Tried their Irving location for which you have to reserve one month in advance. Seating is traditional low bench with cushions not great for people with poor knee or flexibility issues. Service is quick but felt the whole experience was rushed as they have to get ready for the next group. We were a party of 6 any bigger would be hard to sit . Place is super small. Food was good and we tried quite a few dishes. Stand outs - beef bowl , ramen we tried miso , Japanese curry , miso salmon , smelt fish , karage , octopus fried was not chewy at all. read more

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Don't be scared by the location. I almost didn't go in but I'm glad I did. Fish was wonderful and it was a

Super yummy food and vibes at 10/10lol and service of course was great! The salmon sashimi was fav I've had in Texas ! read more

Mr Max - Beer - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irving, Texas

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Very authentic food. Great variety, the longest menu for a Izakaya, and I've been to tons of them. Super fast service and good ambiance, but the plaza it is in is a bit dumpy. The price is a bit high for Izakaya, especially for TX prices. Still premium food and if you want to experience a real Japanese Izakaya late night, this is the one to go in Greater Dallas read more

Food is served hot as soon as it's made! Amazing, authentic Japanese food. Takes me back to when I lived there. The servers are so attentive and friendly. read more

Does Mr. Max really need another 5-star review? Probably not but I still can't get over this meal. Everything was absolutely fantastic. Everything except for having to wait because this place is too popular and everybody knows about this Japanese gem in Irving. But hey, that comes with the territory of trying to eat good food on a Friday night! Mr. Max opens at 5pm, I went with my party of 3 and arrived around 4:30pm after reading reviews about getting there early to avoid long waiting lines. I was probably number 10 in line even getting there 30 mins early, which somehow made me anticipate the food even more. Look I'm not one to patiently wait in line but I stood in the scorching Texas heat in July and may have gotten a shade or two darker but it was sooo worth it and I would gladly do it again. I feel like the pictures don't do it justice. I don't know how else to explain it but everything tasted amazing. You just have to go and try it yourself! Be warned it'll probably be busy. I hear they take reservations for parties of 3 or more now if you're able to snag one, but make sure your entire party is there whether it's reservation or from standing in line waiting, they will give your table up! read more

Everything was delicious! You can not go wrong. We had edamame, chicken wings, beef skewers, Raman bowls read more

Best place in town! Favorite spot, everything on the menu is good! Never disappoints. Get there early! hard to get a table, be prepared to wait. read more

If you hadn't heard about Mr Max, you likely wouldn't go in. So glad we did. Friendly and helpful, the staff is excellent, the food covers some basics but the treat is in trying new things. Octopus puffs were amazing! Great prices too! Highly recommend. Just remember to take your shoes off. read more

Mr. Max was awesome! The food quality was high and it felt like an authentic izakaya experience in Japan. The servers were kind and the prices feel reasonable. Only thing I'd recommend is going right when they open, otherwise it'll most likely be a decent wait. read more

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Delicious and very good service. Very authentic Japanese food. Had me fall in love with takoyaki again. Tatami tables were a bit different than what people would usually expect, and their lemon sour is more sweet than the ones in Japan. Would definitely go again, and worth the wait. read more

If you want a hole-in-the-wall, authentic experience, you've come to the right place. Mr Max has been a OG spot for Japanese food in DFW for the past 30 years. It's a small restaurant so make reservations to guarantee a spot! Even on weekdays. We came here on a Tuesday and it was packed. We had a group of 6 and ordered a bunch of appetizers and sashimi to share. A classic favorite is the chicken karaage. Takoyaki is great as always, and sashimi was so fresh. We tried their aji sashimi and it was so delicious! It was a special for $29 but I thought it was worth it. They will fry the head for you if you ask. Aji is Japanese Jack mackerel. Their 5 kind sashimi is a beautiful spread of mackerel, salmon, tuna, octopus, yellowtail and sweet shrimp. Service was incredible as always and the food comes quicker than you think. Highly recommend coming here with a friend or a small group! read more

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Once you step into Mr Max, it feels as if you are transported to Japan! I love everything about this place - the food, service, decor, and seating is only available at the bar or on the floor. It's just perfect. Everything I've eaten is great, including the sashimi platter WOW! If you get dessert, get the cheesecake. If you don't arrive right before they open at 5PM, be ready for a significant wait time - this place is popular for good reason. Worth the wait! (You can also drink beer while you wait, which is always a plus) read more

