Kitchenette

I had breakfast at Kitchenette (Tribeca location) a few years ago and remember the food being great and the portions being so large I could barely finish my meal. Today, I ignored the chance to have a full, complementary breakfast at my hotel and hoofed it down to Kitchenette for another visit. Wow, what a disappointment. I ordered an omelette with potatoes and a biscuit and when the food arrived I almost cried. Although it was still tasty, the portions were ridiculously small. I'm a big guy and wasn't expecting a plate fit for a sumo wrestler, but the child's plate was not what I had in mind. Making matters worse, the tab came to just under $14 and I noticed after I ordered they have a $5 special during the week that probably was as much food. Needless to say, I was very disappointed and will not return. No big loss, there are plenty of other little breakfast dives all over the city that deliver plenty of taste and value.

Pros: tasty food

Cons: small portions, expensive

Posted 02/25/09

a huge let down...they got 2 of our orders wrong and whomever delivered the food was so rude when this was pointed out, we were afraid she was going to defile our new (correct) orders...sad to say, I won't be recommending or returning any more - Walkers, Greenwich St Tavern are both far superior - even Bubby's is much better and Kitchenette used to be a far superior...

Pros: chili, french toast

Cons: rude, crowded, tasteless

Posted 01/03/09

I recently looked up this site to recommend Kitchenette to my little sister, and the only two reviews I saw were 1 star! Ok, service is not the best, but we're not talking the 21 club here people. This is a home-cooked, local-yocal, true new york experience type of place. While I have waited my fair share for service, I've never been disappointed with the meal, expecially when I was in need of some good ol' comfort food. Trust me - visit kitchenette, prepare for a leisurely meal, and enjoy the best biscuits in New York!

Pros: great food

Cons: slightly pricey, slow service

Posted 11/29/07

I picked up some lunch from here and ordered a chickpea 'burger'. It should be called chickpea slop. It is literally 1.5 cups of mashed mildly seasoned chickpeas spilling out of a pita. They didn't add any tahini which is stated in the menu. Perhaps their other items are good and the ambience is super cute. But this dish should a) be called mashed chickpea slop or b) removed from the menu all together. $10 was alot to pay for this terrible misleading dish. Baked fries good.

Posted 07/05/07

I had heard that Kitchenette is better than my local favorite Bubby's so I decided to give it a try. I was left speechless by the terrible service. We ordered the food and we found ourselves waiting....and waiting....and waiting. You can imagine that we were stunned when the entire kitchen staff started filling the empty tables around us to have their lunch and ours was nowhere in sight. Great. So, we finally flagged down our waitress and she found out that the "ticket machine was broken and the kitchen didn't get our order." Funny, since the table next to us - who'd sat down after us - got their food a few minutes later. It was also great to realize that if we hadn't asked she had zero concern over the fact that there was no food in sight. If our waitress had at least pretended to be apologetic maybe it would have been fine, instead she seemed more interested in getting her own lunch rather than that of her tipping customers. Needless to say, I wont be cheating on Bubby's again any time soon.

Pros: the food was fine and the cupcakes looked yummy

Cons: the SERVICE was TERRIBLE!!

Posted 05/12/07

Because of all the good reviews, I decided to give it a try one evening. I ordered the potroast with a side of mac and cheese for delivery. It was absolutely terrible. The potroast was flavorless and the meat was incredibly dry. The potato kugel that comes with the roast was disgusting. The mac and cheese was pathetic. First, who makes mac and cheese with penne pasta??!! Second, the blend of cheeses used was awful. How can they possibly screw up mac and cheese??? It's so easy! This meal was literally inedible. There was not one single redeeming quality. On top of all that, it took forever to get to my place. They said 35-50 minutes. It took 80 minutes. Use realistic estimates you morons!

Pros: None

Cons: Food

Posted 04/14/07

Met my roommate there last night for dinner. We are both from Maryland and wanted some Southern Comfort...GLAD WE WENT. I had the honey roasted fried chicken w/ 4 cheese mac n cheese and spinash on the side. He had herb crusted cod with the mac n cheese and cornbread. EVERYTHING was WONDERFUL. The service was quick, the waiter was friendly...I ONLY wish we had room for dessert!

