The onion soup was good but expect it to be lighter than what you would typically find in France. Not as much cheese and onions. The moule et frites did not disappoint. Neither did the creme brulee. read more

We decided to try this place while on the way to Dublin Castle. It's crazy close and seemed to have good reviews. Outside was as mess, there were no chairs at some tables and other had to many with dirty dishes on them. So we decided to go in. There was no hostess nor any wait staff so we stood there like stooges. Finally ,two of the wait staff walked right by and just ignored us so we decided to take a seat. Now they want to come talk to us! I asked if this seat was ok and got the reply "I guess it will have to be as you already sat down". Should have got up then but the wife was tired so decided to stay. It was crazy warm in there with little air flow. I liked the atmosphere and ambience. Guess they wanted to make a point as we sat there for 15 mins without water or anybody coming by. Had to flag down what appeared to be a bus boy to get water. Finally had order taken by male bus boy who seemed he wanted to be anywhere else and said "I am waiting". We ordered two "specials" and the bœuf bourguignon. Two separate couples came in and were served before we received our food. So hard to eat as it was 80-85 degrees in there. The beef was good and would recommend. The two specials were chicken and very very dry. To wrap it up we had to hunt down the wait staff to get the ticket as they actively avoided eye contact. Fairly expensive for just ok food and horrible service. Customer service is not hard. A "Welcome" or "Glad you came in" goes a long way. read more

Chez Max - bœuf bourguignon - French Near Me - Dublin, D

Cafe Max became my dinner venue "place" when visiting from the States and things got too stuffy at the Merrion. When the dignitaries arrived, there was stifling security, police and even a hovering helicopter at the hotel; not my idea of how to unwind after a long day at the office. Cafe Max was inviting, warm and quiet -- exactly what I was looking for!! I enjoyed escargot for a starter - very good, with lots of hearty bread to sop up all that 'garlicky' goodness. The mixed green salad was oversized and the vinaigrette was tasty, but not overpowering. Very enjoyable. The Beef Bourginon was everything it should be - rich in flavor, tender and delicious. When accompanied by two glasses of wine, it tasted even better, especially after spending a long day at the office. Chocolate cake for dessert and a double decaf (?? We'll See ??) espresso. Friendly French waitresses and an especially nice hostess; loved the jeans ;) Bravo Cafe Max. Je t'aime!! Good value, food, service & atmosphere. read more

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As a French girl in Dublin, I had to rate this one! Yes, Chez Max is good! The lunch menu is perfect, exactly like the Bistro in Paris (croque monsieur salade...) I know they do also Raclettes in winter, so if you are a cheese fan that's the place to go. And the prices are quite ok. Would definitely recommand read more

Chez Max - Croque Madame - French Near Me - Dublin, D

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Smoked Makerel with Roasted Beetroots Caramelized Parsnip and Shallot Tart... White Fish Mousse... Pommes Frites... Need I go on...? Our meal was fabulous and, paired with a couple glasses of house wine, quite reasonable. I'm a fan of the Chez Max at the Dublin Castle; but, now I'm also a fan of Chez Max on Baggot Street. It's quite warm and inviting! Head downstairs to escape the City and enter a 'le vie en rose' world just below street level. There are two dining rooms and they're both lovely with soft amber lighting and rich dark red seating. I shall return mon amie! read more

Chez Max - Entrance to Chez Max at Dublin Castle - French Near Me - Dublin, D

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Ooh la la! We were lucky enough to grab the last table on the terrace on a 'scorching' dublin summer evening. (Lucky they had heaters as well!) I was well impressed with the menu. Unfortunately we were too late for the early bird (only 19 euro!!), but the a la carte was not to dear either. I went for the duck, potato gratin and spinach. Tres bon! The spinach was a bit over salted and it was only half a duck breast, but I enjoyed every bite. I tried some of my friends mussels, a huge portion (but also extremely salty broth) and delicious handcut fries. They seemed a bit understaffed. We were meant to vacate the table at 9, but after we got the bill at just after 9, we were left seated until almost 9.45 as no-one came to pick up our bill . Eventually we flagged a waitress. Other than that, no complaints. TOP TIP: (yet to try myself!) They do a raclette from sunday to thursday for 25 euro p.p. So if you like your cheese and a bit of fun/ dining with a twist, this is a must ! https://indoorgrillraclette.wordpress.com/2010/08/02/what-is-a-raclette-grill/ read more

