Tucked away in Hardware Lane, a diamond in the rough...AWESOME atmosphere, friendly staff, good great food... We had coffee and dessert, Grand Finale, ABSOLUTELY DECADENT AND SO DELICIOUS... read more

Max Cafe Bar & Restaurant - Vanilla icecream, Sticky Date Pudding, chocolate lava pudding, Tiramisu and Biscoff Panna Cotta - Italian Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Great location a bit chaotic and noisy but quick and efficient. Wonderful San Daniele pizza. Reasonable priced for location. Lots of nearby completion. read more

Max Cafe Bar & Restaurant - Outdoor seating - Italian Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

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First, my friend and I scarfed everything so fast that we forgot to take pictures. Second, everything was amazing. Being light eaters, we ordered the Tasting Plate of appetizers. Or as they call them here, Entrees. And to balance the meal, a Rocket and Parmesan salad. It was more than enough! Everything on the Tasting Plate was excellent, so flavorful and perfectly prepared. The rocket (arugula) salad was also perfect and big enough for us to split. No room for dessert, darn! Service was excellent and very attentive and would have deserved a big tip, if they did that here. Ambience was busy, crowded, and noisy but we didn't care because the food came out quick and was so good we didn't even notice. read more

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First, food was amazing and delicious. However we were less than thrilled with the service. We did go on a busy Friday night, but even taking that into consideration we were very disappointed. It started out great, we asked about the menu and we had our order taken. The atmosphere was organized chaos. However we saw that everyone seemed to have their own responsibilities and carried them out. We were served our food by someone other than the waiter who took our order which I know is common, and they were friendly. Once we had our food, we did have a different staff member ask us how the food was and then no one came back to the table until my husband was finished, they took his plate but didn't ask if I need a take away box or anything which I thought was weird since I clearly had over half of my dish left. Finally got a box, and then we sat there for another 15 minutes or so watching our waiter walk by numerous times without stopping. He seemed to be looking at tables to see if anyone needed anything but he never came back to ask if we needed anything else, never offered any water or another drink and never asked if we would like dessert which we did. We had been watching dessert dishes go by all night, but when he finally noticed we had an empty table, he dropped our bill off on the table and pointed to the counter where we could pay. That was it. Maybe it was an off night but it just left a bad taste. Disappointed. read more

I want to start off by informing all who live or visit Melbourne to make it a goal to enjoy lunch or dinner at MAX's on Hardware lane. This place is AMAZING! The ambiance feels like you are in Italy. Plus, they are SERIOUSLY serving some authentic Italian cuisine at a working man's price. I strongly recommend starting your evening off with the Tasting plate appetizer. All four appetizers are BURSTING with flavors that will blow your mind away. The bruschetta is a symphony of fresh tomatoes and herbs that just melt in your mouth, The mushrooms caps are stuffed with the chef's secret family recipe just like great grandma used to make back in Italy. The calamari is cooked to perfection just the way soft fresh delicacies deserves to be served. NOT tough & chewy. The Arancini balls, OMGGG, as your fork softly slices it into four sections you get the notion that someone in this kitchen really knows what they are doing. Then you bring 1/4 of the ball into your mouth and your tastebuds go wild. They don't remember the last time you offered them something so amazingly delicious. To be honest if it was on the menu I would order a dozen of these Arancini balls and make that my meal. I guess I could just order 3 or 4 tasting plates for my meal. But wait then I would not have any room for the PIZZA! That's right! Brick oven style pizza that tops whatever you will find in NAPLES Italy . Made by an award winning chef and it's right here in Melbourne! The crust light airy, melting in your mouth like fresh baked bread still warm from the oven, lightly covered in your favorite toppings. It is ooohhhhh sooooo goood!!!! If after all this delicious food you are a true connoisseur of Italian cuisine. You will have saved room for some Italian desserts. I would recommend extremely highly the Adffogato. A serving of fresh vanilla gelato with a shot of espresso and a second shot of your favorite liquor. It was getting late so I requested two different liquor shots because I didn't want the espresso to keep me awake all night. The staff is great! The food is awesome! The service is quick and efficient. Ps: But just like in Italy, don't be in a hurry to pay because it is an Italian tradition to sit, chat, and relax after eating. So just chill enjoy the fabulous atmosphere, food and company of good friends. I promise you, you will truly love this place! Bon appétit. read more

