Max`s Bar and Brasserie in Southampton

First red flag should have been the fact we were the only table from 7pm on a Friday night. Ordered arranchini to start - worst I’ve ever had. Barely any risotto rice inside, very hard on the outside and small portion size. Main of monkfish from the specials menu was nice, however so overpriced and would not have ordered it had I clocked the price. Again, Tiramisu for dessert - worst I’ve ever had. I’m not sure how you can mess up tiramisu but they have managed it, Borderline watery, no thickness to the mascarpone cream, did not finish it. This was one of the most expensive meals I have had out, and sadly the standard was sub par. So many great Italians out there, more keenly priced. Once we paid and left, within 5 minutes the doors were shut, lights out. Clearly the only table they were expecting, Note the Italian next door was very busy and this was still the case once we left at 9pm - as it should be on a Friday evening. Personally I would avoid.

Experimentamos un excelente servicio para nuestra cena, a pesar de que estaban ocupados ya que había un espectáculo en el Mayflower Theatre. Todas las mesas estaban llenas, y el personal y los clientes parecían muy contentos! Yo era - mi Calamari para empezar, y luego Mejillones para principal eran excelentes. ¡El Chardonnay también fue a por un regalo! ¡Gracias a todos en Max’s!

No comas aquí si eres vegano. El propietario nos dijo que uno de los productos que figuran como veganos en el menú no es vegano - obviamente olvidó que había sido catalogado como vegano en el menú. Cuando señalé que está catalogado como vegano, se contradijo a sí mismo y dijo que no saben lo que hay en el producto, así que "asumen que es vegano".

¿Qué es lo que no te gusta de esta brasserie amigable y atmosférica? Fuimos cálidamente recibidos por un servidor carismático, que nos cuidó con humor durante todo nuestro almuerzo. Buena comida y pizza fantástica. Brillante por todas partes.

Precio ilegal para un Antipasto con una bola de mozzarella vieja insípida y 4 rodajas pequeñas de jamón, ni siquiera fresco! El anuncio del plato como Buffalo mozzarella y jamón de Parma compartiendo plato para dos. Nada parecido. £ 22 . 90 increíble y ridiculiza caro 😂😂broma! ! Enviamos la placa de vuelta. No puedo imaginar cómo era el plato principal... ¡Nada bueno! ¡! ¡! ¡!

Dinner with friends before a visit to the theatre! What a lovely find……great food…..service and friendly welcoming service! Food was absolutely delicious! Can’t wait to return

Again Great food and host, the Monkfish is amazing, Greta quality wine, we are looking forward to try a nice Italian pizza soon

Rating a 5 great service the food was wonderful great place if going to theater, but we walked in and got a table. Steak was wonderful. Carpaccio was good appetizers wine great place. Don’t miss it.

Myself and my team work in Southampton every six months and we do long stressful days. Each time we are here Max’s is a go to treat. We look forward to it as it is a highlight of being in Southampton. The reason is simple. Yes the food is fabulous, authentic Italian, cooked to perfection. The wine is excellent, the Chianti proper wine, no frills,good price. But what really makes this place special is the people. Max remembers us, talks and interacts with us and the there is Nevis. A diamond who has become a friend to us. If you have not been here get there soon. I cannot fault the place and even in July we are looking forward to our next time in December.

Ate here for pre show dinner and we couldn't fault it. Located just across the road from the Mayflower. The food was excellent, small menu cooked by a Scicilian chef, good size portions too. We ate outside in the dining and bar area which is new and was very welcoming. The service was superb, very attentive and we were asked if we minded if someone on the opposite table smoked (bearing in mind we were outside), very considerate.

Busy Saturday Night, sixteen of us pre-ordered and food was great. Great atmosphere in restaurant and surrounding bars. Lots of choice of food we all pre-ordered from a party menu which suited everybody as everybody knew set price for meal which is always great in large groups.

Amazing place for food and drinks . Came here with mum and it was the most perfect place for amazing food . The staff are amazing had great laugh with them all . The drinks where great too . Good prices for amazing food and drinks . Your never be disappointed if you come here promise . Great atmosphere here too.

