Someone needs to teach these folks how to make bloody mary's. Terrible drinks.... it was more like a tomatoe and horseradish. Wait staff spent plenty of time talking to folks at the table next to... More

Someone needs to teach these folks how to make bloody mary's. Terrible drinks.... it was more like a tomatoe and horseradish. Wait staff spent plenty of time talking to folks at the table next to us...in fact while handing us dessert menu's he was still talking to them. Shrimp wrapped in proscuitto was so salty!!!! And paella had no flavor at all!!! Way too bland. Will not return. Pros: Nice decor Cons: food, terrible service, t.v. distracting, bad drinks
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I don't know why the past few reviewers are complaining about the service, because I, too, grew up in West Hartford and have always found that the Max line of restaurants truly knows how to make a... More

I don't know why the past few reviewers are complaining about the service, because I, too, grew up in West Hartford and have always found that the Max line of restaurants truly knows how to make a customer feel appreciated. The service at the Oyster Bar may feel a bit more rushed just because it's one of the more popular and vivacious places in West Hartford Center, but it's still above and beyond what you'd receive anywhere else. Although I'm not an oyster person, there's enough non-oyster cuisine to please anyone. They bring out an interesting (and delicious) plate of carrots with a mustard dressing, which is a nice alternative to the standard loaf of bread. They also provide thin crackers with butter, which are also incredibly good. The martini list is incredible--check out the bloody oyster if you like bloody mary's--and you can find great deals with their grand prix 3-course options. For $25 (and sometimes less), you get an amazing 3-course meal. Finally, the Oyster Bar provides some excellent people-watching, whether you're outside on Farmington Avenue or inside the beautifully decorated and spacious interior. It doesn't hurt to have good eye candy ;) Pros: Drinks, environment Cons: Price
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I have lived in CT all my life. I grew up only 8 miles from West Hartford. For some reason, all my friends want to live in West Hartford but I'll stay put exactly where I am because this place... More

I have lived in CT all my life. I grew up only 8 miles from West Hartford. For some reason, all my friends want to live in West Hartford but I'll stay put exactly where I am because this place epitomizes all that is disgusting about West Hartford Center. I have been frequenting this restaurant off and on for about 4 years now. I will only go once a year only because all my friends continue to think this restaurant is the bomb. First off, the wait staff is doing YOU the favor of allowing you to sit at a table. Oh, you're the customer and have the money? Doesn't matter. Queen Elizabeth could sit in here and they would still treat her like mud. Though the food is very good, the service staff is mega-snooty. I have been here three times and I always beg people in my party to be on time. Why? Because if anyone is more than 5 minutes late and the table has one empty chair, get ready for nasty stares from all the wait staff that walk by your table. How many stares will that be? Well, you'll be sitting there for 3 hours waiting for you dinner to come out and that's a lot of wait staff death glares. I absolutely hate the wait staff at this establishment. What I hate more is that I have to give them so much money for such a ridiculous experience. Are you doing them a favor by giving them your business? Guess not. Too darn loud, couldn't even have a conversation or hear anyone at a small round table of seven. Food took 1.5 hours to come out once we ordered it. Three hours sitting in a restaurant where you can't have a conversation and the prices are over the top is enough. The waiter was not to be found at times and when we paid with plastic he had the air of a martyred saint because he had to swipe several cards. OH MY GOD? You mean you have to work for a 20% tips. With this place, I didn't want to leave a tip at all. West Hartford isn't all it's cracked up to be and Max's Oyster Bar isn't anything more than a puffed up peacock. No real substance. You're better off taking your money elsewhere. Not only will you get a better meal at a more decent price, the other establishments will actually appreciate your patronage and show you that. And you might even be able to hear and not have to shout at your table companions. Any reviews where this place is "perfect" is definitely put up by Max staff or owners. Max's Oyster Bar, please read this and read carefully: There is a recession going on. Even if there wasn't, people work hard for their money and expect and should get a good experience when they are dropping this kind of money on dinner. You really need to polish up your act. If it was up to me as an owner, I'd fire the wait staff, reduce the damn noise in the bar (aka sports bar) and actually pay attention to my patrons. Pros: Good food Cons: Horrible service, too pricey, super noisy interior
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Wow. What an awful experience. The dinner was rushed in this very loud restaurant. Waiter forgot to bring our order of oysters for appetizers and the side dishes we were supposed to have with... More

Wow. What an awful experience. The dinner was rushed in this very loud restaurant. Waiter forgot to bring our order of oysters for appetizers and the side dishes we were supposed to have with dinner. When oysters did finally come, they were out of some of the ones we ordered. We were just about finished eating when the tiny side orders finally came. My NY strip was ordered medium and came out rare. My friends seared tuna entree was appetizer sized. Everything was overpriced for what you got. Servers were clueless. Table was the wrong size for our group even though we did have a reservation. Bar TVs were distracting. Desserts were pedestrian. And to top it all off, the waiter ran my credit card through twice so my overpriced $400 meal, actually costed $800. Never again. Pros: Ample parking Cons: Everything else. High price, terrible service
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One of the largest assortment of seafood in the greater Hartford area. The raw bar samplers are amazing! There's also plenty for those in your group who are not seafood lovers.

