Ristorante Max Positano

Hidden gem! Max’s was recommended to me by a local shop keeper for their fresh food. My pictures don’t do the dishes justice! The gnocchi was perfect cooked and had an amazing lemon sauce. The staff were so attentive and let us have a relaxed Italian lunch.

We had a fantastic experience at Ristorante Max in Positano! After getting off a boat without dinner reservations, we stopped in right as they were opening and were so grateful they welcomed us in. The staff was incredibly kind and accommodating. The restaurant itself is beautiful — filled with local art that gives it such a unique and charming atmosphere. We started with buffalo mozzarella and tomatoes, followed by lemon fish, truffle pasta, and seafood pasta — all perfectly prepared and full of flavor. For dessert, we shared the local apple tart and crème brûlée, which were both excellent. Delicious food, warm service, and a beautiful setting — definitely worth a visit while in Positano!

We ate here on our first night in Positano and rather enjoyed it. We spent 12 nights in Positano and this was one of our preferred restaurants. The service and the food were both good. We had mozzarella with tomato appetizer which we loved. The fried calamari with zucchini was good although odd. The zucchini was thinly sliced, wrapped around the calamari and then fried together. For our entrees, we had the lasagna and the the spiny lobster with pasta. We enjoyed both very much.

It's a shame about this place. The decor is charming. The food is quite good. Some servers were quite good. But unfortunately a majority of the staff appear to be chain smokers. At any moment, 2 or 3 of them were congregating on the stairs. Smoking. Constantly. It never stopped. As a non-smoker, this ruined our meal. Would not recommend this place. Unless, of course, you enjoy the taste of cigarettes with your meal.

The food was excellent, and I was very pleased with the authentic Italian dishes. However, I wish the lunch menu included more lighter options, such as soups and salads. Other than that, this is a fantastic restaurant.

It was truly hard to pick one favourite dish out of all the dishes we tried but it was a handmade egg pasta with a lobster. However, the stuffed grilled calamari that we ordered for our appetizer was also heavenly as it just melts in your mouth. I'm not a huge seafood person but it was beautiful. We loved our lobster pasta so much so that we ended up just dipping our bread into the last remaining drops of sauce left on the plate and wiping the plate clean. The lasagna was also great! Perfectly crispy and soft at the same time. Seabass was also good but I loved the side vegetables like sweet potatoes even more that came with the seabass plate. Tiramisu was also beautiful. The restaurant has a great atmosphere. Out of our 2 weeks of traveling in Italy, this was our best dining experience.

We went to Max’s about a week ago upon recommendation of our hotel. We didn’t have a reservation and it showed no availability online so we stopped in just to see. They couldn’t seat us then but could in about an hour, which was perfect and gave us time to walk around. We did enjoy the restaurant ambiance, the food was delicious, and the wine recommended was also very good. The service, however, was less than desirable. It was really slow to bring water/fill wine. At a minimum-if guests have something in their glass, people are much more tolerant. They even gave our sparkling water to the table next to us, which they didn’t order. We didn’t know this until later when we never got ours and they never drank the one given to them. A small slip up that shows lack of service/smoothness. We were there for the last seating/end of the night, but still bring water is a pretty basic thing. They are a busy and popular restaurant and with good reason. The food was absolutely fabulous and came out in a timely manner. We would definitely dine there again and would recommend to others. Make a reservation:) Hopefully our service experience was just an off night. Wish them much continued success.

Always get a reservation for this place as you probably won't get in otherwise. Great eclectic atmosphere with old paintings and vintage dining tables. This is probably the best Italian food over the past 6 days while in Italy. Service was prompt and not pushy. Prices are a bit on the high side but this is what you can expect to pay for fine cuisine. My rating reflects total value for price / quality. The 4 sampler pasta plate was probably the best tasting. Sea bass was good as well but the potatoes were a bit plain. Grilled mixed vegetables were well cooked but was a bit small to share. Deserts were all tasty, however the lemon cake was just average. Cream Brule was the standout desert. In conclusion, this is a high quality restaurant that is worth visiting. The washrooms were clean and accessable by stairs only.

I'm sorry but Max is just another in the large collection of Positano spots that is pleasing to the eye but fails to deliver on the plate when it comes to originality or depth of flavor. Trust me, as I have already mentioned they are not alone. In my opinion Positano itself is without question unparalleled in scenic beauty and a fun place to play in the sea, but cannot be considered in any serious conversation of Italian eating destinations. It is baffling to me how a location with so much readily available seafood can offer such uninspired cuisine. Nice garden seating, friendly and professional wait staff but plates you could quite frankly find anywhere in America. One final note, if you're looking to sample the region's famous Delizia al Limone that was invented by Sal de Riso in Minori, don't make my mistake and try it here first thinking it's a good representation. Do however go to Minori for the REAL DEAL.

