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We will be preparing a traditional New Year's Eve 4-course menu that is sure to impress the most refined palate. http://tinyurl.com/ydw...
Mon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Mon-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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Just walked in because of the name. We had the 22 USD express lunch with a bottle of wine! A must go. Super food, super view and friendly. The express lunch comes with a choice of onion soup (that is what I had) or Maximilien salad, choice of mussels (I had Maximilien style), and creme brulette. A 0.5 litter bottle of Rose was plenty to get two people close to drunken :-). I think 1/2 liter is enough for two people for lunch. Of course they also have a full blown menu with a lot of nice items, but the express lunch is a great value. BTW - all staff is off the boat French.
I have only been here for happy hour, but I've always had a great time and been impressed! I couldn't believe it when I ordered the happy hour red wine pour (for $4 or $5) and the server refilled my glass for free! My friends and I generally split several appetizers and they are always great. My food has always been prompt and the service has always been attentive and right there when needed.
The upstairs has a beautiful view of the water, and it's a perfect place to relax and unwind after work. My only critique would be that the tables upstairs feel a little crowded, but not anything that is a big problem. Prices are very reasonable, especially at happy hour. Great place, I usually end up there at least once a week!
Pros: Beautiful setting, excellent food, good service, good happy hour
Cons: Parking
My friend and I had some time to kill before heading to Chez Shea. We sat upstairs and enjoyed the beautiful view while we pre-funked for our next French meal. Oops, we didn't mean to order 4 items from the Happy Hour menu! Lucky for me, I am a bottomless pit. Maybe I need to invest in more elastic pants...
This is a great place for appetizers. Only $2.95, or get all 8 for $20. Dangerous for a hungry girl like me! We had some frites, ham/cheese croissant, and a delicious goat cheese spread on baguette and something else I forgot. I just know that it was buttery. I had a pretty good bloody mary as well.
I won't be rushing there here dinner anytime soon, but might go again for some HH action.
Highly recommended.
We went here as part of the Urban Eats / 30 for $30 program on a Sunday evening. Since we were just wandering around the market trying to figure out where to go, we had no reservations, but were seated immediately to a table with a nice view of Elliot Bay.
Since we were getting the good deals on the entrees, we started out with a reasonable priced $33 bottle of French Burgundy, which was excellent and full of flavor.
For apps, we got the lobster bisque and the smoked salmon lox. Both were excellent and portions were reasonably sized for appetizers. The complementary French bread was chewy on the outside and warm and moist inside, which made an excellent sponge for the bisque.
For the entrees, we ordered the crab cake, which was the size of a large hamburger patty and served on top of a bed of greens and cherry tomatoes. This was EXCELLENT and the heat of the crab cake made the tomatoes nice and warm. The second entree was a white bean soup with various meats like lamb and duck confit. It too, was amazing.
For dessert, we had an almond tart and a chocolate cake type dish. A perfect end to an amazing meal.
Every time I go to a French restaurant, I am always so envious of the the French and their cuisine, I am simply blow away time and time again. Maximilien is no different.
We always visit Maximillien's when we are in Seattle on vacation. With it being at Pike's Market it easy to get to. The food was very good - I had the crab cake eggs benedict - my friend who had the crab omelet said it was the best omelet she has had and service was efficient as well. Love the cozy feel of the place and the view is outstanding.
I would have gave them 4 stars on this visit but they were reluctant to honor a special request as we wanted 2 appetizers from the dinner menu at brunch...oh well, maybe next time.
Amazing views!
As a first time tourist to Seattle, this place was definitely a gem to enjoy a brunch at. The views were spectacular over the water. The food was pretty good as well. It's a pretty unassuming place when you see the neon signs pointing to it, but much classier when you get in and sit down.
I would definitely go back here next time I'm in Seattle.
