Maxi’s Bistro

4.7

363 Reviews

$30 and under

Bistro

Make a reservation

2 people

Mar 11, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 3 times today

Neighborhood gem
Charming
Good for groups

Nestled in the heart of Cleveland’s Historic Little Italy, Maxi’s embodies a vibrant atmosphere and a welcoming ambiance. We are open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

Our main level offers guests the opportunity to interact in a casual and upbeat setting or to partake in the dynamic liveliness of the bar. The cozy and intimate upstairs level seats 50 people comfortably and can be booked for events such as meetings, rehearsal dinners, birthdays, graduations, presentations and more. Our fully enclosed and heated garden patio provides a relaxed and comfortable dining experience while the sidewalk tables allow for a most spectacular view of Little Italy.

Whether you are looking for a place to dine before going to The Cleveland Orchestra concert or searching for the perfect location to share a conversation, Maxi’s welcomes you to enjoy dinner, an appetizer, a glass of wine at the bar, a Peroni while the game is going on, or even an espresso with a San Pellegrino for a caffeine push.

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Bistro
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu 11:00 am–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:00 am–11:00 pm Sun 11:00 am–9:00 pm
Phone number
(216) 421-1500
Website
http://maxisbistro.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress

Location
12113 Mayfield Rd, Cleveland, OH 44106-1923
Neighborhood
University Circle
Parking details
Street Parking
Additional
Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wine

Popular dishes

Little Neck Clams (One Dozen)$17.00
Sauteed in a white wine and garlic sauce or in a fresh tomato basil sauce
Calamari$16.00
Lightly dusted with flour & flash fried, then sauteed in olive oil with fresh garlic, oregano, lemon juice, and fresh tomato basil sauce
Bruschetta Classico (5 Pieces)$12.00
Garlic toast with tomatoes, red onion, parsley, olive oil, and lemon juice
Bruschetta Rustica (5 Pieces)$14.00
Garlic toast, with roasted red pepper coulis, goat cheese, kalamata olives, and parmesan cheese
Bruschetta al Salmone (5 Pieces)$15.00
Garlic toast, with Mascarpone cheese, capers and smoked salmon
Fried Fresh Mozzarella (8 Pieces)$15.00
Breaded and served on a bed of fresh tomato basil sauce, topped with Parmesan cheese
Stuffed Hot Banana Peppers (2 Peppers)$15.00
Stuffed with Italian Sausage, breadcrumbs, and parmesan cheese, served on a bed of fresh tomato basil sauce
Stewed Tripe$15.00
With Carrots and celery, finished in a fresh tomato basil sauce, topped with parmesan cheese
Sauteed Frog Legs$16.00
Sauteed with fresh & roasted garlic, parsley, and butter
Escargot de Bourgogne$15.00
With garlic, parsley, butter, and portabella mushrooms
Mussels$16.00
Sautéed in a white wine and garlic sauce or in a fresh tomato basil sauce
Cauliflower$14.00
Roasted and tossed with jalepeno sauce
Sauteed Escarole$14.00
In olive oil with fresh garlic, fresh tomato basil sauce, and Parmesan cheese
Prosciuttto Platter$17.00
Prosciutto di Parma, Asiago cheese, Sicilian green olives, garlic Toast

Salads

Fresh Mozzarella, Tomato & Basil Salad$13.00
Tossed with balsamic vinaigrette
Tomato, Red Onion & Caper Salad$10.00
Tossed with balsamic vinaigrette
Mixed Mesclun$10.00
Young, small greens with sun dried tomatoes and a side of balsamic vinaigrette
Arugula Salad$12.00
rugula, red onion, pecorino romano, tossed with oil and lemon vinaigrette
Burrata Cheese$14.00
Served with sliced tomatoes, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil vinaigrette

