in San Ramon has been around for quite a while and with a motto like "This is not a good place for a diet" you know that you are going to find lots of good, hearty, comfort foods. The exciting scoop about this place is that it has a revised menu that features some delicious sounding food that I'll get to in a bit.
For starters, you can find anything on the menu that your stomach desires from crisp potato skins ($4.99/$6.99) to sweet potato fries ($5.99), from crab cakes ($12.99) to four types of sliders ($7.99).
There also are hearty soup choices and 15 big, bold (their word) salads . The roasted beet salad will run $11.99 while a blacked shrimp goes for $14.99.
Deli sandwiches cost $9.99-11.99 and come with red potato salad, cole slaw or arugula salad.
New additions to the menu include Sandwich Odysseys. Choose from mexican torta, braised beef brisket melt, roasted turkey and cranberry cream cheese, or crab club. The odysseys are $10.99-14.99.
New hot baked ciabatta sandwiches cost $10.99-$13.99. Both the sandwich odysseys and ciabattas come with a choice of black-eyed pea salad or fries.
Now I definitely would have been tempted to try one of the new menu items but I visited the restaurant before they got there. So I stuck with what I know and love — the Carolina Pork Double-Stuffed Baked Potato. Picture a gigantic baked potato stuffed with sweet barbequed pork, corn, peas, red onion and Muenster cheese. This is kind of like a big, comforting carbohydrate hug and it makes me very happy for $11.99 It comes with a nice Caesar side salad that has big shavings of Parmesan.
The diner has lots of grilled sandwich choices and four barbeque choices, four pastas, five seafood options, burgers, turkey burgers, chicken sandwiches and many other great entrees such as meatloaf for $12.99, chicken pot pie for $13.99 or the mojito skirt steak for $18.99.
For kids there are classics such as a hotdog, corn dog or grilled cheese that come with french fries, chopped salad or mandarin oranges for $4.99. You can also find more sophisticated kiddie fare like Caesar salad with chicken for $6.99 or fresh broiled salmon for $9.99.
All of these items are available for kids 10 and younger. They come with a soda and trip to the sundae bar. The sundae bar has toppings for the ice cream, including Oreo cookies and gummy worms.
I have always found Max's Diner to be a great choice for a kid's birthday party meal because kids really do love the sundae bar and the prices are very reasonable.
Max's Diner also serves breakfast on the weekends. It has everything from biscuits and gravy to omelets, french toast and five buttermilk pancake types made from scratch.
There is a kids meal for breakfast.
I mustn't forget to mention desserts at Max's Diner. If you have a sweet tooth and are in the area, you might just want to drop by to indulge in a dessert. I had to have a piece of its famous Niagara Falls cake. This baby had layers of chocolate cake with layers of buttercream and was covered in chocolate ganache. It was delicious.
You also might like to try the giant chocolate eclair, carrot cake, a sundae or more than a dozen other choices. There is something for every sweet tooth.
In the way of beverages, Max's Diner has a full bar and a lounge area. My favorite beverage is the iced tea because it comes in a huge glass filled with ice along with a little tea pot to brew tableside.
Max's Diner has a great catering menu with details on its and also rooms for private parties. Guests can eat inside at booths and tables or at tables in remodeled patio area. Be on the look out for live music coming to the patio area shortly. Happy Hour is everyday from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. and early bird specials are available until 5p.m.
Max's Diner, 2015 Crow Canyon Place, San Ramon 925-277-9300. Mon-Thurs 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fri 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sat. 9:30 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sun. 9:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; breakfast Sat. and Sun. until 2 p.m.