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Parking: Limited Seating: Limited (arrive at door at 5! Bar area party of 2-3 has a better chance Ambience: Casual, but inviting Felt like I took a mini trip to Japan and back. As traditional as it gets "Izakaya" - a Grill mecca ! No online reservation, call in only except they're so busy no one hardly picks up the phone. Just show up at 5pm ! Review the Menu before arrival, and place your orders as soon as you're seated - the place gets packed within minutes. Food is fresh and flavorful with minimal dressings needed. read more

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This Japanese gem has the whole package! The service was great - the waiters were all super attentive and would frequently stop by. When we accidentally spilled some water they were super kind and helped us clean it up without any issue. The seafood we ordered was amazing, we got a selection of sashimi which was all fresh and tasty. We also had some grilled squid which I enjoyed a lot. The ramen I had was also delicious - the broth was especially spot on and I finished all of mine. The karage also hit the spot, along with the grapefruit cocktail they gave which was pretty tasty and complimented the rest of the meal. The ambiance was also spot on - it had this mixture of modern and cozy that made the experience so much better. They have tables which at first seem to be like more traditional ground tables, but actually extends below for you to sit normally and extend your legs. The overall aesthetic is pleasing to look at. Would highly recommend for any Japanese food enthusiasts. read more

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One of the best Japanese places in town! Unfortunately, it can be difficult to get a reservation its phone call only and they are open at select times. We came without a reservation and was able to be seated in the bar in under an hour on Friday night! My favorite dish of the night was the takoyaki, it comes out piping hot and freshly made. The outside is crispy and the inside is perfectly soft. We also enjoyed the chicken karage, fried oysters, and potato croquette. Finally, for dessert we got the Yuzu cheesecake. Although it was delicious, the portion was quite small. Overall, the prices are very reasonable and its fun to get to try a bunch of different dishes. Would recommend that everyone visit Mr. Max at least once during their time in Dallas. read more

Mr Max - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irving, Texas

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What makes a good ramen? Or, what makes a good noodle soup? Some may call it its numbers of ingredients, tasty noodle, or good visual, I would say it is broth itself. Ramen broth at Mr Max is excellent, as it has a very deep taste while not too salty or too strong that you cannot keep drinking its soup. I've tried ramens in different places, where my first one being a famous one in Sydney, Australia. After that, I tried a number of different ramen places in Dallas, LA, Tokyo, Seattle, Hawaii, Chicago, etc. Although ramens in Mr Max are not the best ones I've tried, it lives up on its own. For other dishes, I would say they are okay. Owners seem to be actually Japanese, which make this place very unique as most Japanese restaurants in Dallas area run by Koreans or Chinese. Japanese karages are done just about right, and everything else is not super great but don't disappoint you. For service and vibe, I would say it is quite interesting. Just be aware. Even if you visit this place during normal weekdays, this place is always full. So expect some waiting time. read more

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The place was busy and packed. Almost everything was good. The waitstaff was consistent and friendly. The wait was not that long if you came early and they tried their best to keep everything moving along. I ordered a lot so I'll rank them below. 1. Chicken Kaarage, 3.5/5, it was good, just lacked the crispy bite to its the chicken was juicy, a tad under seasoned. 2. Tonkatsu Shoyu Ramen, 3.5/5, it was flavorful but it lacked a depth to it and I think the shoyu overpowered the creaminess of the Tonkatsu. 3. Crispy Squid Legs, 5/5, it was delicious and flavorful. If it had a little spicy to it I think it would make it way better but that's my preference. 4. Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna, 5/5, delicious. It had a good spicy to it and the rice was so crispy. I loved it. 5. Yellowtail Collarbone, 5/5, best thing I ordered. It was flavorful, juicy and I loved the dipping sauce bc it was tangy and added more depth to it. 6. A5 Wagyu Nigiri,3.5/5, it was good and tender but it lacked depth and it was one note. It wasn't nasty. I felt like maybe some kizami and some black salt would raise the bar for me. 7. Kobe Beef Skewer, 2/5, lacked a lot of flavor and did not have any seasoning the dipping sauce had no depth to it and did not elevate it. It was just a meat stick. read more

