What an amazing little place!! The menu has so many delicious choices it was hard for me to choose. Bread service was GOOD. Wine list SAD, however I understand that it's a small little place and they did at least have the bare minimum wines by the glass/bottle. Back on the happy notes. Service was friendly and knowledgable and everyone one at our 14-top was extremely satisfied. I had the Cioppino and it was phenomenal!! The Sand Dabs I also tried we're great! I definitely recommend this place for tourist and locals all the same. A cute, quaint, and possibly romantic place to have a delicious dinner. read more

Max's Grill - The Cioppino! - Seafood Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

This was a very pleasant restaurant. Pleasing to the eye and palette. The menu had a nice balance of dishes. All expertly prepared.

I wish I had known about this gem long ago. Max Muramatsu is an acclaimed French trained chef from Tokyo. He is very humble but his cooking speaks bounds about how well he is trained and how much he loves to cook. Having grown up in a chefs kitchen myself, patience, detail, and knowing what combinations of flavors work well together take love. We had his tempura sand dabs first. The traditional tempura sauce was light and not over bearing. The homemade tartar was just the right amount of salty and creamy. Next was the Caesar salad. His dressing was a pungent aroma of anchovy, crispy homemade wonton instead of crouton, and crisp sweet Romain. Excellent! Finally, we orders the two specials on the menu. I had the swordfish with a lemon ber blanc. Cooked perfectly. Moist. Flavorful. Even the asparagus and carrots were done to perfection. The potato gratin had the perfect balance of cream and crispy cheese on the top. My husband had the seafood pasta which is basically his ciopinno with pasta. BUT not that simple. The black mussels, crispy but moist salmon and tender bites of calamari steak were to die for. I wish I had taken photos but whatever you do I recommend coming to Max's Grill. So will wish you had come sooner. Btw- it's good to get off the beaten path of Lighthouse Drive. Many of the restaurants in that street only show a dim light compared to the brilliance coming out of Max's kitchen. read more

Max's was a little ways off the main street (Lighthouse Ave) but we were so happy that we discovered this gem! We were checking out the menu from the window and our waiter invited us in. A couple who were dining (probably regulars) told us the food was amazing. Tried the cream of mushroom soup and it was heavenly! Glad I had the cup because the bowl would've put me in a food coma. Had the duck (loved the sauce) and caesar salad. Definitely felt welcome here. Looking forward to coming back and trying more items on the menu. read more

Update: 3/28... 2nd visit to Max's Grill. This time, I brought 3 girlfriends with me for a spectacular dining experience about 3 weeks after my first trip on 3/4... And boy, we were not disappointed! They learned that night what I already knew: Max's is first class all around, yet not pretentious or stuffy. The interior is soft yellow, softly lit, inviting and appealing. From darling Yuko remembering me after 1 visit, and welcoming us all warmly, to the incredible service by the wonderful Eric, who was professional, respectful, fun, dedicated to our wishes. We appreciated his advice regarding our wine pairings, thank you Eric. ...and OMG what Chef Max does is pure magic, oh the sumptuous, sensational seasonal choices! My girls all had the sea bass on my recommendation, bringing forth a chorus of ooohs & ahhhhs and happy smiles all around our table at first bite. I changed it up, going with 2 appetizers, the Ahi Tuna Tempura Roll which is THE BEST!! ...and the Crab Cakes which were most Indescribably Amazing, they are 99% CRAB w/ the least little breading, browned and beautiful, so FRESH and succulent. They are the best crab cakes I have ever had. Chef Max's tartar sauce is outstanding. I absolutely could make a meal of Chef Max's awesome and original appetizers, oh wait ~~~ I did! Yummmmmm.... Needless to say, we all loved the fresh dinner rolls Max makes, served with EVOO and good balsamic. After dinner, we shared several desserts with our bold deep dark coffees: (1) Hazelnut Pistachio Chocolate Mousse Cake, oh heavenly angels dancing on my tongue. (2) Poached Pear w/Brie was regal and satisfying. (3) Coconut Creme Brulee, a delicate custard of rich creamy coconut milk and crispy caramelized sugar. (4) Cranberry Bread Pudding was exciting, full of tangy/sweet goodness. We also enjoyed several sophisticated dessert wines: a Port and a Sherry. We 4 agreed this was one of the most unforgettable, elegant, totally dazzling experiences we cannot wait to repeat. I totally want to try everything on the menu, and believe me... I WILL!! WHY? Because... Chef Max Makes Magic in My Mouth! Thank you Chef Max! read more

