Max Fish

Fantastic place! As with all Max restaurants, atmosphere is classy and service was impeccable. We had a double date night with Nicole and Craig and had such a good time, we were there for over 2 hours! Our server was knowledgeable and answered all our questions and took into account Nicole’s gluten intolerance by bringing her a gluten free dinner roll. Mussels from the raw bar, Bouillabaisse, lobster roll, scallops and fresh fish, plus veggie sides were enjoyed by everyone, cooked and plated perfectly.
With dinner that good, dessert was a must. Key lime tart for Craig and crème brûlée for me and Nicole to share topped off an amazing dinner. Wouldn’t hesitate to return anytime!

Was here for a bridal shower, so we were in a private room. The room was set up nicely, I liked how they did one huge rectangle table for all of us. The food was delicious. Three course meal off a pre-​fixe menu (handled by our host).
They handled the large group, and the opening of gifts effortlessly. Service was good. They handled the present opening really well too. Coffee service. Highly recommend for a bridal shower.

Have literally never been disappointed in over a dozen visits. Literally. Never.

Yesterday was the first time I’d been to this establishment. My wife and I don’t get out much but figured we could sneak out for a quick dinner since we have not been out in a while. We were seated very quickly by a friendly hostess at around 5:30 PM for our reservation. For starters, I received a Caesar salad and my wife had the sweet pea risotto. Both of the starters were great. For our entrées, I had the beef short rib and she had the fish and chips. Perfectly done and you could tell they use quality beef and fish. Overall it was an excellent experience and the food was made just right. I’ve been to Max Downtown and Max Amore previously and Max Fish was just as good as the others. The staff is attentive and very friendly. We will be going back again in the future.

We are regular customers of the Max Restaurants and have been to Max Fish on several occasions. We have always had exceptional service and food has always been fantastic.
Our service tonight was sub par. Our waiter was sub par; we could not drink any more water because when he filled our glasses he stuck his fingers inside the glasses:-(His shirt braised our food when he reached across the table, he didn’t ask if we wanted more beverages from the bar, didn’t ask if we wanted more bread and took our bread dishes away before we were finished.
Our next visit was great. The same waiter works there and I’m glad we didn’t have him again. Every wait person we’ve had besides the above has been exceptional

Despite not having reservations we were able to get a table immediately on a Saturday night for a party of four. Service is top notch. The pre-​meal bread is great. They also put out this cucumber dish that is ok. Two of us got the Haddock special and it was very good and I recommend it. The chocolate mousse dessert is to die for and you must order it. Our friends Aaron S. and Tami C. turned us on to the mousse. In fact I forbid you from going there and not having this dessert at least once.
There are two reasons the rating is relatively low for an upscale fine restaurant. 1) They play music so loud it is hard to talk with your guests. 2) The meat in the lobster bisque was overcooked and very chewy. I suspect they throw the marginal pieces in the soup and keep the perfect portions for items were it is plated. The soup was sent back and we were given the option of a new portion or having it taken off the bill.

Happy hour awaits at this place! Stick with beer and wine, bartenders are not real mixologists. Service at the bar was very slow at happy hour — not enough people working. I will return and update review. Note that they use lots of salt in their food.

Impeccable service and lovely surroundings. Tower of goodness started our meal; mussels, shrimp, clams and the most amazing calamari salad. Caesar salad decent, not great.
Wasn’t sure what fregola was but it was a fregging good base for the picture perfect sea scallops seared to flawless golden brown but buttery soft inside; a chef who know what they’re doing. Pea tendrils and purée so light. Embarrassed to say but I still managed to have room for dessert-​chocolate mousse cake YUM.

Went for Happy Hour on a Saturday night and the vibe was great at the bar area. It wasn’t too packed but a decent amount of people. The buffalo shrimp is to die for, please order it and it’s only $ 6. The happy hour menu has plenty of options and great drink choices. I would most certainly visit again.

Let me start off with YUM.
We had raw bar and crab cakes to start. Delish.
Lobster risotto. Holy wow.
Our server Tom F. was icing on the cake. He was so knowledgeable and right on target with menu and recommendations. He made our experience that much better.
I’ll be back.

