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Max’s Restaurant - Jacksonville

3.9 (77 reviews)
ModerateFilipino

Max’s Restaurant - Jacksonville Photos

MAX’S RESTAURANT - JACKSONVILLE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Dogs allowed
Good for groups

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Lumpia

Way too overpriced for the quality and amount. Total bill was $96 for takeout, the entrees don't even come with a side of rice and they give skimpy portions. Beef calderta had no flavor and potatoes weren't even cooked all the way. Lumpia was bite size pieces and soggy. I have never seen lumpia made this small ever. Save your money and go somewhere else for filipino food.

Aug 2025
Reno U.

Have been here a few times since it opened in JAX May 2025. Pleasant staff and a clean space to enjoy Filipino food. The difference is how polite the staff is from the welcome host to the waitstaff. I've always left in a good mood and hope that never changes. 5 stars!

Chicharon Bulaklak
Lea P.

Visited Max's Restaurant on their opening day. We were not planning on eating there but since we were in the area and their wait time gave us time to do what we had to do, we found ourselves putting our name in their waitlist. We were 7 minutes away when they texted us that our table was ready. Upon arrival. We were seated right away. Ordered the following and surprisingly they were served fast! Fried Chicken- it's their signature dish and rightfully so! Sarap to the bones or Delicious to the bones indeed! Chicharon Bulaklak - very tasty but not crispy. Crispy Pork Sisig - served on a sizzling plate but it was not sizzling nor crispy. The only crunch came from the chicharron on top but not the sisig itself. Pork Sinigang - great flavor but was lukewarm. This should've been served hot. I was a tad disappointed. Knowing this is their opening day, we did inform our server of our concerns when she asked for our feedback. Hopefully they will Improved as we definitely plan on coming back.

Sauces on tables.
Rebecca N.

I came here after work on Friday(08/01/2025). I've had them on my radar since they opened. As I waited to be seated, I noticed several people waiting for, "to-go" dishes. The place was pretty packed/full of patrons. That's always a good sign. I loved the decor, employees, service, atmosphere, food and the Halo Halo. I ordered the pancit and raspberry tea. Everything was good. The only minus is the oil that the pancit was cooked needed to be changed. It tasted old. Next time I go, I will try the fried chicken. Pros:close my home, great service, atmosphere. Cons:old oil. Recommend? Yes Welcome to the neighborhood!

Rod B.

Max is a very popular Filipino restaurant and well known for their staple fried chicken. When we heard they opened one in Jacksonville, Florida, we had to take that 2 1/2 hour drive from the Orlando area. Maybe the staff is working out the kinks but our experience was very mixed. Let me start with the positives. The restaurant is very clean, and the place was packed. The host did tell us that it would be a 20 minute wait for a table (7 includes 2 handicapped). The host got us a table in 10 minutes. This was a great start. But the wait staff did not do a good job. We waited 10 minutes for the waitress to acknowledge us but she did not get our drink orders. We waited another 10 minutes until she returned to get our drink orders. Then another 10 minutes for the drinks to arrive. She left again and came back in 10 minutes to take our food orders. Keep in mind, 40 minutes already passed. We waited another 30 minutes for the first set of dishes to arrive but not all at once. It took another 20 minutes for all of our orders to be plated. When we were ready to pay the bill after eating, it took 15 minutes to get it. The wait staff actually apologized for the long delay but this is a management issue not managing the restaurant successfully. As for the food, we ordered many dishes. The fried chicken, garlic fried rice, and palaboc are the highlight of our food. But there are some misses such as sig sig, nilaga, lumpia, and laing. I may give Max another chance. Jacksonville has a very large and growing Filipino community and many Filipino restaurants so lots of competition.

Chicharron Bulaklak
JiMmy P.

My wife and I were in the area and decided to check out Max's grand opening to see how busy things were. After being quoted a 45-minute to 1-hour wait, we went ahead and put our name on the list and passed the time shopping nearby. Once seated, we went all in. We ordered the chicharron bulaklak, crispy sisig, pork sinigang, large garlic rice, and of course, Max's famous whole fried chicken. Everything was flavorful and satisfying. A hearty lunch with plenty of leftovers to bring home. Service was solid overall, though there were a couple of misses. The sinigang came out lukewarm when we would've much preferred it hot and both the sisig and chicharron bulaklak lacked the crispiness their names promise. No worries, they just opened. For dessert, we shared the mango sticky rice; a sweet and refreshing finish to the meal. Still a great meal and a fun experience. We'll definitely be back in the next week to bring friends. All the kabayans made it feel just like home in the Philippines.

Kimmie B.

A magical blend of Filipino food and Filipino hospitality. From the moment you walk in you are welcomed. The restaurant is clean. The food is reasonably priced. The service is impeccable. The fried chicken is the star of the show, but id say that the lechon Kawali also stole the show! They even have mostly OPM music from the 90s and early 2000s. If you're missing the Philippines, or want a small slice of life back home, please definitely come visit.

Jessica D.

So good!! My in laws took us here during our visit to Jacksonville. It can be tough to find Filipino restaurants. All the food was amazing but the one entree that really stood out to me was the grilled pork on skewers. I'm still dreaming about it - the flavor was amazing and the char on the meat - chefs kiss! The portions are pretty big and it's meant to be shared family style. It wasn't too busy when we went, but I hope they get plenty of business! I would definitely return.

Rich H.