One of our friends recommended Max as the best meal he had in Positano so we had to check it out! While the restaurant doesn't offer a seaside view, the ambiance here is so lovely! We came for dinner and sat outside - the string lights rendered a soft glow to everything. Inside, there are beautiful art everywhere. For antipasto, we shared a sampler that included tempura shrimp, octopus prepared in two different ways and arancini. The octopus was excellent - very tender yet meaty! For my main, I had the lobster pasta per many of the other Yelp reviews. This was served with half of a whole lobster and homemade angel hair pasta tossed in tomatoes. The pasta was so delicate and changed my mind about angel hair pasta (all previously store brought) that I had before! Husband's really liked his steak. My dad got the mix of seafood dish that he raved about even the next day! Finally, I had the lemon mousse for dessert, which was so light and delicious. The service was wonderful. Our waiter recommended delicious wines that accompanied our dishes well. We felt quite welcome and had a great time here!

Interesting restaurant in the heart of Positano. The food and service is fine, good but not great. Unfortunately it has become too touristy so the experience is not entirely pleasant.

Came in with no reservation around 9:45pm and they sat us within 5mins. Quality food and even the manager takes all of the orders. I recommend getting the spaghetti pomodori and the white fish (branzino with lemon sauce). 10/10 experience !! Would come back

Been coming to this place for decades. Back in the day it was great. Now, the old owner skulks around in the back on his iPhone while the next generation --- skulks around on their iPhones. Orders a nice wine. Waiter mangled the cork so we had floaters. When I mentioned it he grabbed a metal funnel and "decanted" it. Well, not quite a felony but.... Food was uninspired. Several dishes seemed premade. Restaurant was hot as blazes which didn't help (yes, many restaurants in Positano do have AC. Overall...meh Time to move on. Try Casa Mele instead

So delicious!!! We stopped by without a reservation and luckily they had room for us. The staff was friendly and had great recommendations. Plus the food was outstanding! One of the best meals we had all trip.

Sub par service. Waiters condescending and aloof! Definitely prefer their regular customers over others! Very annoyed with any questions that were asked and that we didn't speak Italian! Meanwhile they all speak English! Food was good. Pricey for the portion sizes! Completely ignored us after requesting the check. Would not be eager to return.

Loved the food here! It was top notch for sure. The environment is a little subdued so you don't get the same personality you get at some other places, but for the food you can't go wrong.

Ristorante Max was a beautiful spot; it was hectic when we first arrived as it was pouring rain outside and we thought they might have had tables extra close together to account for extra inside guests who would have been eating outside (including us; too rainy to sit on the patio as we'd requested). No wait, we were sat immediately as we had a reservation (8:30 pm, I made this online about two months in advance). We ordered a delicious bottle of dry white wine from the Campania region, and were offered mini-pizzette bites from the chef (not great, a little dry), and bread. The food was all very good--eggplant/melanzane with parm was delicious and fresh, not too much cheese. The pasta sampler was about 50/50 for us--filled pastas were amazing, but the tagliatelle with zucchini didn't wow us, and the gnocchi (made with ricotta?) were too soft for our taste. But the seafood stew was delicious and huge--mussels, clams, octopus, and more, in the best broth I've maybe ever had. The crusty bread was great for dipping. We were so full we didn't get a dessert, but they all looked amazing as neighboring guests had them! The service was a little harried in the beginning but as the night went on, our servers were very helpful and kind.

I would give this restaurant a million stars if I could. We received such incredible service here. They are so friendly, the food is superb... I wish I came here more than once during my stay. We enjoyed the grilled steak, a mixed salad, a custom rigatoni with spicy pomodoro sauce, pasta tasting dish, and a few deserts. I highly recommend this restaurant to foodie visitors who I am sure will enjoy the beautiful and romantic ambiance, top service, and delicious food. Thank you Max!!!

We three really enjoyed our time at Max. It is a beautiful space and equally excellent service. Our meals and wine were top notch. Go, you will be happy.

5/5 is an understatement. Get the Quintododecimo red wine. Order the ravioli. Was in Italy for 2 weeks and this was my favorite meal of the entire trip

Our first dinner in Positano and after 10 days, it is still one of my husbands favorite meals from our entire trip. The restaurant is beautiful and the food was incredibly fresh. It truly feels like you're sitting in an art gallery. 10/10!

