaking of which, chef Maxwell (last name) was kind enough to come out to our table to greet us and inquire about our food...bravo! Downsides? The prices are steep, but you get what you pay for, as they say. Also the crispy wantons with foccacia served with chili duck sauce and hummus....a strange combination. To be honest I could do without the hummus, its nothing special and is out-shined by the great tasting chili duck sauce. I will definitely be back to maxwell's 148. Home run.
(5)Mike M.
I decided to take my girlfriend out for a quiet, romantic dinner date recently, and after reading the other reviews on Yelp, we went to Maxwell's 148. The exterior of the building is a strip mall and it does not suggest upscale dining in any way; however, there were several signs directing us to the parking lot in the rear of the building, so I knew we were at the right place. Walking in the front door, we were stunned at the interior decor - heavy drapes cover the walls, soft candlelight, ad the decor is pleasing and seems very well thought out. We ate there on a Saturday night, and I called in a reservation two days in advance for 6 PM. When we got there, the host didn't have our reservation on file! That's simply unacceptable. Minus one star. If you go there, then I suggest making a reservation online through their website, and then call to confirm the reservation a few hours in advance because it seems they can't get their act together. Fortunately, they had a few open tables at 6 so they were able to seat us. The host took our coats and lead us to a small table in the back. Before dinner service rally got started, I saw someone who appeared to be the chef mingling with customers at a few other tables - a nice touch, especially at a fine dining establishment. Plus one star. The menu is a fusion of Asian and Mediterranean food. I'm writing this review several weeks after we ate there, so I can't remember what we ate, but we didn't have any complaints about the food. The wait service was prompt but not intrusive. The room was filled with quiet conversation most of the night, which is what we were looking for. Then they seated a loud part of eight at the table next to us. Now, I know they had to scramble to ge us a table (because they screwed up the reservation) and that the restaurant isn't responsible for the behavior of their guests, but their obnoxious behavior ruined the quiet, romantic atmosphere and almost ruined the night for me. I would hope that they would seat larger parties in a private room separate from the main dining room, like at many other restaurants in the area. In short, this restaurant is worth a visit, but confirm your reservation before you set out (if you've made one) and ask for a quiet table if you're going for a romantic evening.
(3)Tracey I.
We came for a special night out with visitors and were very, very happy. They were easily able to accommodate my gluten allergy without missing a beat. Jacqueline, our server was exceptionally knowledgeable and super attentive. Jessica, the bar manager is a very competent sommelier. We were able to have an unrushed meal and really enjoy the experience. We started with a cocktail. I had a Lampone Basilica, a basil raspberry tequila cocktail. A little sweet, but not off-putting. Crisp and yummy. The BF had his preferred negroni. I followed mine up with the mango caipirinha. All were yummy. Other cocktail offerings were creative and looked like upscale twists on classic cocktails. There were five of us for supper. We started with the charcuterie, oysters, Maine lobster cocktail, and Devils on horseback. This was more than enough for the table. Lobster cocktail was a big hit. All the joy but none of the work. The Devils on horseback were my favorite - made with prunes, cheese and of course, bacon. The charcuterie was a lovely mix of local cheeses and meats. We couldn't decide what to get for supper so we opted to get five entrees and eat family style. The restaurant was wonderful about accommodating such a request. We placed all the entrees in the middle of the table and each had a dinner plate to eat from. I had some of the Chilean sea bass and the filet. Yum! The chef/owner, Eric came to the table to check in on our meal. The table also had the gnocchi all'aragosta, rack of lamb, and bang bang shrimp. Everything was delicious. The consensus was the shrimp could have been spicier. I did not taste it, so I can't personally comment. Onto dessert: pavlova with berries and creme brûlée. OMFG. We're still arguing over which was better. The creme brûlée was lemon with fresh strawberries. The pavlova was MASSIVE! It could have easily fed the entire restaurant. The creme brûlée had a fresh taste with a great, crisp top. The pavlova had a great vanilla flavor with tons of fresh berries. My only criticism would be that the merengue could be a little less dense. Dessert beverages included the Inniskillin dessert wine and he had a Laphroaig 10 year. Both were very reasonably priced. The parents report the coffee was hot, as was the water for the tea (in a lovely pot served table side.) There was even a selection of sweeteners. ;-) All in all, we can't wait to come back. Over and over.