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Ah mais oui, bien sur, Chez Max is very French! It's gorgeous. Soupe a l'Oignon for just €5.90, gorgeous boeuf Bourginon (€16.50) which was delicious and creme brulee (€5.50) like a dream on every bite. The food is priced very reasonably and you can decide how much you're willing to spend. There are options for everyone and the food is excellent. You can also pop in here for a croque madame at lunch time or they do beautiful pastries for breakfast. It's a hidden little spot in a basement on Baggot Street, but if it's on your main thoroughfare, you should check it out. C'est manufique! read more

Chez Max - French Near Me - Dublin, D

We just missed the restaurant's lunch period. That hardly mattered - the bread, French onion soup, and ham and cheese made us believers. The staff were friendly and on top of the service. Chez Max offers a little bit of France in the heart of Dublin. Irish grass-fed dairy combined with French cuisine, there could be no better duo! P. S. One will need to channel a monk's resolve in an effort to leave room for an Apple Tart dessert. read more

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First time...awesome! Food was unreal! The lamb n duck were the best ever!! Highly recormended!! read more

Chez Max - Champz! - French Near Me - Dublin, D

rara rahuhuh, roma ro ma ma, gaga oh la la Sorry.. that's the closest thing to French I could actually spit back. Translated it could mean delicious roast beef, horseradish, caramelized shallots sandwich. I intended on going to the resto in the basement, but then we realized you could actually just pick out some French grub from there little shop upstairs. Price and selection were great, and they seem to be adding on an upstairs cafe which will be a welcome addition to the lunch repertoire... ooh that's French! DOUBLE WORD SCORE BONUS!! read more

Real French food served by actual French people. The lunch menu mostly features sandwich and salad type dishes with a few mains. My goat cheese salad was delicious. A generous portion of fromage was melted on top of toasted brown bread with a splash of pesto and served over salad greens. The restaurant is downstairs, so do not be fooled by the street-level take away shop being closed on the weekends. The menus look like stylized French newspapers and the atmosphere carries you right into the heart of Paris. The prices are highly reasonable as well. read more

My first visit to Chez Max was a good one. As a starter I went for the goats cheese in filo pastry (good) and followed that up with the braised beef tongue for my main and it was extremely good. The Kir Royal aperitif was a little heavy on the cassis for my tastes but others may enjoy it more. The wine more than made up for it though - we ordered a 2001 Emilion Bordeaux Grand Cru which was not available, but I am told that 2005 offered instead was a better year in any case. It was a perfect companion for the beef main course. My standard creme brulee and espresso for ,dessert was very good but not excellent, I have had better. All the same I would easily order it again. The little courtyard outside with a small bar looked like a nice spot but sadly it was raining for my visit - on a nicer day I would definitely try the outside seating. Overall an enjoyable dinner and Chez Max goes on the "must visit again" list. read more

Like descending into a French Narnia, the beautiful bistro below the steps is without a doubt one of the best ways to fill your belly in Dublin. It doesn't surprise me that Chez Max was winner of a 2012 Travelers' Choice Award. The service is excellent, the food delicious, the portions great, and the restaurant warm, cozy and French chic. I went here for lunch, and got the plat du jour, a glass of wine and a coffee for €11. If you can find better than that, I'll eat my baguette. (quite gladly actually!) read more

I love this restaurant. I had the Beef Bourguignon. Soooo good! The staff are really friendly and attentive. Most seemed to be french. The menu is reasonably priced and the atmosphere and decor are very relaxing. I liked sitting outside under the heaters. Made me feel like I was on holiday in a hot country. A solid two thumbs up! read more

We tried this place after reading the raves here on Yelp and we were so pleased that we did. Do not be afraid to go down the stairs and sample the delights of this gem. There were six of us so we were able to try a variety of things. We had three Early Bird specials. All of us had the Onion Soup and we had one each of the Boeuf Bourguignon, Moules Frites & Poulet Moutarde. All were scrumptious. The other three didn't have starters. Their mains were Salmon, another Chicken and the Venison. All delicious. For desserts, we had the creme brulee (which can only be described as orgasmic), apple tarts and a strawberry tart. The crust on the tarts was amazingly good. We also had the house white and house red wines and they were delicious. If you need to eat in Dublin, GO GO GO to Chez Max! read more

