My friend liked this place more than I did. That being said, I did really enjoy my visit to Maxim. The menu is intense. No really, its really very long and daunting if you are inexperienced with Vietnamese food. Our waitress, who I think was the owner or the owner's wife, gave us some good recommendations and helped my friend order off the special menu. I got a soup which really hit the hearty spot. There were so many choices that I want to go back and try them all.
Now Maxim is not in the most luxurious area and can be hard to spot (if you are driving North on 19th Ave, you might miss it just past Osborn. Ignore the dingy setting and neighborhood and indulge in this local treasure.