The best meal in Positano isn't a Michelin restaurant at all, it is definitely at Max. By far the most delicious food and best service experienced in Positano for a reasonable price. The fresh catch of the day with lemon sauce is extraordinary, had to go back and get it again. The pasta with fresh porcini mushrooms was delicious. Great selection of wines at a good price, top notch meal, excellent customer service along with plenty of seating and situated in a convenient location in the heart of Positano. What more could you ask for?

On out last day at Positano. Our limo driver recommended us to max. Best food in Positano!! Even after eating at Michelin star restaurants like La Serra.

We spent a week in Positano. At the end of our stay, we discovered Max. The food was so good, we went back the next night too and ordered the same thing--the lobster linguine. It was that good. Great way to end a fabulous vacation. Best food in Positano.

Delicious with great service! We stumbled upon this place, and I'm so glad we did. The dining terrace was very cute, too!

The lobster pasta! To die for! And the pasta with truffles! You can't come to Positano and not eat here! Make sure to get reservations It's always good and always crowded

Delicious food and wine! This was our first dinner in Positano and I think we are now spoiled. Everything was delicious and perfect! I had the special pasta of the day, angel hair with black truffles, hubby had the local fish with potatoes. Our appetizer not pictured because we dove right in was stuffed zucchini flowers...OMG was it delicious. We've never had them before. The place is small and cozy but absolutely beautiful.

The food was excellent but I'm knocking off three stars for an unadvertised 8 euro fee that was tacked on the bill. I guess paying customers have to pay 4 euros each for the pleasure of paying 100+ euros for dinner. That hidden fee really irritates me. It shouldn't exist and certainly should be disclosed when making a reservation.

I had just finished hiking the Path of the gods and I was starving! Everything was closed during this time, except for Max's! It was pricier than I wanted, but it was so delicious!!! The chef sent out a small fired pizza appetizer, which was delicious! I also had a lemon spritz, which was amazing. I tried a shrimp pasta dish, which zucchini and a white wine sauce.... So delicious!

Max was recommended by our driver, hotel concierge, and folks we met at our hotel. Food was spectacular and by far the best in Positano.

The host (owner?) was very kind to let us in without a reservation on our first night in Positano. The homemade pasta and wine were excellent! I told them that I usually drink an oaky buttery Chardonnay at home so the wine steward suggested something. It was one of the best wines I ever had! I never did understand the name and didn't see the bottle because I only drank 2 glasses. I'm sick about that. I would have bought many bottles! We came back there on our last night, with a different wine steward, and I tried, but the wine was different. I highly recommend Max!

One of the best meals of our lives. Service was amazing. The best pasta ever. Great wine choice. Would not change a single thing.

Just had dinner here with my fiancé! It was absolutely amazing and would recommend this to anyone looking for a dinner spot in Positano! Unlike most of the restaurants in the area this restaurant had a wide variety of food options. My fiancé got the spaghetti truffle and I had the the 4 different types of pasta that they offer to get a little taste of everything - and I mean who doesn't want that while you are Italy?! Our sever Vito was amazing and very attentive as well! Our wine and water glasses were always filled!

Overpriced and left still hungry!! We ordered the sea bass and lasagna and shared both dishes. Service is great and the food is cooked well and seasoned nicely, but take your money elsewhere because you will finish your meal in about 3-6 bites and there is NO VIEW! You can walk further down the street and find higher rated restaurants, Michelin star restaurants for the same price! Don't eat here.. keep on walking!

I've never had a better spaghetti meal in my life and in all of Italy as well as I had at Max's. The sauce was amazing. Charming place, but I had to go there twice on a 10 day trip of Italy it was so darn good.

This spot is located right in the city center by the beach, and while they have amazing pizzas, they also have zucchini flowers which I would highly recommend. They are a special type of zucchini that are only found in the warm months, stuffed with Parmigiano Reggiano. Y U M! I will say that they aren't very attentive here so you just need to make sure you stay on them!

The good: nice atmosphere, pleasant table. We shared an eggplant Parmesan appetizer that I thought was just OK but my wife opined was pretty good. For the entrées, I ordered a lasagna that turned out to be delicious at the four star level. There were some interesting wines available by the glass, most notably a Barolo that was very enjoyable. The bad: my wife had an entrée of stuffed calamari that was almost inedible. It had a strong fishy flavor and an unpleasant stuffing. I took one bite and could not eat any more. She did not eat more than one piece of the entrée. The ugly: our waiter asked if everything was good and we said the stuffed calamari was not good. He proceeded to say that this was absolutely a delicious dish and there must be something wrong with our taste buds. He did not remove the uneaten dish from our bill, but he did comp us on a semi Fredo dessert that was actually very good. The verdict: it is hard to reconcile everything that happened into a numerical score. We thought that the lasagna and the semi Fredo desert were both on the four star level. But having the waiter tell you that you have no sense of taste is insulting. Having to pay for an entrée that you did not eat it is unacceptable.