Pros: Great decor, right off the train...FOOD IS WONDERFUL

Cons: N/A

Posted 02/07/07

We had a most wonderful brunch! The service was delightful. We did wait a bit for our food but was well worth it. I especially enjoyed the chocolate cake!

Pros: Great affordable food

Cons: close seating

Posted 12/17/06

Best service I had in NYC! These people made me feel like I was at home in Texas. Staff was friendly and responsive, something that has been rare on all my trips to the city. Everything we had was GREAT! Ask for jelly and you get homemade peach preserves. The bakery case is also very temping and made the decision tough. Try the carrot cake cupcake or the herb and goat cheese omlette.

Pros: Great value, service, and quality food

Posted 12/03/06

I live by Kitchenette and love the food. Their red velvet cake is dreamy. But the other reviews are totally right about the terrible service. Even the hostess/manager on the weekend is snappy with her customers. Weekend before last, she barked at people to wait outside and moments later the huge sign for the restaurant fell to the ground. If the people she'd ordered out had really listened to her, they'd be in the hospital or worse. Just order it for delivery. Don't bother going.

Posted 11/06/06

I don't understand why this place always has a line. I live in the neighborhood and go out of convenience. Though the decor is cute, the food and service consistently disappoint me and everyone I take there. The Huevos Rancheros are bland and were served over stale tortillas and without any sauce, beans, or cheese. The French toast was dry and lacked any flavor.

I'm drawn by the comfy atmosphere, but will no longer go...the food is just too subpar.

Pros: Ambience

Cons: Poor food and service, long waits

Posted 11/03/06

My husband and I went for Saturday brunch where we waited for 10 minutes to get seated even through there were several empty tables. After placing our order we waited for 35 minutes until we realized that three tables who had been seated after us had already received their orders. According to the waiter the kitchen was behind on pancakes and it would only be another 5 minutes. 15 minutes later we noticed yet another table getting their order - which included pancakes and was exactly what my husband had ordered. We then were unable to get the waiter's attention, did not get our order, and ended up leaving the restaurant on an empty stomach after having been there for over an hour.

Cons: Non-existent service

Posted 07/21/06

Ordered through sorporate web site dinner worth USD 500 ( for the team). Although we received message confirming dinner will be delivered within 35-50 minutes, it arrived after 1.5hrs.

Crabcakes which were suppose to come with sauce on the side and order of wilted greens and four cheese macaroni were burnt, covered with sauce and served with some unidentifiable bun ( no macaroni at all).

Save yourself money and eat some place else.

Pros: none

Cons: terrible service, mixed up order, unappetizing food

Posted 07/19/06

i came here for sunday brunch around 2pm. the place is small but we were lucky that that we didnt have to wait, though a line quickly formed behind us. i chose the farmhouse special 2 eggs, turkey sausage, cheese grits, and a biscuit ($9). the portions were large and the food was satisfying. the big, warm, square biscuit with the sweet strawberry butter was especially good. the turkey sausage was definitely on the dry side (ill choose bacon next time). cheese grits were standard though not especially flavourful (the potatoes looked better). my bf had the kitchenette special (eggs, bacon, cheese, on a biscuit) which he said was very good. there was only 1 waitress and a busboy working so service wasnt great. ill probably come again for the biscuits.

Pros: good biscuits, large portions, inexpensive

Cons: busy servers, wait for table, cramped seating

Posted 05/14/06

Very small, quaint, neighborhood place for breakfast with the locals. Good food, good value, great coffee, nice selection of the usual breakfast fare as well as some unique offerings.

Pros: homey, comfortable, good food

Posted 04/01/06

We used to go to the old location because it was close and we were usually too lazy to get on the subway...now that they have changed locales and chefs (and seem to have done a staff overhaul) we go because it's excellent. The atmosphere is comfy and cute, the food is flavorful and fresh and they serve your drinks in adorable little jars. The value is excellent for the city and the desserts are top notch. It's not fancy, it's quaint and it will have you coming back again and again, I promise :) Check out Century 21 for a little post-brunch shopping.

