Max on Hardware reviews . (Restaurant) in Melbourne (Victoria).

Max on Hardware

0 Reviews

336 Comments

Restaurant

Italian restaurant

54-58 Hardware Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

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Comments of Max on Hardware

h. -. (.

Most of foods was delicious especially the seafood pasta is amazing. but, after payment staff didn't ask to the customer about recipes. expect that one all good

I. C.

Amazing food at a great price. We arrived early for our booking and it was no problem for us to be seated. Food is a solid thumbs up!

B. M.

Had lunch. Seafood paella. Well prepared and presented. Service was attentive and friendly. Outdoor setting very welcoming. Definitely worth a return visit.

L. V.

Food and drinks are so good. We were welcomed by friendly staff. Seated outside next to live music. We will definitely come back. Highly recommend 👍🏻

S. R.

Not sure if it was Monday Blues or the sunny weather, I was suddenly craving for Lamb Shank. Upon doing some research I found Max on Hardware to be one the top places listed for serving the dish. Ordered the Italian Lamb Shank and a Spiced Apple Pie cocktail. And honestly it is one of the best Lamb Shanks I have tried in Melbourne. Also the location is great as Hardware Ln is one of the top attractions of Melbourne when you crave for some authentic regional (mainly Italian & SouthAsian) dishes. Staffs are kind and polite. Meal portion is pretty big and I struggled to finish. Cocktail was great was well. And I would say its reasonably priced. Only thing I think they can improve is the presentation.

K. N.

Service was quick but food not that great. Chicken was not seasoned well, pizza was burnt had to wait while another was made. Food not worth the price

R. Y.

Happy Travellers dined there late January. As a starter, we enjoyed garlic bread with cheese and were pleasantly surprised to be served home made Sour Dough which was exquisite. Our mains were Garlic Prawns and Pork Belly which were also magnificent. The meals were not large, but not inconsistent with quality restaurants. The staff were very friendly, attentive and competent. We will be back - Shame I didn't photograph the meals for readers.

D. D.

I've never eaten anything more satisfying in my life than the pumpkin gnocchi. The restaurant was smelling so amazing and Italian like garlic and tomatoes cooking in oil and when I tasted the sauce of the pumpkin gnocchi I literally ascended because it tasted exactly how good the restaurant smelled. 10/10 satisfied cravings I didn't even know I had and was a spiritual experience and I enjoyed every bite so immensely that the fuller I felt the sadder I became.

G.

It was good to dine back into the restaurant after our longest lockdown and whilst all other restaurants were booked out, we managed to grab a table at Max. The ambiance was superb. Despite being very busy, their service was quite good. Food was ok though. We tried their pasta and Max Chicken. Chicken was nice and tender but was lacking flavour.

R. W.

Food was absolutely AMAZING! Coffee was great! We had entree, mains and desert. Best calamari I've had! Staff were friendly and great atmosphere! Loved it! Highly recommend!

J. W.

Had a nice dinner with my bible study group here. Wait staff were accommodating and nice but we could tell they were quite run off their feet. The ambience was good but it's quite loud inside; we found ourselves shouting at each other to hold the conversation. The mocktails were really refreshing and tasty. The food was good but a bit overpriced. It felt like a real Hardware Lane experience, that's for sure.

J. A.

Food was amazing, excellent service. Was pretty busy and we only had 25 minutes until we had to catch a movie and they brought our dishes out in 5 minutes for us…will definitely be coming back

S. S.

One of the best restaurants in the heart of Melbourne. Staff are always friendly, food is amazing and atmosphere is outstanding. It has become a regular restaurant for my wife and I there is pretty no Italian restaurant like it in the Melbourne CBD.

D. S.

Great atmosphere, ambience, food and drinks! We loved the entree platter, really great variety of dishes and very filling! The pasta was very nice too.

M. H.

Great restaurant. Had mussels for lunch superb 👌

P. T.

Hands down the best place I have eaten in Australia . Big call however Max is amazing . I have had dinner there the past two nights, absolutely incredible. The brisket lasagna and the rip eye were sensational. Will return when next in Melbourne.

A.

Wonderful experience at this place. Went once with friend and second time with family and kids. Were treated extremely well by the staff both times. Food was great too. We ordered all Vegetarian dishes and this place has lots of options to choose from

R.

Decided to have my birthday (after) lunch here. Food: paella was fantastic, calamari was a bit too big that we just got tired of it, we hoped the pasta was more al dente. Service: may improve. I did not appreciate being profiled based on the language I spoke with my friend. We let it pass by not responding to the waitstaff who was guessing the language we were using, but then he further insisted. Choose your audience, mate. Further to this, when they brought our dish, another person, perhaps the owner cheerfully shouted a non-English word to us as if to really fish for info on where we are from. There are better places for same price and same quality of food.

C. R.

One of the most beautiful food providing restaurants in Melbourne. Who would not go back again and again for that beautiful service with variety of mouthwatering foods. Check the place and thank me later ❤️

S. C.

My friends and I are visiting Melbourne from Sydney for a few days and we decided to take a walk around to find some food today. Happy to report that everything from the customer service to the food and beverages were top class. Our starters were out within 5 minutes of ordering, absolutely phenomenal. Our mains were amazing and you can certainly bet that we will be coming back the next time we’re in Melbourne! Awesome work guys!

G. L.

Max on Hardware was a very good food experience. I really enjoy pizza so I tried their meat lovers pizza and it was exquisite. The meat is so good and the cheese is even better. Good service and waiters are on standby to attend to your needs. I had gotten my food in under 10 minutes. I highly recommend this place to people that want fantastic food. Money well spent. 👍

N. L. G.

We dined here after being in the city and despite if being very busy they were able to juggle things and accomodate us. They took the order for the kids quickly so they could eat and we ordered ours which despite the big crowd still came out quickly. Food was excellent and the service top notch! The seafood paella was fantastic, definitely worth trying

G. L.

Walking through Hardware lane yesterday looking to book dinner. Saw this place and decided to give it a go . Bookings was taken for 8 pm Saturday night for 4 . Arriving at 8 pm our table was ready great . Waiters where very friendly in sitting us down. Getting us water and menus telling us the special drinks . When he arrived back to take our orders we asked him what he thought was a great dish to order and explained it all to us .It was Spanish fettuccine was a great recommendation. Great service and great food will definitely come back . Well done Max and all stuff on a great night.

A. S.

Went for dinner on a week night, from the greet to the bill was a fabulous experience. Amaretto sour was recommended and didnot disappoint so did the lamb shanks. Recommend it.

C. M.

BLOODY BRILLIANT! Friendly staff with fast service despite it being super busy and the food was all AMAZING!!! Can't recommend this place highly enough - just wished we had gone here earlier in our stay so we could go again as there's plenty on the menu to entice.

Z.

The food took awhile to come out and the mains came out before our starters. We ended up cancelling our starters. On the other hand the mains were delicious and perfectly cooked and the wine was fabulous.

S. S.

Absolutely amazing place, good vibe, good food and great staff! Definitely would recommend to visit this place. This place has a nice vibe and has both indoor and outdoor seating.

P. F.

Food was delicious! 4 of us ate and we were all very satisfied with our meals. The speed that we got our meals was very good and quick. We were also given a free round of drinks which was nice, however they forgot them and we only got it at the end of our meal. Also wished they kept an eye on the table water for refills. But the staff were friendly and welcoming. Overall I'd recommend this place, even if you need to remind the busy waiters once in a while of your drinks.

H. G.

Melbourne is well into spring!!!! The staff were lovely, very attentive and without asking put the outdoor heaters so we could enjoy being outside The porterhouse was cooked to perfection my mate and I had a cheeky bite of the seafood paella 🥘. I had serious food envy The high standard of service was given to every customer and more than accommodating when we asked them to take a picture for us Next time I'll be trying the pizza as they looked delicious, we were lucky to get a table and I noticed there was a pizza at every table Thanks for staying open!!!!

L. T.

Good menu selection and great serving sizes. I loved the mussels which needed extra garlic bread to soak up the delicious sauce.