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It was my first time to Melbourne and my friend (who's a local) was walking me around town, showing me the sights. We happened down this side street and all of the restaurants were competing for our business. We happened past Max Cafe and a gentleman caught our attention and talked to us about the menu. My friend is vegetarian and I need gluten-free, so it's not always easy to please us both, but he assured us that they had gluten-free pizza and pasta, and plenty of vegetarian choices. We decided to share a pizza and pasta, so both had to be gluten-free and vegetarian. We chose the gluten-free Pumpkin pasta: Roasted capsicum, Spanish onion, spinach, basil and mozzarella in a Napoli sauce (it normally comes with gnocchi, but that wasn't gluten-free); and a Margherita Pizza: San Marzano tomato salsa, fior di latte, basil, olive oil. Both of them were delicious. The pizza sauce is a little sweet and the gluten-free crust was one of the best I've had. The gluten-free pasta was also very good (most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference) and the sauce was also very good. Seating is outside or open to the outside, so in the winter (as it was for us in June) you'll want a coat. read more

Max Cafe Bar & Restaurant - Gluten-free Margherita pizza - Italian Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

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Excellent chill, drink and people watch spot located in Hardware Lane downtown Melbourne. We were actually on our way to a pho joint up the street when I decided to take a detour through Hardware Lane. What a great find. The alleyway eateries and bistros in Melbourne have so much character and abundant ambience. Street artists were singing covers, people were walking by and gathering for social time. We met some "local" tourists during dinner and had a great chat. The food was super fresh with a huge menu of mainly Italian offerings with a great drink and wine list to boot. This place was by far the busiest spot in Hardware Lane for good reason. This place is busy but the staff is well organized and will get you seated almost immediately. Give this place a try for sure. read more

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the food was not that great but the employees were hot especially Amanda when she gave my dog a lap dance read more

Max Cafe Bar & Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

I'm surprised that this place doesn't get great reviews, but I have nothing to complain about. I wanted to try to place next door, but all outside tables were taken, so I sat here. Had the duck risotto and a glass of wine, and I loved it! read more

Max Cafe Bar & Restaurant - Duck risotto - Italian Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Amazing food and service. The arancini were a perfect balance of rice, cheese and tomatoes and the veal scallopini just melted in your mouth. Well done guys read more

Bloody beautiful food & hospitality Beautiful wine Great variety Good space Tucked away in alley with a beautiful vibe read more

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Great location, good food and awesome service! Antipasto plate was so good, and so filling. read more

Food: While it doesn't match some of the excellent Italians of Lygon Street or the fining dining of Southbank, Max is a good little restaurant. They offer a wide variety of food, and most meals we've ordered have been cooked and flavoured well. Good staple, classic meals, and for me, one of the better restaurants on Hardware Lane. Portion sizes are good, not overly generous (expect for the parma), but enough. Atmosphere/service: Hardware lane is always a good place to go for a lively atmosphere. The nice thing with Max being one of the larger restaurants is you can sit outside and enjoy the atmosphere but also feel like you are dining in a restaurant, not eating street food. They offer indoor seating too. Service is generally prompt, nothing much to complain about, but nothing stand out. There's no extra bells and whistles, no taking time to discuss the menu, or taking photos of the family. Service with a smile, but nothing to make it memorable. Would I recommend it: Max is a great place to go when you are looking to please a large group, or if you're entertaining visitors from abroad. Hardware Lane is generally a winner because of it's classic Melbourne laneway environment. For me, one of the better restaurants on Hardware Lane. While it doesn't do enough to make me go "oh wow", they've done enough to earn my loyalty. Due to their wide ranging menu and large seating area, they are my don't-want-to-think-too-much about it, this will please everyone enough choice. read more