Pastas & Entreés

Linguine with Meatballs$18.00
In a fresh tomato basil sauce with beef & pork meatballs. Topped with parmesan cheese
Calamari Pasta$22.00
In a light tomato basil sauce with linguine, escarole, roasted red pepper and fresh garlic. Topped with parmesan cheese
Clams Pasta$22.00
Tossed with linguine, in a white wine and garlic sauce, or in a fresh tomato basil sauce
Spinach Ravioli$20.00
Stuffed with spinach and ricotta cheese, in a tomato basil & cream sauce. Topped with parmesan cheese
Penne Pasta Carbonara$22.00
In a cream sauce with sweet peas & proschiutto, topped with parmesan cheese
Mussels Pasta$20.00
Tossed with linguine, in a white wine & garlic sauce or in a fresh tomato basil sauce
Shrimp Marinara$22.00
Tossed with fettuccine in a tomato basil sauce. Topped with fresh basil
Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken$22.00
In a nutmeg cream sauce with grilled chicken breast. Topped with parmesan cheese
Bolognese with Papparedelle$22.00
Pork, beef and pancetta based sauce, tossed with papparedelle and topped with Parmesan cheese
Lobster Ravioli$25.00
Tossed in a Cognac cream sauce with fresh tomatoes and basil. Topped with Parmesan cheese
Farfalle$22.00
With Italian sausage, hot banana peppers, red & green bell peppers, garlic & tomato basil sauce. Topped with Parmesan cheese
Cavatelli with Meatballs$18.00
In a fresh tomato basil sauce with beef and pork meatballs. Topped with Parmesan cheese
Penne Pasta alla Flavia$22.00
In a vodka, cream, and tomato basil sauce, with shrimp and hot crushed red pepper. Topped with Parmesan cheese

Pizzas

14 inches, with 8 slices

Margherita Pizza$18.00
Butter, garlic, and herb sauce with sliced tomatoes, and shredded provolone and mozzarella cheese
Funghi Pizza$18.00
Butter, garlic, and herb sauce with fried garlic, portabella mushrooms, roasted red peppers, and shredded provolone and mozzarella cheeses
Carciofi Pizza$18.00
Butter, garlic, and herb sauce with artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, fried garlic and shredded provolone and mozzarella cheeses
Meatball Pizza$19.00
Fresh tomato basil, sliced beef and pork meatballs, and shredded provolone and mozzarella cheeses
Quattro Formaggio Pizza$18.00
Fresh tomato basil sauce, Gorgonzola, Parmesan, shredded mozzarella and goat cheese
Traditional Pepperoni Pizza$18.00
Fresh tomato basil sauce, sliced pepperoni and shredded provolone and mozzarella cheeses
Arugula Pizza$19.00
Fresh tomato basil sauce, arugula, Kalamata olives, cherry tomato and prosciutto
Maxi's Pizza$18.00
Fresh tomato basil sauce, fresh mozzarella, Kalamata olives and fresh basil
Gilbert's Pizza$19.00
Fresh tomato basil sauce, ricotta cheese, prosciutto, and Kalamata olives
Smoked Salmon Pizza$20.00
Butter, garlic and herb sauce with red onions, smoked salmon, capers, and shredded provolone and mozzarella cheeses
Quattro Stagioni Pizza$20.00
Fresh tomato basil sauce, artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives, portabella mushrooms, prosciutto and shredded provolone and mozzarella cheeses
Alex Pizza$20.00
Fresh tomato basil sauce, stuffed hot pepper with Italian sausage and shredded provolone and mozzarella cheeses
Darcy Pizza$18.00
Butter, garlic and herb sauce with hot banana peppers and Kalamata olives, shredded mozzarella and provolone cheeses
Gina's Pizza$20.00
Butter, garlic and herb sauce with prosciutto, sliced tomatoes, and shredded provolone and mozzarella cheeses
Little Italy Pizza$18.00
Fresh tomato basil sauce, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and hot crushed red pepper

