After reading so many fantastic reviews on yelp I checked this place out. I hate to say this, but this was probably one of the worst meals I have had in New York. Well not bad, it is not good. I am crediting the great reviews to the fact that there are not too many restaurants in the Columbia area and that when compared to a typical college meal of Top Ramen this place may seem really really good. I guess I knew I was in trouble when they brought the bread and dip out to start the meal. The dip was some strange red sauce with no flavor, canola oil (instead of olive oil) and the bread was some sort of honey wheat variety (nothing even remotely italian about it). I ordered the swiss chard and sausage ravioli. It was ok, not horrible, but I couldn't make it through the whole plate. I think it is fair to say that The Olive Garden makes better italian food...... read more

Lakaton! Warm service. A bit cramped in the dining room, but wonderfully delicious pasta dishes that always feel interesting yet familiar. The lamb ragu here should probably go up on my Top 10 list of comfort foods. The Manager/Host is consistently warm and inviting. It's like he's welcoming you to his home. I like that. It's a CASH ONLY place and you should probably know that before coming here. It's worth the effort though, you won't be disappointed! read more

Been here many times and apart from the appalling acoustics and the cramped space I have nothing bad to say. Many times Max Soha has provided me with good cheap pasta, simple salads, and simple wines all at a good price point. In the summer you can sit outside on their makeshift deck and in the winter inside seems cozy and warm. The service is casual, fast and friendly. Not to sound too politically incorrect but sometimes I've been served by "casual" staff which is great.. I understand there could be legal reasons why the casuals are often not seen serving but if they can collect my dinner plate why can't they take my order.. I'm happy to see them taking orders and hopefully earning the tips. Be warned Max Soha gets packed when the students are in town. read more

Eating in NYC is always relatively pricey, but Max Soha has delicious Italian food for really reasonable prices. Check their specials when you come-- I usually ended up ordering one of those! Their seafood with black linguini noodles was delicious! :) No wonder I alway see my sister checking in at this place on Yelp. Glad I finally got to try it this summer! :) Also, if the weather is nice, you can opt for outdoor seating! read more

Nice atmosphere and very attentive staff. Some awesome homey Italian dishes that they have on the menu as well as among the specials. I would have given 5 stars if it isn't cash only. read more

I like Pisticci's for their light tomato-ey sauces, but Max SoHa heavy meaty sauces and home-made pastas are quite delicious. Lasagna is not bad either. I've not been impressed with their sandwiches and their non-meaty pastas - but this just means you have to know what to order. You don't go to Pisticci's for meatballs, and you don't go to Max SoHa for vegetables. They're less consistent than Pisticci's, but some of their good stuff is very good indeed. read more

2.8 stars You see a lot of grad students here, and for good reason. There aren't many great dining options in the area. I haven't eaten here, but I have attended meetings over iced tea. Not bad, read more

This place is cash only! So be prepared. I'd been wanting to come here forever and it's very close to my apt. But it had become one of those places where, when suggested, we happened to always find something else. When we finally made it here, we were sad we hadn't come sooner! The menu has a lot of good options and they have a decent amount of specials every night. The prices are good too (probably cuz it's cash only) and that was great. The pasta and cheese in the dishes is fresh and delicious. We had specials and I can't remember what they were but they were really good. Also the portion is decent and not overly large or small. I thought the service was really good too. Very attentive and knowledgable waiters. They have nice outdoor seating. Don't forget your cash! But it's worth it. read more

Small little restaurant... Food was okay.. got the steak and cod here.. nothign too crazy staff seemed a little slow and untrained. had to keep asking them to bring me water/butter and things i need read more

Their food is getting worse during past 3 years. I really enjoyed in the beginning but now I do not want to recommend to friends. read more

Max Soha Restaurant - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Oh wow, what a surprise! Tiny little restaurant, but big on flavors. Love their grilled fish and the mushroom salad, both were excellent. The staff was friendly and attentive which enhance the neighborhood experience. I honestly came here with not expectations, but left very satisfied and happy with the pleasant experience. Definitely a place to recommend on the not-so-pupular area. My only negative comment would be they are on a cash basis only, but besides that, go and try for yourself! read more