I just went here for the first time today. As a Seattle native...who never knew it was there... What is wrong here, people? The servers were all so pleasant with lovely accents ;) And they sat us very quickly for a busy lunch ON THE PATIO. I saw the view and I died. And then I came back to life again ordered the Sauvignon Semillon (Divoon, darling) and the lemon chicken croissant sandwich. A little oily, but still delicious! They let us stay forever and talk our heads off and THEN...Dessert. Mmmm. I had the tiny chocolate profiteroles. To die. And my friend had the creme brulee. We shared, we laughed, we cried, and we made it through dessert with some of our dignity inact. What a charming place, I will definitely have to come back here for date night!!
Thank you, Maximillien!
I don't think there was a better deck to be on in Seattle today than the one at Maxmilien's ("In The Market" seems a little gratuitous, no?).
Continuing my tour de force de salad nicoise -- seattle 2009, I have to say, the salad nicoise was pretty good at M's. The tuna slices were a wee thick, but the pepper coating was more subtle than not, the size was otherwise appropriate, and it was seared perfectly. The one odd element was the presence of green bell peppers--but I still enjoyed it. my friend had fries; they were very good, and, incidentally, fried in peanut oil instead of duck fat, per the usual french restaurant practice. I enjoy the peanut oil fry much more than the duck fat fry (full disclosure, I do not eat poultry/fowl).
The server was nice, and the maitre d' (with the necessary french accent) subbed in on our order when the server was elsewhere. in and out in under an hour--spectacular view all the while. Can I live on this deck?
I've been here several times in the bar area. I've never actually had a full meal. That being said, I love this quaint little place!
Our last visit was to kill some time whilst we were waiting for friends to show up for dinner at another restaurant down the alley. Hubs and I had drinks and the cheese plate. I don't recall what he drank (probably a G&T), but I had the French Martini. Actually, several of them!! Oh my, they are SO delicious. The cheese plate was completely yum too. It had several cheeses, bread, olives, and I think maybe some crackers. Everything, including the service at the bar, was excellent.
After reading other's reviews of the actual meals (brunch sounds especially good) I'll definitely venture my way back to get the whole experience.
I came to Maximilien for happy hour with friends. I'd read the rave reviews in the Seattle Times and I wasn't disappointed! HH has drink specials - $4 wines and a selection of inexpensive cocktails - as well as a list of small plates for $2.95 each. Featuring items like garlic goat cheese mousse and mussels steamed in white wine and garlic, the plates aren't particularly small and everything that we sampled was delicious.
The view from the patio where we were seated was beautiful. I'd read a few things about the servers being hard to flag down or rude but our waiter was friendly and helpful. I'm hoping to come back again before winter hits!
It's been several years since I've been to Maximilien and it was as good as I remembered. Even though I was there with friends for their budget friendly Happy Hour, I ordered their salade niçoise. Served NW style, it came with seared ahi tuna.
I ate the whole salad, washing it down with a French Martini (vodka, cranberry juice, pineapple juice, Chambord). I later shared their 8 apps for $20 special w/the gfs and tried their moules marinière and tartine w/pate. Enjoyed the tartine enough to order my own and enjoyed it with a Stella (served in bottle).
Wrapped up our meal with a Grand Marnier Soufflé. We'd selected the size for two and shared it amongst 7- it was plenitful and just right for all the food we had consumed.
Maximilien is quite the hidden surprise. The white-table-clothed restaurant, which is around the corner from the fish throwers, was a cute surprise. Inside the restaurant was empty... because everyone was on the patio! The first thing I noticed was that the patio has a tremendous view of Puget Sound and the set up was quite beautiful to say the least.
After being seated (which I have no doubt was helped along by my friend's impeccable French) we were promptly approached by our waitress. She was quick and efficient and our drinks were empty :)
Happy hour menu is full of 8 great food options, which are $2.95 each or $20 for all 8, as well as several drink choices from the usual red and white wine to the French martini to $5 absinthe (tasted like liquid good n plenty's).
Overall I can say that it was quite the pleasant experience. Everything you could ask for in a happy hour/restaurant: good drinks, cheap food, and quick service!
Word to the wise: Don't try to get a table until everyone coming is there. They won't seat you before the whole party arrives.
