Service was a million stars. Everybody was so kind. We had to wait about 20 for our table to leave and they were extremely apologetic about it, and we didn't kind. We got drinks at the bar while we waited. Every drink was a win. You really can't go wrong with any of them. As for the food, we got the prosciutto & gnocco fritto, whipped ricotta, and french onion dip. Black cod and clay pot. We also got a 2 pastas but they're not on the current menu. Everything was absolutely delicious!! We're only sad we couldn't make room for dessert so will definitely be back to try it! Ambiance was fun, crowded, but not so unbelievably loud that we had to scream to talk, which is a hard balance to get. Can't wait to come back! read more

Maxwells Trading - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I came in thinking the food would be good but overrated. By the end of the evening, the meal exceeded my expectations. This restaurant very much deserves the hype. The food was great from the appetizers to the desserts. The food here has a lot of Asian influences. They do a great job of pulling the best parts of different cultures together. It doesn't feel forced. I'll admit, when I first saw the menu, I wasn't sure if they were just trying to hit trendy global buzzwords. Often times, I feel like restaurants don't really understand the cultures they're pulling from and end up creating something that feels like a poor imitation of the original. That's not the case here as the food was creative and delicious! My family and I shared the Japanese eggplant dip with the griddled bread, suzuki tartare, clay pot rice, half chicken a la brasa, heritage pork katsu, royal milk tiramisu, and forbidden rice pudding. I think this was the right amount of food to order for 4 people. We were not stuffed but just comfortable. They do charge for the griddled bread that goes with the dips, and I would recommend getting one per person at least. We ordered 3 since my mom wasn't hungry enough to eat her own, but the bread was so good, she ate more of our's than she planned. The bread and dunks concept reminds me of the bing bread at Majordomo in LA. The drinks were pretty good. I had the spirit-free bitter cocktail. The clay pot rice and heritage pork katsu were the most notable dishes. I feel like I have to mention the half chicken though. We got the chicken half-heartedly because we needed another meat dish. We definitely thought it was just going to be ok because usually chicken is mediocre at most restaurants. It was perfectly cooked. The ginger scallion salsa verde on it was great too. Dessert options are limited but the tiramisu and rice pudding were perfect endings to the meal. The forbidden rice pudding had these crispy rice bits on the bottom that I loved. Again, there were no disappointing dishes! I think this is a great spot for special occasions with groups since there are so many solid options. read more

See all

Beautiful space! The service was friendly and they got us out the door so we could make our show which was greatly appreciated. We have previously dined at PST and had a positive experience. Now on to the food and drinks: Last word - pretty good Highball - delicious! Tartare - yummy Japanese eggplant dip - fantastic. The griddle bread is good, wish there was more green onion flavor, but it was nice and salty Soup dumpling tortellini - would not reorder Bavettes steak salad - strong Thai flavors, loved this Tiramisu - tasty The portions are on the small side. This place would be fun with a larger group so you can try more things. If we come back, would try the chicken next time as I love a Peruvian style chicken. read more

Loved this place. Excellent to go with a group so you can try lots! My faves (as a vegetarian): Lettuce wraps Eggplant dip Japanese sweet potato The hummus The table (now including the meat eaters) loved the clay pot, especially the three sauces that came with. They also loved the pasta dish. The dumplings are good. The chicken was also good, though parts of it were a little dry. The legs were juicy - really good. Desserts: we tried the tiramisu and the butter cake The tiramisu is good, but they soak it in earl gray tea as opposed to coffee, and it is quite moist/soggy... Some people were OK with it, some people did not love it. The butter cake is good, but definitely rich and buttery. Several at the table gave it a 10/10; it was a bit too rich for me though. Maybe if I only had one bite... read more

Amazing food, service and space. Family style at a circle table for 9 was amazing--not many places can do the same.

