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MICHELIN Guide's Point of View

An efficiently run, two-roomed restaurant on a quaint main street, with a simple yet smart rustic style – a spot well-known by the locals! The unfussy,...
Read more on MICHELIN Guide
About
Max's Seafood Restaurant in Kinsale was established in 1978 and serves a wide array of carefully crafted seafood dishes by resident head chef and owner Olivier Queva. Early Bird menu available, daily specials, and the best array of fine wines and local cheese. Situated in the heart of Kinsale in West Cork and simply, a great place to eat!
Special Diets
Vegetarian Friendly, Gluten Free Options
Meals
Dinner
CUISINES
Irish, Seafood, European
FEATURES
Reservations, Seating, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Wine and Beer, Accepts American Express, Accepts Mastercard, Accepts Visa, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Non-smoking restaurants
Reviews (830)
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Traveller rating
555
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12
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All reviews hake soba noodles sea bass brie vanilla ice cream pork belly sticky toffee pudding seafood potatoes prawns bread anne marie two courses wine list main course dining experience front of house
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Reviewed 7 January 2024

My wife and I had occasion to visit Max's on the celebration of our anniversary in October. We had decided before our trip to Ireland to go there. Unbeknownst to my wife, however, I had contacted the restaurant, questioning whether they might be able to...do something special for our occasion. They were very accommodating, and agreed to work with their florist to have a lovely bouquet for my wife on our arrival. They came through beautifully, and my wife was extremely surprised and touched to receive this. We then proceeded to enjoy a very special dinner, with one delicious dish after another. The highlight may have been the desert, sticky toffee pudding with date pear compote. Simply wonderful.More

Date of visit: October 2023
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Reviewed 4 October 2023

We had a really great dinner at Max's to celebrate the end of our time spent in Ireland. Dinner was very fresh and well-prepared!

Date of visit: September 2023
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Reviewed 30 September 2023 via mobile

Absolutely perfectly prepared seafood dishes. Appetizer was calamari and prawns on a bed of soba noodles sweetened with a sweet chili sauce, and main dish was monkfish. We would return in a heartbeat.

Date of visit: September 2023
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Reviewed 21 September 2023 via mobile

Dinner at Max’s, our first time and we very much enjoyed ourselves. A warm welcome and lovely service, attractive room and well-spaced tables, a tempting menu of choices and the dishes were excellent, as was the choice of wines. We left feeling well satisfied and...jaunty.More

Date of visit: September 2023
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Reviewed 12 September 2023

The seafood was excellent, the service was very friendly and the ambience was pleasant. My only quibble was the time it took for the main course to arrive. It was at least 30 mins after the starter was finished.

Date of visit: September 2023
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Reviewed 5 September 2023

Dined here many years ago and were keen to revisit. It is a top class restaurant serving top class food and my daughter and I had a very enjoyable evening.

Date of visit: August 2023
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Reviewed 17 August 2023 via mobile

A fabulous family restaurant with local and home grown produce. Both our starters were super tasty and well presented, followed by superbly grilled fish and Irish Queens potatoes….and where else would you be given a home allotment grown cucumber to take home to try (and...it was delicious!) Thank you for letting us share your passion for your foodMore

Date of visit: August 2023
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Reviewed 8 August 2023

We spent a great evening in Kinsale! We found this place and it was a great experience! Nice place and amazing dishes! Super raccomandered

Date of visit: August 2023
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Reviewed 24 July 2023

Fantastic meal. The fish in particular was prepared perfectly and the accompaniments complemented the fish rather than trying to make something on their own. Nice wine list as well. Staff were very friendly.

Date of visit: June 2023
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Reviewed 17 July 2023 via mobile

Our somewhat unplanned second night in Kinsale presented us with the fortunate opportunity to secure a table at Max’s, a well-known seafood restaurant in the heart of the town. The restaurant’s ambiance was warm and inviting, with an understated sophistication that put us instantly at...ease. The highlight of our visit, without a doubt, was the outstanding quality of the seafood. Our party sampled a variety of dishes from the two-course menu. The starters, an Asian-inspired squid and prawn dish accompanied by green tea noodles, and the impeccably cleaned and prepared langoustine, struck the perfect balance of texture and flavour. Our main courses each featured a different type of fish, and we were impressed across the board. The Hake was a textbook example of how fresh fish should be cooked, complimented by excellent side dishes. The Monkfish was prepared to perfection, accompanied by a subtly Asian-inspired sauce and a phenomenal serving of fennel. The John Dory, was a testament to the skill and creativity of kitchen at Max’s, who managed to elevate an already fantastic fish to new culinary heights. Each main dish was served with flavorful boiled potatoes, which added to the overall satisfaction of the meal. However, there were a few areas that could use improvement, which stopped us from rating the experience a perfect 5. The service could be better attuned to the guests’ needs; it felt a little disorganised at times. Despite this minor shortcoming, our dining experience at Max’s was outstanding, with the phenomenal seafood standing out as a clear highlight. We now understand why Kinsale is often referred to as ‘The Foodie Capital of Ireland.’ It’s certainly true that Kinsale has a rich food culture, and are well worth its status as a gastronomic hub. We highly recommend Max’s for its delicious seafood dishes, and we look forward to returning on our next visit to Kinsale.More

Date of visit: July 2023
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Reviewed 16 July 2023 via mobile

The first truly outstanding meal that we have had in Ireland. Superb food, sumptuously prepared and simply delicious. Great service. Clearly, every detail was thought out with the utmost care.

Date of visit: July 2023
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Reviewed 12 July 2023

Delicious food, beautiful preparation, friendly, cosy ambiance. We had a wonderful evening at Max. The preparations were excellent, the seafood was as fresh as can be and prepared in very interesting ways, we ate every single bite with delight. The restaurant has a lovely ambiance,...it is an absolute gem!More

Date of visit: May 2023
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Reviewed 12 July 2023 via mobile

I traveled to Kinsale specifically to eat here and it was delicious. Amazing place for seafood, also tried Skeaghanore duck and was great

Date of visit: July 2023
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Reviewed 10 July 2023

Fantastic night in Max food amazing and wonderful service and staff best dining experience in Kinsale would highly recommend it top class restaurant

Date of visit: July 2023
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Reviewed 8 July 2023

Nice restaurant, the interior was very comfortable, service friendly and best of all good food.both our appetizers had great Asian tastes (sauté squid and prawns + the soba noodles with duck) main courses were both excellent, hake + the venison, to top off the meal...we drank a great French wine from the end of bins offering (amazing value) Thoroughly enjoyed our evening and will certainly return.More

Date of visit: July 2023
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Questions & Answers
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AmyC434
29 March 2017|
AnswerShow all 6 answers
Response from libellelule | Property representative |
Yes definetly
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LaurieM0
3 March 2015|
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Response from libellelule | Property representative |
Yes we will from 6pm,then closed on the Monday
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MAX'S, Kinsale - Updated 2024 Restaurant Reviews, Menu & Prices - Tripadvisor

Frequently Asked Questions about Max's

Yes, Max's is taking precautions against COVID-19. A full list is available within the "safety precautions" section of this page.

Max's is rated accordingly in the following categories by Tripadvisor travellers:
  • Food: 4.5
  • Service: 4.5
  • Value: 4
  • Atmosphere: 4.5