Max’s

On Ocean Avenue at Matilda Terrace is Long Branch’s hands-down hot dog king, Max’s Bar and Grill, formerly known as Max’s Famous Hot Dogs. They’re located just a few blocks down from their archrivals, Windmill Hot Dogs—also a Jersey Shore touchstone.

After a local scuttlebutt reported that legendary Max’s was tearing down their iconic Long Branch mural and closing shop, they let folks know that it was water damage necessitating the change; they’re hoping to have the mural restored by summer.

Max’s is the place favored by Bruce Springsteen, supposedly fondly recalled from his wild youth in Long Branch. And though we all laughed when The Boss  showed up at Max’s earlier this summer to buy prepared hot dogs to take to a BBQ (the rich, they’re not like us), reporters still wrote it up in The Coaster, and we all still bragged about it.

The physical space is like an old garage, with concrete floors, cinder block walls, and cargo bay garage door that open onto the patio. There is a large rectangle bar in the middle giving that sports bar vibe, with aluminum four-top tables and raised high-tops with teal laboratory stools. There’s also old-style counter seating in a room to the left. It’s decorated with all the original signage from when Max’s was located on the old pier on the boardwalk.

Our waitress, Denise, says that Mrs. Max (aka Celia Maybaum) kept these hand-lettered vintage signs because she loved the original look. It’s her son Bobby and his family who run things now. Originally opened in 1928, this Max’s has been in its current location since 2012, with a 2018 renovation. Yet that wasn’t the first time they had to make changes.

“They say Ronald McDonald was the arsonist,” quipped Denise, relaying a tale from days of yore that had locals suspecting a competing McDonald’s location of burning down the original Max’s way back when. Please, no libel suits over her joke; the statute of limitations has surely run out by now, anyway.

The remodel and rebranding as Max’s Bar and Grill brought this longtime denizen of Long Branch into the present day. And the owners have wholly embraced the ‘bar’ part, offering a full line of bespoke cocktails, cosmos, and martinis. They also have a wide range of bottled beer, canned seltzers, wines by the glass, and cold beer on tap. They even offer Zero Proof options like Shirley Temples and Pi-NO Coladas for the kiddies or DDs.

We grabbed a quick dinner at Max’s last month, while the sun set over the very last Friday of our beloved Locals Summer. I sipped my cold Kona Big Wave as a breeze blew through the open garage doors between the indoor seating and patio. I had bittersweet feelings about the impending fall, à la Don Henley’s “Boys of Summer.”

Max’s is proud of their Famous Hot Dogs, using the same brand of 80% beef/20% pork Schickhaus foot-long hot dogs for the past 95 years. They are gently grilled and served up with complimentary sauerkraut and spicy relish on the side, upon request. The Classic is great at $9, but if you pony up a few more bucks, you can get the Barney, with sauteed onions; the Dirty Dog, topped with homemade chili; or the Mrs. Max, stuffed with melted cheese (add chili to that for the Mr. Max). Enjoy the New Yorker with red onion sauce, sauerkraut, and mustard; or the Mad Dog, stuffed with pepper jack and topped with jalapeños and sriracha. There’s even a Jersey Dog, stuffed with cheese and topped with grilled pork roll. You just can’t get more New Jersey than being topped with pork roll.

There are also a lot of starters, sides, salads, sandwiches, and baskets to choose from. Check the menu below for everything from Mexican corn elotes to poppers to mozzarella sticks, every kind of fries and rings imaginable, plus burgers, BLTs, chicken sammies, and grilled cheeses. Kids can get chicken tenders and fries, and grown-up kids can get baskets of the same, or fish and chips, coconut shrimp, or fried clams—perfect for a day at the nearby beach. Health-conscious folks can get a house salad, Caesar, or Grilled Chicken Apple Walnut Salad.

But hot dogs are the thing here. We ordered the New Yorker and The Mr. Max with the sweet but also spicy relish, which really made it. We also tried the special sliders, a pair of charcoal cookout burgers, one tiny burger for each of us, with a pile of hot shoestring fries. Denise served up our meal and we tucked in.

The footlong dogs came and they were delicious, albeit with soggy bun bottoms from the kraut, relish, and onions. The Mr. Max dog had a very cumin-forward, beany chili topping it. You could tell it was house made. I would absolutely come here again to bite the weenie that snaps back.

The damage of a casual dinner for two with drinks and a doggy bag of bits and bobs for the pooch was $53 before the tip. That’s not the worst. Whether it’s beach traffic or just the locals, there’s always something to look at while you eat. You can even enjoy live music; on November 15^th, Johnny Philipps performed at the joint. Check their Facebook page to see who’s playing.

Max’s is for sure one of the top summertime spots at the Jersey Shore. But don’t panic; they will stay open late, even on colder weekends, to give you a taste of summer whenever you need it.

Max’s Bar and Grill
25 Matilda Terrace
Long Branch, NJ 07740
732-571-0248

Thursday 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
Friday 11 a.m.- 9 p.m.
Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Sunday 11 a.m.‑7:30 p.m.

Save a Few Clams

Hot dogs aren’t going to break anyone’s bank, but there are still ways to save. Head to the beach on Sundays for Game Day, and nab food and drink specials including $1 wings, $2 Miller Lite drafts, and $3 domestic bottles.