Max's Restaurant is a beloved Filipino chain, famous among homesick expats worldwide. Their first Florida location just opened at the newly revamped Town & Country shopping center off University Blvd in Jacksonville. With a Filipino population around 35,000, it's a smart spot to launch. I waited about a month after the grand opening before heading there for lunch today (7/6). If I learned anything from the Jollibee launch a few years ago, it's that every Filipino within 200 miles will make the trek for a taste of home. It was a packed house today, which is always a good sign. Max's is best known for their fried chicken, "Sarap to the bones," as their tagline says, but I skipped that to go straight for my favorites: lumpia, pancit palabok, pork sisig, and kare kare. Everything is served family style, so prices can feel steep, but you get enough to feed a group and take leftovers home, so it balances out. We started with Lumpia Shanghai, the shorter, stumpier version of the traditional roll, served with pickled carrots and onions for acidity. Unfortunately about half our lumpia were burnt. The filling was good, but the wrapper was charred enough to bring some bitterness into each bite. The sweet and sour sauce helped, but not enough to save it. Next was their pork sisig. I respect that Max's uses traditional off-cut parts like ears, snout, and cartilage. Flavor-wise it hit the spicy, bright, and crunchy notes. But sisig should sizzle. A sizzling platter traveling across the restaurant should get the same kind of attention as fajitas. Instead it arrived quietly, and its creamy texture threw me off. The taste was solid, but the experience lacked energy. Then came the pancit palabok. Rice noodles in thick shrimp sauce, topped with chicharron, boiled egg, green onions, and some cubed roast pork. That was a nice touch. I didn't hate it, but it wasn't my favorite. The noodles were stuck together in one mass, so the sauce never really soaked through. You couldn't twirl it or pull apart strands. You had to carve a corner out and eat it like a noodle casserole. The kare kare followed. It's a peanut-butter-based stew, usually built around oxtail, with eggplant, bok choy, and long beans tagging along. The best versions have that deep, slow-cooked beef flavor balanced by peanut richness. Max's leaned too hard into the peanut, without enough depth from the meat. It felt like each ingredient was cooked on its own and tossed together later. It wasn't bad, just off balance. To go with it, we got the garlic fried rice. It arrived in a giant family-style bowl and was exactly what you want it to be: flavorful on its own and perfect for scooping up bits of sisig and stew. Overall, Max's is a taste of home for many Filipinos. That's both its greatest strength and its toughest challenge. Because if you grew up eating your Lola's lumpia or your Tita's kare kare, you're going to measure every bite against theirs. And while that's probably unfair, it's also what Max's is inviting you to do. 3 Stars - Familiar, comforting, and nostalgic in spirit, but the execution needs more heart and heat to match the memories.

Chicharon Bulaklak (left) and Lechon Kawali (right)
Raegina S.

I went with a group of 8 and we ordered a whole bunch of food. They sat us at the back where we could "extend" our table room with their back counter (haha!) It was my group's first time coming here and it did not disappoint. The food was good, my favorite was the atchara and the chicharon bulaklak. We told our waitress that we were celebrating my uncle's birthday Max's style so she got the staff involved. They jump scared us by sneaking in and yelling "Happy Birthday!" and pulled out the tambourine as they sang. Everyone had such a great time, my party joked around with the staff and we all laughed together. It's very lively here on Sunday afternoons and the atmosphere is cheerful. Come by with friends and family!

My finally empty plate
Denise A.

Everything about this place was amazing. From food to service, spectacular. We had six in our party and ordered a bunch of things. It's more of a family-style restaurant but you can also order individually. Everything was delicious. I forgot to take a pic when the food showed up. I did snap when we were almost done. lol. The place is super clean I I found the dining seating to be pretty impressive. There were rooms you could tell were used for larger parties. Along the other wall there are individual tables of smaller parties. It's the best of both worlds. If there is an event and there are a bunch of you you can get a larger area without bothering others. If it is 'date night' you can enjoy sitting with your partner in a more private setting. And it was soooo clean. I was told that this is a chain restaurant but honestly I would have thought a local Filipino person just decided they want to make great food. I didn't get a 'chainy' feeling at all. It's wonderful that there are so many Filipino dining options nowadays. That makes me super happy.

Menu (30May2025)
Jay P.

Hear yee, here yee. Gotta get yo arrs and come and eat here yee. Today (May 31st) marks the Grand Opening of Max Fried Chicken, which has finally made its first location for the Southeast Region. And I thankful they chose Jacksonville. Max Fried Chicken started their business in 1945. So to patiently say, 80 years later, Jacksonville now has their own location. If you're looking for true traditional filipino cuisine, Max is the place to be. They tribe on cooking their dishes true to traditional taste and recipe. Everything we ordered tasted delicious. The food we ordered tasted like my late Momma's cooking. My only nugget, the inside could use a little more Philippine inspired arts. Other than that, you have to come here and see for yourself. A 5 star shout out and dab to Eddie, who gave us great service. We will definitely be back. Everything was Saraps (delicious) to the "MAX"!!!

Arden Y.

Awesome! Lots of parking and new clean location. Party of 6 in Sat afternoon. Was able to get a table quickly, waitress was there promptly for drink orders and we quickly ordered - the crispy Pata, fried checks and Bbq were outstanding. Everything was pretty good. halo Halo at the end was a good way to end the meal Definitely will be back when get to Jacksonville again

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Reviews are largely positive. People highlight the authentic Filipino dishes, friendly, attentive staff, and a clean, spacious atmosphere. Many also enjoy the nostalgic dining experience.

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6 months ago

Delicious! Great service and a nice ambiance. Would totally go to this hidden gem again!

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7 months ago

Traditional Filipino food was amazing. I can't wait to order take out again. Portions are large and food is delicious.

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Ask the Community - Max’s Restaurant - Jacksonville

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Max’s Restaurant - Jacksonville - filipino - Updated October 2026

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