My second review. This seems to teeter on a 2 - 3 star review each time. Still really the only option for sit down hot food in the Dayton Airport. Today was 2 stars, mainly for staffing that impacted the rest of the experience. The the bar server was doubling down to serving the bar and dining room area. That resulted in them posting the wait to be seated sign for all seating to include the bar. The bar server did the best she could to keep things moving. The food was disappointing. I ordered the cheeseburger with bacon. It came with fries. The burger was a nice size but it was really overcooked. It was not burnt but just shy of it. The burger was dry and chewy because of the overcooking. The bacon was decent. The fries were cold and not crispy (probably because they were cold). This all could have been due to inadequate staffing in the kitchen as well. Not sure but a relatively simple meal like burger and fries becomes more difficult. Again not a lot of food options and you sometimes you have to take what you get but it is a crapshoot here for what you will get but usually seems to be in the 2 - 3 star range. A little attention to cooking quality and staffing would easily raise this to mid 3s or 4 stars. read more

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Quick service. Just stopped by for a drink. Friendly bartender. I ordered a lemon drop martini with tequila and it is delicious! Open seating as well! read more

Max & Erma's - Lemon drop martini - American Near Me - Vandalia, Ohio

Stopped in after our flight had been delayed an hour because it was the only sit down option. We wanted something sweet like a dessert. There was only a breakfast & lunch menus out so we went in at sat at the bar for a few min before any staff were visible. When someone did show they yelled from the back to sit at a table not the bar (weird) and I said no we had a question she did not approach so instead she made me walk to the back. I asked about a dessert menu and she just shook her head no and quite rudely & loudly was like there's a Dunkin' next door (that was out of doughnuts aside from munchkins) & when I told her this she said to to the store (an airport store, re type that sells candy bars for $7 each) First when someone say dessert they don't mean a doughnut they probably mean like pie or cake or a brownie Sunday. Second it's not an unreasonable question. She was rude loud and unprofessional. Wouldn't be back here if this was our home airport thrilled that it is not. read more

I was a little hesitant to try Max & Erma's at the Dayton airport after seeing some of the reviews, but I'm glad I gave it a chance. The fries were hot and fresh, and the burger--though a bit overcooked--still had good flavor. What really stood out was the service: attentive, friendly, and quick, which made the experience much better than I expected. Overall, a solid stop before a flight out of the best airport!!!!! read more

Max & Erma's - American Near Me - Vandalia, Ohio

I've stayed away for years, but was very hungry and this is the only restaurant open in the afternoon and evenings at DAY. I ordered the cheeseburger with extra lettuce and tomato with no onions and broccoli as the side. The burger was perfect as was the broccoli. I tried to order via the QR code, but it wasn't working, so I ordered through the bartender. He was very nice and efficient. However, when I ordered, he did not tell me that extra lettuce and tomato is $1.00 extra. Note that I didn't get a credit for deleting the onions. My meal and experience was very good. If you haven't tried Max and Erma's at the airport for a while, it's worth a second chance. read more

Max & Erma's - Cheeseburger with Broccoli - American Near Me - Vandalia, Ohio

Reliable standby at Dayton airport Max and Erma's has been around a very long time Where else to find a meal in a pinch Recommend during glitches in flights read more

Max & Erma's - American Near Me - Vandalia, Ohio

Too bad this is only available if you are traveling. The food and service is very good, and it's a great place to spend time with fellow travelers. read more

Wow, this lady is flippin' RUDE! She snapped at my buddy when he wanted to order soup, saying she was overloaded, by herself and unable to go back to the kitchen. She let me order my food, and several people after she told my friend no, so I don't know what her deal was. And by the way, there's another guy behind the bar, pouring drinks with her. read more

Max & Erma's - BLT, vacation grub - American Near Me - Vandalia, Ohio

This restaurant is in the Dayton airport and currently has a limited menu. Service was very fast, that's a big plus in an airport! I had the black bean veggie burger and a IPA beer. Fries came with it, plump and crispy - nice! The burger was a very good veggie burger, bun was upscale and toasted. My SO had the bacon cheeseburger and it also came with fries. Asked that it be cooked medium, it was well done. (Why even ask?) - otherwise a good burger as well. One additional note: $13.00 for a draft beer. Ouch. If you need to catch a quick burger in the Dayton airport, this is your place! read more

