Five Stars! We had such a great experience here! The service was excellent our waitress was so friendly, had great manners, and made us feel welcome right away. As soon as we sat down, they brought us bread immediately which was a nice touch. We started with the meatballs and they were so good full of flavor and cooked perfectly. For pizza, we ordered a margarita pizza and a cheese pizza, and the margarita was absolutely delicious. We split a Caesar salad salad, and my husband had the truffle bisque. For our main, the kids loved the homemade mac & cheese, and my husband ordered the pork chop... he cleaned his entire plate! I had the Chicken Parm Brooklyn with vodka sauce and cherry peppers and WOW it was amazing. So flavorful and the cherry peppers gave it the perfect kick. Not too spicy! I'm more of a buffalo spicy kind of a gal. We also shared the Brussels sprouts with aïoli and they were delicious too. Deff would re order. Portions were definitely big, which we loved we ended up taking food home. And to top it all off, we tried the butterscotch dessert and ate it so fast there wasn't even time for a photo We'll definitely be back!!!!! read more

See all

"But when I see you darlin' It's like we both are fallin' in love again It'll be just like startin' over" (John Lennon) After a very successful 34-year run at 70 East Main Street in Avon, Max A Mia has started over by moving about two miles west into the Avon Marketplace in a spot previously occupied by Bertucci's. The makeover is stunning and Max A Mia's design team really deserves a lot of credit for putting together such a gorgeous design. The walled bar that used to be closed in is now open and very inviting, and the open dining room furniture and décor look modern and glitzy. Their dinner menu speaks with an Italian accent, so you'll see Minestrone, Arancini, Meatballs, Pasta, Parmigiana, Lasagne, and Pizzas among the fish, chicken, and steak choices. Arianna was our server, and she was a gem. With an engaging personality off the charts, she wowed us with her effortless knowledge of the menu, explaining every minute detail of the cocktail and meal specials we asked about. She started us off with a complimentary basket of assorted breads served with a baked head of garlic and a ramekin of tomato sugo. Three of us had cocktails, a Rio Lowball ($13) with cacacha, sauvignon blanc syrup, and lime quarters, a Paper Plane ($13) with bourbon, aperol, amaro, and lemon, and one of their non-alcohol choices -a Pink & Bubbly ($10). Max a Mia takes non-alcoholic drinks seriously, they were quite a few NA cocktails on the menu PLUS four NA wines ($10-$14/glass) for a Sparkling Reisling, a Riesling, a Sauvignon Blanc, and a Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot. I definitely wasn't in an NA mood, so the Paper Plane was my choice after a discussion with Arianna. She gave me great advice, because it was strong, smooth, and excellent. Our meal choices were from every corner of Max a Mia's menu - two Lobster Fra Diavlos (@ $36), a Brooklyn Chicken Parmigiana ($31), an Eggplant Lasagna ($27), and a Truffle Mushroom Pizza ($19). I was one of the Lobster Fra Diavlos, and I have to tell ya, it was one of the best meals I've had all year. It was one of the evening's specials, and Arianna described it in detail - a half pound of lobster meat, an in-depth explanation of Buccatini pasta, and reassurance that I was OK with a "spicy" sauce, which I enthusiastically am. The lobster was perfect, the pasta was great, and yes... that sauce sure was spicy. We ended the evening with a visit to the dessert menu with a Tiramisu ($9), a Bocci Ball ($9 with bonus points for presentation because it came out sliced), an Affogato, and a big dish of vanilla gelato ($7). I had the Affogato (Espresso, vanilla gelato, house made biscotti) and it was a perfect mix of flavors and textures. Our pre-Thanksgiving family meal was fantastic, and we enjoyed every detail of the food, service, atmosphere, and the manager's visit who came over to chat with us. Five stars for sure. Historical Note So, what became of the old Max A Mia space? Today it's occupied by Dogology pet supplies and New England Puppy Rescue. read more

See all

We have tried to get in here 3 to 4 times! Tonight we got in and so not disappointed! The waitress is adorable and sweet. The Ice Tea is so delicious you do not need sweetner. The chicken parm was cooked to perfection. The sauce has a bitter taste but we like it, it's real italian taste. 1/2 chicken was juicy and so much flavor, zero regrets!! 10 of 10 read more