A. C.

Great food, great drinks and great service!! Absolutely coming back. Such a nice atmosphere too

T. H. (. D. T.

I visited for lunch and had the Eye Fillet steak with a red wine jus and crispy chips. It was cooked exactly how I wanted it, and was one of the nicest steaks I have had in awhile. The staff were friendly, food was good, I would highly recommend :).

J. T.

Nice selection, fresh. Could improve on price however as Melbourne's just opened up again happy to re support

A. E.

We came on the 4th Jan for dinner with friends. Food was brilliant, service even better, loved the tasting plate for 2. Will definately be back.

K. M.

Delicious food, impeccable service. Went for a pre theatre dinner and it was speedy. Great ambiance and live music in the lane way. Thanks for having us, will be back.

W.

Just had the pumpkin 🎃 gnocchi which was absolutely beautiful 🤩 others in my dining party loved their meals. Great $ value & delicious 😋 food. Big call but best Italian I’ve had in ages 👌

Z.

Service and ambiance was amazing, food was fresh and it tasted great. For how busy it is the food came out very fast, would definitely recommend.

r. g.

Great scrumptious food all the way through ..from entrees to mains and finally to Grand Finale(Pic attached).. Bang in centre of Hardware lane, this Italian restaurant is a must visit for all you foodies out there.

O. S.

One of the best Italian restaurants in town. We came on Monday at 6:30pm and there were many tables available but in a half an hour the place got filled in. Customer service was amazing - we had some doubts on what to choose and followed the staff recommendation. We ordered Mussels as entry, Chicken Max and Spaghetti Pescatore as mains. All meals were delicious and satisfying. Total cost was around $70 for 2 people without drinks, worth every dollar spent!! We enjoyed the experience and will definitely come back again.

S. Y.

Meals were adequately good. Service was to Hardware Lane standard. Man on the street was very nice, but persuasive. Offered us a free drink and garlic bread if we ordered a main meal. Staff took our meal orders but needed to come back to ask again. 3 stars is a good rating for my reviews. Honesty with grace is the best policy.

H. H.

Good food with a reasonable price. Waiters are friendly and attentive. It can very busy on weekend nights, but it’s ok at noon. The place is also cozy. Max fish and sparkling wine is recommended. Would come back!!

R. K. R.

Absolutely loved everything about this place. *ambiance*food*customerService*price* top notch.! I would love to be back again♥️

이.

Food was very nice. Steak was a bit over cooked then I expected.. too chewy Sauce on the side taste like mushroom soup. I feel like housemade but not sure(didn't ask) But risotto was amazing After the dinner we wanted to stay a bit longer to talk, seemed like they didn't want us to stay Felt like carlton Italian food district.. Foods are very recommending

a. n.

BEST PLACE EVER!!!! Food is abdolutely delish and scrumptious and waiter was funny and so nice would cant reccommend enough

H. A.

Really good food and great service. The prawn risotto was amazing followed very closely by the crispy pork belly. Yum!

R. M.

Had a awesome dinner, service was amazing, food was delicious.

H. J.

Great restaurant been here a few times friendly and good service, great food and do cocktails as well.

C. M. (.

As soon as I walked up I could smell the aroma of the food, and my mouth was watering. Good atmosphere, was looked after by the staff very well. Drinks are heavy so cone prepared. But I definitely recommend the gnocchi, house-made and just melts in your mouth, perfectly cooked, just.... Wow. Will be coming back here again for sure!

m. t.

Great palce, diverse menu with too many choices. Max has a big venue so walk in has never been a problem for us. Also dont miss the environment, live music and the crowd.

K. A.

Just popped in on a chance visiting Melbourne Found Max and Wow blown away!!! The food is fresh, spicy, beautifully cooked and served with thought. I would reccomend this fabulous restaurant to all. What a wonderful relaxed atmosphere!!

A. a.

Very friendly atmosphere and delicious food, prices are incredible to the amount of food served 10/10 will definitely come back again

L. P.

I have been dine 🍽 there since my uni time till today. In this spread of 10yrs, good food awith consistency and never fails. Amazing staffs are always the best memory of the place. I have witnessed their business starts from a small but cosy spot to today a wider spread of shop front. My husband and I use to go there for our date night out when we were just young loves, now it is still one of the place we go for our date night out to reminiscing down the old good memory lane. They have made through the longest covid lockdown. I wish to grow old with Max on Hardware lane.

T. A.

Good experience. The food was good but I would say a bit overpriced for the quality.

W. Z.

The service was absolutely amazing. The girl made you feel so welcoming carefully bring exactly the number of champagne glasses we need. And the food was pretty good too, as you would expect from a traditional Italian restaurant.

J. L.

Friendly service & good atmosphere! Steaks were slightly overcooked, and kid's pizza was a half burnt but the rest of food were OK.

Y. L.

Great service! Love the mushroom sauce. Others are taste okay. Drinks are so so. We had cocktails but very less alcohol in

R.

Had an exceptional evening here tonight. I've never been down Hardware Lane before and it was buzzing, first we noticed was Max on Hardware - it was so energetic! Food was absolutely delish, fantastic table service. I had the stuffed chicken breast - it was supurb, not dry and the grilled vegetables on the plate complimented the dish so nicely! Thank you for a great evening ✅✅✅

R. T.

We ate dinner here and the meals were nicely prepared and well presented. Although the price we paid didn’t really match the quality of the meals served. The space is a bit cramped as well, although the service was good.

E. T.

I went there with work colleagues. We pre-ordered so the food came out quickly. I ordered the spaghetti napoletana, it came with cheese even though I specified no cheese but I told the waitress and he got me a new one. it's quite basic but tasty, it didn't have enough veges in it but for the price you can't complain. They don't have enough vegan options.

A.

Had the excellent Spanish spaghetti with prawns and chorizo, which tasted as good as it looks. Good prompt service and reasonable prices. Taking off 1 star as 90’s gansta rap for an Italian place takes away some Italian-ness 😎 Not that I have anything against Biggie Smalls!

L. &. G. B.

We went to Max for a quick Melbourne brekkie. Quick service, friendly staff, clean facilities, good food. Our 2 coffees and 2 breakfasts cost us $45.00 the norm for Melbourne. We did not see a kids menu but they did have high chairs. All round a nice spot, would go back.

J. P.

Initially walked past this place, but the waiter out front was so enthusiastic and tried very hard to entice us to dine at this restaurant so we decided to come here on our way back. We were not disappointed. We had the "max chicken burger" and the "vegetarianian pizza". They even gave us free gin & tonics. Would definitely come back to this gem of a restaurant.

S. D.

Reliably a great place to dine for breakfast lunch and especially dinner. Really good service ver all and prices are reasonable for what you get. Great menu to and for me recommendation , try the beaf brisket lasagna.

v. s.

Consistency in hard to achieve when it comes to good food, and they do it so easily! You can never be disappointed having lunch here!

C. D.

Had a great date night here, food wasnt anything you haven't seen before but it was really nice and the vibes were great with the live music in the Laneway 👌🏼 Have come here heaps of times over the years and its still as good as ever

a. f.

Best food I've had in Melbourne so far. Yes, the food is a little bit on the expensive side, but it's all worth it. Do try the Chicken risotto while you're there - it's the Best! Staff was very polite and helpful. Nice atmosphere and chill vibes on Hardware lane.

B. H.

Really nice place we ordered Salsiccia pizza (really good), San Daniele pizza (nice), Goats Cheese and Chorizo Spaghetti (i love it), and Gnocchi Gorgonzola (amazing). The staffs are professional and kind. I really enjoy spending tine there.

R. A.

Came here for dessert. Desserts were good, service was good. Didn’t have a lot of atmosphere though.

H. A.

Fantastic food & service. Loved the Beef Lasagna & Chicken pizza. Covid-safe practice adhered at all times by staff.

D. B.

The chicken & avacado Pasta was very bland, it definitely lacked flavour! But the beef Burger was succulent & Pizza was great too. We also had the chocolate mousse with ice-cream for Dessert, which was a really tiny portion but was good

y. s.

Went there for lunch on a Sunday with families. We had fettuccine, pizza and calamari rings and all of them were nice. Friendly and fast service with reasonable price. We are pretty happy with the place!