(5)Ron J.
Maxwell's 148 is a first-class dining experience that, sadly, ends with the taste of the food. I was impressed with the high-level of attentiveness and the fine touches like the handsome china and silverware. But I left the restaurant wondering to myself, is anyone there actually tasting what's coming out of the kitchen? I'll cite one emblematic example: I didn't mind paying $38 for the pasta with truffles special, but what was the point when any subtle flavors that might have been there were drowned-out by all that parmesean cheese? Everything else I got was equally mediocre. Maxwell's 148 could be awesome, but somebody needs to pay attention to the food.
(2)BARRY G.
So only reason not a 5 because ac not working. Very good service. Very creative cuisine. Waiter, Ceto? Was knowledgeable. First time had honest to goodness shaved truffles. Yup, strip mall in Natick, MA. TRY IT, YOU WILL BE VERY PLEASANTLY SURPRISED.
(4)julesmary p.
Meh. So I was excited when I saw the menu. I like truffle fries, I like red curry and thai basil. Menu gets a 10. Execution gets a 2. The prices are absolutely ridiculous and not at all in line with the experience. $9 for a bottle of water? $10 for a side of fries? $30 for three scallops and some eggplant slices? You're in Natick, not on Nantucket.
(1)Michael A.
I had a lovely experience at Maxwells the other night. An important note; they are under new ownership and with Chef Eric taking care that all his guests are completely satisfied, you'll not only have a great meal but also respect the dedication of his staff. Our waitress knew the Chef's menu inside and out, not to mention all of the ingredients that went into each meal we inquired about. So from a service standpoint they are spot on. As for the meals themselves, I opted for the chicken marsala. Unfortunately the chicken was too tough and the marsala sauce too thick. When Chef Eric asked how our meal was I told him my concern and he quickly brought me a new entre of my choice. I chose the chicken pad Thai instead and it was incredible! Really appreciated the effort... Also love their complimentary wantons and bread basket! Will be back with friends!
(4)Steve A.
This is probably the best restaurant in the Natick/Framingham area. I like the food and the atmosphere and they have a great bartender. If you like good craft beers forget about it but wine and cocktails they do a nice job. ( Come on guys bring in a Sclupin IPA) Been there 5 times and always good. Filet, shrimp and Sea Bass really nice and the portions are good. The only thing we didn't like was they put Brie cheese all over our salad which ruined it. That and large pieces of bacon that weren't chopped up were the only thing all 4 of us didn't like. I really like the place. I gave it 4 stars because of the service - it's never bad but it can be it or miss. The last time we went over female server was outstanding. She only works on weekends but what a difference she made. Lastly, it's not cheap.
(4)Rita M.
We visited our daughter in Natick from San Diego, CA. She was so excited about finding a GEM in Natick as they usual dine in Boston. To find a special restaurant so close to home would be amazing! The ambience was just lovely, warm and friendly atmosphere. The Martini's were amazing as well as the wine and the wanton's with 2 dips. As we ordered we were excited about our appetizers and dinners to come! Sadly to say we were SOooo disappointed, except for our daughter who ordered Chilean Sea Bass. My husband's Gnocchi was so undercooked Too firm and so heavy. My scallops were over cooked and dry! Our son-in-law ordered an Asian dish and was also disappointed.also our Calamari was so over cooked and tough. The worse we ever tasted, and it's one of our favorite appetizers! The Soft Shell grabs were just ok. To say the least we did not find a GEM, but an overpriced restaurant with food not up to expectations. However, Jackie our waitress was super... Find a new chef!!
(2)Rachel R.
My experience here at Maxwells 148 was unforgettable. Between the exceptional service and the amazingly Delicious and fresh food,I will recommend this restaurant to anyone in the area!!!
(4)Candice B.