See all

2 times by the same hostess because ive walked in with my child. She never makes eye contact and it seems deliberate. I'm a loyal customer and it's disappointing. read more

Just stopped in to Max a Mia. First time since they moved. The place is gorgeous!!! Plenty of seating and the business seems good. Had the calamari and spinach ricotta gnudi. Both were fantastic!! Service was great!! read more

See all

We had an amazing Easter brunch here. Many gluten free options. The best was the popup style bread and marinara sauce. Fun cocktails too. Loved the burata cheese and beet salad. Ordered the steak and eggs and they put the potatoes on a separate plate because of cross contamination. read more

See all

So let's get two things out of the way first: 1) the new space is gorgeous. It's brighter and warmer than before. 2) the food is delish, with new menu items including homemade pastas. But then there's the service. It's frustrating when a server just isn't very good at her job, particularly at a Max restaurant which usually hires the best of the best. Why was service so troubled? Drink orders taking forever to be filled (including providing a half carafe of wine nearly all the way thru dinner). And a missing arancini appetizer that somehow took the kitchen 40 minutes to prepare and sent out about 2 mins before the main courses (and 2 mins after I asked). And the bill had an improper dish on it. Then took another 10 minutes to just get a new bill. Very unlike Max restaurants but take an otherwise great meal into a frustrating one. Loved the gnocchi though and the chicken parm was its usual terrific self. read more

Max a Mia - Potato Gnocchi - Italian Near Me - Avon, Connecticut

See all

Five of us finally managed to score a reservation at the new Max A Mia location in Avon. They opened the new location in September and it literally took five weeks to catch a reservation between 4 PM and 8:45 PM. It was worth the wait. We were huge fans of the old location and look forward to tonight. We had a round of appetizers and some bread after we sat down and ordered a bottle of extra dry Prosecco. I tried the grilled octopus that came with a side sauce of hummus - outstanding! Grilled octopus has a unique flavor that is a blend of mildly sweet and slightly salty, with a smoky char from the grill. Its taste is clean and not overly "fishy." Max a Mia nailed it. We also ordered my old standby, the house made meatballs that are absolutely out of this world. The focaccia bread is also made in-house and served with a bit of marinara and some roasted garlic. If there's one reason to come to Max A Mia, it's for the focaccia bread. My entree was Lobster Agnolotti, a lemon-potato ricotta, corn-tomato brodo with a generous portion of lobster meat. This sounds better than it turned out. The lemon potato ricotta was on the bland side, the roasted corn suffered from swimming in a broth that bathed the dish to the extent that the combination of flavors that should've been obvious were badly muted and distracted from what otherwise could've been a great dish. Others had the Bucatini, and raved about the chicken sausage. Another had the Eggplant lasagna, something she orders every time we go, and it did not disappoint. Still another had the Ragu Bolognese, and found the dish to be rich and every bit is good as every other time we had it at the old location. For what little room we had left after all of this, we ordered a slice of coconut cake to try among the three of us, and then two others shared tiramisu. The coconut cake is to die for. It's huge and easily fed three of us with a healthy portion. Toasted coconut, cake that was mildly moist and delicious along with a coconut frosting that will keep you up at night wondering when you can get another slice. The tiramisu was excellent and drizzled along the bottom of the plate was a chocolate ganache that woke up the tiramisu considerably and was a wonderful accompaniment for what is otherwise a dish that has a certain expectation, but this one was special. 5 of us with 2 bottles of Pellegrino and a $40 extra dry prosecco, appetizers, entrees and 2 desserts ate for $275. Our server for the evening was the outstanding professional with a mastery of the menu and paid just the right amount of attention to our table on what was a moderately busy Sunday evening dinner time. Had it not been for my lobster dish, this would've been a five star dining experience. read more