*Au Revoir*
We went to Maximilien for their Sunday Supper. $30, and you get a choice of French soup or salad, an entree from their regular full menu, and the dessert du jour.
Made reservations (though unnecessary, I needs me some OpenTable points), found parking easily (hooray for Sunday evenings), and were seated promptly near the window looking towards the water.
Service was quick and attentive, though his accent was a bit hard to decipher.
We both ordered the salad to start with, which was awesome! The plates were chilled (unlike the warm plates we received at crappy Cremant in March 09), and they came out within 5mins of our waiter disappearing with our order (unlike Cremant taking 45mins to give us icky salad).
For entrees, the hub ordered the beef tenderloin with the foie gras add-on. The beef tenderloin by itself was $39 so you're already coming out ahead! And the foie gras was really a curiosity. It was pretty good, but not so good that we'd try it again anywhere else for any reason. I ordered the fish of the day, which was a flakey white fish with some veggies and mashed potatoes (the beef came w/ similar sides).
Hub decided he wanted a glass of red with his tenderloin and so ordered a pinot noir recommended by the waiter. It was great, and just $9 a glass (2006 Domaine Valmoissine, Louis Latour).
Dessert was an almond pear tart a la mode. Tasty!
The check was a bit of a shock and here comes my own faux pas. When the waiter was explaining the menu earlier, and he got to 'fish of the day' which listed 'market price'....well, everyone knows market prices = $$$$$$ so stay away. But he kept pointing at it and repeating himself but the "not" of "not included" wasn't very clear. That's my fault for not asking clarification. So I thought it WAS part of the pre-fixe and why not get it, when it's normally much more (as was the tenderloin)??
So my order was actually the salad as a separate item and the fish at market price, it was nearly $60! The price we had hoped both of us would leave with. Sigh. And that's why we had to share the dessert, I thought they made an extra big one so we could share and be all romantic or something..but we actually shared the dessert that came with my hub's properly ordered pre-fixe meal. *epiphany*
That was really embarrassing and the waiter handled our fluster well..he's probably used to it. We paid the check as laid out because we received exactly what was listed. But it still kind of put a damper on the evening.
In sum, make reservations via OpenTable for points, stay away from market price no matter what, foie gras is just okay not worth all the drama, try the French onion soup because it's supposed to be really good.
I will go back for their Happy Hour (they have a bucket of beer and you can order 8 appetizers for $20) and probably their Sunday pre-fixe once more, now that I've learned my lesson.
PS: It was voted a romantic place to kiss..so we snuck a quick peck at our table with the glorious view. :)~
PPS: I had a hilarious exchange with a friend who kept saying "Max at the Market" when she really meant Matt's in the Market (whole other place). Max, Matt's..sounds kind of the same.
You will not find a better happy hour near the market. Ample choices of french finger food for 4 bucks a piece, decently priced and tasty cocktails, and of course, absinthe.
In the summer the patio is one of the best places in the city to enjoy an early evening snack. The views of the sound and city are excellent and the atmosphere peaceful.
Dinner there is good, but not great. The food lacks some originality and is nothing special. I had lamb, which was a bit too rich and pate which was lacking in flavor beyond salt. Not bad mind you, just not something great.
I am not a seafood fan but the other stuff on their happy hour list was delicious! For girls night, my friends and I chose to order the $20 happy hour list where they gave like 5 different happy hour dishes. Tiny in portion but tasty. Although I don't like oysters and mussels, it did look tasty and my friends enjoyed it thoroughly. I particularly liked the garlic fries.
The view is great from the patio but it definitely is crowded out there since they blocked off half of the place. Our server completely forgot one of our orders and the cooks turned off the fryers by then so he gave us complimentary creme brulee. Soooo good!
Validated parking at the Market garage off of Western after 5pm. Just remember to have the server get your ticket stamped before you leave!
This would be a nice place to go on dates - guys could easily grab a nice bouquet of flowers at the pike place market before heading in to meet his date at the restaurant haha.
