Bistro Maxine

I love this place! The setting, smell, and people are all nice. I usually order a banana nutella crêpe but I’ve also had one of their ham sandwiches and salads — both really fresh.

Yummy crepes and mochas the size of your face? Mmm good brunch indeed!
Located in downtown Palo Alto, Bistro Maxine is a super cute breakfast/​brunch café. I normally don’t order drinks but I read on Unilocal how good their coffees were so I ordered a mocha without whip cream. (You can get it with or without whip cream) When it arrived, it was in a huge cup that was practically the bowl almost the size of my face. The mocha was nice and chocolate-​y, but you could still taste the coffee in it. It was so good!
I also got a savory crêpe Corse, which had prosciutto, brie cheese, fig jam. For the crêpe there’s also the option of buckwheat or regular, and I got buckwheat. The crêpe came in a square, napkin shape which was very unique because I was use to crêpe folded in more of a triangular shape. I liked the buckwheat as it gave it an earthy, fragrant wheat taste. The gooey brie cheese was nicely paired with the salty prosciutto and then offset by the sweetness of the fig jam. The crêpe was satisfying and light, not overly heavy. I also really like the fresh fruit on the side. Needless to say I finished everything on my plate!
There are also sweet crepes (with delicious sounding fruits/​flavors), french toast, omelettes, pastries etc to choose from. They also have lunch options such as sandwiches, paninis, soup and salad. I love the bright, airy environment, and would definitely drop by if I’m in the area again!

This place is obviously understaffed. Waited for 45 minutes and still have no food. Terrible experience. Do NOT recommend it.

Great restaurant with an overall amazing ambiance. The crepes that I have tried have been very tasty and the chicken pesto panini was incredible. The service is also great (I think I’m in love with the two waitresses that were there on Saturday. Just super cheerful beautiful and nice) and they serve their hot chocolate in some sweet little bowls. Like how dope is that?

The food is incredible. If you like savory things, you’re in for a treat. I’ve had the Chèvre crêpe (spinach, mushroom, and goat cheese), and the croque madame (egg and Gruyère atop a ham sandwich), and both were delightful.
The tables outside are nice, and I’ve enjoyed pleasant and tranquil surroundings when I’ve been here for lunch. The restaurant is small and has relatively quick service.

My first visit went well.
The 3 egg omelet was slightly over cooked, but it could be my fault because I orders it «medium» next time will ask for «easy». It was over all flavorful because of the 3 items I selected.
My wife had the Crêpe Jambon Fromage Champignons with Mushrooms ham and Swiss cheese, which she considered it was a bit dry (because of the ingredients) but tasteful .
As desert we had the Crêpe Sucre with cinnamon. This was great lightly sweetened with powdered sugar. It was a great treat to have with our coffe.
The ambiance is great as we sat next to the window and enjoyed the view .
We will be back to try another of there items as we saw other people enjoy there meals.

Pretty unimpressed by this place. I liked the outdoor seating and there was a jazz band playing on the street so it created a quasi-​France feel.
I ordered the Chevre which had goat cheese, spinach, and mushrooms. The options of savory crepes didn’t have my mouth drooling or anything. The crêpe with literally just those three, and it tasted like described, but it wasn’t flavorful or anything. The side salad was some old refridgerated lettuce and tomatoes drenched in dressing. Crepes are almost all $ 11.
4 – 7 is happy hour which was nice and I got a chardonnay. duh. It was fine and $ 6 so not bad.

The Bistro has now doubled in size! Absolutely gorgeous with a second room very tastefully decorated, and complete with a new tap for beer. Now perfect for hosting parties or small company events in one room, while maintaining the same cozy and romantic ambience for a date or intimate meal in the original room.
Don’t forget to try the chicken mushroom crêpe — to die for!

Crêpe is good, I had the one with Brie cheese, my favorite cheese, plus a glass of fresh squeezed OJ for the perfect morning, the place is small with one waiter, a bit one the pricy side, almost $ 20 including tips for one person

The French toast was perfect: slightly crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. Generous fruit and whipped cream.
The owner, Georges, waited on us and was attentive and friendly. He gave me a second café mocha, too. He said it was for the wait, but it couldn’t have been more than ten minutes before our food came out. I’ll be back soon.

