I give it a 3.5 Definitely plan on returning. Only reasons why not a 4 was because I didn't like the mix greens salad (flavor-less dressing) and my husband (who doesn't really like fish, but keeps trying) didn't really like the sand dabs. I ordered the Ravioli and they were DELICIOUS! I sprinkled on the parmesan cheese and it was perfect. Sauce was delish. So, yes, we will be back and my hubby just needs to order some meat. The service was excellent. And we liked the lounge-y music. Very nice restaurant. read more

I have to give Max a so-so rating because my wife and I split severely; otherwise it would merit an extra star: I enjoyed Max's thoroughly; she disliked her food to the point where she questioned the quality of its preparation. Max's is run by a husband and wife team. I like that. The space is charming. Not fancy. The menu is far, far more extensive than Passionfish (about which we also disagreed, in the opposite direction). My tri-tip pot roast was more-than-enough for dinner, and really satisfying with a good glass of cabernet. However, my wife's sand-dabs left her with the taste that they'd been pan-fried in old oil. They were not great nor buttery, as L.J.'s were in June. Ms. Max told us that Max had used olive oil; perhaps that was the problem (not a great choice for high heat pan-frying -- Peanut oil, canola, even butter would have avoided the old-oil taste). And she said that they would have used butter if we'd asked. I like a kitchen that accommodates diners. I'd encourage any Pac Grove / Monterey / Carmel visitor to stop in to Max's and give it a try. Really. It's clearly a better value than the other restaurants in Pac Grove and vicinity, and we didn't mention the Sand Dabs -- and only mildly, then --- until we had finished. read more

If you're looking for a really high quality meal this is the place! We walked in and thought it was a bit sleepy but we were wrong. I had the grilled dab fish and it was some of the best fish I've ever had (a pretty difficult fish to cook). My friend had the ravioli with mushrooms and it was incredibly creamy. The mushroom soup was wonderful too and service was very kind and quick. So good I had to come out here and leave a review. Check it out if you're in town!! read more

Ate here for Thanksgiving dinner last minute when a nearby restaurant messed up our reservations. I hate overselling things, but the food my wife and I had was AMAZING. I realize we were eating off of a special holiday menu, but it was obvious this chef knows what he's doing. We asked to talk to him after our meal because we were so grateful a potentially disastrous night was saved by this excellent meal. He came out with and was incredibly humble. It turns out he was classically trained in Paris and Tokyo. If you're in PG, overlook the toned down atmosphere and treat yourself to this great find. read more

We ate at Max's Grill last night and we were just bowled over by the food, ambiance and service. Best cioppino ever, hands down. I had the prix fixe dinner with the sand dabs and they were cooked to perfection. They're a flatfish related to a flounder, hence very thin and easy to overcook. Max is apparently the only cook in the kitchen and clearly takes great pride in his work. Will definitely be eating there again whenever we're in Pacific Grove. read more

Disappointing experience this time. My shrimp was over cooked. Service was extremely slow. One of my guest felt the chicken was also overlooked Unfortunately an expensive disappointment for all. read more

We came here for Thanksgiving dinner and brought a party of seven. We received the worst possible service. We didn't get a drink order for over twenty minutes and the table next to us got there entree 15 minutes earlier than us and we arrived 20 minutes before them. So, I got the traditional thanksgiving dinner and the turkey was super dry and the vegetables were cold probably because they were sitting there for a long time. I should have sent it back, but was so hungry I ate it. My dad got the salmon and it was pretty good. The worst part is you had to pay an 18% gratuity because of the party size, when he deserved maybe 7%. Best assure, I will never come here again ever. Pick someplace else if you are going for a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner. read more

We went to this place because of the good reviews. However, it was a big disappointment. The food was decent. But the service was horrible. The lady that serviced us was very inattentive compared to other tables. When we ask if she can take our order for dessert, she replied by saying "maybe". When she returned with our bill, instead of handling it to each of our parties, she laid them on the table and said "ok take it yourself, I need to clean". These are just two of the many bad services that we experienced from this lady. In contrast, the male waitress there was better. read more

We were there for the Early Bird Special, we both got the cream of mushroom soup, he got the fillet mignon and I got the sand dabs. We both enjoyed our meals (except for my rice pilaf...it was left behind). The fresh bread and balsamic/oil dip was delish! read more

Lamb shank was delicious as well as the bread pudding special. Service was friendly and took care of us even though the restaurant was fool. They also didn't bother us while we were talking and eating which was a big plus. read more