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I had a 2-hour wait in the Dayton International Airport today and relieved to find a sit-down restaurant with healthy food, table service, and free refills. Free WiFi through the airport. Service was prompt and attentive! The salad was fresh and hearty. Chill ambiance and the music isn't too loud. read more

I have been here a few times before catching a flight and I haven't been disappointed at all! Mr. Eric has impeccable service and he's always been super attentive and has always gotten my order perfectly! The food comes out hot and no complaints here! I am normally here for breakfast so the all American is the way to go! read more

Max & Erma's - The all American - American Near Me - Vandalia, Ohio

I had a club sandwich and ginger ale before catching a flight. The bacon was burned and the toast lacked flavor. It was unsatisfying. The saving grace was a very friendly server, Staci. read more

Customer service from Staci was horrible. Food was actually ok, but the experience was wrecked from Staci. Diner's beware and avoid at all costs! read more

Dirty tables and carpet. Not crowded but I was apparently invisible for the 20 minutes of my life wasted waiting for service. I walked over to the bar to ask if I could get a server-- he was mixing a drink. Before I could say anything, he says: "Hey, man, it's going to be some time." Bye bye. AVOID. read more

September 9, 2023 - Max and Erma's was the only place to eat in the airport. Upon entering and walking through the bar area, the floor was sticky. And once on the carpet that was sticky too. The sticky theme continued with the table tops also. Two of the four chairs at our four top table had something wet on the seats. There were no napkins on/at the tables. The Philly sandwich did come as ordered, without bell peppers, but the meat was over cooked/well done. The fries were wilted/soggy. read more

The passionfruit mimosa is excellent. They will give you an ice water to go if you ask.

The service was quick which was a relief trying to catch a plane. Food as expected, view of the taxiway was enjoyable, however, the waitress never brought back my debit card. Not good when it's the only card I brought on a trip. Grateful for the cash I have on hand tap to pay! But, attention to detail folks. read more

I can't comment on food, but this place hilariously ripped us off. I know it's kind of a "thing" for airport food to be expensive but this just felt stupid. There's only four places to eat at the Dayton Airport with two being restaurants. We decided to stop in and saw on an online menu they had a house wine for $6.50 a glass which is fairly cheap. We asked for a bottle of the house wine and was told they didn't have it. We were also told they only sold wine by the glass. The waitress said to pick something else out and we did (it couldn't be too expensive, right?). Well, after taking in the views (they're not bad) and drank the wine we got the bill. $50.00 for two fairly medium sized glasses of wine. $22.50 per glass. Holy crap. What if I would have bought a bottle? *I know airport food is overpriced the same as food/beer is for sports events, but dang. $50 for two glasses of wine is highway robbery. read more

Max & Erma's - Wine. $22.50 a glass. Drink up rich people. - American Near Me - Vandalia, Ohio

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This used to be a decent place to grab a bite before a flight out of Dayton airport. Nothing great, but better than a pre-made sandwich from only other vendor inside security. I don't know if they switched vendors or chefs, but the food is now inedible. Ordered a burger and got a thin chunk of coal. On the plus side, the waitress was friendly and efficient. read more

I had delightful service and a delightful view. With Gluten issues....we'll, let's just say dining can be painful! My server was kind and helpful, offering excellent options!!! read more

Max & Erma's - Scrambled eggs, bacon, and broccoli instead of toast and potatoes!!! - American Near Me - Vandalia, Ohio

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We hit this place early in the morning on our way from Dayton overseas. We were in the airport extra early since it was an international flight and planned to head breakfast there since we were not hungry when we awoke. You never really know what you will get at an airport restarting for breakfast since most of them are really lunch and dinner places who try to do breakfast since they know they can catch a bunch of folks who have nowhere else to go. It was not terribly busy when we were there, with only two other tables occupied. But the server was attentive, the delivery was quick, and the food was good and plentiful. We would have taken some leftovers with us if it had made sense to do so. I am not sure when we will have the occasion again to have such an early flight out of this airport, but I would go back here again for breakfast if the occasion called for it. read more