This is a family-friendly restaurant which has a Sunset Menu for the early diners. Everyone treats you very well as soon as you walk through the door and the food is fantastic. We've tried their sushi and tempura combination (AWESOME), calamari steak (SUPERB) and lamb shanks. Everything is always fresh, nicely presented and very delicious! (Their desserts are also very yummy! ) I highly recommend Max's Grill for a romantic date, family dinner, etc. read more

Interesting feel but great food. Was just a funny date night before I proposed to my now fiancé and it really lightened my mood. Quick service and not too busy read more

Our first time at Max's Grill. One word EXCELLENT!!! Wonderful service, super location, yummy food, great prices and atmosphere. read more

Max's Grill - Our first time at this restaurant, we loved it and will be back. Very clean, great food plus excellent service. - Seafood Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

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Service and food is beyond expectations. An outstanding culinary experience! Clean as a whistle, no worries about food handling, presentation, speed & precision of service. Yuko was very attentive and charming. Warm & welcoming atmosphere throughout the evening. The Brisket was as good if not better as any of my Jewish relatives are known for. Rib Eye Steak was medium rare perfect and tender & the fresh made ravioli was stuffed with porcini mushrooms & brie cheese, melts in your mouth. Restaurant News should dispatch a writer and photographer as this is front page worthy. Don't waste your time having dinner in Carmel, Max's in Pacific Grove is the real deal. read more

Really great place with great views and employees. Joe was our server and he made sure I was okay to my friends when I went to the bathroom twice, the fact he was concerned and noticed meant a lot. Great food and strong margaritas! Also affordable prices for locals !! read more

we were there this past sat and had an amazing experience. food is exceptional, service was top notch. ordered the Prix fix 3 course. mushroom soup was amazing. grilled San dabs was amazing and mini creme brulé was Amazing. my bf ordered crab cake dinner and was chalked full of crab. waiter was amazing. such a funny and attentive guy. chef is amazing. great place. read more

10 stars if I could! The food was extremely flavourful; not in the "dump more sugar/salt/fat on it" kind, but actual flavour and the service is top notch. We had the halibut special (today's special) and the cioppino; the halibut was served with potatoes and veggies and was cooked absolutely perfectly, and the cioppino equally perfect. Dessert consisted of a very rich chocolate mouse and a very flavourful but not overly sweet french vanilla ice cream. The only possible complaint was that the black coffee was the drip and not espresso kind but considering how everything else was perfect, I could live with that. Bravo! read more

It is a travesty that this place has four stars. The food was delectable (mushroom soup, cioppino, and mushroom ravioli with complimentary bread). The service was extremely attentive and charming. The building itself is somewhat plain, but who cares. The food was astounding. Please support this business. read more

Service: Very friendly! The restaurant is owned by an Asian couple. We had a large group and were seated right away. Prix fixe Menu $25 (totally worth it!) Appetizer: crab cake: delicious! you get lots of tiny chunks of crab meat Entree: fish of the day - Sand dabs: You get 3 large pieces of fish that tasted pan-fried in butter.. served with saffron rice.. pretty tasty. I've never had sand dabs before.. but they are soft and buttery. Dessert: Raspberry mousse: I'm not a big mousse fan.. but it tasted all right.. you can taste the raspberry, but it wasn't as smooth as I expected it to be Parking: Plenty of free street parking read more

WOW- Can I leave it at that?! I suppose I need to explain myself. GREAT Folks working here. Friendly and accommodating. Elegant and Casual. Children are Welcome and Treated well. Whatever you order WILL taste Perfect! Amazing Food. not your typical corner restaurant. This is Great Eats that you WILL speak about. You WILL return and you WILL send your friends here. read more

They are open!! with ample outdoor seating in the back. Very quiet and shaded. Enjoyed a tasty garden salad with beats. Delicious rolls made on the premises. My wife said the her butternut squash ravioli was awesome. I loved my chicken piccata. The service was gracious and smiling even behind a mask. We always come to Max's when we are in Pacific Grove. read more

Max's Grill was on my "to-try" list for a while, so I was excited when I finally got a chance to have dinner here with my bf. We considered the $25 prix fixe menu, which seemed like a good deal, but we preferred the flexibility of choosing items that weren't on the fixed menu. For appetizers we went with the tempura sand dabs and the butternut squash ravioli. The tempura sand dabs were amazing. The tempura batter was perfectly crispy and the fish inside had a wonderful soft, buttery texture. The ravioli was excellent too, but nothing extraordinary. For our entrees, my bf ordered the ribeye, and I ordered the salmon scallops. We were both a little disappointed with our entrees... we found them to be mediocre at best. I found my dish a bit bland, while I was hoping for something more flavorful and interesting. My bf is somewhat of a steak snob, so I can't comment on his behalf. Overall, I think Max's Grill falls somewhere between a 2-3 star rating. The only thing that really stood out was the tempura sand dabs, so if you eat here, I would highly recommend trying them! read more

