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Categories: American (New), Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
1039 Pearl StreetMon. 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Tue-Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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Warning: This review is primarily regarding The Kitchen Upstairs. The Brit has succeeded to make two very distinct environments out of one restaurant and I may choose to review downstairs at another time.
On Said Kitchen:
I have been hesitant to do this because I am a regular fixture at one end or the other of the bar upstairs. People know my name there not because I am so cool, which I am seriously not. Case in point: at a poetry reading just last night I spilled my chai all down my pants right before my turn...see! If you take the poetry reading and chai out of that sentence you could see how uncool I really am. I swear!
Anyholla, they do know your name at La Kitchen because it is their job to do so and everyone there does their job well. I am a fan of the upstairs over the downstairs only in that I patronize it for the atmosphere as much as the fresh cocktails, local produce and organic meat. It reminds me of the east coast in both clientele and attempted efficiency. If you are looking for the real-ish Boulder experience, I suggest a night at one of the Suns, Mountain or Southern...not THEE Kitchen.
Back to the attempted efficiency: the one thing some patrons find challenging is that the attention of the bar is scattered due to a large, and on occasion, demanding yuppie patronage. For swaths of time, you my go without your bartenders love, but through no fault of his/her own. And they do show love. Molly, Burton, Jeff and Jake are among my fav bartenders in all my travels. Shout out to Jill as well. She's a great person to get to know as well as stellar manager on even the crazy busy nights.
They have started to sell their own vino, around 17.50 per glass and I have had some sips. While I am a total wine aficionado, I also am into saving a little here and there and think their daily red special *can* be comparable. In the warmer months, they have a nice muscadet. I can't exactly remember the house...
Regardless, get Burton's Manhattan. You have no choice. But don't blame me when you are hungover lest you not heed my warning stated here in plain jive: NEVER have more than one, you dig? Ever. Especially not if you drink one of their pricey and high alcohol content beers. Like my fav: Canadian Unibroue's Fin Du Monde.
Here are a few of my palate's favorite things, in order of divinity:
1. The Chicken and Garlic Fries, succulent and worth the 40 plus minute wait. Or...you can call ahead and let them know you're coming
2. The freakin pot au my goddess chocolate
3. Flatbread
4. Sticky Toffee Pudding. This is not your Cosby pudding, people!
5. Tomato Soup
6. Lamb Burger with Garlic Fries
Only once was there a miss. I ordered some salmon with a beurre blanc sauce and crispy brussels sprouts. The food was swimming in butter in a way that mad my hips talk to me. And while I love my curves, I don't need them to love me back. It really was just too much and I would be quite leery if I saw it on the menu in the future.
On a final note: there are cute boys and girls who frequent the spot. I met one there that is even keeping my attention for now. Now that's what I call having your cake and... ;) I know...am a very bad woman.
My sister and I were recommend The Kitchen for breakfast by a friendly taxi driver and was absolutely delighted. The food was oh so fresh since it's all organic and filled my belly with warm sugar goodness. I had the french toast with pecan caramel syrup and a side of bacon because I love bacon.
Little did we know that our younger sister had made reservations for dinner that night at The Kitchen, so a couple of hours later we were back. This time with a party of 10, we were to be seated on the second floor, which had an elevator. It was very crowded due to graduation weekend and although we had reservations, we still had to wait a good 45mins. If it wasn't for the lack of organization upstairs, I would have given the max rating. Nonetheless, the food for dinner was still delicious, though not as many options upstairs as there is downstairs.
Why I give The Kitchen 4 stars is because how wheelchair accessible it is. I use a manual wheelchair and the restrooms on the lower and upper level are up to code, and I already mentioned the elevator.
Wheelchair Traveling Guide: BOULDER, COLORADO
http://www.wheelchairt...
The Kitchen get three stars since there is a direct correlation between price and expectation of what you'll receive.
I was there with a group and we managed to sample several items on the menu. The flavor profiles were good, but the meat was not cooked properly. My lamb was chewy, the skirt steak was over cooked, and the fish needed seasoning. I know the menu changes seasonally, so you might not find the same items we had a couple of weeks ago. The prices are a bit high at this restaurant, so the food should be great.
I have been putting off writing a review on the Kitchen because I love it so much. I don't think words could convey or justify how perfect this place is- but I have two stories about the Kitchen and their flawless service:
- Once I came here with my family and realized that I left my ID at home. Since I look young, the waiter tried to reject my request for a glass of wine, but Ray recognized me and sent over a bottle to our table for free. My family was so impressed that Ray could remember me despite all the visitors that the Kitchen receives and now every time they come visit me in Boulder the Kitchen is their number one request because of the warm service and great food.
- My fiancee and I go to the Upstairs bar often for happy hour, and when the bartenders found out we got engaged, they gave us free champagne and every time we come in they ask us about our wedding plans...
Getting free drinks is not just a perk of being a regular at the Kitchen- their food is always so delicious, there is always vegetarian-friendly entrees on the menu, and their level of service is always warm and friendly despite what you order or wear. Even though we are kind of cheap and only really go for happy hour, they treat us like we're their favorite customers. Their beer and wine classes are also wonderful. You should go immediately!!