Love this place. My boyfriend lives in the area but had never tried it. We've been there twice in 2 weeks, and we both LOVED the dishes we got. Its a little small, which I guess is the downside but if you go during the week, its not too crowded and you can sit inside or outside. Reasonably priced considering the food is delicious. Haven't tried the desserts, they happened to be over-priced and nothing special listed. Service was great both times, 2 different waiters. Try it, its worth it. read more

Absolutely delish! Tasty, fresh, and cozy, this little bitstro is a perfect place for lunch or dinner in the Columbia area. I had a lovely meal with the lovely Heather H. The liver pate was excellent, as was my prosciutto sandwich, and I had a bite of Heather's ravioli, which was also quite delicious. Will definitely have to come back for a pasta dish one day/evening when it's not so sweltering. They had pesto gnocchi on the menu, which is perhaps my favorite food of all time, but I was just too weighed down by the heat order something cooked. read more

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Went to Max Soha for my roommate's birthday dinner last night and I have to say, the food is BOMB. This is a cute, little place blocks from the Columbia main campus--perfect for a date (dimly lit, intimate) or a small group. Prices are typical non-cheap restaurant fare ($10+ for entree). Service was good and swift, and our waiter was sweet (remembered my roommate from a year ago!) I'm not a big fan of italian food, but everything ordered among the group was delicious. Stand out d(el)ishes (ha, I'm not funny): Ortolana (whole wheat fettucini with tons of vegetable; despite having some chicken soup like hints, it's so good) and Penne al salmone (my roommate ALWAYS orders it because it's fantastic; would never suspect it b/c of the salmon, but it really is stellar). The menu seems to have some unique dishes (though that could just be my inexperience). Even the tomato/olive/olive oil dipping sauce they offer with the bread was killer too and I hate green olives! Ended the night on a perfect note with this creamy goodness they called cheesecake that had a wonderful strawberry sauce. Definitely coming again. Next on the list: my newest discovery of goodness, gnocchi. read more

As I recall, the food was really good. But also, and it pains me to sound so much like my parents when I say this, it was so dark in there I could barely see my plate. And usually, as a rule, I like to look at my food before I eat it. There's a fine line between "mood lighting" and "pitch black", and Max is on the wrong side of the fence. I'd suggest going before sun-down. read more

Very nice quaint location on the corner of 123 st and Amsterdam Ave, where to start , ahh the house wine both red and white were robust and flavorful, paired very nicely with the grilled calamari appetizer, next we had the lemon chicken with mash potatoes, very hearty indeed, a side of spinach ravioli left you longing for just one more bite, the salmon and chicken parmigiana were both crowd pleasers, will definitely make this a new most stop in place when I am in the area, highly recommend the pumpkin crusted pie and cappuccinos ! read more

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I love this place so much I will go over 100 blocks to eat here at least once a year. When my friend from London comes to visit, she makes it a point to "Max Soha." It really is a gem hidden in the neighborhood surrounding Columbia. The gnocchi is the best I've ever had. If you can catch them on a night when they serve their buffalo mozzarella and asparagus ravioli in butter sage sauce, do try it. And I hear the lamb ragu is just fantastic. I like the cramped seating inside. I especially like the outdoor seating in the summer. I do not like the lack of common sense among the Columbia folk, but what can you do? I choose to ignore them and focus on the glory of the food. And the copious amounts of wine I tend to drink when I'm there. Warning - CASH ONLY. read more

One dish: Lasagna Fatta In Casa. Has me swooning/drooling every time I think about it. A simple dish that's wonderfully comforting. read more

Located right above Columbia, I found Max Soha to be a cute Italian restaurant, though a little loud because the space is a bit tight. I had dinner here the other night and was impressed by the more than reasonable prices and quality of pasta. For dessert, I had my favorite, panna cotta with strawberries - which I loved. It was pretty amazing. My one complaint is that it's cash only. read more