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Our friends had talked about this place on a previous trip to PG so when planning another trip there, we suggested meeting them there for dinner. The food was wonderful as was the service. I had rack of lamb and it was cooked perfectly. The duck that our friend had was falling off the bone. I can't wait to go back. The prices are really good for the area and for the quality of food. read more

During a visit to Pacific Grove, I followed Yelper's recommendations to this restaurant for a romantic dinner with my wife and had a wonderful experience. The Restaurant's cuisine classification as "French" is a bit misleading. It's more like a mix of Italian and Japanese dishes really, but they're all really well presented and succulent. Their bread is also very fresh and tasty. Nice ambiance. Quiet place. Spartan decor. The service is one of the best I've experienced as well. All around a great pick! read more

A slightly better than average meal, with some weird quirks. First, the prix fixe menu had some weird caveats. We were told that "today's fish" was escolar, but then when one of us ordered the prix fixe menu (which lists "today's fish" as an entree choice) we were told that that had a different "today's fish". In addition the prix fixe menu has an option to substitute a glass of wine for dessert, but it only applies to the house wine (fair enough). More strangely, we overheard the table next to us asking to substitute a beer (cheaper than the house wine) and were told they weren't allowed. Anyway, onto the food. Tempura sand dabs were sadly average despite the raving reviews. Normally sand dabs have a delicious delicate sweetness that was completely lacking in this fairly flavorless forgettable fried fish. The crab cakes were a bit better and probably the highlight of the meal, but we've had better. Max's Cioppino consisted of mostly overcooked (and underwhelming) seafood - we were split on whether or not we liked the saffron tomato broth that accompanied it. Finally, the escolar ("today's fish) was again a bit better than average (and better than the cioppino), but not worth a visit for. We consider 2 stars to represent an average restaurant - 3 stars means we think it is better than average, but not necessarily worth a repeat visit. read more

I was in PG for a romantic getaway, and had chosen my restaurant bookings accordingly. When I walked into this very modest, homey restaurant I thought I had made a horrible mistake booking here. Only three tables were occupied, and the menu did not look promising, either. Things looked grim. The server was very friendly and warm, though, so we ordered and hoped for the best. To my happy surprise, the food was amazing! The tempura ahi roll was perfection -- the tempura crust light and thin, the rice nicely chewy, the high-quality ahi warm but not cooked by the heat of the frying. A nice touch: the roll was served with house-picked ginger slices instead of the common, commercial pickles. The mushroom soup was just right, thick with earthy mushrooms and just salty enough to perk up the palate. Housemade ravioli were tender in texture and delicate in taste. The cioppino -- beautifully plated -- was lighter and more refined than the usual version you will find locally. Instead of the tomato-heavy, garlicky, thick, stewy soup you would be served elsewhere, this version was more like a semi-clear bouillabaisse, rich with the flavor of a well-made seafood broth. Even the restaurant's chewy bread was delicious, and it was served generously, without an extra charge. (I find it really irritating that so many restaurants charge extra for bread these days.) We left happy and pleasantly sated. The portions were just right. I look forward to returning to Max's to try more of their dishes! read more

My husband & I drove 1/2 an hour just to eat dinner because he missed working around the corner from here & having a meal. The mushroom soup(my favorite), cioppino, & tempura sandabs were delicious! We shared the creme brûlée for dessert, & I have to say, it's the best I've tasted so far! This is a small gem with a very inviting atmosphere & wonderful staff. I highly recommend it when you're looking for a good place to eat in the Monterey bay/Pacific Grove area. Thank you Yuko & Max! read more