SUMMARY: clunky service, skimpy (though high-​quality) crêpe fillings, dry batter, incomprehensible to-​go fees.
DETAILS: my girlfriend and I love crepes, but had somehow never tried this place. Came for brunch on a Sunday, probably will not be returning.
I waited a few minutes at the counter when I came in, while the young server apparently struggled to make someone’s espresso drink. I mean she was trying, but it was a little annoying just standing there without even being told «Hi, I’ll be right with you.» Eventually the crêpe cook stage-​whispered to her that I hadn’t been helped. Thanks, crêpe cook!
Fast forward to the crepes, which took about 15 – 20 minutes to arrive. It is a small place and pretty clearly aiming for «quaint bistro» not «crêpe factory» style, so I don’t really fault them for the wait. What I will hold against Bistro Maxine, however, are the crepes themselves.
The batter was slightly tough and very dry. This was especially sad, given the skimpy fillings. We both ordered ham and cheese crepes (mine brie, hers swiss), which came folded into a small rectangle. Maybe 6×4 inches. The ham was actually delicious, it’s the kind with the black rim and no watery deli meat taste, which was a nice surprise. Swiss cheese was also especially good. Too bad then, that we each got paltry amounts of meat and cheese. The entire last third of our crepes was nothing but batter. I didn’t even finish mine.
From a supposedly «authentic French» place, I expected far better. To top it all off, my bill came with $ 2.25 in to-​go fees. For what – a few cardboard boxes and plastic forks? I guess the house menu mentions this, but I ordered off the paper to-​go menu, which doesn’t say anything about this (which is strange – it’s the to-​go menu!)
Miserly and inexpert, was the overall impression. Don’t really understand all the high reviews.

I’m not going to rant, but want to give a forewarning that we had terrible food and terrible service here. Additionally we paid over $ 70 for this disservice.
Service: 45 minute wait for our food + no communication, 2 of our crepes were forgotten & 2^nd round took another 15−20mins. We had to ask about our food repeatedly & barely got a response.
Food: Corse Crêpe was decent, as was Croque Madame. Paysan Baguette was abhorrent w/​untoasted cold bread, no mustard or sauce, measly salmon & brown wilted lettuce. Our dessert crêpe with grand marnier was inedible and tasted like it was soaked in rubbing alcohol.
Ambiance: Quaint & cute
In conclusion, save yourself the money, annoyance and 2.5 hours and just go to Douce France… super disappointing!

Bistro Maxine was definitely a great place for crepes! I came on a Sunday morning around 10am — it wasn’t too crowded and we were seated outside right away. Don’t think this would be the norm though, since the area is pretty small. There were only a couple of tables inside and two outside, though the environment was very cute.
I got a buttered crêpe with cinnamon, which was a fairly good serving size and reasoning priced. They have a lot of fancier options with more toppings, but I was feeling something simple. The crêpe was perfectly cooked and just slightly golden brown, which as absolutely wonderful! I have to say that the whipped cream was probably the best part though… super light and fluffy. It definitely completed the crêpe and was a perfect touch.
Overall, great experience and great food. I would say it’s more of a light brunch place, but definitely worth checking out if you happen to be in the area and are craving some French cuisine! :)

Over all Food was good, Service left much to be desired.
I am giving Bistro Maxine 3 stars today only because the food was good. I am forgiving all of the construction inside and out. This restaurant did not get a higher rating because of the very terrible service. I am outlining the details so in the event the owner would like to address it they have the events as I (the customer) perceived them.
A friend came in from out of town for a family trip and managed to eek out a little brunch time for me. We were greeted by a young man (maybe a freshman in college) who barely looked up from the counter and said «How many?» They have these itty bitty tables for two and since there was no one else in sight of the restaurant I asked for an exception to sit at one of the tables for 4. The response was a flat «No».
Then diving right into the menu I saw listed a short stack of «crepes» severed with maple syrup and two eggs. I had never seen crepes sold as a «short stack», the word «crêpe» was in quotes. I wanted to be sure that the «crêpe» short stack was indeed crepes and not pancakes so I asked. The resulting interaction was awkward and above all rude. «Crepes ARE pancakes» the young man says. I say «Sure they are similar to pancakes but actually very different. So I would just like to confirm that they are in fact crepes.» He replies «Then tell me how do you make pancakes» in a very snide manner. I didn’t dignify it with a response and said «Thank you. I’ll make another selection» He took our beverage order and walked away.
When he came over he brought milk for my coffee when I asked for cream, and in general I wanted to limit my interactions with this young man so I just used the milk. Coffee was not that great. Both my friend and I felt awkward the entire time, especially after hearing him ask the chef if pancakes and crepes were in fact different. The young man that was our server needs a lesson in manners and general customer service.

