Maxine's On Saint James

I have eaten here at least 6 times. The food is usually good. One lousy piece of fish. Right now, the crushed red potatoes look dirty, dark, mushy, and they taste disgusting; I have had these at least 3 times. Too easy to get right. The Mac and cheese suddenly went left with some strange taste. The banana pudding was absolutely disgusting, gritty, mushy, and the cheese grits were thick and old. I will not be eating here again. You are doing too much with the seasoning and messing up basic dishes you should have mastered by now. You even messed up the iced tea. It has a strange taste and this tea used to be delicious. And get some real hot sauce. It isn’t too much to put black folks hot sauce in a container. Never again and I mean that. I can cook this better myself.

Not a sit in eating experience, but oh my the service was all smiles and 'family' vibes, the food was so good, like grandma's cooking. Best meal we had while in Boston.

I had an opportunity to meet the owners of the restaurant! They were extremely kind, and offered us free drinks while we waited for our food. I ordered the chicken wing dinner which was fresh. They were out of the sweet potatoes, so I end up getting the greens and Mac & Cheese. Both of those sides were really good. The portions are a good size.When I’m in Boston again I will order from here again!

The food without a doubt is delicious!! I would've went with a five star. My husband steak tips - $23.99 for steak tips, Mac and cheese was a portion for a toddler, they placed one tablespoon of rice and beans and 6 bite size steak tips!! For $23!! My haddock portion was okay for $16 but the steak tips. My husband took three forks of the Mac&cheese and was done. Disappointed with the charge and portion. Box of pasta is not that expensive. And they are buying it wholesale. Total rip off..

The flavors of the food went very well together. I ordered the Best chicken plate (3 piece), for sides I got the smashed sweet potatoes and Mac and cheese. The sweet potatoes were good; a little too sweet but the nutmeg did stand out! The chicken was exactly as I expected, bomb. I would definitely order again, probably gonna try the Creole corn next time instead of the sweet potatoes. And I will be back on Tuesday for the fresh banana pudding!!

.fried boneless pork chops, collard greens, and red beans and rice. first time going here, the pork chops were pretty good, small side portions. I rate 3 stars for the portions and the price. portions did not match the price. cold and nutmegged flavored sweet potatoes macaroni and cheese edible. 3 stars from my girl. I give 4 stars for portions. I will be returning for another meal. although I did appreciate the love given. good attitudes, nice people. I felt the "soul" attitudes and environment. I'll be back.

I had an overall positive experience with this restaurant. I love sampling soul food establishments when visiting different cities. I chose Maxine’s because online in said there was an option to dine in. When I arrived, it was only a store front. I had to download an app in order to order and pay for my food. I was disappointed by these things. However my food was good. I had fried catfish, greens, Mac and cheese, with a corn bread muffin. The fish was fresh and moist. That was the best part. It was delicious. It seemed like a cross between cornmeal batter and beer batter. The sides were not spectacular but they were good. I could have gotten this same meal about $5 cheaper back home in Kansas City with bigger portions but overall I was satisfied.

Well, My hisand I go to Maxine’s every Friday for seafood some type of seafood catfish or haddock he loves greens and I love the string beans with a little macaroni and cheese and Black Eyed Peas and rice. I’m telling you we always have a good time on Fridays. The food quality is amazing atmosphere is always amazing and you could tell they put their heart into what they do, grateful for some down-home food

Had a taste for some soul food in my neighborhood Roxbury. Haven't ordered from this spot in a long time. Food was delicious when I did so let's see if it's still good quality and taste? I got the fried haddock with red beans and rice and cheesy grits! For desert I got the homemade banana pudding! You get a homemade corn biscuit with plate also. The haddock was well seasoned in the batter fish taste was fresh and was not over cooked! Not oily and batter was light very large piece, cheesy grits was delicious! Cooked perfectly the red beans and rice hit the spot! Beans and rice fresh tasting and rice wasn't over cooked! My dessert homemade banana pudding was so extra good it hit the spot not overly sweet the pudding was sweet and the banana together is heaven in your mouth! It's great to see local business still making great quality food and great portions of food with a dinner plate!

I ordered online and the food came at a good time. I got the meatloaf with the mash and collard greens. The meatloaf is covered in gravy and was tasty! I definitely want to order again and get the mac and cheese.

Chicken was pretty good. Baked Macaroni and Cheese was alright, could use a bit more seasoning. Collard Greens were good but I couldn't taste or see the smoked turkey that it claims to have in it. Black Eyed Peas and Rice was dry and not great. Wouldn't recommend. Smashed Sweet Potatoes was alright. Definitely on the lighter side of sweet (which is a good thing to me). Corn bread came with it. It was alright. Overall the meal was okay, don't know if it's worth the money though.