Usually I like to check out places at least twice before a review, but I honestly had such a good experience here I gotta throw out some props. First off, the decor and ambiance pulls off a nice trifeCta of cozy, cute, and classy -- was here on like Monday afternoon I think, 3pm-ish. Atmosphere matters, ya know? Don't matter if it's Daniel or a dive -- if the aesthetics ain't chill the meal's gonna go down rough. The lady and I started off with some sangria (unique fruit combo, pleasant) and caprese apps (usual, with some fantastic mozz). She had a vegetable rigatoni and I a grilled salmon entree with mashed potatoes and some greens. She seemed to dig hers (I concurred) and as for my salmon -- it was seemingly nothing extraordinary, but all the tastes on the plate really meshed well and after the meal I was full and completely satisfied. We chased the main course with some dessert whose name eludes me -- vanilla gelato (was ice cream, far as I could tell) mixed with espresso -- think root beer float style. It was a nice cap to the meal. One of those outings where nothing really blew me away, nothing rang out as particularly de'lish -- but the nice space, our three courses, and chitchat with my wonderful company all blended together for a top notch late-lunch dining experience. I'll be back to update after Round #2!! read more

I absolutely loved this cosy, little restaurant! Two words: Lobster Ravioli. Need I say more? The price and ambience are just right for this charming little bistro that accommodates both Columbia students and local professionals and music students. The wine list was perfectly suited to the pasta and other entree selections. It hosts a very lively environment and is well worth the trek uptown from most locations. Classic Italian at its best. read more

The food here is pretty wonderful. I personally like the penne with fresh mozzarella and eggplant - the eggplant is always cooked really well and never too bitter. The gnocci is also gorgeous - light and fluffy - but they sometimes run out. The menu is pretty limited, but everything is prepared really nicely. And the location is wonderful - a little restaurant row on Amsterdam. On a nice day you can sit out on the patio - though this place does not boast a scenic view by any stretch of the imagination (just grad school and public housing). Inside can be really cramped as all of the tables are together. Still, the crampedness is tolerated because the atmosphere is pretty fun. Service is sometimes great, sometimes meh, depending on how busy the restaurant is. If you can tolerate squeezing into your seat, this place is a go. read more

Had wanted to try Max SoHa for a while. It's cash only but not a problem because their prices are very reasonable. We started with a huge portion of beef carpaccio. For the entree, I got the Fettuccine al sugo Toscano: the homemade meat sauce was rich, and the homemade pasta was cooked al dente, so it had a nice chew. We also got the chocolate mouse cake, which was divine! I definitely want to go back to try more from the variety of pasta dishes. Atmosphere was very cozy, attentive service; we ended up having a conversation with the table next to us, since they were regulars. read more

We're big fans of Max Cafe and had yet to make that big 1/2 block leap north to SoHa until recently. We had a really good dinner there. Table outside on a beautiful Sunday evening was prompt as was the service. The gnocci was very good as was the seafood, desert was split between the two of us before our bellies did. *NOTE* CASH ONLY when we were there. There are plenty of ATM's around if you need em though, just walk a block south to Appletree Market, it's open 24 hrs a day. We laughed at the "wine of the month" description that said "too oaky" figuring somebody left out the "not." Nope, it was too oaky, but hey, cheap wine is cheap wine. As another yelper posited, perhaps that's the "We need to get rid of this" wine selection. I still like Max Cafe better, they're obviously different animals, but it was a good meal that'd we'd go back to. It's pretty small, so you're probably better off with a group of no more than 4-6. read more

My favorite Italian place. They have a relatively small selection. But every single dish is so good that I keep returning there. Be sure to ask for the desert menu as well. Cash only. But prices are very low. On that note... I've lived in this neighborhood for six years. I've seen restaurants come and restaurants go. I've seen menu changes and price hikes at almost every other food place around Columbia. Yet, Max Soha has kept the same menu at the same price for the past six years! So thank you, Max Soha, for the surprising consistency and reliability in a city where everything is constantly shifting. read more

Hi all, This is as good as it gets in this neighborhood. It's not too expensive, and has impressive Italian food for the price. My boyfriend had some kind of weird meat dish (and I'm mostly vegetarian) and I had the amazing pasta with eggplant. Neither of us complained, which is honestly a plus. In addition, including a bottle of wine, our total bill was about 50 bucks. We both really enjoyed eating at Max Soha. Now, you could consider going downtown to an extremely expensive restaurant, but why would you want to? Alice read more