What a restaurant and what a great experience. Came here twice while spending a few days in Positano. I imagine like most people who do some reading up on where to eat while here it's a bit overwhelming given the number of highly ranked restaurants which sadly can't all be sampled in a few short days. We spoke with our concierge and did some reading online and came for dinner our second night here. The restaurant: clean, relaxing ambience, interesting decor with accommodating friendly staff The Food: We tried the Tagliolini con Astice - angel hair homemade pasta with lobster in a cherry tomatoe sauce. A little heat added at our servers suggestion. This seems to be a popular dish at many restaurants here but Max knocks it out the park! This was phenomenal and the best pasta dish I tried while here. The fish of the day - Pezzogna served with cherry tomatoes and potatoes which were soft and flavourful. The fish was light, tender, moist, and very flavourful. Desert: Tiramisu - very good, but pro tip the tiramisu at Covo hotel restaurant is even better. Cliff notes: Max is a must. Great service, great food, and a great time. Bravo to the chef and team!

This restaurant was absolutely AMAZING. Every single thing we had here was delicious. The atmosphere was perfect as well as the service. I had the seafood soup and was in for a serious treat. The portions they give you are good sized as well. My husband ended up helping me finish this dish because it was bigger than expected. I recommend anyone in the mood for seafood try this restaurant.

This restaurant was recommended to us by a local ceramic shop owner. This restaurant is located inside an art gallery(!!!!), which just enhances the flavor of the food. The food was beyond amazing. The owner was present and very gracious. Service was really excellent. This is a must eat place. Slightly upscale.

Very nice and the food was great. A good deal to many flies but other than that I loved the place. Love the old art all over and the patio is quite nie. Had a great meal. It almost looked like a cooking school but is a full restaurant. Give it a try

Max has above average food at above average prices, but the service is superb. Although our time in Positano was short (and only allowed for a handful of meals), Max was definitely our favorite place in town! And although I dined here with my mom, this restaurant seemed to be primarily geared towards couples. The entrance is a step down from the main street, making it feel really private and cozy, and the interior of the restaurant is full of paintings and decor that make you feel like you've just stepped into some really nice person's home. Bonus: there's an outdoor terrace too! Everything about Max was nice and upscale but in a non-stuffy way. The food itself was beautifully plated and well made. I stuck with a simple spaghetti pomodoro, and somehow, Max's take made it seem anything but boring. I wanted to order a second! And according to my mom, the profiteroles with chocolate sauce were pretty much to die for. But the best part of the whole meal was definitely the service -- they were so quick to accommodate gluten free and they checked back on us throughout the meal in the most polite manner. If I'm ever in Positano again, I wouldn't hesitate to put Max at the top of my "must-do" list.

Excellent customer service and friendly plus the food was delicious. I really recommend this restaurant to everyone the place is beautiful with art and paintings.

We really enjoyed our meal here. Service was good and food delicious. There is a "cover charge" of four euros per person. Ambiance was nice and we ate inside. Food portions were more than enough for us. Had the local fish dish and seafood risotto. Made a reservation online the same day.

Max's was my second favorite meal on my whole Italy trip. Ohh it was sooo good. I ordered the special which was ravioli filled with lemon and shrimp. It was absolutely amazing, and the service was great as well. They were absolutely nice in allowing us to dine there without a reservation.

After a day of touristy things it was a pure delight to come to Max. It was not easy to get a reservation. And it was a bit on the pricy side but the service, the food and the wine were all outstanding. We started with the stuffed Calamari, just fantastic. Main courses included grilled lamb chop and angel hair pasta with Truffles. The lamb was light and so flavorful. That pasta was so very buttery. Highly recommended. And after sampling tiramisu in many restaurants and cities across Italy this was at the top of the list.

