Maxs Trattoria 31

Went there last night with two other couples. The place was packed. The food was solid, standard Italian restaurant fare. Seafood and pasta were fresh. Wait service could have ben more attentive.

It used to be a very reliable and above average Italian restaurant. It is so average and just seems tired. Much better choices in the area.

It was just OK.
Wish the ‘old’ Max was still running the enterprise.
When he was running the place the food was amazing and the service was unbeatable.
Understand Max is opening a Market & Eatery in a few months in Califon.
Can’t wait!

I ordered from Max’s 31 when catering lunch to an office business meeting. Looking for something delicious, easy to coordinate, and cost effective for a group of 7 people, Max’s was great.
In addition to a general catering menu, the luncheon catering menu has about ten options of pizza, focaccia sandwiches, wrap, and hot food set-​ups, complete with accompanying side salad, specialty salad (ie. potato salad) and cookies ($ 8.95-$ 11.95). I opted for the European Bistro selection with focaccia sandwiches featuring grilled veggies, cheeses, grilled chicken and other avocado in varying combinations.
Overall the food was fresh and delicious. Sandwiches were assembled and wrapped just before our scheduled pick up, making sure condensation didn’t make the bread soggy. Portions were generous, and the focaccia was aromatic with olive oil and herb qualities. I would have liked same type sandwiches to be grouped together and recommend others to ask for a list of all varieties included. It became a bit of an adventure picking a sandwich and not knowing what you’d get.
Potato salad and green salad were delicious. While the chocolate chip cookies provided (a dozen medium– large chocolate chips) were quite delicious, it wasn’t the butter /​Italian cookie platter I’ve come to know and love from Italian cuisine caterers. My fault for expecting without asking, and again — the chocolate chips were awesome.
The guys working in the shop are friendly, polite, and eager to run a good business. Delivery is available, but for pick up they’ll help load your car. I’d order from here again and would happily grab a casual meal in their front pizza shop area. I like that they have a more formal back dining room, but not sure I’d use it often.

The pizzas are fantastic. I reccommend it to people who are visiting and they compliment on it all the time. Slices are generous and at a great price. I get full on 1 slice each time.
To avoid soggy pizzw, I would suggest ordering and picking up slices in person– the wait is rather quick to heat up, and you can ask to add toppings to the prepared slices for a few cents more.
As far as the other items such as salads and wraps, etc, they are ok. Rather expensive even. A wrap with side of potato salad was about $ 10+. Slices of pizza were about $ 3.

What a shame! When Max owned this place its modest dining room didn’t matter because the food was always superb. Now everything from bread to entrée is sub par and inconsistent. I had the veal. It was tough and the tomato sauce was very poor as was the over cooked pasta. Even the salad was uninspired. I’ll miss the old place as I won’t be going here anymore.

I really liked this place about two years ago when Max still owned it. At the time, it was still a gourmet style pizza place. I will reiterate what the other reviewer stated, «I don’t know what people see in this place!» The pizza is very inconsistent, the place isn’t as clean anymore, and the food is not as good. Example: I used to get the Italian sub. When Max owned the place it was made with romaine lettuce. One day I ordered one and it had iceberg lettuce on it. I immediately asked the cashier, «Is this place under new ownership?» She asked how I knew. I told her the food quality is not the same. She had confirmed that the place was sold to new owners a month earlier. I also used to like the nice thick cuts of eggplant parm over thin spagetti, it’s now these paper thin breaded pieces of (I think there may be some eggplant in there!”) whatever!!!
I’m convinced that most people don’t know good food. I tried giving the place a few chances after this, but I have decided to stay away.

Im picky when it comes to pizza. Probably how I was raised. But I am in love with their hot sandwiches. Especially meatball parm.

We ate here last night and the food was amazing. I had a dish that was pork, veal, and cheese and it might be the best meal I have ever eaten at a restaurant. Service was good as well.

Very inconsistent. Tired of giving this place a chance.
I don’t understand what people see in it.

A major disappointment under the new ownership as my wife and I with a friend of hers discovered on Mothers Day 2014. We use to be Friday night regulars at Max’s back in 2012 and earlier when the original owner was serving up the best Italian food in the area at great prices.
Both my wife and I were blessed with having grown up with talented Italian mothers and grandmothers who were extraordinary cooks so our standards were pretty high. the old Max’s became our go to restaurant as we were tired of trying new places and being disappointed.
Our return after a few years absence was met with cold hard hockey puck store bought dinner rolls where once warm Italian rolls were the staple. The pan seared scallops were burnt and over cooked. The veal Marsala was cooked in a tomato based sauce with no Marsala wine flavor, and the stuffed artichoke that use to be a replica of grandmothers was now an unseasoned dried out overcooked tasteless disaster.
My query as to that absence of Marsala taste was met with the response that this is what it always LOOKS like, while my artichoke commentary was met with no reply. With my wife and her friend already eating I awaited a new serving of veal Picata which arrived 10 minutes later with the now recooked/​heated artichoke that was even more died and shriveled than before. An so the plate sat as I watched my wife and friend complete their mail. Apologies by the staff were made with the offer to not charge for the stuffed artichoke and a free complimentary dissert. As so arrived ONE cannoli with three forks and a check for $ 100 that included the charge for the stuffed artichoke!
In short the food is over priced and poorly prepared. The absolute worst and poorest excuse for Italian food. Be forewarned — your dollars would be better spent on couple of BigMacs and fries as the people running Max’s on Route 31 nest to Shop and Stop Do Not Know What They Are Doing or Why they are There.