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I think Max's Grill deserves 4.5 stars, but I'll give it 5. My wife and I have ordered food twice through a delivery service (I can't sit, so can't go to restaurants anymore), so this review is only about the food. First the bad: There was some inconsistency in the quality of the tempura shrimp: the first time, the batter was light--a classic tempura batter. The second time, it was more like a standard fried fish batter--good, but it didn't really taste like tempura. The portion size of the ravioli seemed quite small. I understand the owner makes his own bread, but nobody expects an accomplished chef to be a good baker: the bread, both times, has been flavorless--no yeast taste. Honestly, neither of us thought it was good bread. Now the good: The sushi tempura is wonderful: perfect balance, and top-grade tuna. The wasabi is perfect. The shrimp in the Shrimp Tempura is also perfect. My wife and a guest said the Chicken Picata was remarkably good. I mentioned the ravioli portion is small--but the Butternut Squash ravioli is astonishingly good. It's a perfect sauce for a perfect handmade ravioli. The Caesar Salad I received was a bit overdressed, but that's a matter of taste--but it was very good. Better than I used to make (which itself was better than the vast majority of Caesars I've had at good restaurants). The Baby Spinach salad is also quite good. Now, the dish that deserves its own paragraph: Max's Cioppini. The complexity is remarkable. This is, quite simply, one of the best dishes I've had at any restaurant in my entire life. Top ten. My wife thought so too. Max's Cioppini is, quite simply, an experience. You know those food memories that stay with you for decades? This is sure to be one of them. It's absolutely stunning. Pacific Grove doesn't exactly have what I'd consider good food, with a couple notable exceptions, so we were really pleased to find Max's Grill. The chef deserves some sort of national award--or many--for that Cioppini. read more

Beautiful little place with great food! I had the most perfectly prepared lamb. My husband loved his cioppino. Will definitely return.

TOTALLY agree with the earlier reviewer that it is a travesty that this place has four stars!! We had two incredible dinners here - each new dish a delight!! The mushroom soup is to die for!! Truly exceptional!! like liquid mushrooms with enhancements!! But so are the shrimp spring rolls!! And the tempura sand dabs!! And the spinach salad - the pomegranate vinaigrette (!!), blue cheese perfectly crumbled, beets, and walnuts were exquisite. The ravioli's were amazing, particularly the porcini, shitake and oyster mushroom ravioli's with herb butter, but also the butternut squash mozarella ravioli's with the tomato butter sauce!! We wanted to lick the dish!! The calamari steak is a dish I order many places, but easily displays the skill of the chef - This calamari steak was exquisite - the best I've every had for both texture and flavor!! The caper/butter sauce was an excellent compliment!! Service was excellent and attentive both evenings!! Both servers knew their menu and were accommodating and attentive!! I only wish we lived closer and could come more often!! Even the bread is homemade on site and had a crunchy crusty with a warm soft interior and was excellent!! A highly underrated place - even the wine list was strong. There is not a dish I wouldn't try here!! While the decor is homey and modest, you can be confident that you will have a wonderful meal here. read more

Customer service sucks!!! I went there 02/15/20 for a Valentine's dinner. First we waited about 5 mins before anyone acknowledged us, then he pointed at a table where we seated ourselves and proceeded to wait almost 10 mins for someone to come and give us menus. Finally my gf got tired of waiting and decided to go get us menus. After she came back we waited another 6-7 mins for our server to come and introduce themselves. After another few mins of sitting and waiting we decided to get up and leave. As we were leaving the couple at the table next to us said "we are thinking of leaving too, no one has come by to greet us". Worst service ever! read more

I absolutely love Max's Grill. The food and service are excellent. I love the clam chowder and their spring rolls. The service is great, too. I love the owner and how kind and welcoming she is. It's definitely a local favorite! read more

A solid, above-average meal. The restaurant has a cozy feel. It wasn't crowded for an earlier evening dinner. One of our kids had a mixed greens salad with beets, carrots, and tomatoes. The others had chicken nuggets and an appetizer-version of butternut squash ravioli, which was quite delicious. I had a the special crab cake entree with broccoli, carrots, and roasted potatoes. The crab cake had a lot of crab. The wife had a chicken Caesar salad. The decor is a little drab. Our waiter was very attentive. read more

This place was one of the strangest restaurants I've ever encountered. Not in a good way. First thing walk I in to a nervous host (I think it was the chefs wife). The decor is super weird. It looks like they are trying to be fancy with white table cloths, but then they have tacky lamp shade covers and cigar purses. They had a playlist with 6 songs on a loop; first song was the Austin powers theme song. The food is pricey for what it is. Steamed uninteresting vegetables with the entree. Bland sushi. Very random Asian Italian fusion menu. Bill for 3 without drinks was 90 dollars. If you want to feel like you are in twin peaks, without being satisfied be my guest read more

Yukon served us and she was fabulous. The creme brûlée dessert was very good, but the salmon Wellington and thanksgiving turkey mains were not good. Both meats were very gamy. The steamed vegetables sides were better. I tried the free bread, but i have nothing good to say. I didn't enjoy the dinner and it was pricy. read more