See all

Family-friendly Italian fare, pricy but not bad Headed to Avon for some fancy oils and vinegar shopping. Had to pick up some grub, so we went to this location. Space is large and inviting, lots of seating and half-booths. The server situation was interesting, we did have a server but they swapped a few times throughout the meal. Unsure why, but it was strange. Menu is small but varied. Salads, sandwiches, appetizers, sides, pasta, and grill sections had a good mix of proteins and flavor profiles. We went tapas style, opting for the squash blossoms, meatballs, and bolognese. Food was significantly delayed, but we eventually got all of our plates. The squash blossoms were battered and fried well. light and crisp, tender inside. the herb and garlic ricotta had a good texture, but absolutely no flavor. The tomato ragu underneath was needed to give it a semblance of flavor, and really carried the dish to acceptable. The meatballs were dense but flavorful. the tomato sauce was deep and rich which worked well with the salty pork umami of the meatball. cheese was unneeded, ricotta was also unseasoned with this dish as well. We did get a small smattering of bread and olives which we tried. really liked their flatbread, their oil is good, their baguette was very crusty but chewy soft on the inside. overall not bad. The bolognese was split between us. wasn't as tomato forward as I would've hoped, but it was much easier on the stomachs. the pasta was delightful. fresh, springy, cooked perfectly and gripped the sauce. entire dish was under seasoned, needed salt, crushed red pepper, and parmesan to really amp the flavors up. but the parmesean was freshly grated which is a nice touch. Bill for the 3 items and a bottle of still water was about 50 dollars, which is a little pricy but not too pricy for italian fare. For a Family-oriented dining location, I can see this being a viable option for the area. our experience was lacking, and the dishes presented were lacking seasoning. Nothing we had was bad or terrible, there is promise in their staple dishes. If they can improve on their experience and their expediting, the prices they charge can be justified. read more

See all

I have one gripe about this restaurant group, but I will save the comment for last. The good news first: read my previous review. You will see that we not only love this restaurant, but are loyal to it and come pretty frequently. Recently, the restaurant has undergone a location change from a smaller intimate, dimly-lighted restaurant to a much larger concept, built for better accommodations, larger groups, and shorter waiting times. The food is great as usual. I loved the minestrone that I had, but was disappointed that there was no pasta in it--not a big deal, all the flavors and the pesto infusion on the top blended in quite beautifully and made this a very unique take on a classic minestrone. We love the salad here, there's always a generous protein, no matter what you choose. And the star of the salad is not only the plentiful bocconcini, but those delicious fried polenta croutons. When you ask for bread, you'll get little pieces of focaccia and a sauce that is to die for. One of the greatest things about this restaurant is the sauce and whole baked garlic. OK, so here's my grip. After about 13 years of eating at various Max restaurants, we just hit 1000 points on their rewards program and STILL we have no redeemable points. I tried to sign on to their app but had technical difficulties and had to call someone at their main office to get it rectified. I still ran into some problems and haven't done it yet. Last if we compare to other restaurants we eat at but have similar programs, this one is last on the list for generosity and frequency of rewards. It does no good to have a rewards program that takes close to 13 years and 4o visits to get a small insignificant reward back. At this point, I'm debating whether it's even worth taking up that small millimeter of space in my wallet for this card. Let's do better on this one, dear management! read more

See all

The food is par. It's not the Italian food that I am accustomed to. Coming from NYC, I've enjoyed Restaurant Bricco much more.

Max a Mia is excellent; stopped for lunch today, had a great lunch, reasonable prices, and excellent service, nice patio dining and bar. We'll be back read more

So we decided to go to Max A Mia at their new location in Avon The food was amazing as always. We ordered the zucchini stuffed flowers that were crispy and delicious one of my favorites . I ordered the Grilled AHI Tuna I asked for medium rare it came out perfectly. My guest ordered the potato gnocchi fluffy little pillows with a touch of Gorgonzola cheese it was a wow . Max A Mia always serve delicious bread with roasted garlic that you just can't resist. For dessert I had to order the coconut cake to go, which is my favorite dessert even though I love chocolate I always go for the coconut cake. Service was good. The server was friendly. It's a beautiful atmosphere . I have to say I miss the old building because this building is very loud and the music was loud difficult to have a quiet conversation . read more

