<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3ypWBf_18nmzsbn00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3ypWBf_18nmzsbn00" width="1200" height="796" ><figcaption>Waffle at Max &amp; Helen’s. Rebecca Roland</figcaption></figure>In our Dining Reports, we share a firsthand perspective of a recent restaurant visit, covering everything from the vibe to must-get dishes. See more in the Eater app.What happens when Nancy Silverton and Phil Rosenthal open a diner? Evidently, eight-hour-long waits, more celebrity appearances than a Saturday Night Live anniversary episode, and rumors of a secret phone number to get a table. After some anticipation, Max &amp; Helen’s opened in November 2025 with a menu meant to pay tribute to longstanding legends like the Palace Diner in Biddeford, Maine. Lines quickly manifested for Silverton’s takes on diner classics, including scorched marshmallow–topped hot chocolate that has its own fan club on social media and a $17 golden-brown waffle crowned with maple butter. But at the heart of the hype, Max &amp; Helen’s is still just a diner slinging time-honored dishes to mixed results. If the wait ever dies down, it could become a tenured neighborhood fixture with pretty good — albeit pricey — breakfast plates and friendly faces at the counter.<ul><li>Max &amp; Helen’s tuna melt sandwich layers a balanced but basic tuna salad between two melted slices of bright-orange cheddar and pan-toasted white bread. On my visit, the bread had become saturated with too much cooking fat, leaving my fingertips greasy and an overwhelming aftertaste.</li><li>A diner can (and should) be judged by its version of a Grand Slam. Max &amp; Helen’s Larchmont Slam comes with eggs prepared to your preference; home fries under a dollop of sour cream; a choice of bacon or sausage; and a plate-sized pancake tinted, somewhat surprisingly, with lemon zest. Its scrambled eggs arrived fluffy but undersalted; the bacon tasted oddly sweet. My pancake had that just-right texture, though its citrus flavor overpowered some bites. </li><li>Herb-laden matzo ball soup didn’t hit on my first visit, its overall weak broth missing the simmered-for-hours depth I look for. The nails in the coffin were its slightly sweet matzo balls that had a strong lemon flavor. On a return visit, the matzo balls tasted less sweet but the soup’s broth still fell flat. </li><li>Craggy, battered fries are a quiet menu highlight but don’t come with any of the main dishes. Adding a side of them costs an additional $8. </li><li>The golden-brown waffle, made from a three-day-fermented sourdough batter, arrives light and crisp; a rough quenelle of frosting-like maple butter melts into its divots. Those with a prominent sweet tooth will enjoy the sugar hit but it can quickly become cloying.</li></ul>The team behind Max &amp; Helen’s makes a brand-new restaurant feel lived in with warm wood on the walls, a vintage-style curved counter, and diner mugs emblazoned with its logo. At the counter, you’ll probably strike up a conversation with your neighbor about tuna salad preferences while sipping (the very good) bottomless drip coffee. The service — warm and familiar — is one of the best parts of any meal here.Plan to dine solo for the best chance at a short wait. During lunchtime on a weekday, the wait for a seat at the counter was only 20 minutes — at the same time, the wait for two was 45 minutes. Request to sit inside if possible; the patio doesn’t offer the same charm as the vintage-appointed interior. If you see Nancy and Phil holding court with friends and family at separate tables, as one of my Eater colleagues did on her random Tuesday visit, just come another day: the storied wait will be even longer.Max &amp; Helen’s wants to be a neighborhood mainstay and probably will be for wealthy people who have cultural cachet, secret phone numbers, or live within walking distance from it. Otherwise, wading through the ever-present queue for a table — and doling out $27 for a Larchmont Slam — still seems like too much hassle to encourage anyone else to make regular return trips. Loosely scheduled creatives who can wait in line for lunch on a weekday or solo diners have the best chance at getting in without breakfast or lunch turning into a half-day affair. If you have insatiable curiosity about celebrities and their adult children, grab a good read at nearby Chevalier’s Books to keep occupied while you look out for the text (yes, they finally got text notifications) saying your table is ready.<img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3kJddi_18nmzsbn00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3kJddi_18nmzsbn00" width="1200" height="791" ><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0MllJP_18nmzsbn00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0MllJP_18nmzsbn00" width="1200" height="796" ><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2XA61y_18nmzsbn00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2XA61y_18nmzsbn00" width="1200" height="799" ><figcaption>Larchmont Slam. Rebecca Roland</figcaption></figure></div></body>

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In our Dining Reports, we share a firsthand perspective of a recent restaurant visit, covering everything from the vibe to must-get dishes. See more in the Eater app. What happens when Nancy Silverton and Phil Rosenthal open a diner? Evidently, eight-hour-long waits, more celebrity appearances than a Saturday Night Live anniversary episode, and rumors of a secret phone number to get a table. After some anticipation, Max & Helen’s opened in November 2025 with a menu meant to pay tribute to longstanding legends like the Palace Diner in Biddeford, Maine. Lines quickly manifested for Silverton’s takes on diner classics, including scorched marshmallow–topped hot chocolate that has its own fan club on social media and a $17 golden-brown waffle crowned with maple butter. But at the heart of the hype, Max & Helen’s is still just a diner slinging time-honored dishes to mixed results. If the wait ever dies down, it could become a tenured neighborhood fixture with pretty good — albeit pricey — breakfast plates and friendly faces at the counter.

Max & Helen’s Is Just a Diner

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In our Dining Reports, we share a firsthand perspective of a recent restaurant visit, covering everything from the vibe to must-get dishes. See more in the

Max & Helen’s Is Just a Diner

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