Excellent neighborhood Italian restaurant with good food, friendly service, and great locals open to conversations. Came here both nights I was in town. Definitely a home away from home kind of place. Will return. read more

I grew up in Fremont, and never came here until recently when we celebrated my Mom's birthday. It's an establishment that has been around for a long time, and probably one of the fancier fine-dining places in Fremont if you want to pay a little more for a nice experience, linen napkins. Having lived in San Francisco for 8 years, I'll admit that I'm a little spoiled with fine-dining, really authentic and delicious Italian food, for about the same price as what we spent at Massimo's. However, I realize not everyone wants to venture into SF or Palo Alto for a nice meal, so this may be a good alternative. It's definitely much better than Olive Garden or Macaroni Grill, plus you're in Fremont, so it's not really fair to compare it to dining options in San Francisco (no offense to Fremont!) The ambiance looks pretty antiquated from the outside and inside, and a bit old-school. There are a few different dining rooms, and we were lucky to be tucked away in a smaller mirrored room with only one other table, so it wasn't as crowded or loud. They bring you warm bread with butter and a balsamic / olive oil mixture. The bread is delicious and fresh that you probably won't be able to eat just once piece. We ordered the caesar salad for the table - it was one of the better caesar salads I've had at a restaurant and my Mom loved it. They make it for you table-side with an egg yolk, anchovies, garlic, etc. If you don't like too much dressing, make sure you ask them to go light on the dressing. We asked for "light" dressing and it still felt fairly heavy-handed to me, but not overwhelming. However, I can't imagine what a regular amount must taste like. As for the pasta, the dishes are not inexpensive, but on-par with other restaurants - you'll pay $15-25 for a plate of pasta. $15 - $18 for a veggie or meat pasta, and $25 for a seafood pasta. The serving size is generous, and not like San Francisco plating sizes; my crab & mushroom pasta ($25) was large enough for me to save half of it for lunch the next day. They also didn't skimp on the crab or mushrooms, which was nice. The sauce was a bit on the watery side, and I was disappointed that for an old-school Italian restaurant, the pasta was not fresh. My Mom got a seafood pasta and my Dad got the seafood risotto and both of them really enjoyed their meals. I was a little disappointed that they didn't do anything special for my Mom's birthday, as I had told them when I confirmed my reservation and it was noted when I checked in. Corkage fee is $20 per bottle, and apparently you get one free corkage for every bottle purchased, which is not too bad. If you bring dessert, expect to pay $2.50 per person. Also, make a reservation ahead of time (they are on Open Table). I know in Fremont, reservations are usually not necessary, but I had several people come in for a walk-in on a Saturday night and the wait was around an hour. Overall, we had a nice meal. Not the best Italian food I've ever had in my life, but it was good, and a nice experience. I still prefer places in SF, but like I said, I'm a little spoiled with good Italian food, and lots of options in the city. Expect to pay around $30-40 per person, including tip & tax, and no drinks. read more

Massimo's - Seafood Risotto - Italian Near Me - Fremont, California

Massimo's was a great change of pace. The food was delicious- perfectly cooked, however the price you pay is for the quality, NOT the quality. I left hungry after 2 orders of bread, an appetizer, AND an entree. Sad about that, but at least my server gave me and my boyfriend a free dessert to compensate for how long we had to wait for our food. read more

I'm going to be generous and give Massimo's a 3-star rating because I really, really want to like this place. It is one of the few nice restaurants in Fremont, and I love Italian food. On the bright side, they have good food (very solid 3-star leaning to 4-star selection and quality)...and they have set up a very nice outdoor Covid sensitive patio seating area (nicely done!)...on the downside, the wait staff is slow and not very attentive, and the owner is downright surly. While waiting for our table, I watched the owner snark at another customer for asking for a table with no reservation. It's fine if they didn't have space for her party, but he could have been nice about delivering that message. Instead he chose to be rude and temperamental. read more

Great restaurant to bring family, friends or business lunches . This is a family owned restaurant that has been a part of Fremont for many years. They gave a great selection of food and drinks and have always had great service. read more