Love this place. My local Italian go-to. I'm loyal to ordering the specials...I've never had a bad dish there. Really affordable wine and food. read more

Had a really lovely dinner here. The wait staff was very attentive and helpful, frequently refilling our water and checking on us. The pasta was delicious and the vegetables were all super fresh. Really reasonable prices and good portions! I wish we could have gotten dessert but we were stuffed! read more

Came here after searching for a restaurant on yelp. Beautiful little Italian choice near university if columbia .Lassage, risotto, gnocchi are great dishes. Love it and will come back. However, too salty for us. read more

This review is way overdue. I had a business meeting over on Riverside Drive early afternoon on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend. Naturally, I was hungry for lunch. It was a lovely day, so I walked around, exploring, as I live in midtown, and don't get up here much. I ended up on Amsterdam Avenue & 122nd Street, and walked up to 123rd Street. I found this strip very appealing, quiet and charming. I first noticed Max Caffe, then I came across Max Soha a few doors away, I looked at the menu and inside (thought it was rustic, charming, and cozy), and decided this was the place for my lunch/dinner. The bartender told me cash only. I needed an ATM to get more money so I can comfortably order whatever I wanted. When I got back to the restaurant, it was about 4:30/5pm, and there was one table with two people. I sat at a table that was against open French doors, so I was very comfortable, and felt lovely breezes. I was now ready for a drink, and I asked someone for their Sangria, $7.95. This took a very long time, like 15/20 minutes, don't know why with only two other customers, and a staff of three doing stuff other than serving. Finally, the Sangria arrived, it was a small size, and it tasted like a Mimosa, it had too much orange juice for my liking. I ordered an appetizer, grilled Octopus with Pine Nuts (a special) at $9.95, it was a generous portion, and very tasty. For my entree, I got the Pollock with Broccoli Rabe at $16.95. It was also a generous portion, and it was delicious too. As I was eating people started coming in, and mainly sat at the tables outside. A number of reviewers mentioned it's very small here. It's small, but I've seen smaller places downtown, where rents are much higher. I would eat here again only if I were in the area. Overall 3 1/2 stars. read more

As a former Manhattanite who went B&T when i got married, I have lots of friends who did the same. One couple moved to The Jerz & we needed a place to meet in the middle for dinner last night. Since we were both driving, Morningside Heights seemed to be the quickest option. And Max Soha does NOT disappoint! :) Ambience: small space with the tables packed in, dark wood and brick, lots of windows, a very "cosy" feeling. They have outside seating with an awning (but if it's raining hard that won't save you). Also a bar with about 6 seats. Staff: couldn't do enough for us! It was our first time there & i felt like i'd been coming there for years. Older gentleman (seemed like owner) talked to us when we were at the bar waiting for our friends. He recommended some specials - then the bartender was very nice & relaxed (no snobbery here in any of the staff members!), and even gave me a little bucket for my white wine because it "wasn't cold enough yet". Hostess saved our table even though our whole party wasn't there yet. Food: good homestyle italian. Appetizers: goat cheese crostini with artichoke (2 lg pieces, very tasty & light). Prosciutto with buff mozz & tomatoes (excellent - the cheese was creamy and super fresh!). Grilled calamari (left something to be desired. Not rubbery but not the best we've had). Mains: Lasagna (it's Good but not Great. The noodles are too mushy & i like mine al dente. Comes in individual small "crock pot" & very filling. Definitely has nutmeg in it). Fusilli with wild boar & mushrooms (very tasty & actually light with a broth-like sauce). Special mixed seafood raviolis (2 ea of lobster, crab, shrimp in black ink pasta pockets - AMAZING!). Spaghetti with lamg ragu (delicious & hearty). Special dessert of caramel bread pudding was out of this world. Drinks: wines are offered in 3 sizes: glass, quartino (1/3 of a bottle) and a carafe. Of course there are bottles too. But a quartino of Cavit pinot grigio was only $9.95 and yielded 2 glasses! Beer selections is limited & in bottles. Pricing: their prices are incredibly reasonable for the good food and great service you get here. Apps run around $6 and pastas around $11 (see website for full menu/prices). You can do this rather cheaply. Or you can order lots of stuff like we did and walk out paying $130 (3 apps, 1 dessert, 1 coffee, 1 beer, 2 quartinos, 2 mains, tax and tip). that was just my husband & me. GO!! read more