I freaking love this place. The music, the look, the bathrooms even. It's all modern and classic at the same time. I've been twice and have loved a ton of the dishes: - Cocktails - really good - French onion dip - exceptional. The scallion bread that comes with this (and all the dips) is incredible! - Hay and Straw pasta - this one was fine, still tasty but the least favorite of what I've ordered - Suzuki tartare - absolutely loved this. Every bite was perfect. It might be the best I've ever had - Prosciutto and Gnocco fritter - I wasn't expecting this exactly but the pairing of the fritter which came out hot and crispy with the prosciutto, cheese and jam is a lovely bite - Whipped Ricotta dip - good but I think the French onion one is more flavorful, edges this one out for me personally - Corn Carmelle - was a little too sweet for my liking but interesting - Pork Katsu - cooked perfectly, juicy and tender. I wouldn't have normally ordered this but so glad we did. It is a little heavy but the side peach salad added some nice relief to it, great pairing read more

See all

It's a worthy successor to Pacific Standard Time! Like PST, it's a rare place that's rich and delicious, but also light and fresh. The ambiance was modern and open, with a great view of the wood fired grill for all diners. The service was friendly and attentive and Erling Wu-Bower stopped by a couple times to make sure we were having a great time. Everything was delicious and we could've easily had all vegetarian dishes and be equally satisfied. Highlights included: - the griddle breads and dip were excellent. The bread is crispy on the outside with a fluffy interior. I couldn't get enough of the Japanese eggplant - I've never had a sweet potato like I had at Maxwells. Perfect for a fan of sweet and savory flavor mixtures. We were dipping the chicken in the sweet potato sauce. - the basque butter cake is a must get, decadent but not overly so My wife and I are excited to see how this restaurant evolves with the seasons! It's restaurants like this that make Chicago an exciting food city! read more

See all

I stopped in to Maxwell's Trading last night for an impromptu dinner date and loved every bit of it. The service was impeccable. I was alone but the entire staff made sure to take good care of me. My absolute favorites were the Suzuki Tartare and the Bavette Steak. Those two dishes will have me coming back. The Suzuki Tartare was perfectly balanced and fresh. It was my first dish and an amazing entry into the entire dining experience. The Bavette Steak was my last savory dish and I'm so glad it was. It was cooked to perfection and the lettuce wrap, garnishes, and sauces were perfect. Simple but so satisfying. I also got the basque butter cake, the parpadelle, and the carrots. Those were also delicious but not the stars of the show. I will definitely be back to share this beautiful restaurant with my fav people! read more

See all

The food is absolutely amazing. We enjoyed each of our orders and the flavors are wonderful. We will definitely go back. The only complain I have is that you have to put in your full order at the onset and the food comes out incredibly fast. In 20 minutes we had all our food. For the 4th order, we had to take a break before we started and it got cold. read more

This place was so good that I had to come back and this time we brought a couple of friends. The French onion dip was still a consistent winner, and the fazzoletti is battling is out for which one counts as my favorite dish. I loved how thin and fresh the pasta was, and the flavors of the braised lamb. Whipped ricotta also good, and the prosciutto gnocco fritto and bone in steak ranked at the top of the list for our friends. The carrots were also good - I especially liked the spoon bread that came with it, which I've never had before. Overall - everything we had here was solid. Such a good addition to the Chicago dining scene. read more

I checked out Maxwell's Trading in Chicago! The overall experience was amazing. Our picks: Bread n Dunks- Japanese Eggplant Starch- Sweet Potato Restaurants new dish- Corn Caramelle Dessert- Basque Butter Cake Restaurant is known for their dishes to be shareable; All of the dishes were at a perfect amount, and if I had to choose which dish was my favorite- it would be the sweet potato. The sweet potato had a caramalized crème brûlée - like coating with green thai curry sauce. The basque butter cake was my partner's favorite, as it was very fluffy on the inside and had a hint of saltiness- which leveled out the sweetness of the cake. They also released a new dish, the "Corn Caramelle". A pistachio pesto based dish with thai basil leaves, corn ricotta, ginger filling with breadcrumbs and parmesan on top. It had a very faint hint of sweetness, but the sauce they used really neutralized the flavor. Really cool! If I am ever back in Chicago- I will definitely come back! read more