I ate at Massimos last night. The evening had highs and lows. Let me give the play by play... As I walked into the restaurant, I was hit with the smell of a bad seafood smell. It made me nervous to try their seafood. We started off with 3 appetizers: Jumbo prawns - not real jumbo but good fresh shrimp. Beef carpaccio - flavorful and good presentation Garlic bread - boring...I can make way better garlic bread. Entrees: My wife had the halibut special. The fish was fresh. Panfried with a crispy bread crumb coating. She liked it. I had the veal chop. This was the highlite of the night. Great flavor, crispy vegetables. I asked for pasta in lieu of potatoes...which they accommodated. All in all, the food was 4 stars. The service is what is lacking at this restaurant. Julian was our waiter. He was a nice guy but he rushed around around like it was his first night on the job. I felt like I was eating at Denny's during the breakfast rush. The restaurant promotes itself as fine dining. The food could hold up to that billing, but the wait staff cannot. If you go, have the veal chop and finish with a slice of mudd pie. read more

Loved it! My boyfriend and I came here for his first and my second time for our date night and had a great time! Our meal.... App: fried rock shrimp and garlic bread. Both were very good! The shrimp was plump and crispy and the garlic bread was perfection! Crispy (not hard) on the outside with great flavor and soft and moist inside. A great addition to any meal selection I'm sure! Entree: Steak Diane & Calamari Steak The steak Diane is prepared table side which is a nostalgic novelty that I must say is quite refreshing that some old techniques haven't completely died out. I like that the servers are required to have more skill then just punching in orders and whatnot. The steak was tender and sooo flavorful! Cooked to perfection! The calamari steak was good but I feel it could have been better, perhaps more crispier? Wine: a bottle of Fetzer Reisling...loved it! And very impressed with the selections. They also offer a table side ice bucket, very old school, very nice! Dessert: Massimo's mud pie Not my favorite only because it tastes like it was store bought compared to everything else we had and I liked their bananas foster better from my first time there. Overall loved this place. The ambiance is clean simple, elegant and intimate. Yes it is old school but that is some of the charm and allure about it. Its like stepping back into the day where restaurants weren't just just "get in, eat and go!", when they put personal touch and care into every table they serve. Food snobs may scoff at what they call dated, I commend and call it a lost art. All the servers are so attentive, polite, friendly and knowledgable of all dishes. In paying attention to their interactions with other tables, they know their guests (regulars) by name and have a genuine relationship with them. So refreshing! Overall Massimo's is sadly a dying breed that I never want to see go. If ur looking for a nostalgic experience with great service and food to match and intimate atmosphere, Massimo's is definitely worth checking out! read more

Massimo's - Steak Diane....winning! - Italian Near Me - Fremont, California

Decided to celebrate our anniversary dinner here... They did not disappoint! The Rock Shrimp was very tasty! I like it better than their Calamari. The Fresh Bread is crunchy on the outside and soft inside. And the dipping oil is really good! I had the Special Herb and Panko Crusted Sea Bass with Veggies and Garlic Mashed Potatoes. The Garlic Mash was kinda cold (boo). Veggies were seasoned and crisp. The Bass was good sized and had a perfect crust on top. I only wish the fish itself had more flavor. All the flavor was in the crust on top and the sauce below. My husband had the Spaghetti Bolognese. Perfect portion and good flavor. For dessert we had the Bread Pudding topped with Vanilla Ice Cream and Creme Brulé. Served with Anniversary Candles! The service tonite was 5 star!! read more

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This place is very nice and fancy! I came here with my friends and we didn't need to wait! Our waiter's name is David and he is a sweet and friendly man. He kept making sure that our dining experience was good. The food was awesome and I ordered pasta bolognese rigatoni. Yumm! I love how you can choose the type of pasta when you order. We also got the fritto misto platter as an appetizer and it was delicious! I would love to come here again! read more

Massimo's - Italian Near Me - Fremont, California

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We came here for my sister's birthday dinner and it was alright. I wouldn't go out of my way to come here though. There are plenty of other Italian restaurants out there that are just as good if not better. We had a large party (8) so we were able to try a lot of dishes. Recommend: Massimo pasta- If you like garlic and pasta, this is the dish to get. Though it is on the heavier side, since it is a cream based sauce, it is extremely satisfying and the flavors of the dish are great. Clam Vongole- The clams were fresh and complemented the pasta very well. Skip: Crab & Artichoke Fondu- It was like salty goo. I don't know how to explain it. It didn't taste bad, but the texture/consistency of it was really awkward. Crab & Spaghetti- The sauce is watery and everything was just kinda mushy. I was really disappointed in this dish. Veal Scallopini Marsala- The veal was sliced so thin and battered, all there was to eat was batter. Other dishes: Halibut- Special of the night, not that special tasting unfortunately. Petrale Sole- This was alright. The fish seemed fresh. Filet Mignon- Hard to get this wrong. Beet Salad- Tasty but not worth $10 Overall the meal was good. The servers were extremely friendly and helped us take multiple group pictures. They also game a complementary slice of cake to celebrate the birthday, which was very nice. read more

