Nice, chill place for an after-work drink. I like that you can take your drinks outside and sit by Hanover Square. I was at Maxwells for a private event a couple of years ago and enjoyed it immensely, so I went back recently to get a drink. They have a nice bar front and a nice party room as well. Drinks are averagely priced but are good. The staff are a little weird - when I walked in, a male server told me immediately where the bathroom was, and looked confused when I said I wasn't here for a bathroom, I was here for a drink. With the exception of the woman working behind the bar, I was the only female in the place. read more

Super chill, laid back bar in the heart of Syracuse! The menu is long and their specialty cocktails all sound delicious for summer. I got a basil strawberry martini and it was super refreshing! Unfortunately the basil was extremely overpowering and there was little to no strawberry taste, keep that in mind if you plan on getting one! We got the nachos for a little snack and they're were definitely loaded!! The toppings were mostly great, the chicken just tasted super fake and chewy. The bar tender wasn't the nicest and almost seemed annoyed that we were there :( don't know if I'll be coming back. read more

Maxwells - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Syracuse, New York

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My fiancé and I had our engagement party at Maxwells in their private event room. I honestly can't say enough how incredibly wonderful their staff is. Right from the start Maria was so accommodating and helpful. They made sure our night was about us. The food, drinks, and service were outstanding. From all the decorations, food displays, Photo Booth, lights, and all the little touches they did for us really made our night so special. We are so happy we chose to have our night there, it will be an amazing memory forever! If you're looking to just have dinner, drinks, or want to have a private event/party Maxwells is 100% the place to go to! read more

Maxwells - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Delightful space for any event! Love the staff and homemade food -- y u m Attentive and friendly staff makes Maxwells and A+ spot! read more

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I hosted a bridal shower at Maxwell's in their event space and I cannot say enough how great of an experience it was. Maria was beyond helpful, friendly, and so easy to work with. The space itself has a beautiful ambience, and the food was remarkable. I would definitely recommend this place and would host another party there in a minute. read more

Always a great time here. This was the 2nd time for our company Christmas party. Enough room for 120 people. Food and drink were slamming. Nonstop brick oven pizza, boom boom shrimp to die for, pretzel rolls, and of course chicken wings. Staff were amazing putting up with such a large crowd . Bar service was fast and efficient. They know we will be back. Maxwells is always a great place as well to just come and have a nice dinner. Come check them out. read more

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Wood-fired pizza is 1/2 price at Maxwells during "Mangia Mondays." What goes better with beer than pizza? At the moment, NY regulations mandate that you must order food with alcohol, and you can't go wrong with a cheap and delicious pizza. I ordered the Margharita. The crust was thin, and the pie was about 10' diameter. If you're just snacking or stopping by for a light dinner, the pizza is fine to share. If you come hungry, then I recommend ordering your own. The sauce was flavorful and the cheese was perfectly melty. The crust wasn't burned either, which tends to be a hazard with wood-oven pizza. A friend and I dined outside. Had to briefly go into a restaurant to notify the waitress of our presence, though I'm sure she probably would have noticed us if we sat ourselves. There is plenty of outdoor seating with well-spaced tables. Hanover Square makes for a pretty view, too. Would totally eat outside again even once social distance regulations lift! read more

Maxwells - Margherita Pizza - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Syracuse, New York

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I had such a wonderful time at Maxwells bar. The atomsphere is amazing and feels like a throw back to old irish bars with charming lighting, beautiful wooden walls and plenty of seating. The owners, Pete and Maria, were wonderful and very accommodating. read more

We walk into maxwells, immmediatly are treated poorly. The guy working was very hostile towards us and rude. The food came...was not good. Wings were like popcorn chicken, bacon did not look normal, chicken sandwich was more like a chicken tender on bread. The ladies working there were very nice but the guy was not. Would not eat here again. Don't recommend. read more

Went there for trivia. Food was excellent for bar food and the prices were very reasonable. Was a bit busy but didn't take long to get a bartender's attention. They have a small cocktail menu but the drinks on it sounded good. read more

The staff is terrific. They have good pub food, wings, pizza and burgers are the ones I have tried. It has a neighborhood pub vibe