I'll be honest, I was hesitant. This place is tucked back inside Pike Place Market. You literally have to walk through the smell of fish to get to it. And I had heard all about this glorious patio - which I will admit had an amazing view, but it was mostly obscured by the large wall as well as umbrellas. I thought I had made a bad choice when I realized all the outdoor patio furniture was plastic.
Lucky for me the food here is abso-f*cking-lutely amazing. I started the evening with a French 75 - it was exactly what I needed on a warm summer night. The taste was crisp with hints of citrus. Our group decided to share a dozen raw penn cove oysters. They were a nice manageable size to eat raw and were served cold with lemon and shallot vinegarette.
The wine list was definitely full of french options, with some local wines, and I appreciated that most of the bottles of wine fell into the $30 to 40 a bottle price range. We shared a L'Ecole (fabulous winery) 2007 Semillon. Great summer wine.
My entree blew my skirt up! I had the fish special of the day which was 2 deep sea scallops, seared, with a very light creamy mushroom sauce and sauteed mushrooms. It was accompanied by broccolini, golden beets and dauphinois gratin (potato). I'm pretty sure I could have died and gone to heaven a happy girl. I would say this meal ranks pretty high up in my best meals ever list - maybe even top 10.
My dinner partners had the lamb shank, crab cake over salad and Alaskan Halibut. We were all members of the clean plate club.
So all in all the food was amazing, the view great, the service good, but you're surrounded by tourists sitting on plastic patio furniture.... what's a girl to do?
The "Bonjour!" you receive at the restaurant entrance lets you know a) these guys are a bunch of phonies who are trying to fake their French authenticity with crappy attempts at embracing another culture or b) they are French. Either way, this cheery greeting served an appropriate foreshadow for the delightful surprises that would ensue.
Tucked in the bowels of the Pike Place Market, the sunken location of Maximilien's gives off a "red light district" vibe, further enhanced by the glowing red that Max's sign emits. Blessed with a sunny and warm day, we were routed to the balcony where several other locals where taking in the sun and the view (via sunglasses and under umbrellas). The happy hour here boasts an 8 piece selection for $20. Not a bad deal at all. The French-ness of course is probably up for debate, but its tastefulness and presentation is not. Garlic Mousse, Tarte Flambé Mini Croissant au Jambon, Moules Marinière, ordering these make you feel both sophisticated and dyslexic at the same time.
The only downer was that I left the restaurant a bit hungry. But I like to think that the controlled portions were part of the "French" experience, when upon leaving, I was welcome back to America where I could follow up my meal with a Big Mac and Coke.
If I ever get around to making my fave happy hour list in Seattle, Maximilian would surely make its way to the top. This place is a great place to have a nice, outdoor dinner during the summer. I love the view...just spectacular!
I always start off with a French martini here. They make it so well...I don't know what is in it precisely but I can say that it is very refreshing and yummy! We ordered the 8 items on the HH menu for $20. It's a good deal! Some dishes were more memorable than others. I liked goat cheese pot...very creamy! The mussels with white wine and butter was also good. We had a lot of food so it's hard to recall. I think the rest of the food were: mini-croissant stuffed with cheese and ham, country pate on a toast, salmon quiche, some kind of toast with onion and balsamic drizzles. All were decent except salmon quiche. I couldn't really taste any salmon in this little morsel.
I think the $20/8 plates is a great deal! Other items on the happy hour menu that I liked in the past were: the oysters (4 for $5), the salmon lox plate. This place is a fun place to hang out in the summer time on their patio and enjoy the ocean view and breeze. Service was polite and helpful. I don't recommend the upstair area as they didn't have AC up there and it was really hot!
Bottom line: great deal HH at Pike Place Market!
This trip was a lot better then our last encounter! Upon arriving I saw the same waiter that served us last time and I completely avoided eye contact with the guy just in case he might remember me. After getting seated it turns out or neighbor sitting next to us was my sister! hahaha! What a coincident!