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Pizza - yes it's that simple , bad pizza base and bad toppings. Lacks flavor , not worth the money you spend. read more

Max Cafe Bar & Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

If you're after friendly staff and fast service, then Max is the place for you. Located on Hardware Lane right in the city centre, this place finds itself among restaurants and bars alike. A group of us were shuffled in as we walked past, attracted by the offer of a free glass of wine with each main and complimentary entrees. Staff were attentive and prompt in taking our orders and bringing our drinks and meals out - which was appreciated given our limited time for dinner before needing to be at Hisense Arena for a conference. I ordered the Spaghetti Napoli, which while tasty, was particularly oily. Towards the end of my meal, a pool of oil remained on my plate, staring me in the face. Those of us who opted for the free glass of wine appreciated it as it brought out the flavours of our pastas. This place has plenty of indoor seating and some good sized outdoor spots for groups. Heaters outside ensure that you're comfortable even in the chilled city breeze. There's no split billing here so if you're planning to come with a group, bring cash or prepare to have a designated payer. read more

Max Cafe Bar & Restaurant - Spaghetti Napoli - oily but tasty. - Italian Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Ordered the goat cheese spaghetti. Initially the server was great, order taken promptly, food arrived quickly. But after being served he disappeared. Neither the host or hostess would make eye contact so I could get assistance. The host was standing there talking to what may have been the owner, about how he wants to do the best job, yet here I am desperately trying to get someone's attention as I was finished and wanted to go. The host was only interested in getting people in the door not assisting after the fact. Finally I got the attention of the owner who sent the hostess over. The food was not very good. It was loaded with cracked & red pepper so much so it was difficult to eat. There was a minimal amount of goat cheese as well. The mushrooms were well done. read more

Max Cafe Bar & Restaurant - Goat cheese spaghetti - Italian Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

If u r looking for a excellent service, dont come. Looking for a relax street atmosphere and not bad food, heres ur choice. Came here at lunch time. Lunch time is much more cheaper then dinner. The staff is alright. Some people feel uncomfortable about service, i think That is about all the boss on Hardware Ln are very philistine. But it is not a problem to us enjoying the food. read more

Max Cafe Bar & Restaurant - Porterhouse at lunch. - Italian Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Highly recommend first time in Melbourne found this place and eaten here every night Takes reservations accepts all credit cards Meals and service you can't beat It's hidden down an alley way so you'll have to look for it read more

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Last hours in Melbourne & I had barely eaten all day. I spent my Aussie cash down to my last $14.78. I needed food... and a place that takes AmEx. Or dinner for under $14.78. Max takes AmEx. I had the baramundi (what up, local fish!) with avocado smash, green beans, sweet potatoes, and the ever-present rocket. My house Aussie sauv blanc (palatable, if a tad sweet) came courtesy of the Yelp check in. Since I was still recovering from a wedding two days before, I wasn't picky. Hard working staff, solid menu. (For what it's worth, I saw a lot of empty seafood risotto pans on the tables around me, so that's likely worth checking out.) read more

Max Cafe Bar & Restaurant - Baramundi & Aussie sauvignon blanc - Italian Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

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The lines of restaurants down here remind me much of the Lygon Street strip. Lots of front of house staff trying to invite you in to dine with them, just without the free glass of wine or garlic lures. Very busy night with little available seating in each of the restaurants, including this one, however the wait staff were everywhere attempting to keep patrons happy. The young girl that served us was very helpful & attentive, and I enjoy when I don't have to remind them what I am drinking - just a quick "would you like another one?" without asking me what I drank last tine is always a good sign. We started off with the dips and followed with a main of calamari. Was good quality food and the calamari was cooked to perfection. Was very filling and didn't end up eating everything on the plate, much like others who had not completed their meals around the restaurant. Pricing was also reasonable and probably would hesitate in returning to this establishment again. read more