Meat & Poultry

Chicken Picatta$26.00
Sauteed in a lemon butter sauce, with capers, and roasted red peppers. Served with a side of penne with fresh tomato basil sauce
Chicken Marsala$26.00
Sauteed in a Marsala wine and de-glace sauce, with portabella mushrooms and roasted red peppers. Served with a side of penne with fresh tomato basil sauce
12 oz Strip Steak$38.00
Grilled, topped with portobella mushrooms. Served with roasted red skin potatoes
Chicken Cacciatore$26.00
Sauteed in a tomato basil and de-glace sauce, with artichoke hearts, portabella mushrooms and Kalamata olives. Served with a side of penne with fresh tomato basil sauce
Chicken Parmesan$26.00
Traditional chicken parmesan. Served with a side of penne with fresh tomato basil sauce
18 oz Bone-In-Ribeye$45.00
Grilled, served with sauteed portabella mushrooms and onions. Served with a side of roasted red skin potatoes
Veal Scaloppini Picatta$27.00
Sauteed in a lemon butter sauce, with capers, and roasted red peppers. Served with a side of penne with fresh tomato basil sauce
Veal Scaloppini Marsala$27.00
Sauteed in a Marsala wine and de-glace sauce with portabella mushrooms and roasted red peppers. Served with a side of penne with fresh tomato basil sauce
Veal Saltimbocca$27.00
Prosciutto di Parma, mozzarella, sauteed mushrooms, and onion, prepared with a white wine garlic sauce. Served with a side of penne with fresh tomato basil sauce

What 363 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.6Service
4.6Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Maxi's Bistro in Little Italy offers a delightful dining experience with "the best calamari in the city" and "amazing food, excellent service." The cozy atmosphere and scenic patio make it perfect for special occasions or a casual meal. With friendly staff and a diverse menu, it's a local favorite.

363 Reviews

OT
OpenTable Diner
Cleveland3 reviews
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Every thing was fabulous. Food and service
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R
Robert VIP
Detroit17 reviews
5.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Food and service were superb. To start, we shared an order of escargot. We had never had escargot not served in shells but these were. They were tender and delicious and served in a garlic butter sauce that we couldn’t stop eating. For our entrees, had a seafood pasta special and a lobster fettuccini special. Both were loaded with seafood. The seafood pasta came with about 15 mussels, 6 clams, 4 large shrimp and lots of calamari rings. We will definitely return the next time we are in Cleveland.
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R
Ric VIP
Cleveland3 reviews
5.0
Dined on March 1, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Love this place…A Little Italy Cleveland favorite!!!
Is this helpful?
H
Heather
Cleveland1 review
5.0
Dined on February 23, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
We got a table immediately with our reservation. The host was super friendly only to be followed by our great service from our server. I’m sorry I forget their names! My husband and I had an appetizer, salad and two entrees with a boozey cappuccino for dessert! Fabulous! Thank you for a great date night before the show!
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L
Les
San Francisco2 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 22, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
we had a window table. had Fungi pizza and a salad. very good. we will go back. parked in Church lot.
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B
Beth
Richmond6 reviews
2.0
Dined on February 16, 2025
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 2
There were six of us and we were sat at a table that fit four comfortably. The server was okay. Had to ask for forks, dessert plates etc. Food was meh. The muscles and escargot were very sandy/gritty. The frog legs were extremely bland. Steak was ordered medium rare and came out rare. Asked them to cook it a little bit more and it came back completely well done. Unfortunately it was inedible. Everyone else said their food was okay. Not terrible but not great. None of us will be back.
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T
Tracy
Phoenix7 reviews
3.0
Dined on February 14, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 2
I appreciate that they use OpenTable and it was easy to make a reservation. The table is ready when we arrived. The restaurant was pretty rundown and could definitely use some updates. I ordered the lobster pasta special and it was absolutely disgusting. Tasted like the lobster came out of a can and was shredded. They did a great job of replacing it with another dish which I liked. Overall, it was an average meal and an average experience for a high price tag. with the variety of restaurants around there, I would probably choose another place next time.
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C
Charie
Cleveland8 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 9, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Maxi's has excellent food and our server, as usual, was very cordial, friendly and approachable. We love going there. The only improvement suggestion I have is they should improve their payment options. It is no longer acceptable to have to relinquish your credit card to an employee. They need to provide a QR code on the bill so customers can pay online or they should bring a machine to the table and have the ability for customers to pay with Apple Pay and Google Pay. We are woefully behind Europe and Canada in this regard.
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T
Theresa
Charleston2 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 8, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
I’m a returning customer so that is a big deal for me. The service,food and atmosphere were all very positive again . The only issue was when the patio heater nearest my table was turned off . My table was not against the restaurant brink exterior but up against the tented wall in the patio section. We were not asked about our temperature comfort level when the patio heater near our table was turned off; It was a very cold night and our feet ended up being cold. Other than that it was pretty great! The fresh “free bread “ all the appetizers and all three meals were delicious! So go!
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T
Thom
Cancun9 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 5, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Nice comfortable place for lunch- I visited with my sisters and had some lovely food, great service and it was in an atmosphere where we could have a nice conversation.
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FAQs