Came here due to the good reviews but I really don't understand how they got them. However, I've been in Dublin for a couple of weeks now and have only enjoyed 1 mean so far, so perhaps it's just that Dublin doesn't have a high standard for food? We ordered the: x French Onion soup €5.90 Soup tasted like stock, croutons was quick to get soggy, and the cheese was floating on top like chewy blob. x Terrine de Foie Gras Mi-Cuit et as Compote de Figue €16 My partner had this and said he's had better. x Boeuf Bourguignon (Beef and burgundy red wine stew served with baby potatoes) €15.50 We'd never had this dish before so have nothing to compare the quality to however, I found the beef dry, and the sauce not too enchanting. x Side of green beans €3.50 Boring. I could have steamed these myself at home but with more flavour. x Creme Brûlée €5.50 Should've gone with the Strawberry tart as they looked amazing as we walked by the display on the way out. Creme Brûlée was fine but nothing outstanding. Service was good, when you're able to catch their attention. Some staff were better than others. The lady with the short curly hair and glasses was polite, the male waitstaff was fine also, but the other lady's other the long hair pulled back- she always walked past our waving hands and pretended not to see us even though we were right in front of her several times. We chose to sit in the terrace due to raving reviews about how awesome it was, however I regret not sitting downstairs in the more quiet and private area. The terrace was nice but too crowded, we had to yell to compete with other people's conversations. I'm only giving this place 2 stars cos there is no option to leave 0 stars for stinking restaurants. Chez Max did not serve terrible food and the staff attitude was also not terrible, however, we didn't particularly like anything there and would definitely not return or recommend anyone to dine here especially for the price. read more

5 stars for me. The menu is what you would find in a typical restaurant in France. While some people might be looking for something more original, this is what I look for when I want to eat food from home. The onion soup is amazing. I could have it as a started and then as a main course. The staff is really nice even though we kept asking for more bread. For the onion soup. The boeuf bourguignon is always a winner with the husband. The price are quite reasonable and they have set menus with a decent selection of dishes. The playlist can be a bit random but why not. read more

I love this place. There are not a lot of restaurants I've been in where you really feel you could be in France. Moreover, if it's a nice day they have a lovely outdoor terrace to the rear which I would happily stay in for the whole day. The food is impressive too. if you are their to socialise more than eat, I'd highly recommend getting the large mixed board of cheeses and cured meats to share with some of their very tasty reds. read more

I'll preface this review by saying I was tired and in quite a rush when I happened upon Chez Max one Saturday afternoon, and thought I might stop and get a quick, tasty lunch in the 40 mins I had to spare before an appointment. The atmosphere was certainly unique as far as most French restaurants go in Dublin, being that the wait staff - and the majority of customers- were all French. The dark wooden interior and the crackling French vaudevillian music easily led me to believe, for the briefest of moments, that I had been transported to a small corner of Paris and not staring down the grotty piss-stained lane way at the back of The George. I ordered the Chicken with Tarragon, for €15.50. The plate arrived after a 20 minute wait, but the taste led me to believe it could have been produced in an eighth of that time. The rotisserie chicken was not only tiny, but overcooked, dry and tasteless. The tarragon cream sauce helped with the dryness, but the flavour was nothing special. I finished the plate in 6 minutes and was still starving afterwards. Considering the price I was not impressed. I might have ordered dessert if I hadn't had to leave urgently, so I requested the bill. After 10 minutes I assumed they'd forgotten about me and I had to get up and ask for another waiter to bring it to me, as at that point I was running late for my appointment. Pas si bon. read more

Chez Max is a quaint little place down a set of stairs on Baggot street. The atmosphere is great. Very rustic and classic French feel. Tables a little close to each other but that wasn't an off put. Our starters were out of this world. Frogs legs (my first experience having them) were delicious. And 2 other people in my party had the French onion soup which they couldn't get enough of. The deserts we had were sensational. The chocolate mousse, cremebrule, and the cheese cake all fantastic. Couldn't fault them. Unfortunately, the mains were not quite up to standard. Everything was overcooked. I had the beef bourgenon and another had the special (black sole). We really didn't like them. Everything had dried out, assumably because they sat under a heat lamp for a long time. The beef also tasted of nothing but red wine. It was like drinking a glass of red wine while chewing beef. Overall it wasn't a terrible experience. The setting is quite nice, the staff were fine, and the starters and deserts were excellent. The mains were very bad. Would I go back? No. read more

I love Chez Max, They can do no wrong in my eyes. On a sunny Sunday afternoon with friends, sharing wine, bread and cheese. Everytime it's like stepping into France..... oh la la read more