See all

We had a solid meal here and despite them being sold out of a few items (claypot rice, turbot), the things we tried were all very good. The gnoccho frito was a great starter. freshly fried dough plus prosciutto was a good start to the meal. We had the much hyped naan bread / scallion pancake hybrid with their japanese eggplant dip. The whipped ricotta + hot honey and french onion dip looked good too but felt a bit safe. We were glad to with the japanese eggplant as it was a more middle-eastern, bright flavor that paired super well with the dense bread. The Fazzoletti was by far my favorite dish. It reminds me a lot of the lamb stracci at daisies but with a szechuan-y, chili flavor profile. We devoured this. The bavette steak was good and came with a few sauces and pickles as well as lettuce wraps. I personally thing lettuce wraps are a bit of a cop out--I feel like only non-Asians use lettuce wraps at korean barbecue which this was similar to. Some rice would've been good to add to the wraps. The basque butter cake was insanely good. We've had this at the Bristol before so we weren't surprised but still worth mentioning. I think where the menu falls down is the drinks / cocktails. There is a list of classics but would have preferred to have some cocktails that were made in-house perhaps using some of the produce from the rooftop. Other things--the service was great. There is a 20% service charge added already. The area is a bit dead / quiet but we def needed the walk back to west loop for a post-dinner drink. read more

This was so good, I think it actually lives up to the hype! we did the lionsmane mushroom lettuce wraps and the prosciutto gnocco fritto and I really liked the gnocco fritto, the fried warm gnocco fritto was a really good contrast with the prosciutto and creamy cheese and sweet jam. we also got the Japanese eggplant and the French onion dip and all the dips come with scallion bread that's so good. from the starch section we got the stuffed papardelle, Japanese sweet potato, and claypot rice. the stuffed papardelle was so good I love that it was stuffed with braised leeks instead of cheese like moose stuffed pasta. I also loved the Japanese sweet potato, so sweet and the bruleed sugar on top really complemented the sweet potato but the contrast of the savory spicy curry underneath was so good. I also really liked the claypot rice, it's so rare to find a place in Chicago that does a good braised pork (it didn't really have a crispy outside though and I know that's important to some people I just don't care much for the crispy rice on the outside). we got all three desserts and they were all so good, my favorite by far was the Royal milk tea tiramisu with candied hazelnuts it tasted like the best boba dessert. I also really liked the butter cake the texture was so good but it's a heavy dessert and a large portion! the mango sticky rice was also great but my least favorite of the desserts just because the other ones were so good. I also really liked the yuzu melon highball, very refreshing and sweet. I also loved the ambiance of the space, very airy and open but still somehow intimate and the lighting was low but not in a way that was too dark. the only thing they lose points for is the pacing-- they brought out all our small dishes SO FAST that we had to speed eat to get the plates to fit on the table and then it was like a 1 hour wait until we got our mains, we ended up being there for 3 hours which is a pretty long dinner for something that isn't a tasting menu. read more

See all

From the ambience to the service to the food, this place is a 10/10 in my books. A must visit. The restaurant itself is absolutely gorgeous. Reminds me of a Tribeca luxe warehouse with beautiful decor. The bread and any of the dips is a must order to start and the seasonal salad was really unique. Salads typically don't impress me at restaurants, but this one was special. Apples, cheese, almonds and asparagus with a delicious vinaigrette. The carrots with spoon bread was one of a kind -- loved it. Also really enjoyed the tortellini dish -- the broth was addictive and the noodles had the perfect bite. Only dish that didn't impress me as much was the sweet potato w/ a curry sauce -- the curry and sweet potato were delicious seperate, but didn't pair well together as the curry overpowered the sweet potato. The basque cake is a MUST order for dessert. I've already booked my next reservation! read more

See all

EPIC. The carrot dish is phenomenon. Who knew carrots could be SO unbelievably delicious. Pairing with a delicious gooey curry cornbread??! Whose amazing idea was this!? The lettuce wraps were fresh and light but the weakest dish compared to everything else we had, although a great primer dish! The griddle bread and Japanese sweet potato blew us away and despite the butter cake being the more popular dessert we went with the rice pudding and I could have eaten four! The mango mouse on top was heavenly. Wonderful combinations of flavors! FYI don't be confused by bathroom entrance.... It's unisex and two entrances for all lol! read more

Maxwells Trading - Okinawa sweet potato - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

great restaurant . The food was outstanding and the servers were on it! the service was outstanding. We had the brussel sprouts very good. french onion dip outstanding. clay pot perfect for mushroom lovers. chicken and the pork was also perfect. I highly recommend. read more

The cocktails and food were great. The portions were barely visible and the prices sky high.

