Max's Market & Eatery

What a delightful surprise Max's Market & Eatery in Califon, NJ, turned out to be! We spent the morning apple picking and, by sheer amazing coincidence, stopped here for lunch—best decision ever! The burger was a standout, with fresh lettuce, tomato, red onion, and a juicy patty, served with perfectly crispy fries and a side of ketchup that hit all the right notes. We also savored the linguine and shrimp, which was cooked to perfection with a rich, flavorful sauce, and the fried calamari, light and crispy with a fantastic dip. The variety and quality of the food were impressive, and the warm, inviting atmosphere made it even better. The staff was friendly, and the portions were generous—perfect after a morning outdoors. We can’t wait to come back. A real unexpected gem!

I really want to love this restaurant, but they seem to be doing everything they can to dampen my enthusiasm. Last three takeout visits / returned home to find they gave me the wrong pizza, too far to return to exchange/ next time I checked pizza before I left and again they were giving me the wrong pizza. had to wait for them to make new pizza. /went to pick up 3 pies and was told they forgot make them. Had to wait twenty minutes for them to make pies.

Excellent food and service. Came here from ny after visiting a farm nearby. Some of the freshest calamari and seafood I have ever tasted. All the food was fresh and delicious. Very nice ambiance for family dinner or a date. byob and there’s a liquor store literally next door, perfect. If your thinking of coming here think no more, you won’t regret it.

Good food, but disappointing service. Stopped in with my family on a Friday night. As newcomers, we didn’t realize reservations were needed. The host’s attitude and comment about it were unnecessary and made us feel unwelcome. We got our food to go, and while the food was good, the customer service wasn’t. Based on that first impression, we’ll choose other local spots.

Max's was recommended to us by a family member and we are glad we went to check it out for a recent dinner. The market and restaurant were very busy which is always a good sign. We ordered the Thai calamari for an appetizer and it was absolutely delicious. Our entrees were good too. Service was top notch and of course we always love the BYO option. Will definitely come back to try more of the menu.