I'm not into fancy food but it was actually very good. My boyfriend and I went for homecoming night and I was very pleased. I had the lemon oregano pasta which was amazing. My boyfriend had the aurora pizza which was not the best pizza ever but it was still good. They were out of a lot of beverages. We had the best waitress. She was super friendly and quick. Her name was Margaret. I definitely recommend this place for a nice night on the town. read more

Jenni and I loved everything about our visit to Max's Brick Oven. When we arrived we were really impressed with the decor of the restaurant. The exposed brick and art work was urban and chic. Our server, Jacob, was incredible. He made us feel welcomed, as if we had entered his own home. Since this was our first time dining at Max's, we asked for meal suggestions. Jacob suggestions all sounded delicious, so we decided to try them. We started with the Shrimp de Provence. It was amazing!! We thought that the shrimp was some of the best we have ever eaten. Jacob brought us some bread with the absolutely best dipping oil. I wish that I could have purchased a bottle of it- so good! Our entrees: Brick Oven Salmon and Steak Forestier. The Salmon was lightly covered with a delicious wasabi beurre blanc. The salmon was cooked to perfection. The Steak Forestier melted in my mouth. I am a huge fan of a ribeye steak and this one was absolutely cooked to perfection. We couldn't leave without having dessert. We had the New Orleans Bread Pudding and the Creme Brulee. Both were exceptional, but the New Orleans Bread Pudding was over-the-top. We totally recommend that you dine at Max's Brick Oven. If you are lucky enough to live in Paducah or close by then you should make Max's a regular on your dining out schedule. If you are just visiting to Paducah, then you need to make sure that you include Max's in your plans. Thank you, Jacob for providing amazing service! Jenni and I look forward to visiting again! read more

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Very good pizza, service and stories about the history of the building. The back of the menu explains how some features were found. Prices are reasonable. We enjoyed our server and the bartender knew how to make our cocktails. Our server had the perfect balance of friendliness and professionalism. We would return and this is on our "favorites" list. read more

This was our first-time back here since our rehearsal dinner sixteen years ago. We had the pot-stickers for an appetizer, it was just okay. Not much different than the frozen ones we fix at home. The Steak Forestier and seafood pasta were also good, but nothing amazing. Great selection of beer on tap, busy night. Service was average, but the wait between appetizer and entree was a bit long. The atmosphere was busy and loud, but that was expected. It wasn't as good as we remember it, but maybe our standards have just changed. read more

Awesome place. Great atmosphere! Great food! Great waitress (Dallas)! I recommend it to everyone.

Cute courtyard, friendly service. All entrees come with bread, olive oil and spices. Ahi Tuna and Chicken Marsala were the big hits in our group. read more

Chose to eat lite tonight: house salad and brick oven pizza with sausage. Delicious. House salad with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing that was classic with the appropriate bite. Pizza is a brick oven thin & crispy. Excellent and lite. Had a by the glass Cabernet ... No idea what it was, except smooth. Excellent choice. Recommend. read more

Max's Brick Oven Cafe - Pizza Near Me - Paducah, Kentucky

We had such a nice dinner tonight Amy and Jess were super friendly, the food was awesome, the atmosphere was relaxing. Visiting from Maine for Quilt Week. We will be back! read more

One of the best restaurants anywhere. Great food served and prepared by a great staff!

Appalled at the manager. We had been looking forward to a pleasant meal as we traveled. We made a reservation. My adult son ordered something that didn't suit his taste. Instead of offering to make him something else the manager insisted we had to have the same dish remade or box it up to take home. (We we're traveling and couldn't take anything home) We were not allowed to have something made of a lesser value and pay for the meal he ordered . The manager was not someone you would have wanted to be a role model for one of your children . Miss this place in your list it does not hold up to the promise and you might be threaded by raging manager. All our meals were spoiled by being intimated by the mean and rude manager. We paid our check and had to go somewhere else. I guess the manager takes home the meals of people he bullies away. We are an elderly couple and I nearly called the police. read more

Great food and atmosphere. We had a reservation and walked right in to a table. We love trying new places when traveling and I'm this was a definite win. read more

Our waiter was very good as was the French onion soup. On the negative side, we stood for about five minutes before a hostess appeared, and that was several minutes after a man who appeared to be a manager/owner came up to the hostess stand, looked at a seating chart, and said absolutely nothing to us. We each ordered a pasta dish. The shrimp lemon pasta was watery and pretty much tasteless. I had to ask for some Parmesan, hoping to give it some life. Didn't help. The vegetables in it were tiny chunks of bland veggies. My companion ordered a different pasta dish - very little flavor, chicken was like pre grilled frozen strips, watery pasta. Definitely overpriced for what we got. Maybe we should have tried their pizza. Ambience in the outside area was nice. read more

