Maxim Chinese Restaurant - London

I treated my hubby to a meal here for his birthday. Some of the food here is better than average. I’d give an overall score of 4. 5 for dishes like the salt and pepper squid and the soft shell crab. Both were very well cooked. The chicken satay was ok but didn’t look particularly appetising. The main courses were also quite good but could be improved. The fried rice was mediocre and bland. The sizzling prawn dish was over prepared with the chilli dried out which caused the sauce to dry out and it made all surrounding tables cough. The chilli fish was nice but my hubby wouldn’t have chosen it had he been aware it was sweet chilli sauce. However it was beautifully cooked. The vegetables dishes were well prepared but slightly underseasoned. The let down is the service it feels very inexperienced and hesitant. The staff are polite but they didn’t have the confidence in communication to make us feel settled. We were told not to order further dishes after the starters, then whilst eating the mains another waiter came to ask if we wanted to order, bringing a dish he’d said we should order late. Whilst we ate they seemed to hover and as if they were impatient for us to get to the next course. It was hard to relax. The choice of drinks could be improved I ordered a lemonade I wasn’t asked if I wanted ice or lemon, it came with both and it was low cal which I didn’t want but I didn’t ask for a change but I should have. The dining area was a little chilly so we wanted go drinks to start. They only serve jasmine tea or coffee so hubby opted for the Chinese beer- which we said was nice. Other minus points. The upholstery on the Chairs could do with being changed or cleaned. The layout is not ideal for an intimate dinner for couples there is an upper floor where other diners seem to be sitting almost on top of us, we sat just under a couple and it was possible to hear all their conversations and it ruined the ambience a little. I think clever screening with nice plants could resolve this. Overall at over £60 per head excluding service charge we expected much more.

Awful rip off Used to be great not now Too expensive for what it is Will not be going back there They cannot cope when busy

I have been dining here for over 30 years, it has fallen into decline, the food is very average and stodgy, the service is poor and chaotic with wrong dishes arriving at the wrong time, the old characters have gone and have been replaced by masked minions, the prices have rocketed, it is shame to see what has happened, it used to be good. £180 plus service charge for a bottle of Chateau Batailley is daylight robbery, to be avoided.

We left this area over 23 years ago but have kept in contact with friends. Maxims was always our favourite restaurant and remained very special in our memory. We were so delighted to go back with our friends last night. It was just as we remembered it. Absolutely wonderful another great evening in Maxims. Thank you for such wonderful food and being such great hosts. We will be back promise.

I wish I had read Clair W's review (5/2/23) before ordering a takeaway! Our experience was exactly the same; I spent quite a lot of money on almost inedible food tasteless, stodgy, greasy cooked to death meat we threw most of it away and still our stomachs feel rather queasy. Never again!