Had an awesome dinner at Max Fish for her work dinner. Our group had reserved the private room towards the front. It was a great room and we had 2 really good servers. There was 12 of us and they handled it beautifully.
My wife and I started with a dozen oysters, we selected 3 kinds and the fisher island were our favorites. We also had the tuna tartar as an app. It was awesome, it was served with grilled baquette, onion, chopped egg and capers. The capers really tied it together. Well done.
Some of the other apps the table got were different types of shellfish towers and cheese plates. We had some of that also. Paired nice with our wine.
For dinner my wife got the lobster pan roast which came with a butternut squash risotto and peppercorn vanilla bourbon sauce. It was delicious. I ordered the shrimp noodle bowl. This had big shrimp, snow peas, slivered veggies in a spicy sweet sesame glaze, topped with a crispy pork belly.
This was prob the best thing I’ve eaten in a long time. It was awesome. We both were kind of full from all the seafood apps that we only ate ¹⁄₃ of it. I brought the rest with me to the firehouse to eat for lunch the next day. It was equally as good reheated. My wife had enough of her lobster for dinner the next night.
This was a great experience at a great place. The Max group knows how to do it right.

We braved snow and rain to eat here; that should tell you how good it is!
It was a feast. Since it was a cold night, we started with a cup of clam chowder and the soup of the day. The chowder was good, generous with the clams — I just prefer my chowder a bit lighter and less creamy, but that’s a personal preference. The soup of the day was a fantastic curried soup with a wonderful spicy flavor. We also ordered some raw ahi tuna in a miso marinade. It was almost like Hawaiian poke, but not quite. Delicious!
For dinner I had the grilled Hawaiian ahi tuna (see a theme here?) and it was «finish the plate in 5 minutes» good. The oyster sauce had that addictive umami flavor, the kimchee on top was bright, fresh, and nicely spicy, and the tuna itself was perfectly cooked (rare). It was a good sized portion, not too big or small. The only misstep in the dish was the Korean fried rice. It had good flavor, but was so crispy that some pieces were burnt, which I didn’t find very appetizing. I also got to try some of my husband’s achiote grilled mahi mahi. His fish was fresh and delicious as well, though the flavors seemed subtler and not as bold in that dish.
Finally, we finished with the crème brûlée (and it came with some biscotti too). Not much to say about this… just a perfect crème brûlée and a wonderful way to end the meal.
As a side note, I also enjoyed my drink, «The Fancy.» It’s basically pineapple rum with a giant sprig of fresh rosemary sticking out of it. A fun and very sweet drink.
Service was very attentive and friendly. Yes, this is an expensive restaurant and this was a pricey dinner, but I thought it was worth it. It’s worth a splurge on a special occasion!

Great experience here for Max Fish’s happy hour (4 – 6 pm) and dinner! It was me and my husband’s first time there. We sat at the bar and the bartenders were great — friendly, informative, and patient. The food and drinks were served quickly and they were delicious and filling.
My husband just stuck with yuengling but I got the potent and flavorful Pom Margarita. The $ 1 raw clams were such a good deal! We snagged 6 of them and it was sooo buttery and smooth. Some of the best raw clams I’ve had. We also enjoyed the fried calamari ($ 5) which was plentiful, but probably my least favorite dish. It was certainly fresh and the breading was nice and light, but I didn’t think it was super flavorful. The Duck Carnitas Tacos ($ 4) and Rhode Island Mussel Fra Diavolo ($ 5) were amazing though. There were two tacos per order so it was kind of small but packed with flavor. The mussels were THE BEST. The fra diavolo sauce was so delicious with little chunks of pancetta and just a bit spicy and the pasta (bucatini) was hearty. It wasn’t a huge dish but it was mega-​filling, especially after the bartender offered us some free bread to soak up the remaining sauce (A++++ for service).
We were pretty full after those dishes but they were SO GOOD, I insisted we stay and check out dinner. It was not as good food but the service was still top notch. To start, our server offered free pickled cucumber and bread. I got the lobster bisque which had nice chunks of lobster but I thought it was just ok ($ 10). Not super flavorful but at least plentiful. I also got the seafood crudo sampler which was a special. It included raw tuna, raw scallop, and raw salmon, three pieces of each, prepared with different sauces. The scallops were the best as they were sweet and buttery. The tuna was also very delicious and fresh but the sauce on it was not as unique as the scallop sauce. Finally, the salmon was a little disappointing. The cut was not very buttery at all and the fennel shavings tasted a bit odd. My husband got the fish and chips which were some of the best fish and chips I had. The batter was perfect and the fries had a nice crunch. My only complaint is that it seemed very expensive ($ 23) for the fairly small amount we got of a fairly basic dish.
Overall a SIX star experience for the happy hour and closer to a 4 star experience for the dinner. I will definitely be back for happy hour and maybe dinner on a special occasion. Priority is to come back for their much raved brunch and bloody mary bar!