I decided to take my mom out for a nice dinner 2 days before Thanksgiving, and also to use up my Groupon that is going to expire in a week, so off to Maxwell 148 we go. I have made a reservation beforehand on Open Table, but nothing was available until 9pm, so I made the reservation anyway and told my mom to eat something small before going to dinner. We decided to go around 8pm, hoping for an early seating. I checked in with the host, who seemed very courteous. I mentioned to him that we have a 9pm reservation but will wait here for anything available before that. He acknowledged our request and we were patiently waiting in their small waiting area. Upon walking into the restaurant, my mom was weirded out by the decor at the front. As we were sitting around waiting to be called, she quietly said to me, this place reminds me of a funeral home. I looked around, and agreed with her. It is just a very odd vibe, but looking in the restaurant, it seems like it would be a nice, classy place. We were patiently waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting..... 8:55pm, we were called to be seated. Great, 5 minutes earlier than our reservation time but hey, I was still pretty patient and hopeful to this point. We were already starving, so when we got to our table, we were pretty much ready to order. My mom does not drink and I usually don't drink at dinner, so we didn't plan on ordering any drinks, and just wanted water. 10 minutes go by, our water glasses were still empty and our stomach growling. Another 5 minutes go by, at about 9:10pm our waitress finally showed up to take our drink order. We told her we wanted water, and she disappeared and came back to fill our glass. As she was filling our glass, she gave us the daily specials and told us she'll be "right back to take our order". When she finally came back, we put in our appetizer and our meals. This was about 9:15pm. We got our basket of wontons and toasted bread, along with sweet and sour sauce and hummus for dipping. This alone is worth the 2 stars I'm giving this place. I should have just asked for another basket of that and call it a night. The appetizers arrived shortly after. We went with the Toasted flatbread with spinach and 3 cheese. It was actually pretty good! I was hopeful the rest of the entrees will be the same. we mawed down the flatbreads and was ready for our entrees. Then we waited and waited and waited and waited.... I looked around the restaurant, it was almost 9:45pm and most patrons are either already eating their entrees, ordering desserts or paying the bill. Apparently everyone had also waited until the last minute to use their Groupons, so that's why it was so packed in the restaurant. Our waitress barely came over to check on us, and just as we were saying to have our food wraped up to go, they came. The Beef Carpaccio salad was super small. I mean, I asked the waitress about the size, but did not expect it to be a cup of Arugula and 3 pieces of filet mignon tataki. For a $15 salad, I didn't think it was worth it. Then my Kobe Pub Burger medium well was cooked with a pink/red center. I am usually a medium rare girl when it comes to steak, but I like my burgers a little more cooked, so maybe this was my fault that I should have gotten it medium well. The fries were not that good, onion strings was not crispy (if it was supposed to?). I share half a burger with my mom and neither of us took more than two bites out of it. For a $19 burger, I definitely have had better. The food itself wasn't so bad, but it was the slow and inattentive service that made the experience worse. We were so tired by the time we finished our meal (by finished I mean we took two bites and picked at it and basically stopped eating). It was already 10:15pm, our waitress was chatting away with another table. Pretty much after she took our order she came back once to check on how the food was, then never saw her again, until we were waiting to pay our bill. For 15 minutes she was chatting away, so I got the attention of another waitress and she finally filled our glasses with ice water and then had our waitress bring us our check. I laughed when she asked if we wanted coffee or dessert. Sweetie, I don't want to be there until midnight, so no, just the check is fine. $47 for mediocre food and slow service at 9pm on a Wednesday night... nooooo thanks.
(2)Sara M.
I really wanted to like this place. So much so that this was our fourth visit. Metro west has so little in the way of good restaurants that I was excited when I heard about maxwells. The good...service has always been great. Very friendly and attentive. The "bread basket" is great with a fun selection. The bad....over priced. I don't mind spending almost $30 on an entree if it's good, well cooked, and properly seasoned. Sadly that's not the case here. Don't get me wrong, all of the food is not "bad" but all the entrees are over priced by at least $10. We had a pork special once that literally was like shake n bake. Over cooked and dry. It was also hard to eat because of all the bones. I love a good bone in pork chop but this reminded me of the pork my mom would buy on sale at stop n shop as a kid in the 70s. Thin and loaded with fat and gristle. The drinks are okay but what's up with serving them in giant water glasses?? So bizarre, and takes away from the cocktail itself. The pad Thai is nothing special either. The burgers are good, but only worth it if you go on burger night when they are on special. So I don't think we will be back. The service is the only saving grace. They always welcome us and the manager always check in. I like them so much I hate to write a bad review but I hope they read it and make some changes....metro west could use a good dinning spot.