Pros: Adorable new location, good food, great value

Cons: There were a lot in the old locale but non in the new one

Posted 03/20/06

I've been here a couple times now. When I get there I'm excited by the possibilities laid out in the menu - breakfast until 4 pm, macaroni and other comfort food - but my expectations have been too high. Today's country breakfast was a poor choice on my part. The eggs were runny, the turkey sausage was dry and almost brick-like and the potatoes were odd. I don't recommend this dish. The person I ate with, however, chose the Friday lunch special - fried catfish sandwich. The catfish has been recommended and because the price is right I'll probably try again another time. A nice thing was that, even though a line was starting to form for a table, we weren't rushed out. If you don't want to have to wait for a table at lunch time get there before 12:30.

Posted 09/08/05

Went there for a Saturday breakfast. Cutesy but very cramped quarters. The food was for the most part a disappointment. While the omelet and toast were excellent, the pancakes were very disappointing. They were dry, grainy, and no matter how much syrup was used to cover them up they were terrible. The breakfast potatoes were not much better. They were served southwest style, and were reminiscent of airline food in the 1970's. Unless you want eggs, keep looking around if your craving good pancakes.

Posted 06/30/04

I usually like to have pancakes or french toasts when I brunch.
This is a cute place and I decided to have pancakes there. Unfortunately, they were not in the image of the place. They were dry and heavy.

Pros: cute place

Cons: pancakes

Posted 09/11/03

I didn't think Kitchenette was anything special. I went for dinner last night and I had their catfish with vegetables. The food was decent, but I probably wouldn't go back for dinner.

Posted 07/01/03

Great food, always well prepared. Creative combinations of ingredients and flavors - especially the omelettes and sandwiches. Laid back country-style atmosphere. Friendly staff.

Pros: great value, good food, friendly service

Cons: long waits on weekend

Posted 06/25/03

Waiter was very blase, never asked how things were, spoke maybe two words. Busboys and service though was excellent despite mute waiter. Appetizer and dinner had way too much butter/butter sauce...a sauteed calamari app and seafood risotto dinner. Choc mousse dessert was very good. Need better beer selection for us non-wine drinkers.., though tried a good italian beer. Very reasonable for NYC Restaurant. Wife had bland mixed salad with oil and vinegar, and very good pasta with eggplant. Including One beer two sodas +tax/tip...$86. Would re-visit. Garden area was nice, not as nice as thought it would be, but much better than typical restaurant dining room. Service was quick, but not as rushed as some reviews make it out to be.

Pros: Inexpensive, good location, Good service

Cons: , beer selection, buttery

Posted 06/08/03

Sorry, but I just don't find this slightly better than average luncheonette hardly enough to get excited about. Came by on a Sunday and sat at the counter (which overlooks the really horrendously sloppy back counter). Eggs (scrambled) were fine, bacon thin and greasy, and potatoes way overcooked with onions and green pepper reduced to a morass. Service was okay but slightly on the dippy side. I had to almost use pliers to pull out information from the counter server: "Do the eggs come with toast" answer "If you want", "Does that mean it is extra", "Not necessarily". What kind of totally unnecessary and stupid verbal joust was this.

Pros: nicely prepared eggs, fresh orange juice

Cons: overall mediocrity, servers

Posted 03/08/03

Best brunch I have had. Tiny, but very worth the wait to be seated.

Posted 01/08/03

I love this place. I just went on a Sunday and only had to wait 10 minutes. Our server was so helpful - he went out of his way to make us happy. It's cramped and you are elbow to elbow with other tables, but that's part of the charm unless you're sitting next to a jerk. Highly recommend the goat cheese omelet!

Pros: Good food, quick service

Cons: cramped, can be long wait

Posted 01/07/03

This is a great little brunch place, but plan on waiting up to and over an hour for a table on weekends. Nonetheless, the food is good (though not by any means the best around) and the atmosphere is cheery enough to help relieve the annoyance of spending an hour waiting outside.

Cons: wait, wait, wait

Posted 01/06/03

The brunch here is fabulous. However, my last experience was not pleasant. The staff was not friendly and looked annoyed when you attempted to get their attention. We waited 45 minutes to get a table. After being the last group waiting but the first people there we finally left without a meal and ate across the street. It was extremely disappointing.