See all

As part of my birthday celebration we went for dinner at Max a Mia in Avon. We had no reservations, and it was very busy, we still got a table without any wait. They have a nice outdoor patio, unfortunately in late May it is still too cold to comfortably dine outside. It is a bit dark on the inside, but they did set the mood with lively music in the background and a view of the brick oven fire. For my drink, I got the Matcha Milk Punch. I expected this to have some under notes of matcha, instead it was very heavy on rum and it gave me a headache. Our waitress brought us some colorful olives and the tastiest pita bread, along with marinara sauce and roasted garlic. I got the Kale & Escarole Salad from the special menu. This is the WORST salad I have ever had. I'm not sure if something was off with the ingredients of this salad, or if something's wrong with whoever decided to add this disaster to the menu. The greens were ok, very bland but ok. Then there were fried oyster mushrooms, these were super hard, and cold. Like frozen cold. Totally unappetizing. The sugar snap peas were cut in half the long way, there was some provolone cheese and some prosciutto cubes. I wish I sent it back, instead I ate it all, and no one shared it with me. I also got the Truffle Mushroom Pie! What a winning pizza! The crust was charred and crispy. The layers of mushrooms and mozzarella were giving miles of delightful cheese pulls. We also had two other pies, the Margherita and the Pepperoni. Everyone was very pleased with the pizzas. The octopus was very juicy and tender, another winner. Despite my disappointment in my drink and the salad, they make excellent pizzas at Max a Mia. I've also noticed the other patrons ordering Tiramisu, which looked dreamy. I was much too full this time. read more

See all

Great food. Too loud, crowded in the evenings - have heard friends say the same thing - can't hear others at the table speak. Lunch is a much better time to go. Good location, plenty of parking - lot fills up quickly. Excellent bread, great staff - and their Max A Penne remains my favorite ! read more

New location, updated menu, but not an improvement. So the new spot is nice. It seems that the bar area did not increase space, maybe it did. My family was a bit disappointed at some of the changes. First of all the calamari is off the menu. There is a plate that has shrimp and other things but we wanted the traditional calamari one. Our server was not that attentive. We did get refills, but the time to get served was lacking and the tiramisu was melting. We never got "checked" after we were served our meal. As for the food, portions are a bit smaller and supposedly the prices are too. Not sure about that. I will say the chicken parmigiana (my Italian food barometer) was excellent. The pasta definitely fresh. My son had the filet mignon, his staple, and the "normal" sides with it changed. The steak was way overpowered by the wood fire. It should have been topped off with a sauce. Dessert menu has changed too. The chocolate cake is gone. The tiramisu seemed different too. Not as good as it has been. So for the money, I am not rushing back. Once in awhile is fine. The move didn't change much as far as food. read more

See all

Had a great time and outstanding dinner with my wife and daughter. The service by Amanda was also outstanding. This was our first visit to the new location and we will definitely be back again soon! Every dish that each of us ordered including the sides and dessert were to die for. Can't wait to return again!! read more

You need to have a Happy Hour Mercado and Roof Top and others are in touch with the consumer. read more

Food is exceptional, have been impressed all three of the times I've been since they opened the new location. The chicken parm Brooklyn style is unbelievably good! The new space is beautiful. Service is knowledgeable and attentive. read more

Awsome Anniversay Dinner! Absolutely lovely evening with great service and delicious food. Everything on the menu looked so good I didn't know what to get! We started with the meatballs. Highly recommend. I wish i had breadbto soak up the remaining sauce. For entrees I ordered the brenzino and my husband had the steak special, which cooked to perfection. My brenzino was buttery, flaky and delicious the succatash was flavorful. Dessert I had the chocolate budino and my husband had the pistachio gelato.perfect endings to a great meal. Our waiter was kind, knowledgeable and funny. I think his name was mitch(?). It gets crowded so a reservations a must. The seating can be tight if not a a booth so be prepared to be close to other tables. read more