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I really like this place and have been going here quite often for over 12 years. They have a pretty decent menu and they serve small office parties/banquets for over 25 people or if you want to just pop in for dessert. You can drop in during the lunch hour where seating is available in the bar area. They remodeled it a few years back and it looks beautiful, real modern. Makes me want to go more often and just enjoy the mood/atmosphere. Prices are a little high, but the food is really good. Only down side is the service is very slow. Our waitress hooked me up last time I went for lunch with my niece. She had one of the chefs do a flambe' dessert, table side of course, which is only reserved for the dinner hour. We enjoyed the crepes topped with vanilla bean ice cream and flame'd raspberries. So delish! read more

Massimo's - Crepes Suzette. Mouth is watering, smells so good - Italian Near Me - Fremont, California

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horrible service and horrible food yesterday . I made a reservation for 8pm on a Saturday and arrived 15 minutes before. they seated people who arrived after us and made us wait till 8.15 to tell us that there was no table ready for us. the only choice was to sit in the middle of the bar area which was extremely noisy . the waiter arrives take our order and asks us several times why we did not order cocktails . then he did not bring me the dish I ordered (had asked for 1/2 and 1/2 red and white sauce on my pasta ) but apparently that was too much to ask for . my husbands seafood pasta was bland and tasteless . I asked for red pepper flakes they never showed up. our water was never refilled . we asked for the chequeen he plopped it on our table and disappeared . we could not wait to get out of there . never ever again will I go to this restaurant. read more

Great Food, Great Service!! Went here for lunch today. The server was very patient with us, and very helpful! I ordered the baked lasagna. When it arrived, it looked very tasty, and just the right portion size. Our server offered us cheese. I love cheese! So he left the bowl on my table for me, which I used a handful of times. That was very cool of him. This is a very classic Italian restaurant. The bread is very tasty too! Though I prefer a classic olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing. I could do without the garlic mixture they added to it. Overall, I can't wait to come back! read more

Massimo's - The server knew I loved cheese and left me the bowl :) - Italian Near Me - Fremont, California

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We went for Mother's Day and it was a set menu. The food was ok, it looked premade except for my mother in law's steak since they asked her how she liked it cooked. For appetizers we both each received 1 serving of bruschetta. For the starters my MIL ordered the crab cake, it came out and the sauce looked a bit dried up. My mushroom raviolis were good. I had the short rib which was a bit dry and she had the filet mignon. Maybe I'll come back again and try the regular menu. read more

I haven't actually been here, but my co-worker was really nice and went to pick up lunch for us. I called our order in and the girl on the phone was very helpful and pleasant. We got the crab sandwich with fries at $14.00, and a Shrimp Louie salad for $21.00. The crab sandwich is to die for. Like my co-worker said "it's orgasmic" lol....I didn't taste her shrimp loui salad, but it sure looked good. I wasn't very impressed with their fries though, they gave us like 8 of them and they looked re-fried and old. read more

Kicking it old school. This place reminds me of three flames in San Jose. Old school and unapologetic about it. I trust my priests. Fr. recommended this place because one of his parishioners took him here a few years ago.... Yep. winner winner meat free friday dinner. The family who owns this place is super friendly and we were seated immediately. The pesto pasta was delicious! Alfredo was also well liked.. next time if it is available I am going with the seafood pasta with marinara sauce. The table side prepared Caesar salad is a great treat. Bread comes to the table warm..... Yep....definitely wil be back soon!!! read more

Yesterday evening was our second dining experience here, while our first was a couple of weeks ago. The experiences were day and night in comparison. Our first experience was amazing that included well executed and flavorful foods, and excellent service. Yesterday's experience was quite the opposite. We decided to go there for the same dishes we had last time and share the experience with our extended family, but the menu was a prefixed menu for the occasion. Slightly disappointed there, but that's not the reason for this review. Though the food was seasoned well, the overall score from our table was a 2.5 out of 10. The "special occasioned" menu was lack luster, very underwhelming, and was void of passion especially for a special occasion. The only starter available was fried zucchinI, which for a fine dining restaurant was very disappointing as it was only par with most chained local diners/pubs who serve this type of dish. The first dish we had was good, which was either the crab cakes and tomato bisque, but for fine dining and price point this was sub par. Then the main course came and we were all very disappointed with the Rib Eye. Instead of a thick juicy cut like a typical steakhouse/fine dining, we received a dry 3/8" thick and overcooked steak. Luckily it was doused with herb butter to give it some moisture, but the flavor was blan and definitely not worth the $57. VERY VERY disappointed. The creme brûlée was not true to its form and believe me we've had our fair share of exquisite versions around the world (Even France). The bread pudding looked sloppy, but it had vanilla ice cream which made our kids happy. Now for the service. Our main waiter forgot many of our items requested, was flustered though it wasn't that busy, and didn't provide a service expected at a fine dining restaurant and the price point. Not sure if we'll go back, but I'm hoping management can see this review and make their restaurant better. During these tough times we like to support the local venues as we too have to survive with our small family business and companies we have. Good luck to Massimo's. Cheers! read more