Chez Max - French Near Me - Dublin, D

A several of the other reviews say, when you walk from Baggot St down the steps of Chez Max, you definitely feel as though you've gone from Dublin to a quaint little Mediterranean restaurant: the archways, exposed brick, and French accents transport you to a foreign land. The food was delightful. I recommend the mussels to start and the hake. My husband had the steak and fries, which were good for what they were but that exciting. I wish we had saved room for dessert, as they looked delicious, but we just couldn't handle it. If I could change one thing about the dining experience it would be the music. It was mostly 'easy-listening' covers of late 90's american music (Back Street Boys, Aerosmith, and Celine Dion). While it made for a fun game of guessing which song was next based on the first few chords, it was distracting from the romantic feel of the place. Why not just some Louis Armstrong and Sinatra? Oh, and if you don't like small tables or being close to other patrons as you dine, this place isn't for you. read more

Not a very good French place. Upon entering the restaurant you're immediately hit with a very heavy, stale smell of pungent cheese. The dining room was also very hot and stuffy, with very little ventilation or air flow. Most of the food lacked any sort of flavor, and instead was doused in copious amounts of butter and grease. Nothing was seasoned properly. I had the cod over a bed of vegetables. Everything was drenched in butter and the fish was overcooked. Very disappointing dinner experience. read more

The ambiance, the service, the food SUPERB. I went to the restaurant that is off of Dame street. It is quaint & intimate, quite homey. We got the early bird two course for €19. We had the goat cheese & pear in phyllo, the onion soup, the modules frites & the beef Burgundy and ordered 3 glasses of wine. Our bill was €54.50. And i was stuffed silly. It was delicious! A must visit French bistro. read more

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great place for having dinner or a caffee feeling for a while you are in Paris. Close to town and beside the entrance of Dublin castle, bon appetit !! read more

Chez Max a little piece of France in Dublin. Some french food that just taste perfect and delivered in a great location.

Ended up here last night looking for soem food. My idea of just grabbing a main didn't go down too well and we went for 3 courses and a glass of wine each. Sigh .. Yum. I rolled out of the place. French onion soup, mmmmmmm. I never order this anywhere because its always disappointing. This was not. I all but licked the bowl. Proper croutons instead of a slice of dry baguette on top, proper nutty ementhal seductively melted on top, the sweetness of the onions comeing through. Ahhh.. j'aime français soupe à l'oignon. Beef bourguignon, another dish so often slopped out on a plate, thickened with god knows what and often tasting of Bisto gravy.. This one was nothing short of amazing. The reduced intense beef flavoured jus offset with the red wine, tender beef, wee baby onions and tiny mushrooms with some crispy roasted potatoes. All rich and tasty without being thickened.Wow! I ordered a side of fries, and well, I can't say I've ever enjoyed deep fried potatoes more. Crispy, well salted, hot. I couldn't stop eating them. Lemon tart for dessert rounded it off nicely. It was tasty, but I had dessert envy as the hubby got the choclate mousse. Ohh.. light, creamy, choclatey, and NOT sweet. Hubby was well pleased with his meal, but I'll let him rave about that himself. Service was great and the outdoor seatign was toasty warm. All in all it was a fantastic meal and i think we'll be back soon to give lunch a try, the lunch menu looks so tasty! read more

Chez Max is a great French cafe/bistro with lots of atmosphere and good, if not great, cuisine, in the heart of Baggot Street. The menu includes such French favorites as Bouef Bourguignon and Lapin À La Moutarde, Riz Pilaf. Everyone enjoyed their food. Service was efficient and polite. Our dinner was for 6 people, and included two bottles of wine, so it was not a cheap night out. The location is great and just a short walk from the Shelbourne Hotel and Stephens Green is excellent. I would not hesitate to recommend Chez Max to someone looking for an authentic, homely bistro in Dublin. The cuisine is not going to change one's life, but I think one would feel like they were eating in a real Parisian cafe bistro. Oh and don't forget to check out the patio garden - superb for al fresco dining. read more

Love this place. Been here a few times in the last few months. I seem to go for the "special" main most times (Wood Pigeon was particularly good). I will have the Duck with Blackcurrant sauce again, and there are still a bunch of other things on the menu which I will be trying on my subsequent visits... Down some steep steps into the basement restaurant with "little bits of France" dotted around and authentic French staff make Chez Max feel suitably Parisien. Mmmm - Tarte aux Fraises - mmmm. read more