We came here because we felt this place deserves another try and the sunday supper menu is simply too good to be true! For the price of 30 bucks you get a soup or salad, entree, and a dessert! Pretty good deal if you ask me. My girlfriend had the salad and the duck and I had the soup and beef tenderloin. The girlfriend requested her duck to be cooked well done but it came out medium rare and not neccessarily to her liking but still manage and my steak was magnificent! Very tender w/ a great combination of whipped potatoes aside from mushroom, carrots, and green bean. The finishing item would be a peach tart(?) topped with apricots and pine nuts which really tasted great!
Also don't forget about the view! Besides the fact it was still a little warm outside it's still a very breath taking view right around 7:30-8:00ish, you can watch the sunset
What I have come to love about this restaurant is their outdoor seating, it has a great view with a… Read more »
Finally we meet again, Maximilien.
It has been 3 years since I last visited you when you introduced me to your dungeness crab omelet. You left my mouth salivating for more but you went so far way.
The omelet this time around was just as delicious although less crabby and more eggie, but your escargot was scrumptious, delightfully garlicky and buttery, and full of tantalizing flavors.
Now you leave me again, but somehow I know that we'll meet again one day.
We stopped in for a drink while cruising Pike Market (a crowded market will make you want to DRINK) and all of the staff upstairs were so friendly and kind. Especially Eric! We talked his ear off and he was delightful. If we ever return to Seattle we will be sure to venture back upstairs and maybe actually eat some food.
Best Brunch in Seattle!! We love to go to Maximilien for Brunch. The view is amazing the service is attentive and the food is delicious.
We always order the Crab Omelet , it is DELICIOUS! It has about a pound of Dungeness crab meat. The sweetness from the crab meat goes so well with the mushrooms, cheese and fluffy eggs. The Croissant basket is a MUST. You have to order this as well. I bet you have never tasted such light and delicious Croissants in your life.
Their Bloody Mary's are good too. My hubby says that their Bloody Mary's are his favorite.
Everyone should experience Maximilien's Brunch.
When you fight with your lover, sometimes you remain frustrated with each other, for no apparent reason--then make up in a burst of firey passion, totally forgetting why you were annoyed with them in the first place.
This, of course, is a metaphor for the lovely experience I had last night when I popped into Maximilien for dessert. It was a Friday night, and we stopped by on a whim because it sounded good. It was great. The restaurant was busy, but we were seated within 10 minutes at a great table outside looking over Elliott Bay (they really are lucky to have this amazing view from their patio!), our server was prompt, friendly, and always ready to take care of us with a smile and a "ca va, mademoiselle?"
What more could you ask for, really?
Dessert was delicious. I had the smooth, rich creme brulee, and my friend's mother tried their dessert sampler with espresso--you get to try 4 desserts: a profiterole, small scoop of raspberry gelato, tiramisu, and small taste of creme brulee, in this case, served with a shot of espresso. When I saw it come out, I was almost disappointed that I hadn't ordered the same thing! Almost.
It was the perfect way to end a lovely evening. I am eager to return again soon!
I so enjoyed my previous visit to Maximilien's happy hour that I decided to go with my mom to have a… Read more »
I want to start this by thanking Maximilien's for participating in the Urban Eats 3 for $30. If it wasn't for that, I probably would've never tried them - their prices are a little extreme.
But I want to add...worth it.
Made reservations for myself and dining partner (in this case, the boyfriend) at 6pm. The deck was the hopping place to be, with only one other pair eating indoors. We opted for indoors where we received a table with a lovely view. They have roll-down screens for the windows for when the sun is shining directly at your eyes, which is nice (though does hamper the view - point for sitting outdoors) and there's minimal air circulation inside (which causes a bit of a sauna effect - you've been warned). Next time, we'll be outside.
ROUND ONE - The Appetizers
Him: smoked salmon plate
Me: fish/seafood soup
We had planned ahead to our entrees so we knew that we wanted appetizers that were the opposite of what we were eating for the main thang - hence, he went light and I went heavy. The smoked salmon plate was lovely - thick slices of cold smoked salmon spread across a plate, dotted with capers and red onions and topped with a lemon slice. Great flavor and very refreshing, especially considering we were both percolating from the heat.