J. B. M.

Went here for lunch and the flavours were exquisite. Clearly they use real fresh ingredients and the waiting staff were excellent.

D. U.

Great food. Very attentive servers. Sometimes they come on just a bit too strong, when you're walking past. It's a fine line. Good spot for a quick stop during a day of shopping. Comfy chair, little drinky, lovely small plates.

R. C.

Extremely good food, great drink selection. Best lasagna I've ever had, literally.

W. G.

They serve breakfast until 12 noon. Very handy if your down for an event and want to sleep in! Avi mash and Corn fritters were really good. Sourdough was tasty enough. It was quiet warm when we visited so we sat inside. It would be a nice atmosphere to sit out in the lane way as there are other eatery's along the lane also. Coffee was good too. Service was a little slow but it was quiet busy. I'd eat here again. Recommended for a slow breakfast with your partner or friends. Wouldnt recommend for families with ypung kids as there isnt anywhere for them to run around or play.

M. S.

We ate here as it was one of the few restaurants being open on new years eve. There was an additional fee of 9% on Public Holidays and Sundays. Food is a bit pricy here for what you get in the end. My burger was more or less tasteless. In total we paid about 70$ for 2 drinks and 2 plates with "ok food". Wouldn't recommend my friends to go here.

T. W.

Loved it. Busy vibrant and great food. Staff were very efficient and friendly

S. M.

This food was incredible - hands down the best on Hardware lane. And the portion size was great value for money. The service was amazing, very attentive without being overwhelming. But the stand out to the evening was the manager Sahbi who was outstanding, he looked after us, was very kind and a great story teller. Such an amazing guy. Highly recommend Max on Hardware and Sahbi.

b. n. f.

Probably the best spaghetti and meatballs Ive ever had, such a nice atmosphere and amazing staff, I always try to go here when I come to Melbourne

A. W.

Awesome service and beautiful food. Felt quite special eating there.

R. J.

Nice Italian joint for traditional pizza. Also the outdoor seating along hardware lane is quite enjoyable

P. W.

Great atmosphere in the laneway Good service! Pizza was nice but not the best I've ever had. Could use more seasoning and seemed a little undercooked. The tiramisu on the other hand was fabulous ☺️

b. B.

All dishes we ordered were so delicious. The Caesar salad was excellent. The pasta is very enough for a lady.

Z. S.

We were sucked into this restaurant with the promotion of two free drinks and a starter so asked what the catch was and there was no catch - any house wine or champagne for the drink and garlic/cheesy bread for starter, as long as everyone at the table orders a main meal. The potato gnocchi was delicious and the coconut creme brûlée was incredible. I noticed a lot of people were eating pizza so I believe they make good pizza too! Weird setting with three restaurants all part of ‘Max’ but comfortable even though the tables are quite close together. Heating for a cool night ensures you can enjoy an outside table. A cosy restaurant for the whole family or for an intimate date night.

P. P.

I love the ambiance and vibe of hardware lane. We were seated outside and next to our table we had live music. We ordered 2 cocktails, which I think were pricey, and didn't taste that great. Then we got Bruschetta as entree which was delicious! Mains were comprised of Spanish Fettuccine (delicious-100% recommended ) and Chicken risotto (pretty average). And then around 10:30 they started to push us away by bringing the bill. We then asked at what time do you close, the wait staff answered by saying "it depends". And then another wait staff comes and asks if we have paid already. And there were still many people eating.

F. P.

This place is great! Food was so tasty and the service was great. Will certainly be coming back!

D. S.

The staff here are extremely kind, friendly and helpful. We went with a big group and service was great despite it being busy. They kept our birthday cake for us hours before we arrived for dinner and didn’t even charge us any cakeage for that. The food was delicious and we had an amazing experience.

M. A. T.

Fantastic Meals and Fantastic service, set in a exotic laneway of Melbourne. It is a must to visit

k. a.

Quite literally the best pizza I've ever had, and I've eaten a lot. I use to work in an old school Italian resteraunt that has amazing Napoli style pizza and I swore by it, I've had a lot of pizza between, but this place homestead the best pizza I've ever had. Extreamly well prices, lovely staff and great ambience, can't recommend it enough.

L.

Came here for a family dinner on a Sunday with one of us being gluten intolerant. The staff were very helpful in providing the ingredient list to ensure the certain things she is allergic too weren't used. Very good service, friendly staff and the food was delicious. Everything is made from scratch and it definitely tastes better because of that.

G. J.

Excellent food at reasonable prices. This is a mixture of street and restaurant dining but on the street is the place to be. Pizza is some of the best you can get. These are thin pizzas with well chosen ingredients. Dont ask for Hawaiian! The proscuitto pizza with mozzarella and mushrooms is to die for.

R. L.

Despite the drizzle and lengthy walking to locating the place, it didn't stop us from patronising this Italian restaurant with my wife and daughter for birthday celebration last night. We enjoyed our two-hour dinner there. Food and service were surprisingly good with comfortable seating. The price was quite reasonable with premium quality of service and foods. More appreciated was that the boss of the restaurant who voluntarily compensated us for the three foldable umbrellas which was mistakenly thrown / taken away by someone when we left. We definitely will patronis again when we visit Melbourne next time.

G. S.

Awesome atmosphere in the laneway, great service and the food was awesome, with large serves. Plenty of seating, but it was busy even on a cold night.

M. Y.

Standard, nice, reasonably priced restaurants with decent food, whilst being nothing too spectacular. Good for large groups.

J. T.

Such a romantic date spot! I like grabbing a table outside to catch live music in the lane. Plenty of vegan options including pasta, pizza, and other dishes. They use the good quality non-dairy cheese too. Wait staff are always lovely.

R. S.

We love going to this restaurant. Not only Is the food amazing but so is the service.

C. W.

Extensive menu. Predominantly Italian focussed. Excellent quality and service. Reasonably priced considering the location.

A. C.

Pizza, arancini, Gnocchi and atmosphere were great. Only let down were the cheap wine glasses. Barramundi was ok but nothing special.

K. V.

Absolutely fantastic food will definitely be back

A. D.

Really good food..service extremely fast and maybe too fast but yes Really worth it I recommend.

L. R.

I always appreciate great customer service from the staff and Max on Hardware has delivered. Food was delicious and great value for money.

M. A.

Love this place! 5 stars all round, staff, food, ambience and everything! WHENEVER I'm in Melbourne I have to come to this place, it never fails to please ⭐

C. H.

Amazing pizza and pasta, very friendly efficient staff.

S. T.

Decent food for the price, but nothing that's going to blow you're mind away. Theres no shortage of options for Itallian on Hardware Lane. The staff were friendly and the food arrived quickly which was good.

E. H.

Service here is amazing. Apart from the steak, I kinda enjoy all the other food I ordered.

V. P.

Been here 3 times now and it's always a great experience. The staff go out of their way to accommodate your dietary requests. Food portions are well worth the price and always delicious!

R. M.

Food was the delicious!! But service was outstanding, everyone was checking if we needed sth all the time. It is good to see a service like that nowadays that in many other restaurants you have to order just using your phone. I'll definitely come back :)

M. D.

Last night we had an amazing dinner for my husbands 50th. Everything was perfect! 7 of us and the food was great, staff amazing! Sat outside with the music it was the perfect atmosphere.

w. c.

price is on the high side, understandable for a restaurant but the food is not really that great. nice but for the price I will expect more. we ate the kangaroo meat, personally I will prefer beef, and a pasta.

P. H.

Good service and great food. Happily eat here again.

S. W.

Great ambience. Amazing food. Very friendly staff. Ordered Fetuccini Carbonara sans Bacon..creamy and cheesy sauce cooked to perfection!!!

Y. J.

Friendly staff and amazing food. Recommended for families and friends.

H. H.

I ordered the veal scallopini.The taste is good and the staffs are nice.But It's more expensive than the dish,$32.And I don't like the visual.It looks like Pu..

C. Y.

Delicious food but usually crowded so service can be slow at times.