Great flavors, unique assemblege of items.
If you want to take someone out for a very "Boulder" experience this is the place to go. They offer many locally grown ingredients, and have the best gnocchi in town. The setting is so great with a wonderful mix between french country and rustic old town Boulder. It can be a little loud and there are not any tables that offer any privacy.
If you have allergies, or care about anyone with allergies, run, do not walk, from eating here.
Have had a few horrible experiences. Thanks Kitchen, I really loved the hours you made me lay of the floor wondering why, just why, did I give you another shot.
I've become mildly disillusioned with the Kitchen. Last time we went (8/09), my plate was just gross. The flavors didn't make any sense, were flat and uninteresting and began to turn my stomach after a few bites. Considering there wasn't anything actually *wrong* with the dish.. it wasn't overcooked or underseasoned, just horribly misconstructed, I couldn't justify sending it back.. and the waitor had actually recommended it, going on and on about how it was the best thing on the menu.
So I just sat there, washing down what I could with wine, then leaving the rest of my plate, but at $25/plate on average, it was hugely disappointing.
The time I went before that (April 09), the flavors were only mediocre. Two strikes in a row is enough for me to take it off my special events list, and give it a year breather.
Even after spending two years enjoying the hip, high-end eats in the Bay area, I was exceedingly… Read more »
The Kitchen..we go way back..I thru myself a 30th birthday dinner here for your truly and my girlfriends. What a disaster, the service was way too lazy for such a big group..
I was really upset and disappointed about this experience and swore to my friends and family that would never be back. Well, I should know better, never say never.
About a year later after my first experience there I was talked into going to the Kitchen upstairs for their tasting hour aka happy hour. I was thoroughly impressed and surprisingly I have become a regular here. As my friend Thai would say, shut the front door. I know!
I always sit at the bar and have dinner, drinks and/or appetizers. The bartenders upstairs are so attentive and have real skill. Jake is the best of the best in my unbiased opinion. He's hot too. ahaha. Don't worry he knows how I feel. A couple of glasses of wine and one of his delicious secret ingredient martinis and I'm bating my eyes and telling him we should hang out. Gees..where is my filter?
Anyhow, Ashley is the head chef upstairs and his talent and attention to detail within all the dishes in uncanny. I love his soups and risotto.
I've been to one of their beer and wine classes that they hold every third tuesday of every month and was so impressed. Everything was wonderful and I really delighted to have dinner with the owners of the farm they were featuring in the class. It's was well worth the $60~ 3 courses, each paired with a glass of wine and a glass of beer. How fun! I want to go again, maybe in December, I heard that they are featuring chocolate.
The Kitchen has become a victim of its own success. I was there this past weekend and what used to be a low-key, local place is now a snooty tourist trap. The hostesses had major attitude, my food was cold, and the place was filled with foodie wannabe soccer moms who'd read about The Kitchen in Good Housekeeping. So over it. Next!
I yammer away about "details" in my reviews. It's a common theme in my critique of restaurants or… Read more »
I have really been wanting to eat at The Kitchen since I first heard of it several months ago via a food blog that I read. It sounded right up my alley, but getting to Boulder is a challenge and a commitment! Today, my partner and I took a drive up into the mountains to see the aspens and stopped back in Boulder for lunch.
We got a table right away which was great, and immediately I fell in love with the decor and the vibe. Casual and rustic, with a hint of glam thrown in. I had a curry chicken salad on mixed greens that was really, really amazing. The flavors all melded perfectly with each other and there was a great mix of salt and spice. My partner had the portobello sandwich which was very good, though a bit hard to eat (as most portobello sandwiches are). Service was tasteful but not intrusive. I am looking forward to a return trip to try out dinner.
I love that The Kitchen follows sustainable business practices, and I love that they get all of their food from local and organic farms. I also love that they have a huge blackboard listing these farms and purveyors on the wall. But I await the day when these practices are standard and don't have to be called out.
HONEST REVIEW FROM A LOCAL
I've been to the Kitchen over a dozen times in a couple of years, so feel qualified as a diner to accurately rate the average experience at this restaurant. You'll note from other reviews that The Kitchen can be a great dining experience. But this restaurant has had it's share of bad reviews lately, so be warned that it's really a box of chocolates...The Kitchen is inconsistent and you don't know what you're going to get. Your experience has a lot to do with your waiter and the enthusiasm he/she imparts. The food can be good, but is mostly mediocre and overpriced. I believe the chef has one or two daily specials he creates and puts his heart into that day, but the rest of the menu is average. And breakfast is just breakfast-and extremely overpriced.
I recently revisited The Kitchen because I hadn't been there in a long time. I was sad to see that the place has become the victim of its success. After a few national rave reviews, they've forgotten all the basics that made the place great in the first place. They've stopped trying to woo customers. Basically, they can sit back, overcharge, underserve, and know they can continue to rake in the bucks.
