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Food: ALWAYS a hit! Party of 4 today. We were sooo hungry, we all forgot to take pics (SMH). Everyone had the cheese grits, 3 of us had catfish/catfish bites and the remaining person ordered the salmon bites. Yummy x 4. Service: Nothing but praise for the 2 ladies holding it down on this holiday Monday. Ambiance: Meh. Absolutely nothing noteworthy but we came to eat and we're all repeat patrons so, enuff said. One MINOR complaint: No Mimosas today as they were completely out of champagne. However, the server took $3 off of the substitute glass of Chardonnay I ordered (which actually made up for yesterday's unwarranted $3 up charge @glorydaysgrill (Stone Ridge/South Riding, VA).
The food was very good. Had lots of amazing flavor and the portion was favorable. The atmosphere was very quiet since it was a weekday and around 1pm. I appreciated the service and hospitality with the wait staff. It's located in a parking lot inside an executive style building where you would assume there are lots of offices, so, when you follow GPS don't feel like it's steering you wrong. Lol. The kitchen staff was great and I like that I could see them. It puts a cool touch on the experience. They had an office to the side and I would suggest keeping the door closed because it was very untidy. Customers didn't need to see inside that office.
Kitchen Cray Café is alright by me. What makes this place great, if you live in the area and you work from home in the surrounding area and you want to do a random brunch with a little mimosa action with a friend from 10 am to 2pm in the middle of the week. Bay-Bee you can do that!!!! The catfish and cheese grits were yummy, not salty, tender and perfectly fried. Grits were light and fluffy. I had a white wine sangria with strawberries and blueberries. Caught up and had a good ole' kee-kee with my gurl. And we scooted on out the door by 12:30pm so we could be back at home for our 1 o'clock meetings. This place could use a little color and some feminine touch, flowers on the table, etc. Give it more of a café feel. But all and all the R&B music was great, and the staff was very nice and took care of us while we were there. It's just a nice place to be!
Parking availability was good. For a Sunday, I was impressed with the wait time. We came at peak hours, brunch right after a lot of people's church services might let out, and maybe waited 10-15 minutes. They had a DJ that was playing great music, which was a vibe. At times, the music was blaring. We asked our server if the DJ could turn it down a little, and they were accommodating. If no one said anything, it would be impossible to have a conversation without straining your voice. The people I ate with got the fried chicken & waffles, & the catfish & cheesy grits. Both of them were impressed with the portions, and couldn't even finish their meal. For their drinks, I believe one person got a tropical beverage, that they enjoyed, and the other ordered frozen drink that was underwhelming. I was told it was too sweet & creamy, instead of fruity, and came with whipped cream that hurt instead of helped. I got the strawberry splash (strawberry, Sierra Mist, oj, and maybe, passion fruit?) and it was delicious. Think a strawberry lemonade mixed with a tropical sprite. 10/10 For food, I got the seafood grits, which came with sausage and shrimp on top of cheesy grits. I appreciated the diversity of flavors that were provided by the selection of protein. Both were well seasoned. It was the perfect amount of cheese in the grits. Good portion. 10/10
I really wanted to love this place. I've been following Chef Robinson on social media for at least the last four years (if not longer). When he opened his restaurant(s) I was so happy. Keep in mind that I lived in Las Vegas, and really didn't have a reason to visit Baltimore, but I kept this place bookmarked just in case. Now we live in the Atlanta area and decided to take a day trip to the DMV to see the sights, so naturally the first place I wanted to stop was here. The restaurant itself is very clean, and the staff is pleasant. They had a DJ, and there was an all-around good vibe in the place. Unfortunately, the food didn't live up to my expectations. We ordered the catfish and grits, the hot honey chicken sandwich, the blackened salmon with mashed potatoes, and the crab fries. Overall, the main dishes lacked flavor. The chicken on the chicken sandwich was overcooked, so it was dry and hard. The salmon was completely bland. I will say the crab fries were actually really good, and I would recommend trying them. What really turned me off is that they provide plastic utensils and condiments in packets. For the price we're paying, we should be given silverware and condiments in bottles.
