Got a seat at the bar very early on a Saturday evening. I caught the back half of their happy hour with $5 bar bites. I tried the tenderloin appetizer which was delicious and perfectly cooked. I had the eggplant lasagne as my entree. To be clear, there's no lasagne pasta in this dish, which is not clearly indicated, but I already knew going on from a previous visit with a family member who ordered this dish. The dish is so rich and substantial. I loved it. The service was also of exceptional quality on a busy night. I was seated at the bar, which was pretty busy, but there were two bartenders who were very attentive. I'll definitely be making more visits and bringing other people in the future. read more

Great place. Service was great--as it is at all Max restaurants. The food was phenomenal. The pre meal bread was unreal. Mixing the sauce with bread and roasted garlic was great. I ordered a spinach salad for my entree. Great, fresh spinach with a nice tender chicken atop. To the person who gave 1 star because you ordered a salad as an entree and were charged more: learn how a restaurant works. You are not ordering food off of a price list at McDonalds. This is a decent restaurant with a chef. If you're upset that you paid nearly $20 when you were expecting $9, you should stay in more often. Not sure where you would expect to see $4-5 salmon either. If it was $4-5 salmon, you probably would have complained. You ordered a salad as an entree--this is not a charity. read more

Max a Mia - Grilled chicken spinach salad - Italian Near Me - Avon, Connecticut

Came here a couple months ago to meet a longtime friend from highschool. It was crowded and were offered a two top on top of a two top (literally a foot from another table).. I HATE that. I asked to be reseated and they obliged. We had a very nice young waiter, he did his job. I ordered athe Pasta Vongole, opting for Rigatoni. Whenevr I have ordered a vongole dish it has always been with clam pieces not whole belly clams in the shell and I have to say Im not a fan. Ive also never had it with pancetta and Im not a fan of that either. So I was disappointed. I prefer, clam pieces, olive oil, garlic and chili pepper. I think this restaurant is overrated just because it's a Max's doesn't mean it's amazing. Amici is far better in my opinon. Better selection of food and drink, more flavor, better seating. To me Max A Mia is about status and that's it, because everything else (except the dessert) is "meh". read more

Max a Mia - Rigatoni Vongole - Italian Near Me - Avon, Connecticut

We were in from out of town and took our son and his girlfriend to dinner. Here is how it went... Arrived early and headed to the bar...the bartender who had a great personality let us know it was happy hour so we partook...the Sangria and local beers were wonderful as were the meatballs and slider. However we could have cheerfully made a meal of the flatbread, olives and roasted garlic and olive oil. the local heirloom tomato and burratta special was delicious as was the eggplant lasagna, roast chicken was also enjoyed. Being too full for a dessert of our own we shared a giant piece of the best coconut cake I have had in a very long time. Waitress was fun and also full of personality but great attention to us. Short of the girlfriends crappy attitude the evening was very enjoyable and I will go back again and try some of the other MAX restaurants in their group. read more

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Max a Mia is a nice option for some Italian food, and the space is kid friendly (complete with crayons and paper). The bread they put out in the beginning is delicious and unfortunately our party stuffed ourselves on this bread while we waited for our meal. The pizza margherita was good with a crisp crust. They made us some vegetarian pasta with mushrooms and peas which was also pretty good. My nephew seems to be a huge fan of the mac and cheese here! read more

Not only was the food delicious, but the portions were generous and the service was great. I got the scallops and my husband got steak; both were excellent. Bread as a starter is always a plus. The prices are actually quite reasonable given the amount of food. Overall, had a great experience--this will quickly become a regular. read more

I've dined at this location on 3 different occasions for dinner, and each visit has left me underwhelmed and annoyed. The location is terrible- dark and drab inside with horrible acoustics... forget trying to have a quality conversation with your party! The look from the outside isn't much better, with an uninviting commercial appearance that looks more like a dentist's office than a restaurant. The service is terrible- expect to wait at least 40 minutes for your entree after placing your order, regardless of the level of crowds. My orders have been "lost" in the kitchen twice, causing wait times over an hour. Max a Mia's poor location and bad service combined with its average food make for a disappointing experience. read more

Had dinner last night with my husband and we were greeted by Pam, the bartender. We were taken care of in a timely fashion and truly enjoyed the service and the food and will be sure to come back. We loved the interaction between Pam and Linda - felt like we were at a friend's home - such good rapore between the bartenders and other guests. First class service with great food and atmosphere this is a home run!!!!! We will be coming back again and again!!!! read more