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Finally! We got to try the talk of the town. ALWAYS BUSY. Get a reservation unless you are willing to wait 1-2 hours. Place is very small... really need to EXPAND. Service was fast. Everything we ordered was really good. Definitely be back for good food. read more

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Very popular spot to go but I see why! The Taiwan ramen was amazing and I could eat it everyday...the octopus appetizer was very unique and tasty. Definitely check it out if you are near by! read more

Mr Max - Taiwan Ramen - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irving, Texas

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This is a must for any foodie or Japanese Restauarnt fan. As soon as you walk in, you'll notice the sit down tables are very traditional with customers having to take off their shoes to sit at them. I sat at the bar which allows you to see the food being prepped which just made me more excited to see the menu. I ordered several different options from the Takoyaki to the Beef bowl. The Takoyaki came in the iron skillet used to make them which gave it an amazing presentation and kepted the takoyaki warm. It was soft, moist, the right combination of salty and sweet, with a decent size octopus piece on the inside. The beef bowl was also great and a great size for the price. I definitely recommend this place to anyone and I can confidently say that this has been added to my regular restaurant rotation. Do expect a wait if you're a small group and plan accordingly. I advise groups of 4 or more to call ahead of time for a reservation. Video of my visit: https://www.tiktok.com/@batang3l_/video/7220793001981938990 read more

Mr Max - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irving, Texas

No other Japanese spot will make you feel as if you just stepped foot into an Izakaya in Japan. This small unassuming hole-in-the-wall is one of my favorite DFW gems. I love to take out of town friends here for a fun dining experience where you can share many unique small tapas-like dishes. Go crazy and order any dishes that entices you and you can't go wrong. A few of my all time favorite items here are the fried squid legs, chicken kaarage, grilled atka mackerel, grilled beef tongue, fried river shrimp, Kobe beef skewers, potato croquettes and their spicy Taiwan ramen! They usually have a board on the wall that lists their daily specials and I'd recommend ordering at least 1 item from there. This place is so popular that you can expect a 2 hour wait if you show up without a reservation. So I would highly suggest making a reservation maybe a month in advance by calling them. This may seem like overkill but trust me, it will be worth it! Side note: they will ask you to remove your shoes before being seated so make sure you wear some cute or clean socks! read more

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Felt like a genuine Japanese eatery. It was crowded and tiny but somewhat felt cozy. The vibe of the place felt so much fun even though it was pretty noisy. Great place to drink sake. We had to wait for almost 2 hours to get a table because of how popular the place is but it was worth it. We waited in our car the whole time and they will call you when your table is ready. Service was phenomenal. The waitresses always have a smile and are extremely friendly. Our drinks and food came out very quick. The portions were small enough for us to enjoy their other delicious food items. It was fun trying a variety of appetizers. I loved their takoyaki balls (octopus grilled balls). It was piping hot and had so much flavor. The grilled squid looked pretty on the plate but tasted okay. Their meat skewers were very delicious. I would absolutely come back to try their other dishes. read more

Mr Max - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irving, Texas

One of my favorite restaurants in the DFW metroplex, and definitely #1 for Japanese places. Mr Max never misses, and I love that it's izakaya style so you can try a bunch of small plates, especially if you're with a group. Some of my absolute must orders whenever I come: the aji special (don't sleep on the deep fried fish bones after you're done with the delicious sashimi!), the house curry, the takoyaki, the fried squid legs, the chicken karaage with tartar sauce, and the tonkotsu ramen. Tako wasabi, shishito peppers, potato salad, and eggplant in broth are also extremely solid, and everything from the flame grill is also very fresh and good. Can't go wrong with any of their desserts but my favorite is the baked yuzu cheesecake. Perfect flavor and sweetness level! The curry and ramen dishes used to be single-serving/small bowl, but during our most recent visit, we realized the prices for those had gone up because they were entree-sized now, so be aware of that if you haven't visited in a while! Still delicious, but if you want to go izakaya style for most of your dishes, the noodles and rice are going to be a hefty portion. If you're a party of 2, you can't make a reservation in advance, but my fiance and I usually just get there right when they open and are seated immediately, so we don't really ever have to wait for a table. Larger groups I would definitely recommend making a reservation so you don't have to wait! Seating style is traditional (gotta take your shoes off). Thanks for all the great experiences over the years, Mr Max, and I hope to be back soon! read more