The laneway atmosphere at Max Cafe Bar & Restaurant is great, it's a hive of activity with a number of restaurants in the area. We let our 14 year old son pick the restaurant for dinner and we were wrapped with his selection. The food came out reasonably fast, the service was good (polite & informative), the food was the highlight. Tasty, fresh, flavoursome... We were very happy! I would recommend Prawn and Scallop Risotto. read more

Found this place one night roaming Melbourne. And what a place! The restaurant was quite busy when we arrived but that didn't prevent them from providing us with outstanding professional service. The menu has a great selection to choose from. It was really quite difficult to choose. I ended up choosing the risotto which was fantastic! This restaurant is located down a little side ally filled with lots of other restaurants there is literally no space between each store. However this somehow creates part of the experience. I would definitely recommend this restaurant. read more

I love being a tourist in my own city. Not long ago I was looking for a restaurant to eat with my family and thought of trying out one of the most touristy lanes in the heart of the city, Hardware Lane. I have never fallen into the trap of the waiter who tries to incise diners into a restaurant but in the spirit of being a fake tourist I thought I would give it a go. We were enticed with a free glass of wine and ordered steaks and dessert. My mum being my mum had to send back her steak as it was not medium rare, although we were going to be late for a show she insisted on sending it back. Sadly my dessert which was a chocolate lava pudding erupted in the kitchen and never made it to my stomach. We did get an apology from the chef but still I feel that this must happen often. Defiantly a tourist trap. read more

Max Cafe Bar & Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Definitely a must try on Hardware Ln. Remember to check in with Yelp for free wine. Good food with big spaces for privacy and comfort. Time seems to slow down when I saw in there. A good thing. Standard Italian stuff they got, lamb risotto to try and seafood pasta was sumptuous. read more

Max Cafe Bar & Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Amazing service, ridiculously good food, helpful and informative staff regarding the area, free drink during happy hour if ordering main and great atmosphere. Will definitely return when In Melbourne. read more

Max Cafe Bar & Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

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Restaurant with terrace, located close to city center. Mediterranean food choice with fresh products. Fast and very friendly staff. At season oysters are very good choice. read more

Max Cafe Bar & Restaurant - Fresh oysters - Italian Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

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At first when deciding whether to eat at Max's we were overwhelmed by the service persistence. The menu had some lovely food choices, we ordered the T-bone steak, Carbonara Pasta and Spaghetti Meatballs all of which were absolutely delicious! Great location with some beautiful music. We will be returning to Max on our next trip to Melbourne without a doubt. read more

Stumbled upon Max's Bar and Restaurant late Thursday evening by chance. We were greeted straight away and immediately seated and told that even though the kitchen was to close within the next 15 minutes that they'd accommodate us and for us to take our time ordering. They took our wine order, which arrived straight away as did our entree for which we ordered a bread and dip trio. This was delicious, the bread fresh and the dips so tasty the entree complimented our bottle of wine perfectly. I ordered the lamb skewers with greek salad which was fantastic, best meal I've had in Melbourne the whole week. My girlfriend ordered the seafood paella which looked and tasted amazing also. If your looking for a nice restaurant right in the centre of one of Melbourne's side ally ways this is the place to go. With exquisite service, sensational food and a atmosphere the creates one of the best dining experiences in all of Melbourne. I highly recommend Max's Bar and Restaurant. read more

My partner and I were looking for a nice pizza to end a lovel afternoon so we wander though the city and come to Hardware Lane decide to walk down hardware lane and see if we can get a pizza to share for our pocket change. First resturant is Italian, Max Bar and Restaurant . The guy comes straight for us and tries to get is to sit. He is right up in my face, Ivan and I try to discuss and we make it clear we just want pizza. He offers us a table for two and follows me as I said we will check out the other places and come back. He follows us and says two drinks complementry if we take the table and changes can be made to anything we want. He also say that the other restaurants on the street are pricey and this is the best place. We say ok, whatever and sit down and we get two free drinks from a waiter. We order 1 pizza to share but the waiter ( who wasn't friendly) insists that he can't take half the olives off one half and tells us that if we don't order two mains we must pay for a drink or order anther to get the drinks free. Ivan tells him to pour the drinks back , we don't need them, just the pizza. The manager who sat us down comes back to see what the fuss is, Ivan tells him what we agreed on and instead of apologising he just walks off. Two minutes later our waiter comes back and removes our complementry drinks from our table without a word. The whole time the manager was pacing the walkway trying to suck ppl in, whispering and pointing at spare tables in his restaurant. I didn't want them to win so I convinced Ivan to leave with me, so we walk out. I won't go back to Hardware Lane after dealing with this, nor will I ever say a good word about Max or its management and staff. Don't waste your time or money, go to Lygon street. read more