The soup was amazing - it came with a bevy of little sides that you add to it to taste, but the soup itself was rich, dense, spicy, hearty, and delicate all at once. I don't know how they did it but it was awesome and amazing. Boyfriend stole several bites and definitely approved - we also both enjoyed dipping the (AMAZING) bread in the final bits of the soup.
ROUND TWO - the headliner.
Him: coq au vin
Me: dover sole
We knew going into this that one of us was going to have the coq au vin and after some debates, he took it on. It came in a good sized bowl with ribbon noodles on the bottom to sop up the juices. The chicken had more flavor than I think I was ready for when I had a bite. Oh man.
The dover sole, on the other hand, was perfectly prepared - light, flakey, moist, and flavorful. The sauce tasted like butter, cream, white wine, garlic, and bacon - I don't know how accurate that is, but that's what it tasted like and it was awesome. (The bread, again, was used by the boyfriend to sop up the sauce.) The pureed potato/turnip action was awesome and a good balance.
Both came with nicely prepared seasonal veggies.
ROUND THREE - I'm full but I'll cram it in, aka, the dessert round
Him: apricot and pine nut tart
Me: ice cream!
So I was full but you know, it's 3 courses so I suffered (oh the agony) through a vanilla ice cream sundae with a dense chocolate sauce and slivers of almonds. It wasn't bad. The chocolate sauce was good but the ice cream had some ice crystals going and I guess I'm a snob now.
The tart on the other hand was warm, moist, flakey, and flavorful. And beautifully executed.
To wash it down, he had first a drink (a martini I think?) and then a glass of a cab/merlot blend and I had a glass of chardonnay - generous pours and a very good wine list.
Overall, I'd do it again. Some of the things on their regular menu looked amazing. By the time we left, the place was hopping so make reservations.
Major downer on the way out - a couple at a nearby table spoiled American Idol for us. Obviously, they'd gone online to look up who won (since it wasn't even 8pm here) but they were talking loudly and completely ruined it. Had I not been headed towards a blissful food coma, I would've probably said something - but if you're reading this, woman with the tacky Broadway (as in New York) shirt on, I want you to know that you ruined my evening. Indoor voice next time.
I tend to get very intimidated by French restaurants, because let's face it, anything French has the propensity for nose-upturned pretension, and that's not something I like to deal with when I'm just trying to eat.
When we first arrived, Maximillien gave off that familiar vibe, especially when we mentioned that we were there for happy hour. The seating situation upstairs was a little awkward, because the main room fell victim to the dreaded prom season -- awkwardly fitting tuxedos, gaudy dresses and all. The manager didn't pretend to be too nice or sympathetic towards our plight, but he did find us a table tucked away by the bar. No worries, I'd rather stare at a cabinet full of Grey Goose than a gaggle of seventeen-year-olds.
Once our waiter (and subsequently, our food and drinks) arrived, all the awkwardness and intimidation were redeemed. The waiter was actually friendly and attentive (when a couple of our orders took a bit to arrive, for example, we got a free wine refill). The happy hour prices and quality also took me by surprise. I will definitely excuse all surliness for a $3 hornet of frites and $5 cocktails. The actual happy hour is pretty unheard-of, too, with few places offering such great deals at the prime dinner hour of 8pm on a Saturday.
If you're looking for good food with a great view or, like us, need a good place to grab a bite before heading to the Showbox, this is definitely the place to go.
Came here for pre-flight home lunch with my folks after listening to my mom endlessly hype this spot. She came her for lunch once previously and really enjoyed it so she overruled my dad and I on all other options. Fortunately it was 70 degrees out with a cloudless sunny sky, which made the outdoor patio with a complete view of the sound quite pleasant.
