My Dad and I had dinner here for the first time. Christine was our server this evening. She was prompt and friendly. Since I am not familiar with Filipino food she kindly answered my many questions. We ordered the Pancit Canton and the BBQ Pork Skewers. Our dishes were freshly prepared and appealing to the eye. The Pancit Canton is a tasty noodle dish with vegetables and chicken. The BBQ pork Skewers were marinated in a sauce that contained the 'famous' banana ketchup, a well loved Filipino condiment. They were sweet, tender and moist. The ribs have a delicious garnish of pickled papaya, carrots & peppers. Delish! The dishes were attractively plated and of generous portions. Max's is well known for their Sarap-to-the-bones. A signature dish of fried chicken we will definitely be going back to try. Soft rock plays in the background, the restaurant is attractive, bright and clean. Every 1st & 3rd Friday they host Karaoke, if you are so inclined. They are good for groups and Family friendly. read more

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I got to introduce my boyfriend to some Filipino food! Aside from home cooked meals, I knew that Max's would be a great place for him to eat. The restaurant had interesting frames on the wall and a mural about Max's history. It was tastefully decorated and inviting. I think I'll always order the beef caldereta when I come here since it's my favorite dish. The meat is soft and tender while the veggies and potatoes still have a little crunch. Personally, prefer my veggies cooked softer. My boyfriend really liked the pancit canton. He said that he prefers the egg noodles. I had him try the fried chicken with banana ketchup, but he preferred the sweet and sour sauce. The service was great! Our waiter was very attentive. As soon as my glass of water was empty, they came to our table with a new glass. read more

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If you're craving Filipino food in Bakersfield, this spot really hits home. The food was delicious, portions were solid, prices felt fair, and the service was excellent. Friendly staff and a welcoming vibe that makes you feel comfortable right away. Definitely coming back. read more

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Quite a pleasant surprise to find that this Filipino restaurant was near the hotel we were staying in. From my childhood, Max's always meant great tasting food, outstanding hospitality and reasonable pricing. The staff greeted us and sat us at the table of our choice...we came in before "rush hour". They were really friendly and highly knowledgeable of the food on their menu. My son's choice for tonight was the Beef Nilaga and it tasted just like Mom's cooking back home! We also had Calamansi Juice and Sago't Gulaman for me. I was expecting my son to be a little more bold with his food choice, but what he chose was good enough. The place was nice and comfortable. The decor was really pleasing to the eyes. The tables and the seating were comfortable as well. If you are in the area and looking for great Filipino fare, this is the place to be... read more

Max's Restaurant - Nice, cozy setting for dinner with my son... - Filipino Near Me - Bakersfield, California

Staff were great. Comfortable seating and they even have a party room. They did a great job remodeling what used to be a pizza place. Make you feel welcomed as soon as you walk in. If you are not familiar with the cuisine, they take the time to explain the dishes to you. I wish there was more description of ingredients on the menu. We have many Filipino's in our family and I was excited to try the food. Like with Mexican cuisine. . . everyone cooks differently. We ordered Lumping Shanghai appetizer. . . not what I am used to. . . They were small bite size egg rolls with a tasty dipping sauce. Hubby had the Pancit Canton. . . like a chow mein with thicker noodles and an order of puto. It was tasty. . . with a variety of proteins. Son had the Sizzling Caldereta. . . like a beef stew. . . same flavor. . . and white rice. I had Lechon Kawaii. . . crispy pork belly. OMG! that was my favorite of everything. . . Just needed some corn tortillas and some Chile. . . lol. . . It was so good. other than the fly that would not leave us alone, I would be back just for the pork belly. . . and maybe to try dessert. . . and maybe a specialty drink. read more

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Definitely one of my favorite places to eat when craving filipino food. Its more nostalgic for me cause I use to eat at a Max Restaurant when we lived in LA. Sundays after church at the Glendale location . Just the ambiance alone makes me feel that I'm in my Lola's house during the holidays because the restaurant is full of people, laughing, telling jokes, enjoying the food. The one thing that impresses me with the staff is that they always deliver service with a smile. They are willing to take that group photos of you and your family... definitely creates that feeling of home away from home. read more