Brunch. Max Fish does it right. I have tried nearly every dish on the menu and cannot name my favorite because the are all so good. The short rib hash is a work of art, on the plate or on the palate. The crab cake Benedict is Heaven on a plate. The Filet Mignon Benedict is a perfect cut of meat fused into a breakfast classic. The lobster crêpe is light, tasty, and filled with delicious and sweet lobster meat. Or, stick with the french toast… fresh brioche and marscapone make this an amazing treat. Warm beignets are the perfect compliment to this great meal.
But, all that is not the best part. The amazing bloody Mary bar is what gets me out of the house on a lazy Sunday. Top shelf or infused (bacon or habenero) vodka, an optional shot of calm juice or beef broth, and a well spiced tomato cocktail and you are good to go with a few dozen items for customizing (plus some spices and sauces). Add a clam, an oyster, or a shrimp and your original creation is ready to drink (and eat). And, you can start over again and again for three dollars each.
If you have space for dessert, there are only a few choices but they are all spectacular. All accompanied by perfect service.
Now, lunch (great burgers and a delicious warm lobster salad are my favorites) and dinner (fresh fish including shellfish, all expertly prepared) are also standouts although they do suffer from inconsistency in preparation. I have had undercooked monkfish and overcooked scallops with not much response to my complaints. On the other hand, happy hour is amazing and the raw bar is the best in the area. But, brunch remains my favorite and brings me back again and again.

Love Max Fish for brunch and happy hours, when we can make it. The brunch is amazing and happy hour specials are ample. It’s definitely enough for dinner and a nice small array of menu items.
I recommend making a free reservation on open table to get points towards free $ 20 checks you can use here and also get a free maxvantage card toward free max cash.
Now enjoy brunch: my favorite item is the Bloody Mary bar at $ 8.95 & refills for $ 3. It’s an awesome experience like a guided salad bar, but with choices of vodka and Bloody Mary condiments. Who knew you can have so many options? Shrimp, clam, anchovies, spices, cheese balls, olives, horseradish, & of course all the other veggies you can imagine that go with it. Refills are only $ 3, Wow!
At the table you get complimentary beignets, little triangular cinnamony doughnuts. The menu is pricy, but you are at the trendy max fish, the baby of the max restaurant empire. The lobster bisque is flavorful. (but don’t expect a lot of lobster actually in it) There is a good smattering of selections from their raw bar, to lobster Cobb salads & others, traditional fish & chips entrees, cool breakfast foods like stuffed brioche French toast & crab cake eggs Benedict. I also like the great add-​ons as in their yummy chunky crab cakes.
Atmosphere is a bit on the noisy side due to the tile floors and wood décor, but it’s an energetic hip happening vibe. Staff is usually great, only had an unhappy experience once, but that’s an anomaly.
We especially like to sit on the patio in warmer weather. It’s always a lovely afternoon and you can walk it off in the attached upscale somerset mall afterwards. Just don’t drunk shop!