I GOT SIDETRACKED, BUT I NEED TO WRITE THIS: I wish we could use half stars. I would likely give Bistro Maxine a 3.5. Sometimes, when I write a review, I feel stuck in a rock and a hard place. I don’t know if this happens to anyone else, but it seems if I write even a remotely different viewpoint, I get read the riot act. It makes me not want to Unilocal.How sad. I must confess, I used to Unilocal from 2007 to 2010, but deleted all my reviews & account, only to return as a ‘newbie’ in 2012. And I love these reviews. Like little missives to friends, new and old, far and near, memories for myself, all the little parts in the margins of my life’s notebooks, speaking of my adventures in food and life. ‘Tis what keeps me clock going tick tock.
PARED DOWN VERSION: With all the slamming of plates and kitchen racket, you’d think there would be no plates left in tact at Bistro Maxine. My plate did arrive chipped and looked like it’s seen better days. Don’t expect precious service. This is no frills, to-​the-​point French fare in a shrunken down charming space, like a cute doll house without the dolls. You sit down, order and shut up. Don’t get complicated and things will be just fine. No one was French when I was there, nor the chef or servers. Laptops not allowed, which is good, because it’s unrealistic anyway. And who can eat brunch & type at a tabletop the size of a buckets bottom anyway?
THE FRANK BITS: Communication between chef /​manager and servers is all over the place.
STORY THAT UNFOLDED ON LAST VISIT: When a large group decided to camp out and use up all the tables outside before the server had time to check in with the chef /​manager, there was a dramatic hands-​flailing moment, he rushed back to the kitchen and started throwing dishes and cutlery around, mumbling with small shouts thrown in for good measure. It was so loud, people were covering their ears and cringing at the clanging noises which tingggged and ringed in high-​pitch tones, abusively to our ears. The servers had to keep turning away customers because of the large party outside.
The chef /​manager was clearly pissed and chose to physically express it in this tiny, miniature café that can neither accommodate such pandemonium in the kitchen, as it’s open to the seated public, nor can it handle large parties. That large group that decided to bring every Tom, Dick & Harry, plus their dogs, babies, et. al. should have been directed to tie up their pups outside, where they’d have them visible and sit at the table inside reserved for larger parties if it was such an issue. (side note: I absolutely adore dogs & all animals & babies!)
The small tables outside are meant for one to two persons. And in fact, most of the seating here is like-​so. It’s a great choice for couples or singles. It’s too cramped for anything else. Instead of the chef /​manager or servers discussing this with the guests, they kept mum and offered passive-​aggressive service to them. Apparently, the server got the order wrong of one or more of the large party, according to one of the patrons of the large party, and instead of graciously fixing it, the server grabbed the plate, stormed back inside and said to his fellow server and the chef /​manager, ”She’s f**king crazy”. Patron then followed him inside to say she’ll just go ahead and pass, and no longer wanted to eat. They then bickered, with the server attempting to convince her she said one thing but pointed to something else on the menu. The whole café was subjected to this situation because that’s how small the place is. Bedroom sized. It conjured up the Soup Nazi.
MENU LOVES: The Banane/​Nutella crêpe is just as delicious as it sounds. The Complétè is a dependable favorite. Their mocha, and all hot libations, are served in large bowls like La Boulange (side note: can you believe Starbucks is closing all 23 of their Bay Area locations by September 2015?! *teary-​eyed-​emoji-​face*). Great options for vegetarians, too. I highly recommend the Croque-​monsieur /​madame!
IMPORTANT NOTES: Don’t bring your laptops here. There’s no WiFi, and there’s no room to accommodate bulky technological accoutrements. There is a table inside that is reserved for parties of 3 to 5 persons. Unilocal check-​in deal is no longer available, as there was a mistake of some sort, I guess. No free crêpes were given out. Not that I asked for anything free nor did I request any Unilocal deal, just reiterating what’s already been said. Beautiful ambiance in Palo Alto, with a lovely smattering of diverse shops and stops along the way.
FOR OTHER TIMES TO COME: Mocha Epice — a spicy mocha! Citron crêpe; Crêpe Suzette & the Crêpe Nordique.
Je suis pressée de te revoir bientot, Maxine!!! Xo

If I could give this place 6 stars, I would. Their crepes are fantastic. Truly unbelievable. I’ve been to Paris a few times, and while these crepes are not quite as good their Parisienne counterparts, they might be the best crepes I’ve had in the U.S. I ordered the Reine crêpe (egg, tomato, cheese) for lunch and it was one of the best savory crepes I’ve ever had. I ordered the cinnamon apple with caramel crêpe for dessert and that was top-​notch as well. Really friendly service and I was able to enjoy the nice day and sit outside. I’ll definitely be back here.