Sweetest place!!!! Good food, great vibes and amazing service. Also the complimentary valentines day roses 5++++ stars (don't forget cash!)

I love this place so much! It's became mine and my boyfriends favorite Italian spot. The quality of the food is incomparable to anywhere around us and we are never disappointed when we go here. The staff is friendly and attentive and we always leave happy. I usually order the chicken Parmesan which isn't on the menu but they always make it without an issue and the mussels as an appetizer. Highly recommend those two items but even when I try new things It's always fresh and delicious. Forever will be giving this place 5 stars !! read more

My dad and I tried this place the other night for dinner. Just a couple of blocks away from Columbia, it seemed like a popular spot for the college dating scene. It's very dim at night and they use candles, so it seems appropriate. I went with the penne with the vodka sauce. I thought it was just okay. I prefer mine creamier and less chunky. My dad went with one of the specials, the Risotto Milanese- jumbo shrimp and saffron cream. He said he liked it, but I absolutely LOVED it. Creamy and very light. I would definitely go with that next time. We then shared a creme brulee. I thought the top wasn't caramelized enough and they used bigger sugar crystals or something, which was just hard to chomp on. Custard was nice though. CASH ONLY. read more

I've only been here twice in the past 2.5 years living here, but both times the pasta has been pretty on point. great pricing, but the cash only thing is annoying. if I had more time, I'd come back for the $20 wine specials! read more

Max Soha Restaurant - rigatoni with eggplant - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

This is a cute little place in harlem. The food was delicious. I ordered the Gnocci in marinara sauce with fresh basil and melted mozzarella. It was so die for. My friend ordered the fettuccine with meat sauce. Yum. A must try when in Harlem. read more

Max Soha Restaurant - Gnocci in marinara sauce - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

CASH ONLY went here for a celebratory dinner and had a great time. The service was really great and the meal was even better! $20 wine bottle special seafood cake as appetizer was pretty good Chef's special squid ink pasta with cream sauce and lobster was amazing Whole Branzino was also amazing and The green beans were perfectly cooked. All in all I loved it and will be back soon! read more

Table bread was dry and marinara sauce was watery. Ordered grilled calimari and it was inedible to both me and my friend. Tasted like rubber bands thrown onto a bed of lettuce. ** Be warned-- each refill of a fountain drink IS CHARGED! The glasses hold maybe 6 sips so.. maybe bring your own. My friend ended up getting 7 refills in these small glasses. Paid more for the drink than any of the food. Also... my friend had to leave to go to an atm because CASH ONLY???? What... Then, Was going to venture out on the entrees, but after the starters- I went with riggotoni in pasta sauce and my friend did the same. Delicious, but also near impossible to mess up. read more

This is one of my favorite cheap Italian places in the city. Sauces are always perfect-one of the few places I know that has mastered the art of not over-cooking gnocchi to the point where it becomes potato mash. The real trick here though is to pay close attention to the nightly meat specials--while the steak on the menu is nothing to get excited about, they often have great meat and fish dishes on that hard-to-read chalkboard in the back. Seating is cramped, which is often a problem(not as much as kitchenette a few doors down), but in the summer and spring the outdoor seating is the place to be. Great wine selection as well. The only thing that gets to me is something my girlfriend often mentions--the fact that you can see the standard barilla pasta boxes on the walls kind of takes away some of the magic. Cash only, but not an issue since there are tons of ATMs in the area. read more

Looooong time patron of Max Soha. The food is consistently delicious as the staff is warm and inviting. "Cash only" is quite the bummer in this technological age, but for the aforementioned service, I'm cool wit' it. read more