I'm surprised this place doesn't have better reviews. I've been ordering delivery from here for years and the food is consistently good, almost always arriving hot and fresh. For the main dishes, I have tried the chicken wings, the meatloaf, and the gumbo. For the sides, I've had the macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, and the greens. The meatloaf with gravy was once my go-to, but it has changed over the years (smaller portion, more expensive, different flavor). The wings are still excellent. It's worth noting that they are not the same as a bar-style buffalo wing. The standard preparation is much closer to fried chicken. But, that is part of what makes them so good. Their macaroni and cheese is excellent. Their mashed potatoes are pretty good (it would be nice not to have to pay an extra couple of bucks for gravy). Their greens are good. The little corn bread muffins are on the sweet side when it comes to corn bread, but I personally find that to be a positive. It's a bit on the expensive side so I order less often these days. But, it is still a tasty meal.

Poor food quality, baked Mac and cheese not baked and not good. The service was okay as I received delivery but did not have utensils included.

Come on down to Maxine's on Saint James Breakfast you won't be disappointed!! Call to order or Use our Maxine's chow now app Thank you

Here is what I ordered and my review for each item. Shrimp and grits: despite the abundance of seasoning added to this dish, it was wholly flavorless. The grits had zero seasoning and did not taste creamy at all. The sauce did not help with the palatability of the shrimp or the grits. I saved the shrimp and ended up discarding the rest (which I rarely do with food). I literally had to wipe the sauce off the shrimp with the napkin since it was not enhancing the shrimp in any way. Outcome: Trashed Dirty rice: rice was undercooked and not seasoned. The over abundance of black eyed peas they placed on top were soulless and had no discernible seasoning or spice. I ended up removing the beans from the dish. Despite doing so, the rice was still unsalvageable. Outcome: Trashed Mac and cheese: the Mac and cheese was incredibly dry and tasted overpoweringly tart (vinegar?). This is definitely not your grandma's Mac and cheese! The little cheese in the dish barely held the pasta noodles together. Again, no seasoning or flavor (except tartness). I believed I could still save the Mac and cheese with the ingredients I had so I did not discard it. Overall: Based on the items I ordered, I disagree with the 3.5 rating for this place. Simply put, the food is not tasty or fulfilling...or good. I absolutely would not order food from here again and I would recommend others do the same. Value is debatable (I spent a little over 30$ for everything) but when you take into consideration the disposal of the food, I truly feel robbed and upset that I ordered this UE in the first place. I should have just eaten my cup o noodles.

You can only order food from here through their app AND you'll have to wait outside for them to hand you your order. Ain't nobody got time for that, someone let them know that the pandemic is over or their business will be over. So much for soul food in Boston, what a shame.

Well all we tried were the Chicken Wing Dinner with two sides and we both chose collard greens and mac and cheese. The were beautifully fried and had a mild savory taste te to them. The mac and cheese was home made style cheesy and buttery and my favorite was the delicious collard greens, they were soooo comforting, nice and warm I definitely want to try some more stuff from there. I also ordered chicken and sausage gumbo but they forgot to pack it but it was super easy to get refunded by grub hub you just have to access the help menu in the app and find what you need on there anyways that was good not five stars because I have only tried the one plate. More next time. Those collard greens though .

We had the shrimp and grits and the Jambalaya, house specialties according to the menu. Both were very uninteresting. There wasn't enough sauce on the S&G, and the flavor was lacking. The Jambalaya was even worse - just bland. Price was also too high for what we got. Maybe my standards are too high being from the South.

My boyfriend ordered the chicken wings plate with a side of mac and cheese and black eyed peas with rice and I got the wings with mac and cheese with collard greens. It was okay. The chicken and collard greens were seasoned well however the mac and cheese was kind of bland. My boyfriend ate one wing and gave the other two to me because he said it was too greasy for him. He picked at his mac and left the black eyed peas and rice completely untouched. If I try them again I'll leave an update.

I ordered shrimp & grits and all I can say not impressed ! Over seasoned and oily Have to say I think I make it a lot better

Food is the bomb everything just try it all I'm saying don't forget the sauce out of this world

I feel bad even writing this review but this place ain't it. This is nothing like what soul food taste like. I legit thought they were trying to poison me with the sweet potatoes so I came to yelp to see if anyone had the same experience I did. The greens were good I will give them that and the little corn muffin but the fried chicken had no seasoning tasted like nothing. I wish I read all these reviews before ordering and waiting over an hour after the app said my food was ready. This place has potential they just need to take a trip down south and try some real soul food and then apply that up here-- and maybe hire some help. Best of luck in the future.