Im a regular customer. Been returning to Max Braserie for few years now. Dinners , lunches and family celebrations. We have never left Max Braserie disapointed. Always delicious food, great ambience. Make sure you book your table in advance;)

Great italian food, high quality of wines wonderful atmosphere and staff. The best in Southampton, I deeply recommend it for an evening of fun and good food.

Max and Yana are excellent hosts and are always very welcoming. We popped in for a couple of cocktails and Max did not disappoint. The rum old fashioned were expertly made and tasted divine. The restaurant had a cosey atmosphere and the aromas coming from the kitchen were phenomenal. We will definitely visits again soon to sample the delicious menu.

Exceptional, outstanding, quality food and service. Excellent menu showcasing Italian food at it's best. Will definitely be back.

I went here for dinner last week with some colleagues. The food and service are exceptional. The owner is very pleasant as are the staff. We had an assortment of dishes. The scallops, steak and monkfish were all cooked to perfection

I tried this restaurant for dinner while staying overnight in Southampton. For a starter I had aubergine fritters (salted aubergine chips). My main course was chicken with rosemary and roast potatoes in olive oil. Both courses were tasty; in particular, the chicken had plenty of flavour in its own right. A glass of dry white wine made a good accompaniment.

Max’s has been here for 5 years and we never knew .It was great service and food was fab .Noticed lots of regulars .

From the moment I enquired about having dinner here for my husband’s 60th birthday, to the moment we left, all 6 of us had a wonderful time. The food was amazing, Max and his colleagues attentive but not too much. Thank you so much for making it a special evening. I hope we will be back when next in Southampton.

We decided on a date night at Max's brasserie as I'd been reccomended to try it from a few friends. The restaurant was obviously due to be busy later with lots of xmas parties set up. I had the mussels of the special menu to start, served with a cream sauce and fresh chilli to give it a bite. My husband had the duck pate which he said was excellent. I had the chicken cacciatora for main and was warned it would be spicy, which suits me fine! My husband had the fillet steak. It was cooked perfectly. Both meals were very generous in size. We managed to make room for a dessert, cheesecake for him and cheese board for me. We has a bottle of syrah to wash it all down. The food was great, but the service was what made the meal outstanding. We had a fabulous time and will certainly be back!

Tenía pulpo arrabita para comenzar y penne cacciatora como plato principal. ambos eran extremadamente picantes y me refiero al tipo de gorro escocés. Cuando se lo mencioné a la camarera, el gerente engreído gritó al otro lado de la habitación que estaba escrito en el menú. ¿La comida era buena? Todo sabía a chiles.

He estado fuera por un tiempo pero siempre me gusta venir a Oxford Street, lleno de buenos lugares de comida independientes. El lugar de Max siempre ha sido confiable para el servicio, la bienvenida, las bebidas y, lo más importante, la comida. Mi esposa siempre disfruta de su pescado, siempre muy bien preparado, y generalmente tomo sus especiales. Dijeron que la chuleta de ternera estaba entrando en el menú, así que me gustaría probar. Yo hice. Fue fantástico. Así que otra gran visita.

Good food, good selection of wine. Food was very fresh and tasted delicious. Really good selection of starters to choose from. Service was great, they were really in tuneand that was tough when there was 12 of us.

I’ve been in Maxis for my first time and I’ll definitely come back soon, the best quality of food and wine and excellent service

El rissoto buenisimo, todo muy bueno. Eramos 6 personas y todos los platis exquisitos. Muy buen trato. Con Max excente

This little restaurants atmosphere is nice. The food and wine selections are okay. But to be honest the steak was not so tasty. The staff was very nice and friendly.

Very warm welcome, food very tasty, presentation wise perhaps a bit dated, but who cares, dinner was delicious. Excellent wine list and cocktails. Staff very attentive and bubbly. Will definitely come back

Amazing food, service and atmosphere. Quite possibly the best steak I’ve ever had! Would highly recommend! 👌🏻

My wife and I are in South Hampton for a few days before embarking on a cruise. We stumbled upon Oxford st while out exploring. It is only a few blocks from the Harbor hotel. We were fortunate to have great weather for outside dining. The service at Max's was fantastic, they made us feel as though we were frequent customers. The wine list was very good. We has the scallops appetizer was cooked perfectly. My wife had the penne arraviata which she says was amongst the best she ever had. I wanted to try the sea bass, but they were out, so I ordered the chicken parmigiana which was great. We were so impressed that we returned the next night. The mussels appetizer and sea bass main course followed by tiramisu didn't disappoint. The prices are very reasonable for the quality received.