Simple, clean and elegant cuisine. I relocated to Monterey a year ago and I am happy to rave about this little gem of a restaurant. The decor is tasteful, the food is wonderfully prepared and the service is the absolute best experience I've had in the Monterey area! read more

Let me start by saying the webpage sets up quite a story. We went tonight and first ordered the pork spareribs. They were excellent, fall off the bone perfect with an Asian flavoring. I had high hopes for the rest of the meal. However, when looking at the menu, most of the items were of the meat and potatoes sort. I was hoping there was an unmentioned Asian French twist. When we received or meal everything was as described: meat and potatoes. It was good, but I was expecting more. Service was excellent, prices were ok, decor was dated. Overall we'd go back for the pork spareribs for sure. read more

Excellent! Crab cakes were great, Sand dabs awesome. Prix fixe menu was a very good deal. My son enjoyed the pasta dinner. Definite recommend. read more

The name of the restaurant is a little misleading. With the name - Max's Grill - you'd think they would be serving just burgers and fries. In reality, far from it. Inside are white tablecloths and cloth napkins. The food was prepared extremely well and presented beautifully! The service was prompt and personable. (I had a lovely chat with the wife of the chef and, I think, co-owner.) read more

Amazing food and great service. We came in on a slow evening and were unsure in the beginning as we were the only guests. Don't worry if it's not super busy on a weekday. The food is just great. We had the homemade ravioli and the fish, just delicious!!! read more

We discovered this place while in Pacific Grove on Yelp and took a chance on it. We were so glad we did. I usually don't care for mushroom soup but the one they served there was unbelievable and I was sorry I didn't order it for myself. I got to have a taste from my husband's order so that's how I knew it was absolutely delicious! The calamari steak was done to perfection with a great wine sauce and capers. My husband had the sand dabs and they were quite delicious too. We really enjoyed the atmosphere and the location was easy to find. It wasn't crowded and I really like the coziness of this restaurant. read more

Well this was one of worst experiences I've had in awhile. The only reason for the one star is because my duck was actually decent. Everything else about the experience was terrible. The bread was dry and rock hard. After the waiter "complimented" our excellent choices he disappeared for the next 30 minutes. Chatting with the the table that came after us and who somehow managed to get their food before us! This is one of the worst things a restaurant can do to a customer - especially in a small setting. It was so obvious even the table commented on it. I finally had to go and ask where our food was. No apologies from the owner who seemed more interested in the table she served first. When my entree came out the only hot thing on the plate was the duck - not the potatoes, not the veggies, and certainly not the ravioli. Cold pâte would have been great with some delicious bread and cornichon but not in a ravioli. I was so disappointed I couldn't even finish my food. Never again. read more

Wonderful experience! This was our 3rd time having dinner at Max's while visiting Pacific Grove -- this time with another couple. The service is gracious and super friendly (it's the chef's wife). Shrimp rolls, Butternut Squash, Chicken Piccata, Mushroom Soup, green salads...everything was well prepared, fresh, and delicious. The Prix Fixe menu at $26 is a great deal. We really couldn't ask for a better restaurant experience. And as we were there mid-week, it was uncrowded, and we appreciated the low noise level. We will definitely be back again. read more

I went to Max's as part of a large party. There were roughly 20 of us and everyone ordered from the regular menu. Service had style and was knowledgable. I had the Duck Our Way and a cup of mushroom soup. The duck was amazing. Tender and cooked to perfection. I pride myself on making some of the best mushroom soup. I was not only blown away but felt like asking for the recipe. Wow! Great job. Not only is this a great restaurant but they excel at serving large parties. Yes, I would recommend. read more

We ate at Max's for the 1st time this Wednesday and again on Thursday. We obviously enjoyed the Grill immensely, since we returned the very next night, and there are so many restaurants in the area. We give raves for the chicken Alfredo, the Caesar salad, and the ravioli. This is an outstanding restaurant, which we highly recommend. read more

It's given when dining here you're paying a premium price for the food and the service. With that said, I was hugely disappointed because I didn't get either, especially the service. The food was so so, and the service was the worst part. The waitress, I believe she is the owner, pretty much ignored our party of 12 throughout the whole night and gave more attention to other parties. Seems to me she picks and chooses who she wants to serve because she's the owner. Bread took a long time to come, and she never checked on us to refill our water. To top it all of, she charged us 18% gratuity for her terrible service. Will not come back, ever! read more

Wow - great food and service. I had the breaded calamari steak. It was so tender and flavorful- in a piccata sauce, served with roasted potatoes and fresh veggies. This is a Truely unique dish, prepared by a talented chef. My wife had the ravioli which was hand made and exceptionally excellent. First time having fried dabs- so fresh and delicately fried. The place is run by a husband and wife team that really knows the restaurant biz. Outstanding experience!!!!!! read more

Amazing service and a very upbeat attitude by the owners. Great service paired with great food is all you can ask for.