From my 9 yo daughter: The place is a amazing. The people are so nice. The food is so good and their drinks are amazing! My favorite dish was the steak and my favorite drink was mango soda. I love it there! read more

Parked right at the edge of west loop, this new restaurant seems to have gained popularity fast judging by the packed crowd on a Thursday night. There's a reason for that as both the service and food went above and beyond. Let's start with the menu, offering a variety of what I would deem "American" fare with flavorful Asian and Mediterranean (both terms very broad, I know) twists. Given the amount we ordered, perhaps a list would be more expedient for those who have patiently taken the time to read this: - Grilled Mushroom & Lettuce Wraps ($12) (V) - Normally coming in 3, our waiter generously added a fourth given. These were great bites, flavorful and light at the same time. - Prosciutto & Gnocco Frito ($18) - Thin slices of what I like to call fancy ham, layered over a soft cheese with a pepper jam. These came with deep fried gnoccos (essentially fried bread) which you could wrap the contents in and round. Combining all the elements together yields a great treat, salty and sweet at the same time. - Whipped Ricotta ($18) and Japanese Eggplant ($16) (V) - These were advertised as dips and neither disappointed. The ricotta was airy infused with honey and the eggplant was more of a flavorful confit (truly a standout - you will be wanting more). Both were served with "Griddled bread", a fantastic dish in its own right - a sort of thick naan that had been pan fried. - Broccoli ($20) - Great flavor (compounded by the broccoli puree - just a real force of roughage). Probably the only dish that was pedestrian as I was expecting a broccolini or something more elevated. - Stuffed Pappardelle ($23) (V) - Exactly what it says! Al dente pasta filled with a leek combination. While the pasta itself was just ok, the combination with the creamy leek filling makes it stand out. - Clay Pot Rice ($39) - Best way I can describe this is like like the lotus leaf rice dish you find at a good dim sum place, but supersized. Huge chunks of tender vegetables, meat, and tofu strips layered into rice. Great taste, but a bit pricey. - Royal Milk Tiramisu ($14) and Basque Butter Cake ($18) - Solid ways to end the meal. The tiramisu has a milk tea bent and butter cake is akin to fancy cobbler. Likely would only pick one next time given the cost. In addition to the above, I ordered a Negroni ($13) to start. In general, I do feel all cocktails are overpriced (of course, this does not stop me from ordering it) but this one had plenty of volume and was truly unique infusing some Metric coffee as a flavor. Would definitely recommend. Overall, I'd probably give this a 4.5 with the half star taken off only because of cost. Of course, if you're picking an establishment like this you know going in how much you're going to spend, but I feel it was well worth it. Would highly recommend to those interested and hungry for a fine meal. read more

See all

Food and service is out of this world! Street parking's doable. Did a Tuesday night, quite vibrant and lively. Started with the mushroom lettuce wraps, the ricotta with burnt lemon honey drizzle with the a most delicious griddle bread. The griddle bread also paired well with the Japanese eggplant. My dinner companion had the Babette Steak Salad -- I tried it, so delicious with herbs, curly endive all marinaded in a lovely vinaigrette. The black cod in my mind was the star of the show. Well, a close shine was the Royal Milk Tiramisu made with black tea,a delightful finish in flavor and texture. I'll be returning with guests, again and again! read more

Wow wow wow. We've been waiting for this since PST and it blew us away. We had the French onion dip, prosciutto fritto, clay pot rice, Bavette steak (Babette's feast??), and basque cake. The first bite to the last sip was fresh, exciting, and full of flavor. So excited to have another great restaurant that makes Chicago such a special food city. Hat tip to the architectural acoustics that kept the open space quiet enough to have a convo! read more