My old $11 english breakfast has been removed from the menu. Instead it's been replaced by a "simple breakfast" for $14. Two eggs, half a tomato, a teaspoon of mushrooms, and two pieces of bacon...for $14! I know The Kitchen does local and organic where possible and has to pay rent on Pearl, but this was about $3 RETAIL worth of food. The old breakfast was the same, but included sausages made at the restaurant (which they've stopped creating) and a lot more mushrooms and was $3 less. You don't remove items from a dish and charge more.
The service was inattentive and lacking luster. The enthusiastic, attentive, kind service from waiters like Brice had been replaced by poseurs who didn't feel like they had to work for tips. No refill on my coffee. A bus boy refilled our water when we were about to leave.
I really appreciate The Kitchen's mission-organic food from local farmers. But note that they only do that when possible. Not everything is organic or even local. And a restaurant's mission shouldn't be a replacement for the reason a restaurant exists in the first place-good service and good food. I will pay for good food that's been well made. But $14 for two eggs? A $14 breakfast needs a little bang on the plate. A unique taste or combination...something! Nothing on my plate Sunday morning said the Kitchen was a chef run restaurant. I didn't even get my egg over easy like I wanted.
So, I'm bidding the Kitchen goodbye permanently unless guilted into making what amounts to a charitable contribution. I've tried to make it a lasting relationship. I want to support local business. But between the not so great experiences at the Upstairs, mediocre service, and boring overpriced food, I've decided it's time to give it a miss. There are many places downtown where you can get a fabulous breakfast and still support local business, so Iook around before you settle on The Kitchen. And take note that a lot of reviews here are from out of towners. The Kitchen gets written up in travel books and is recommended by the hotels because of it's early success. But believe me, they just aren't trying anymore. Ask your hotel for another recommendation!
Excellent, from beginning to end.
I came here when the folks were in town (read: they paid :D ) to enjoy the type of meal a grad student like myself rarely gets to have.
The ambiance was great, classy but not boring. Service was top notch, friendly and attentive but not overly so.
What really got me was that after ordering the shrimp, I asked if they could help me pair it with a beer. The waiter said I was in luck and sent the "beer director" over who had a (no joke) 10 minute conversation with me about beer and made sure that once I received it it was the right choice.
And it was, the golden belgian beer went perfectly with the fresh and savory shrimp. Desserts were also excellent (to die for actually).
Only downside is that it is undeniably overprice but hey, I didn't pay so I'm going to pretend that's not a factor.
What makes a community bistro? Is it a large communal table set smack dab in the center of the dining room where anyone can sit? Is it a predilection for locally sourced food? Hours that enable strolling in mid-afternoon for Campari and soda and people watching? Or is it the ineffable feel that a place gives you that says "hey, welcome. relax and be our guests."
The Kitchen is the answer to all of the above questions. A 100% wind powered restaurant located on Pearl Street, the place is populated by servers who know their burratta from a beretta and can give you the story behind the farmer who made that slow roasted pork you're eating.
I ate here today for lunch with some new friends. We started with a house-made burratta - buttery (literally: the word means buttered in Italian) and just the right sensation to start lunch. Black olives and crispy bread made the appetizer history within minutes of landing on our table. The tomato soup with drizzled olive oil was delicious and just right. Not too acidic, not too creamy. I think that's hard to do. I also had a chopped salad that was ho-hum. I really liked the flatbread pizza my lunch companions ordered. it had local Haystack cheese and just tasted like a picnic--hard to describe but that's how it felt. It also reminded me of something Pizzeria Bianco would have served. Other yums were in the form of the ultimate comfort food--sticky pudding and creme brulee with fresh strawberries. Obviously, the food is savory and comforting. Not too precious. Priced moderately.
What impressed me most was how comfortable the place felt, its commitment to community, to sustainability, to buying local. I had heard the Kitchen was the place to eat in Boulder and all those recommendations were spot on. The Kitchen made me feel so happy and welcome, three hours later we had to peel ourselves away to get back to work. It was hard to leave.
My favorite restaurant in Boulder (even more than the rarefied French and up-scale Italian places in town).
Food is always solid, fresh, and tasty. I particularly like their brunches. They use a lot of local ingredients seasonally and don't do too much to the ingredients. Service is always efficient and professional.
Having lived in NYC for over a decade, this reminds me most of the types of places I miss there.
Can I give this place 6 stars? 10? ONE MILLION????
Uh, wow. Maybe the best meal I've had so far in my life.... definitely top five and I don't even know what else would be on the list. I happy-food-danced my way through our entire 3-hour dinner.
We amazingly walked right in on a Friday night and were seated at a charming antique table with metal cafeteria-style chairs. I liked the alternating brick-and-drywall walls and the exposed ceiling. But most of all, I liked what I put in my tummy.
There were just two of us, but we ordered a bottle of the Malbec (and due a misunderstanding with the waitstaff actually got a bottle + two glasses of the Malbec - maybe that's why it took us 3 hours?), the crab cake, the "small" gnocchi, the lamb, and the swordfish.