We took our own advice and went back there for a Thanksgiving turkey diner. Good advice, this place is consistently great in food, service and atmosphere! read more

Woudl have loved to have gone back for a second helping on subsequent days, the sand dabs, crab cakes and sald were great. I want to try the cioppino! read more

I was pretty impressed with the food & service. We dropped in to the largely empty Max's Saturday evening on a whim. We were greeted & seated promptly. Other than a couple oddities regarding the menu (e.g., the "catch of the day" entree was a different fish if you ordered off the prix fixe menu), there was a pretty good selection from which to choose. After difficult deliberation (the special salad containing figs & mozzerella was mighty tempting!), gf ordered the Sand Dabs & a side salad, and I the " freshmade ravioli stuffed with porcini mushrooms and brie cheese, topped with herb butter sauce." Both were served with asparagus (which I love, in spite of a certain after effect), and the fish came with rice (a boring rice at that). There was a sweetness to the mushrooms in my ravioli that was a bit off-putting at first, but as I dug in further, I really started to enjoy my dish. I tried & liked the sand dabs, but the gf wasn't as enamored with them as I was. (The light breading did fall off the fish quite readily.) Note about the salads--while the dark green lettuce mix was beautiful & fresh, it might be nice to include something more than the lettuce, two slices of cucumber, and one cherry tomato (split in two), especially when the salads cost extra on top of the entree price. Sadly, while tempted by the Pistachio-Hazelnut Chocolate Mousse Cake, I had no room for dessert. Note--it's nice, for a change, to go into a restaurant where the din is not so great that you have to shout for anyone to hear you. I highly recommend Max's for a quiet & peaceful romantic dinner (though any loud talkers--and there was one there on Saturday--will be noticed). read more

So. Fucking. Good. Good quantity, quality and price is spot on. The service is attentive and kind. Wine recommendation was great (Pinot noir from a local vineyard) too. We had: the duck, rib eye, pot roast, spring rolls, mushroom soup, butternut squash raviolis, and creme brûlée. Everything was perfect. Highly recommended! Super close to the Monterey aquarium as well so don't go to any of the dumb tourist restaurants. This is the place. read more

We LOVE this place! The spring rolls were crazy amazing good!!! Just the whole meal! Fabulous!

Went back to Max's during our fall vacation--remembered it as a good place to get a mostly enjoyable meal and a great Caesar salad for a song. BUT! Our Caesar's were wilted and tired, obviously premixed, in comparison to the fresh, carefully made salads of two years ago. And, worst of all, the delicious cioppino gave me one of the worst intestinal attacks,ever. The next day of vacation was seriously hampered! Reluctantly, we have to cross this one off the list. Too bad--the owners are so appealing. read more

The mushroom soup was excellent, as was the Brie and mushroom ravioli I ordered. Our food was attractively plated, as one would expect with French inspired cuisine. Clean, attentive wait staff,would go back. Crème Brûlée was scrumptious, and now my memory of how the dish should be prepared. read more

Warning: Do not use their on-line reservations!! I do not usually take the time to write negative reviews. I usually just vote with my feet. However, I am making an exception this time. I found myself in an unusual situation this Thanksgiving, alone and in Pacific Grove. I had made reservations several days in advance for dinner at Max's, knowing everything would be booked or closed for the holiday. I was very pleased to be able to make reservations on-line for a 5:30 fixed-price Thanksgiving Dinner. When I arrived, they did not have my name, and the place was predictably busy. I told the hostess that I had made my reservations on their website, and after 15 minutes of "let me check", I suggested I purchase a Thanksgiving meal to take out. It certainly seemed like a reasonable option, given the real shortcoming was an seat for me. The hostess (owner?) told me that was not possible because the kitchen was too busy. "We don't do take-out." Wow. On my own to find Thanksgiving Dinner even though I had made reservations using their site. BTW: Safeway roasted chicken 15 minutes before they closed that night was my salvation. read more

Excellent. Crab cakes best ever. My wife had salmon special with pesto. Moist and cooked perfectly. I had tempura sand dabs also great. Waiter, Mathew was fantastic. read more

French-American restaurant with a Japanese chef. Love the ahi tuna appetizer!!! I had the salmon and scallops in pesto/butter sauce with a sprinkle of lemon. I would normally want my salmon cooked rarer than they did but it was definitely moist.Yum! I tried my husband's sand dabs and it surely melts in the mouth. Great customer service! We'd definitely go back if we are in Pacific Grove again. I like this town! Less chain restaurants or none? read more