Greek Chicken was so good! It was different than traditional chicken dishes. The wilted spinach that was served with it was delicious. Wilted yet crisp. I was very pleassed with this dish. read more

This place was a complete disappointment and way overpriced. We arrived at opening, 5:00 and they definitely weren't ready for customers. You could feel the stress and intensity in the air and the manager was snapping at the hostess for seating the patio. We started with the crab cakes and those were the best part of the meal. We asked for an alternative side to fries and they told us to sub broccoli would be $3. We decided to do it because we wanted our son to have a vegetable. I ordered the smoked salmon salad and it looked like the mound of salmon on top came from a can. My partner's hamburger looked like it was from a frozen box, cooked well done when he ordered medium and the 75 cent extra cheese looked like a Kraft single. No ketchup or mustard insight. Broccoli came out cold, no butter, salt, or pepper on it and looked like it'd been microwaved and sitting out for an extended period of time. The wine tasted cheap even though it wasn't priced cheaply. The label wasn't listed on the menu only said "vintage". With tip our meal was $70 and the quality of McDonalds. Although my partner and I said we would have been better off going to fast food for better quality food. read more

So disappointed... We showed up at 8:00, as per our reservation. We waited at least 5 minutes for the hostess to come to the podium. When she did arrive there was no smile, no greeting. She checked us in and seated us. Destiny was our very pleasant waitress. She took our order and then proceeded to tell us that there was a large party in front of us and we may need to wait for our food. She supplied us with bread and crisps to help tide us over. My husband had ordered a Caprese salad as an appetizer. That arrived and was fresh and delicious. My son ordered a house salad. I was told that was tasty, as well. The two pizzas and pasta entree that we ordered never arrived. Destiny was aware and kept checking on the status for us. After an hour of waiting from the time we ordered we flagged the hostess down and asked her to inform our waitress we just wanted the check. She said she'd look into it. She never came back. We finally were able to inform Destiny of our decision to leave on our own and she apologized profusely. Destiny checked on our food and told us that our food was just finished being prepared. We thanked her but still asked for the check. When we finally left it was after 9:30. We ended up having ice cream for dinner instead. I had heard so many good things about Max's. It's s shame we didn't get to experience it the way we should have. read more

Max's was delicious! The Chicken Marsala was possibly the best I've ever had. It has a very nice casual atmosphere on the patio along with a more formal setting inside for a special occasion. I will definitely revisit this cute cafe when I'm in Paducah again. read more

In here with a big group and the staff took great care of us! I had a little bot of the garlic shrimp appetizer - very good pairing of flavors and textures. One bite with lemon, wine, garlic, parsley and very fresh shrimp on toast which added a nice crunch. Tried a mussel. I really like mussels when they're well prepared and fresh. Slightly off-putting that at least one of them didn't open yet it appeared at the table. Great broth! I had a Greek salad and found it good but not great. It really would have benefited from a slight punching-up. Nothing wrong with it but nothing special either. I opted for a pizza for dinner. Italian sausage, mozzarella, fontina, artichokes, roasted garlic, peppers, onions, tomatoes, Marsala parmesan cream sauce. In short, there was a lot going on. Unfortunately, the crust was relatively flavorless and bland. The sauce had a great flavor that paired well with the sausage and the artichokes. The peppers and onions seemed to have been made well before the pizza and were slightly oily as a result. I probably should have ordered a steak. Most of my co-workers had steak and they looked a good deal better than what arrived in front of me. Also, they were very well received. read more

I thought I yelped this place back in March when I was here before, but I guess I didn't. Oh well. Four stars ya'll because I know I'll be back again if I'm in the Paducah area. But hey, we could have went to Whalers, but no, we want Max's!!!!! True, the environment and ambiance is astounding, but that's not a word I usually use. I ordered a delicious caesar salad appetizer and a parmesan chicken sandwich with fries. Fries were ok, but the sandwich took a bit to eat because it was well stacked with thick pieces of chicken. I liked the small amounts of cheese because the chicken should be my main taste bud, not cheese. I did have to take out the large pieces of tomato, but that comes with my territory. The last time I was here, I ordered the four-cheese pizza or maybe the margherita. There personal pizzas are nicely sized, and thick crust and crunchy. I like-ah-da-crunch-munch. If you're in the neighborhood, check the wall of faces!!!! read more

Absolutely a great restaurant. Will definitely go back to this little gem. Great food and service read more

Max's Brick Oven Cafe - Jambalaya - Pizza Near Me - Paducah, Kentucky

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Had an absolutely wonderful dinner here last night. I was craving a burger and the love of my life had the Rigatoni with truffle oil. The rigatoni was very good and I must also say that the burger may very well have been the best burger I've ever had! I don't remember one that I enjoyed any more. Patty was our server and she was wonderful. One of the most attentive and personable folks we've met in a long time. I will always try to go back when she's working and always make sure to be seated in her section. read more

Our favorite place for dinner while visiting recently. Excellent service and ambience. We loved the Aurora Pizza!