The large crab cake was served with some crunchy microgreens and lemon aioli. (If the running theme of my trip to Denver wasn't general gluttony, then it was definitely aioli.) I love a good crab cake and I LOVED THIS CRAB CAKE. Definitely splittable, unless you are protective and selfish like me, then you might want to order a whole one for yourself...
The gnocchi literally melted in my mouth and the bolognese sauce was a perfectly sweet and savory companion. I could have sworn it had a cinnamon taste to it. For being "small", this portion is pretty large and could be split 3 ways probably.
I ordered the seared Colorado lamb and was totally blown away. It was served on a bed of farro (basically barley), grilled zucchini, some red onions and a yogurt mint sauce that reminded me distinctly of raita (the Indian version). The seared lamb was perfectly cooked and free-range, so it was a tad tougher (less fat... more muscles!) and really exceptional. My friend had the swordfish and it was also totally excellent. It had an Indian-style flavor to it as well and was served with rice, itty-baby carrots and something green - I can't remember and it's not on the website.
THEN, ohhhhh but then, we ordered the sticky toffee pudding a la mode for dessert. If you order nothing else I've mentioned , puh-lease order this. The toffee sauce-covered pudding was drowning in melting ice cream and... I really don't know what else to say. It left me speechless, honestly. We were playing a little 8-Ball game during dinner and I asked it, "Is this the best dessert I'll ever have?" The answer was yes and now I know I can die happy.
As we were getting ready to leave (near closing time), we overheard a conversation between the hostess and manager, where the hostess said, "Um, there are three people at the door who just want some tomato soup...." so I'm gonna venture a guess that the tomato soup is pretty damn tasty as well.
OH. And, in order to cut down on waste, they give uncooked food and open bottles of wine to the servers at the end of the day. BRB, I have to go quit my job.
This is a really simple brunch menu. Sometimes that's good and sometimes it's bad. It's bad in the instances where nothing really stands out and screams "order me!" to you like what happened to me today. But, I ordered a sausage strata and it was definitely good. I also ordered garlic fries, but received regular. I could have sent them back, but it seemed like bad timing when our waitress made it back around. They were okay, but thicker like steak fries and I really wanted the thin ones.
I liked that they had plenty of healthier options like fruit and yogurt while balancing that out with my aforementioned sausage dish and French toast.
It's crowded in here. Or maybe it's cozy if you're in the right mindset? However, brunch was reasonable priced and pretty tasty so I can see why it's a Boulder favorite. Me, I prefer my Hotcakes bacon.
Decided to go here for a solo lunch while left to my own devices last Thursday. I had read about this place in Food and Wine so I had pretty high expectations about what the place was going to be about.
There was no wait when I went and I elected to sit at the bar since it was just me. The bartender was there quite quickly to get my drink order. she was super friendly and nice and offered the ny times for reading material. I decided to splurge since I had a tiny breakfast, and I was starving! I decided on the slow roasted pork sandwich with potato salad on the side, and to start the kitchen's hummus. The hummus came out pretty quickly and was just perfect- not too creamy, but not chunky either. It was served alongside thick slices of grilled bread. My main came out not too long after that, and it was absolutely delicious. The pork was perfect-no heavy sauce or anything to kind of mask the succulent taste of the pork. The potato salad was also really good. I ended my meal with an espresso, since I was so full. There was also plenty of water (important for me since I was visiting from sea level!). The bartender/service also did not attempt to rush me and I was able to just relax and really enjoy my lunch.
The atmosphere and decor of the place is beautiful- simple, chic, and modern.I really was in love with the place and it was the perfect place to spend a lunch on my own. The meal kept me full for the rest of the day!
Maybe the reason why this place gets such great reviews is because options are limited in Boulder? I don't really know, just a guess.
I ate here for brunch and I will start off with the food. I had the Strata and it was delicious--creamy and full of ham and some sort of greens. If you are going here I would easily recommend it. The greens on the side were fresh, but the dressing had so much vinegar that I found it to be less than pleasing to my pallet and I didn't eat most of it. Which is too bad because I really like a green salad. The coffee was another disappointment. Now, I didn't have anything fancy, just a house blend coffee, but it tasted muddy almost like it was from the previous day.
The biggest reason I am giving The Kitchen a low rating is for the service. It was very poor and not only from the staff, but also the manager. I walked in the door and was greeted by nobody. No other patrons were in the area. I quickly looked around and noticed the manager fiddling with some windows a couple steps from the hostess podium. He said nothing. So I waited. What just blew me away was when the manager was done doing whatever it was he was doing with the windows he still did not acknowledge me. This is completely inexcusable behavior. Finally the hostess came over and I was seated ready to receive more poor service from the floor staff.
You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. My rating 1 star.
Oky, i can't believe this... I went to Boulder just to go to The Kitchen, and ended up sitting at the bar. Not a big deal, better service, right?
So sat at the counter, was only handed a drink menu and had to ask twice to get a dinner menu. We had to ask twice to get another glass of wine... The bartenders broke at least 4 glasses while we sat there. No one asked us how the food or wine was, or if we enjoyed it.
While the food was still amazing (5 stars): spring bruschetta, cheese plate and gnocci, the service was a ZERO.