L. G.

We came here after we weren't able to get into 39+ Pizzeria. Glad we did - Fantastic service (really catered to the family) and generous portion sizes. Vegetables were a touch undercooked with my main (kangaroo)

N. i.

Service was great. The quality of the food was fantastic, would higly recommend this place.

e. w.

Had brunch at Max's bruchetta was amazing I had pumpkin,pea,spinach & fetta risotto. Atmosphere is great and staff are friendly

r. a.

The pasta is incredible 🥰 but the risotto was not cooked well 👎🏽👎🏽 we ordered calamari but they do not bring it !

V.

Lovely food and nice staff. Their sourdough bread is extraordinarily good!

G. D. K.

I didn't expect anything special, but it's really special for me. tasty and nice atmosphere

M. B.

Great Italian food. Lovely service, nice atmosphere and the house wine is excellent! I ordered the lasagna and it was the best I've had at any resturaunt.

G. N.

Food is tasty, price is slightly expensive, but service was good. We had all 4 kinds of risotto, was tasty enough to warrant a review

B. P.

Dont miss this place !! Best Gnocchi in Melbourne. Good desserts very nice staff.. quaint tables in alley and inside

S. G.

The food is consistently delicious and filling, the cooks are flexible and open to mixing things up to suit your taste and the service is welcoming and fast. Overall great experience.

L. S.

Hubby had paella, said it was delicious but there wasn't enough seafood for the price. I had warm chicken salad and lived every bite.

J. S.

Amazing gorgonzola dish! Was very impressed!!! Great staff great food! Good selection of wine also! I wish i took more photos but was too busy eating!

E. S.

Amazing service. Very kind, quick and tasty food. Personally got the carbonara pasta and meat lovers pizza. Both meals were amazing. Would recommend.

J. A.

5 stars not enough for this place. Been here 3 times this week with my family. Food is Delicious and always well presented . The amazing staff also makes this place and can never fault the service in this restaurant. Can't also decide on the food as there is too much to select from on the menu not to mention the the Great wine selection as well. Thank you all again for an enjoyable night . See you again shortly.

J. S.

Great service and good gluten free pizza bases

T. J.

The food and the service was absolutely lovely! My husband ordered the Lamb Shank and I had the Penne Pesto. The portions were enormous and it tasted so delicious. The staff was also super friendly. It's a great place for a date night.

G. P.

Super friendly service. Wonderful food. Fabulous atmosphere.

I. S.

When I went out to the city with my family we went to this restaurant and the customer service was so amazing they were all such warm and friendly people who assured us that they would give us the best service they possibly can, the food was also really good too with good pricing. In fact, they were so good that we came back the next night!

F. 2. F. L.

Went with a few work colleagues on a Monday lunch time and it was very busy and the staff were rushed off their feet. I ordered the vegetarian pizza that was $16 and was large and couldn't eat it all. Others on my table ordered the salads and calamari and again they were large serves. While the pizza wasn't bad, I have had far better. At least I have tried this place now!

d. b.

One of the best steak I have tasted. Gnocchi was a knock out as well. Soup was amazing and our kids love it so much. Place is spacious. Most of all, staffs are very friendly and with top customer service skills. My daughter wanted a milkshake which they dont have on the menu, but guess what, they made a milkshake for her. Food is cheap for it’s exquisite taste! Would definitely be back again and again! Real value for money!🙂

J. R.

Fast service, food was really nice, nice area, big menu

G. C.

Had a great meal, my wife has a garlic allergy and they were so accommodating. Especially the good looking guy.

M. W.

Superb staff ans service. Risotto , pasta delicious. Highly recommend , went back for lunch and was just as good as Dinner a few nights before.

N. J.

Really nice traditional Italian food & Pizza. Great laneway atmosphere.

T. F.

Sensational customer service, the team are always . going out of their way to just assist you. The atmosphere is extremely inviting with the food tasting delicious. Highly recommend!

U. L.

Nice venue.. very busy but quick service.. food is like average Italian home cooking... Good portions .. you won't leave hungry... pizza had good base / dough .. overall experience .. not spectacular..

L. D.

Really great atmosphere and yummy pizza! Also some really good tiramisu

H.

Absolutely delicious! Great home style Italian food cook to perfection 👌 the service was fantastic! Would definitely recommend!

R. .. T.

This is our first time at this restaurant, the food was delicious and the portion size is great and the food arrived very quick. The staff are very friendly and the service is amazing too, we will definitely come back again, highly recommend it.

L. D.

Lovely lunch with my daughter. Fantastic service!

C. M.

Will definitely be coming back for a feed. Had a wonderful Sunday brunch where the food was divine. Staff were lovely to chat to and have a laugh with.

A. P.

Excellent service as usual! All the staff are highly professional and very inviting. We went on a busy night and still felt like we were the only ones in the restaurant. Definitely would recommend Max on hardware, whether it be for a date night, gathering with friends or a Christmas party/function. Look forward to going back soon 10/10

T. W.

Delicious food and fantastic service in a cool location

S. M. S. A.

Wwnt there at lunch time with friends ...Delicious and tasty 😋.. 100% recommend

K. C. S.

Went for drinks and to chill. Staffs were friendly. Peter greeted us so cheerfully!! Wide menu. We have cocktails only. Drinks were reasonably priced. Vibes was cool... Will be back, this time for dinner.

C. H.

Very lovely service! Decently priced too! We ordered their pizza and meatball entree

S. R.

Such friendly staff, very helpful. Menu has such a large variety of meals, and the bar is well stocked. Outside or inside dining. The restaurant is just one of many on the laneway, but had the nicest atmosphere.

K. M.

Gluten free pizza? This is your best choice! Excellent service, fabulous setting and gluten free pizza that you had to double check was gf... ohhh so good!

K. L.

Amazing experience from start to finish! Warm and welcoming vibe, friendly and enthusiastic staff who were very fun and an extensive menu. The best gnocchi I've ever eaten and fantastic wine and cocktails. Highly recommend and will definitely be back!

a. m.

It has been a few years since we have been. But tonight's service has not changed. Perfect and unquestionable. Food fantastic but the Moscato was a little bit if a let down. The lava cake was as great and a high light of the night.

S. H.

Fantastic service and great pastas. Lots of gluten free options.

G. H.

Absolutely amazing food. Highly recommend it.

N. A.

One of the best pizza and pasta in melbourne cbd. Service was amazing and everything was on time.

d. m.

This is the second time we have been to Max and both times have been great. The food is delicious with the lamb shanks fabulous. House wine is very "drinkable" and the staff and atmosphere fantastic. Gerard and Allioo (?? Sorry about the spelling) made the night and we had a ball. Thank You! Six of us recently stopped in hardware lane for a meal. This is a funky place i had not been to before and we loved it. My partner had Chicken Max and I had a great pizza. Others in the group had fillet steak, paella and risotto. We all enjoyed the food and also enjoyed the banter with staff who ere very attentive. Drinks were reasonable and we will visit again.

R. G.

Great food, atmosphere and staff

D. N.

Everytime I come here there is always a spot at the restraunt with service from multiple staff at all times. Food and drinks come out with very little wait time and the ability to so easily split bills has made it an easily recommended place for very large groups. Highly recommended.

N.

Found this establishment while walking through Lt Bourke St. Greeted by friendly staff and our group of 8 had a great dining experience. Highly recommend.

J. A. D.

Superb paella, indifferent tiramisu, was the parmisan genuine? Brilliant Cape Margaret wine, had to send back an Italian Tuscan Red; there was no fuss although waiter not as attentive afterwards. Lots of Buzz.

D. C.

We found ourselves in a quaint small side street with striped awnings covering cafe tables. The service was fast and the servers were lovely. We had the sampler plate. It was very good! The wine selection was more than adequate. The people passing on the street made the atmosphere lively. There were business men in suits and ladies in business attire, men and women in bohemian garb and adolescents in school uniform. We also saw several people dragging suitcases along. It was really a nice street cafe.

N.

Had a parma, was a little too thick and saucy. Chips were a little stingey

S. S.

Great Atmosphere # Delicious Food # super friendly Staff #

Q. G.

A great Italian restaurant! Ordered Spanish pasta and seafood pasta, both are nice. Service is outstanding too!