I love the Max line, I’ve never been disappointed by the service or quality of food, always a go to for me.
Recently I visited Max Fish with a few friends who were in the area for the holiday. They were running their 12 oysters and half carafe of champagne for $ 35 deal… pretty awesome! So we went to go to happy hour, the bar area was full so we got a table. **NOTE if you want to attend happy hour get here EARLY as this place really fills up!** After the oysters we all agreed dinner was going to happen. So one person got the seafood stew which was one of the specials, she liked it so much she finished the whole thing. The Sea Scallops a La Plancha was another entrée that was ordered and devoured! I got another special linguini dish, I wish I remembered the name as it was amazing. Room for dessert… unfortunately not for this crowd, next time.
We did order a few of their cocktails and were all happy with what we ordered. The quantity is good and the attention to detail on them is great.
While some folks may complain this is pricey, I’d have to say it is on the higher end, however its worth it!

Yum!
If you’re looking to eat some delicious seafood and down some strong cocktails, I recommend Max Fish’s happy hour.
The selection of food and drinks is pretty diverse and extremely yummy. We tried the tuna tartar, mussels fra diavolo, pulled pork sliders, blistered shishito peppers, sweet potato fries, and a few $ 1 oysters. The oysters were super fresh; my mouth is watering thinking about them right now. The pulled pork sliders were probably my second favorite; the pork was super tender and seasoned well.
We also tried a few cocktails and at $ 5 each, we couldn’t say no to a second round when the waitress came by to check on us. I tried a raspberry gimlet, which was sweet and fresh. For our second round, we both tried the POM margarita, which was so good; it’ll be the first drink I order when I go back.

Simply put, I wouldn’t come back given the amount of other options available.
Max Fish is a similar atmosphere to other white table cloth seafood spots and delivered well on some things and not so much on others.
The best thing?
We had great service, very attentive, informative and helpful without being annoying.
The cocktails were really good.
The rest?
It was freezing. I think they keep their live bar fresh not by the use of ice but by the use of the building’s HVAC. I’m from Minnesota and I was one Old Fashioned deep. If I say it was cold, it was damn cold. Uncomfortable to the point of negatively impacting the entire experience. We overheard another table complaining about it and when we left there was a table asking to be moved.
The value wasn’t there. For the price point, I expect some «oh wow you have to try this» moments. All four of us liked our food. None of us were moved by it.

Consistently great food and service. I usually come for late night happy hour and love the $ 1 oysters from Norwalk and could eat an entire cookie sheet of Thai shrimp toast. It’s not just good for dinner but for lunch too.
The raw bar is always pretty great and feature several local oysters as well as a few from WA, BC, or elsewhere.
They also have a good brunch with a build your own Bloody Mary bar. A few different options as far as your base and many treats to choose from to make it your own. They finish it off with a shrimp, oyster, or clam.
Also, if you’re not sure what to get? The lobster roll «best of both worlds». It’s soooooo good!

After seeming so promising, Max Fish fell dramatically short of my expectations.
I was disappointed in Max Fish. The positive Unilocal reviews really had me hankering for some good seafood. Arriving at dinner during the week, We found the place was only a little crowded. The inside is very nice, with a full bar, a full oyster bar, and plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. My large group was seated immediately at one of the large tables in the center. Our waitress was very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu.
The meal started out good enough with some delicious oysters from Boston ($ 2 – 3 a oyster). Very large with a salty/​briny taste, any oyster lover will appreciate the taste (they offered quite a few different varieties of oysters, and I should’ve just ordered more of those). For my entrée, I decided to order the Ahi Tuna ($ 32) with a side of asparagus ($ 6). It was a terrible experience — the Tuna was overcooked and dry. The liquid it was basted in tasted like watered down chicken broth and did nothing to mask the dry flavor. The asparagus was also a letdown — slightly charred, which added some taste, it appears that it wasn’t cooked in any oil or with any seasoning. For six dollars I was expecting at least a little oil or garlic.
If I was basing this review on just the oysters and service, this place would easily be a four or nearly five star restaurant. But based on that awful Ahi Tuna, plus the price I paid, I have to knock it down two stars. If you’re coming here, stick with the shellfish.