Went here for lunch and drinks mid-day on a Wednesday, and couldn't have asked for a better time!! I got their winter citrus salad with shrimp, and didn't have a scrap left! Our waitress was able to keep up (for the most part) with our witty banter, and was quick to wait on us. I got a gin and lemon drink which- no complaints. For the first time in my life, I tried a dirty martini that someone else had gotten, and it was a little heavy on the vodka. Not bad but, wouldn't order again. Our second drink was Cosmos for the table, and they were fantastic!!! No complaints! I would come back to see what else they have to offer. read more

Always a great meal and experience. I wanted to give a 5, but the staff mixed up my meal with little remorse. Calamari is some of the most tender we have ever had. Coconut cake always a must. read more

For $22 dollars you would hope the pasta that comes with the chicken parm wouldn't look like it came from the fridge from yesterday..... Just add some extra sauce to the top of it? Chicken parm was good and it was takeout because of COVID but the effort put into the pasta kind of ruins the whole thing. read more

Max a Mia - Max 's Chicken Parmigiano - Italian Near Me - Avon, Connecticut

We celebrated my mother's 71st birthday tonight and it was amazing! The food was perfect and our server Bonnie was even better! She has been a friendly face there for years and makes the dining experience top notch. Thank you to all the made my mom's birthday fantastic! We will be back! Cheers! And...get the coconut cake! read more

I've been going to Max's for years and their quality has been up and down. Today was not one of their best. First let me say they have some great ideas for food combinations. We started with asparagus wrapped in prosciutto and then grilled, with a fried egg and sauce on the side. Sounded yummy but the asparagus was undercooked and a little tough and the sauce had great chunks of black pepper that made your eyes water. I hade the baby kale salad with crispy garbanzo and a Meyer lemon vinaigrette. I close shrimp as a protein which had a nice flavor but was overcooked and tough. My guest has the mussel risotto. Her mussels were great, small and flavorful, but her risotto tasted like it had been cooked in condensed tomato soup. Overall this is a great place - love the outdoor seating and affordability. This was just not their best day, but we'll be back to try again. read more

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This restaurant consistently offers well prepared, chef creations with all the extras. Never disappoints.

We placed an order to go over the phone and arrived 25min later as they had advised. The food was not yet ready and we waited an additional 10 minutes. The restaurant had just opened and it was not busy yet, so I'm not sure why there was a delay. When we arrived home, the order for 6 people was mostly correct. One major error was the Beet root carpaccio salad which was replaced with beef carpaccio. This was a significant mistake since the actual item was supposed to be vegetarian. The other items were mostly correct. The potato gnocchi and waffles tasted excellent and were well liked. My burger, however, was supposed to be medium but it was well done and exceptionally dry. I did appreciate the amount of bacon provided as a side; there was plenty to share. I would dine here again but would not order the burger. read more

We absolutely adore this place! The short rib ravioli is my go to - the sauce is heavenly and nothing beats fresh pasta! I love that their specials change, although it would be great to see more variety there, and I've never been disappointed by a meal here. The service is lovely as well. read more

The food is excellent. We have always had a great experience here. It's not inexpensive, but it's worth it. The bread that comes free with your meal is awesome-- don't skip it! read more

This felt very hit or miss... Overall the service was good, but then got slower and slower. Definitely not great. The food was average over all, with some good dishes, and some really disappointing ones. We had a smaller group and tried multiple apps and mains, but nothing stood out as really great. The ambiance is nice, although was quite cold when we went. But that's not enough to justify the price point that the food was at, for the quality of it. read more

Once again it was a wonderful time at a Max restaurant! From the greeting by Jennifer; to knowing that Ruth would be our server--lunch was knocked out of the park! Ruth is an excellent server; she wants to make sure everyone gets just the right meal and everything is served just as it should be. We started with some of their wonderful focaccia bread with oil and sauce which is just out of the world. My niece had the bolognese and said that the the pasta was cooked to perfection and was full of luscious meat. Her friend had penne with sausage and initially was boasting her was going to eat every last bite she was so hungry. There was so much food; she gleefully took home her doggy bag and can't wait to finish it. But, said she ate all the sausage while it was hot as it was so so good and full of flavor. My Tuscan salad was delicious as always with the veggies fresh and full of color; I had a blackened piece of salmon that was cooked to perfection. Ruth checked in on us recognizing that we wanted to visit and talk; yet, wanting to make sure that everything was good and knowing that what Max stands for is excellent attention to detail -- and Ruth sure delivered! Ruth is a great asset to the Max organization. Another top notch Max A Mia time; thanks Ruth and thanks to the Chefs! read more