One of the largest assortment of seafood in the greater Hartford area. The raw bar samplers are amazing! There's also plenty for those in your group who are not seafood lovers.
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This is the best Oyster Bar around. Fresh and tasty. We love the atmosphere and the service is outstanding. We love to go there when we have company to entertain!

This is the best Oyster Bar around. Fresh and tasty. We love the atmosphere and the service is outstanding. We love to go there when we have company to entertain!
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This restaurant is a bustling, New York-style place with New York-style prices. That being said, there are some fine things to be found here. My advice would be to focus on the specials of the day.... More

This restaurant is a bustling, New York-style place with New York-style prices. That being said, there are some fine things to be found here. My advice would be to focus on the specials of the day. We've found menu items to be disappointing, or over-the-top mish-mashes of tastes and textures when more simplicity would do. The oysters are good; but for the sparkling freshness one expects of a restaurant which specializes in these crustaceans, it disappoints too frequently. One order which contained four oysters which were actually so bad as to have a pungent odor was taken back cheerfully and other, better specimens replaced. Service was very good but they were slow on the draw to re-fill cocktails on more than one occasion. We like to take first-time visitors to West Hartford here, because beside the service and array of culinary delights, it's a very, very beautiful restaurant. But we don't go at night any more because the bar becomes unusually loud and worse, the servers fawn over the bar patrons, striking up conversation with regulars, leaving us feeling left alone in the wilderness in the dining room. The same experience happens when one of the many celebrities who frequent the place shows up; everyone drops the tables belonging to hoi-polloi like us and surrounds the table. We were surprised they didn't offer to shine the shoes of a gentleman who showed up, with entourage, in a limousine. I'd suggest lunch here to be able to enjoy the experience and cuisine and not feel hopelessly un-cool. Drinks were generous and a good value. The wine list, while overpriced, is outstanding. Pros: Gorgeous restaurant professionally conducted Cons: Don't go unless you're wearing Armani Coutoure or Dolce & Gabbana
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I was very impressed with the attention to even the smallest detail at Max's. I ordered a Bellini Martini and the way it was poured and presented has made me a fan for life not to mention that it... More

I was very impressed with the attention to even the smallest detail at Max's. I ordered a Bellini Martini and the way it was poured and presented has made me a fan for life not to mention that it is the best Bellini I have ever had. It was a girls lunch and we all enjoyed what we ordered. I was very impressed with my clam chowder and the salads were also excellent. Great job guys!!!
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Well, the ambiance is awesome. The place was loud and bussling. The decor was retro. Our server must have been having a bad night, but she still was polite and helpful. I would recommend... More

Well, the ambiance is awesome. The place was loud and bussling. The decor was retro. Our server must have been having a bad night, but she still was polite and helpful. I would recommend reservations. The food was good, but not what everyone raved about. It was overpriced for the portions received. Pros: atmosphere. Cons: $$$, and if you dont like it loud.. dont go here
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We were looking for a place to eat after my God Daughter's college opera performance. My friends suggested we go to Bertucci's or Macaroni Grill (yecch!). I asked a couple of adults who looked like... More

We were looking for a place to eat after my God Daughter's college opera performance. My friends suggested we go to Bertucci's or Macaroni Grill (yecch!). I asked a couple of adults who looked like they might be local and sought a recommendation. They said easily, "Max's Oyster Bar. And I am glad they did. The restaurant is on a commercial street with ample parking out back. The decor is clubby / cozy with soft lighting. In good weather, they offer sidewalk tables too. If you lived near West Hartford, I see how this could become your favorite spot Service, despite the large size of our party, was efficient and professional (not very common in a college town). The two appetizers we tried received mixed reviews. The better of the two was the New England clam chowder. Rich with clams, cream and bacon, I could have sat myself down in front of a tureen, large spoon in hand and died happy. Alas, the $13 crab cakes were just fair. Despite being a seafood place, beef played a significant role on the menu. The fillet received high marks and was cooked as ordered. Several of us had the pan baked lobster over garlic mashed. It sounded so wonderful, I had high expectations. I hate to say it, but it was merely pretty good and not the nearly $30 gift from the gods I expected. Not so the potatoes - if they put garlic in there, they were well hidden. The grilled cod with mashed was pronounced "really good" but the garlic was AWOL in the spuds here as well. We had a nice genuine French Chardonnay (shhh, don't tell Dick Cheney) - a steal at $30. And the Key Lime Pie was small but well made with a good crust. The sorbet was raspberry and it too was quite good. All told, the bill with tip for 9 people came to $400. Considering we had wine, a couple of drinks, a couple of appetizers and a couple of desserts, the bill was more than fair and easily matched the overall quality. Again, our server did a wonderful job and added to the overall experience. A great find that saved me from eating in a chain restaurant. 4 stars.
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