I came here for a holiday party and enjoyed the atmosphere, drinks and food. The waitresses were friendly and were accommodating with my specific drink requests (I wanted gin and grapefruit juice). The best thing I had here were their wing. It was meaty, crispy, and not hard/chewy/shriveled or subpar. I was impressed by the quality of their wings. I also had some pizza, a white Russian with a Fireball twist, and a few other food items (I cannot remember what they were...). A traditional white Russian tastes better than the white Russian with fireball but I liked the creative flare. They have a dart board in the back and a rack for coats. The back area is lounge-like and has a couch. They have tall tables and bar seating. The interior is pretty small. They are available if you want to host private parties. The food here was surprisingly good. read more

Maxwells - White Russian with fireball on left. IPA in back - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Exceeded expectations! I came for restaurant week 2019 and was pleasantly surprised to find that dinner was $25!! They sat us on the cozy, rustic restaurant side of maxwells- away from the buzzing bar... which I never knew existed! Started with their pinot noir... great wine for a mere $6 per glass. I then tried their parsnip and apple bisque which was really tasty- not too creamy or overly sweet. Next was the utica greens stuffed mushrooms (per the recommendation of the waitress) and they were great; really nice flavor, not greasy. For my entree, i opted for the cajun blackened tuna which was just a bit too under-cooked and over-salted for me. The edamame succotash and sweet potato slaw were the highlights of my meal! The customer service was top notch... very friendly waitstaff and hostess. They offered me a new entree when they saw that I didn't enjoy my tuna... opted for another glass of wine as I was already so full! Had never considered dinner at maxwells before restaurant week but would definitely come back for another meal. read more

First time eating here, and it's for Dining Week. We had tried to get a reservation, but they were booked. They did, however, suggest to arrive early and they may some tables for walk-ins. We arrived close to 5pm and was able to be seated right away! The hostesses were friendly. The decor was nice. We enjoyed our food - House salad, Thai Shrimp (shared), we both ordered the Short Rib (smaller portion than I was expecting), and tiramisu (shared). Our waiter, on the other hand, wasn't that attentive. He would ask how our meal was while walking away from us. The food was good. We would come back again. read more

Maxwells - Short ribs special for Dining Week - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Syracuse, New York

I had a baby shower for my daughter at Maxwells this past weekend. I can't say enough great things about the space, the staff and the food. It was a beautiful venue, very cozy and casual. The food was great! I'm still thinking about the chicken parm days later. The staff was so easy to work with. Maria made the planning a breeze with great communication and the day of, the staff was very attentive and took care of everything, All that I had to do was enjoy the party. I would highly recommend visiting Maxwells and especially consider them for a party. Thank you all so much for creating a memorable experience that we will cherish! read more

Maxwells - a woman standing in front of a buffet - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Syracuse, New York

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Great place for trivia on Thursday night, but the bartenders (specifically the guy in the glasses with brown hair and a guy with tattoos) were extremely rude to us. For absolutely no reason. Other customers felt the same way, so much attitude and we were very nice and polite (and sober)!!! I never have written a yelp review but this was crazy. He is essentially driving customers away. It was 7 pm and he was rude. I don't know how or why he has a job there to be honest. read more

I have only been there on Tuesdays for open mic night. The breadth and depth of the musical talent on Tuesdays is staggering. In my experience it has by far the best assembly of musicians anywhere in CNY. With respect to the food, I gave had the Mirelka brick oven pizza and the spinach/artichoke dip. Both were phenomenal. The bartender, Katelyn, is gorgeous, wonderful and a great sport. read more

Had a wonderful graduation party for my son at Maxwells. Maria was the most accommodating event manger I have ever worked with. She was flexible beyond words and made so many special touches to make the evening even more memorable, things I didn't even ask her to do. The ambiance of the event room was amazing and we really enjoyed the food and drinks. So glad we chose Maxwells!! read more

Came during dining week. Menu selections were very diverse. Had choice of three entrees. Service was good. Salad was tasty. Pork chop was prepared very well. Not dry but flavorful. Had the lemon squares for dessert. Perfect ending to a tasty meal. Ambiance was great. Will have to come back again. read more