Excellent pizza and great atmosphere on Hardware Lane as always. My 16 year old daughter was so impressed that she left a tip from hear own money. read more

With the promise of all our drinks of the night on the house we chose to have our dinner at max bar and restaurant. The food was alright but nothing fantastic. After we were seated we were told our first drink was free and we could choose from a very limited list of drinks. Staff we're short with us, the heater was turned off halfway through dinner on a cold wet night, and then they attempted to overcharge us a few dollars for our meals. The kicker was the terrible busker across from us playing depressing music on a CD player and banging some drums along with the music which just made the whole experience unpleasant. Would not eat here again. read more

Located right in the heart of the touristy part of Melbourne city, this place looks good on first take, but BEWARE they're dodgy! I ordered the Gorgonzola Gnocchi which was rich and delicious! I went here with a group during a work lunch and noticed that the pork belly ordered by one of my colleagues looked massive, and very good value for what it was.. If only they honoured their Yelp special I would have rated the place higher, but these guys are pandhandlers and don't seem to understand the connection between repeat business and honouring what they say they are going to do! read more

I'm taking time out of my vacation to write this review. So, its not good. The guys on the street selling this restaurant tell you that its free drinks and appies. I was sceptical but I had to see for myself. I got what I expected. "Appies" mean some crappy, stale bread and "free drinks" mean 1 glass of 'house' shiraz that tastes like it was made in a bathtub. When I mentioned to the manager that his advertising was misleading, he proceded to yell that I was obviously too stupid to understand thier business strategy. Great service though, I sincerely hope that the girls find better employment soon. read more

The only good thing about this cafe/restaurant (in my opinion) is the interior and exterior decor/design of the cafe itself, which had plants and an elegant vibe to the place. Everything else wasn't my cup of tea. The food was too expensive for the quality of the food that was given. The staff were arrogant and extremely time-inefficient which caused for my family and I to wait over an hour for our food to be ready. The variety of dishes on the menu was pathetically small and there was a lot of cream in most meals that I saw on the menu. The drinks that were served were full on sugar, artificial substances and preservatives, which isn't healthy for any human. Along with this, there were very few drinks available for kids as nearly all drinks offered to customers were alcoholic. Wouldn't recommend. read more

Fantastic little restaurant in the laneway had breakfast and dinner here and the service was great! The guest service team that meet you in the laneway certainly do their job well in making it almost impossible to continue down the laneway to any other restaurant! Very reasonably priced and wonderful meals! read more

Max Cafe Bar & Restaurant - After dark on a Sunday night out the front of Max Bar - Italian Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Hardware Lane is a hit miss when it comes to food sometimes. This place is much more on the miss end of things though. The service was pretty poor, and the food was pretty average. read more

Have been coming here for years , standard in food and service has dropped , complained about the duck risotto only to be told we have different chefs , next table was offered a 3 course deal , make sure you ask for it. Will be a while before i return. read more

Food was absolutely amazing!! We had the lamb shanks, chicken involtini and the vodka pasta and all 3 were delicious. Highly recommend

Polite plesent little place. Food well cooked and presented. Good staff. Needs functioning air conditioning.

Food wasn't terrible but they are scammers!! I was Offered a free "alcoholic" beverage and still charged for it at the end. Of course I paid because I consumed what I ordered but to trick people into coming in Doesn't seem like a very ethical way of getting customers to come back on repeat. Typical tourist trap. read more