I'm really, really disappointed.
only been to the kitchen upstairs and it hasn't disappointed yet!
cheese plate is UNBELIEVABLE, i…
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Can't say I was too impressed. For almost $30 you get only a slice of fish (mackerel in this case, which isn't even a high end fish) and a few slices of green beans. Not impressive.
Tomato soup was something I could blend up in my better days using organics.
Best was the crab cakes.
For this stuff I'd expect to pay in the $18-$23 range, not the $29-$31.
San-Francisco-food-related amnesia caused me to forget that The Kitchen bored me to death last time I was there. Luckily for my taste buds, it really redeemed itself this visit!
We were seated at the bar next to the door, so it was cold the whole time (totally our fault; they told us it would be cold and gave us an option of sitting there or waiting for a better table. We were hungry and chose the bar) but the hostess was happy to turn up the front heater for us when we asked.
When we asked for apple juice (recall if you will the apple juice squeezed from golden apples in heaven that I had last time) we were thrilled to see that she just drew out a Big B's cider bottle and poured it from there. "WE CAN JUST BUY THIS SLICE OF HEAVEN OURSELVES IN THE GROCERY STORE!" we squealed to each other like 12 year old girls. But then we tasted it, and... it was not the same apple juice. Curses!
She poured mine from the bottom and it was all cinnamon, and my boyfriend's from the top and it was all juice. When she saw what they looked like, she said, 'hmm, that doesn't seem right!' and poured us a free one from the middle. Then she comped us all of them. I really appreciated that and was surprised to see it.
Both of our dishes, though, were FANTASTIC! I had the Hazel Dell mushrooms with haystack chevre polenta, which may not sound like a breakfast food, but was like gourmet-cheesy grits with a PILE of savory-seasoned mushrooms on top. The variety of the mushrooms was what saved the dish from being too homogenous.
My boyfriend got the slow roasted Long Farm Pork sandwich with salsa verde. It reminded me of the BBQ-style pulled pork sandwich you can order at most BBQ joints, but with much better bread and with green aioli-style sauce. I definitely wouldn't call it salsa verde, and I wish it had been just a touch spicy, but I'm not complaining, since I snarfed my half right down, and the home fries it came with are tentatively the best I've ever had.
This sandwich was recommended by the bartender and so we asked her what she recommended for dessert. Sticky toffee pudding! I was not wowed by it, but who doesn't like sticky toffee pudding, seriously? Even mediocre sticky toffee pudding? I guess I'm spoiled by Hapa's version, which they do with banana bread.
Anyway, after this breakfast I am definitely excited to try The Kitchen for dinner sometime.
After hearing practically everyone in the universe practically pee their pants telling me how great… Read more »
We decided to take advantage of a gift card I'd been carrying for months and have dinner at The Kitchen. It wasn't our first visit, but it had been a while since we last visited. We arrived at 6 and there were only a few people there. Our server was great, enthusiastic and attentive.
Our dinners were kind of hit and miss, though. The salad was great, fresh and spicy. We both ordered the rib-eye; which disappointed both of us. I've had a better steak in a college cafeteria. At least half of the steak was gristle and fat. Although it was cooked as requested, it was tough and greasy and, well....underwhelming. Maybe organic cows are all stringy.
By the end of dinner the place was full. What is it about the Kitchen that attracts loud talkers? Everyone seated around us was practically shouting. No, I don't care about your proposal. Or your trip. We were happy to leave and won't be back any time soon.
I am a kitchen regular going on four years. By regular I mean one or two times a week, for most of the year, breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. Mostly downstairs but I travel upstairs in winter to watch the snow fall by the fireplace. The Kitchen has just radically reinvented itself by synchronizing the upstairs and downstairs menus, canceling weekday breakfast, and not closing for afternoon break. There have also been a few tweaks with things on the regular menu but mostly for good, and the paring down of the wine list. All these changes are geared towards unifying the upstairs and downstairs a bit more and encouraging more crossover. They are also geared towards bringing the Kitchen full circle back to its roots. And I hope it works because, judging by some of these reviews, it's lost touch. In my opinion over the last four years, there has been little change in food or service quality. I like some servers better than others, some dishes much better than others. But the tomato soup is still divine.
I can understand the local reviewers who say that the service is inconsistent, but contrary to their opinions I have experienced dips in quality of service only very rarely. The quality and consistency of the food has never wavered enough to NOT impress me with its yummy-ness. This is a bistro, not a fine dining establishment. I feel like the hype has given the impression that it is some kind of fancy food and service mecca. It is supposed to be simple fare, cooked well, as if by your very talented grandmother. It is supposed to reflect the traditional comfort food of the traditional bistro with freshness and simplicity showcased. This simplicity does come with a price tag that, considering the quality of the source ingredients, is fair. Absolutely fair. I imagine there are dishes on the menu that reflect this more than others.
Some standouts on the menu are the crab salad and curry chicken salad, the kedgeree (I MUCH preferred it with the smoked fish to the poached salmon), the divine mushroom polenta, the whole roast chicken, the simple salad, and pretty much any fish preparation. And the Eton Mess, served only a few months a year, is incredible. It more than holds its own to the other divine treat in town, the coconut sorbetti at Frasca.
