Two things strike you as you enter Maxie's: This is a strange neighborhood to find a New Orleans style restaurant, and the place is a lot bigger than expected.

The size is, unfortunately, one of its downfalls. While the downstairs bar area look very cozy, seating is very limited so we sat upstairs, and upstairs was not too great. It is basically one big square of a room with nothing separating it into sections, and nothing keeping the tables away from each other. In fact, they were almost organized into rows. So much so that I thought I was in a grocery store for a little while. The dining area was too bright, and the carpet felt kind of threadbare.

The service was decent, our waitress greeted us right away and brought drinks, but after that it took quite a while for her to show up again. The menu seemed limited, although we eventually found some things we liked. I got the blackened catfish and my guest tried the fish fry. They were both good, but neither of them really stood out. The fish was cooked well, and the sides were ok, but there was not an abundance of either.

I think the problem I had with Maxie's is that they tried to be a southern-Creole-fusion restaurant. They didn't just serve southern food, they tried to fancy it up, serving things like Ahi Tuna appetizers. I guess I was expecting seasoned fries and a Bud instead.

Maxie's Southern Comfort
6732 W. Farview
Milwaukee, WI
Maxies Web Site
3 or 5 stars