Many many thanks to Stacy Brown and Max's Brick Oven Cafe in downtown Paducah, KY for a truly incredible dinner to round out my recent trip to the Bluegrass State. The patio setting on, quite arguably the most perfect weather evening of the year, did not ddisappoint as the evening's meal exceeded even high expectations. The warm goat chess and mushroom salad was incredible (kudos to the chef who created such a masterpiece) and the stuffed flounder special was both very fresh and fantastically paired with a 'farm to table' succotash where the added effort really showed to one who truly appreciates such efforts over and beyond the pale. To one who lives so close to the gulf, it always impresses when a staff goes the extra mile for fresh seafood so far from its source. But the piece de resistance was, without a doubt, the dessert creme brulee. I live within 2 1/2 hours of New Orleans, the undisputed French dessert capital of the country, and that, undoubtedly, matched or bested any I've ever had in my life. Absolutely prefect, and your staff did well to not hesitate in recommending (So good it mandated two pics in my review ) read more

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Don't go here for the pizza if you like normal pizza. This is very specific specialty pizzas. They don't have pepperoni or your other topping you would normally put on pizza. Neat place, friendly staff, very limited menu. read more

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I've grown up coming to this restaurant ten years and the first time I came back December 2020 as an adult I was extremely disappointed. Our waiter acted like he didn't want to serve us (avoided us, ignored our table) and then to top it all off, when we received our chocolate cake the top was MISSING. Just straight up no frosting and ganache on top AT ALL. It was laughable. The cake was still delicious but I felt like we were really discriminated against because we were dressed nicely, but not fancy like some other customers. And in regards to COVID, they had little to no efforts in place. People were crowded around the bar (which we were unfortunately seated next to) without masks and no one was social distancing. Our waiter had his mask beneath his nose and no other customers were wearing masks but us. This was a truly awful experience and I do not recommend coming here. I hate to say that after they've been such a big part of why I love my hometown but I it's safe to say that after this experience I will never be visiting again. read more

We are here for the next four days, and I can definitely see us eating here every night. Cedar plank salmon is to die for. My friend ordered the pasta xxxxxx (can't remember the name) dish with salmon, shrimp and mussels. Amazeballs! Don't miss this place on your next stop in PADUCHA read more

Max's Brick Oven Cafe - Salmon and multi fish pasta, forgot the name but amazeballs! - Pizza Near Me - Paducah, Kentucky

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Great atmosphere, outdoor eating at its finest. Both cocktails were refreshing. The house salad and dressing was very good and light. My main dish of Jambalaya was delicious and had the right amount of spice. Topped off with the cheesecake at the end. This made my birthday a great memory that I'm sure to repeat. read more

If I could make this ZERO stars I would. Very unprofessional. Canceled my rehearsal dinner of 50 people 7 days in advance for no reason one day after advertising for groups of 30-60 people. How embarrassing and unprofessional. If you want good food and service, McDonald's is the way to go. read more

Have gone here twice since May. Nice selection. Get the creme brûlée here. It's wonderful.

This was by far the worst dining experience I've had in years. Prior to arriving I was really excited for what is now likely to be my last visit to Max's. My prior experience here had consistently been 5 stars: When I visit Paducah I look forward to a dinner at Max's. Usually, the food is fantastic and the delivery prompt. I had thought of it as a Paducah gem and would recommend it without reserve to folks. After last night, I don't think I will ever eat there again. Last night, we arrived at 7pm and ordered two appetizers and two entree's promptly. 30 -40 minutes later our first appetizer arrived (spinach artichoke dip, which was very good). 30 minutes after that our second appetizer arrived (mussels, which were also tasty). 45 minutes after the mussels my steak arrived. It was severely undercooked, not just rare but cold in the middle (I had ordered medium rare). I sent it back and it came back 5 minutes later cooked properly. However, it was terrible. It tasted like there was no seasoning ever applied; just a hunk of raw meat applied to the grill. I ate a few bites and then told our server it was terrible, because it was. Our poor server: Vanita was wonderful. She spent the evening visiting her tables apologizing for the delay that everyone appeared to be experiencing. This clearly wasn't her fault as she diligently apologized to us and those around us and hoped that folks would give Max's another chance. We never saw a manager approach our table or any of the other patrons tables to explain the massive delays or to apologize for what was obviously a disastrous experience for the diners mumbling complaints and staring at the kitchen perplexed as to what the hell was going on at this place. It is offensive and unprofessional that management of this place didn't seem to care. Also, my wife's chicken was burnt. What happened to make one of my favorite restaurants in the world fall apart? read more