Food was horrible. No seasoning on anything besides the chicken. I got roasted chicken red beans and rice and cabbage. Cabbage was sour.

Bomb bomb bomb bomb. If you want quality soul food, go here. Been searching for what feels like forever for some good food that reminds me of home. Thank you, Maxine's, for giving me that. I had the chicken and waffles with a side of dirty rice. The dirty rice was okay, but the chicken was frickin' delicious. So tender, yet crispy outside. I could eat it all day. The mac n cheese that another person got was another standout. Collard greens, too. A much needed meal.

When you download the app and try to sign up, it won't let you. Also, they only accept online order. So even if you live .1 of a mile away and you call them for a pick up order, you can't get it. Horrible customer service.

I tried this after reading reviews and had delivery via Uber Eats. Food was fresh and tasty! The fried chicken was a little pricey for the amount (3 wings for $6), but the flavor and quality nearly justifies it. If you want an alternative to these "Cajun" chains that seem to be popping up everywhere, this is the place for you. The cornbread was soooo good! I'm sorry that it only included one. I would have definitely ordered more had I known how moist it would be. It was "slap-your-sister" good! Gumbo was also good. We ordered mild. The shrimp and grits were tasty. Plenty of shrimp! At $17, I was glad there was. A tiny bit heavy on the sauce, but once mixed into the grits, totally fine. The mac and cheese was also very yummy. I could probably eat a whole pan on my own.... *insert Homer Simpson drool* Overall, good, fresh, flavorful and alright by me!

Just had my first meal with Maxine's. I ordered 3 piece chicken wings, a muffin, and a side of Mac and cheese through Uber eats. I really enjoyed the muffin, although it was a lot smaller than I imagined it would be. The wings were also really tasty, crisp, and pretty well seasoned. I asked for a side of hot sauce and it was even included on my receipt, but no hot sauce came with my order :-/ Also, I didn't care for the Mac and cheese. It was a bit dry and had very little flavor so I wouldn't order that again.

Bomb! Only thing that I hate is the portion is smaller than most restaurant. Love their soul food and hits the spots every single time. Little pricey but so worth it. Fried chicken, greens, yams, Mac & Cheese

The food was extremely flavorful and fresh but was very expensive and they definitely ripped me off, Royally.. I ordered chicken and sausage gumbo at $13.99, I was instructed to choice protein, which was odd, so I choose chicken and crab, not realizing that would be an additional $8. The portion I received was literally a cup and a half of food, I'll insert a pick, for $22.00, a complete ripe off. The packaging also seriously whack, at $65 bucks for two small entrees and three extra, extra small side, one would think the food comes wrapped in gold paper with a big red bow on top. I will try this place again as a eat in thing, I would use them for a delivery again, not worth it on that note.

One of the best soul food joints in Boston!!! Just delicious. Fried chicken, collard greens and Mac and cheese aren't go to for every soul food joint and they hit the spot. The banana pudding! Killer. The carrot cake. Bomb. Catfish. Delicious. No complaints here.

I was on the hunt for fried chicken one Friday for lunch. I checked yelped and luckily Maxine's was only a short ten minute drive from work. Myself along with two co-workers went to Maxine. You essentially place your order at the counter or as I learned other customers called ahead. There is no tables in the restaurant but a few seats are in the waiting area. The customer service isn't too great but it appeared that the one of the two people behind the counter was in training. I got the lunch fried chicken combo with Mac and cheese. My co-workers got the fried chicken dinner which came with two sides. After a long twenty minute wait we got our lunch. We went back to work and ate at our desk. I enjoyed my fried chicken plate, for me it was the right amount of crispy and fried. I didn't enjoy the Mac and cheese as I like it creamy and this one wasn't. My two co-workers however found that the chicken was slightly undercooked for their liking. We all agreed that the corn bread was the best. Give this place a try and tell them if needed that you like your chicken well done if that's your thing. If not take it how they cook it. Either way your mouth will be happy!

Had to bring my home girl here to satisfy her hanger and baby they never disappoint, down to the jams as we wait!

