Mid Filipino fried chicken restaurant. My family used to love it. This is the first time I've been though in a long time. We got the crispy pata, lechon kawali and fresh lumpia. Everyone was disappointed by the skin on the lechon kawali being rubbery. The small portion of lechon kawali that came with the crispy pata was fine though. Each order came with its own specific sauces; The pata with a vinegar based sauce, the kawali with lechon sauce like mang Tomas and peanut lumpia sauce for the fresh lumpia. Service was fine but we told them we were waiting on 2 other people to arrive to order. They checked on us multiple times and we told them each time that we were waiting on them. It was obvious that they weren't here but they kept coming up to ask for our order. Then right after they arrived they asked for our order. They literally just sat down, give us a second. And it wasn't busy at all so there's no rush to get us out. Not an especially dirty restaurant but not really clean either. Dirty menus, sticky tables, def have to improve it. read more

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This actually might be the worst place I've been to in the longest time. The hostess was on her break (she said so herself) and was sitting in the lobby as customers came in. I agree that employees need breaks but maybe don't take it in the lobby... in your uniform.. while people are waiting and being ignored. We stood in the lobby for about 20 minutes while the employee was on break being ignored by other employees (bussers, servers). Finally we were seated and were ignored by our server another 15 minutes. The food was HORRIBLE. If you're coming for nostalgia, SKIP IT. You won't find it here. Chicken 2/10: This is supposed to be their specialty but the $10 fried chicken at Safeway us superior. Kare Kare 2/10: Luke warm, zero flavor. Garlic fried rice 4/10: How do you mess this up? Ask Max's. Pancit Bihon 3/10: Overkilled by the fake lime juice they drenched it in. Lumpia Shanghi 2/10: Taste like it had freezer burn and had been in the back of the freezer for 8 years. Pepsi 10/10: Ice cold, crisp, best part of the meal. Also, wtf is up with the restroom. It was DISGUSTING. Shut Max's down asap. read more

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Terrible service. Short staff! Fried chicken supposed to be Max specialty. It was overcooked! Dried and hard! Terrible terrible terrible!!!! read more

The first thing that should change is the customer service. From the beginning our interaction with the male server was already negative. The server seemed like he hated his job. His body language said it all ( the server wore a black polo shirt). As long have we as a family have been going there the caramel bar was given for free for everyone that ordered food. My dad didn't get one so I went back to ask if we could get another and the the guy that served us came to me and said I should charge you but this time I will just give it after I asked him about if everyone that got a meal should get one for free he than waved me off and walked away. I felt disrespected after we paid for bad service. I will from this point on tell everyone I know about my experience and will not recommend this establishment ever again read more

For starters, we ordered the chicharrón bulaklak, which was crunchy and flavorful--perfect when dipped in vinegar. The lumpiang ubod was also very tasty, especially with the rich peanut sauce. For the main dishes, we had the laing, which wasn't listed on the menu, so we had to ask if it was available. I'm glad we did because it was creamy and delicious. The crispy tadyang and Max's fried chicken were both good, though I remember them being even better when I was a kid enjoying them with family. The pancit canton was also enjoyable and nicely prepared. The crispy tadyang came with soup, but we weren't given bowls for it, and by the time we realized, we were already full--so we just ended up taking the soup to go. Service was great--friendly and attentive--and the food came out quickly. The restaurant itself is spacious, though the interior feels a bit dated. Still, it's a comfortable spot for a casual family meal. read more

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I agree that this place is pretty pricey. I think the best thing to get here is the Max's Chicken or maybe it's the nostalgia for me. The crispy pata (2.5/5) was not very crispy, very disappointing especially for the price. The pancit bihon (3.5/5) was decent. Again I'd really only get the chicken here. read more

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Foods good service is horrible.. there's no host to organize the wait list.. it's so unorganized people arguing over who's going next.. they need a better way to organize a waitlist so the customers aren't forced to fight each other to get in... read more

The food was good BUT the service was the worst I've ever been to. I understand it was busy BUT they were very disrespectful and felt like always on a rush. Will never go back here again not because of the food but because of the service. read more