Hands down my favorite restaurant in Dublin and one of the best restaurants for the money in Ireland...I know its a bold statement, but take my word for it and check it out. The menu changes with the seasons and the chefs here always seem to get it right, with keeping some of the more mainstream menu items on throughout the year. French onion soup is delicious, the meat and cheese platter is a must for a quiet evening out with a glass of wine or two and items such as braised beef tongue and seared skate wing are items that you dont see on too many menus and they are both perfectly done. On a warmer day, opt for the back garden seating, you feel like you are a far cry from a city centre restaurant and its perfect for a night out with friends or couples. The service is always friendly and at a great pace. Also, the wine selection is pretty incredible for the money. I highly recommend checking it out any night you are looking for that perfect meal. read more

I found the place too small, very noisy and customers are right next to each other :/ I got the cheese platter which was ridiculously small, even for a small plater I was expecting more than 4 pieces of cheese. I am French and a big fan of cheese and honestly I was disappointed. read more

Love Chez Max whenever I have a craving for traditional French food in the perfect atmosphere and surrounding. The food is always spot on, I usually go for a steak or the moule frites and they're always great, but if they have tartiflette as a special OMG ITS HEAVEN!! So so delicious. What's not to love about spuds dripping in cheese and bacon?!? Mmmm. Absolutely love the outside space here, always think it'd make a brilliant spot for a party!! Staff are incredibly sound. Just an all 'round great spot. read more

was brought here for the office christmas party a week or so ago, really enjoyed it! when u walked past the place it looked closed as the ground floor had all it lights off. As it turns out the restaurant is in the bottom floor hidden away. I dont like telling people what to order but! you NEED to order the beef bourguignon. Absolutely delicious! Seriously enjoyed it. read more

Chez Max - French Near Me - Dublin, D

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Yum! The menu looked fantastic, so we decided to give it a try on our trip. I was rather disappointed the Croque Monsieur was only offered during lunch. It is one of my favorite French dishes. Instead I opted for the beef bourguignon. This was a pretty tasty dish, but I think it was a bit too salty for my taste. I also would have liked for there to be more vegetables (other than just mushrooms and pearl onions). Overall it was a nice restaurant, though a bit dead for a Thursday night, the staff was very nice, and the food was yum! I would definitely like to go back and have the Croque Monsieur! read more

Chez Max - Beef Bourguignon - French Near Me - Dublin, D

I love Chez Max, the most authentic Parisian-style bistro in Dublin. Try the moules frites. Try the French onion soup (with croutons and cheese on the side, a nice touch for those who love this starter but normally find it too messy to eat on a date!). You'll feel like your on your holidays here. read more

Very good food for a reasonable price. It was very authentic - so much so that I had a hard time speaking to the French waiter. Definitely recommend the appetizers read more

When people say you can't get good food in Ireland, don't believe them! Case in point...Chez Max in Dublin. We stumbled on this place on a busy Friday night, when every other pub and restaurant in the area was overflowing with locals ringing in the weekend. Chez Max was fully booked with reservations also, but they were kind enough to set up us with bar tables, so we could eat. The place was packed with locals who had moved to Dublin from France...and basically all the staff was French also...which was our first sign that the food was going to be good, authentic, French food. Our second sign was the escargot appetizer that we started with. Amazingly good! If it is on the menu the day you visit, make sure to order it...you can thank me later. All the entrees were fabulous, also...and if you order the Flank Steak Frites, you must get the Blue Cheese sauce....it was so good, I wanted to eat a bowl of it with a spoon. And topping off the Chez Max experience? They have free WiFi! I can guarantee I will be back on my next visit to Dublin! read more

Great coffee and croissants upstairs, lots of French products not generally available elswhere

Ate again at the restaurant recently, have not tried the cafe. Beautiful warm evening on the terrace garden. Its a little bit smokey on the covered part of the terrace. Old fashioned menu which is great, I found it very easy to choose! Had mussels and lovely glass of Chablis to start. We had warm goats cheese salad, fine tomato tartlet, confit chicken terrine an some other stuff. The food is good. It is what it is. Its not fancy, its not cutting edge and thankfully it is not supposed to be. Good place to go if you are hungry. Staff are great, prices are not bad, some decent wines by the glass. All in all it is a relaxing place to be as you do feel as though you could be in an old bistro in Paris. read more

Small charming place right next to Dublin Castles walls.As seems typical of Dublin at present, it has a good early bird special - two courses for 19 Euro.I had the moules frites and it was good and way too large.Fellow traveler had a good boeuf bourginon .We both had onion soup.The house wine isn't bad.The other reviews are spot on when they say the food is good but not but not earth shattering.The service was pleasant and efficient.Highly recommended! read more