Massimo's is the best. They made my birthday celebration quite special; -from the personalized menu, the staff who are professional, friendly and engaging communicators -to great food. Thank you! read more

The service here is excellent, and so is the food. The waiter remembers us every time we come and asks us if we want the usual drink and entree. I can tell they do that with a lot of their customers. Great relaxing atmosphere as well. read more

I have been looking forward to writing a review for Massimo's-just found the time today! Overall, this is a "GO TO" place for us when we want to eat "comfort" Italian food! We have ordered food at Massimo's almost half a dozen times in the last 1 year and their food has been just awesome and delicious every single time! The star of their menu (according to me anyway) is Minestrone Soup and Garlic Bread Loaf! Massimo's has made an effort to ensure their Minestrone soup is vegetarian (veggie broth) and it tastes heavenly too! We always get their garlic bread loaf (yes- an entire loaf )-it's garlicky, buttery and simply put- Yummy! We also like their pasta (you can choose your own pasta and sauce) and Ravioli. Their main course comes with a side of steamed veggies and house salad or soup. They used to have a really good Veggie Lasagna on the menu but it's not there anymore (i wish they add it back). On the whole, we look forward to eating many more dinners at Massimo's! read more

We enjoyed dinner at Massimos outdoor patio last night. They have heaters out in a covered patio so it is nice and cozy. They are excellent in maintaining all covid protocols and everything was super clean and sanitized. We had amazing service from every staff member. We enjoyed the new addition of pizza - we tried the fig and prosciutto and really enjoyed it. We also had their rigatoni that was amazing as well. We ended the night with their pumpkin bread pudding. Overall it was a great experience and I would highly recommend visiting. Not just for special occasions, but just for a nice evening out. read more

I had not visited Massimo's for years but really wanted a quality meal. The meal exceeded expectations. Everything was near perfect. A special comment about the vegetables. So many places serve veggies that are just ok or overcooked. Or rubbery, or bland. Massimo's veggies were the best I can remember having. read more

Massimo's Massimo's, our ~fancy~ date destination. We've been here for Valentine's Day, our wedding anniversary, my husband's new promotion, and now this time we celebrated the success of starting my own business and flourishing in year 1. There food is always fabulous and flavorful and every fish is always fresh and cooked to perfection. My husband isn't fond of this style of cuisine or getting dressed up, but the food is so good he's in love every time. We were lucky enough to get in without a reservation for the live music on the patio by the talented and relaxing Rolando Morales. It was such nice guitar and singing and very romantic and lively with old songs while we held hands and I had some lovely Pear Martini's with Grey Goose, tasty, strong, and an awesome price. We stayed twice as long as planned enjoying the ambiance and our rum cake dessert was light, fluffy, and so delicious. I'm in love with every pasta I've gotten here but their Chicken fettuccine Alfredo is so many layers of creamy, cheesy spices I'm always tempted to get two dinners haha. We had Fish of the Day last visit and the Mediterranean Sea Bass then was knock off your socks fantastic. This visit we had Petrale Sole with garlic potatoes and veggies and everything was very good, I definitely stole several bites from hubby's plate. We are excited to start coming more often since we just love it here and the patio is a welcome refuge in Covid times. read more

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Always great food and great service. I often entertain clients or have a special family outing at Massimo's and am never disappointed. This is my go-to spot for a great dining experience in the East Bay. read more

The food is alright I had the cedar salmon and my bf had the lasagna 6/10 customer service was very good and appetizers are definitely more tasty highly recommend the fried zucchini read more

