This was my first time visiting a 'Max and Erma's (we don't have them in Dallas) so I really didn't have any expectations going in. That being said, I can't say that I would ever return.
Ambiance:
The restaurant itself reminded me of an Applebee's with random memorabilia on the walls and perfect for a family with younger children. It was definitely alot larger than I expected and it looked like that had a separate room for larger groups or parties.
Service:
Our waiter was decent. He took our orders, got them correct, and did check back a few times. Nothing special here though.
Food:
The menu was similar to what you'd find at an Applebee's or any other random "neighborhood grill". There were plenty of options to choose from and I think almost everyone could find something that interested them. I ordered one of the salads and my husband ordered the spicy black bean burger. Overall the food was fine. I was fairly disappointed with the size of my salad (it was exceptionally small for the price). My husband liked the black bean burger, but the fries that came with it were limp and flavorless. Overall I think the food here is probably hit and miss. Almost everything was under $10, but even at that price I don't know that it was really worth it.
Definitely a step up from fast food, but it's not worth going out of your way for.