(2)zack t.
My wife and kids have been going to Maxwells 148 for years. Its an undisputed jewel of Natick. The food is fantastic, the service is superb, the ambiance is very pleasant. I thought it couldn't get better, but i was wrong. The new owners have brought the restaurant to new height, move over DelFriscos and Mistral, Maxwells 148 is IT.
(5)Jennifer H.
My son took me here for a birthday/Mother's Day celebration. The service and the food were both out of this world! The waitress went above and beyond to treat us right. She even put birthday candles in my dessert. :-) The calamari appetizer was wonderful. I had the penne with arugula, my daughter had the spinach fettucine, one of my sons had the kobe pub burger, and the other one had the Pad Thai. Everything was delicious! The brussels sprouts we had were also quite tasty. I will definitely go here again when I return to Massachusetts. My only regret is not getting the waitress's name so I could give her the recognition she deserves. She has dark hair and worked on Thursday, May 15th in the evening. Thank you for everything!
(5)James O.
Just had dinner at Maxwell's. We have been living in the area for years and avoided it because of some old reviews that were negative. BIG MISTAKE. I don't know what changed but it was wonderful. We split a salad, I had a porcetta special and my wife had the Kaffir scallops. Both were delicious, with unique flavors and perfectly done. We split a bread pudding special dessert which my wife ( who doesn't like bread pudding) loved. I had a Negroni which was perfectly mixed and the wines were excellent and reasonable. Our waitress Tyla was professional and attentive. The owner came by several times to speak with us. It was clear the staff enjoyed working there. The only reason for 4/5 is that I am very jaded. It takes a lot to get a 5. Nevertheless, they came close. If I could I would give them a 4.5. We will definitely go back.
(4)Leah G.
Best meal in MetroWest! We go out a lot and do the usual Legals, Prime, Coach Grill, Olga's and we were happily blown away by how delicious the food was and how nice the decor is. We ate like kings... pork wings that we were licking our fingers from, tempura avocado, what? never have even seen it on a menu and it was great. The truffle pasta special was by far the best pasta I have ever had. The veal chop I ordered was flinstone style, so big I will be eating the rest tonight! It was tender and cooked to perfection. The creamy polenta was also the best I have had. The evil veggies w/ scallops was good but not sure we would order it again and instead we are dying to try the gnocchi with lobster next time! We cannot wait to go back.
(5)Donna M.
We have been here twice since the new owners, Luke and Chef Eric, have taken over, and we are most encouraged. The service was proficient and friendly, in fact, everyone was very friendly. And the food was excellent! It is really wonderful to have such a good restaurant in Natick. We will be back!
(5)Sarah M.
I have been to this hidden gem three times, and have yet to be disappointed! I strongly recommend the lobster gnocchi, just as long as you enjoy lobster (duh) cream sauces or alfredo, and mushrooms... All three I cant get enough of. Also, the portion of lobster is more generous than expected. The service is exceptional and its nice to see that the chef makes his way around to see that all his guests are enjoying the food... Dont be deterred by the look of the outside. It is quite a pleasant surprise once inside.
(5)Bentley B.
Pricey but really a wonderful spot and excellent food. Terrific service. So nice to find knowledgeable well trained wait staff who take a sincere interest and know the meals. Our second visit was as nice as our first a few weeks ago. Will definitely be returning for more.
(4)Deb W.