Ordered this salad and got lots of free sides. Food is good here and locally sourced when in season. Friendly bar area, indoor dining area, and outdoor patio. Parking is easy but sometimes you have to park around back. read more

Max a Mia - Italian Near Me - Avon, Connecticut

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I don't normally give out 5 stars but for the experience my wife and I had last night, Max a Mia will get 5 stars. We haven't been out to eat in 17 months and we decided for our anniversary to go to Max a Mia. We reserved an outdoor table. When we got there we saw the outside was closed but hoped since the rain had stopped that they were opening it up. As we checked in they informed us that our reservation was moved inside. Still not comfortable eating indoors we said thank you but we'll go try somewhere else. Just as we were leaving the the manager (Julia) came and chased us down to tell us they'd open the outside for us. She could tell we were parents out for a celebration and didn't want to send us away disappointed. They wiped down a nice table for us and we enjoyed a wonderful meal with impeccable service from Olivia. The food was tremendous. We shared calamari & split a Caesar salad. My wife had the eggplant lasagna and I had the penne al buttero. They also brought us a complimentary glass of champagne to help us celebrate our anniversary. So, a big thank you to Julia & Olivia for giving two us a nice out for the first time in a long time. read more

The best Italian food I have had in a very long time! Great atmosphere and food! Service was a little slow...but worth the wait! read more

Max a Mia - The best bolognese sauce ever! - Italian Near Me - Avon, Connecticut

I had a difficult time settling on a star rating for Max a Mia and ultimately drew a line in the sand and settled at three stars. I've been to many of the Max Restaurant Group's establishments and have never been disappointed by their food or service. I wouldn't say that I did not enjoy my food or service that I received from Max a Mia, it just felt decidedly average. Nothing jumped off the menu as a must try for me. I ordered a rib eye, which was a special that night, while my girlfriend opted for the bolognese. Again, nothing was wrong with our food, but coming from a group that routinely sets the bar high, it just felt a bit lacking compared to what I'm used to at the other Max establishments. Unfortunately, I would say that if you're looking for great Italian cuisine, there are better alternatives out there. If you're looking for a nice place to meet up or have a dinner and don't particularly care that the food might not be exquisite, Max a Mia will serve you just fine. read more

Max a Mia is an amazingly good Italian restaurant. One of the managers, Julia, went way above and beyond this past Saturday- she had her chef prepare a dinner that used to be on their old menu but was my favorite - a white Bolognese - it's so amazingly delicious - we were in town for a funeral and couldn't pin point the time we would arrive at the restaurant- she "worked her magic " and was able to find a table she could put us in between reservations- it was SO GOOD!!! Additionally the wait staff was great! I go there every time I'm in town. I highly recommend Max a Mia for an awesome meal with great service!! read more

OMG, the Cioppino tonight was fantastic. Ordered and paid online and picked up, all so easy and the food was great. Thank you to Maxamia for not only surviving during the pandemic but putting out consistently great gourmet meals!!! read more

I went here with a large party, our waitress was amazing. I wish I could remember her name. Their bread is SO good it comes with a roasted garlic for you to spread. I could have eaten just that and been happy. We got some apps, the meatballs were good, we also tried the bone marrow appetizer which to me was very disgusting and gross looking but some other people enjoyed it. Then for dinner Igor the eggplant lasagna. It was good but I feel like it tasted like something I could have made at home myself. Didn't blow me away. The ambiance and everything is nice but it's just way too expensive for what it is. I feel like I'm paying a high price for food that I could get at any other basic Italian restaurant. read more

Great option for pick up these days....ordered family Tuscan salad, strip steak dinner & family Bolognase dish..came with all the yummy bread/roasted garlic/olives etc ...drove up & they brought out to the car...nicely done! read more

I would have had a more tasty meal had I nuked a Stouffer's frozen dinner. I ordered the stuffed shells which were understuffed and overcooked and runny...needed a spoon to eat them...and ultimately caused gastric issues. The price for this mediocre food was $15.00. Overall, I did not like this restaurant...felt old and not clean, dark, too cold, music too loud. I am not really fussy, but bad food is a deal breaker. I will never go back. read more