Can I say OMFG? This was so delicious. The chicken was heavenly - crisp, well-seasoned - the sweet potatoes were mouthwatering. But the star of the show? Collards were smoky, spicy, and delicate. The best collards I have ever had. Shrimp and grits were phenomenal. And the banana pudding was all sorts of yummy. My wife said "I would move so we could live closer to this place." Call the realtor.

Omg!! This food is flavorful, fresh and authentic. I ordered the fried haddock dinner plate with a side of Mac and cheese, greens and mashed sweet potatoes. The fish was fried just right. The batter was lite and seasoned just right. Mac and cheese was good. Tasted like it was actually baked and not just a cheese sauce poured on top. The greens weren't from the can. A tad bitter, but good. Corn bread was good.

I love this restaurant. Just has that chef's touch where virtually everything was delicious. Best Southern food I've tried so far in Boston. Only had delivery but looking forward to enjoying on-site. Liked: pork chops (thin cuts for flavor optimization) add gravy, mac n cheese, green beans, collard greens (given more of a turnip greens treatment imo but still good), jambalaya (filled to the brim with meat which was much appreciated). Oh and banana pudding + sweet tea. Nice that the sweet tea came in a reusable container.

My friend and I were in town for the weekend and was looking for some good Soul Food...so we stopped here. Order 1: 3 Fried BBQ chicken wings, Mac & cheese, dirty rice, and potato salad, and corn bread. Order 2: 3 Baked chicken wings, Mac & Cheese, mashed sweet potatoes, and corn bread. As stated in previous reviews, the food lacked seasoning. My dirty rice had a weird taste to it , and my friends mashed sweet potatoes tasted like a carrots and cinnamon. We also didn't care for the Mac & cheese, it tasted like grease. Lastly, our wings were incredibly large. I don't know about you all, but large wings are unappetizing. (Cloned much). All in all, I'd give them 2 stars. And unfortunately , this was our first and last time eating here. 3/6/21

Visiting from out of town ordered a three piece chicken dinner with mac & cheese and cabbage and a banana putting would've gave them five stars but the cabbage really is it cooked to my liking and the flavor just wasn't there for me but the mac & cheese was superb and the chicken was caked perfectly I would eat here again. Also the banana pudding wasn't appealing It looks like it was a little old as the bananas are brown but as far as the taste it was all right .

Maxine's was delish. Dropped in after working all night and it was exactly what I needed. I got the chicken and waffles as well as an order of the étouffe, and they were both delicious. Food was hot, flavorful and fresh, and the étouffe was loaded with big pieces of sausage, chicken and shrimp (most places just give you tons of rice with a little stuff on top... not Maxine's!) The portion sizes were also pretty big; enough for a couple meals, and the staff was friendly The ordering process was a little tricky because they only do orders through apps. Uber eats was down at the time, so I ended up downloading the Maxine's app. (It seems to be linked to chowhound). 10/10 would go again

I read reviews on grub hub and yelp, so I decided to order takeout. I had the 3 piece fried chicken, collard greens and macaroni and cheese. Fried chicken was very good and seasoned well. Macaroni and cheese was okay. I didn't care for collard greens, they were cut too big for me and kind of bland and tough. I also ordered a banana pudding, it was tasty. Delivery was right on time. There's not many soul food places to orders from. I would definitely order again but not the collards. I also got a corn muffin as part of the meal but I forgot about it.

We had the jambalaya and the etouffee and they were both bad, dnf. So disappointed, corn bread muffin is itty bitty but was good

I almost don't want to review this place because it is that good. Called ahead for the fried chicken wing dinner comes with two sides. The order was put through super smooth and ready within 15 minutes. I can't remember fried chicken ever been this good. Side note: Sweet Potatoes & was on point!

I love Maxine's. The food is good and the collard greens to die for, omg the best. I like the fried chicken wings just wish they would cook them just a tad bit longer, but I guess I can always ask. Thank you D your food is good!

So I was in Boston, MA on a business trip this week and in desperate need of a good meal after the three and a half hour flight. I really wanted a home style cooked meal and, as a black man, this has particular meaning to me. Classic home cooked meal choices for me include items such as mac n cheese, collard greens, fried chicken, cornbread, etc. I was pleased to see Jambalaya on the menu so I choose this entree in addition to a side item of chicken wings (6 count). The chicken wings were fried to perfection with a tremendous amount of flavor. I was very pleased with the flavor and delighted that they weren't overly salty in any fashion. I didn't realize that a single wing includes both the wing and the drummette (atypical these days) so I ordered a 6 count which made me really full when I finished them. The jambalaya was delicious, as well. I love the combo of sausage, shrimp, and chicken with rice n fixins. I highly encourage you to try if you attend. Finally, the sweet tea was perfect. I am an avid fan of sweet tea but have been greatly disappointed by it when I order it in Northern states. I took a leap of faith on this place and couldn't have been happier with the decision.