Where to start!! So I came here on a Sunday afternoon with a group of 5, expecting to have a long wait since it's prime brunch time. When we arrived, the parking lot wasn't too full so we went inside and placed ourselves on the waiting list. We were told it was an hour and a half wait which didn't make sense considering the restaurant itself wasn't that packed. Regardless, we stayed and ended up waiting for around 45 minutes to an hour. Shoutout to the Yelp app for showing us our place in line. Now let's talk about the service. Our specific waitress was very direct and to the point which was nice but the wait time to get essential things was frustrating. We kept asking for waters and didn't get them until we got main courses. We also kept asking for specific orders such as flavors for mimosas and were told they only had one flavor available for the drinks. Even when asking for chicken and waffles, I was told it was just French toast. Just little things to nitpick at honestly. The food was pretty good. I ordered the chicken and French toast, my friends ordered the shrimp grits and the blackened salmon. I would say flavor wise across the board we were expecting more seasoning but I will say that they were able to balance it out pretty well. I loved how the chicken and French toast came with the syrup on the side, which I barely used since it was sweet enough already with the caramel sauce. The chicken was weirdly cooked however with some parts being pink in the middle which turned me off. Overall expected more based on what I've heard about this place, but would like to come again to give it another try.
Finally made it here for brunch last Sunday!! Casual, family friendly, black owned restaurant. I've had Kitchen Cray food for years at various events in DC! I don't eat shellfish and their menu is primarily that but I was able to order french toast with chicken. It was actually ok. My friend also got the same and she enjoyed it. We shared a carafe of raspberry mimosas. They weren't overly strong but not bad. Added my name to the waitlist via the Yelp app. It gave an estimate of 20 minutes. Showed up within that time and they were able to seat us. I've heard super long wait times...like over an hour! They don't take reservations so try the Yelp app to get seating or just arrive very early especially with a group. We were there at noon. The place is located in an office building. I'm not gonna lie, it's not very aesthically pleasing or very big. It gave me cafeteria vibes. It's definitely more on the casual side. Of course if you want to put on your "Sunday Best" you can, but definitely not necessary here. Plenty of parking. The service was decent. The restroom is down the hall and a code is needed. The host/hostess will give it to you. There was a DJ but he didn't stay the entire time we were there. After they just had music playing. Overall, a 3.5 star rating so I rounded it up to 4! I would possibly come back not in a hurry.
Decided to come meet a friend here at 1PM on a Sunday for brunch! They DO NOT do reservations, but you can add yourself to the WAITLIST! Then when you arrive, check in with the hostess. I highly encourage this. Add yourself through their YELP page. You can even see where you are in line. When our table was ready, I got a text message to come in. If you don't, you will just have to wait until there's a table ready for your party size. This location is in a business park. It's pretty small inside. I *Think* there was a separate room for dinners but I couldn't really tell. There was a DJ playing old school and current music of today. All of the music was on point and had everyone excited! This really wasn't much of a "turn up" spot as it gave me more "cafeteria" vibes and the tables were kind of close together. The food was mediocre at best. Myself , nor my guest, really enjoyed our food. We both took home most of our entrees to go. I had the catfish and grits. All bland. The grits were more soupy than anything. Presentation was not desirable. We shared the Shrimp appetizers. They were okay. We did get a carafe of Passion Fruit mimosas which was really good. About 6 full glasses each. Yummmm! Our waitress was really nice. I would like to try the H Street Location next time.
As I write this review I wish I had leftovers from our Valentine's Day (my birthday) food journey to Kitchen Cray. Now I have been following them for a long time on IG, but needed to try them out because as we know food on social media can look good, but decieve your taste buds! They had dedicated Love Day options, however we opted to order off the regular menu. The service was great and the food was really impressive! We ordered the lemon pepper honey wings, chicken and French toast, jerk fettuccine shrimp, and the lobster mac. When I tell you ever dish was DELICIOUS! As the kids say, it was BUSSIN! Especially the French toast that was something special. Toast to the Chef and if you aren't going to Kitchen Cray what is you doing!!!!
