Max's Pizzeria — Restaurant in Town of Hempstead

I mean, considering most pizza spots around this area are total trash, this one isn't too bad. But I'm an Italian from a very Italian neighborhood, Howard Beach - and I can taste the lackluster ingredients. Sauce is mediocre, not bad, just heavily salted for flavor in place of the quality ingredients and hours of care while cooking. The reply says the sauce is cooked for 3 hours...well that's the problem. Good sauce where I'm from and in my family, starts on the burner by 6am and isn't ready until at least 4 pm. It takes all day on low simmer out that natural bitterness of the tomato's. The mozzarella i thought wasn't fresh, but the owner says it is - so maybe it is just domestic store bought mozzarella and not quite the imported expensive stuff from Italy that I'm used to. But again. Not bad. I'd eat here again. And most pizza around here SUCKS so if you're stopping around this area for pizza, this is the place to go. The rice ball was bland and also clearly of the frozen variety, or perhaps made in house then frozen - completely obliterating the taste that you would get from a fresh made, never frozen riceball. The bread for the heros were at least fresh, though to have one super thick cut chicken cutlets and one tiny sized but perfectly sliced chicken cutlet on an entire chicken Parm hero was a little disappointing, especially considering how much sauce they slopped into the bread with it. The Marsala sauce was a bit too oily and really lacked the sweetness of a good Marsala wine, which can be a bit pricey, but is worth it for the flavor and punch it adds to any dish you use it in. If you can't make it to better pizza/Italian places like New Park or Ozone Pizza in Howard Beach and Ozone Park, or even Aldo's and Gino's in the same area...or Spumoni Gardens out in Brooklyn and have to order locally, this place is still better than just about any other local spot I've tried since moving out here in the Rockaways. But that really isn't saying...

Oh how I miss Max's! This was the best place to get pizza in the Inwood/Lawrence area. Unfortunately I live all the way in Manorville now, so I haven't had too many chances to get here since moving to Manorville ten years ago. None of the other pizza places in the Inwood/Lawrence area can compete with Max's. Mauro's is the only competition Max has, and even Mauro's is not as good as Max's. Ciccio Boy? Forget it! The pizza at that place never tasted the way a pizza should taste. Ciccio Boy is mediocre at best and that may be putting it kindly. South Shore Pizzeria? Don't even get me started on them. They are the worst in the area! That pizzeria has had so many name changes over the years I'm amazed it's still called South Shore Pizzeria. Max rocks when it comes to friendly, charming, courteous service. I wonder if Lisa who was one of the waitresses when I last went there is still there, she was a sweetheart and Max himself is one of the nicest owners you'll ever meet. So if any of you Googlers are reading this, and you want to find the best pizza in the Five Towns look no...

This place used to be great! Not so great anymore Ever since the owners took a bit of a backseat and are hardly ever there the 2 young people behind the counter are absolutely horrible. They not only look miserable everytime you walk in but their customer service skills are in the toilet. No smiles no enthusiasm! The food tastes very subpar compared to how fresh and delicious it used to be. They are rude and not accommodating at all! I have been ordering a specific item for years when ever i stop in or order delivery ( I’m no carb so i order the topping of Buffalo chicken that goes on the pizza but in a small tin) never had an issue and i paid roughly 6-7 dollars for it. Only to be told now they can’t do that lol. Another time i stopped in with my son for a quick bite , we both got pizza but mine was so super salty it was inedible i went up to the counter being that i only took a small bite and asked politely if i could change it for another slice , they said no. So i paid for something i couldn’t eat and threw the pizza in the trash. All in all they really...