This is a family run restaurant in Oxford Street and Max is Max - a character in his own right. Its not big and can sometimes be a tight squeeze but there's outside eating in the summer. If you want Italian stogie pasta and pizzas don't come here. The food is excellent and some of the best steak I have ever had in the UK - it comes from Owtons, a nearby supplier and have been there to buy steak - brilliant. Great veal dishes too. The duck liver pate and mushroom starters are to die for. Good wine choice too. We are fans of Max's and eat here regularly and have never been disappointed once in the last 2 years.

After sailing to Southampton and some challenges it was wonderful to be welcomed at Max's and savour the delicious Monkfish in a creamy chilli sauce with a glass of Pinot Grigio followed by the Limoncello pannacotta. Heaven!

Max's was highly recommended by friends and the welcome by Max was very personable - the lunch was excellent - and I will certainly look forward to a return visit.

We were planning to treat a couple of very special friends to a fine dinner and choose Max’s as our venue. I’m pleased to report an impressive and fabulous experience. The food was great. Really enjoyed the portobello appetizer. The monkfish main was very good. We especially enjoyed the attentive, knowledgeable staff and small family cafe ambience. A very comfortable spot. (Small place so reservations highly recommended)

Buona soluzione al cEntro di Southampton.

We visited Max’s for the first time this week. Why on earth did we not come before? Max’s balsamic G&T; is genius! The scallop and prawn starters were heavenly, and the steaks - just perfect. All in all, the food, the ambience and the attentive service made for a perfect evening. This restaurant is the genuine article. Can’t wait to go back.

The no1 restaurant in Southampton that continues to provide great taste with an individual style. The combination of a great chef and eclectic host make for a really enjoyable evening.

Again we are back in Southampton and off to see Max again. The food again is as expected great and tasty well prepared quality food. Often the owner , Max , is front and centre running the bar and keeping all chatting. However he has some new staff and they were running the place whilst he had a day off....the food was still excellent as the chef was still clearly in control! Again, enjoyed and will be back.

The food, prawns and risotto and wine was stunning it is the best restaurant I have visited this year!simply stunning!

Every time I visit Max’s (regularly) the food is always fantastic. The welcome and atmosphere given my Max and his staff is always warm and absolutely first class. Every time this place has quality and class - consistently excellent

Went for a birthday celebration. Didn’t feel overly welcome and food was overall ok but pricey for the quality (?) that was served. When we mentioned the steak was chewy (£25 filler) we were told we’d taken too long to eat it! Staff very abrupt, rushed and overall not the experience I expect for an expensively priced menu.

It depends on your expectations of good food. Average.... nothing to write home about, won’t be going back in a hurry. Wouldn’t make it my first choice for an Italian meal.

Max's is warm and inviting the moment you set foot in the door. We were instantly welcomed by the friendly staff and shown to our table. We made the most of the tapas selection and ordered all six, alongside the signature g+t and a bottle of red.

After spending several evenings at Max’s Brasserie for a couple of drinks and sides, last night I experienced a main course for the first time! I was astonished by what this fantastic establishment provided for my friends and I. The food, the service and the overall hospitality was fantastic! I would recommend Max’s to everyone I know and everyone I would ever meet! #grazie

Inside and outside, the busy place bustled nd the staff was pressed but keeping up. we went inside where it was a somewhat quieter and order drinks, starters and mains. Max's is Italian, its old style and new style too. Really good food and service. Enjoyed the banter from the kitchen as it reminded me of Italian locals where everyone working is family.

Generally, it was good, but could have been better. Food was generally excellent, apart from two disappointing desserts. We had friends visiting and wanted somewhere good, it was a bit of a treat. Chose Max's based on its reviews, including here.

