The unique menu of sundaes and milkshakes at Max’s Best Ice Cream make the store special, but the servers who create them make it unforgettable. Max’s, which opened in Bethesda on June 24, is co-owned by national non-profit Best Buddies, an employment program for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The “upscale, dine-in ice cream shop,” as Max’s website describes, provides jobs for individuals with disabilities and allocates a portion of their proceeds from each customer’s purchase to Best Buddies, furthering the impact of their work.
According to Foodish Ways Restaurant and Travel Blog’s interview with co-owner Cory Alexander, the store “fulfills a lifelong father-son dream to open an ice cream store.” The entire store concept is not only named after but is also inspired by Alexander’s son, Max.
My three companions and I ordered three items: the Cookie Monster milkshake ($20), the Towering Chocolate Chip Brownie sundae ($20) and a single scoop of Black Raspberry ice cream ($6).
At first glance, $20 for a sundae or milkshake might seem high, but the portions of their dishes are so large that one sundae or milkshake could easily feed three or four people, putting the price at about $5 per person, the same as a single scoop.
The treats themselves were delicious. The Cookie Monster milkshake was rich in flavors such as cookie dough, Oreo and chocolate. The milkshake is topped with an intricate array of chocolatey sweets, whipped cream, more cookie dough and cinnamon sticks.
The next thing we tried was the Towering Chocolate Chip Brownie Sundae, which, while delicious, was an enormous portion. This unique sundae featured two scoops of ice cream, two full cookies, a brownie, cookie dough, whipped cream and a cherry on top. Although it was very sweet, the sundae was delicious and all of the flavors blended perfectly. I would go back to try it again, but I would need to take at least three other people to tackle this sundae with me.
Finally, to try a more affordable option, we ordered a single scoop of Black Raspberry ice cream, which was creamy and rich in flavor. While the ice cream was good, it is not the product I would recommend trying from Max’s, as it was not nearly as exciting as their other specialty dishes, which make the trip worth it.
Aside from the desserts themselves, Max’s general ambiance was very welcoming. The shop had an employee stationed at the entrance to greet customers and and explain how the shop works. My group also appreciated the ample seating, including large booths for bigger parties.
Though it was quite crowded on our Friday afternoon visit, they still had seating available and enough people working that there was no line to order. The only wait time was assembling the dishes.
Overall, Max’s Best Ice Cream serves fantastic ice cream alongside a meaningful purpose, and it is worth a trip.
