Ben Yakas/Gothamist

Sometimes there seems like there are only two kinds of places in Alphabet City: tattoo parlors and candle-lit restaurants. Max Restaurant is one of our favorite neighborhood options for the latter, a humble Italian place that specializes in hearty, old country-styled dishes. And the atmosphere more than matches that, especially their romantic garden sitting area in the back, with the added bonus of "authentic" crisscrossing clotheslines overhead.

Allegedly named after a magazine the owner read as a small boy while dreaming of moving to the United States, the food at Max's is uniformly excellent red-sauce fare, with particularly generous portions for all the dishes. The Bruschetta al Pomodoro is the appetizer that can do no wrong, but we were particularly jazzed on the dipping sauce which comes with the complimentary bread, which is a mix of tomato, olive oil, and lemon and orange zest. There are several rotating specials of the day which are put up on chalkboards in the garden, but of the mainstay dishes, we particularly recommend the saucy Gnocchi alla Sorrentina and eggplant-filled Rigatoni alla Siciliana for vegetarians, the Rigatoni Ragu Napoletano, and the Spaghetti del Marinao if you want something a bit spicier. And we've had many friends rave about their cheesy Lasagna, and its cinnamon undertones.

It seems like a particularly young crowd that flocks to Max's, and the music can sometime be a bit too loud and Euro-pop for our tastes. And they should probably think about investing in more than one bathroom, seeing as how a line can form rather quickly as the night wears on and the wine bottles pile up. But don't let that dissuade you from trying this unpretentious, reasonably-priced restaurant. Whether you're on a first date or want to spend some time catching up with an old friend, you won't be disappointed; just don't be surprised if you don't have any room left for dessert.

51 Ave B, (212) 539-0111 (They also have a second location in Tribeca at 181 Duane Street)