Mom started with the french onion soup while dad and I shared an order of escargot. The snails were well portioned and very tender, and I eagerly sopped up the garlic, drawn butter, and parsley with the deliciously soft and chewy baguettes provided with our meal. My mom said the french onion soup was passable yet nothing overly impressive and was also served more warm than hot.
Our mains were brought forth shortly thereafter; the smoked salmon salad for my mom, Les moules Provencal for my dad, and mine the skirt steak with green peppercorn sauce. My steak was one the small side, probably about 8oz, and was cooked more on the medium side of my requested medium rare. The accompanying peppercorn sauce was excellent with a rich complex flavor and good amount of spice. Still I was slightly disappointed in the size for the steak for the $16 price tag and even though the meat was still tender I would have preferred a bit more pink for medium rare. The fries that were served along side it were good but a bit over salted and over seasoned.
My mom liked her salad and the portion of smoked salmon was more than adequate to satisfy her appetite. However, I was most impressed with the mussels my dad ordered. The portion was huge, far more than I had anticipated, and the sauce they were steamed in was truly exquisite, further corroborated as my dad soaked up all remaining drops with the aforementioned bread. Mussels seem to be Maximilien's specialty, as they have 4 different varieties on the somewhat sparse menu. I'd definitely go that route on any future visits.
Although I wasn't entirely pleased with my meal, the food here is good and I would be open to return at the inevitable behest of my mom. The service was fantastic throughout our meal and the clear day and water-view patio setting provided for a fantastic way to end my most recent trip home. 3.5 stars.
Go here, in the summer, for a bucket of Stella's. No Need to eat the food, but if you must, get one of each app during happy hour. Some are ok, some are less so, but it's always fun to have one of each (esp for $20).
They are very authentically french, with eh, so so food, but, the patio is prob my favorite in the city!
I will never eat dinner here again. The staff is noticeably snooty, and the food is mediocre for the expensive pricing. I just don't tend to leave here feeling happy about my experience.
What has drawn me back repeatedly is the gorgeous and romanic location with a view of the water.
This place is best for a Saturday brunch with family. You can' go wrong with a warm basket of fresh croissants and jam with a good cup of coffee. If you don't need to sit and enjoy the view, you're probably better off going to the French bakery in the market.
This place has a ridiculously good brunch.
This is my kind of place, and since they have the 3 for 30 it makes it worth the trip down to pike place market.
Let's say, happy hour is also worth it.... $4 french martini's.. good company.. good service..good view... and if you dare to @ $2.95 small apps, and half off the normal apps.. seriously.. my friends and I are going to be there next wednesday for girls night.. well the beginning of our girls night, so it's so the place to be.....
btw if you want to try the 3 for 30 they do not participate with dine around seattle for the month of march so go directly to their website :) so my type of scene, and palate :) holllaaaa
Just wonderful.
Simply elegant cuisine, respectful and courteous staff. He knew the subtle nuance of swooping in when we needed, and hanging back when we didn't.
We were there for a birthday dinner experience, so $$$ was less of a concern, because it IS expensive.
We enjoyed the guidence with wine and apertif parings.
Scrumptous. Didn't know about Happy Hour, so maybe I'll hit that up!
Can't afford to go for dinner more than once a year, but that's ok!
Wow. Talk about a hidden gem!
One of the better happy hours in town, nice selection of appetizers for only $2.95 and a few drink specials ( including a $5 absinthe drink).
The space itself is classy and cozy with an unobstructed view of the sound (pretty darn romantic). Service was excellent, especially since I was in the upstairs bar with a group of 10!
I'm definitely adding Maximilien as part of my regular "night out" rotation. Big thumbs up!
I feel by saying this, I sound touristy, but being in Maximilien felt like being in Paris. Upon entering, you're greeted by a French-accented host and French-accented servers, and behind all the "bonjours", a pair of live musicians perform French tunes. The restaurant's woodwork feels European as does the claustrophobia of the small café tables and tight spaces. The most glaring indicator of NOT being abroad is the panoramic view of Puget Sound.
