My spouse and I dined at Maxine’s Bistro and Bar in the very
early morning hours (approximately 4:00 am) on a Saturday in early July 2016.
Maxine’s is open 24 hours daily. The restaurant is located on the street-level
of the Catalina Hotel on bustling Collins Avenue (between 17th and
18th Streets), next to the Redbury and across the street block from the
Raleigh/Richmond/South Seas/Surfcomber/Marseilles/SLS hotels. Maxine’s offers
both outdoor dining on a flagstone patio as well as indoor dining. Although
most patrons choose to dine at the outdoor tables, a few lounge groupings allow
for more casual seating. Umbrellas and large fans keep the customers cool.
Although Maxine’s has an extensive menu of international
cuisine, the late-night menu is abbreviated. We actually wanted to order
breakfast, but that portion of the menu is not available at 4:00 am. Instead, we
ordered two sandwiches: the bacon grilled cheese and the Cuban-style ham
sandwich. The grilled cheese was non-traditional: the whole-grain bread was
untoasted/ungrilled; however, the cheese, bacon, and tomato inside were heated
to a delicious melted consistency. The tasty Cuban panini included ham, cheese,
pickles, and mustard pressed between two slices of grilled bread. Maxine’s
offers a choice of French fries or a small green salad to accompany your
sandwich; we ate one of each, and both were good. As with most South Beach bars
and restaurants, Maxine’s adds an automatic 15% gratuity to your bill.
If you want a casual meal where you can people-watch on
Collins Avenue at any time of the day, choose Maxine’s Bistro.