So I've been following kitchen Cray since the food truck days! I finally made it to the restaurant in Lanham. So it's in a business park off of MLK you might think you're in the wrong place but look for the green awning and you're there. So the place was really a vibe and I really like to support black owned businesses when I can so here we are. FYI: The venue isn't huge and they have a little out door seating but not a lot. The indoor seating is limited. They don't take reservations on weekends so my suggestions would be to go early for brunch. We arrived at 1:15 and there was an hour wait. But they were true to the wait time! The food was amazing! Not one complaint. I order the seafood grits EXCELLENT. Consistency if the grits 10/10 flavor 10/10 whew Chile would recommend. My dining partner got the seafood omelet just copy and paste the same review. They don't have bottomless mimosas but the mimosa karfe was really reasonably priced and we each had at least 4 mimosas out of it. I really think it was more. Also a really good mix. The only thing that can be improved is that the dining room floors were a bit slippery, not a dig, it really was busy so it may be a result if that, but I definitely had to step lightly. The only other thing that could have been better was that it took us a while to get the food but again, it was busy and the manager promptly addressed it and took care of us without request or complaint. I forgot to mention there was a DJ and he was on point. Overall would recommend! They also have an H street location in DC. Give it a try!
If you're looking for a place with incredible food, music & vibes tou have to check out Kitchen Cray. We visited on a Sunday for brunch and checked in ahead of time through the yelp app (highly reccomend, a couple ahead of us had an hour wait). I couldn't resist the French toast with fried chicken, I'd seen so many raving reviews about it & honestly it did not disappoint. Rhe vanilla and caramel sauces are so good. My husband got an omelet that had some veggies, shrimp & crayfish. He enjoyed it as well! We decided to get a peach flavored mimosa and that was also delicious! We definitely want to come back to try their lobster mac & cheese to! They have other locations, including one in DC, but this is right outside so if you're staying in Maryland while on a trip to DC definitely visit this location
Who doesn't love brunch?!?! This place offers several options to choose from and I am excited for the several locations. Overall my food was not great and it was not a very family friendly establishment. However, knowing more from my first experience, I can set my expectations for a second visit. I will expect blasting music from the DJ, so loud I can't hear my guest but the music will have you grooving. There will be a wait even though we joined the waitlist prior to arriving. The floor will be grossly sticky. The server will not be as attentive but I'll be distracted by the music. The grits will be the some of the worst savory grits I've had but there are more menu items to choose from. Overall not a great experience, but not a home run. I look forward to trying additional items with my expectations adjusted.
They do not take reservations and do not tell wait time over the phone. We went on a Sunday morning (around 11am), we were seating quick. But it became full with in the next hour. The staff were very friendly and polite. Coming to the food, everything was amazing. Kudos to the Chef. 1. Chicken and French Toast (5/5) - Chicken was jucy, tender and the french toast was perfect. 2. Seafood Salmon with Lobster Tail (5/5) - Great cheddar grits (Coming from me - I am not big fan of Cheese) with a lot of meat (Fish, prawns and lobster) 3. Mimosa carafe (5/5) We got the regular mimosas. A great place for brunch. Must visit with friends. One of favorite places to go
2 years ago
2 years ago
MangoPassion Refresher - 10/10 Mumbo Shrimp Deviled Eggs - 9/10 French Toast - 10/10 (get the half order - it's filling) Showtime Omelette - 10/10 Every single thing I ate was amazing. This is the quieter location and it definitely comes correct with taste. I am officially a loyal customer. Service: We had Ylicia and she was very good. Super attentive and even sat us (no host was at the front). We appreciate her. read more
This my second time at this location and it's been an enjoyable experience. Parking: parking lot with plenty of parking spots. Wait: we came in a sunday around 12:30 and there was no wait for a party of 2. We were seated quickly. Vibe: I love the old school R&B being played by the dj. It's a fun vibe. It's also great that the music isn't so loud that it's hard to hear, Food: we for the shrimp deviled eggs and they were delicious. The shrimp was a nice size and well seasoned. We got a side of the lemon pepper honey lamb chops and they were cooked well and the sauce was addictive. I ordered the shrimp and crab omelette and I thought it was ok. I asked for light cheese but it was still a good amount of cheese. The omelette was topped with the crab and shrimp. It was a decent omelet but not the best. My fiancée got the french toast and he said it was good but tasted more like cap'n crunch than french toast. He felt his eggs had way too much cheese. The tater tots were perfect. read more