This place is amazing. Very rare to find food this good at these prices. The chief is a graduate of the legendary cordun bleu culinary school in France. Meal was epic read more

Showed up with a party of 7 on a Thursday night. We enjoyed the BEST dining experience we could have imagined. Matt, our server, had expert knowledge of his menu and was more than professionally cordial in answering our questions. FOOD was gourmet quality as we enjoyed the Ravioli, the mushroom soup (to die for) and a surprise Caprese salad highlighted with figs and peaches!!. Highly recommend all three. The menu could be explored for days! You will also really ENJOY the desert menu too. Creme Brulee was on point with the best I have enjoyed. But back to the wait staff. Matt made the dinner memorable. All seven of us left pleased. Dine here TONIGHT. read more

I am always amazed that this restaurant is not more busy. I think Max cooks some of the best food in the area and I try to have dinner there at least once each time I visit. During car week my buddy Frank and I ate at Max's 3 nights in a row as the food was so good. I especially like the Tempura Sand Dabs, the Lamb Shank and the Rib-eye steak. You also could not find a better, more gracious hostess than Max's wife Yuko. read more

We enjoyed dinner last night at Max's Grill. They have built an excellent outdoor dining room behind the restaurant. It is covered to protect from foggy Pacific Grove evenings while the sides are open enough to allow for air flow. The tables are spaced at a safe distance. There are plenty of outdoor heaters. The food was excellent. We enjoyed every bite. The menu was diverse and interesting with something for everyone. And the service by made us feel that we were special guests. read more

YES, YES, YES!!!! This place has it all; warm, friendly and informative staff, sweet and simple interior, and phenomenal food. The menu is an eclectic mix of options with a leaning toward Italian. We had the shrimp spring roll to start. It came out piping hot and crispy. The flavorful filling had lots of shrimp and a perfect balance of flavors. My daughter had the Chicken Alfredo and she said it was exactly what she was hoping for when she ordered Chicken Alfredo. I ordered the grilled san dabs. They were perfectly cooked and the lemon, butter, caper sauce was beautiful. I couldn't finish the whole dish, and though there wasn't much left when I was done, I took it home becuase I know I'll savor it tomorrow. It was that good! We took dessert to go; pineapple moose and creme brûlée. They look beautiful, but I can't review them yet because I'm still full from the amazing meal. Thank you Team Max's Grill! read more

I choose the special Salmon and it was the best. Perfectly cooked and soft vegetables with an amazing squash tomato sauce underneath the fish that was amazing. I believe they have the best tomato bisque soup I have ever had. I would say make sure not to miss Max's Grill if you are visiting will be one of the highlights of your trip. read more

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I'm part of the evacuations in the boulder creek due to the fires. Was in Santa Cruz getting food for a week and everything was horrible besides The Habit burger which was good. Left there and arrived here two days ago and ate something horrible downtown first night and was so disappointed for being pacific grove and being downtown where it might be hot and good but wasn't but then I went to your restaurant yesterday evening for takeout and let me tell you chef and people reading this, Bravo on the food!! I'm a graduate from Frisco with culinary arts degree and this place is what I cook. Sauces from scratch eating the Demi glaze on the short rib which was amazing chef! The gratin was on point and the creme brûlée's was magnificent! Best thing I have had in weeks it feels like. Still happy with my meal I had. I'm coming back for sure, maybe even tonight thank you again chef and well done, keep it up and take care, Wayne Howells read more

Awesome. Shrimp spring rolls were amazing. Hostess was incredibly friendly and welcoming. Crab cakes, Cioppino and butternut squash ravioli all spectacular. First patio where I have not been cold. read more

We had a lovely evening at Max's Grill. The server was very attentive and the food was delicious. My daughter had the crab cakes, my husband had the sand dabs and I had the special, Salmon Wellington. All dishes were very tasty but the crab cakes were my favorite. Yum! The prices were very reasonable. I also had 2 glasses of wine. The Rose was way too sweet, sugary, and I couldn't drink it, the white wine was good. I'm surprised how many tables were available because the food is excellent and reasonably priced. We will definitely go back. read more

Based on reviews, I really wanted to like Max's Grill especially because they offered a prix fix dinner for $25. The shrimp spring roll lived up to expectations and was crisp and delicious. For my entree I selected the sautéed sand dabs, because Yelp photos looked great. The dish was okay but the fish was too undercooked for my personal preference. It wasn't bad, just not as good as I had expected. The dessert I chose was the creme brûlée which was served cold, not warm which is my preference. Add slow service and I don't think I would be back very soon. read more

Max's Grill - Seafood Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

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