Pros: wonderful food, inexpensive

Cons: crowded, small dinning area, bad for large groups

Posted 01/05/03

brownies that are legendary. good comfort food, but you can't leave without that brownie, nothing comes close.....

Posted 11/21/02

Great taste, very reach...!!! worth every penny. Huge portions, awesome!!! very recommended.

Posted 11/16/02

usually this place is pretty reasonable, but stopped in for a piece of pumpkin pie and was charged $4.30! Just a warning to ask the price if you're at all price-conscious. Pie was pretty decent, but a bit bland. lunch and breakfast are pretty good, but this is the kind of place that can be really great one day and just so-so the next. the take-out sandwiches vary greatly in quality. but the sweets are usually really good -- coconut pie is yum!

Posted 10/31/02

Amazing menu with tons to choose. Read the whole thing before you pick or you may be jealous of the plate next to you.

Posted 09/08/02

i love this place because it is right by my apartment, but i wouldn't trek across manhattan to eat there.

Pros: quaint, excellent menu

Cons: not a ton of seating, hot, no A/C?

Posted 08/26/02

I'll admit that there's better strawberry butter to be had in NYC, but the excellent food, service, and ambience make this a worthwhile downtown stop anyway. The decor is cute and retro without being overly kitschy. Biscuits, bacon, and garlic oven fries are all wonderful, and someday I'll have room to try and comment on the heavenly-looking baked goods in the display case.

Pros: ambience, prompt service, great breakfast

Cons: tiny, slightly pricey

Posted 08/25/02

Brunch doesn't get much better than this charming TriBeCa eatery. Go for the red pepper and artichoke omelette, or maybe the blackberry pancakes, or maybe just a huge scone with strawberry butter and a plate of New York's best bacon!! But leave room for dessert. You won't want to miss out on the three-layer chocolate cake or the massive cookies

Posted 08/22/02

If not the greatest on earth, Kitchenette at least has a claim to be the best in New York. The interior is shabby-chic, but the food ranges from comfort to sublime. The breakfast combinations on weekends are particularly inspired. The only problem is that, as word spreads, it gets harder and harder for Tribeca locals to get in as easily as they used to.

Pros: inexpensive, shabby chic, fabulous food

Cons: not enough tables

Posted 08/18/02

the best cornbread, macn cheese, shepards pie, coconut cake, fish cakes, fried chicken...nedd i say more?

Pros: great decor, delivery, tasty

Posted 08/11/02

Absolutely the best Breakfast/Brunch below 14th street. If you love crisp Bacon, and fruit pancakes - this is the place to go. Great Staff (I vote for Louise). Get's a bit crowded on weekends.. so I usually order in. If you're taking a day off from work , come by for breakfast and relax and read the papers. Hey,,,, we love the lobsters rolls and we miss dinner (downtown).

Pros: Great Taste, Breakfast Special, Relaxed Downtown Atmo

Cons: too crowded on weeken

Posted 08/05/02

its just the cutes little place with cute food, big portions( well mostly) all very tasty...when in doubt do meatloaf

Posted 07/29/02

Cozy and delicious!! Down home American home cooking - and don't forget the yummy desserts!!!

Posted 07/28/02

If you missed sub-par country dining, then this is the place for you. The food is nothing special. I could cook this at home. The food is overpriced, and the service is pretty horendous, but the desserts are good and you'll want to shag the waitstaff.

Cons: long waits

Posted 07/27/02

Kitchenette's Mac and Cheese is unreal!! Let me start there. The food was great and the deserts were even better. A great place for some good down-home country cooking. Great prices too. I had dinner, but I can only imagine how good brunch is!! Bravo! NY loves cheap, fresh and delicious food!!!

Pros: great food

Cons: small seating area

Posted 07/22/02

Everyone comes to Kitchenette for brunch, and rightly so. Lunch and brunch are often crowded, but dinner is completely different - I often have the restaurant to myself and it's possible to have a private conversation.

Burgers, salads, sandwiches, and the mac and cheese are all highly recommended. I also love the meatloaf. Save room for dessert - the layer cakes are to die for!

Pros: big portions, inexpensive, yummy!

Cons: crowded for brunch, small, no reservations

Posted 07/18/02