The food and atmosphere are fantastic but due to events that unfolded here I will not be a return customer. For the record, I live close enough to walk here. They have drinks on their menu that specify egg white, so I ask my waitress for two whiskey sours with an egg white. She comes back, asks what Whiskey I want: Knob Creek Comes back again saying they're out, so I ask for four roses. They're out of four roses so I ask for bullet. Then she comes by and gives me a list of three: Jack Daniel's, Jim Beam, Whistling Pig NOT DENOTING at all that the price point of whistling pig was drastically different than the whiskies I originally asked for. I figured Id go for the whistling pig as i've never had it before! The drink comes without an egg white and definitely without any simple syrup in it. It's just whiskey and lemon juice and neither me nor my companion can stand it. I send it back saying this is wrong, and there's no egg white and suggest a whiskey sour recipe if the bar tender is new. Comes back exactly the same, I take my losses and just don't drink it. Turns out we were charged $28 per drink. Not even worth trying to get it off the check at that point I just left knowing I'd never come back. read more

Service was very attentive and prompt like you expect at any fine dinning establishments. The food was chef kiss all around! The complimentary bread and garlic confit is a very nice touch, soooo googey and spreadable on the bread! My husband got the 12oz New York steak and LET ME TELL YA'LL this is definitely the most juiciest, thick and flavorful piece of steak ever! YUMMMM!! My seafood cavatelli was also yummy, the shrimp and mussels are stupendous! So fresh!!! Well folks I think in terms of service, food and quality this is in the running as one of my most favorite Italian restaurants in CT. read more

See all

Favorite place the food always hits. Great service and not terrible prices. Love the tomato sauce they give you with the bread. Loved the pastas I tried, the pizzas but the branzino was out of this world. Highly recommend. Favorite of the max restaurants read more

Love the new place! As always great attentive staff. Food never disappoints! The best chicken parm in the area.

Meatball appetizer was awesome spicy. Bread, roast, and some kind of redsauce before appetizer. Fiancé had sausage, chicken gnocchi broccoli Rob. I had the Caesar salad. I added the grilled chicken and the shrimp amazing grilled chicken was nice and soft not dry and definitely tasted grill. plenty of space outside inside nice comfortable booths. read more

Excellent service, great ambiance and terrific tasting food. New location is superb. Beautifully decorated. They have made themselves better. read more

I went to the new location and loved it. It's a beautiful, bright space, which is a welcome change from the dark atmosphere of the old location. The menu has changed a bit and the food was fantastic. read more

My husband and I went to the new Max a Mia tonight and it was wonderful. The food was plentiful and delicious. We shared the Parma prosciutto appetizer and were glad we did. It was too much for one person. My chicken parm cut like butter. Our waitress, Deb, was excellent. She knew the new menu. She was pleasant and attentive. We will definitely return. read more

The blues and cobalts really make the restaurant pop and open kitchen is vibrant and fun Eggplant lasagna is still the best around and the prosciutto and fried pillows of love are the star of the appetizers. Thank you chef hunter, Stephen , and Liz read more

Beautiful new restaurant! Staff is stellar and the food was perfectly prepared, delicious and plentiful. Nice to have such a great spot here. We had a group of 9 including an infant and were well accommodated. read more

Our server was great but the food was mediocre. This is not a place that we will return. The ambiance was ok.

Just had the most amazing dinner served by Justin!!! Everyone at Bar amazing!!! Food fabulous. High end staff!!! Justin was so polished and friendly!!! Prices sooooooo reasonable!!!! You must come read more

2nd visit to new location. They have really upped their game with some new entries and the homemade pastas are notable. Some standby items are off the menu like penne-al-buttero because they aren't making their own penne pasta but I was able to have it made with another pasta. The chopped salad is gone and its return is critical to the lunch menu. I recall it going off once before; riots erupted and it was brought back... let's hope. The only real deviation from perfection - and this could be a deal killer - was the noise level. (Think Max Oyster on a Thursday or Friday night only double the noise level.) Some significant insulation needs to be applied to the metal ceiling. 3rd visit coming up! read more

Our evening was not only Delicious the service was excellent. I will be back many times.