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HUGE fan of Maxwells. It is a great place to start the night. Tuesdays there is live music/open mic night. Must see: the bongo man he is amazing. Thursdays there is trivia which gets pretty packed. Def come early to get a good spot or else you will be stuck standing. $3 fireball shots. The vibe is pretty cool/chill. The crowd is def young professionals with the occasional older folk during the week. On the weekend it is more so the young professionals. Especially because it is separated from armory square which seems more likely for college students to frequent. Maxwells has def become my top 5 fave bars in SYR! I highly recommend. Shout out to Jo our fave bartender. ALMOST FORGOT TO ADD: if you are hungry order the CBLT with chips. read more

Maxwells does something which I feel is very brave for bars to do... that is on Tuesdays starting at 9pm; they have unfettered open mic night, we have been checking them out for the last few weeks on Tuesdays and was surprised at the calibre of the music, which tends to cover the spectrum of modern, archaic and eclectic music and it actually blows my mind that it's free. But what really blew us away, was this poet (yes I said poet) who has been reading at theses open mic nites, he is absolutely phenomenal, in that he reads with such passion and power that's almost indescribable...from his very first words spoken, which has the immediate effect of silencing the bar, to the wide range of subjects that leaves you crippled in your places wanting more... Yes open mic nite has never let us down it, has become our new Tuesday night destination. read more

We came over to grab some drinks, it was a few of us, the male bartender with the beard and long hair is super rude!!! You should get rid of him!!!!! Makes that bar absolutely not worth my money! He shouldn't be in the costumer service when he has no matters and is an asshole!! read more

Went here the other day for the first time for a work happy hour. Really enjoyed the overall vibe of the place. Great happy hour specials on Wednesdays, and the bartenders were super attentive even though we had quite a large amount of people with us. Will definitely go back! read more

The last time I visited Maxwell's, the bartender was beyond drunk, she was messing up ever drink, kept breaking bottles. It took 25+ minutes to get a drink which was disgustingly wrong, and when she remade it came out even worse. This had been before Covid, so maybe they changed? read more

I had my welcome party for my wedding here and Maria was very responsive and helpful. We were able to have the whole space the whole night. I was able to try their homemade pretzel, and it was really good. People were happy and had a good time. read more

This place went from 3 stars to 6 stars. We went in for restaurant week. Sat down around 815, ordered off of their restaurant week menu. Our waiter, Justin, came back and told us that they were out of one of the items and to pick something else. So, we did. He came back a few minutes later and told us that they're basically out of everything and handed us a pub menu. We ordered some pizzas, burgers, wings. Then he came back, told us they're out of pizza. Feeling a little annoyed at this point, and I'm the kind of person that would only complain if the waiter didn't show up to the table for a half hour. Anyways, we order our food. During this whole mess, Justin is very apologetic of course. We understand that it's not his fault. He comes back yet again, but this time, tells us that they found some pizza dough left, and demanded that the pizza maker save them for us. He gave us 3 pizzas, on the house. The owner/manager also bought us a round of drinks, our choice. He came by after our meals and gave us all $25 gift cards for all of the hassle. This is the kind of situation where the waiter and the owner don't really NEED to make the situation right, but went way out of their way to make sure we were satisfied. Kudos to Justin and the owner for basically paying for our meal. Pub food (burgers, pizza, wings, parm garlic fries) was 4/5 stars. Service was 6/5 stars. Will be coming back, and I live in Buffalo. read more

Went to Maxwells for dinner last night with a friend. We sat in the restaurant side. When given our menus we were confused as it was different from what we saw online. We asked the server and he said the restaurant and bar have 2 different menus, but he gave us the bar menu as well and said we could order from either. I had a glass of Malbec that was smooth and perfect. My friend had an IPA draft on the servers recommendation and was very happy. We order Duck Wings to start as we were intrigued. The small order came with 3 wings which was perfect. I have never had duck before, it was very tasty. The sauce had the perfect amount of heat that built to almost the limit when the sweet side kicked in. They were great. For our meal we order the special, steak sandwiches. The very tender steak was served on ciabatta bread with mozzarella, spinach leaves, and some sort of horseradish sauce. I'm not a huge fan of horseradish so that messed with the flavor a bit too much for me. The sandwich was served with fries that were possibly the best fries I've ever had. Super crunchy and delicious! We also ordered the Samba Shrimp to share. They were shrimp tossed in a "bang bang" sauce. The sauce was good, but the shrimp were just ok. We were the only people in the dining room when we arrived, and the slowness must have thrown our server off his game. He forgot some things and just seemed out of it. But, he did correct issues immediately when asked and was very friendly. All in all, it was an ok experience. I won't be rushing to go back, there are too many other places to try that will probably be better. read more