Max's Restaurant - Milpitas - Filipino Near Me - Milpitas, California

Max's has been a staple for the Filipino community for a while. It was a bay area staple and home away from home for people. I give it credit for that. I have not been to Max's in over 20 years, since I was a kid. I firmly believe that food should be accessible and affordable. The person I came with wanted to eat here so we did. The pricing has always been super steep, I get they have to make money. Anyways to the food. We ended up getting sisig and pata. It was good. I have no complaints. The service was decent, but it was busy with only one server/host. read more

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If you like sour of tamarind, then pork tamarind soup is the good dish for you. It was a bit sour to my taste bud. Maybe because I am sobuse to Vietnamese sour soup flavor. However, the soup was still delicious. It had a lot of pork & varieties vegetables. The fried chicken was moist & crunchy. The sauge dish was also delicious. The staffs were friendly & often check on us if we needed anything else. A nice atmosphere for family dinner. I would recommend this place. read more

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We've been here about 3-4 times in 1 year's time. My husband craves for their chicken more than I do actually but the service is really good and fast. The staff are nice and very quick in responding to your requests. Their food is always good as well. We come here after mass at 11:30 am from St Johns so when we get to the place there is not a lot of people yet. We get seated right away before noon then place our order. After a few minutes, people starts piling up non stop and then after we eat by 1 pm they are full-packed already. We got the Karekare. Pork sinigang. Their fried chicken of course. Their pancit canton. Shanghai. And Lechon Kawali. I know it's a lot for three people but we want to take some home for our next 2 days meal lol. This feels like home that's why we always come back here. I recommend them when you are craving for some real Filipino food. I know I took some pictures but it's on my other phone. I will update my review once I find them. read more

Max's is a familiar spot, and it delivers exactly what you'd expect: comforting food that stirs up fond memories, even if the menu sticks to the usual options. We started with the Shanghai lumpia, a crowd-pleaser that never disappoints. It's a perfect choice whether you're looking for an appetizer or something to round out your meal. Max's prepares them skillfully, and they arrive in a creative deep-fried lumpia wrapper bowl. You *can* eat the bowl, but honestly, it's not the tastiest part--it's more for show than flavor. Next, we tried the pancit bihon, which was a refreshing switch from palabok. The noodles are thicker and moister, reminding me of Chinese long-life noodles. They pair wonderfully with the lumpia, creating a balanced and satisfying combination. Finally, we had the kare kare--a rich, peanut-flavored oxtail dish that packs a bold taste. It's almost too intense on its own, so pairing it with white rice is a must to mellow it out. The service was friendly and welcoming, which made the experience even better. I only wish I'd saved room for halo halo--the picture on the menu looked absolutely stunning, and I'm already looking forward to trying it next time! read more

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We came to this location for Korean food that is next to Max but we haven't been to Max in so long we decided to eat here instead. We ordered a lot for 4 adults and 3 kids. Leftovers for sure but everything was so delicious. The Bistek was ok for me and that's what I ordered. Everything is pretty much shareable. I would say that the Max whole chicken is a must. To me at first I thought it didn't have that much flavor because the way it looks but I think it was the most delicious item on the menu. Service was ok for me nothing to complain or brag about. There were only a few other customers but I guess since after the pandemic not a lot of people eat out anymore. They did look like they had a few pick up orders to go and they were setting up in the back for a party, it looked like because they were decorating with balloons. My star off is only because it was cold inside so after having halo halo it got even colder. Definitely a family style of food serving so remember to share. I would say they aren't hard to find because they are right by the freeway. read more

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Food was delicious and plentiful! The only downside was the Super Slow service but Im assuming they were understaffed since the servers were all frantically trying to keep up all of us customers waiting to order and eat. Nevertheless, I will still come back! read more

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The kare-kare didn't taste authentic--it used a different beef cut and lacked the usual tripe or traditional meat. Service was also disappointing; staff weren't very hospitable compared to other places. Paid about $90 for lunch (kare-kare, pancit, and half-order fried chicken), which didn't feel worth it. Wont be coming back anymore. read more