Max's Restaurant - Filipino Near Me - Bakersfield, California

I like how the staff interact with customers, my kids thought that one of Max's staff is related to me because we were talking in Tagalog. My kids would enjoy taking selfies if they were with me in this visit #maxsbakersfield @maxsbakersfield #buzzybooth read more

Max's Restaurant - Gooding around and enjoying the selfie booth while waiting for my orders. - Filipino Near Me - Bakersfield, California

It's been a year since my last review and I'm adding a star because Max's has become one of the regular Bakersfield restaurants in my rotation. I have yet to find another place that serves better Filipino food in the area! Orders: Daing na bangus: fried marinated milkfish. Deliciously crispy and flavorful. Love this with a side of rice and spicy/garlic vinegar. I typically don't eat the skin or the fatty center (but some people like it). Def one of my favorite fish to eat! Sinigang (pork): a tangy soup that truly warms the soul. A good substitute for when I don't feel like making this at home. Pork adobo: a classic dish served with some fresh tomato and onion. Perfectly seasoned and very tender meat. Amazing with some rice. Lumpia Shanghai: little pork egg rolls that make for a nice appetizer. Calamansi juice: hard to explain this one. It's a citrus drink that's not too sweet. Super refreshing. Everyone who works here is super nice and welcoming. It's good for groups and plays nice music. Tons of parking as well. A+ read more

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We were greeted and welcomed at the front, very enthusiastically! The food was absolutely delicious! The chicken was juicy and flavorful. I loved the Pancit. The banana ketchup was interesting very much like a sweet-and-sour sauce. The dessert was delicious although I didn't realize it was a different type of banana so it was very dense . Our server Destiny was delightful . read more

Max's Restaurant - Basic combo with Pancit Bihon! - Filipino Near Me - Bakersfield, California

Slow it's not busy and just my daughter and I and we've been waiting for 50 minutes and they just came out and said 5 more minutes hope the food is worth the wait will post pictures read more

I'm going to try something new, Maxs Philippine food sounds delicious, the folks here are extremely friendly and helpful , I ordered the most popular dishes to try . I ordered the whole fried chicken, also Lumpiang Shanghai "egg rolls" also the Pancit Canton " Egg noodles" , great vibe in here. The egg rooks came out quickly and were hot as expected, they were not greasy at all and the sweet sauce served with them was a perfect compliment to the meat and vegetable flavor. I'm trying not to over eat on the first dish but they are so good I cannot stop! The whole chicken was next to come out, there is no breading and the outside is very crispy and the inside is juicy, it came with a few French fries, the crispy chicken was delicious, the French fries were cold in 5 minutes but may that's how it's supposed to be , The oil used to cook the chicken had a clean taste and contributes to the clean taste The pork bbq skewers were next , nice presentation and I dug right in, The smoky taste and slightly sweet taste was very good, there are some pickled carrots on a cabbage leaf that really compliments the pork flavor , I'm so full right now , lol Next up is the Pancit Canton , this smells delicious, house made noodles with a little cabbage, chicken, green onions and shrimp , I'm not sure what sauce is put on the noodles but it's delicious There were frequent stops asking how I was doing , You do not need to order what I did but I'm glad I did , I can with confidence highly recommend this spot read more

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Ever since Max's opened in Bakersfield, I never got to try it and so my family and I decided to make it our dinner for the night. I was really excited! However, we were calling two different numbers; Apple Maps had a different number and Yelp had a different number. Neither answered our call. So it already started off rocky. Finally, I gave up on calling and ordered through their website. I ordered the Pork Sisig ($20), the Crispy Pata ($32) with extra sauce ($.75), and a small Taho ($5). We finally picked up our order and wow, the portion of the Pork Sisig was so small for how much it cost and the Taho was not good. The Taho was lacking flavor, a mix of cold and warm. The Crispy Pata was a good size and it did last for my family of 3 and while the Pork Sisig tasted good, it is not worth it for much it cost. read more