Had a gift card, and decided to give this place a try. Glad we did! Every table is provided delicious bread, spicy tomato sauce, and roasted garlic! Yum! Started off with the grilled octopus. It was an entire octopus! It was delicious. Nicely paired with romesco and pesto sauces. Octopus was tender and the accompaniment were on point. We shared the mushroom stone pie and the short rib ravioli. Both were tasty. I liked that you got more than 3 ravioli compared to some other restaurants. Nora our waitress was especially friendly and was quick to make suggestions. read more

After waiting a couple weeks to try this place out, the anticipation had built to an all time high. So, on a Friday night my darling love of a guy made reservations for 530. Parking was tough as usual but we eventually found a space. Upon walking in, we noticed that the bar area was PACKED and the dining room off to the right was a bit busy. I should have guessed something would be off right from the start when the host immediately apologized for the crowd in the bar area that we would have to "weave around." After squeezing into a booth directly across from the bar (squeeze is the word when you account for the large party standing right in front of our booth), we sat down and started perusing the menu. Then we noticed quickly, we couldnt carry on a conversation without screaming. Like, at all. We were promised by our server that the large party gathering in the back right by our booth would be leaving to take their seats momentarily and so that is the reason we didn't ask to be re-seated. Everything was good. Food was delicious - I got the Chicken Parm and my boyfriend got the Bolognese. The pasta was cooked perfectly. The bread was delicious and piping hot. I didn't try the garlic (talk about bad breath for days) but the Spicy Tomato Aioli was pretty stellar. They served it with olives as well but they just aren't my thing. I took two bites of my food and asked for the rest to be boxed up. I was so frustrated because we couldn't talk to each other at all and my head was starting to throb. No booths were taken behind us and there was ample seating in the dining room for us to sit. So, why seat us in a disaster of an area? Our server had to push past hoards of people with our food and drinks on every visit he made to the table. Our server was pretty good, did his job and so for that and the food it was a 3 star visit. I can't say if we will be back again. The hype of the Max's chain seems to be fair and just if you base it purely on the food however, a bit pretentious and overrated if you consider the droves of executives specifically there for happy hour - half of them in the bar area, half of them shouting from the dining side over into the bar area. I would visit Amici's down the road over and over before I stepped foot into this place again. Quiet, intimate and the food is amazing. I think Amici spanks this place. Food is a solid 3 1/2. But minus 2 stars for going almost-deaf. Leaving the restaurant and being able to talk to my swell guy after dinner on the way home was my favorite part of the evening. read more

Had the Tuscan salad. Used to be my favorite. Cold soggy polenta croutons. Large tough lettuce leaves. Poorly seasoned dressing. Added Chicken. MISTAKE. cold and tangy. Not happy. read more

All of the Max restaurants are quite impressive, in my opinion. My sister and I came here for lunch and started off with their crispy calamari, which was served with a buttery lemon aioli sauce. The pasta dishes at Max a Mia are fairly unique, and I opted for one of the specials. The produce and pasta were extremely fresh, and the sausage was wonderfully sweet and spicy. We finished off with an exquisite tiramisu that tasted better than ones I've had in Italy. I will definitely be going back! read more

Max a Mia - Italian Near Me - Avon, Connecticut

We went here on Christmas Eve for a late lunch/early dinner. The restaurant was practically empty and they weren't offering their dinner menu. The service was average. The drinks were mostly ice. I had the chicken parmigiana which was okay at best. The spaghetti was bland mostly because the sauce was flavorless. My wife had the bolognese which she didn't bother to finish the sauce on either. Her parents had the Tuscan salad which had stale soggy lettuce. Maybe they just weren't on their A game right before the holiday, but it certainly wasn't anything to convince me to keep this in mind when we visit Avon. read more

I had lunch here a while ago. I must say, that it was terrible. I started off with the caesar salad. The entire salad was romaine rib. Hard to believe it made it out of the kitchen to a paying guest. Next I had the salmon cakes. My word. They were so salty I had to drink a couple of glasses of water just to get a few bites down. I could not finish eating them despite my hunger. I am amazed that this place has been in business for so long. Shockingly bad experience for me. Would never even think to eat here again. read more