A group of us ate here on a Saturday evening. We returned because we enjoyed our first visit months ago. The food was generally good but the service was hurried and brusque. The pasta was fine but several of us ordered one of the specials (sea bass with asparagus). This turned out to be very poor value at £23. The portion was very small and had a single measly sea bass fillet with a 4 asparagus spears and a desert spoon of tiny sautéed potatoes. But the most shocking thing was the bill when it arrived. We discovered that £1 had been added to the menu price of the starter and all the mains. All in our group were overcharged. We challenged this and had the bill amended, several times. This left a bitter taste and we agreed not to return to Max’s. Such a shame.

We really enjoy this restaurant, lovely food great wine list The monk fish and mushrooms risotto whaooo We will back soon

This was our first night moved in to Southampton, so we treated ourselves to this place. I had the monkfish special which was absolutely amazing! Definitely recommend!

This was our second visit to this fantastic little restaurant, extremely attentive and friendly staff. On both occasions the food has been to a very high standard. There is an excellent wine cellar especially the house Montepulciano Lovely.

Without doubt the best restaurant in Southampton. If you are looking for either a lunchtime or evening meal then go to Max's. Met on arrival and shown to your table by the owner the dining experience will want you to revisit this golden nugget situated in Oxford Street. What nderful service. Very close to where the cruise liners berth and handy for taxis.

Quality service with a friendly atmosphere! Highly recommend. Also with a Great range of alcohol beverages to enjoy!

Haven't visited in a while due to work but had an excellent lunch with top service, the chicken arrabiata was superb. It's nice to have a peaceful retreat from the bustle of the city. I would recommend booking in the evenings but for lunch there was a few tables spare and we received the signature personalised service that this place is known for.

My brother and I had our meal here after arriving in Southampton. Great service. The beer was good and the wines we had were excellent. We had two of the three fish dishes from the specials menu. Both were great.

Great Family restaurant our favourite in town never let me down , my dish was perfect we are definitely back soon

Really nice Italian restaurant with really good food. Cosy atmosphere and the staff were really nice and attentive. We really liked the tiramisu and we enjoyed our meal. We’ll definitely be coming back! Strongly recommended

We really enjoyed the meal with friends great atmosphere but bit slowly service but also understand was crazy busy ee definitely will back soon

Max is a really good host looking st my disable daughter really well. The food and services still the same as usual , joe the waiter is a really good boy We are looking for our next visit to the general hospital

I am really sorry to seeing that review below, we were eating next that 5 ladies joe the waitress was so kind and patient with all of us, never mind,,, the food and the services provider was great the concert went well , we def will back soon

Welcomed on a busy Sunday before the Take That concert. Unfortunately being busy there was a long wait which is understandable. However, we had 2 tables served before us that were seated after so enquired about the starters, since we had waited 45 minutes, to be told they were 3 minutes away. Then some bread was literally thrown on the table without any accompanying oil or balsamic and 2 of our party were told they had to choose something else as they had sold out of chicken. We asked why we had waited so long to then be told it wasn't available, to have the waiter launch into a stroppy rant. We have never seen anyone be so rude to clients before. We tried to explain how surprised we were by the service and found it rude to be spoken to in such a way when again he raised his voice at us, a group of 5 females!, and shouted if you don't like it you can leave. Needless to say we left as I have never been treated in such a way. This behaviour is inexcusable.

Great meal we didn't book a table was really busy , we enjoy the food and the services we left at 6pm a bit drunk, absolutelygreat weekend

We had been away for sometime, and were pleased to get a reservations for a Friday night. Max was there and the chef was the same but new staff.

5 of us went here for a meal on Sunday. We ordered our starters and mains. We waited 1/2 an hour and noticed tables after us was getting their meals. We asked they said 3 more mins. When our starters arrived , the man serving is said we don’t have any chicken . All we said was why wasn’t it mentioned 30 mins again. He erupted into the aggressive abuse saying don’t make me feel guilty! We Are busy! Be Patient! Shouting at us when we pointed out he was being rude, waving his fingers at us. Shouting get out!! Then had to audacity To complain to another customer saying we left because he had no chicken . NO my friend we left because you were very aggressive, rude and clearly near to go and get training on how to behave to customers! Disgusting behaviour

Great service from the staff, wine and tapas were amazing. Highly recommend the Sicilian cab and bruschetta.

