Max’s Memphis Barbecue

Made my second visit last night hoping the food would have improved but walked out disappointed for the second time. Will not be coming back any time soon. Ribs were had a good smokey flavor but were dry and not even close to «fall off the bone». Pulled pork had decent flavor and texture. Sides were also a fail– Mac n cheese had no flavor and was room temperature and the sweet potato fries were under cooked. Wait staff was friendly and the place has a cool ambience. If you’re looking for good BBQ in the Hudson valley, go to billy bobs or Texas round up. Doesn’t seem like Max’s cares about the quality of their food.

In my opinion the best Confederate bbq in the Hudson Valley.
Small, humble locations. Dangerously delicious foods. Meats are cured and slathered; come with choices of sides. Drinks are stiff and potent.
Make sure to have reservations. Tables are inches apart. Friendly staff, usually local, answer any questions. Dessert menu is varied.
Great place for celebrations on up, can be loud and bright.

Went here last night for the first time in nearly 15 years. I was so very disappointed. Everything looked the same, but the service was horribly slow and unfriendly, the menu was similar, but all the great things from the past are now gone. I got the crab cakes and they were awful and mostly breading. The grits were great, but how hard are grits? My cocktail wasn’t even good. Part of me wondered if I was just more picky now, 15 years later, but alas, I had horrible bubbles in my gut all night long and got sick the next morning.
Oh Max’s I used to love you so hard! What happened? Not a new owner because I saw the owner walking around last night, so maybe just new chef…

First, this is not Memphis BBQ. There is no smoke ring nor smoke flavor nor was there a rub or sauce crust. As to the sides, the coleslaw is New York style, so that is local preference. The beans had some of the grilled onions, so not bad. However, the collard greens were sad, cooked more like spinach, nothing like the real thing (collards are amazing when properly prepared). Oh, the sweet tea is OK.
Suggestions: at least get a smoker; try using wood from the many apple trees nearby.
I think the grilled onions are a great side and the horse radish sauce is the start of a new category of BBQ sauce; maybe you could have some mustard sauce also.
Then rename it Max’s NY BBQ.

It’s dark in there if your into not seeing 3ft in front of you then there ya go, I wouldn’t go there on a date, the waitresses wear some of the shortestest, tightest «uniforms» I have ever seen. Oh and not #1 BBQ not even close

Every time I go to Lyceum Cinemas I see the ad for Max’s Memphis BBQ. Decided last week to try it, its rated #1 in the Hudson Valley right? What could be wrong? On the positive note, service was good. Server was friendly and attentive. No wait sat right down. Cornbread was ok. (not a big cornbread fan) I ordered the pulled pork with 2 sides– garlic mashed potatoes and mac n cheese. At the end of my dinner they gave me a comment card. “. pulled pork was OK. def not #1. garlic mashed potatoes weren’t very garlicky and mac n cheese was runny. Won’t be returning.” Save your money and go to Hickory BBQ on rt. 28

We have been going to Max’s since they opened
atleast twice a year. In the past we have been extremely happy with quality and taste of the food. Recently, however in the last few visits, we have found the food to be very disappointing. The ribs, which were usually spectacular, fell short. They were fatty and so smoked you couldn’t taste anything and they were bland. Corn bread dry as a bone. Collard greens were still up to snuff, but that was it. Nobody at the table was satisfied, for we had gone there expecting our usual great meal, but instead found tasteless food. Service as usual was good, but the food really went downhill. Sides were cold as well. As a customer who has been going there for years expecting a great meal, we were very disappointed. Won’t be going back anytime soon soon… What happened? New chef? New owner? What is it? We’ll be watching the reviews before we try it again. Matt

Excellent! Had the full rack of ribs. These are real ribs not tiny baby backs. Done to perfection. Sides or grits and greens also super.

