Max's Memphis Barbecue

The short: An atmospheric place with an inviting, smokey smell and pleasant outdoor seating. The food, though, is lackluster. Average BBQ at best.

The long: A 2-star review here said it best. The ribs were too fatty and the initial draw of the place was soon overridden by a so-so meal. My ribs were tasty on the bits that were meaty and roasted. Unfortunately at least half of each rib was covered in fat so thick I'd have gotten sick trying to eat it all. I understand fat can enhance the flavor as meat cooks, but this was excessive. And this is from a guy who prefers to strip meat down to a cleaned bone. The meat was also inconsistent, with some bits being rather overdone.

Sides were tasty enough but overall lacking. I don't know why so many places treat mac n' cheese so wrong, but this side deserves more respect! In Max's case, the pasta was overdone and mushy. A disappointment to combine with such a tasty cheese sauce.
The one bright spot was my friend's mashed potatoes. Creamy and full of rich garlic flavor! This side was perfection. Unfortunately one side can't make the dinner.

Service is fine here, nothing to complain about.
I left thinking I've had better ribs at chain places like Outback. And that's kinda saddening for me. Overal,l 3 stars I feel is generous. Would I come back, though? Probably not.

As they say in text-speak, "o.m.g."(oh my Gosh(substituted for God)).  No words can actually describe how delicious this place's meals can be.  Whether it's the SuperMax burger or a steak, or just some other barbequed specialty, it all tastes delicious.  And when you add that to the fact that they start you with a few slices of cornbread, where's the justice in leaving room for scrumptious desserts which they also sell.  And best of all, the service is plenty adequate-the server knew exactly what she was supposed to do, and did it with a passion.  Even the doorman greeted and seated us within a minute or two.  I've never seen such a great place with that exceptional service so close to home before.

Although I did find a few problems, such as the tone of the music in the room(with a loud volume) was loud, when you factored in a major mismatch on the lock on one of the door latches to the handicap stall, it just downgraded my review from 5-stars to only 4.

And second, when you factor in the mood lighting in the eating rooms being as low as it was, and the setting containing a candle on just about every table, be careful where you walk.

Personally, although I've never seen anyone been eating outside, there were a couple of tables outside.  Personally, I don't know, and I don't care why this was the case...(forgot where I was going with this viewpoint, but it was something I had to mention).

Although prices are a bit higher than what's to be expected, the prices can't be beat when services play a factor in the decision.  The main drawback would be the prices (from making this place a major eating establishment), but on slight special occasions, I might start eating at your establishments.  I'll remember this visit.  Please hold up your end of the bargain and fix that door latch, and quiet the music just a little bit.  It seemed like no one was around that I could speak to, to turn that music down a bit.

See Bill Z's review below; he pretty much hits it on the nose.
The service was friendly, the food won't make you sick, but you'll feel your pocket lighter and your stomach & mood none the better.