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it was okay, the chicken was decent but not that flavorful. I wish the kabob wasnt as cold as it was. the ambiance was decent i liked the photos that were hung up showing Filipino Culture. the service wasnt the greatest but we were the only people there and i assume the staff was tired. read more

Max's Restaurant - menu - Filipino Near Me - Bakersfield, California

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Max's review is a long time coming. The resto has been in Bakersfield for a bit now and I finally made my way there last week. Kept seeing holiday deal for $88 that's going on through Jan 1. Deal comes with a Crispy Pata, Pancit Bihon, Whole Chicken and Kare-Kare. I ordered this set for our Christmas Eve dinner and it was seriously a lot of food for that price. Para was very huge and along with the whole chicken, it was already a good value for the price. The Kare-Kare is cooked with beef and not the traditional oxtails. The sauce was a bit thick for what I'm used to and lacked a bit more seasoning, but again, can't complain. Max's is a Filipino staple and the closest branch from here is in Glendale. I ordered the set online and was impressed with the pickup time and packaging. Service at pick-up was excellent. read more

It's great to finally have a traditional sit down Filipino Restaurant in Bakersfield now! For years, we've only had the "turo turo" style Filipino restaurants. These are the type where you point at the food you want from what you see at their already cooked food hot displays. Kind of like a Panda Express style Filipino place. Anyways, Max's Restaurant is not like that which is wonderful. Been here a couple of times now. Food has been tasty each time. Even the times that we've had the food to go for takeout everything has still been quite yummy. My favorite my Filipino entrees at Max's are the Kare Kare which is a beef peanut stew. Only my Mom makes it better, but unfortunately she doesn't make it very often anymore. Two entrees that are terrible for our arteries, but taste so delicious are the Lechon Kawali and Max's Crispy Pata. They are so yummy, but also not the best for our overall health. So eat them in moderation folks. Sinigang with baboy (tamarind soup with pork) is another item that I really like here. Pork Skewers are a terrific choice. Of course, I can't forget Max's Fried Chicken. Good stuff!! Filipino cuisine is not an ethnic cuisine that most folks are familiar with. Max's offers a diverse selection of traditional Filipino food to try. I highly recommend this restaurant. Give them a try!! read more

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Charging $40 for kare kare and rice is robbery especially if you only give 2 pieces of oxtail that is not even thoroughly cooked. Oxtail should be soft and braised for a long time. Fall off the bone. Not this one. This was rough, not cooked properly, and the meat did not fall off the bone. Difficult to get the meat off the bone actually. And you only gave two pieces! You can go to Wool Growers and get their oxtail there and they will give you dozen oxtail, soup, salad, bread, pasta, rice, fries, beans, and sauce for under $40! More than 12 pieces of oxtail in their famous sauce! Please improve if you're trying to collect $40 for this dish. Thanks. read more

Food is so great and delicious. Services was very friendly. Ambiance is just as soothing.

I pass through Bakersfield a couple times a year, usually just staying the night on the way to Las Vegas. This time around, I was pleasantly surprised to see this Max's open (which it wasn't on my last trip in 2023). It was just a block away from my hotel, so my wife & I came for dinner early on Friday evening. We were seated right away (though by the time we finished dinner, most of the restaurant was full). Because we are just passing through, our order was more muted than usual. We "only" ordered the fried chicken, the crispy pata, pancit palabok, and garlic rice. The skin of the chicken was perfectly crispy without needing any breading, the crispy pata was much larger than we expected, and the pancit and rice were just like mom used to make (my Mom, at least). This was still a lot of food, which we could not hope to finish between just 2 people. We did take half of it back to the hotel, to be eaten when we get to our final destination in Sin City. The service was very good, even though the staff were running around to serve all the other customers. And the price was very reasonable with all the food that we received (basically food enough for 4 people). I can see this being our go-to spot on our future trips to town. read more

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The food is amazing!! The restaurant is very clean and the waitresses are super nice. We always go to this restaurant when we stop by Bakersfield. read more

Good food ! Krispy pata is so good , crispy yet soft and tasty meat ! I highly recommend!