Update: The food seems to have been improved upon in the months since our last visit. We stopped by last night with family and it was a better culinary experience this time. The servers were still friendly, the ambiance was still now, and the food came out quickly. The portion sizes are still on the small side compared to other local bbq restaurants, but we plan to come back again.
If I were reviewing the ambiance, the décor, and the staff alone, I would give this place 5 stars in a heartbeat! The vibe of this place is awesome and it’s great that there’s plenty of space between tables so you don’t feel like you’re smushed in with strangers. The staff was very friendly, upbeat, and quick to serve, which was awesome. The menu was typical of local BBQ joints but also varied enough to stand out, and the prices were about average for the area. So that leaves the food. The portion sizes were on the small side, and the strong BBQ flavor that expected to get a winning BBQ restaurant was just not there for us. The meat was pretty bland, which was a big disappointment. We ended up smothering everything in their so-​so BBQ sauce just to get some flavor, which was pretty sad.

I come from Manhattan to get bbq here! Grew up in the Hudson Valley so that’s how I came to fall in love with this gem.
Service good
Food out of this world
Atmosphere cozy
Beer selection is always good

I have to say that I have eaten at Max’s several times a year, or more, since they first opened.
Over the past year I have witnessed a terrible decline in the quality of the food. This Sunday, that decline turned into a free fall. I ordered the crab cake appetizer, and discovered that they are now serving cheap bland frozen crab cakes. They had no crab flavor to speak of, no real flavor of any kind. They arrived crispy and brown, but even the overcooking was not enough to impart any significant texture. The interior of the crab cakes was brown, flavorless mush. It appears to be mostly bread crumbs, with no crab meat evident inside.
Next our burgers arrived, mine medium, my partner’s medium rare. The interior colors reveal that one was, in fact, cooked to medium, the texture in both burgers was exactly the same. Both burgers exuded copious amounts of water and tasteless fat, and both had the softest texture I have seen in cooked beef. The beef was stringy, soft and watery, no real beef flavor. The texture comes close to what you get when you grind beef twice. It’s hard to describe this texture, but if you can imagine regrinding chicken nuggets and then forming the resulting mass into a burger, you’d be close.
Honestly, I can say that I may go back some day, but I’m running out of items worth ordering from the menu.

Best bbq in town. Pulled pork is moist and delicious! Great drink specials and if the weather is warm enough they have a nice outside patio. They serve warm cornbread on the table. Yum! Only downside is it can be noisy but other than that it’s a favorite!

I’m not a BBQ expert but… I’m pretty sure this is not a real BBQ restaurant. The food was fresh enough, but bland in taste, the menu is semi-​unimaginative, and food presentation just seemed lazy compared to the few other Hudson Valley BBQ establishments i.e. Holy Smoke in Mahopac, Texas Round Up in Cold Spring, I’ve been to. The physical layout is airy and appealing, the décor is cool and the atmosphere ambient, with a young attractive staff (if a little unprofessional) and I’ve heard the cocktails are great, if that’s your thing. Just don’t come here for the BBQ, if that’s what your after.

Oh my god. So so so good. We got the brisket and the grilled vegetable salad and I was so happy. When my bf recommended we order the salad, I was skeptical. What the hell am I ordering a salad at a BBQ place for? And what the hell is a grilled vegetable salad?! It was incredible! So friggin good. While I enjoy vegetables, I’m usually much more inclined to order ribs, but I love love loved it.
The brisket was amazing and the horseradish sauce was in point. They gave us a big thing of sweet potato fries, and omg I can’t keep saying omg, but the meal calls for an omg.
The ambiance was very nice. A little upscale and a little rustic with butcher paper on the tables and a super friendly hipster waiter serving us. There was only one lol/​scoff moment when I noticed what the hostess and the bartender/​manager (?) were wearing. The girl in the skintight mini dress with the cutouts looked like she should have been working at some overpriced overdone Newburgh waterfront club/​bar and the lady with the super short lace shorts… I don’t even know. Maybe a college bar with natty ice on tap? I’m not saying they didn’t look hot, they did, but context is important when you’re dressing yourself for work folks, lmao.
I definitely definitely recommend this place. The food was amazing, the staff was lovely (wardrobes aside lol), and the space was beautiful. I can’t wait to go back!!!

