I'm a bit of a hard customer when it comes to Italian. When you're raised on it your whole life, you become a bit discerning.
While Maxi's had some pluses (awesome butter sauce for bread, good service and the ability to eat there with or without a reservation), it didn't do it for me. The red sauce was heavy on the basil and my cavatelli was swimming in it. There was no salad or side to offset the sheer volume of pasta, resulting in a bit of a carby food coma.
I could really take it or leave it. If someone else was paying, I'd show up. But with all the other choices in Little Italy, I need more of a reason to pick Maxi's.