Max

Sugar in the red sauce. Lots of it.
Fresh tastin food but the sugar, for my taste. is a deal breaker. :/​if you still come here and are like me, stay clear of the red.

I can see why this place closed. Not sure why this place had such high reviews. I ordered the gnocchi and it wasn’t that great. I feel like I could cook many of the items on the menu and make it taste better, and I don’t really cook. Maybe people like it for the homecooked feeling?

It’s true. Unfortunately this location is CLOSED. No more heavenly gnocchi.
TriBeCa location is still open…

I love Max. Have been coming here for years and for one reason and one reason alone. Their homemade gnocchi with tomato sauce, basil and mozzarella.
I have been to Italy and eaten numerous dishes of this type of gnochhi and Max’s is up there. In fact it has been much better than a lot of the gnocchi I had in Italy. It is always exactly the same which is the best part. No skimping on cheese or decreasing the quality of ingredients over the years.
My husband and I like sitting at the bar. They have a large backyard which is quite nice during the warmer months. I’m sure the other dishes are good too, but I can’t even tell you considering I always come here when in the mood for classic gnocchi.

This place has the best lasagna I’ve ever tried.
Granted I’m not remotely descended from Italians, so I can’t conjure up comparisons to my Nonna’s homemade recipe, but Max has some of the richest, stick-​to-​your-​bones, perfect-for-a-winter’s-night lasagna I have ever come upon.
The place is way out of the way and buried in Alphabet City. I can’t necessarily speak highly of their other entrees — I did order a rigatoni here once that did not make the grade — but the lasagna is always a crowd-​pleaser and I recall feeling positively about the Prosciutto and Buffala Mozzarella appetizer as well.
The space is small and intimate, and they have a outdoor space in the back that is masquerading as a patio but really looks like where the mob goes to off people.
Affordable food, affordable wine, CASH ONLY. If you ever find yourself all the way on Avenue B, Max is worth the visit.

Unfortunately, it was too cold the last time I was here to go into the back garden so my friend and I had to stay inside, but it was still nice. Since we went the minute it opened, they were still setting up the ambiance — the workers kept fixing the lights and lighting candles but the food was still relatively fast. I was annoyed because our drinks took a while for some weird reason. But I really liked that our waitress was extremely knowledgeable — my friend is extremely critical about Italian food after spending a year in Italy so it was nice to know that everybody knew their food.
I had my favorite dish — the Porcini Ravioli — and it was ridiculously good as usual. The bread was also really good — but it wasn’t cut well which was really annoying. I hate having to rip bread at the table but overall it was a great meal. It used to be a hidden gem but since the prices have risen, it’s become an average East Village eatery. But it’s still worth a trip and definitely still one of my favorite Italian restaurants in NYC.

Great cozy local spot to chill with friends or take out-​of-​towners for something not found in a guidebook. Sometimes it gets crowded during dinner, but more often than not I’ve been pretty lucky to come right during quieter periods.
Best. Lasagna. EVER.
I’d really like to say their food overall is great, but heck if I know. I only get the lasagna. It’s the perfect combination of sweet, tangy, meaty sauce, gooey-​cheesiness with just the right amount of noodle texture. This is pure and simple comfort food. Like giving yourself a hug from the inside.
And I’ll say it, the times when they let it sit just a touch too long in the oven and the top scorches, I’m the happiest ever. Weird, I know, but I love my lasagna hot and bubbly with those crispy edges.
I’m guessing that the people who have said Max’s food tastes like Chef Boyardee also like to compare restaurant food to Kraft, Campbell’s and Oscar Mayer.