Leckere authentische italienische Küche mit freundlichem Personal. Das Brischetta ist besonders empfehlenswert!

A wonderful night all fresh ingredients superb quality with attention to detail . nice and quiet great ambience.Lamb was exceptional as was duck pate.local beer IPA on tap plus excellent wines.Service excellent by Max.Smallish restaurant in busy times booking advised.Just Perfect.

Seldom am I excited to visit a restaurant. Ok so I’ve been coming here for a few years now but visiting my wee best pal in Southampton, the other end of Englandshire from where I live, and Max is now a pal so I’m slightly biased, but honestly the food is just stunning. From the fresh baked bread to the subtle, delicate desserts I’ve never eaten a bite that wasn’t startlingly flavoursome and prepared perfectly. My personal favourite is the seafood risotto, liberally spiced by the ten year aged balsamic, it’s just exquisite. Another fabulous meal, thank you Max and Yanna for your kind hospitality and simply excellent eating experience. I even noticed this evening they have a selection of toiletries available in the restroom...absolutely every detail catered for....Mille grazie mio amico

My husband and I went to this restaurant last night as we had a night away in Southampton. The food was wonderful and so was the wine which they recommended, staff was very friendly including the owner Max who we had a good chat with. Very nice man! Would definitely return if we was around that area again. For starter we had the scallops which was cooked to perfection & melted in the mouth. I had the Monkfish which had the most delicious sauce and my husband had the Ribeye steak which was very tasty too . Highly recommend trying the Limoncello it’s the best we have ever tried. All in all a wonderful night so thank you to Max the owner and his wife. Hope to return sometime. It does get busy so best to book though we was lucky enough to get a table without booking as we went in late

Night before our cruise departure...Max greeted the 5 of us warmly. He immediately began his "entertainment". Very engaging, personal man. He made musical sounds with his lips most of the night. As the owner/server his answer to customer questions tends to be "yes".

We visit Max's often. Every time, the food is amazing - especially, for me, the salmon pasta is my favourite so far. The wine selection is great, and I can never say no to a glass! It's delicious! The decor and positive atmosphere created by the staff makes you really feel like you're in a little corner of Italy, in the middle of Southampton. Can't recommend enough, it's such a wonderful place. Next time, you have a family outing, a date planned - definitely come here, and book ahead!!

We eat at Max's Friday evening, Restaurant was busy as always but Max found us a table.

This Brassiere is family run and gets very busy. We had a really enjoyable evening, good food, good wine, good service and appeared to be filled with lots of happy customers. A good find, and you need to book or you will be disappointed if you just turn up.

Been here several times and normally order steak. The portions are very generous and great value, always cooked exactly as requested. The wine list is quite extensive with an interesting selection and the owner Max is a real character too.

Nothing fancy about this place other than superb tasty food, personable quality service and a feeling of being in Italy even though you are in Southampton. A pleasant lunch spent in this restaurant, delightful bruschetta along with a couple of pasta dishes, (Gluten free if you want). A great place amongst some other that aren't, a no brainier as far as which one to pick. A definite return and a good purchase of some authentic balsamic. Thanks for a lovely lunch.

Fui allí por primera vez esta noche y tuvimos una excelente comida.

Had a lovely meal over the Easter weekend. Great service from attentive waiters. Gnocchi was delicious and all round good quality food. Would recommend.

Went as a large group to this small bistro, I don't think I have ever laughed in a restaurant in my life! We will be going back there in 2021 when the show is on again...

Lovely food ,I had seafood risotto, my wife had rump steak both perfectly cooked and tasty. Staff very attentive we were made very welcome.Lovely experience we will definitely go back.

Fuimos a mi cumpleaños hace dos años y comimos un delicioso almuerzo. Dos años después de haber llegado a ser comensales bastante regulares, puedo decir que nada ha cambiado. Cada comida ha sido perfecta. Las combinaciones de sabores y buenos ingredientes combinados con un chef fabuloso hacen de este nuestro lugar favorito para comer. Es pequeño e íntimo con un ambiente encantador y amigable. Max y Jana están dando la bienvenida. Intentalo.