My wife and I stopped at this Max's Fried Chicken Restaurant and I was not disappointed in the food. I ordered lechon kawali,,, Filipino fried chicken and garlic rice. The food was fantastic, filling and comforting. However, the service was very subpar. I came in and the tables were still dirty, and the waiters acted like they were upset when we asked them to wipe them off. This location needs to work on cleanliness, service and friendliness. The only reason I'm giving it a three is because of the food. This location would only be rated a 1 if it wasn't for the food. read more

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No matter how skinny their chicken have become, there is no denying that the taste and crispiness of their fried chicken is still incomparable. Those chickens must have really built this house! IYKYK. P.S. I hope they never run out of banana ketchup (due to recent change in FDA restrictions). read more

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Great food. Wonderful service. Only downside is the tables in the middle are smaller. Something to keep in mind in case you order a lot. The halo halo is not as big compared to the one at other locations read more

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I went around 3 people and the service was pretty quick for us. I went on a weekday, so it was pretty quiet and empty inside. The lechon was delicious! The soup and rice was a perfect balance of savory and tangy. The dessert was gone in seconds... Anyways, it was pretty delicious and I would go again! read more

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Great filipino food and it's worth going for their famous chicken! Busy on weekends but it's always a nice place to stop by for lunch and enjoy filipino staples. Great food and easy parking! read more

We had a party today but I only have 26 guest but they charge me for 35. I was kinda dissatisfied with the service, especially the waiter was losing his patience to put the food on the table and we had to help him. Then when I paid, their gratuity is automatic to 22%. I was shocked, because I was not really going to give that much if the service was not good. I actually wanted to ask for the manager but they said was not around and Sunday is coming. I would probably not go to get a party here again as I felt that I got cheated on the bills. read more

Came here with 5 people for a family lunch on a Sunday. We were seated immediately. There were a few large groups during our lunch; it seems like a good place to celebrate something. We chose 4 proteins and two large plates of garlic rice. The food came out pretty quickly. Crispy pata: The size of this is massive! For $30, it fed several of us. We ended up with about half of it left. We enjoyed dipping it in the vinegar sauce. Tofu sisig: Never had a vegetarian sisig before but this was really tasty! The sauce coated the tofu. It was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Even my dad, who's a hard-core meat lover, insisted on getting this dish. Lechon sisig: Sisig is one of my favorite Filipino dishes of all time. This lechon sisig had a creamy sauce that was addicting. It paired well with the peppers and onions. Both sisigs came out piping hot--a spectacle for every table that ordered it! Lechon: Out of all the proteins we ordered, this was the one that we could've gone without just because it felt repetitive since we already had the crispy pata. I'm not the biggest fan of lechon sauce in general too. We had leftovers for the rice, lechon, and crispy pata, but ended up finishing the sisigs. We could've ordered one less dish and we would've still had leftovers. Next time I'd like to try their famous fried chicken. It was a great first time going to a Filipino restaurant in SJ! read more

IMO everything could be better. Food: Chicken Sisig: was too salty and hella bony. Beef Ribs: was ok but some ribs were pretty dry. Fried rice with lechon: rice was tasty but lechon pieces were too fatty. tasted like i was just eating fat. Chicken Mami: Kinda tasted like filipino chicken noodle soup. Enjoyed this dish. Overall, Ive had max's in the Philippines and this doesnt compare at all. Not that I expected it to be anywhere near in flavor but was hoping it would at least be decent. Prob wont be back again. read more

It feels like it's gone downhill since the last time I've been here with my family pre-Covid. The pancit was really salty and they've taken out the Filipino spaghetti from their menu. The meals like Max's budget are only available on the weekdays too which is too bad. The best thing to eat here is actually the pork BBQ skewers which aren't on the actual menu but is shown on the table. Service wasn't the greatest either so I likely will not come here again. read more