My husband and I went here for a special meal, and we were certainly not disappointed. The ambiance is an upscale elegance under the stars, yet serving some great dishes that left us dazzled, full, and very satisfied. We ordered the lasagne primi and the plate of fried foods (mozzarella, arancini, and fried pasta) to start, and they were classic, warm, comfort foods with a superlative taste. The marinara and pesto sauces that came with the fried foods were complex and full of character. For mains, we had the lobster on thin spaghetti and the lamb chops with sides (carrots, pickled cabbage, etc). Both were spectacular, and had a balanced, sophisticated taste, with a great presentation. The lamb was (a bit surprisingly) perfectly cooked and still very tender. Dessert was the tiramisu, and by this point we knew they would knock it out of the park (and they did). Service was exceptional, and the maitre d' saw to our entire meal personally. Overall, you'll spend for this special meal, but won't regret it!

I got this recommendation from a driver we hired; he was local to Positano. Unfortunately, our experience from a culinary perspective was average. Service was poor. Had to pour our own water which has not been the case with any other restaurants we've tried during our stay. Never checked on us during meal. They din't even have a bulb to replace the burned out one over our table which was fine until it got dark. We actually had to ask about our main course because it was taking so long. We sat down at 8:12 and finished at 10:31...it was three courses! One apptzr, lasagna and dessert Oh yeah, the cappuccinos were cold.

We had such a great meal here! Better than the Michelin restaurant we went to. We had the scampi pasta, the eggplant parm, and the huge bowl of mixed seafood with sauce (amazing!) Everything was so tasty and fresh. Portions are VERY generous, I think. The service was wonderful and the ambiance was classy but not stuffy. Definitely one of our favorites in Positano.

We came early just for a glass of wine before dinner. I had asked online if this place was suitable for a quick drink and was told yes. However, when we arrived, the host had to get permission to seat us, and then sat us at an unused table outside. We were grateful to be served and it was beautiful, but we felt like we had intruded. (there were very few patrons eating). The inside was gorgeous though, and was a well decorated art gallery! Would love to come back and have dinner.

My favorite restaurant I had while in Italy! My fiancé and I even ate here twice! I recommend their mushroom pasta & the gnocchi! Everything is extremely fresh tasting and you can tell a lot of thought went into every dish. The staff is very welcoming and helpful.

Service is one of the worst we have had in Italy, and we've traveled all over for the last 2 years. Snickering waiters, looking down customers' shirts. Restaurant was empty, and they sat us next to the only other occupied table. Then gave us bread and did not even offer olive oil. Then, when others came in, they showed others catches of the day, but didn't bother with us. Food was not good at all. Eggplant parm had cheese on it that was thick and as if it came out of a plastic bag from whole sale super market. Nothing authentic. Fish was okay. We also got the sampler appetizer, and the ingredients (meat) that came with one of the samples was not even on the menu. Horrible. Go to Da Vincenza. Better and cheaper. Real authentic. Or any other restaurant in Positano for that matter.

Amazing meal! Run here!! Cozy restaurant with lots of beautiful art. We shared a grilled calamari shrimp app, the lasagna made with homemade pasta, a kind of seafood bouillabaisse, and fior di latte gelato. Everything was sublime. Only tiny criticism would be that we ordered wine by the glass and they didn't serve it at the table. But who cares, the food really deserves 5 stars!

This was our favorite meal in Positano! Everything we had was wonderful and the atmosphere was incredible. Would recommend!

We were turned off by the persistent behavior of the bar tender who messed up our Martini's by dumping them into the shaker and re-pouring them again. We ordered vodka martini's up and he served them with vermouth which we didn't want. He was adamant that he didn't pour vermouth but after he re-poured them at our table we knew he didn't make new drinks. My girl made him pour another in front of her and it was clearly what she wanted. We only had cheese and meat plate and ended it after the drink episode.

The capres salad is absolutely & insanity delicious!! The best in Positano downtown. The restaurant is located in downtown towards the beach. After passing through the tunnel of the vines & artsy crafts/jewelry, you will see the sign. Go downstairs following the arrow says "gallery" because the restaurant is an art gallery as well. The ambience is great, The servers are the best in town, and food is amazing. Highly recommended.

Definitely worth 5 stars. Great food and very friendly service. Requires reservations. The night before we spent 2 hours in line for a restaurant in Positano (which was very good too except for 11 PM dinner). We asked the owners of the villa we stayed to make recommendations so they made reservation for us at Max. The seafood and the pasta are out of this world. They have a sommelier if you need wine recommendations. I was a little disappointed because he chose a cheap bottle of "local" wine, perhaps because we were dressed very casual after a long day of walking up and down Positano steps. However, the wine didn't disappoint. I checked it out and it was very much the same price you would buy from the store (30-35 Euro). They could have definitely charged more because it tasted like 100 Euro wine.