This past Thursday night, we went for happy hour (5-7pm, M-F). Unfortunately, the only spot to get happy is upstairs in the bar area, which can accommodate +/- 11 (there are 4 spots at the bar, 2 two-tops and 1 three-top). On this particular night, the restaurant was busy, but service was prompt and attentive, AND our server always approached our table with a "merci", "pardon" or "bon apetit".
Maximilien's HH menu is great! Food items are $2.95, but you can opt for all 8 for a measly $20. You can choose between one white or one red varietal - glasses are $4, bottles are $19. I didn't pay too much attention, but I do believe there are cocktail and beer specials too. Oh, and if you go before the end of the month, they are participating in New Urban Eats = 3 courses for $30.
Afer experiencing Maximilien, I feel like I'm now in the know because its marvelousness is tucked away down a hall in the market (look for a red neon sign by the Market Spice Tea shop). I do plan to return for HH, as well as for their huge, beautiful deck. I'm not certain what they serve out there, but the views are on par with the Pink Door's.
Expensive, but very good food, with a very nice view of the sound. Everybody speaks french, what makes it more classy i think :-)
I guess it's like the place to go if you have a date to impress and money that won't mind spending.
I haven't reached that point yet where just a little, beautifully presented food makes me completely happy. I would have a slice of pizza afterwards.
Execelent view. Good food. A French spin on Seattle seafood. I had oysters on the half shell. Very well prepared. Very nice experience.
I was hoping the hype would be lived up to, but unfortunately no. On our visit from Portland we found the food good, but overpriced. The staff was very friendly and on top of their game though. The view of course was outstanding. My biggest complaint, how can a full kitchen not be able to do "frites" for a 3 year old, as a retired chef, I just don't get it.
There are many fine points to Maximilliens, and I wouldn't rule out visiting again, it just won't be on the top of my list.
Upstairs at Maximilien's feels like a secret tree house and the unpretentious comfort of a wealthy aunt's front porch with a great wide view of Elliot Bay. Low ceilings create a cozy, clubby feel, which has been discovered by the younger set.
At the top of the stairs you'll see a micro bar on your right. It's usually jammed to standing-room-only capacity on the weekends. To your left are tufted bench seats and tables to enjoy the view, wine and light fare.
My friend's cheese plate was a tad too Miró for me - a few elements artfully placed. The mussels were fine, but nothing special. I think Wild Ginger has spoiled me with their fabulous mussels in a broth of coconut milk, lemon grass and other subtle flavors.
The wine list, however, is impressive. It's so nice to open up a wine list and not feel as though you're walking down a supermarket aisle! Their Malbec wine by the glass was fabulous. And our waiter was very generous when we asked to split a glass of wine. Generosity stands out in these economically pinched times.
It's a great place to stop after a hectic day shopping or after an early show.
O...M...G...I loved it! I la la la la la la la loved it! Great everything! Great food, great service, great atmosphere, great view! Servers were amazing: friendly, prompt, and attentive. The entire west side of the building has wall to wall windows overlooking the Puget Sound and Olympics. I happened to be there on a sunny fall afternoon and I couldn't take my eyes off of the view.
I had a mimosa, which was so refreshing on a Sunday afternoon and the Saumon Grillé sur Salade Tiède (I cannot pronounce that to save my life) with grilled salmon on wilted baby lettuce, red onions, cherry tomatoes, fingerling potatoes, walnuts and Dijon vinaigrette. The salmon was grilled to perfection, the vegetables were fresh and perfect, and I could have eaten an entire bowl of the walnuts.
Had an excellent experience and everyone must check out Maximilien!
We went there again on Saturday night and they did not disappoint! The food and service was wonderful. I've read some reviews about their brunch, perhaps we'll have to try that soon.
Thank you for another great experience Maximilien!
I took my husband here for his birthday a few months ago. We never really eat French food so this… Read more »
They do in the deep summer have outdoor seating on the deck here even for HH and it is everything you want it to be.
Maximilien is my favorite downtown Happy Hour. The view from the bar is amazing right before sunset… Read more »
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: French
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: French
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: American (New)
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