Everyone should be acknowledged when they walk in and have their server be kind and competent. The Kitchen needs to make sure this happens every time. If a mistake is made on my order there is always the proper correction and if I need a server I will flag them down without hesitation. This may be easy because I am familiar with many of them and have experienced their serving style. A warm greeting and great service has been my experience nearly every time I have eaten there, over a hundred visits now.
The Kitchen used to be the standard by which I evaluated all restaurants in Boulder, or the greater Denver area, but they've been slacking lately in the Service and Food areas. Upstairs at the Kitchen in particular is getting worse every time I go there, and so I am amending my previous review. The main restaurant area still deserves 5 stars, but the Upstairs is quite different. I will therefore my review is solely for the Upstairs. I include my old main restaurant review for comparison.
------ Upstairs at the Kitchen ------- 1 star
For a few months, I was going to the Tasting Hour Upstairs at the Kitchen every other week. I would arrive just before they opened at 5:30 and wait with the forming crowd to get inside. Most times, I would be among the first and therefore would get a choice corner 2-top. Whenever I sat in this location, I would get good service--it was always the same waitress, and she remembered me. I tip well for good service.
However, if ever I sat elsewhere, in a different waitstaff's location, my service was not only poor, it was horrible. I and my dining partner would be virtually ignored, while couples and triples and quads nearby would get quick and attentive service. My friends and I would order before the other tables, but the other tables would get their drinks and food before us. When the tasting hour was drawing to a close, the other nearby tables could get in a last tasting-hour priced drink or small plate, but not us, no, it was too late. This has been my experience with a variety of waitstaff Upstairs at the Kitchen, aside from just one person. It has been worse every time, and now I refuse to go there. Since I refuse to go Upstairs, now I won't patronize the main restaurant either.
The only similarities I've noted are that each time I've gone to the Upstairs, I've gone with my girlfriend or a female friend, or a female friend who is non-white. Perhaps the wait staff believe that a pair or a trio of female diners simply tip poorly and therefore they don't make any extra effort. But why would anyone tip well for poor service?
------- main Kitchen restaurant----- 5 stars
1) Service: When the Kitchen is crowded, as it often is, the hostess will take your cellphone number and call you when a table is ready
2) Quality of ingredients, cooking and assembly of food, pairing with sides: as noted by many other reviewers, ingredients are fresh, locally produced, and of high quality.
3) Consistency and variety of selections: The Kitchen has a daily menu which includes both regular items and things which are available only that day or during that week or season. In other words, the menu changes, but there are some staples you can go back for. Every staple I've had more than once is consistently good. No hit or miss here. Every new thing I've had has been a delight.
4) A sense of refinement and care in the kitchen itself: everything is prepared as perfectly as I would want to make it myself, or even better. Every menu offering is well-made, and all ingredients work well together considering texture, flavor, shape and size. Rich dishes are artfully paired with lighter sides, and vice-versa. Presentation is pleasing, but well-considered without being snooty.
5) Price: the Kitchen is spendy when it comes to my budget (I prefer to dine for $10 or less), but even when I've spent over $50 on a lunch date for two, I've never felt that I spent too much or that it wasn't worth the money. I always feel that the Kitchen is worth the money.
6) Atmosphere: casual, but not fake-casual (like chain restaurants). Comfortable and refined. Sturdy chairs and tables, exposed brick walls, high ceilings with pretty chandeliers. Great bathroom with terry-cloth towels to dry your hands. Waitstaff is in matching t-shirts and jeans, which somehow looks more crisp and polished than a button-down oxford cloth shirt and tie. It feels stylish, modern, yet authentically old, rustic.
The Kitchen is the standard by which I evaluate all restaurants in Boulder, or the greater Denver… Read more »
We just came here for dinner. I had previously been upstairs to enjoy some of the great cocktail casual vibe.
Downstairs the decor was modern and causal, the ambiance relaxed with a good din.
Our cabbage salads were quite good, as was the crab cake. The gnocchi got high marks, but the lamb was excellent. I recommend you also try the delicious tart tatin for dessert as well.
Also, come and check out the excellent wine and cocktail list. My lychee cocktail was strong and delicious.
Maybe I wasn't as impressed as others with this restaurant... or maybe I need to give it another try. I thought it way overpriced for the size and quality of the food.
It is packed though, and I'll probably give it another try sometime and see what the upstairs is like.
My friends and I went there a couple of weeks ago. We started at the bar, and I thought the bartenders were fabulous. But my happy thoughts went away quickly.
We drove there from Denver for a friends birthday. My friend had baked a cake to bring to the restaurant. She was told it would be $11 a head for them to cut the cake. There were around ten of us. I understand that restaurants have a right to charge for cake cutting, but this was ridiculous. We spent around $800, so I thought the charge was BS. They ended up cutting our cake for free, which was good, considering the money we were spending. But I won't go back there again. I found it to be very snooty. The food was decent, but not worth the price.