Went to the new location on Wednesday, very disappointed with the new menu. They have once again removed the chopped salad as they did years ago and it is why I go there for lunch. It was their second day open and our wonderful server said many have asked for it. The food is always terrific and our server was tops but we will not go back till the chopped is back and we have been customers since they opened. By the way, the new place is beautiful. Just pay atto your customers. read more

We had a Holiday Luncheon today and everything was fantastic. A special thank you to Debbie for making our get together a great time! Food was delicious, service was outstanding and a special room allowed us to catch up with everyone in the group. Thank you! read more

There bread basket should be banned as I ate so much I was 'almost' full. Then a Stone Pie Special: Soppressata, Spinach, Black Olives on a red pie base. The best pizza yet for me...and that's a lot to compare it with. A glass of Chateau de Saint Cosme from the Wine Fest list was so perfect. What a meal in a fully packed room with the best service. Ended with my favorite Affogato. A night to remember! read more

Max a Mia's has always been a favorite of mine, and once I discovered their eggplant lasagna, it's been very difficult for me to order anything else! Even two days later as reheated leftovers (see photos), I was full of happy endorphins eating it. I do need to mention that my parents and brother and sister-in-law have recently, three different times, been very disappointed with Max-a-Mia at dinner time. Orders not made correctly being the biggest complaint. I believe they said understaffed too. They have been so disappointed they refuse to go at dinner time now. This review is about a lunch party. My parents shared one of their giant sized burgers, which the staff is always kind enough to split and plate nicely. Mom had a salad and dad a bowl of soup too; so you know portion wise, sharing a burger may not be enough. My sister in law enjoyed her beautiful salad with hanger steak, and took some home. My brother had the cheeseburger, added bacon and asked for a salad instead of fries. And I had my usual, eggplant lasagna and was not at-all disappointed. Love the focaccia they serve. My father had to ask for roasted garlic after being told they only serve it at dinners, but they were happy to oblige. I did miss the olives though. My only complaint and it's a big one and the reason for the lost star, is that they okay the music way too loud. So loud it's difficult having conversations. We did have a round table, so we're seated a little further apart. That said we asked the wait staff two different occasions to please lower it and why, and they actually have a little attitude. They seemed to lower it a tiny bit, but the second request they said they would and didn't. Mind you, this wasn't beautiful Italian or classical music, it was pop music and did not add at-all to the atmosphere, which leads me to believe it is played because the staff likes it. They deserve to be in a pleasant environment, however even wearing noise cancelling ear buds, the music was a tad too loud. Half of their clientele at that time I noticed were 40+ and composed of many seniors. I have to believe we wouldn't have been the only customers who preferred hearing their lunch companions more easily. read more

See all

Ate there on a Tuesday night with party of 10. Service was friendly and attentive. Place was nicely decorated for Christmas. Loved all the food from the arancini and fried calamari appetizer to the focaccia bread. For my entree I had tenderloin with garlic mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts. I ate only half of it since I was full from the bread and apps. I brought the other half home to enjoy the deliciousness for a 2nd day. Highly recommend if you are looking for a special night out. read more

Max a Mia - Tenderloin (well done which is how I like it), brussel sprouts and mashed potatoes - Italian Near Me - Avon, Connecticut

Have been going to this Max A Mia on and off for years now. They recently moved down the road to a larger and much more updated place in Avon. It's very nice and has the "today's restaurant" style much like places in West Hartford Center. Reminds me of Max Oyster Bar a bit (decor). Anyways we had reservations and even though they were very busy we got in pretty fast. Maybe a 5 min wait. The menu hasn't changed much. I was hoping they would add some more Italian dishes. Menu is really close to the old. They got rid of Cacio D Pepe which was a great app there. Sad to see that go. The meatball app is always good but that's about all I saw that was appealing. As for dinner we got a clam linguine special and a chicken parm. Both were good, not great. The chicken parm is exactly the same as old place. Was hoping they would modify it a bit. I will say the bread and olives with sauce is still there and that's always delicious. One of the best "on the house" that you get anywhere in my opinion when seated. I would go back but it's really average and other than the decor, it's the same ole Max A Mia with a bigger bar and basically the same menu. 3 stars. read more