Max's Restaurant is located in the Hobby Lobby shopping center on the AMC Theater side, closer to Big Bear Diner. Look for the Red sign. Took my husband and stepdaughter to Max's after having had sampled the Philippine cuisine for a get together earlier in the week. I fell in LOVE with the egg rolls (my personal favorite) and wanted my family to try something new. We ordered a platter with the pork skewers, egg noodles canton, a whole fried chicken and the egg rolls. It was plenty of food (we had some leftovers to take home). This Combo platter was very reasonably priced for the amount of food and the presentation was great. My husband isn't much of a foodie, and like me loves the egg rolls, but the chicken was a little bland for him. My stepdaughter however made the suggested sauce of banana ketchup,Worcestershire sauce and pepper sauce. When used as a dipping sauce for the chicken it becomes the signature dish. She also loved the noodles with pork, chicken and shrimp. She even ordered dessert, caramelized bananas with vanilla ice cream, delicious! This is a true hidden gem. If you haven't tried Max's yet, you are missing out on some seriously good food! read more

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Ordered the caldereta after hearing a thorough and much-appreciated overview of the menu. Excellent food, very clean restaurant, great service :) read more

Having had Filipino cuisine numerous times, I have reservations. For one, it is pork-centric and I do not consume swine. For another, it is generally been a hit-or-miss in terms of flavor. So when my friend suggested Max's, I was wary. I arrived early and was pleasantly surprised at the beautiful edifice of Max's Restaurant and the cleanliness inside. Additionally, the staff was very welcoming. My friend told me via phone call that our party would be extended to seven and when I told the staff, they were very accommodating and moved me to a larger table--no questions asked. As for the food, I ordered the milkfish tamarind soup with an order of garlic rice. The rice, while garlic-forward, needed salt. I love sour but the broth was too sour for me and I was unable to enjoy it. The fish was tender and delicious and seasoned well. As were the vegetables. The portions were generous and prices reasonable. In my to-go container, I placed the rice alongside the fish (minus the broth) and vegetables. Those leftovers were mighty delicious, much better at home than at the restaurant. Which makes me think--did the flavors just need tome to meld and immerse? I am not sure but I am willing to give Max's another try. My friends ordered dessert and I sampled their ice cream--good. read more

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Max's is still great. This time the chicken and pork belly were even better. Chicken was moister and belly even crispier.

We came in on a Friday Night for an early dinner before 6pm. There were only a few tables of people eating at the time, but there was no one around at the front to greet us as you have to wait to be seated. It took a while before someone actually came to front to seat us. Once seated, the waiter came over promptly to take drink and appetizer orders. This is a decent sized restaurant with a large room that can be separated from the rest of the dining room for parties. What we ordered: - Fried Calamari: Nice crisp to the batter, flavor is a little bland without the dipping sauce. - Barbecue Pork Skewers: Very good flavor - Fresh Lumpia: Good flavor with a nice mix of veggies inside. I like the one from Goldilocks better. - Pancit Palabok: Nicely presented and was tasty. - Crispy Pata: One of their most popular items which was very good. - Sago't Gulaman: Not much flavor with the drink as the jellies and tapioca doesn't have much flavor. I like the one from Chow King better. - Calamansi Juice: A little tart and sour, could be a little sweeter. Max's Restaurant is actually known for their fried chicken, but my wife was not in the mood to eat fried chicken. They are also known for their halo halo, but we were too full to try it. I believe this restaurant just opened recently, so I'm sure they are still working out some kinks. I was only in town for 1 night, but the next time I am in Bakersfield, I would like to come back and eat more yummy Filipino food. read more