Food: ALWAYS a hit! Party of 4 today. We were sooo hungry, we all forgot to take pics (SMH). Everyone had the cheese grits, 3 of us had catfish/catfish bites and the remaining person ordered the salmon bites. Yummy x 4. Service: Nothing but praise for the 2 ladies holding it down on this holiday Monday. Ambiance: Meh. Absolutely nothing noteworthy but we came to eat and we're all repeat patrons so, enuff said. One MINOR complaint: No Mimosas today as they were completely out of champagne. However, the server took $3 off of the substitute glass of Chardonnay I ordered (which actually made up for yesterday's unwarranted $3 up charge @glorydaysgrill (Stone Ridge/South Riding, VA). read more
3 years ago
The food was very good. Had lots of amazing flavor and the portion was favorable. The atmosphere was very quiet since it was a weekday and around 1pm. I appreciated the service and hospitality with the wait staff. It's located in a parking lot inside an executive style building where you would assume there are lots of offices, so, when you follow GPS don't feel like it's steering you wrong. Lol. The kitchen staff was great and I like that I could see them. It puts a cool touch on the experience. They had an office to the side and I would suggest keeping the door closed because it was very untidy. Customers didn't need to see inside that office. read more
Kitchen Cray Café is alright by me. What makes this place great, if you live in the area and you work from home in the surrounding area and you want to do a random brunch with a little mimosa action with a friend from 10 am to 2pm in the middle of the week. Bay-Bee you can do that!!!! The catfish and cheese grits were yummy, not salty, tender and perfectly fried. Grits were light and fluffy. I had a white wine sangria with strawberries and blueberries. Caught up and had a good ole' kee-kee with my gurl. And we scooted on out the door by 12:30pm so we could be back at home for our 1 o'clock meetings. This place could use a little color and some feminine touch, flowers on the table, etc. Give it more of a café feel. But all and all the R&B music was great, and the staff was very nice and took care of us while we were there. It's just a nice place to be! read more
Parking availability was good. For a Sunday, I was impressed with the wait time. We came at peak hours, brunch right after a lot of people's church services might let out, and maybe waited 10-15 minutes. They had a DJ that was playing great music, which was a vibe. At times, the music was blaring. We asked our server if the DJ could turn it down a little, and they were accommodating. If no one said anything, it would be impossible to have a conversation without straining your voice. The people I ate with got the fried chicken & waffles, & the catfish & cheesy grits. Both of them were impressed with the portions, and couldn't even finish their meal. For their drinks, I believe one person got a tropical beverage, that they enjoyed, and the other ordered frozen drink that was underwhelming. I was told it was too sweet & creamy, instead of fruity, and came with whipped cream that hurt instead of helped. I got the strawberry splash (strawberry, Sierra Mist, oj, and maybe, passion fruit?) and it was delicious. Think a strawberry lemonade mixed with a tropical sprite. 10/10 For food, I got the seafood grits, which came with sausage and shrimp on top of cheesy grits. I appreciated the diversity of flavors that were provided by the selection of protein. Both were well seasoned. It was the perfect amount of cheese in the grits. Good portion. 10/10 read more
4 years ago
I really wanted to love this place. I've been following Chef Robinson on social media for at least the last four years (if not longer). When he opened his restaurant(s) I was so happy. Keep in mind that I lived in Las Vegas, and really didn't have a reason to visit Baltimore, but I kept this place bookmarked just in case. Now we live in the Atlanta area and decided to take a day trip to the DMV to see the sights, so naturally the first place I wanted to stop was here. The restaurant itself is very clean, and the staff is pleasant. They had a DJ, and there was an all-around good vibe in the place. Unfortunately, the food didn't live up to my expectations. We ordered the catfish and grits, the hot honey chicken sandwich, the blackened salmon with mashed potatoes, and the crab fries. Overall, the main dishes lacked flavor. The chicken on the chicken sandwich was overcooked, so it was dry and hard. The salmon was completely bland. I will say the crab fries were actually really good, and I would recommend trying them. What really turned me off is that they provide plastic utensils and condiments in packets. For the price we're paying, we should be given silverware and condiments in bottles. read more