Delicious delicious delicious! Yes, it was fairly pricey, but not too bad and absolutely worth it. I had a middle-eastern themed eggplant and yogurt sauce appetizer which was extremely flavorful and interesting (despite the fact that it's the sort of thing you see on lots of menus), but the real winner was the mackerel bruschetta. Incredible! So creative and subtle. The atmosphere is great, as is the beer and wine selection. The waitstaff was very knowledgeable and helpful. This place is not to be missed on a trip to Boulder.
Last night I enjoyed a lovely evening at The Kitchen Upstairs. My friend and I were greeted promptly, and as soon as we sat at the bar there were handsome bartenders ready to assist.
When we asked about the special wine flight for Tasting Hour, the bartender offered helpful descriptions and suggestions.
I do want to make note that we arrived right at 5:30. I'm sure had we arrived an hour later we might not have had this level of service. My suggestion is to go early to score the Tasting Hour prices. The house wines are only $5.00 during Tasting Hour.
The wine flight was $9.00, which was very reasonable for the amount of wine we were served. We also ordered the cheese board which is only $12.00 during tasting hour. We were there from 5:30 until 9:00. We ended up ordering another glass of wine each. For being there that long and not ordering a huge amount, we were still treated very well.
The Kitchen earns five stars because of all of the little touches. The adorable Picardie water glasses, real towels in the bathroom, and the well groomed men behind the bar... all add up to a delightful experience.
I look forward to future evenings Upstairs
Have eaten here a few times and never had a bad experience. The menu seems too limited sometimes but everything I have had has been delicious. We took our staff here (foodservice professionals) for a Christmas dinner last year and had an absolutely fantastic time. The wine list is vast and the sommelier knowledgable. I love their commitment to sourcing local, seasonal ingredients, supporting local vendors, and leading the trend in being eco-friendly. Check out the beautiful bathrooms with individual washcloths instead of paper hand towels. The atmosphere is lively but not at all appropriate for children. We had a screamer at the next table one night and you just aren't willing to be understanding about it when you are paying so much and the room is so small. Take 'em outside until they calm or better yet, don't bring 'em!!! The service has always been friendly though I can see what some other posters have complained about, that they could be "too big for their britches". We did have some trouble getting them to put our group together once when we had two extra people show for our reservation. Fortunately, someone intervened eventually and let us add a couple chairs and join the rest. Being in the industry, I understand the limitations but, I also know when a place is just being inflexible. If it is possible to bend to please the customer's needs, you should. Other than feeling like they may need someone to correct their, at times, possibly snooty attitude, the restaurant is a fantastic place and one of my favorites. Lovely, spare dining room, outstanding concept and food, professional service. Definitely a restaurant to check out in Colorado, should be on a top 10 list.
What a wonderful meal! Service was attentive and helpful, atmosphere is nice, and the food excellent. Highly recommend any of the pasta dishes as the pasta is freshly made which gives that much more flavor.
Quite possibly one of the gems of Pearl Street. Such a fun and classy atmosphere.
You have two areas to choose from-A downstairs seating area with an open kitchen. The decor makes you feel like you are eating in an old world European kitchen, complete with butcher block tables, a slatted wood floor and brick walls. Service is quick and helpful.
One of my favorite meals to date (and not just talking about this restaurant) started off with Wood Fired Mussels in a white wine broth. Can I say delicious?
Next a plate of yummy hand-cut frites, steaming hot with parmesan and herbs.
And oh my entre, grilled snapper with swiss chard. Heaven in a fish! So light and flaky! To date, I am still attempting to have a fish cooked so well as that night.
Dessert is a must and should not be turned down!
For a more city feel, head to the Kitchen Upstairs, with a wine and drink list to drool for and cozy couches to canoodle on with your sweetie or gab with the girls.
Always a spectacular evening at the Kitchen-Upstairs or down.
Totally impressed with the kitchen. I ate here with my parents, wife and some friends and our service was great. Killer beer selection and the food was all fresh. I did a stage here when i moved back and was really into the local sustainable product they are using. Ingrids mussels are beyond awesome.
We ended our fabulous birthday celebration in Boulder at the Kitchen for Drinks and dessert. The bartender gave us each a glass of champagne when he learned we were celebrating a birthday (I'm sure the fact that the birthday girl was his former neighbor helped that free drink situation....but I'll take it!).
Our dessert, the Sticky Toffee Pudding with vanilla ice cream...celebratory with a candle on top...and was fabulous! Warm and gooey and oh so heavenly. The ideal dessert for me. We washed it down with a pomegranate and vodka concoction he threw together. Delicious.
The experience makes me definitely want to go back for dinner. Amazing service and such a cute, classy little place. (Must be high class.....Cal Ripken Jr. was dining there when we arrived....had all the bartenders in a fuss).
A cool Boulder type restaurant. Its in the West end area of Pearl street and offers an eclectic menu with flat bread pizza's and Lamb Burgers. I had the tomato soup and it was fresh and very flavorful. The garlic fry's ROCK, we brought some back to the office and a co-worker said even cold they were the best frys he had ever had. The pizza's were great served on a long wooden board and offered a solid balance of tomato, mushrooms and cheese. I didn't get up stairs but I hear its a very nice bar and lounge. I also like the free coat check offered by the hostess when we arrived.