I’ve never experienced such awful service until I came here.
With that said, 4 of us strolled in at around 9:30PM and waited about 15 minutes for a table in the «garden.» If the weather is nice, it’s definitely worth sitting out here as it isn’t a typical crowded area and it has such a nice feel to it. Do however be warned that your service will be really bad sitting out there.
We got our menus and had to flag someone down before our order was taken. They even looked at us like we had 4 heads when we asked to place and order, almost to the point where they were annoyed. Strike 1. We asked for the specials and our waiter pointed us to the blackboards. We said we couldn’t read it as it was written in the lightest color chalk with the brightest white light shining on it, in the darkest of nights. Our waiter not only didn’t know the specials, but even had to move closer to the board to see the specials. Strike 2. We placed our order, got our food fairly quick and started to eat.
I was not a fan of my rigatoni with meatballs and sausage, but everyone else loved their meal. It might be personal preference, but something about the sauce just didn’t taste good to me. Everyone cleaned their plates, so I’m thinking I just didn’t order the right thing.
We finish our meal and ask for the check. It must have been at least 5 minutes between trying to get someone to pay attention to us and to actually get the check. They seem to look down at the floor and try to avoid all eye contact with everyone so getting waiter was extra hard. They charged us for an extra glass of wine that we didn’t have and while they took it off our check, it was such a hassle and such a long process that it was probably worth just paying for it. We got our revised check and it took them so long to come get our bill that we had to get up and bring our credit card to them and stand over them to get our receipts.
Service was so bad and the fact that they didn’t even care made it that much worse. This is one of those places that knows their food is good and people will come so they don’t try and wow people with their service. The food is cheap pretty cheap and they are fast with bringing you your order, but just don’t expect much else. Our water cups were never filled and our waiter did absolutely nothing for us. I will possibly come back to try something else on the menu, but the service was just awful.

I haven’t been to Max for a long time and I revisited this past week and the food still satisfies me. It is a small restaurant but it has a cute backyard and cozy wine bar. The restaurant is decorated with wood chairs and wood tables.
They used to have this awesome bread dip (homemade) but this time around it is gone. Instead, they gave us just olive oil. It is a real shame.
We got a buffala cheese with cherry tomatoes to share as well as portabello mushroom. Both dishes are very delicious. The mushroom is marinated in aged balsamic vinegar and served warm with spinach. the buffala cheese comes in one big chunk and we shared among 4.
Since I am supposed to eat healthier, I went against my heart and soul and got the grilled Cod. It turned out it comes with meshed potato! That kind of threw me off my diet… Regardless, the cod was fresh, well seasoned and came in a generous portion. Let alone the giant pile of meshed potato and side salad. My husband tried their black spaghetti with spicy seafood in red sauce. The spaghetti was so good! It tastes homemade and has an amazing texture and bite to it. I really enjoy the spicy red sauce. My good friend had their pasta with duck ragu. That was heavenly too.
We ended our dinner with tiramisu to share. It was not the best tiramisu but it was very good. It comes in a wine glass.
I will come back to Max once again!

To most of the people here it looks like Max could be a hit or miss. While my food was alright, I had a bigger problem with the blood-​sucking insects feasting on my exposed legs. I literally walked out of the restaurant with 4 huge bug bites, assuming they were of the mosquito type.
While the inside of the restaurant is decorated rather traditional Italian, my friends and I sought a seat outside during a lovely summer night. The outdoor atmosphere was small, but was nestled nicely between other buildings which could’ve been houses or other businesses. During the course of our dinner, I kept getting the sense that I was being bitten. Given that it was late summer and we were sitting in the dark, I shouldn’t be too surprised that while I was getting my dinner in, some bugs were getting theirs as well. It’s not that dinner was bad, it’s just that the experience of being itchy the entire time overshadowed the taste of the food here. I do recall there was a Chicken Liver Pâté appetizer that I didn’t care for.
So, let this be a warning for you all. Either they need to figure out a way to repel insects in the outdoor patio or else you just gotta come covered up. If i ever come here again, I’m gonna remember not to wear shorts.

The lasagna here tastes EXACTLY like Chef Boyardee, (at least 3 other reviewers have mentioned this as well). I spent $ 13 on something I could have made myself at home from a $ 2 can. Not the experience I want to have when I’m treating myself to a restaurant experience.
Sigh.
On the bright side, the pasta with meat sauce is wonderful. Absolutely delicious No hint of Chef B. there.
Max, if you discover empty cans of Chef Boyardee in your kitchen trash cans, I want my money back! Or a free pasta w/​meat sauce ;)

Since 2008, Max has been my go-​to for pasta in the EV, and its amazing how little they’ve changed (at least in terms of restaurant, service, and menu items). They now offer catering and have a second location in Tribeca.
My favorite is still the black ink spaghetti with shrimp, but the homemade beef lasagna on a recent visit was really good. On my last visit, our table of 8 tried most of the menu, and I discovered it’s actually more delightful to share the pasta dishes. The too heavy black ink spaghetti and the too rich lasagna were better appreciated when shared with family and close friends.
Only two desserts on the menu and they’re both amazing: tiramisu and panna cotta. But if I had to choose one, it’d be the tiramisu.
Oh, there was one grateful change, they now accept credit!