This location of Max's, and it seems like many other locations, gets a bad rap in terms of food and/or service. After a couple of recent visits, I'd say this place is fairly solid - good, traditional Filipino cuisine. I've had the Tadyang, House Fried Chicken and Gising-Gising. The Tadyang was really the stand-out - tender and tasty fried beef ribs...these were perfect with Garlic Rice. The House Fried Chicken was pretty good...I can't say it was spectacular, but if you wanted a fried chicken fix, this would satisfy that craving. The Gising-Gising was very good - a nice portion of green beans cooked in coconut milk...the menu didn't mention it arrives with pork, but I just ate around it. The service can be hit-or-miss, but on my most recent visit, it was fine. This restaurant has a casual feel. It's also good for groups since there's plenty of space. read more

I ordered their holiday feast bundle and was sadly disappointed with the food quality and lack of customer service. First, the bundled order was missing items, so I had to go back to the store. The worker said they forgot to bring out the other bag from the back, which I thought was not a valid excuse given my order was clearly labeled to have extra items. Second, the fried chicken was small, super dry, and burnt; there was hardly anything to eat. Third, I ordered mango juice on the side and was disappointed to find there was no taste whatsoever because the drink was very watered down. I tried contacting the store by phone and could not reach anyone--it wasn't even ringing. read more

Max's Milpitas was good, but I prefer the South City location. Milpitas is a bigger location and the service was great, but I would drive the extra mile for Max's when I'm craving it. read more

We love max food it's nostalgic to us Filipinos. The problem comes to their system, they will suddenly says their card system don't work, I had a bill of 400+ and I told them we don't have cash, they "tried" the system again and they said it really don't work. Then I ask everyone in my party for cash ( that's soo embarrassing and humiliating on my part since I throw the gathering and would like to treat them) we manage to collect 300$ then they took the cash and magically credit card worked for the remainder of the balance instead of using the card first they really want cash for monkey business purposes. ( Take Note This happen multiple occasions just so happen the other times it's just my family soo we didn't think much about it) We all know what their real motive is. We just don't know if it is from the management/owners instruction for sales taxes purposes or what. Really sad, not gonna be surprise they close soon coz of this. read more

Ive been eating here and the customer service is so bad..im calling out the manager..this afternoon i ordered bangus sisig and miki bihon..the bangus came first and then i waited and waited and waited..i noticed that two more tables of family got their order except mine..i already finished eating the bangus and still nothing came.i talked to the waiter and said five more minutes which they forgot to cook my order..the waiters and waitress are so unprofessional..they need to be trained..im so mad i almost throw the drinks in the table.after a long day of work this is what u experienced in thiis restaurant.mahiya naman kayo kapwa nyo pa pilipino..mga bastos kayo.. read more

Paid $112 for their Thanksgiving Feast Bundle and... yikes. One tiny lemon on the pancit, sinigang that was basically flavored water, and soggy lumpia/chicken. Only the kare-kare showed up for the holiday. read more

Max's Restaurant - Milpitas - Filipino Near Me - Milpitas, California

This was our first visit to Max's in several years! We had a very pleasant experience as we had a friendly and courteous server take care of our party of four. The food came out relatively quickly and the dishes were delicious. Our favorites were the garlic rice (I know, it's hard to get wearing), Max's famous fried chicken, the pancit palabok and the Shanghai Lumpia served in a "taco" shell. read more

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I have high expectations with Max's since I first tried it in the Philippines. when I moved to the bay, I was really looking forward to eating here since we don't have it in my state. Sadly, their chicken here is nothing like the one they sell in the Philippines, where you don't need to add anything to enjoy the chicken itself. the crunch is there, but the taste is lacking. I also wanna add that the chicken was not juicy or even moist at all. You can do better than this, Max. Till next time! read more

Food is mediocre and expensive. Not worth the price you pay. The fried chicken is dry and the crispy pata was overcooked.