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Come on out to date night at the 178 bar and grill. Friday night date night with the talented Charlie Baker and the one and only gifted Bass Player Jed Blackburn.. Perfect Cooked Prime Rib Dinner plus drinks or Soft drinks from the bar. The atmosphere is perfect for feeding the soul Thank Jeff & Helen and staff Had a wonderful time will return soon read more

Brought my Filipina wife here while traveling through town. We had the Laing, which surpassed our expectations. Great service. Was greeted promptly at the front by Paulene and Ivan. Service was fast and delivered with a smile. We will definitely be back again when driving through! read more

Service was great but the food, it was alright. For the cost, the servings could be more. Also they're known for their chicken and it was dry and unseasoned. read more

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Max's Restaurant really tastes like back home in the Philippines! The fried chicken was perfectly crispy, and the sisig came out sizzling and full of flavor. My family truly enjoyed the meal. The staff was great--our waitress provided outstanding customer service. We will definitely come back again. Thank you! read more

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Great customer service and the food is so flavorful and delicious!if you have never tried Filipino food come and try the Sinigong,the fried chicken or the BBQ. You will not be disappointed. read more

This probably is a go-to for Filipino cravings. For those who know the flavors of authentic Filipino dishes, this place might be a disappointment. The positives. The staff is on point. They were all attentive to your needs. Friendly and welcoming. Family style setting is available. Tables were cleaned and sanitized pretty quick for the next costumers. Food? Well, that's the 3 star part of the review. Kare-Kare is bland. No flavor at all. The sauce was too thick and orange. Must be food coloring. The bagoong also had some weird coloring. Lumpia Shanghai, Pancit Canton, Beef Stroganoff and the famous Fried Chicken were ok. The atchara is orange too. Halo-halo, they probably forgot to put sugar in it. Nilagang baka & Crispy Pata saved the day! read more

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We took the office out to lunch two days after opening day. I have never visited a Max's restaurant, so this was my first time. Obviously every Filipino always believes that they make better food or that their Nanay or Tatay cooks better. I'm all about supporting my culture, food and history, so although cooking at home tastes better I'm always glad that our people is introducing foods/cuisines to other cultures/nationalities. We had a chance to try the famous fried chicken, sisig, pancit canton, shanghai, chicharron bulaklak, beef caldereta and the bbq pork skewers. Food was good, I'm not a pancit canton fan, but I didnt think these office girls were ready for palabok. Like every Filipino that was brought up eating Filipino food they always compare their childhood favorites to the ones from the restaurant. It's not quite like my mom's, but it's always a pleasure knowing someone out there is keeping our culture alive. When we we visited, the lines were so long, but it moved along quickly. It was super busy, almost all the tables were taken. It sounded like a loud elementary cafeteria. Lunch seemed like we weren't going to get back to the office in time, but service was really good. The gentleman that served us was super friendly, was funny, very polite and serviced our table quick. I would love to come back because of the nice experience. If you haven't visited yet, then definitely bring your friends and family! read more

3 words, "crispy pork belly". OK two more words, "cold beer". A perfect meal. It's funny a friend of mine just asked, "Is there a Filipino restaurant in Bakersfield?" I searched Yelp, yes there is! I walked in and I was so surprised! This place is beautiful. The manager greeted me and offered to take my photo when she saw my camera. The wait staff was super friendly as well. I started with Red Horse, a Filipino beer. The pork belly came right away. It was crispy, fatty, melt in your mouth. It comes with a tangy dipping sauce. And a side of pickles to clean your palate. This place also has a party room and catering menu. I know I will come back and try more of the dishes! read more

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One year later, I go back to have dinner here with my daughter who is visiting for a few days. Compared to a year ago, there seemed to be fewer patrons monday evening. We went ahead and ordered fresh lumpia, pork sisig, pancit bihon and garlic fried rice. 10 minutes and the server brings the pancit. The pancit was well cooked with just the right mix of vegetables, meat and shrimp. The others came a few minutes later. I checked the garlic rice first. A year ago, I also ordered this dish and it was extremely greasy! This time, it was cooked right. My daughter loved the fresh lumpia which is her first time having this dish. The pork sisig rounded our dinner and it was also good. Overall, we were both greatly satisfied with dinner this evening. read more