Max does what it knows well and knows what it does well: pasta. I can’t speak to the game, meat, and fish dishes, but the pasta here is outstanding. For ~ $ 15 or less, you’ll get a perfectly sized portion (rare for an Italian place) of perfectly al dente pasta – homemade with fresh tomato sauce, basil, shaved cheese, and other semolina favorites.
Space is tight and there are lines, but come off-​peak and you’ll be seated promptly.

Came in here for their lasagna and also got black ink pasta.
Their lasagna is really interesting! That bechamel gives the lasagna a really nice interesting taste. The black ink pasta was really good, it was my first time ever having it and loved it!

Their Gnocchi & lasagna both rock my world.
The backyard dining is east-​village nice. The indoor seating is a bit cramped (–1 star for that), but otherwise love this place and I always recommend it when people are looking for a good italian restaurant or a good restaurant in the e. village.

They now accept credit cards!!!
This place is very intimate. It’s tiny, and you will be on the date with the couple next to you. It’s hard to get by, but it’s worth it. A cute little spot with delicious food.
The lasagna is hearty and really enough for two. They were out of Primitivo when I visited. The service was prompt and friendly.
The truffle ice cream was nothing special. It tasted like regular ice cream from the bodega.
There’s a cute little bar in the back too, a perfect place to grab a drink while you wait for a table.

CASH ONLY, we learned the hard way
Very solid Italian joint — had the penne with eggplant and squid ink pasta, both very fresh, hearty, and steaming hot bowls. Easily family style plates at reasonable prices, will definitely be back to try more dishes.

Crostino Toscano ($ 8.95) was a good surprise. It didn’t look appetizing but… the chicken liver paté was rich and tasty with a toasted bread.
Caprese ($ 10.95) — mozzarella di bufala (3) was excellent. Soft milky after taste was wonderful but not ripped Italian tomatoes were boring and fresh basil didn’t even help much for the price. I also thought it would be much flavorful if there was some black peppers and kosher salt to enhance the dish.
From special, we got mozzarella di bufala (4), grilled red peppers with chapped Arugula Salad. For my surprise, grilled red peppers were very sweet and cooked perfectly. This salad again, needed of salt and pepper. I would be even better if there were acidity… fresh squeeze of lemon or balsamic or red vinegar.
Lasagna Fatta In Casa ($ 12.95) was in a rounded shape casserole stoneware. It was drowned in a tomato sauce and very filling and rich. It was too mushy for my taste. The portion was huge for one person definitely. We share with four of us and we all felt that’s enough.
Spaghetti Alla Chitarra ($ 12.95) — homemade spaghetti was cooked perfectly and chewy texture was nice with soft flavored lamb ragu sauce.
Spaghetti Del Marinaio ($ 15.95) — black chewy homemade spaghetti worked so well with spicy tomato sauce. The small shrimps were perfect in the heat. This was my favorite.
The food reminded me of Bianca on Bleecker St. We didn’t try anything from their main dishes. I guess I have a reason to go back now.

I remember when the Max was gonna close and AC Slater made that emotional appeal… describing how as a child he had moved around a lot and that the Max was the only real home he had ever had.
I do like this place, the food is great. No joke, Lark Voorhies is a regular.

Drool-​inducing, wallet-​thrifty, exceptionally delicious Italian food. Named after a magazine the owner read as a small boy dreaming of moving to the United States, every single facet of the restaurant and its menu is conceived with passion and love.
Plump ruby tomatoes and creamy mozzarella di bufala are imported directly from Italy, and the pastas, breads, & other ingredients are all organic and sourced locally. The housemade gnocchi is light as air, blanketed in a robust marinara that swirls gorgeously with melted fresh mozzarella.
Lasagna is perfectly al dente with meat so tender it blends harmoniously with the creamy cheeses and bechamel, all jazzed up by a few surprise spices and herbs (we swore not to reveal the secret ingredient).
An exceptionally tender meatloaf the size of a nerf fooball cuts open to reveal a stream of melted cheese and thin folds of salty ham, almost like a gigantic meatball cordon bleu. As an accompaniment, layers of baked paper thin potatoes are stacked in a delicious gratin tower with savory bits of pancetta tucked between.
Whipped mashed potatoes and porcini stuffed pasta pillows are elevated with hints of truffle oil that you can smell throughout the room.
Truly, a wonderful find tucked sweetly in the East Village… the ideal destination for a casual but romantic date, followed by a short stroll to Tompkins Square Park.
We will definitely be returning very soon, and very often!