Max's does Italian right! From dinner to desert (trust me and save room) each meal is excellent. Even if you're not a huge fan of Italian you don't want to miss out on this place. I recently had their house special which was a delicious steak, mashed potatoes with southern corn and their creme brûlée for desert. The meal came out in a timely fashion with excellent service. You can't beat their customer service here. I also ordered a few drinks from the bar (which were perfectly crafted btw). I've never had a bad or even mediocre meal here and I'm confident in saying this is one of the top restaurants in the area, if not the best. Also, Max's has a nice outdoor seating area that is great for a mild summer night dinner. read more

We were wandering around downtown Padacuh and must have looked hungry because we had two different people say out of the blue and unsolicited that if were looking for somewhere to eat then we should go to Max's, "you won't be sorry" we were told. They were right, we were not. We sat outside on the beautiful patio, sipped from their very nice selection craft beers, and looked over the eclectic menu struggling to decide on what to order. We ended up choosing the pot stickers and the aurora pizza for starters and were thrilled with both. The pizza was very thin and very crisp with just enough mozzarella and fontina to be cheesey but not enough to overload the crust. The pot stickers were well seasoned and had the perfect amount of chew and crispness. Our entrees were equally good and the service we received was great. All in all this is one of the best eating experiences you can get in Padacuh, make it a point to stop by if you get a chance, you will not be sorry you did. read more

We ended up eating here on our last anniversary. They seated us without a reservation without any delay. The service was courteous and attentive in a good way (no hovering). The food was GREAT! I have been trying to find a restaurant with a decent chicken marsala for years and this was absolutely the best I've had anywhere in the midwest. It came with a small salad and a portion of brussel sprouts cooked with bacon and well spiced. I usually hate brussel sprouts and I found myself cleaning my plate. My wife had the mussels and she too, loved every bit of her meal. Perhaps the only part of the meal that could have been improved on was the creme brulee. The top was perfectly brulee'd, but the custard that should have set was rather liquid under the crust. The taste was still great, just the texture was unexpected. read more

Our favorite anniversary spot! I love the menu selection, and the indoor/outdoor seating options. I've had excellent service at every visit, and have never been disappointed by any dish I've ordered. Great atmosphere for a date or a girls' night out. Love their brick oven pizzas, but everything I've eaten there has been heads above the out-of-the-box restaurants in the mall area of Paducah. Watch for dessert specials throughout the year - I had an amazing three berry sorbet that knocked our socks off - and it was made fresh that morning from fresh berries. the waiter recommended it and he was spot on...delish! read more

Definitely a must when in Paducah! The seating in the patio area was so romantic. Our server Alexis made us feel special on our wedding anniversary!!! Food was phenomenal. We knew we had to eat there when we walked past and smelled the aroma of their pizza oven. Check it out everyone! read more

Decent food, awful mussels!! It has really went downhill

Spinach dip was good, but our pizzas were not. The crust tastes like a cracker and toppings were not noteworthy. My husband had a mint julep which was ok though they did pull the mint straight out of their garden. We also tried the creme brûlée which was good but nothing particularly stood out about it. Overall just ok. read more

Max's is one of my favorite Italian restaurants in Paducah. They have the best tasting pizza made in their famous "brick oven." Max's is one of the more elegant places to eat in Paducah. The patio is a very nice place to enjoy a meal. They also have a nice bar inside. It is very close to the river, so you can take a nice stroll after a great meal. read more

Extremely disappointed with this place. I heard good things and was wanting a good brick oven pizza. It was limp and kinda room temp. Maybe we got it on an off night, but they still took my money. The cooks looked like a couple of teenagers waiting to go on break. Not too trustworthy. read more

Max's never disappoints. It had been a couple of years since we visited. It is always refreshing to revisit somewhere and see it mostly unchanged. it is still just as wonderful as before. The bread basket with soft bread, locally made crackers, and dipping oil is reason enough to come in! We called on a whim around 730 on a Saturday night and they were able to make a reservation for us for a little bit later. The male host working was EXCELLENT! we grabbed a drink in the outdoor bar, had a wonderful meal in the covered patio, and left happy! The service was seriously top notch that we experienced last night. it was much appreciated! Get a drink, share a salad, and order the steak! We hope to return sooner than later! read more

Heard decent things about this place. But all o got was VERY VERY over priced food with small portions and just par flavor. The artichoke dip is sadly better cheaper and more filling at apples bees than here. The food was two pieces of pasta the size of a large racial and a pile of greens uncooked, unseasoned, and had no dressing. All for $18 Never again. Want great homemade food go to ITALIAN GRILL ON BROADWAY. Better prices and better food and ALOT more choices. read more