Review 1/10 for the 10 bookmarked businesses to review before the end of 2016! From Meagan B.'s thread: https://www.yelp.com/topic/phoenix-yelp-phoenixs-10-firsts-of-2016
I had Max's on my bookmark list for some time. We decided to try them out for lunch on Sunday. We got there right at 1 when they opened and there were already a few orders placed for to-go meals.
It took some time for someone to actually come to our table and hand us menus. When we got our orders in, we had more of a wait until another person came by to ask us what we wanted to drink. I ended up getting the MM09, listed as "Yam, plantain, palaver sauce" ($14.99). You have your choice of sweet/ripe plantain or more starchy/green plantain.
Our dishes came out and they were a very generous portion. I was surprised to see a grilled fish on my plate since it wasn't listed on the ingredients for the platter but hey if they are throwing in a fish for my meal why not? The fish itself was tender and flaky on the outer portions with crisp skin but the center of the fish was still raw. The plantain and yam were very basic, whole chunks with no other seasoning. I did enjoy the palaver sauce, which was a chunky spinach based mixture. I also tried a bite of the goat stew which was rich and flavorful. The goat meat had a clean taste to it, not gamey at all. I also tried some fried rice which was decent, but the real star of the show was the amazing sauce it was served with. It had a spicy punch to it that I thoroughly enjoyed.
I probably wouldn't eat here again to dine in due to the slow service. I might get a meal to go though. While everyone was very friendly, it took a long time to actually eat here due to all the waiting. If you prefer more of a laid back leisurely meal though this might be your place.
2.5/5.