H. H.

Decent food and great atmosphere on the street. As with most restaurants one the street, they will give you a free app and wine to get you in the door

T. L.

Great food! Price good. It was very busy and I waited about 20mins for my food so I was very happy.

W. N.

This restaurant has a great location and the staff were extremely polite and welcoming, coffee was a bit weak and slightly too cold. We ordered eggs Benedict which was $15 (very reasonable price) although I think a small amount of spinach would make the dish go a long way. The eggs were overcooked which is not okay for a Chef. Overall experience was good, just a few key points which need to be looked at as this is a breakfast joint.

L. A.

The best italics an food in Melbourne, the taste, freshness, wine and service I’ll visit it again and again and again when I want to eat fettuccine or seafood pyla

s. t.

The food was magnificent and the staff were super kind to us, we loved the way they served us. The food came very fresh and fast. Also the chicken schnitzel tasted great. The oysters were fresh and they tasted divine. The muscles were delicious. The lasagna was absolutely amazing! And they even gave us complimentary drinks!

R. W.

The food and service was good. I recommend having the home made gnocchi.

N. B.

Brilliant food and service. Recommended.

A. A.

First time ever recommending on Google but man this is amaaaaaazing food, we had chicken max and the beef lasagna. Dessert: the coconut creme bluee Just amazing fresh food can’t recommend it enough

J. R.

Pasta was good. Garlic bread was ok, creme brulee was good.

G. F.

I enjoyed it. The service was quick when we arrived at 2.45 pm. It was really good. Our dirty plates were taken away so quickly.

R.

Great place to pop in for lunch. Make sure you haggle to get an entree or drinks free. Food was delivered quickly and with a smile.

h. v.

Great people with great food. Recommend.

T. H.

Awesome vibes and environment. Friendly staffs and good food.

C. N.

Food was tasty and quick service

S. W.

Meals and service no less than 5 stars friendly staff tasting dish was amazing the flavours my Seafood Paella was amazing the flavours to die for my new to go restaurant well done to all the staff excellent

K. D.

Absolutely amazing place, we just strolled in here off the street as Max convinced my parents and I to give it a try, as they all do along this street. I got one of the gnocchi, melted in your mouth, full of flavour. The other meals looked amazing going past. it is incredible food here. Truly Italian. Fantastic staff are next level, friendly, quick, funny, have great memory and are actually talented wait staff. You would have no idea they were incredibly busy. All around amazing. Thankyou so much for the wonderful night.

R. D.

Big Portions, Best Service, Fair Prices and Good Vibes!!

L. W.

Great friendly service and quick with our food order Just a pleasure eating there and we will dine there again

周.

Pizza and pasta are really excellent. Service is also good.

J. D.

My partner and I went during the COVID crisis, so there were only limited amount of people allowed in restaurant. The service and customer service was great. All the waiters were very friendly and keen for a chat. I’ve never felt more welcomed in a restaurant.

r. m.

Amazing breakfast! Host was very lovely and genuine. Offered us inside or outside, and if too cold outside he was going to turn on the outdoor heater. Food was amazing as was coffee. Prompt friendly service. Highly recommended

T. M.

This place has some of the best home-made gnocchi you'll find. The pizza is authentic south-Italian style and looks great. They have great panacotta too. We went as a group of 7 after 8pm on a Tuesday and were happily accommodated. The staff ratio was really good - it probably needs it since it's spread over two adjacent ground-floor shops. The manager was engaged and everyone was polite and friendly. They accommodated menu change requests. All in all, the staff and food made for a great experience. Would definitely go again.

G.

So Italiano.. Good food

N. V.

Ample outside seating. Good food

B. E.

Food never disappoints, nor the service

G. S.

The kangaroo dish, while cooked excellently, was a very tiny serving. I know it's all about the location, but if I'm paying steak prices and getting a cheaper meat than any steak, I kind of expect a good feed. Service was great at least.

S. M.

Great staff. Delicious food. Great atmosphere. Love the street closure patios etc.

R. C.

I went back for the paella and was not disappointed. Absolutely fantastic. My daughter enjoyed the pumpkin risotto. The service was great and the atmosphere relaxed. Few places have me eager to return but this is one of them. Call me picky.

B. A.

Friendly staff, and tasty food. Had a lamb risotto and the wife has a lamb salad, the risotto was very nice with the free house wine thrown in all went down well. Apparently the Lamb salad was very good too.

D. W.

Have eaten there twice now both times were amazing. My husband has many food allergies and most places can't cater for it and treat us like it's all too hard. Max were amazing about it. They took it on like it was an exciting challenge. It wasn't a problem at all. My husband said it was the best pizza he'd ever had. With Gluten free, dairy free and fructose free that's really hard to achieve. They used quality ingredients. Couldn't recommend this place enough. The service and the food is beyond expectation.

J. B.

Good food and several vegetarian options. Quite busy, even on Tuesday evening.

P. N.

Visited this place after a longtime for a lunch with a friend, the seafood paella was average, the guy at the entrance lured us to the lunch by saying house wines on the house for two people, we agreed however only to know that if she were to share a dish the offer was only for one person! Um...the first guy should've clarified that before not when we were already seated and about to place an order! The guy who took our order seemed very disappointed that we were sharing one dish! That's not nice, we weren't hungry and can choose to have one dish. When he returned with our drinks he wasn't courteous but rather slammed the drinks on the table. So very disappointed with the service and the food, will not be returning back.

G. V.

A great regular dining experience

R. C.

Excellent, great service, amazin food

J. W.

Lovely meals, friendly atmosphere and great service.. Also offer mocktails for young teens. Not many places do that. Good job.

C.

Delicious food at very reasonable prices considering the location. The gnocchi is divine and chocolate pudding is the best I've ever had. Service is very friendly, if a little bit slow. Two cokes and a mocktail should not take as long as they did, but that was the only flaw in an otherwise wonderful dining experience. Will be back for sure.

L. K.

Went here as covid restrictions were easing! The four of us had an amazing experience, the food was incredible with all of us thoroughly enjoying our meals, the cocktails were delicious and the service was impeccable! Will definitely be back!

P. L.

Shelby McLean, I agree about the service. They were so friendly when I arrived however downhill from there. I ordered the goat cheese pasta. I thought it was a vegetarian dish but it had prochetta in it. When I questioned the watress about the ingredients things turned nasty. This was my mistake, however I didn't find any goats cheese in the dish either. Later my desert was slammed down on the table. Other staff were nice but not this one. I did not leave a tip and I won't be going back. Not a pleasant experience.

L. S.

The food was great, the staff were fantastic, and the atmosphere was light, friendly and relaxed. Prices reasonable, and free drinks offered with main meal. I enjoyed the Chicken Max, my wife "couldn't fault" the pork belly, and my son had an "amazing" Max chicken burger. My daughter "LOVED" the bunny shaped pizza. Great finish to a wonderful day.

L. D.

We were lured in off the street with a promise of shots and free garlic bread. They delivered on both and although I didn't have high hopes for the restaurant we were very pleasantly surprised. Food was great, served quickly and super tasty.

P. W.

Mid arvo snack time easy meals.

S. S.

Their spaghetti is nice and portion is big. Pizza below average.

A. A.

Excellent service. The waitstaff were kid friendly, and helped keep them safe during our meal. The pizza we had and the gnocchi were excellent also. I'd highly recommend Max to visitors to Melbourne and the like. And thanks for the ice cream for the boy! He loved it. Will be coming back next time we're in Melbourne. Awesome way to top off a great day.

H. K.

Great food and atmosphere, well priced and caters for young and old. The serves are a good size so you'll be leaving nice and full. Great service by the staff, will definitely be back.

T. N.

Absolutely delicious. It’s quite a big restaurant so I was worried about quality but I’m very impressed. Service was really fast (which was great because we were in a rush to get to the footy) and our food was so tasteful. We will be back!

C. N.

Delicious food, awesome atmosphere, and generous hospitality.

