Max's Restaurant Dillingham, Cuisine of the Philippines

The Kare Kare I ordered contained 2 very small pieces of oxtails ans a very large chunk of beef.This is very dishonest and the chunk of beef was so large the kitchen could not mistake it for an oxtail.

Food: 1

Service: 1

We had an amazing experience at Max’s Restaurant on Dillingham, thanks to Gina! From the moment we arrived, she was incredibly kind, warm, and attentive. She made sure we had everything we needed and checked on us regularly with a genuine smile. Her excellent customer service and positive attitude made our dining experience even more enjoyable. Gina truly goes above and beyond to make guests feel welcomed and valued. Thank you, Gina, for your outstanding service—we look forward to coming back!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Food was great and hospitality is wonderful too…

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

All their food is the best ❤️

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Service is good. However, the meat is not fresh.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 1

Service: 4

My father and I went to eat there with my siblings, their server came and and not only demanding tip but was also very rude to my dad. And that was not the first time that ever happened, last time it was another server he needs more tip. Best food but very poor service.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 5

Service: 1

Take out Order, workers are kind.
Price for the Fresh Chicken papaya container is reasonable.
😊

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 4

I recommend the dinaguan with the garlic fried rice.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Was gross. Never again.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 1

Service: 3

Max's is a great restaurant producing delicious Filipino cuisine. Upon entering the space, I was greeted immediately by the host and my server.

I took my partner, her mom, and my daughter. Out server immediately showcased his skills by highlighting the best and most ordered dishes. My partner and her mom are both from Metro Manilla, and the server was also, so they became fast family!

He spoke tagalog in slow and deliberate way, so my daughter and I still felt connected to the conversations.

Now the food...

We ordered the adobo ribs, sour soup, pandit, and kare kare.

The adobo ribs were delicious. The first time I tried them was at home. My partner brought takeout back and I ate all the ribs! They travel well too. They're tender, not too salty, and the adobo seasoning was great, so I was delighted to encounter the same experience in the restaurant.

I've always wanted to try the peanut dish, kare kare, and I must say the dish was great. The peanut flavoring complimented the meat well, instead of being over powering.

Although I didnt try the sour soup, my daughter devoured it. She's extremely picky, aren't all ten year olds, but she loves sour soup. She complimented the broth, how well combined and tender the greens and veggies were, and the generous portions of meat.

Lastly, the pancit...My mother-in-lawakes a fantastic pandit bihon. She is extremely discriminating, not unlike my mom with her gumbo.

We all let Queen Ligaya take the first bit. Once she closed her eyes and gave that smile of approval, we knew. The pandit is definitely catering worthy and we will cater out from Max's in the future. The shrimp, noodles, and calamasit were all incorporated well into the dish.

I was stuffed, so I didnt have any dessert, but my daughter loves the caramel bars. The native Filipinos in our group raved about the Halo-Halo...next time for me.

Outside of the decor and furniture being a bit dated, our table wobbled a bit, Max's is a great place to get Filipino food. The wait time was minimal despite the large groups entering the space.

You see many different cultures in the restaurant enjoying the food, and you're in a part of Honolulu where everyone entering is familiar with the cuisine and culture. 4.25 🌟.

Max’s is a popular Filipino chain with down-home cuisine featuring all the classics: lechon, pancit, sisig, kare kare, crispy pata, dinuguan, and much more.

Not sure if all the Hawaii locations have it, but the Dillingham restaurant was promoting a new dessert that combined some favorites: Sizzling Biko. The caramel coconut rice patty was topped with a small ice cream scoop and a cube of leche flan, and the server poured ube sauce onto the hot pan tableside - hence the sizzle.

I came expressly for that dessert twice - the first time the pan wasn’t that hot so there wasn’t much sizzle, and the second time the biko top was a little hard. The flavor combo was out of this world, though, and I’ll definitely be coming back for it again.

The restaurant is huge, with large dining spaces and several private rooms that can hold 35 and 50 guests. The catering menu was reasonably priced, and I’ll be keeping it in mind for upcoming gatherings.

The only issue with this location is parking on the weekends, since it’s located in the same shopping center as the busiest Costco in the world. There are some dedicated spots right in front of the restaurant, so if you come during non-peak dining periods you should be able to grab one.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

Great food but this place has been fined heavily for underpaying non-english speaking employees.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 2

Service: 2

If you don't know this place, you're not Filipino enough. ;)
Solid restaurant quality Filipino food for take out or dine in.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 4

Delicious food, fast and friendly service.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

This was my first time having Filipino food in a proper restaurant setting. I found myself getting a bit lost with all the unfamiliar menu names, but the staff were very helpful and attentive. Even with a constant flow of customers coming in and out, they still managed to take care of everyone without leaving new guests awkwardly waiting.

The food was excellent. I particularly enjoyed the pork soup with tamarind (I forgot the name)—rich, slightly sour, and very comforting.

Overall, I really liked it. I'll definitely come back—there are still so many dishes I want to try.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5