Have to knock my rating down a star, sadly.
Lately (the last year) the food has been inconsistent. Pizza is hit or miss. Just had an order for takeout that was messed up, and the food was on the oily side. Pasta overcooked a bit too. Caesar salad used to be great, and for takeout they would not toss the dressing to keep the romain from wilting. Not this time and the dressing was basically just oil, tossed it.
Just not what it used to be. Not terrible, but slipping. Looking into other options for go-​to Italian in there area. Shame too, we have been customers since they opened and have had them cater for many special occasions. We just want consistent quality. Not too much to ask I don’t think.

Great little place. Good food, great prices Don’t forget to check out the Wed & Sun. promotion — .2 for $ 25 –You can’t go wrong at that price. I’ve had their meals for lunch and dinner– never disappoints. Bön appetite!

A solid pizzeria. Three and a half stars. Good homey food, nothing fancy. Proscuito carazo was very good. Stuffed artichoke was not done right and was bland. The penne with eggplant and fresh mozzarella was super yummy. The portion was huge. Side of meatballs and sausage were great. Meatballs were very moist and soft. Canoli ice cream rounded up the meal. The service was ok. A little rushed and not very friendly. This will probably become my go to for Italian when I am in the area shopping at the outlets.

Stopped in here when I was extremely hungry and craving pizza. BUT only ate one slice, because it tasted like lighter fluid smells, definitely a sign of a dirty oven. Also, only generic soda cans no coke or pepsi.

I’m a local, and I’m all about supporting local businesses instead of the megaconglomorate franchises, so I wanted to like this place, I really did. I went there once, hated it, but I decided to give it another shot. I figured that anyone can mess up on the first date.
The second time was no better than the first.
The service is unhelpful. The first time we went, we sat ourselves in the front part of the restaurant with the cheap tables near the kitchen. We sat there for a good ten minutes before figuring out that maybe? we were supposed to order at the counter. It would’ve been nice if they had an obvious sign directing you to order at the counter. Or if the workers who just stared at us for several minutes told us we should order at the counter. Or if they had, you know, table service at the tables.
We each ordered slices of different types of pizza. Mine was undercooked. Everyone else’s was burnt.
The second time we went, we asked to be seated in the back with the tablecloths because apparently there is table service there. Oh, but they neglected to tell us that there’s a different menu in the back. A more expensive menu. Oh, and since it’s Sunday, and even though it’s only noon, they only serve full dinners. No kids menu. No slices of pizza.
Every other table in hearing distance asked to see a lunch menu, but were told that if they wanted to see a lunch menu they could come back during the week BECAUSE THIS IS SUNDAY AND ON SUNDAY IN ‘MURICA YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO STUFF YOURSELVES UNTIL YOUR BUTTONS POP.
My meatballs were dry and my kids’ pasta wasn’t drained enough before they added the sauce.
TL; DR: Unwelcoming service, mediocre food, overpriced.

I eat pizza at maxs at least once a week for the past 2 years (it’s next to my gym). I’m at 3 stars because when it’s good it’s 4 star pizza good — when it’s ok it’s 2 star pizza good. That’s the problem — its very inconsistent and it’s clearly a different person making the pies. I wish I knew the pattern because the good pizza really is great — one of the best slices in central nj.
Rest of the food is good and a bit better than typical pizza joint fare. I’ve had dinners and sandwiches and they are very good. Just wish max would train his pizza makers and watch over the consistency.

Good local Italian food spot. Nice choice of specials each night. Good pizza too. Most pasta dishes and entrees are quite large, so plan to take some home with you.

I had sworn off Max’s because of some ‘sour’ service experiences and some less than fresh lettuce, more than once, with my salads… however, we’ve gone back several times now… several… and I have to admit, not a bad experience since my first review was posted — two years ago… we gave it a solid year+ before we went back. Not sure why the change… maybe instead of focusing on expansion, the owner is now refocusing on the restaurant that’s established?
Our favorites are the salads… yes, the salads! Fresh lettuce has returned to the plate. We also love the soups and the daily specials. My husband loves the paninni sandwiches, in particular, the incredible eggplant, possibly his favorite, and the best potato salad in Flemington, bar none.
The meals are very good here. We are happy that we waited and went back. The food is fresh and the daily specials are innovative.
I still think that the waitstaff and help are bit less than happy peppy and zippy — but if the food remains quality, I can deal with that. They aren’t rude, just a bit disconnected. They seem to belong in East Jersey (sorry East Jersey)… or NYC… not here in Flemington where the folks are more generous with their graciousness.

Stopped in here for a quick piece of pizza before grocery shopping (I hate to shop hungry).
Friendly service, good pizza, I especially liked the sauce, and the crust was really yummy too.
Can’t say much else about it since we only got one plain slice each.