Great food and portion size Able to enjoy before my flight and relax with a glass of wine. read more

As we stepped over the ice cubes from another table's spilled drink on our way out, I remembered the words that greeted us from our server's orange Cincinnati Bengals tee: Welcome to the Jungle. It's a very casual jungle, at least on a Sunday afternoon. If you get a backhand sweeping motion duet from a female TSA agent, you might be ready for a shower, or a drink. Max & Erma's is the first place you'll see after your hands-up, thrill-a-minute stroll through security. There is a bar area as well as a dining area with windows that provide a view of airplanes making their way to and from the gates. You'll find televisions in the dining area and a few outlets available for recharging. My hubby and I seated ourselves near an outlet in the dining area, plugged in, then perused the menu. It was just a few minutes before 5 pm and we had about 40 minutes before our next flight would begin boarding. We decided on a couple of lunch specials available until 5 pm which we thought should be fairly quick: one Dynamic Duo special and one Tasty Twosome special. This meant 2 Caesar salads, soup of the day, and a half club sandwich, ($17). Minimal prep time and the restaurant was nearly empty so it seemed reasonable that we could eat and be on our merry way in around 30 minutes. Our salads came out in less than 10 minutes, the soup and half club arrived approximately 30 minutes after we initially placed our order. Slow? For a half sandwich, cup of soup, and two salads, yes. We heard our server in the kitchen tell someone after 25 minutes that it was just a half sandwich. The Caesar salad was tasty and included shredded cheese and croutons. The tortilla soup was cheesy, spicy, and tasty. The Dynamic Duo was about as enjoyable as the Backhand Sweeping Motion Duet from the TSA lady and I don't recommend it. The Stacked to the Max club menu description indicated 3 layers of white toast. The Half, however, was only half of this club with 2 layers: one half slice of white toast on the top and the other half on the bottom, not 3 layers as described on the menu. The tomato was ripe and tasty but the sandwich, even considering that it was only half, was not what I would call "Stacked to the Max." Deli meat, iceberg lettuce, and a tomato slice between two halves of white bread. Tasty, but not worth a 30 minute wait. Not sure how long it would have taken if it had been busier or if we ordered something that actually needed to be cooked. Both servers were friendly and seemed to be working well together. The other server in a black polo shirt cleared a plate from our table as she made her way back to the kitchen. We asked our Bengals fan server for the check when our soup and half sandwich arrived and she brought it to us within a few minutes. Overall, the food was decent but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat at this jungle again even if it's just for a drink after a Backhand Sweeping Motion Duet from a TSA agent. read more

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Staci can't handle the job. Overwhelmed. Rude to customers. Passive aggressive. Straight up getting into arguments with customers. There was 6 people in the restaurant. She gotta go. read more

DO NOT GO HERE! Was told to go to 12 Fairway at the Dayton airport because they were the only restaurant open. After arriving at 6:45pm and told they close at 7:30pm, I waited in line and the host informed us that the line would be cut off directly before me and my 6 year old. It was only 7:06pm. We were then told there was a restaurant downstairs and after arriving to Max and Erma's, the dark skinned bartender with braids becomes belligerent and refusing to serve us and rolling her eyes. After speaking with the manager, the server was extremely tyrant and belligerent and trying to fight me behind the manager. The manager had to hold her back then told ME that I can't raise my voice which I didn't do!! This is the most disgusting experience I've ever had at any airport and I travel for a living!! The manager's name was Makayla. read more

We had the Garbage and Chipotle Black Bean burgers. Also had a Warped Wing IPA and another drink. The former is an everything combo that has guacamole, bacon, mushrooms, cheese, etc. The latter is a "garden" burger for folks watching calories or avoiding meat options. Not many options in general so grateful for this good value. Enjoy! read more

Max & Erma's - Chipotle Black Bean Burger - American Near Me - Vandalia, Ohio

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When you had the DAY airportairport does not have too many choices in the airport, but this restaurant still delivers on great food and atmosphere read more

Great breakfast, get there early or be patient. Counter service was amazing and attentive, everything on the menu is great, a definite go to spot. read more