At first glance, an Italian/Asian fusion restaurant was an odd concept. I still don't quite get the relationship between Italian and Asian food but the menu has a good variety of both cuisines. The appetizers were delicious but slightly over priced. We ordered truffle fries, calamari, mussels in curry sauce and they were all very good. The entrees, however, were unimpressive. My bf ordered the catch in a bag which ended up being a 28 dollar large spring roll. It didn't have much seafood flavor to it since the fried shell covers up most of the flavor. I ordered the pasta carbonara with scallops. This was decent but I've had better at Olive Garden. For a 26 dollar dish, I was not impressed. Overall, the food is decent but way overpriced for what it is.
(3)Shana K.
lovely... wonderful service, excellent food, truly indulgent (our group of 4 had the couch seating!)
(5)Meghan O.
This was my second visit to Maxwell's 148. I hope this was just a fluke but our experience was so awful that I feel compelled to share it. We had a party of 6 girls on a Wednesday night. When my friend called to make the reservation, they asked her to please call if our headcount changed (after taking a credit card to secure the reservation). So when someone dropped out of the party and someone else joined, she called them to let them know. Three of our six arrived at the same time and they asked again if we still had 6 people in our party. Now, I get it. People flake, etc but this is the first of 3 more times they asked in one night. I don't know if they had a party of 8 who wanted our table or what but seriously? So they sat us and the waiter (Stevan) asked again if we were still 6. Then we were given drink menus. We asked for food menus to order some appetizers and the guy who gave us the drink menus said he would ask someone (presumably our waiter?) 15 minutes went by and 2 more of of friends arrived, we asked again for a food menu. The drink waiter said "he knows." I guess our waiter already knew we wanted menus but didn't want to give them to us? In the end we waited 30 minutes for our menus and it was our drink waiter (who ended up being our waiter for food too) brought them to us. One member of our party was 30 minutes late so we wondered if they have a policy of not bringing menus until the entire party arrived, but they never said that so we don't really know. After she arrived, our waiter was very nice though pushy about upselling especially for drinks. I don't have much to say about the food. It was fine but overshadowed by our completely negative experience with the waitstaff.
(2)Fantasia A.
I just moved to the area and wanted to try this place for dinner. I was surprised by the elegance of the interior of the dinning room in comparison to the exterior. I loved the feel and atmosphere. I believe an owner who was wearing a chef jacket greeted and seated us. I felt a little under dressed but it wasn't an issue. The waiter was excellent! I think he was Italian and he gave great advice with the drinks and menu. I loved my meal from beginning to end. Very original dishes that combined Asian and Italian on the menu. I had pad Thai with lobster. The martini was perfect. No complaints! The price was on the high end but felt on par with the quality of food. I recommend this place for a date night. It's just as good as any restaurant in boston .
(5)Robert B.
This was a cool little spot to eat. I would say the food was really pretty good. The waitress tried I believe, but probably had a hard time focusing as she was in between breaks and probably needed that maintenance hit of meth to get back on track. A little odd to have a waitress in this condition in a white table cloth joint. I mean she was nice enough, but I guess dumping a full soda in my lap at the beginning of dinner may have tainted this review a bit.
(3)Reid F.
I used to like this place, but that was a long time ago. Now, it is overpriced and pretentious, and the food and service are mediocre (at best). In addition, the menu is very confused (Italian and Asian). There are so many better places to eat in MetroWest that it's confounding that someone would pay those prices for that food.
(1)Micheal A.
I tried posting last week but it didn't show up on the Yelp site. From worst to first. Last Saturday we decided to try Maxwells 148 because of the new ownership. We had a 7:30 reservation. The host said our table was not ready when we arrived at 7:25 and they they were waiting for some people to finish up. 7:30 came and went. 7:45 is the time I give a restaurant (15 minutes) to honor a reservation. They kept apologizing about the wait. Well, no luck. Finally at 8:00 pm. I "dickishly" said that it was unacceptable and that they better make good for the delay. FINALLY, at 8:06 we sat. So how does this terrible experience translate to a five star review.????? This restaurant team knows how To "DO THE RIGHT THING". All appetizers, which were delicious, and the first round of drinks was on the house. The Chef/Owner even came out of the kitchen to apologize and recommend some items. Lobster fried rice is a must.,as is the large order of beef carpaccio. We had a duck special app which was amazing. All of the main courses duck special,veal chop, penne arabiata ,cod all amazing. Can't wait to go back and will recommend it to everyone.
