Overpriced and Pretentious
DESCRIPTION: Max Downtown has decent food, but it's not worth the price. You pay a lot more for silly garnishes or sauces which arrive cold. Ask for rare steak and it will be served medium. The servers are often overly friendly and somewhat inept, with no understanding of the food or the wines. I've been there a number of times and I always leave feeling like the place did not live up to expectations.
DATE: 2003-10-07
FOODRATING : 4
SERVICERATING : 4
AMBIANCERATING : 6
OVERALLRATING : 4
RECOMMENDED DISHES : the simple dishes are better

Top Notch Food in a Classic Chop House setting
DESCRIPTION: Max Downtown offers some of the best steaks around. Side dishes, although a la carte, are generously sized and delicious. The Tuscan Chicken Salad is a fantastic lunch and at $8.95, beats most lunches in that price category by a mile. Dinner offers lots of choices, but I almost always end up with a steak; it's simply too tempting to pass up. The dining room is understated and rather masculine, with luxurious touches that make you feel you're in a special place. Wait staff here is generally excellent. These people are professionals, not kids picking up some spending money after school or on weekends. They are competent, know their way around the menu, and attend to you without a lot of fuss. Take someone here for dinner or lunch if you want to have a real grown-up city kind of meal. You can eat in the bar as well, but be warned - it's a popular after work spot and can stay crowded well into the evening. If you're looking for a quiet evening, make a reservation and sit in the dining room.
DATE: 2003-12-08
FOODRATING : 8
SERVICERATING : 8
AMBIANCERATING : 8
OVERALLRATING : 8
RECOMMENDED DISHES : Tuscan Chicken Salad; strip steak, creamed spinach and mashed potatos on the side

Good Food, Great Service, Not-So-Great Layout
DESCRIPTION: Max Downtown is a little more expensive than your basic restaurant in CT, but what you get for the extra money is a wide selection of interesting entrees and top-notch service. There were several menu items in the high-teens to low-twenties, which I would not call "pricey." The ambience is nice if it's not crowded...the tables are too close together. The service is top-notch. On two occasions, the servers were polite, prompt to acknowledge eye-contact, and patient, but not overly-friendly. We weren't repeatedly approached make a decision and order, nor were we pressured to finish quickly. I will go back again and again.
DATE: 2004-11-02
FOODRATING : 8
SERVICERATING : 10
AMBIANCERATING : 6
OVERALLRATING : 8

Best Max Restaurant
DESCRIPTION: We've been to a few Max restaurants, and this is the best overall. The food was excellent, especiallty the apps and main courses. The chocolate fondue wasn't very exciting, but other desserts we've eaten have been outstanding. The happy hour can't be beat, either.
DATE: 2003-11-11
FOODRATING : 8
SERVICERATING : 8
AMBIANCERATING : 10
OVERALLRATING : 8
RECOMMENDED DISHES : Chicken Cordon Bleu

Another Good Max Restaurant
DESCRIPTION: I haven't been to a Max restaurant I wouldn't go back to, but I'd rank this one as #3 of the 5, below Oyster Bar and Downtown. This restaurant has an Asian/Seafood Cuisine that offers unique and interesting appetizers and entrees. The desserts are good, not great. Prices are a little higher than average, which is expected at a Max. Service was ok, but what I'm not crazy about is how dark and noisy the place is, and especially the closely arranged, small tables for two that give you zero privacy.
DATE: 2004-11-02
FOODRATING : 8
SERVICERATING : 6
AMBIANCERATING : 4
OVERALLRATING : 6
RECOMMENDED DISHES : Salmon Maki appetizer