Maxi’s Bistro offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (216) 421-1500.

Maxi’s Bistro is rated 4.7 stars by 363 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Mar 11, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 3 times today

Order delivery or takeout

12113 Mayfield Rd, Cleveland, OH 44106-1923

Dining areas

Additional information

Neighborhood
University Circle
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu 11:00 am–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:00 am–11:00 pm Sun 11:00 am–9:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Bistro
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Street Parking
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wine

Website
http://maxisbistro.com/
Phone number
(216) 421-1500

Maxi’s Bistro

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Calamari Pasta

Penne Pasta Carbonara

Linguine with Meatballs

Appetizers

Little Neck Clams (One Dozen)$17.00

Calamari$16.00

Bruschetta Classico (5 Pieces)$12.00

Bruschetta Rustica (5 Pieces)$14.00

Bruschetta al Salmone (5 Pieces)$15.00

Fried Fresh Mozzarella (8 Pieces)$15.00

Stuffed Hot Banana Peppers (2 Peppers)$15.00

Stewed Tripe$15.00

Sauteed Frog Legs$16.00

Escargot de Bourgogne$15.00

Mussels$16.00

Cauliflower$14.00

Sauteed Escarole$14.00

Prosciuttto Platter$17.00

Salads

Fresh Mozzarella, Tomato & Basil Salad$13.00

Tomato, Red Onion & Caper Salad$10.00

Mixed Mesclun$10.00

Arugula Salad$12.00

Burrata Cheese$14.00

Pastas & Entreés

Linguine with Meatballs$18.00

Calamari Pasta$22.00

Clams Pasta$22.00

Spinach Ravioli$20.00

Penne Pasta Carbonara$22.00

Mussels Pasta$20.00

Shrimp Marinara$22.00

Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken$22.00

Bolognese with Papparedelle$22.00

Lobster Ravioli$25.00

Farfalle$22.00

Cavatelli with Meatballs$18.00

Penne Pasta alla Flavia$22.00

Pizzas

Margherita Pizza$18.00

Funghi Pizza$18.00

Carciofi Pizza$18.00

Meatball Pizza$19.00

Quattro Formaggio Pizza$18.00

Traditional Pepperoni Pizza$18.00

Arugula Pizza$19.00

Maxi's Pizza$18.00

Gilbert's Pizza$19.00

Smoked Salmon Pizza$20.00

Quattro Stagioni Pizza$20.00

Alex Pizza$20.00

Darcy Pizza$18.00

Gina's Pizza$20.00

Little Italy Pizza$18.00

Meat & Poultry

Chicken Picatta$26.00

Chicken Marsala$26.00

12 oz Strip Steak$38.00

Chicken Cacciatore$26.00

Chicken Parmesan$26.00

18 oz Bone-In-Ribeye$45.00

Veal Scaloppini Picatta$27.00

Veal Scaloppini Marsala$27.00

Veal Saltimbocca$27.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Review summary

FAQs

Does Maxi’s Bistro offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Maxi’s Bistro restaurant rated?

Is Maxi’s Bistro currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information