(5)Thomas O.
Was very dissapointed with the quality of food. About the same quality as a road side dinner. The prices was a rip off. Will never go back.
(1)Andy R.
Was excited for Maxwell's but unfortunately it fell well short of expectations. Went for lunch with one guest. We had appetizers of calamari, cheese bread, both were fine but also hard to mess up. We also had eggplant lettuce wraps, and while the eggplant was tasty it was served with small pieces of romaine lettuce as the "wrap" which was totally useless. It should have been served with iceberg or Boston bibb which could actually wrap stuff inside . We ended up eating the eggplant with a fork. Overall apps were 3 stars maybe. Where it fell apart was the 2 Kobe beef burgers for entree. Ordered medium rare, both were served raw, not rare, raw. The waitress was good and took them back right away for new ones but the second round was not much better. They were medium rare on the inside but the seared crust was thick and like charcoal destroying the flavor of the kobe beef. The pan or grill was clearly WAY too hot on both attempts which makes me question if the chef has any idea whats he/she is doing, that is basic stuff. You want a crust but not just burned and uncooked inside. Burgers were half star rating. The best part of the meal was the cocktail, a tequila and grapefruit specialty drink from the menu. I would have a second but my first sat empty on the table for a good 10 min before I was asked if I wanted another. We had a bottle of descent Merlot which was pretty good. I want to give Maxwell's another shot but not sure I will, it was pretty much just a fail on all accounts, with the exception of the staff who were very courteous.
(2)Amanda P.
One of my favorite restaurants! Food is beyond amazing, the chicken Marsala is the best I've ever had!! Waitstaff is professional, attentive, and overall very friendly. Best food, cocktails and atmosphere outside Boston :)
(5)Matthew T.
Love the food, atmosphere and every attention to detail. Fun to go with friends or date night. Awesome, delicious food every time. Highly recommend it
(5)Haley P.
My mom and I went on Black Friday in the evening to check the place out. The exterior is nondescript and next to a laundromat or generic pizza place. Nothing to speak of. We went inside, and despite seeing a few empty tables and two open seats at the bar, the host would not sit us. He actually told us we were looking at an hour wait...we decided to sit in the waiting area and see if the bar opened up. In this time, the chef actually came out and greeted some friends, but told them he wasn't allowed to seat them. Then two couples with reservations came in. One couple said they had called that morning to say they would have one more person in their party and the pompous host declared that he did not get their phone call, and that he gets about 50 voicemails a day and could not recall theirs. He then told them he "could not simply pull up a chair to their table" and that they could keep their reservation for two or reschedule. The second couple was early for their reservation, and he told them they would have to wait. We decided not to bother and went to Whole Foods. We went back this evening only because we had to use the Groupon my mom had. We had a 6p reservation and arrived on the dot. The third person in our party was running a few minutes late (both my mom and her friend are on-call doctors). We told the same rude host that she was in the car on the phone so that he would seat us. When she did arrive 15-20 minutes later (note, our waitress had JUST brought us water at this point) he brought her over to the table, and remarked "SHE CLEARLY WASNT IN THE CAR ON THE PHONE." Actually, she was. Jerk. The food was good, and our waitress was decent. Decent being a stretch. I had to remind her about our drinks and food twice. What should have taken an hour, took more than two. For some reason, the staff/owners have an air of entitlement. I don't know why they think they are they are worthy of a spot in the Ritz, but they do. This place was not worth the money, even with a Groupon. Our custom-made stir fry from Whole Foods the night before was better, by far. I am an architect, and construction project manager. Please note that their second means of egress is actually blocked by cooking equipment. In the event of an emergency, the cook staff will be screwed and the restaurant ought to be sued. If you hear a fire alarm....run for the front. On our way out, I asked that the host (who is apparently also a co-owner) apologize for the (inaccurate) comment he made. He would not apologize. Don't waste your time. The food is good, but you can find it for half the price elsewhere.
(2)Eddy J.