We were able to get a reservation off the waitlist, and when we arrived we were seated immediately. The space is large and open but warm and not too loud. The menu is a mashup of a lot of different cuisines but there's a through line with some Asian-leaning ingredients (Thai basil, Japanese-style katsu, steak with kimchi, etc). The drink menu was extensive, and we also appreciated that there were non-alcoholic options. Our favorite items were the beet salad (that had a nice nuttiness from what appeared to be toasted sesame in the furikake topping) and the griddle breads (a cross between an English muffin and a scallion pancake). Some misses were the yuzu mocktail (way too much of an acidic shrub added, which made it equivalent to sipping straight apple cider vinegar) and the corn caramelle (Thai basil flavor was lovely but it overwhelmed the flavors of the other ingredients, namely corn). Overall we liked it and would come back! read more

See all

One of the best restaurants I've been to in Chicago! The staff is very welcoming, our waitress was super friendly and engaging throughout the night. She was also unbelievably knowledgeable and had great recommendations. All of the food we had was amazing but our favorites were the beef tartar, clay pot rice, and the sweet potato. read more

Wonderful big space with lots of seating at the bar. Great staff that are seasoned players within hospitality. We highly enjoyed the Japanese Sweet Potato and Basque butter cake. read more

See all

Overall, the food is tasty, but I don't really understand the hype. A group of 3 of us split the caesar salad (my favorite), french onion dip (the accompanying bread was delicious but the dip itself was lackluster), japanese sweet potato (tasty with a nice brûlée), and the half chicken (juicy and flavorful). We also enjoyed the delicious basque butter cake. The ambiance is a bit pretentious -- hard to explain but it wasn't the most welcoming restaurant I've been to in that area. However, I would try it again down the line. read more

Good, but not great, and didn't live up to the hype for me. Some of the dishes were great (whipped ricotta bread; brown butter cake), but others were just average. The music is too loud, our waiter was too soft-spoken to the point of we couldn't hear anything he said, and the seating is wildly uncomfortable. We also felt a little rushed to order and then to pay, even though there were empty tables. I'm glad I finally got here, but I don't expect to be back. read more

I'm not typically one to go out of my way to leave a bad restaurant review, but our experience was so notably bad I feel like I've been punk'd. Due to everyone's raving reviews, I'd been eagerly anticipating to our meal at Maxwells Trading for weeks. Unfortunately, our experience could not be more different from everyone else's. My boyfriend and I ordered quite a few dishes to share expecting a good experience and as the dinner progressed we became more and more disappointed with the food and service. I have a lot of thoughts below. The food: We ordered the gnocco fritto, grilled mushroom lettuce wraps, Japanese sweet potato, soup dumpling tortellini, hay and straw, clay pot rice, turbot, and basque butter cake. The gnocco fritto and Japanese sweet potato sans the overly salty curry sauce and pickled basil were probably the only 2 dishes that I truly enjoyed. Everything else, including the dessert, was way too salty. Especially the hay and straw, which is an Asian inspired fettuccine dish (with fingerling potatoes?). It was so salty that we couldn't taste any of the other components in the dish. It tasted like straight up salt with a hint of garlic chive and the large chunks of fingerling potato with fettuccine pasta did not pair well together. I really wanted to like the soup dumpling tortellini and I probably would have if it wasn't so damn salty, points for creativity, but I'll stick to the traditional soup dumplings from QXY for now. The clay pot rice was soggy, mushy, and over cooked. So much so that it didn't even crisp up after sitting in the hot clay pot. The service: Oh boy...the service that we received was more disappointing than the food. So bad I'm almost offended. We were given share plates at the beginning, but through out the entire remainder of the meal we weren't offered fresh plates or silverware between courses. At the very least I expected fresh plates between the curry sweet potato and our entree, the turbot, but no. We got cocktails earlier at the bar while we were waiting for our table and when we finished them during our meal, our glasses sat there empty the whole time until we left, no one took the empty glasses and more importantly no one asked if we wanted another drink until the dessert course. At one point our tiny round 2 top was crowded with food because our server paced our courses weird and one of the serving spoons fell on the floor. The server assistant that happened to be walking by picked it up and I feel like the common sense thing to do would be to bring back a new one, right? He didn't, in fact, the next time he walked by we asked him for a new spoon and he goes "what happened to your spoon?" proceed to laugh and walk away and didn't bring a new spoon. Why? As I mentioned earlier we really didn't like the hay and straw, after a couple bites each we didn't want to finish it. We'd finished the rest of our food so far and the hay and straw just sat there untouched, for I kid you not, about 45 mins, not one person came by to clear plates or ask us how it was. For 45 mins. And it's not like we were still eating, we'd finished everything else. I look around the room for our server and she's too preoccupied with closing out all of the other tables in her section and didn't once look at the one active table that she had left. Our reservation was at 9pm, I get she wanted to go home, but don't neglect your tables. TL;DR Maxwells Trading is not an inexpensive restaurant which I would be fine with as long as the food OR service is good. Ideally both, but I'd settle for at least one and they missed on both. At minimum for this price point I expect to not be neglected for 45 mins and to have fresh share plates and silverware between starters and entrees. AT MINIMUM. The real kicker here is that 20% gratuity is automatically added to the check. We were unhappy, but we're not a-holes so we didn't ask to adjust the gratuity to match the poor service. Here's the thing though, if you're going to guilt people into an "optional" 20% gratuity by automatically adding it to the check you better be on your A game. Chicago has a lot of excellent restaurants with both good food and service. Maybe our experience was a fluke, but I left that meal not understanding why so many reviews are saying this is the best new restaurant in town. read more