Bistro Maxine is really cozy. With that cozy interior I think a few rules were born. They make sense and actually I’m glad they’re there to guide people who lost their common sense.
First rule of the cozy club; Alone? Or there’s only two of you? Grab a table with two chairs only. Yes you dumbo don’t go for that four chair table! Duh!
Second rule of the cozy club: No laptop on the table. Especially the two chair ones. They won’t fit you, your friend (imaginary or real) plus your laptop and your food (it’s why you came in right? To eat?)
Third rule of the cozy club: Reservations for parties of 6 or more requires a credit card guarantee. Because of you flakers this rule was given birth to!
Fourth rule of the cozy club: Your reservations gone if you’re late 15 minutes! Bwahaha!
Fifth Rule of the cozy club; For their larger tables– they only have two. Three people minimum must be present for it to happen (again this must be actual people they can see. Your imaginary friend is no help here).
All these rules makes sense! These rules combined together keep small businesses like this afloat. They will be able to take in more customers because you eat and you leave. You won’t see cables, Chargers and people bent over on their lap top! Very refreshing! Here there’s no wifi. So don’t even bother.
They can also afford to set some ground rules because their food is phenomenal! I had one of the prettiest presentation of a Brioche French toast $ 8.95. It’s served with a generous amount of house made whipped cream and maple syrup and a side of really good looking fresh fruits. Wait! This creation was also loaded with blackberries and blueberries! Fat ones! So good!
I am very impressed with this place. The service was on point. Amazing food! I would like to go back and maybe try their sandwich? Or the Pre fixe menu for $ 14.95? Oh this place is the kind that serves fresh orange juice for $ 6. Large. No I didn’t order that. Asian thrift gene surfaced appropriately here. :)
Yup. Wanna impress someone with just yourself with no power point presentation of your selfies? You found the place!

The ambience is fantastic. I was facing away from the window and there were a few times where I completely forgot I was in Palo Alto (in a good way). The tables are so small you can barely fit your plates on there. There are only two workers– a server/​cashier/​busboy and the «chef.» It is a completely open kitchen so you can see everything that’s going on, along with all their stored items. Overall a very refreshing change from your typical University Avenue locale.
They have a prix fixe menu, which isn’t very expensive and gives you a chance to try soup and dessert. I ordered the salmon Gorgonzola crêpe (nautique) and the butternut squash soup.
The soup was quite good. The crêpe came out with a nice, plain salad. I thought the crêpe was definitely on the salty side, (though that may have to do with the nature of the ingredients) but overall very good.
I would love to come back here for breakfast some time.

This is a very charming but quite small of a place. With limited tables, restrictions are posted for just about everything. No laptops on tables, larger tables have minimum group count and the menu contains disclosures for payment, handling fees and reservation rules. With its tiny interior I really can’t blame them to have strict dining rules that allow everyone to enjoy this place during peak hours. The staff is very friendly with smiles. When we dined the atmosphere was very relaxing, and the waitress furthered this ambience.
I ordered the breakfast crêpe half stack with eggs and added bacon for completeness. The crepes were delicious, the eggs were fluffy and the bacon was perfectly crispy. It’s a nice change from the overfilling dense pancakes I eat from time to time. The breakfast also included fresh fruit. The coffee is nice and bold, just the way I like it. The menu has an extensive selection of sweet and savory crepes, which I need to explore in the future. Nice place to start off the day; leaving this place I felt refreshed, as if I attended a yoga session.

Le very French service here can be a turn-​off for some, but charming for others.
Small tables, with a few outside, and two larger tables reserved inside for parties of 3 or more only. No breakfast items served after 11a on a Saturday, and no soup the day we were there. We had been looking to try their onion soup and an omelette, so this was disappointing. (FYI: Their menu includes an entire half page of disclaimers.) One of us ordered a hot chocolate, which comes in a bowl, and asked nicely for a small flower design on top (like they had done for her on past visits). No dice.
The gorgonzola crêpe was surprisingly well-​balanced, with no overwhelming goat cheese taste. The crêpe itself was tender and springy. It was nice to split it with W, though, as it was very rich and creamy. My croque madame was hot and buttered, smothered with gruyère, and topped with an egg over easy that was still runny inside. The toast was challenging to cut with my knife, so I ended up picking it up like a pizza slice. Manners be damned, it was delicious. Our sandwich and crêpe each came with a well-​dressed salad of romaine, spinach, and baby tomatoes. No salad dressing choices here, just a basic balsamic vinaigrette.
Being curious, W and I shared the crème de marron crêpe for dessert. I was expecting it to taste more like a Mont Blanc, a chestnut purée in a tart shell topped with whipped cream. Instead, the chestnut purée within the crêpe tasted like a sweetened red bean (adzuki) paste, but more viscous. It was a perfect portion for two, but a bit too sweet.
It was challenging to flag down the server to get more water for our table of 5, and I found myself feeling slightly claustrophobic indoors. I’d come back to try their breakfast items and more of their crepes, knowing they aren’t looking to win brownie points for customer satisfaction. Their crepes speak for themselves.
3.5 stars.