Maxwell's has truly figured out the recipe for success. Restaurant puns, anyone?! But seriously, they have all the ingredients to ensure you have a great time. Fool me once, shame on me, fool me twice?!?! Alright, I'll quit being sophomoric and give you the scoop on this place...damn, you just got served. BOOM JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WAS DONE I COME BACK, MOTHER FUCKER. Seriously, though, I don't call myself the best & funniest reviewer on Yelp just to waste your time with puns. Let's get down to business: Maxwell's has great drinks, great food (who doesn't love fusion these days, so trendy!!!), great service, and they have fucking pools of water next to couches where you sit. Who can ask for anything else? Well, those damn vegetarians can, but not to worry! Maxwell's offers plenty of options for that annoying daughter/son who's become vegetarian after one semester at Amherst College because her/his "understanding of consciousness has profoundly changed."
(5)dajian x.
I made reservations on Open Table. Incidentally, I was required to call and confirm the reservation before 2:00 pm on the day of the dinner. Maybe it was simply because this was on a Saturday. It was a little bit of a nuisance. When I arrived, I was seated quickly. The manager greeted me. Service was excellent; it seems that service is a cooperative effort by the waitstaff. The menus were on what seems like copper backing or copper sheet. This appears to be a touch of elegance. The waitstaff was assertive in making recommendations. I had the pork shoulder special. My wife had the fish and rice paper with Chinese vegetables. Both of these dishes were extremely tasty and well presented. The pricing of the dishes was somewhat high. This other people said the place does not handle sound well. It does get a little overwhelming. The restaurant also attempts to squeeze in as many tables and people as possible. So there's a feeling of being somewhat compressed. The manager came by at least once. The chef also came by once which was very nice. But when I try to engage him I felt the disconnect. Overall this restaurant is exponentially better than anything I've eaten the Merrimack Valley where I live. The mix of Italian food and Asian food gives this restaurant breadth in scope and good quality. The restaurants locally where I live pretend to be something better and upscale which they are not, and often succeed in this failure or illusion. Maxwell's does not have that shortcoming. Overall this is a was a delightful experience. I would highly recommend this restaurant to others. I would give this restaurant four and one half stars if permitted.
(4)Sam D.
Went for dinner and had heard that it was expensive so we were ready for the Boston prices. What we didn't expect was the mediocre bland food, horrible service, and level of pretentiousness that I have not felt at any five star restaurant. When we made it clear that we wanted the check and leave it took another 3/4 of an hour for our server to complete that task. Lastly, even leaving to get our coats was a huge process with people coming in not moving to allow us to exit. Huge disappointment and would not recommend.
(2)Chris M.
Great Asian fusion style restaurant. We went on a Saturday night and it was packed. Our waitress got held up a few times and the manager ended up being our server. Food quality is top notch and they have some different items. I had the avacado, crab and gravlax salad followed by the filet mignon with mashed potatoes. No draft beer and the wine was a bit high in price but the selection was there.
(4)John R.
We went to Maxwell's two weeks ago; it was our second time there the first being a good 7 years ago. They've remodeled since then but the interior is still awkward, they need a restaurant architect. I left with the exact same opinion and almost the same experience as the last time. The food is hit/miss and lack's consistency, not just conceptually but also the quality. Some things burst with flavor and others are bland and to make matters worse we had temp issues with the food being tepid, both times we went. We had to send a dish back because, although cooked it was sort of room temp. Concluding our meal this time again the dessert (bread pudd) was tepid and unappealing and the coffee was room temp. Is it Asian Nouveau or is it Northern Italian? Persoanly I think the chef does the Asian better than the Italian! I think if the chef were to hone his skills/influence on one of the two we would have a better experience. I'd venture to say he could give Wellesley's Iron Chef a run for his money, IF he were to focus on (1) concept. In addition, it's "stuffy" in a formal, unappealing way, they are trying too hard and/or take themselves too seriously. I imagine a manager constantly scrutinizing and micromanaging the staff (who looked uptight). Yes, the service was excellent although it's easy to spot a server trying to learn the fine dineing ropes; lack of confidence and inability to deliver without being somewhat nervous and overly attentive (not in a good way). Both times we' ve been we felt it was overpriced. It's not NYC, L.A., Chicago or San Fran., nor a Zagat top 5 in Boston ... it's Framingham, and as said the concept/quality doesn't merit a 5 star aura. Having a monumentally extensive wine list isn't going to put you on the map of The Countries or area's best. One can have a fine dining restaurant with an extensive wine seletion in the burb's without city pretention.