Great authentic Filipino Foods. Great service from the attentive waitress. Clean well lighted and nice ambiance inside the restaurant. I would recommend this restaurant to everyone. read more

This is a very clean, nice and good-sized restaurant. I was greeted and sat quickly. I was there earlier than most people go out, so it wasn't busy. I ordered the half fried chicken and the pork belly. I appreciate that I they don't bread their chicken. It's just deep-fried, which makes it really crispy and juicy. They deep fry the pork belly, as well, and serve it with a tamarind sauce. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is the food they serve tends to be heavy, and it would be nice to have a salad or some other veggie item to balance it out. I'll come back again. read more

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I'm giving them 2 stars because the customer service was great. I ordered pancit with chicken and shrimp. The chicken was wasn't fresh and tasted like it had been sitting out all day. They gave me two shrimp. (Literally) After an hour. My stomach was bubbling and I was in the bathroom. I would never go back here. read more

My first time going to Max restaurant and first time ordering online pick up order. They were advertising a Thanksgiving Feast Bundle for $75.00. Deal included Pancit (canton or bihon), crispy pata, kare kare, and Max's fried chicken. For an additional add on of Embutido and a large rice for $20.00. I purchased the bundle PLUS the additional add on. Pick up was for Thursday, November 23rd at 1:45pm. I didn't get off work until 1:45pm. My travel time from the restaurant was only 7 mins. Got there and was surprised with so many people waiting for their orders. Some already with distressed and already frustrated sighs of waiting for 45 mins to an hour for their orders. Their system for this holiday food package deal for ordering and dispersing them in a timely fashion was not ideal. I'm not sure what the delay was but it was very unnecessary. There were no explanations from the employees why our orders weren't ready at their exact times. After receiving my order, I entrusted that everything I ordered was in there. Personally I should've checked but it was Thanksgiving, I already had a lot to do after work, and still had my drive home to Delano (45mins away). Coming home, I unloaded everything in the bag and in disappointment, I didn't get my complete order. I received the Kare-Kare, the crispy pata, pancit canton, and Max's fried chicken. I DID NOT receive the additional add on items, Embutido and large side of rice. As disappointed as I was with the long wait times, I was very upset not receiving my complete order after having paid for it. I tried calling the location to speak to someone but it didn't give me an option to speak to an employee nor was I able to leave a message. I'm not sure if I'll be a returned customer after this situation. read more

Max's Restaurant - Filipino Near Me - Bakersfield, California

Worst service ever and on CHRISTMAS DAY!! Lily needs to learn customer service. She lied straight to our faces regarding our order. When I had asked about the order that was placed on Dec 16 and confirmed for pick up today she was lost. First of all Max's dropped the ball with our order and then have an imbecile with no type of customer service to handle it just made it a complete mess. If she knew the order wasn't made, why just not apologize instead of being rude!!! Her tone and choice of words was like she wanted to fight...how are you being rude for not having our order SMDH... WE ARE NEVER SPENDING ANOTHER DIME HERE!!! read more

To all the people who rave about this place. Why??? The first time I came here, I got their famous chicken. It was like $18 for a small, bland chicken. Then the second time, my mom was craving fresh lumpia with ubod. We come home to open the two tiny lumpias for $14 mind you, and no ubod to be found. We call and they say they're out of ubod. The person that answered my call had the nerve to tell me, "I'm pretty sure I told you we were out of ubod." Yeah- no you didn't. No one informed me when I placed the phone order or when I picked up. Little disappointing. Do not think I'll come back to this place nor can I recommend. I will however give props to the manager, she handled the call professionally. read more

Max's Restaurant - Their overpriced fresh lumpia. - Filipino Near Me - Bakersfield, California