The bartender services would be a 1, but fortunately this is a family favorite so I'm giving them a 4. I went to grab a drink with my boyfriend a few days ago. When I sat down at the bar, the bartender asked for my I.D and I was most happy to oblige. But upon showing him my passport, he wouldn't accept and kept asking for my American passport or my American I.D. I showed him all the other cards I had, my country's I.D cards included, but he still wouldn't budge. IT'S A PASSPORT! WITH VISAS IN IT. AND SIGNED STAMPS FROM THE U.S IMMIGRATION SERVICES. Then he made a half-assed attempt making me a drink. Not mixing my drink, not salting the rim, not adding ice to it, and giving it in a dirty glass. Didn't look in my direction, didn't smile, no "can I get you a menu?", nothing at all. He just slammed my drink in front of me, complained to the lady behind the bar, and stormed out. However, the other times I've been there for their dining services, the food is excellent. I'm especially a fan of their carpaccio (appetizer), polpo (main course), and tiramisu (dessert). I come here at least once a month, and the people on the floor are super accommodating. Even the managers and partners go out of their way to help you. Tip: Stay away from the younger bartenders. read more

Ordered a Tuscan salad with shrimp, take out. I just opened the box and am dumbfounded on how the kitchen let this go out to a customer. I've ordered this salad for years so I am well aware of what is in it. I received a handful of lettuce, 3 shrimp, no polenta croutons, and a couple of balls of mozzarella. $22. Awesome. As an aside, when I was there at the peak of the lunch hour, there were several parties waiting for the hostess, and one person who said she'd been waiting for 1/2 hour for her take out order. This picture is when I first opened the box. read more

Max a Mia - Italian Near Me - Avon, Connecticut

The best thing about the restaraunt is that its servers are friendly and even helped with a list of places to eat for breakfast, since my parents and I were just visiting Avon for a few days. The second positive about the restaraunt was the food looked amazing especially when first walking in. The bread was freshly baked and the baked garlic to butter on the bread was delicious. Lastly, the desserts were amazing. Now, you may think I'm crazy after listing the positives of Max-A-Mia. Well, the food moderately priced, so that is one draw back. Most importantly though was the actual food. The tomatoe sauce for the food was bland. There wasn't any spices to bring out the sauce. For the way the place looked which it was somewhat fancy the food was very disappointing especially since we were starving and from the looks of the food it looked great, but when actually served the food it wasn't worth it. read more

My boyfriend and I had our valentines day dinner here last night. We had a 5:00 reservation and we ran a little late while we looked for the restaurant and I felt bad walking in 20 minutes late but the hostess & manager were friendly and showed us to our table. It was super busy, of course, but all the staff were cheery and calm. Our server was Sam and he was fantastic. He let us know about the valentines day meal and drink specials and was very good at making recommendations. I ordered a glass of Rose for only $10 (which was on special) which was a really good price for this champagne that's normally almost $20 a glass. It was the best champagne I've ever had. For our appetizers we ordered the Tuscan salad which had cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, garlic, olives and my favorite-polenta croutons. We also had the calamari which had a little spice to it. It was served with marinara and an aioli sauces on the side-my boyfriend said it was the best calamari he'd ever had. For my entree I ordered the sea scallops served over creamy polenta. I LOVE scallops. This dish was so rich and tasty, I definitely suggest it. My boyfriend ordered the bolognese which he gets at many places, but really enjoyed it most here. We had a really great dinner here. The food was excellent, service was great. I'm really looking forward to returning this summer to dine on their outdoor patio! read more

Being from Litchfield county, and given the unfortunate dearth of good restaurants that far down route 44, I grew up making the drive to Max a Mia for almost every special occasion. It's still my mother's go-to for a half-way meeting place, so I'm there every month or so. If nothing else, it's consistent. You can always get a reservation, and it's better than any other Italian I've had in Avon/ Simsbury. The focaccia and roasted garlic bulbs are delicious and something I always look forward to. I was in last weekend for lunch and had the carpaccio, which is always good (paper thin, served with a nice caper and arugula salad). There is also a very enjoyable veal chop and polenta special in my recent memory. For pasta, the penne abbronzate is a safe bet and my default choice if I am experiencing menu-related indecisiveness. For dessert, the white chocolate polenta cake is absolutely fabulous. They also make a mean cappuccino. Nice, reasonably priced wine list. Tasteful, casual decor. Average service. read more

We were both very disappointed in our food. We ordered spaghetti and meatballs, something simple as we had never been here before. The meatballs had way too many onions, very overpowering and far too much salt. The sauce seemed to be good while it was hot until it cooled then all you tasted and smelled were stinky onions. The service was very good but just not what we ordered. We stunk of onions all the way home, then it was straight to the alka seltzer because we both had upset stomachs. We expected far better from this restaurant. read more