(2)A G.
What an amazing spot - just moved to the area and we're kicking ourselves that we had never tried this. Excellent service, and incredible food - highly recommended.
(5)Smedley B.
Our meal was pretty horrible. The duck appetizer was good, but after that, it went downhill fast. Their version of creamed spinach was full of starch or flour and had the consistency of paste. The pasta dish we had was dry and served warm not hot. I had to send back my cioppino because there was shell on the shrimp and the mussels and scallops were too tough to chew. The steak they replaced it with was literally 50% fat. We ordered a few of the house specialty cocktails and they were terrific. Also, the management was very nice about not charging us for the food and expressed a desire for us to give them another chance. So, the service was fine, but the food was not.
(2)Ellen S.
We met some friends for dinner here on Saturday night. After a long day of housework preparing for some painting to be done, I was ready for a glass of wine and a fabulous meal. We found that and more at Maxwell's 148. Between the 4 of us we had a plate of olives (DELICIOUS!), roasted beet salad - YUM!!, gnocchi w/lobster - to die for delicious!, steak with baked portabella mushroom, roasted brussels sprouts - YUM!, and then ended with some of their yummy desserts! I don't live anywhere near Natick but I am ready to go back again!
(4)Liz B.
This is my fourth time to Maxwell's 148 over the past four years - it has been going downhill, that is menu choices going down and prices going up, over the course of my experience. Although on this trip the food was at least a three star, maybe a four star, Yelp meal, I didn't appreciate the attitude. My friend and I both had bought the Groupon ($20 for $40 of food) and we had hoped to use them together. I called four days ahead of the reservation to see if we could be seated at tables next to each other since the voucher states "one per table" (many places make exceptions on this knowing the same amount of food will be ordered with one table of four vs. two tables of two). The manager would not allow either option. I asked to speak to the owner, Mitchell Maxwell, and he too would not budge. I asked him if sticking to his rules was worth loosing a repeat customer (if you can't look me up in your customer database and know how many times I have been in, get a way to...) over and he told me that was up to me. NO, it's actually up to YOU, because if you were nice to me, I'd have come back! But since you were not, and refused to accommodate my request for two tables side by side, I am not returning. His excuse was that he had sold 3,000 Groupons and if he were nice to everyone, he wouldn't make any money. #1, if you can't accommodate the Groupons you sold, then don't sell that many, and #2, I don't see how you make any less money putting two tables of two next to each other, or just having two separate checks at a table of four. Heck, four people together might even order more drinks... For me, more than 1/2 the experience of dining is how I am treated, and this ruined my experience before I even walked in the door. People can spend their dining out dollars many places. Please, Mitchell Maxwell, give people a reason to come to you. Treating REPEAT CUSTOMERS like second class citizens is just not cool.
(2)Dave A.
Excellent food and worth every penny! Great place for a special occasion or a business dinner without driving into Boston. Its 5 stars all around for this gem.
(5)Kosmo K.
Good burger and cooked perfectly. Pasta dish was very salty. Thought the place was overpriced. Unlikely to ever go back. Went back to finish using a gift card and food was awful...got the cod which had a terrible sauce on it making it inedible. Sodas are $4.95! and it took us over 20 minutes from the time we asked for the check until we paid and left...and that place was nearly empty. This place is well bellow average food quality, the menu is very weird and the prices are very high. Don't waste your time.
(1)james b.
Was visiting from out of town and came here with my brother and his wife on Christmas eve. Service, food and atmosphere don't really get any better than this. It was a friendly waitstaff who tended to us and made sure my multitude of allergies were not affected by anything I ordered. The food was superb. The table we sat at offered us a great deal of privacy and the noise level was nice and low even though the place was full.
(5)