Well, I must say, I was a bit surprised by the reviews. They say high marks but I have a different opinion. First off, however, the service was wonderful. Our waiter was attentive and friendly. The food too, was very delicious. Maybe that's all you need in this review. If you're looking for good food and service this would be a good place. The restaurant, however, was not in great shape. Shabby decor, unsightly ceiling tiles, stained table cloth and more made me feel like we were in a freshly upgraded dive. Also, the pungent fish smell was unappetizing upon entering. It wasn't that fresh fish market smell, but that pungent rotting fish smell. Not nice. We stayed because all else was booked due to holiday, but I wouldn't go back. read more

This was a rather serendipitous find. We saw this on a pamphlet at the place where we were staying. The chef's credentials looked very impressive so we gave it a try. We had the Bistro Fillet Steak and the Sand Dabs, both of which were just right on delicious and the portion was very generous; we were famished when we arrived from having traversed over 12 miles on foot during the day, but we couldn't finish our dinner! The bonus was the price! Arrive there between 5PM and 6PM and get the Sunset Menu with a soup or salad and one entree for $14.95. So, if you could control yourself and not order the wine and other dishes, you could have a superb dinner for next to nothing. But good luck on not ordering anything else! We had the Hawaiian Mango Moose (Chef Max's signature dish) with coffee for dessert. Yummy!! Service was also wonderful and warm! Since I don't drink, I don't really have an opinion on the wine list. My dining companion said that though it was a fun list consisting of mostly local wine and was very affordable, it could be better. But then, one could always bring one's favorite wine and pay corkage. It was a very nice experience at Max's. We'll definitely come back. read more

Max's is exquisite with stellar service. I was going to get one special, but when I realized it had cream, I had to change my order. Our waiter, David, was so nice and helpful. Because I changed to the housemade butternut squash raviolis and spinach salad, he suggested I get the prix fixe dinner. I did and enjoyed the scrumptious Hawaiian mango mousse as well as the delicious raviolis and salad. The price was very reasonable. read more

Wanted to try a place new to us and Max's Grill fit the bill. Located host off Lighthouse, it was easy to find. We arrived at 5:00pm when they opened for dinner. Parking might be a problem later in the evening. We shared mushroom soup which arrived quickly with bread. The soup was very good; earthy tasting with small pieces of mushrooms in a brown broth. Fiancé had tempura sand dabs. 4 large pieces perfectly breaded and deep fried. Moist and tasty. I had cioppino .It was loaded with mussels but only a few shrimp, fish and not enough broth for me. I prefer a more tomato based sauce and this was more of a saffron flavor. Overall a good meal and prompt service. read more

Been to a lot of restaurants in this area over a forty year time spread. Used to travel to Monterey for an annual conference before retiring. Dined in lots of places, some no longer in business. I think our dinner at Max's tonight was one of the best well rounded, delicious and enjoyable meals we have had when in Carmel/Monterey and Pacific Grove area. Two couples. Everything was really excellent. A Sea Bass special, a crab cake special, a blue cheese topped ribeye, and my wife had two appetizers for dinner (Delicious raviolis and some absolutely amazing spare rib) Everything was excellent. The starter spinach soup and Caesar salad and bread were excellent (I asked for anchovy and they provided) Our banana bread pudding deserts were wonderful. The Creme Brule was not the best my wife has had but a solid B grade. To say we were pleased was an understatement. Didn't try the wine list as we brought our own from Dark Star winery in Paso Robles. (Best Reds in Paso in our opinion) Noise level was very quiet.( We love the Rio Grill but the noise level can be deafening so your call.) All in all a wonderful finale to a Carmel area vacation. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to dodge the tourist places. read more

The dining experience at this restaurant was horrible. The Japanese lady who runs the place was rude and impolite. Their spring rolls aren't even close to what real spring rolls are like. They were super greasy and sweet. We ordered seafood of the day, Wild Salmon, for our entree, and it was overcooked and bland. Same with the sand dabs. The dessert was of equal quality, if not worse. The raspberry mousse tasted more like pudding with artificial flavoring. And did I already mention how unwelcoming the japanese lady was? Could've cooked a better dinner, especially a better salmon dish, ourselves. read more

We were really excited to go to this place when we had taken a day trip out to Pacific Grove. We never got to taste the food! They refused to seat my group (of 4) even with the whole restaurant being basically empty. I'm pretty sure it was because we were younger than the 7 people already dining there. When they turned us away we just went down the street to a place that had decent food and a much friendlier staff read more