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I love myself a good izakaya, and this place definitely tops alot of places ive been. First off, they are super busy, we got there 20 mins after they opened at 5pm and it was packed plus a waitlist going on. We were lucky enough to get sat pretty immediately since we were a small top. The yellowtail collar and the chicken karaage with tarter were my favorite dishes! The karaage was so tender and juicy and the tarter was a creamy potato salad yummmmmm! My boyfriend ordered some sashimi and the quality of the fish was pretty fresh and tasty as well. The takoyaki was also fresh off the grill super good and the eel omelette was probably our least favorite. Wishing we had more eel than omelette. The service was also super great :) Definitely worth checking it out if youre willing to wait a little. read more

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Mr. Max is by far one of the most well-rounded restaurants in the DFW area. Every single item on their menu is legit. You seriously can't go wrong with anything you get. You get top-quality food at such an affordable price. I got the Tonkotsu ramen, and it's full of umami flavor (it quite literally punches you right in the face when you take your first slurp). If I had to be picky, the chashu was a bit dry and thin. Like many people have already mentioned, the wait is a bit long. I get there 30 min before opening, and I'm usually one of the first people waiting in line. Calling to make a reservation is hit-or-miss, and they only take 3 people minimum reservations. read more

Mr Max - Tonkotsu Ramen - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irving, Texas

holy smokes this place is straight fire. The ramen is peak Dallas TX. 10/10 recommendations

Spiced up my life, for sure!! The wifey and I enjoyed eating here on a chili evening. I have never been to any country in Asia, but I would think that the experience would be similar. It had a very authentic feel and the food was very good. Decir-small dining area for tables, but there is plenty of room around the tables. Seating at the bar available as well. The walls are covered with posters that I'm assuming described their dishes. You had to remove your shoes to sit at the tables, which was cool. Service-takes forever to get a seat, they don't really have a good system. People were seated before us that showed up after us and just seemed a bit chaotic. Once seated, the service was very good, with very nice waitresses. Food-large portions for reasonable prices. Taiwan Ramen-very tasty, and super spicy. I ordered it medium spicy and it had a stout kick, but it was very tasty. Tonkatsu Ramen-it was good, but we prefer the thicker noodles. Takoyaki Octopus Balls-very flavorful, the octopus was so tender and well seasoned. The potato starch had a weird texture, but the flavor was great. We'll be back. read more

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Every piece on the sashimi platter was fresh and delicious. The restaurant is cozy and there was a bit of a wait but worth it. Server was friendly and gave us a heads up that the kitchen was closing soon. Will definitely be back! read more

Mr Max - Fried Oysters 5 Kind Sashimi Udon Noodles (Hot) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irving, Texas

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I don't know this place is still open for business. Four of us drove all the way to this location after we reviewed the opening hours in Yelp, and found out that there was no light and door was locked on Jan 20, 2025 and there was no posting to say 'they closed for what'. read more

Mr. Max is a hidden gem in Irving, TX. It's an authentic Japanese izakaya with a bar top and tatami seated table area. There is always a line, so either come early before opening or be prepared to wait. I went there twice when I stayed at the Atrium Hotel. The three appetizer chef choice was refreshing, smelt fish grilled to perfection, and Agedashi tofu fried well. The tonkotsu ramen was average, as the broth was more on the salty end. Next time when I'm back in Irving, I'll splurge on sashimi, karaage, and beef tongue! read more

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Recommend the sashimi, karage, yellowtail collar, beef skewers, and agedashi tofu. Everything was scrumptious. Finished off dinner with a yuzu cheesecake. read more

This is legitimately one of the best Japanese spots in Texas. The restaurant has limited seating so make sure you arrive early; we arrived 30min before opening. They have bar sitting and traditional tatami seating, which was refreshing. Literally all the dishes we ordered were delicious, some standouts were the 5 kind sashimi platter, takoyaki & karaage. Most dishes are small plate, pretty good for sharing between 2-4 ppl. The staff was friendly and the service was REALLY fast. We will definitely back to try the other options, especially the ramen. read more