I’m a local that has been going here on and off since it opened a number of years ago.
The «dine-​in» food quality is much better than the «take-​out»
You would think this obvious of course:
— Sandwiches WILL be soggy
— Side salad will be wilted when delivered along side a hot sandwich
— food might not be as hot
duh right?
However I have noticed:
— less and less meat on pulled pork sandwich
— Cornbread has been burned and even a bit stale. It’s «free» I understand that but it’s all part of the meal and experience.
— I order ¹⁄₃ rack of ribs and paid $ 11 for just 4 ribs. No salad came with it.
Note:
— Sides are NOT included with take out meals but the prices do reflect that. With that said — what person in their right mind going to a BBQ joint — even for take out — won’t want a tasty side like mashed, grits, or collards. I don’t understand why the sides aren’t included.
I’d pay the $ 15 Dine-​in price for the ¹⁄₃ rib rack with 2 sides AND salad. :)
Dining in is quite nice. Cocktails are always good.
I have felt a bit rushed at times however.
This is a favorite spot for local snowmobilers. Parking is in the front.
I am not a BBQ expert but it is decent food for the prices.

I think the only reason why this is considered the best bbq around is because it’s the only bbq joint around. We were the first ones in here on a weekend night and were pretty much the only ones there for the first 45 minutes, yet they left us sitting with our menus for a looooong time, and when they finally took our drink orders, they left us sitting again for another long stretch before we could order any food. We didn’t know they had any specials because they never told them to us, yet we overheard another waitress telling them to another table towards the end of our meal. I had the chicken which was very dry, but with a good sauce, and the sides were just okay.
The interior looks fantastic and has potential to be a real favorite for its pricing & specialty, but it desperately needs to improve its service and food quality to up its overall rating.
**They could also make a killing if they offered a southern-​style brunch on weekends– just sayin’!!!**

I like Max’s… It’s a nice spot to take the kids that’s not expensive and is a better option than any chain.
I’m not a BBQ expert but everybody seems to love the pulled Pork. This time I had a burger and it was good.
The sides are a bit uneven in quality and I strongly suggest skipping dessert for nearby Holy Cow
Service is good, décor is nice, the place is clean and has decent parking
I’m sure I will keep coming back as a pre movie dinner

Love this place!
Ribs were very meaty & well seasoned! Not too dry… and the bbq sauce was great! I wish they had more varieties of the sauce but oh well. The Supermax burger was surprisingly REALLY AMAZING. The beef patties were juicy & well cooked to perfection. The mashed potatoes were good too as they seemed like real potatoes. The coleslaw was a bit dry & dull though. Smoked sausage was not too greasy and perfectly made. This place is a winner!

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.

Max’s tries to be a more upscale version of a rib joint — and fails.
When we entered, we were extremely optimistic based on the smoky atmosphere which greeted us. We ordered a combination of appetizers, entrees, and sides to try as much as possible. Very few items lived up to our expectations.
The pulled pork sliders could have been more flavorful. They were also too moist, bordering on mushy. The corn bread that came with our appetizers and salads was small and dry, possibly because it was only about ¾″ thick and probably would have been moister had it been a more appropriate thickness.
The smoked sausage had fennel in it, leading us to believe it was actually an Italian sausage smoked in bbq sauce. It was also a bit too charred.
I was optimistic for my beef brisket when I stuck my fork into it and it shredded immediately. But like the pulled pork, it was moist but did not have much flavor. I had to get all my flavor from the horseradish dipping sauce. The beef was also too fatty.
The ribs were the biggest disappointment. The flavor was inconsistent — one bite would have it, the next wouldn’t. The ribs were also fatty. Quite frankly, I’ve had better ribs at both TGI Fridays and Ninety Nine.
As for the sides, the cole slaw was great, really tangy. The green beans had a nice buttery coating but could have been cooked slightly longer. The collard greens were just wrong. They were chopped up much too fine and served with small amounts of cheese and slightly too much liquid — it looked and tasted more like creamed collards.
If I stayed local more often and this was my only BBQ option, I’d live with it. But I’ve been to enough other places upstate and in larger cities to know what one should expect at a place which specializes in bbq.