We have already been to Max’s The standard and the quality of food still immaculate, max is a great host The kids like carbonara We are looking forward to back soon next time in Southampton PP

Visited his last week just minutes from where I live, excellent food and great wines! This place is unreal and I shall definitely be returning without doubt! If you’re in the area visit here.

First visit to this small but cosy restaurant. A not overly large menu (a good thing in my view) plus a specials board. The food was great. Loved my aubergine starter. Good, friendly service which included the owner himself.

I really like this place. The decor is quirky. The owner is charismatic. The food is excellent. Had veal. Tender and cooked perfectly. My companion had steak. Again. Excellent. Not really anything to say other than high praise

We have eaten at Max's on many occasions and every time the standard of food has been top notch. Max is also an excellent host who always makes sure you are happy with everything, this always makes it a very enjoyable experience. I wouldn't hesitate in recommending this restaurant to anyone who wants a delicious meal in a nice setting.

Ridiculously I’ve known about this restaurant since it opened and I’ve only just eaten there. What a fool I’ve been, because it’s a great neighbourhood restaurant.

Would definitely recommend this restaurant. The food was amazing, decent portions and a lovely family feel. Staff were very friendly.

I have been wanting to come here for ages and was certainly not disappointed. From the warm welcome when we arrived to the time we left, we had the most wonderful evening. The menu is superb but along with the specials board it made for a difficult decision as everything sounded so good.

We visited Max’s again tonight and as always an absolutely delicious meal. The staff are so friendly and helpful and the food is to die for I treated myself to a steak this visit and it was the best I have had in a very long time. Will be back again soon xxx

Excellent, will be returning time and again. The food was simply devine, service was professional attentive and personal. Faultless!

We opted for the three course valentines special. All food was cooked to perfection ,portions a tiny bit on the small side ( only because it was all so delish) . Staff were very attentative .Super evening ,we will be back.

I took my team to Max’s last Friday, great evening. The food was just spot on and only compliments from everybody. Thank you

In town to visit family friends and they took us to one of their favourites. Was not disappointed. After a long 26 hour flight classic Italian was the perfect jet lag food. A must when in Southampton.

Popped in for lunch yesterday on a cold day and the room was a bit chilly, and didn’t really warm up enough. Food was good, service reasonable but I can’t forget my cold feet!!

We went for some white bait, calamari and garlic bread for starters. For the main course the missus went with the pollo vesuvio and I had a sea bass from the specials board. The food was sublime and this was one of the best pieces of sea bass I've ever had. The sauce was so rich and flavoursome. The pollo vesuvio was the same. There's a great atmosphere in this place and the staff are efficient and very pleasant people so it's no wonder this place is rated so highly on Trip Advisor.

We had been recommended by friends to go to Max’s and were not disappointed, great food, friendly atmosphere and great service will definitely be back

We always visit Southampton and we always come back to Max, and in a short visit will always end up visiting more than once. We come back as the food is consistent, made with care from good ingredients and clearly by a man who is passionate that people enjoy their food and drink and visit. My wife always takes one of the special fish dishes and is always delighted by it. I always leave the choice of wine to the host and the quality and price is always good value; and we enjoy it. It can be busy and that is always a good sign. Over the last 2 or 3 years we are always happy to return.

We had a fantastic and very tasty meal. The service was excellent. The restaurant had a homely feel but this didn't detract from a wonderful dining experience. I highly recommend this restaurant.

A cold Monday evening but a very warm welcome at Max’s. Corvina was perfectly cooked and extremely tasty. The gnocchi was is a very rich tomato sauce cooked to perfection.

We were greeted warmly by the friendly owner of Max's Brasserie on the Saturday night. The restaurant was very busy and had a good atmosphere. We all chose fish for our main course from the selection on the specials board and were not disappointed. The bill for 4 of us came to £190 which inc. 2 bottles of wine and a generous tip. The meal was not cheap but we enjoyed 3 delicious courses of quality food. We would certainly go back.

The food is lovely, and Max always has a smile on his face! Great dining with friends or for couples.