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This place is a must try - the food was incredible. The small plates are reasonably priced and the quality is unmatched. The service was incredibly quick and the staff was very friendly. They had Japanese decor inside the restaurant and made me feel like I was in a restaurant in Japan. Loved every second can't wait to come back. read more

This is the most authentic Japanese dining experience I have had in Texas. It's very popular and very busy, so I don't go as often as I would like. But, if you are in the mood to deal with a wait, then it's well worth it. Also, I recommend going with 4 people so you can try and share lots of menu items. read more

A big NOPE ... Don't believe everything you read on the internet. Found this place via an article online for the best yelp restaurants. This was only place on the list in North Texas and it happens to be right the street from me. We tried to visit this place once before, but the wait was too long. This time around we got there at 415pm (they open at 500pm). We waited outside in this 100 heat wave for 45 min. I was hoping it was going to be worth the wait in the heat with no shade. Once we got in, it is small. Very small. Only fits 24 people at a time. There is some charm to the place and it's comfortable. We order their "homemade" japan pork curry, beef bowl, shrimp tempura, pan fried pork belly with soy ginger, Kobe beef skewers and their grilled mackerel. The curry was just average and cold. Nothing amazing about it. The rice was mushy too. Felt like we were eating leftovers. Was not good at all. The beef bowl was a joke. Just shredded beef and rice that was bland and more mushy rice. Shrimp tempura was also bland and nothing amazing about it. The pan fried pork belly was another joke, it came sautéed not fried and covered with sauce that was way too sweet and overwhelmed. the flavor of their so called pork belly. The steamed rice was also mushy. The Kobe beef skewers was the worse. Greasy, chewy and no flavor at all. They need to be honest and stop calling this Kobe beef. It is definitely not Kobe beef. It was the worst thing we tried. The only good thing we enjoyed was the big cup of cold ice water (since we were baking in the heat for 45 min ) and a bottle of Kirin beer. Leaving the place, I asked my wife "what do you think", Her reply was simply "Nope". Uno China down the street would hav been a better choice. This was bad and huge disappointment. I don't get it, maybe we ordered the worst items on their menu? Either way this was probably the worst visit I have had in years. I cannot recommend this place. Don't believe the hype, I didn't taste it at all. Don't waste your money. We should have went and got crab legs instead. read more

Amazing food, very authentic, and cheap! Almost everything is under $10. This is the closest to true Japanese food and ambiance I have found outside of Japan. Small and you have to sit on the ground for a table (very traditional) so if you have a group make sure to make reservations or prepare to wait a while. They do have a small bar with seating, so if youre going just one or two people, that is an option as well. read more

Mr Max - Dining area - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irving, Texas

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First of all, I commend all the staff on the amazing service! We felt like family coming into such a warm welcome! The food was so delicious! You must get their Kobe Beef Skewers! We also liked their Grilled Miso Marinated Salmon! Everything came out so quickly. Given the limited space, we never felt rushed to leave and they urged us to take our time and enjoy ourselves. A final thank you to all the staff! read more

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My brother was really insistent we had to try this particular Japanese bar, and he was so right... It was delicious. We had so many delicious treats, but it is not cheap. But it is so worth it. The ladies that were our weight staff around the bar were so attentive and made such good recommendations. I had the salmon bowl which was on special with salmon roll, and it was sashimi basically, and I also did the fresh mackerel which the lady advised me came out like sashimi the whole fish and then, when you're done with me, they'll take the bones and the head and deep fry it and then you can eat all that and I tasted that and that was delicious but my brother devoured it. I also had the yellowtail sashimi and the belly with ginger that was to die for. Seriously that stuff I would marry that poor belly. My brother had a whole list of things as well. That were also delicious like the fatty, tuna, and they smelt. He also had the peppers that were grilled, And the sea urchin. read more

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Warning that you need three or more in your party to make a reservation otherwise the average wait time is 2 hours. You can put your name down and they'll text you when your table is ready so plan for that. The ambience is amazing and the food too so it's absolutely worth the visit. I recomend the lightly salted beef tongue, the yuzu cheesecake, and the agedashi tofu. The staff is friendly and the food arrives fast, plus if you sit at the bar tables they just hand it straight to you from the kitchen. It's a fun experience. Unfortunately without the reservation the seating will be random so you might get the traditional japanese seats or the bar area. read more

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