BLUF: I wouldn't come back for breakfast again. Pick up something on the way in or try one of the coffee or sandwich shops for breakfast. Stopped in for breakfast before my flight. The service was pretty mediocre. The waitress didn't seem all that interested in being there and it took forever to get my check (not so good in an airport restaurant). The food wasn't bad but wasn't great either. I got a ham and cheese omelette and the cheese was all I could taste. Potatoes had very little flavor despite being seasoned and somehow (really not sure why) the toast tasted blander than most. The price seemed normal for an airport with a redeeming factor being the amount of food you got for the price. I could have split the omelette plate with someone and been happy with the amount of food. read more

It's pretty much your basic grab a bite before your flight kinda place. Service was great, and prices are what you'd expect from an airport.

16.50 for a glass of wine. Ridiculous, can't wait till your closed for being so lame with overpriced drinks. I travel a lot so I understand airport pricing but nothing about this restaurant or airport should be this expensive. read more

Maybe it's because I'm a nice guy or maybe I'm just lucky. I've visited here multiple times and have had no problems. * Each time I have sat at the bar and the service has been just fine. * Each time I ordered the Ragin' Cajun Burger and it was cooked to order, juicy and tasty. * Each time the fries were hot and fresh. * Each time my adult libations were fine. * Each time I paid airport prices which were totally expected. * Each time it took a little extra time to pay which was slightly annoying but no big deal. When I visit the airport again I'll stop back here again! read more

A security officer in the airport clued me I that this is the best sit down place to work while eating. I got a roomy booth and was able to power up my laptop, talk on the phone, and eat a great lunch. I had the burger with American and cheddar cheese and extra lettuce. I am sad to report that I ate the whole thing! It was very good. Side salad a little wimpy. I got the greens with roasted tomatoes. The balsamic dressing was good. Overall a great airport meal and atmosphere to work. read more

The airport isn't that big so the food/beverage options are limited. Since this was the closest to our gate (actually to all gates) we settled in and just had a few drinks prior to getting on our "as always" delayed flight to Newark....ugh! Their menu options aren't extensive but we did sample their chicken fingers (actually pretty good...not too much breading and tasted fresh) and their wings (big, plump and again actually very good). The service was good as well. They did walk around with sample stuff as well which is always a welcomed treat. read more

Outstanding customer service by Lisa 137621 Lisa 117/1 HMSHost Max & ERMA's Dayton international airport November 24 2014 5:21 PM she made a real special Veggie order which was amazing. more than that She was prepared to give some extra napkin for my travel. She also gave quarters for the Tolls which i was going to go in Orlando, Florida All touch wood. Amazing and outstanding servive. I hope you can recognize and inform the upper management-this is True example of the good work and deeds. Check # 3753 table -117/1 november 24'2014 - 17:36 PM eastern read more

Horrible service here today. Instructed to seat myself and wasn't approached by a waiter for ten minutes. My requests were met with "just another couple minutes response". It took about a half hour to get a salad and nachos. At an airport that's even more irritating because you're trying to catch a flight. Food was mediocre. Nachos were over cooked. read more

Max & Erma's - Mediocre nachos - American Near Me - Vandalia, Ohio

Wings and fries were actually good. The one staff member working today was friendly and attentive. Prices are a bit high but that's what you get at the airport. read more

Arrived around 10am on a Monday morning. Not many people here. I was able to get my laptop fully set up and connected to the internet (which isn't a short process) before someone approached me. I ordered a breakfast sandwich platter. They only offer white, wheat, rye while I was hoping for sourdough. Also, asked for a coffee and water. It took 8-10 minutes to get these two things. While sitting here for 27 minutes still waiting on my sandwich, my flight was moved up to its original time. I have requested my food to go and my bill. She politely said yes and my food came quickly along with a to go coffee which was nice. Overall, the food is standard and service was not top notch. read more

You should never expect much from airport food, but dang Max and Erma! This place isn't worth it. The cost is high and the food is gross. I think there was a pond of mayo on my sandwich. read more

Slowest airport service I've experienced in my entire life. Appalling the airport even lets them operate. Don't come here unless you have hours to spare read more