B. K.

Came to Max’s without a reservation and we were welcomed with open arms. They quickly prepared a table for all 9 of us and made us feel so welcome. The staff were so friendly and made jokes and had fun while we were there. Then the food came out and let me say AMAZING 🙏. So delicious. Had a sneaky cocktail and it was so yummy I went back for another. Was such a wonderful night of food, drink and great company. Thanks so much for having us, we will be back next time we are in Melbourne for sure 😊

L. R.

Max on Hardware has a broad menu with something for everyone. The staff are so lovely, I go here all the time - specifically for the pizza. The pizza they make there is the best I've ever tasted, at such a reasonable price. Not to mension the atmosphere is so unique and pretty. Highly recommend!!

K. F.

Must try the seafood paella; ordered the medium rare steak but came as well done, they replaced with a proper medium rare one. Cocktail is average, can’t taste the alcohol.

D. S.

great seafood pescatore! yumm. perfecto. worthy mention for their calzone!

S. B.

This food is incredible!!! We had the spaghetti, chicken Parma and the chicken burger. Trust me on this. The quality is shocking and it felt like we were dining with family. We each had a complimentary glass of wine as well.

G. S.

Awesome place,great friendly service. Highly recommended

A. -.

I loved the service super friendly and nice the food was a bit pricy but good

S. S.

Staff were friendly and accommodating. I had the pumpkin risotto. The flavour was was nice, but the pumpkin was just a little undercooked. All others I dined with enjoyed their meals. Would return.

P. P.

Great! Large servings for price. Caters for all tastes with very attentive staff. Highly recommended. We had 2 mains, a cocktail and a beer for $65. Best seafood paella I've had with a generous servings of seafood.

M. N.

Friendly staff. Great food.

G. B.

Great service with a free bubbly. Very tasty gnocchi and a decent size portion. Had panacotta dessert with Nutella and raspberry. Barely any sauce on the plate. Sure, it looked fancy but I chose it for the choc and sauce. Not worth the $12 unless they add a bit more choc and sauce. But, Can’t fault the service and atmosphere

M. G.

We went for tea to Max last night. It was hands down the best meal we have eaten out! The calamari and steak melted in your mouth and the lamb shanks were divine! The staff were amazing and made our visit one to remember. Thank you!!

E. N.

Best Risotto ever!! The staff are amazing, the food, the drinks and the atmosphere. I'll absolutely come again soon.

H. J.

Love this place! Been a regular for about four years now! UPDATE Now 10+ years and still LOVE LOVE LOVE. The venue makeover is brilliant, and they now also have upstairs!!! Nearly new everything and still maintaining their great service and jovial friendly manner. Their willingness to ensure you're comfortable and enjoy all is above and beyond. We love all the team, but we especially love Alan... Never fails to keep us entertained.

P. G.

I don't care for restaurants that tout for customers outside on the street but my friends were up for this place. I ordered the Romana pizza, it was absolutely fabulous. Definitely the best pizza I've had since moving from Europe some years ago. The rest of the group seemed to enjoy their food too (pizzas and risottos)

M. A.

Amazing authentic Italian food which is my favorite so this can be a bit biased but go try it for yourself. The restaurant setup is nice and the service was spot on! (sorry we had already eaten a big portion of the food when photos were taken)

A. G.

Their service is fast. Staff are quite friendly and accommodating. They kept checking on and asked if anything is needed. Loved every bite of the food. It was delicious, fresh and portioned generously. Location is great and outside seating is great. Booking was very efficient. They accepted our pre order eventhough it was very last minute. Overall had an awesome experience here. I would go back for sure.

L. P.

Not bad, great paella, share plate is awesome

M. M.

I love the food from here. Especially the big breakfast.

J. M.

Where do I start. Initial service, friendly, inviting, offers or a complementary wine and fresh garlic bread, which tastes amazing mind you👌. The gnocchi and pesto pasta was to die for! Such quick service, yet fresh meals. 5 star recommendation (easily)

B. M.

The best Napoli red sauce ever, and the rest of the dishes we had were excellent as well. The proprietors were great. They work very hard to make everything is done well.

J. W.

Walk past the other restaurants, the service to the meal it was fabulous. Go the lamb shoulder or the salmon both was amazing! Kids had pizza and also enjoyed it. We'll be back tomorrow night...it was that good.

F. C.

Excellent food, atmosphere and service. We were lucky to be attended by Alfred, perhaps one of the best waiters I have even seen. We will definitely come back, more than ones for sure.

M. W.

Thank you guys for a magnificent meal. We all enjoyed our meals. My spinach gnocchi with tomato sauce was unreal. All fresh, so light and l will order this again. Staff were brilliant and helpful. Thank you again xxxx

J. S.

Easily one of the tastiest Italian places I've been to! The pizza was amazing, probably one of the best I've tried so far in Australia. Other places here usually don't get the dough quite right, but this was great. The Spanish fettuccini was just right. Will come again

R. 0.

The meat here is cooked very well and has a lot of flavour. The peppercorn sauce that I ordered with the steak was great in small quantities. With the mashed potatoes I had it was nice with a lot mixed into it.

J. P.

I didn't especially like the experience in here. They invited us to drinks(as long as you order mains and a very limited range of drinks) so that was, good? On the other hand the red wine they served me was old and near going vinegary and the sparkling they served to my partner was just drinkable. Next was the entree, calamari, a very oily but tender calamari with salad, not too bad, then came the mains, penne for her and pizza for me. Her pasta was just good, I didn't try it but I trust her taste as she has italian background. Now they brought me the wrong pizza capricciossa instead of meat lover and I told them that it wasn't what I ordered, they returned it and like 2 minutes later (I want to remark this timing because not even Domino's...) they brought me the correct one. What they obviously did is taking some of the ingredients of the capricciosa and chuck the ones of the meat lovers on the same base. A minimun knowledge of cooking would make obvious to anyone that the mushroom flavours on a pizza just can't go after you baked the pizza... the result was a liquidy middle mix of meats with mushroom juice all around it that tasted far from the pizza I ordered so not happy. To make a resume, the quality doesn't justify the prices in this place. The stars are given for cleanliness, and some of the flavours. The staff is friendly but tend to forget about you, and the restaurant was not even 25% full so they can't tell that was busy..

V. V.

Nice place to have dinner with friends, The food is not impressive and far from being Italian, The menu is a combination of different dishes ranging from burgers to some pastas spicier than needed.

W. I.

There are some positives like portion size and location but for me can't get away from the fact that it feels like a tourist trap. The guys dragging people like fresh meat off the street and waiters rushing around to keep on top of it all, it's not a relaxing experience. My meal was tasty and big but half was inedible due to meat being chewy and the waitress empathised but did nothing to resolve. So it's 'ok' but if you have decent standards or expectations, be prepared to not be wowed - it's average but priced slightly higher

K. R.

nice italian restaurant with great cocktails. our waiter was really friendly and made jokes with us. good veggie options - I had the gnocchi which was tasty and filling. there's seating inside and outside. we sat outside in winter and it was comfortable as there was heaters. we were a group of four on a friday night and got a table without a booking.

M. “. B. O. C.

Amazing food that is a pleasure for the eyes as much as it is the tongue. Definitely a place you'll use the word WOW when your food comes to rest in front of you. The staff are just as fantastic as the food and very customer friendly. If you have a bad experience at the Max, you obviously weren't at the Max.

E. T.

Great place, always busy but they have lots of staff so you always get looked after. Vivien is a stand out, she was so nice and helpful and the absolute epitome of what good customer service looks like. I honestly can't remember what I ordered because we were having such a good night. Highly recommended and would definitely go back.

H. x.

Fantastic. Had a long delightful lunch. Beautiful food and wonderful service. A delight

D. P.

Bit disappointing. Having worked so hard to get us to take a table, service wasn't great. My husband's risotto was fabulous but my squid was average. We had to ask for a dessert menu then nobody came for our order.

B. J.

Best Italian in Melbourne (in my opinion)! The service is awesome too, the staff always go above and beyond to give you a good experience.

B. H.

Nice atmosphere, great portion size, fantastic service. Food was great!

R. W.

Fantastic staff, fantastic atmosphere, and fantastic food. Can't go wrong. Would recommend to anybody.