If your there for lunch get a table in the back they don't have blinds on the south facing windows up front and you will melt if you sit in there during the lunch hour.
One of the best meals on the roadtrip, possibly the best meal over the summer. Came here on a recommendation from The Left Hand Brewery bartender after hearing we were Bay Area foodies (I guess the chef hails from French Laundry's famous kitchen).
Delicious, exquisite and fresh food. Very cool decor, trying to keep it unpretentious with some upscale low-key vibe. Seems contradicting, but it works. Staff and service was wonderful. I wanted to eat everything on the menu but we settled on a great bottle of wine, split some fresh beets, pasta and meat dish. Everything was so good, you really can't go wrong with anything here as they are only cooking what is fresh. Everything is just so full of taste.
Had to bump this down to 4 stars. Looks like the prices went up, unjustifiably. $36 for a grilled ribeye with potatoes? It was so-so, something I could do better at home, and certainly not worth $36. Maybe half that.
Still a great place, but now out of reach and not worth the price for the entrees. Go with the handmade gnocchi, it seems to always be excellent.
This past visit, I felt like they were sneaking by on their reputation and not on the actual food.
It's pretty much already been said, but let me reiterate something: The Kitchen is one of the best… Read more »
I feel just obligated to write this review to knock the Kitchen down a peg. I've been to the kitchen about 5 times now, for both breakfast and dinner, and both to the upstairs once and main kitchen the rest of the time. Maybe I've just happened to consistently get an "off" meal or had bad luck, but what I feel is more likely is that the hype is brainwashing people's taste buds. Because of all the raves I keep giving them more chances than I would any other place, but now I've sworn off the place.
In short, if you find yourself on this block of Pearl go elsewhere. The 9th-10th block of Pearl has the best concentration of quality food in Boulder. Jax, Tahona, Seven (although inconsistent), and even Juanita's or West End for a more casual bite. Do yourself a favor and spend half as much and leave content, avoid The Kitchen.
First the good.. Every waiter I've ever had is a pro. The service can occasionally be a bit slow when they're slammed, but never too bad. The service has always stood out as a strength of The Kitchen. They also use fresh local ingredients - awesome. I love to see chefs supporting local farmers and ranchers and getting fresh ingredients. Also, my breakfast experience has been good. It's fresh and tasty, but of course on the pricey side for a good breakfast. All in all, Boulder has dozens of outstanding breakfast spots and the Kitchen maybe makes the the top 5 in my book.
Now the bad.. And really, aside from one experience the bad is not horrible. It's the high price and high expectations of the kitchen that really make what would otherwise be just OK, bad. For example. one night I got a steak. It was not cooked improperly or anything, but it was just not good. It was rather bland and a tough piece of meat for what was their best steak option (I believe it was the flatiron steak). Considering the cost and hoity-toityness of the joint I expected much better. In my multiple visits I've never been impressed with the flavor of any of the dishes. Plating, atmosphere, and service are always good, but really it's about the flavor and quality of the food, which is where the Kitchen fails.
The most notably bad experience I had was on Valentine's day. Forget that expectations are high on a special occasion - this would fall flat on any old Tuesday. It was a fixed-price menu with an appetizer, main dish, and dessert. The chef shot the moon on outlandish dishes that, as a big time foodie, I was really excited about. There was caviar involved, and lots of stuff that's pretty obscure. Unfortunately, to quote Elaine in Seinfeld, it was a big budget movie that went nowhere. Some plates were just downright unpalatable. My poor wife caught the worse luck of the two of us and couldn't eat most of her food. The most egregious failure was the use of beets. She got a beet soup as a starter, which instead of having an earthy taste just mostly tasted like dirt. There was no flavor added to the soup, it was like beats and cream in a blender - here ya go. But what was even worse is that the beet soup was recycled as a pasta sauce on her entree! Come on, for a $100 fixed menu I don't want to see the soup recycled as sauce. That's just offensive to the customer.
We left hungry and ending up eating leftovers by the fireplace when we got home. Romantic in it's own different sort of way I suppose, but no thanks to The Kitchen.
So The Kitchen gets two stars, up from one star just because I think they're trying.. They have great service, a great bar, modern ambiance, and a great concept with an eco-friendly local ingredients sort of restaurant. It's in the execution that they fail in my opinion.
The Kitchen is an amazing dining expereince. The decor is understated and casual and the food has very clean and bright flavors. The Kitchen has an extensive wine list as well as speciality cocktails. I had a great beet salad and an anchovy flavored gnocci. They were both great. For the main course, they offered smaller and larger portion options which was great. The small plate was plenty of food with a starter salad.
The service was also very good as was the crowd. Best dining experience I have had in a while.
Boulder, CO
Category: Italian
Boulder, CO
Category: French
Boulder, CO
Category: French
Boulder, CO
Category: American (New)
Boulder, CO
Category: Tea Rooms
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