See all

Delicious, inventive & fresh. Serene industrial space with lively energy. Very nice, super long bar. A greenhouse will be opening soon to provide additional freshly farmed ingredients. I can't wait to try every item on the menu and shop at the newly opened "Paper or Plastic"boutique/coffee shop that's just off the main dining room. Pictures of some of the delicious items from last night read more

See all

We visited on Thursday and had a fantastic experience. Everything we received was prepared exceptionally. The prosciutto & gnocchi fritto and the chicken were the standouts. We would like to come back to try the black cod as we've heard great things about that dish. There were some kinks in the service: we received our cocktails after we were served our first course, and some of our food was delivered out of order. However, we understand this is a brand new restaurant and we came in with that expectation, so we did not mind at all. Would definitely come back! read more

Had a really lovely time here! The atmosphere is perfect for a date night that doesn't feel too stuffy. The staff was extremely kind and attentive which made for a great experience and meal. My personal favorites are the fizzolti, and the half chicken a la brasa. Super rich and unique flavors, will keep coming back for the fizzolity alone! read more

the French onion dip and ricotta with the scallion pancakes are one of the best apps I've had

Tough to get a reservation but I can see why. Casual, low key spot but everything is delicious. We had the Prosciutto & Gnocco Fritto, Suzuki Tartare, Whipped Ricotta with hot honey, Japanese Sweet Potato, Clay Pot Mushroom Rice, and the Sea Bass. All very good. And to close it out we had the Basque Butter Cake. WOW! Service was also good. I'll be back! read more

Incredible all around. This is one of those rare places you debate keeping to yourself or telling everyone you know about it. However, the staff are far too hard working and talented to not be recognized. Go! You won't regret it. Physical space: This is the perfect space for someone who wants room between tables, doesn't like really loud spaces, and appreciates multi-medium ambiance/texture. The bar is also really long and has comfortable seats. Drinks: We had the chilcano, margarita, 50/50, and highball. All were great and unique, which is hard to find. It looks like they had a great non al options as well. Food: Honestly everything was so, so good. One of the better restaurants I've been to in a while. The show stoppers/must haves were the broccoli and the french onion dip. The sweet potato and the fazzoletti were awesome. The basque butter cake was really nice. It was a fair price for the quality and experience of the evening. Staff: It was obvious this was a talented team of individuals. Everyone worked well together and staff was friendly without being too chatty. When we asked a question, staff were willing to seek out an answer than a tongue in cheek response. Highly recommend! read more

