Max's Famous Hotdogs
Encyclopedia
Max's Famous Hot Dogs is a restaurant in Long Branch, New Jersey
known for its hot dog
s. Max's uses quarter pound Schickhaus beef/pork dog slow cooked on a griddle. Max's Hotdog style
is a Jersey Shore
variant of Kosher style
. It is popular with local celebrities and is said to be a favorite of Bruce Springsteen
and the late Cardinal John O'Connor. Among those who have visited Max’s are Jon Bon Jovi
, Steven Van Zandt
, Red Buttons, Gov. Brendan Byrne
, Connie Francis
, actors Joe Pantoliano
, Joe Pesci
, Nick Puccio, John Travolta
, Jackie Mason
, Dean Martin
and singer Frankie Valli
.
Located on the Jersey shore, Max's was a seasonal business. Maybaum closed the restaurant each winter, headed south to Miami Beach and indulged in his other passion,horse racing. During that time, "Max" met Celia Levy through a mutual friend. In 1967 after a brief but intense courtship, Celia, a New York native, became Celia Maybaum. For the next 13 years, the two ran Max's together during the summers and each winter returned to Florida to race horses.
Celia Maybaum soon became known as "Mrs. Max". Over the years "Mrs. Max" has become an enduring iconic symbol of Max's Famous Hot Dogs. "Max" died in 1980 but the legacy continues as the second and third generations of the Maybaum family keep the tradition of Max's alive.
Today, Maybaum's son Robert "Bobby" Maybaum and his wife Madeline, daughters Jennifer and Michele, and grandmother Celia, continue to work at the restaurant.
In 1978 Gov. Byrne proclaimed Max’s as the finest hot dog emporium; in 1991 Joan Haberle, secretary of state, proclaimed Mrs. Max as the Queen of Hot Dogs; and in 1992 Gov. James Florio
proclaimed that a trip to the Jersey Shore without a stop at Max’s in Long Branch would have been considered an incomplete visit. In 1995 Gov. Christine Todd Whitman
proclaimed "Democrats and Republicans are in agreement on very few issues, but we can all concur that Max’s in Long Branch serves the most outstanding hot dogs in New Jersey."
Max's is also known for its fierce competition with The Windmill
in Long Branch.
Long Branch, New Jersey
Long Branch is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 30,719.Long Branch was formed on April 11, 1867, as the Long Branch Commission, from portions of Ocean Township...
known for its hot dog
Hot dog
A hot dog is a sausage served in a sliced bun. It is very often garnished with mustard, ketchup, onions, mayonnaise, relish and/or sauerkraut.-History:...
s. Max's uses quarter pound Schickhaus beef/pork dog slow cooked on a griddle. Max's Hotdog style
Hot dog variations
This is a listing of regional variations on the hot dog. Different areas of the world have local variations on the type of meat used, condiments and means of preparation, which are enumerated below.-Alabama:...
is a Jersey Shore
Jersey Shore
The Jersey Shore is a term used to refer to both the Atlantic coast of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the adjacent resort and residential communities. . The New Jersey State Department of Tourism considers the Shore Region, Greater Atlantic City, and the Southern Shore to be distinct, each having...
variant of Kosher style
Kosher style
Kosher style usually refers to food that is not kosher, but is a type of food that could be produced as kosher. Generally, kosher style food does not include meat from forbidden animals, such as pigs or shellfish, and does not contain both meat and milk. In some U.S...
. It is popular with local celebrities and is said to be a favorite of Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
and the late Cardinal John O'Connor. Among those who have visited Max’s are Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as the founder, occasional rhythm guitarist, and lead singer of rock band Bon Jovi, which was named after him...
, Steven Van Zandt
Steven Van Zandt
Steven Van Zandt is an Italian-American musician, songwriter, arranger, record producer, actor, and radio disc jockey, who frequently goes by the stage names Little Steven or Miami Steve...
, Red Buttons, Gov. Brendan Byrne
Brendan Byrne
Brendan Thomas Byrne is an American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey, who served as the 47th Governor of New Jersey, from 1974 to 1982.-Early life and education:...
, Connie Francis
Connie Francis
Connie Francis is an American pop singer of Italian heritage and the top-charting female vocalist of the 1950s and 1960s. Although her chart success waned in the second half of the 1960s, Francis remained a top concert draw...