We tried out Maxwells for dining week, so I cannot comment on how it would be going for a casual drink at the bar, watching a game (they have many TVs!), etc. The restaurant itself looks nicely renovated, you could tell the staff was still getting their feet under themselves, as it was very busy, not very many tables, and waitresses were running around as well as the manager trying to take orders, buss tables, bringing out food, etc. Parking downtown is always a challenge as well. We made a reservation two days before, checked in, got seated, and my husband got a phone call 30 minutes into our meal asking if we were still coming. Not sure what happened there... If you are going for dining week, currently their online menu still says the pubsteak is available as an entree, but they've run out - that was a disappointment! Not sure if they will be re-stocking for the rest of dining week(s). It's possible my expectations were a little too high for the restaurant, but if they're going for higher end pub food, I think it's okay to be critical: 1. The tortellini soup was excellent - tender and cheesy tortellini, tomato based soup was delicious. No issues, would order again. 2. My calamari was very tender, but soggy. The opposite of what normally happens - i.e. too much breading, overly crispy because it's bread! I'm all for having less breading on the calamari, but generally, you want your calamari to be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. My dish felt like someone had either let it sit too long before bringing it out, or somehow, too much moisture enveloped the calamari before it got to me, or it wasn't fried well to begin with. Whatever the reason, it overall tasted fine, the marinara dipping sauce was great, but it just wasn't the best crispy calamari I've had. 3. Burger - Pros: It definitely was a generous sized patty of meat. I asked for it to be medium and it was medium. Cons: One side of my burger was very charred - I still ate it, but if you can't stand charred food, be warned! Also, I'm not sure what type of buns they're using, but they felt like normal Wegmans style hamburger buns that were grilled/toasted - definitely NOT substantial enough to hold up the meat patty. In fact, when my burger arrived, the entire bottom bun was smushed flat/soaked through - it seemed like someone didn't pat off excess grease/juice from the burger patty, or they let it sit on the bun so long before serving it to me that gravity just took effect and the bun was so spongey it soaked everything up and just caved. - as for the bacon on it/cheese on it - nothing special. Not thick cut bacon, thin slice of cheese. Max sauce I asked for on the side just to test it out. 4. The fries - probably the best part of the meal, besides my soup. Very hot, crispy, fluffy on the inside, sprinkled with salt and parmesan? Also of note: my husband ordered the petit filet entree - his "truffle fries" looked/tasted exactly like my "hand cut" fries - so I'm not sure what the difference was there. He also asked for his to be medium, but told me it felt more like medium-well. Overall, again, it's possible my expectations were a little too high - but if they were aiming for a more fine dining feel, especially during dining week, rather than just being a pub, there is definitely a need for improvement in some areas. If you are just going for decent pub food too go with whatever you're drinking/to watch the game - it's probably fine! To be fair, both our server, and someone who I believe was the manager asked if we were satisfied with our food/if everything was okay - I didn't have the heart to tell them all my issues with the burger, because it was still edible, and they were so swamped/ I could see people waiting for my table - that I just let it go and didn't raise my issues. If we come back, it won't be with the expectations of finer dining! read more

Why isn't there an option to give no stars? This place sucked so badly, we wondered how they are still in business. The waiter actually told us that the chef just quit, so they were having trouble in the kitchen. WTF? We should have left immediately. Service was insanely slow, though the place was not that crowded (on a Wednesday night) - we got the impression that they were severely understaffed. The food was mediocre and pricey for what you got, and one of our dishes was wrong. Not only would I never go back, but I would warn friends not to bother. I'd be surprised if they lasted past the end of the year. Just to be clear - Maxwell's has a pub side and a dining side, we were eating in the pub. The dining side has a more extensive menu and, for all I know, is amazing. read more