See all

Ambiance: Warm, sophisticated, semi-industrial/minimalist decor. Plenty of space between tables, high ceilings. Great music that doesn't intrude on conversation. Beautiful open kitchen layout. Service: Attentive but unfussy. Definitely felt like this friendly crew is experienced. Food: Wow. Chefs Wu-Bower and Jung are putting out delicious food that's innovative...but not for the sake of innovation. On the night I visited, Asian influences and Mediterranean approaches combined for a truly memorable meal. Didn't find a single misstep among the eight dishes shared at our table. read more

A friend and I tried Maxwell's tonight and it was delish. Tad at the bar was incredible. He was friendly and had so many great recommendations and wonderful descriptions of the menu. My gimlet was so yummy and my friend loved her marg. The food was incredibly we loved the clay pot rice and the ricotta. Also Tad recommended to us to put the sweet potato sauce on the rice he was 10000% correct it was even better. read more

This was one of our best meals in recent memory. Service was INCREDIBLE - attentive and kind - Lorenzo and team made us feel so well cared for and welcome. The food was delicious, not a bad dish in the bunch. We had the gnoccho fritto (the jam and olive oil were a perfect balance to the goat cheese and prosciutto), griddle bread with Japanese eggplant (herbaceous, savory), clay pot rice (perfectly cooked meats, and I'd like to bathe in the chili crisp), tortellini soup dumplings (deeply savory and also great with chili crisp), steak salad (perfectly seared and seasoned steak and bright zingy greens), and carrot spoonbread (2/3 of us don't even like carrots!). The tea-rimasu is delicate and floral. Cocktails and mocktails were fresh and bright. The space is beautiful - not too crowded, tables are large enough to accommodate many dishes at once, and the chairs are SO comfortable. I cannot recommend Maxwells Trading highly enough - it is a GEM. read more

Celebrated a bday & was welcomed with champagne for the adults & kiddie cocktails for the kids - nice touch. We were off to a good start! The tartare was top notch. It transported us to Southeast Asia and was delightfully balanced. The famous fluffy bread did not disappoint (they brought extras for the kids at no charge). French onion dip was a crowd pleaser - think creamy, whipped, melt in your mouth goodness. The eggplant was a bit of a let down since I was expecting a dip and not a rather tame Yushuan eggplant appetizer. The sauce accompanying the delicate soft shell crab was packed with flavor. Clay pot rice & sweet soy sauce was a hit with the kids. Unfortunately the protein served in the clay pot wasn't very tender. Half chicken, however, was moist, cooked well with a nice char and topped with a version of the classic Chinese ginger/scallion garnish. I really wanted to love the twist they took on XLB but the filling in the tortellini was not as juicy as I had hoped. Husband loved the slightly spicy spaghetti which was new to the summer menu. Tiramisu ended the dinner on a high note. One of the best versions I've ever had. Many ups and downs during our inaugural visit and thus the 4 stars but we do hope to make it back to try the sweet potato entree (which looked divine) and more of their ever changing seasonal menu. Also, chef/ owner was most welcoming to families! Always a plus for those dining out with kids. read more

See all

Best meal I've had this year. Non stop hits. Our service was fantastic. Bev was great. Vibe was on point. So happy I made it in after JBFA weekend. read more

What a great diverse menu. Our server was extremely knowledgeable on the menu items. Ordered Sizuki Tartare Heirloom Tomato's , whipped Ricota and the checicken with Peruvian spices was outstanding. Interior of restaurant is beautiful with a large bar. read more

I called to inquire if the restaurant had a vegan menu. I was assured it did. I asked if it could emailed or texted to me, the answer was no. We get there and we were excited to try this new place helmed by an acclaimed chef. When we asked for the vegan menu, it was the same as the regular menu except there were "X" to represent non-vegan, notes on items that could be modified and unmarked ones that could be considered vegan. I asked how the Caesar salad could be modified. I was told no dressing and no cheese. I asked once again - wouldn't that just be lettuce and croutons? The waitstaff said "sure I guess". Chef Erling Wu-Bower you can do better. This wasn't even an acceptable experience read more