Came here for a family member's birthday because she was craving some fresh lumpia but they were sadly sold out of fresh lumpia for the day. We got the chicken, lechon, pork sisig, kare kare and pancit canton. Everything was decent, but none of the dishes beat my family's own home-cooked food. The menu prices were surprisingly very pricy. $7+ for a single scoop of garlic rice is just not worth it, and the other dishes were even pricier. The fried chicken was the best part of the meal, but I do not think I would come back just for that. The service was okay, and there is plenty of indoor seating. Overall an okay meal, and I sadly will not be returning as I do not think it was worth it. read more

First of all, the filipino ambience really shows when entering the restaurant. I'm in love with the fried chicken that they serve all the time. Also the sevice is good. Overall the filipino ambience, the servers and the food is just like going to the philipines yourself. read more

BAD SERVICE! Bunch of unethical crews! While savoring our meal, with our surprised, one crew got up from his seat and all of a sudden curse on top of his voice! (smh) And please, don't let the terrible awful odor from your restroom reaches the customer table! It's was sooo bad that we have to rush out!!! We miss coming here. We miss the food, especially the famous Max's chicken but if this is the kind of service patriotic customers like us will be experiencing now unlike before, NEVER AGAIN! read more

We visited on a Sunday and had a big appetite! We ordered the Lechón Kawali sisig and it was delicious and savory! The pork was very crispy and chewy and delicious mayo and lemon flavors with the fresh onions balanced well! I also loved the chicharrón bulaklak the acidity of the vinegar balanced well with the fatty richness of the pork! The Kare Kare was really good as well, it was a light sweet and peanut butter flavor stew paired great with the beef and Bok choy and eggplant! I do wish the Kare Kare had a deeper flavor. The staff was attentive and friendly and it was a family-friendly ambiance. read more

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I don't eat out in regards to this cuisine often so my comparison is from beloved family and friends' home cooking. Yes, I get mistaken for Filipino and I have many great Filipino friends. I see this place rated pretty low as of this writing. I feel this establishment is underrated because my experience here was nowhere near 2 stars. In short, food taste is around 3.5-4.5, service was excellent and my table didn't wait long for our meal. Executive Summary + Fast seating on a Saturday just before noon (5/5) + Simple menu with most Filipino favorites (5/5) + Waters served to the table in a bottle allow me to keep chugging away on a hot summer day (5/5) + Prata instead of the lechon was an excellent choice as it was crispy and tender (5/5) + Max's whole fried chicken has a light crisp that looks dry from afar but far from dry as it was juicy and tender inside (5/5) + Kare-kare has lots of oxtail pieces but I felt like it lacked the peanuty or secret mama's seasoning/flavor that I'm used to at Tito's house (4/5) - Garlic rice was not very garlicky to my standards and I felt the rice was on the lower quality end (3/5) - Miki bihun or was it pancit mixed noodles? Anyhow it just lacked any flavor and nowhere near as good as Tita's pancit (1/5) After a round of golf this food came fast to order. I have no complaints about the service. I'm still not sure why it's so underrated. Maybe someone just ordered the pancit bihun? It's located on the corner of a Filipino supermarket (Seafood City) and many other Filipino options which explains how fresh their prata tasted. It is a little pricey but so is all of Silicon Valley. After a nice meal, you can do a little grocery shopping for all of your Asian ingredients. read more

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About a year ago, my wife and I dined at Max's Restaurant on Landess Avenue in Milpitas. We really enjoyed the food and service, but when it came time to pay, we were told their card reader wasn't working and were directed to an ATM near Seafood City. Last night, we returned with family, and surprisingly, the same thing happened again after a $299 bill. Two visits, a year apart, and the card reader just happened to be down both times? It's hard not to question whether this is just a coincidence. I hope management looks into this issue. It affects customer trust and convenience. read more

Disappointed with the beef Karen kare, not worth the $26. They should change the name to "vegetable kare kare" lol. The kare kare has barely any meat. They just added bones and too little meat. Chicken is dry. Chopsuey was okay. read more

Max's Restaurant - Milpitas - Karen kare, chopsuey and whole Max's chicken - Filipino Near Me - Milpitas, California

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