Massimo's - Italian Near Me - Fremont, California

The service is not on par with the food, which is delicious. We had fried zucchini and calamari to start, both of which were delicious. My rack of lamb was cooked perfectly, and quite tasty. Wife's carbonara was also pretty good to my estimation but she found it a tad bland. Unfortunately the service was quite uneven. One of four water glasses had lemon for some reason. We received two room temperature butters and, in between, one ice cold butter. All would probably be overlooked if our waiter hadn't dropped a beer bottle on my wife's leg. Also, they were weird with the bread, (which is delicious)! If we requested more, they would always snatch the remaining slices away immediately, even as we reached for them. What's the deal? Overall it was an enjoyable experience and the food it great, but at this price, I would expect service to be a little more professional. read more

Good Italian food, everything taste fresh and we have been ordering almost every week the family pack. I would give 5 if they were flexible to allow us to get the family pack half vegetarian. Sometime they allow. read more

Service was spot on from the immediate seating to the serving of dessert. The food was served efficiently without being rushed. Even though the restaurant is undergoing renovations, it was still clean and well set. My wife had the fish special and I had the steak special. Both we excellent, including the veggies and potatoes. We both had dessert: peach bread pudding and tiramisu. Again, both excellent. Keep up the good work and see you again, very soon. read more

This was a good place for a business lunch. The food and service were quite good. I enjoyed my blackened salmon served with veggies and garlic mashed potatoes. The food came out promptly and the service was friendly. My only feedback is that the waitress should have waited for natural breaks in our conversation to interject with info on the specials, to take our orders, etc. Instead, she interrupted us multiple times, which was a little irritating. Overall, a good experience. read more

From the hostess to the guys bussing our table all pros. Delicious food in a pleasant setting, great bar and bartender. Ownership works hard to make diners comfortable as witnessed by the work done during covid. Give Massimo's a try you won't be disappointed. read more

Love this place. Great family owned joint with delicious steaks and cocktails. I regret not finding this gem years ago!

We attended a company Christmas dinner. The food was lovely. The service was great. We would come back again for a dinner.

I was there on a Pre-Valentine date. The service and food is still the same. I still had a great time there. Too bad my date wasn't manly enough for me. read more

Massimo's - Rigatoni ala Massimo pasta dish...NOM NOM - Italian Near Me - Fremont, California

Love this restaurant. Service is great and the food is yummy. My fav is the pesto ravioli yummmmm so good! There's a bar to hang out before seating and private rooms for events! My mouth is watering and I can't wait to come back! read more

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Totally feels like a gem in the wall. In the stripe mall where it's located, I was a bit surprised when we walked in. It actually felt like a decently fancy, yet causal restaurant. The restaurant was huge, felt like a mini maze when we were walked to our table. The food was actually pretty good as well. For appetizers we ordered a calamari fritti ($9) to share. The calamari was quite good, and good sauces to go with it. My husband got the Rigatoni ala Massimo ($16), and I ordered the Linguine ala vongole ($19) with white sauce. The rigatoni was good, but my linguine was very tasty. The clams were very big. One of my sister's ordered the rack of lamb ($39) which was a pretty big portion and it looked great. For dessert we ordered two table side banana fosters (minimum two per table). The dessert tasted pretty good. I would say, save room for dessert when you come here, it's worth trying. The only critic I have is the service. For an italian restaurant, I almost alway expect the super friendly, sweet italian feel when I go in. This place did not give off any of that vibe which is quite disappointing. But other than that, good place. read more

A wonderful place to dine. Quality and professional service. The menu offered a good variety of selections. We could not have chosen a better place to celebrate my companions birthday. read more

I reserved Massimo's for my Mother's 90th birthday and it was a wonderful success. The food was amazing, I had the crab raviolis and everyone raved about their meals. Very happy with the service and our private dining room was perfect for our size party of 17. Will always recommend Massimo's as I have been going here for years and never had a bad experience with service or food. 5 stars!!!! Thank you Max:) read more

Thanks Marta! The easiest, fastest, most elegant date night place we have, we're thrilled to be able to be neighbors. And the tira misu is exceptional, without peer in the Bay area. Even Columbus Street sucks ass compared to theirs. Thank you sooooo much! read more

I love this place. We come here often. The food never disappoints and the staff is very friendly with great service. It gets busy so Opentable.com is a must! I love the steaks and my other half loves the lamb. If you have time, try the dessert that they prepare right in front of you! Totally worth it =) read more

Massimo's - Ribeye cooked to perfection. Mmmm - Italian Near Me - Fremont, California

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Been here three times. The last time was early Dec. The food never fails. Love their breads! Nice and warm and soft. Here's what we ordered: Calamari gritting - soooo good Veal Scaloppini ala Marsala - really good Blackened salmon - soooo good Pumpkin cheesecake - pretty good Will go again. read more

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