Maxwells Restaurant & Bar

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

Casual Fine Dining, Done with Conviction

Maxwells Restaurant & Bar occupies a clear-eyed position in the Fargo dining landscape: serious food and wine without the stiffness that often accompanies them. The phrase the restaurant uses — "impeccably casual fine dining" — is more than a tagline. It describes a deliberate philosophy shaped by two co-owners who came to it from very different directions.

Co-owner and Executive Chef Mike Wald leads the kitchen with a focus on seasonal ingredients and globally inspired technique. His menus draw on locally sourced produce and hand-selected proteins, and the cooking reflects what the restaurant calls a fundamental principle: respect for the ingredient, the guest, and the craft. Co-owner and General Manager Ramon Sosa brought his hospitality instincts from years working in five-star Caribbean resorts before making his mark in Fargo. His Level 1 Court of Master Sommeliers training shapes both the wine program and the way the team approaches each table — calibrating the experience to the occasion rather than applying a one-size approach.

A Wine Program That Earned Its Recognition

Since 2012, Maxwells has held the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence — a distinction earned by restaurants that offer a well-chosen selection of quality producers with strong thematic alignment to the menu in both price and style. Maxwells' list spans more than 100 labels. The Max Bar, which the restaurant describes as offering the region's largest selection of wines alongside its finest liquors, extends that commitment into a more relaxed setting, with personalized bartender service and a gourmet bar menu available during happy hour.

What's on the Plate

The menu reads as confidently American with clear French and global influences — the kind of cooking that belongs to no single tradition but is grounded in craft throughout. Starters include Classic Escargot with garlic-herb butter, Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna over Asian noodles, and Seared Sea Scallops with a bacon and crab red curry sauce. Among the entrées, the North American Elk Tenderloin arrives pepper-seared with cumin roasted sweet potatoes and port cherries; the Blackened Walleye Fillet — a nod to the region — is finished with butter-braised snow crab and béarnaise. A 16 oz. Dry Aged Bone-In American Wagyu Ribeye anchors the top of the menu. Desserts show the same range, from a Pear Cider Crème Brûlée to a Carrot Cake Bread Pudding with bourbon caramel sauce and cream cheese gelato.

The bar program carries its own ambition, with luxury cocktails built around spirits like Suntory Toki, Bozal Espadin, and Legent Bourbon — several incorporating house-made components.

The Space and the Occasion

Maxwells is set up to serve different kinds of evenings without strain. The dining room and Max Bar run Monday through Saturday. Private and semi-private dining spaces accommodate business dinners, celebrations, and social gatherings. The team also hosts events — including seasonal classes and chef's dinners — that reflect the broader commitment to food and wine education that runs through everything here.