, actors Joe Pantoliano
Joe Pantoliano
Joseph Peter "Joe" Pantoliano is an American film and television actor. He played the character of Ralph Cifaretto on The Sopranos, Bob Keane in La Bamba, Cypher in The Matrix, Teddy in Memento, Francis Fratelli in The Goonies, Guido "the Killer Pimp" in Risky Business, and Jennifer Tilly's...
, Joe Pesci
Joe Pesci
Joseph Frank "Joe" Pesci is an American actor, comedian, and musician.He is known for playing a variety of different roles, from violent mobsters to comedic leads to quirky sidekicks...
, Nick Puccio, John Travolta
John Travolta
John Joseph Travolta is an American actor, dancer and singer. Travolta first became known in the 1970s, after appearing on the television series Welcome Back, Kotter and starring in the box office successes Saturday Night Fever and Grease...
, Jackie Mason
Jackie Mason
Jackie Mason is an American stand-up comedian and movie actor.-Early life:Born Yacov Moshe Maza in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, he grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New York City....
, Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
and singer Frankie Valli
Frankie Valli
Frankie Valli is an American musician, most famous as frontman of The Four Seasons. He is well-known for his unusually powerful falsetto singing voice...
.
History
In 1928, Max Altman, opened a small restaurant on the northern end of the Long Branch pier. Max named the place after himself and did business with Milford Maybaum, who in 1950 bought him out and kept the name. Soon after Max's was purchased, Maybaum expanded the business by moving it south of the Long Branch Pier and amusements. After a short time, Maybaum became known as Mr. Max by patrons and friends. Max's developed the idea for the Jersey fresh corn on the cob and family style portions of french fries and onion rings.Located on the Jersey shore, Max's was a seasonal business. Maybaum closed the restaurant each winter, headed south to Miami Beach and indulged in his other passion,horse racing. During that time, "Max" met Celia Levy through a mutual friend. In 1967 after a brief but intense courtship, Celia, a New York native, became Celia Maybaum. For the next 13 years, the two ran Max's together during the summers and each winter returned to Florida to race horses.
Celia Maybaum soon became known as "Mrs. Max". Over the years "Mrs. Max" has become an enduring iconic symbol of Max's Famous Hot Dogs. "Max" died in 1980 but the legacy continues as the second and third generations of the Maybaum family keep the tradition of Max's alive.
Today, Maybaum's son Robert "Bobby" Maybaum and his wife Madeline, daughters Jennifer and Michele, and grandmother Celia, continue to work at the restaurant.
In 1978 Gov. Byrne proclaimed Max’s as the finest hot dog emporium; in 1991 Joan Haberle, secretary of state, proclaimed Mrs. Max as the Queen of Hot Dogs; and in 1992 Gov. James Florio
James Florio
James Joseph "Jim" Florio is a Democratic politician who served as the 49th Governor of New Jersey from 1990 to 1994, the first Italian American to hold the position...
proclaimed that a trip to the Jersey Shore without a stop at Max’s in Long Branch would have been considered an incomplete visit. In 1995 Gov. Christine Todd Whitman
Christine Todd Whitman
Christine Todd "Christie" Whitman is an American Republican politician and author who served as the 50th Governor of New Jersey from 1994 to 2001, and was the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in the administration of President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2003. She was New...
proclaimed "Democrats and Republicans are in agreement on very few issues, but we can all concur that Max’s in Long Branch serves the most outstanding hot dogs in New Jersey."
Max's is also known for its fierce competition with The Windmill
The Windmill (hot dog stand)
The Windmill is a chain of restaurants located mostly near the Jersey Shore known for its hot dogs and other fast food. The original location, a windmill shaped building in Long Branch, New Jersey, was built and opened in 1964. Leo and Ed Levine bought the restaurant in 1976, and opened a second...
in Long Branch.
External links
- Max's Famous Hot Dogs Website
- Mrs. Max on YouTube
- HollyEats.com Review of Max's Famous Hotdogs
- New York Times Correction about Mrs. Max being Queen of Hotdogs
- New York Times Review of Shore Food (including Max's)
- Schickhaus Hot Dogs website
- Hub News Story on Max's Famous Hotdogs
- Serious Eats Guide To Regional American Hotdogs