This bar was a nice change of scenery. They've got some good beers on tap. Meatball sliders were very good. Burger was OK. I'm looking forward to returning. read more

I was looking to enjoy my nieces last time in Syracuse. Honestly, this place ruined a great time for me. The owner did not know who was coming in and out of the bar to account for open tables. Poorly organized. Once in the establishment , the bartender for the night was very prejudice. He did not know the protocol for COVID, accompanied by piss poor customer service skills. The establishment does not know the policy for COViD-19 and arbitrarily invites people in based on color of their skin. The etiquette and service was incompetent. Quality is not important to this establishment and the way they treat their persons of color is uneven. Very poor experience here. Sadly, I cannot bring myself to spend money here. I will not step foot in the place again.Sad to see businesses treating people this way during the jaws of so much racial turmoil. read more

We just had my daughters wedding shower at Maxwells. I cannot say enough about the outstanding service and food. Maria was so attentive and was quick to answer any questions I had prior to the event. She was very welcoming and made the day even more special. The food was delicious and all of our guests agreed. Thank you Maria for the excellent service. We are so glad we chose Maxwells for my daughters wedding shower. read more

It was OK. My beer was a little lukewarm and funky, my wife's drink had a little bit of a aftertaste like maybe the cup hadn't been properly washed... both a little underwhelming. Had to wait a few minutes before being served while staff talked to their friends and walked past us. But eventually got served by a very nice woman and had a decent time. Would probably give it another chance. read more

Maxwells has gourmet level food! Healthy with a twist. A pleasant surprise to Syracuse dining. We felt like we were in NYC with incredible service and delish food! A must try! read more

Avoid. The place is loud, the owner rude and the expensive food mediocre at best (and I am being generous). I went to enjoy my evening and the atmosphere was uninviting. The menus were greasy and the glasses smudged. Not a great start. Homeless people asked me for money. I got a shrimp appetizer and a pizza. The shrimp was saturated in grease and the pizza soggy. I spoke to the owner and he was rude rather than responsive. I will not return and cannot recommend this place. read more

We regularly stop at Maxwells with visiting guests and enjoy their food and atmosphere/patio (in summer). The portions are good sizes and the service is excellent! I highly recommend their brick oven too! Another interesting aspect of this unique pub is the private event space which is a cool space for parties. read more

We went for our first time for a trivia night. The trivia was fun, the drinks/selection was decent, and the staff was nice. We ordered a pizza and a chicken quesadilla for food. The pizza was decent, about what you get everywhere else in Syracuse. The quesadilla was easily the worst I've ever had. The meat was super dry and it had no flavor. Probably will not return. read more

Had dinner and drinks at Maxwells last night! They were off the chain great. Loved the service and yes it was very busy..it was dining week. I started with the Italian wedding soup this had to have been homemade ..it was simply delicious, then had the rice balls and finished with an generous steak entree. Honestly, I could have just eaten the risotto as the main entree because it was so flavorful and creamy that it almost out did the steak! And speaking of over did.....I ordered their homemade Tiramisu - I am a dessert snob..this was very snobby. Cheers to the Maxwells read more

As a mom of a young kid I'm not well versed in the downtown bar scene, but when I first walked into Maxwell's for a work event I could immediately tell it was my kind of place. You'll find a really chill, friendly atmosphere that begs you to get cozy and hang out for awhile. The food is surprisingly good - the call it a 'pub' menu, but everything I've tried tastes far better than I'd typically expect at a bar. (Seriously - if you can't decide, get the Calabrese pizza and just thank me later.) Everyone from ownership to management to staff are exceedingly friendly and looking to make sure you personally have a great experience. I'm looking forward to spending more "I don't feel like getting dressed up but we need a night out" date nights here in the near future! read more

The service here is atrocious. The staff and even the OWNER were very rude upon our arrival. I wouldn't recommend Maxwell's to anyone, especially people of color. My friends and I were definitely singled out by the staff and even the customers. I'm very hurt and honestly offended by the way we were treated. Maxwells should be cancelled by anyone who cares about equality. read more