O. D.

Great place, goot Italian food

C. G.

Came here for dinner in the late evening Thursday. First time down the laneway and when looking for a place to dine, we were pleasantly surprised when offered complimentary glasses of wine for the table (3 of us) upon ordering. Despite how busy the restaurant was, the meals came out exceptionally fast and were of an extremely high quality. The House Spinach Gnocchi was divine, and the pizza bases were delicious (I had leftover crust from one of the others and used it to 'lick'/dip my plate clean of the sauce). Our waiter was kind and genuine, and always smiling. He thanked us for dining upon leaving - if only I had some cash in hand I would have given him a tip! Would definitely recommend Max. Will be coming back.

M. K.

The laneway atmosphere at Max Cafe Bar & Restaurant is great, it’s a hive of activity with a number of restaurants in the area. We let our 14 year old son pick the restaurant for dinner and we were wrapped with his selection. The food came out reasonably fast, the service was good (polite & informative), the food was the highlight. Tasty, fresh, flavoursome… We were very happy! I would recommend Prawn and Scallop Risotto.

m. s.

Hardware lane is full.of restaurants & eatery's all tge way through it. Nice atmosphere & they fire up the gas heaters on walls above you at night. It gets real busy at night. Loved it but its a little on the expensive side. So not somewhere you would spend alot of time. But nice for a treat out. They have live music some nights too.

E. G.

I am disappointed to say that i walked out of an Italian restaurant still hungry. The handmade spinach gnocci was melt in my mouth delicious. However the portion was small and not fulfilling at all. Then we ordered the Belgian chocolate mousse which for $14.50 you would think be enough to share between two people. But once again disappointed with the portion. Max has delicious food but for the price im paying id like to leave with a full stomach.

H. C.

Fine cooking and artistic service give five stars~

S. B.

I had the spinach gnocchi - so light and tasty. Will definitely go back again. Others ate pasta dishes and they also said they were great. Brushcetta was also very good. Prices were good too $20-24 for our meals.

j. 8.

Nice place very friendly staff you can choose to eat indoor or outdoor. the food is definitely restaurant quality and price to match as expected although worth it for the good quality of food. My friend I was with told me that there is only the one restroom for both men and women. if I were two faults anything it would be that I felt the single tables for two were a bit on the small side and could have been slightly larger.

S. D.

Great food and service. They even let my son in the kitchen and taught him how to make a pizza. Memorable. Been back again the last time we went to Melbourne and loved it again.

j. g.

loved it! really good service and the pescatore was perfectly cooked . give them a go .

C. J.

Food was nice but we were let down by one of meals arriving 40 minutes later than the first meal, by which time everyone else had finished. We had asked three or four times during the meal when we would expect the last meal and kept being told 3 or 4 minutes.

A. P.

Terrific food and atmosphere. Service was poor, the waiter could not answer simple questions or describe the drinks/dishes that he was serving (i.e. drinks mixed up). We received free drinks and an appetizer. (I would get a bottle of wine if offered as the basic spirit option didn't seem like there was any alcohol in it)

S.

Food was good but it took to long to arrive. Waited close to an hour for 2 pizzas at a non peak time

A. B.

Great food and atmosphere. Fast service

E. A.

We went to Max's for my bday dinner. We had a group of 9 people and Ali & Allan were looking after us for the night. They were very friendly and helpful. We had an outdoor table amongst the hustle and bustle of this lively lane way. The food was good and great portion sizes. We will come here again.

G. P.

Very average. Good service and nice staff. Meat was overcooked, pizza very salty. Complimentary wine to get you to come in was cheap tasting but a nice touch none the less.

M. A.

Not a big fan of the pushy guy at the front. Limited options for the specials compared to other restaurants on hardware lane. Food wasn't bad. Good portion, average price. The waiter looking after us was great tho!

W. “. H.

well presented restaurants great idea how it has a conjoining updated space right next door very interesting idea. that both works really well to break up the spaces on a whole. good staff and Great Food! good cocktails for the ones I tried but I will have to try some more.

S. E. B.

I cannot fault any part of my experience of dining at Max on Hardware last Wednesday. From the minute I arrived and requested a table inside for two the server immediately considered my wheelchair needs and moved a chair so I had sufficient access to a table. The staff: Their interaction and service was like clockwork. They were intuitive and never invasive. There was that relaxed Italian vibe all the time but they were extremely professional. The food: My friend and I enjoyed the bruschetta and the arancini for entree. For mains I had the gorgonzola sauce gnocchi and my friend had the matriciana sauce gnocchi.The bruschetta was on soft home-made bread. Each piece was a size that you could pick up with one hand and enjoy the fresh flavoursome tomato. The arancini was cheesy with a delightful crunchy crumb. Both mains were full of flavour and the soft, light texture of the gnocchi was exactly how it should be. The cost: I don’t know why people say that it is expensive. This is a restaurant that is making food from scratch to a very high quality. This includes home-made sauces, bread and pasta. Labour costs money, as does training staff who are proper servers who can cope with a full restaurant.

P. J.

Good spot for a reliably enjoyable bite at reasonable prices. The food at Max is always the same, the quality is good even if the menu is a bit uncreative. Staff are polite, but the environment often has a "turn and burn" feeling. I'll still continue to return!

M. C.

Great staff, great meal. Great prices. Definitely a place to return to.

s. t.

Had. Breakfast here and was delicious! A great selection of food. Friendly staff and very helpful. Great location and a great way to start your day.

P. S.

Visited Max on Hardware for a team lunch a few days ago, we had pre-ordered all our meals. Our meals were ready and served hot as soon as our team had arrived and were seated. The staff were courteous and polite. The food was tasty, especially the salmon. We will visit again.

J. L.

Love it. Have been many times and it always delivers. Value for money, great menu, generous servings. Service always good. What else can you ask for?

C. &. D. R.

What a fantastic atmosphere and the food was to die for. We returned twice to the restaurant , and if we had more time would have returned again. The service was exceptional, the staff friendly and if you want a taste of heaven, try the tiramisu . What more can we say....other than we will be back.

B. M.

The positive is the service is friendly and meals are served promptly. The quality of the food could be improved.

E.

Food here is not too bad, enjoyed the pasta and the home made pizzas that they had. Prices are more on the expensive side, but for home made its not too bad. However what I didn't really appreciate was the really pushy waiters at the front of the door trying to get you in to the place. The waiter that served us gave me a dirty look too when he took away our share plates and I asked for new ones when our mains came, so that kind of ruined the what was good service by the other waiters.

C. T.

The food was good and service quick and friendly but it bothered me that our reserved table wasn't ready and we were told to wait at the bar. Although it isn't a bar, it's a narrow walkway where the waiters take meals from the kitchen. So we spent 10 to 15 minutes in this spot continually shuffling around to let waiters past.

B. Y.

Excellent place to eat , food was served hot on time, looked delicious and tasted even better. Staff were very courteous. Definitely recommend eating there.

S.

Fantastic service. My friends and I arrived when they were closing down for the day. But the waiters remembered us from our earlier visit and welcomed us! Very friendly and good service. Excellent atmosphere!

P. C.

Food and service are good. However I sat inside and the place is noisy during dinner time - noise caused by the blender in the bar area and the patrons. Wouldn't recommend if you want to catch up with friends, have to scream and can hardly hear the person sitting next to you.

A. M.

We loved this place. The food was good but the vibe and the staff made it exceptional. Two French university students with great senses of humour and great biceps made it a very memorable experience.

S.

Great vibes. Pizza was decent, topping was fine but base was slightly soggy. Carbonara was quite basic, not authentic Italian style.

J.

Nice food, great sevice

R. D.

Great find on a busy week night. This place is generally packed and worth the wait. The staff are very helpful and friendly. The prices are reasonable and the food was good. Worth going if you're ever in the area.

C. L.

Risotto was amazing! Seafood is really fresh here.

D.

Very good pasta, the gnocchi Mattriciana was delicious. Price is fair. Don't get more stars because the bruchetta was cold and boring, onions and tomatoe diced on the top of sliced bread, no cheese, and no prosciutto besides that, it was almost empty and the service was not great.