The food here is trash. No flavor what so ever. The beans and rice has no season. The Mac and cheese taste like powder cheese. The fried fish is soggy. Lol place is not good at all. I saw the reviews and thought I would try it out. NEVER AGAIN.

Had it delivered through Uber Eats on the strength of the reviewers that it was the best chicken they've had in Boston. (Enter major eye-roll here) Seriously? The food meh at best. No energy to continue...

Food is great however their delivery service sucks . I waited two hours for my food to arrive . When it did there was collard green juice all in the bag . My beverages were not delivered and they didn't notify me or send drinks in replacement of. So they get one star ! Sorry

Can I just say that I this Roxbury hole in the wall vegetarian Cajun soul spot. This simply go to place when I don't want to cook but want to eat like I just cooked! The shrimp and grits is amazing. Smooth cheesy grits with a filling serving of large shrimp. My other fave is the meatloaf Mac n chess wand cider braised cabbage. This is a nice cold weather comfort meal that everyone would enjoy. Their fried chicken is crispy and finger licking too! I wish Maxine's was a dine in restaurant. Their food is just that good!

Well made food and kind, courteous staff. The food is reminiscent of southern down home food and the price is right.

Today I purchased a plate with fried haddock and two sides. I only received one piece of fish and two small portions. Considering the price, this was completely unacceptable. I wont be returning.

Ordered from Maxine's today one UberEats for dinner, and were not impressed. We had the chicken and catfish, garlic mashed, Mac & cheese and mashed sweet potatoes. Food was a bit flavorless and bland, did not satisfy our cravings. Only received one piece of catfish in the dinner, which seemed odd given the price. Chicken wing dinner included 3 wings and two sides for $12.99. Overall disappointed, would likely not order again or would try something else.

Absolutely amazing. Hands down best friend chicken I've had in Boston for years!! Just dont ask them for ketchup haha. This place is a gem. Awesome fresh quality food and chicken doewnt have that greasy mess that most friend chicken leaves . Definitely recommend and continue to come back here

Ordered here on 6/22 6pm on Grubhub. Ordered the chicken wing plate, Mac and cheese, and gumbo. I only recieved the chicken wing plate and they never refunded for the items they were out of

4.2719 stars Fried Chicken Wings? Waffles? YES. Roasted Chicken, Wings also good. Sides: red beans and rice, Smashed Sweet Potatoes, Potato salad, Cider-Braised Cabbage. First order but I'm satisfied.

Maxine's on St. James catered an event for me today, 9/5/21. I was very pleased with the job! The Mac 'n cheese was on point! The green beans were flavorful and cooked to specifications in terms of seasonings! The chicken wings were fabulous! Delicious corn muffins! And the salad...the best salad of any establishment in recent years! You're thinking, how can you go wrong with iceberg lettuce and a tomato? First of all, there was no iceberg lettuce! Spring mix (without the bitter lettuces) lettuces with plenty of grape tomatoes and plenty of cucumbers and shredded carrots! A real salad! Thanks, Maxine's on St. James for adding great food to my event!

The food was nothing to rave about. There are great soul food options in NY and I also cook myself so I know it was just missing something. The food wasn't nasty by any means but it was not fresh , definitely reheated, I ordered through Uber Eats so with $20 spent I just expected more. I recommend trying because again ...it wasn't terrible ...and maybe you'll love it but for me it was just nothing to go out of your way for.

Super disappointed. I got a catfish dinner. It was disgusting. The catfish taste literally like dirt, in every bite. I couldn't finish it because it was leaving a bad taste in my mouth. I was also sad they only give you one filet, but after I taste how bad it was, I was happy I only had that one piece. Maybe they didn't clean it good enough, I'm not sure but I won't be back. The Mac n cheese was okay, could have been seasoned better. I didn't enjoy the potato salad either which is always my favorite food to get at a soul food place. Popeyes has better fish honestly. It only looked good but the taste was the opposite.

This place has maybe the best Mac and cheese I've ever had and hands down the best fried chicken in Boston. Go in and get it fresh, the employees are incredibly friendly. I had the Chicken wings and they were amazing, crispy, juicy, and tender. I can't wait to go back and try some of their other menu items, everything sounds really good and the waffles looked amazing! Getting it fresh I think was well worth it, and the pictures on Yelp do not do it justice.