N. B.

Organised an early xmas work dinner for 28 people. All the staff were fantastic. The food was great and the drinks from the bar were quick to the table. We all had a great time. Thanks so much to everyone at Max on Hardware.

N. G.

Food was okay. Nothing to write home about. The service was a bit slower than I would have liked. I don't regret my meal, but I doubt I would go back again.

k. v.

Best meal I have had in a long time. Everything that we ordered was amazing. Great and friendly staff. We will be bacm

N. L.

Wonderfull experience.Chicken salad and pasta was exceptional.Live music was dope.Will be back definitely.

C. M.

We got pulled off the street, and promised a free house wine each if we order mains. They delivered as promised (they gave me a free beer and my partner a free red) and our meals were bloody delicious.

R. L. W. C. A.

I have been to Max before and the experience was ok. This time, I decided to go for a business meeting and the service & food was exceptional. Even the very young waiters were impeccable and the service was something you'd expect from an exclusive Michelin Star restaurant. The food was just superb: Pork Belly with a fat crispy crust. The $50 blanc de blancs sparkling wine was also excellent and probably better than many of the NV $200 champagnes that I have tried. 10/5 stars for these guys!

C. H.

Very good food, and very good service. Luckily they were open late when we were trying to find something to eat after a day-long tour on the Great Ocean Road.

A. C.

Really impressed by the quality of the food here- good price, fantastic service and a lively and authentic atmosphere. Really generous too- a friend asked for a change to the dish and they didn't even charge a cent!

J. T.

Love the food here and the service is excellent. Our favourite waiter is Momo!

P. R.

Great friendly service. Great ambience. This place was what we thought Melbourne would be like and it didn't disappoint. Food choices were great, kids were welcome and my dinner was delicious.

D.

This food was fantastic. I had the pork belly and my girlfriend had the paella, we were both deeply impressed with the quality of the food. I look forward to coming back.

A. K.

Very tasty food ,but Very Heavy Lunch. I am bored of just eating that 1 dish in the menu fully!!!! If they can reduce the quantity and reduce the price, we could try different tasty dishes.I could not even finish the whole lunch.It was Too much.

A. B.

This was one of the easiest and best meals I’ve ever had in Melbourne. Fast and effortless for a walk in group of 10! The entire group was thrilled. Highly recommended.

D. M. C.

Lovely food and excellent service. Great GF options. Can't fault it.

A. M.

Menu has plenty to choose from, the atmosphere is warm and welcoming, the staff are attentive and considerate! enjoyed my dinner here as a large group, would definitely recommend

S. D.

The team at Max on Hardware managed to fit our team of 60 people on a last minute request for a Christmas lunch. The staff, setup and food was fantastic! We had our own private function area and were really impressed at how smoothly everything ran for such a large group of people! Thank you to Michael, Melissa and the team for having us and see you again next year!

r. S.

Great Sunday night's dinner for seven. Great food service and drinks. Good venue to top off a great holiday week with family before going our separate ways.

P. G.

Great value for money and exceptional service. I'm gluten intolerant and was most impressed by the lady out the front who was able to point out EVERY gluten free dish on their menu. Once we were inside I was stunned by the hussle and bussle of the place (made me dizzy to watch), yet the wait staff were professional and attentive. As we left the manager on the night even shook our hand with thanks.

M. F.

Great food, great service

C. S.

Great location in the heart of the city. Service & Food was excellent considering how busy it was on Friday I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the meal. (have the Steak is my recommendation)

M.

First time having been to Max's and have to say what an amazing experience. The food was not only well priced but the portions are very generous. Staff were extremely friendly and efficient. Definitely be back.

R. C.

Went last night for a meal, explored all the options of Hardware Ln before deciding on Max Bar. I had the Snapper & Sticky Date Pudding, it was really good food, my only gripe, which tarred the evening, was we had been told the meal would be $35 each, including Main, Entree or Desert & a glass of Wine. He guy out the front specifically mentioned the Snapper included in this... However when the bill came, it was $42 each, now I don't really care, but "apparently" the snapper wasn't included as it was on the special board... the waiter would have no part of it and insisted there was nothing he could do. My main issue here was the waiter's attitude and seemingly thinking I'm stupid that he can't change the bill, nor interested in the fact that we were told something and he wouldn't uphold this, merely that "we got a good deal anyway with the wine and also garlic bread" (garlic bread was given by the chef himself, which was really nice). Anyway, good food, just be careful of what's "sold", they clearly have communication issues.

K. G.

Absolutely amazing! Staff were very polite and quick, food was on the table not long after I ordered, the pizza was amazing and the atmosphere on a friday night is just unreal. would definitely return.

B. J. G.

Love this place...great Italian food, always fresh and tasty and the staff are superb. Modern restaurant in busy Melbourne laneway. I highly recommend a visit to this place. They make you feel at home....thanks once again.

M. B.

Nothing to write home about, but solid Italian dishes, a good sized parma and friendly staff made the experience a good one. The only dish that wasn't enjoyed at all was the risotto. Everyone else thought it was ok, but probably too expensive for the quality. No split bills was annoying for a group of 20+ so I don't really recommend for large groups.

A. E.

Great food and amazing and friendly service. The place is generally busy but you are always greeted with a smile. Tried the sea food paella and the char grilled kangaroo, both were delicious.

a. d.

This is a really beautiful place to dine out or even casual lunch. The menu is super good. A little bit expensive, but worth the cash. Highly recommended

C. W.

A bit annoying they don't split the bill, but I has the best gnocchi EVERZ here! Defiantly recommend this place, well priced meals and drinks, lovely staff, and beautifully decorated.

H. P.

We attended Sunday late lunch around 2pm with a bunch of work colleagues after going to Trapt. Highly recommend the tasting platter as an entrée, and everyone was very happy with their mains. Service was great and staff all very friendly.

L. H. E.

Love this place, had 2 Christmas parties here and was perfect each time. Food was amazing, staff are friendly and service is always great. Would recommend for any occasion.

P. M.

Meal was good except for the price. Considering the cost should be better. Service decent enough but no dark beers?! If cheaper then 4 stars. If more refined carefully prepared meals then 4 stars.

G. T.

Awesome spot! Yummy food and good cocktails!!!

K. M.

Wonderful atmosphere, friendly staff, nothing was too much trouble, awesome food and great with kids.

D. W.

Such delicious food! Gets busy, so go early or a bit later. But the food is consistently amazing!

S.

Great restaurant. Quality food. Order a side dish if a normal sized main won't fill you. Was not disappointed in the slightest.

G. B.

Great place to go for a quick or long lunch. Good menu variety and wine list. Prices aren't too bad and the service is pretty good.

J. Y.

Fabulous food. Simple, tasty and good price. Excellent service. Friendly and quick. Great atmosphere. Love Hardware Lane. Will definitely return.

r. c.

Got pulled in the the allure of a free drink with the main. However when the main came I could care less about the free drink. The food was mouth watering delicious. If you want some good Italian food come here.

M. S.

The Lamb Shanks are to die for! Customer service is awesome, so friendly and accommodating. Definitely recommend this place for a dinner out.

A. A.

It was ok I loved the baked mushroom but everything else was just ok

S. L.

Tasty food, nice ambience and staffs are also helpful. Good for large groups with 25-30 members also.

G. T.

Always enjoy the food and atmosphere here. Good service as well.

R. B.

Repeated visit over 2 weeks friendly and professional staff food and drink amazing overall experience faultless 11 out of 10! Definitely be recommending to everyone. Rachel , Cairns Qld.

O. E.

Always our go-to place when we come to Melbourne. The service is great, knowledgeable and helpful staff. The pasta dishes are delicious

Q. Z.

Grilled Barramundi

R. G.

Superb service and fresh, varied menu of appetisers and mains in classic Italian style. Lovely atmosphere outdoors on a nice day!

m. s.

First dinner out after stage 4 lockdown and my partner and I definitely don't regret it !! Highly recommend

J. B.

Excellent service starting with Adrian selecting a perfect table for the 5 of us, our waitress was lovely and the food was great. We will be back!

S.

I think the risotto needed more spice but overall the food was great

V. O.

Great selection of classic meals done very well with prompt service.

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