Where to start!! So I came here on a Sunday afternoon with a group of 5, expecting to have a long wait since it's prime brunch time. When we arrived, the parking lot wasn't too full so we went inside and placed ourselves on the waiting list. We were told it was an hour and a half wait which didn't make sense considering the restaurant itself wasn't that packed. Regardless, we stayed and ended up waiting for around 45 minutes to an hour. Shoutout to the Yelp app for showing us our place in line. Now let's talk about the service. Our specific waitress was very direct and to the point which was nice but the wait time to get essential things was frustrating. We kept asking for waters and didn't get them until we got main courses. We also kept asking for specific orders such as flavors for mimosas and were told they only had one flavor available for the drinks. Even when asking for chicken and waffles, I was told it was just French toast. Just little things to nitpick at honestly. The food was pretty good. I ordered the chicken and French toast, my friends ordered the shrimp grits and the blackened salmon. I would say flavor wise across the board we were expecting more seasoning but I will say that they were able to balance it out pretty well. I loved how the chicken and French toast came with the syrup on the side, which I barely used since it was sweet enough already with the caramel sauce. The chicken was weirdly cooked however with some parts being pink in the middle which turned me off. Overall expected more based on what I've heard about this place, but would like to come again to give it another try. read more
5 years ago
Finally made it here for brunch last Sunday!! Casual, family friendly, black owned restaurant. I've had Kitchen Cray food for years at various events in DC! I don't eat shellfish and their menu is primarily that but I was able to order french toast with chicken. It was actually ok. My friend also got the same and she enjoyed it. We shared a carafe of raspberry mimosas. They weren't overly strong but not bad. Added my name to the waitlist via the Yelp app. It gave an estimate of 20 minutes. Showed up within that time and they were able to seat us. I've heard super long wait times...like over an hour! They don't take reservations so try the Yelp app to get seating or just arrive very early especially with a group. We were there at noon. The place is located in an office building. I'm not gonna lie, it's not very aesthically pleasing or very big. It gave me cafeteria vibes. It's definitely more on the casual side. Of course if you want to put on your "Sunday Best" you can, but definitely not necessary here. Plenty of parking. The service was decent. The restroom is down the hall and a code is needed. The host/hostess will give it to you. There was a DJ but he didn't stay the entire time we were there. After they just had music playing. Overall, a 3.5 star rating so I rounded it up to 4! I would possibly come back not in a hurry. read more
Decided to come meet a friend here at 1PM on a Sunday for brunch! They DO NOT do reservations, but you can add yourself to the WAITLIST! Then when you arrive, check in with the hostess. I highly encourage this. Add yourself through their YELP page. You can even see where you are in line. When our table was ready, I got a text message to come in. If you don't, you will just have to wait until there's a table ready for your party size. This location is in a business park. It's pretty small inside. I *Think* there was a separate room for dinners but I couldn't really tell. There was a DJ playing old school and current music of today. All of the music was on point and had everyone excited! This really wasn't much of a "turn up" spot as it gave me more "cafeteria" vibes and the tables were kind of close together. The food was mediocre at best. Myself , nor my guest, really enjoyed our food. We both took home most of our entrees to go. I had the catfish and grits. All bland. The grits were more soupy than anything. Presentation was not desirable. We shared the Shrimp appetizers. They were okay. We did get a carafe of Passion Fruit mimosas which was really good. About 6 full glasses each. Yummmm! Our waitress was really nice. I would like to try the H Street Location next time. read more
As I write this review I wish I had leftovers from our Valentine's Day (my birthday) food journey to Kitchen Cray. Now I have been following them for a long time on IG, but needed to try them out because as we know food on social media can look good, but decieve your taste buds! They had dedicated Love Day options, however we opted to order off the regular menu. The service was great and the food was really impressive! We ordered the lemon pepper honey wings, chicken and French toast, jerk fettuccine shrimp, and the lobster mac. When I tell you ever dish was DELICIOUS! As the kids say, it was BUSSIN! Especially the French toast that was something special. Toast to the Chef and if you aren't going to Kitchen Cray what is you doing!!!! read more
So I've been following kitchen Cray since the food truck days! I finally made it to the restaurant in Lanham. So it's in a business park off of MLK you might think you're in the wrong place but look for the green awning and you're there. So the place was really a vibe and I really like to support black owned businesses when I can so here we are. FYI: The venue isn't huge and they have a little out door seating but not a lot. The indoor seating is limited. They don't take reservations on weekends so my suggestions would be to go early for brunch. We arrived at 1:15 and there was an hour wait. But they were true to the wait time! The food was amazing! Not one complaint. I order the seafood grits EXCELLENT. Consistency if the grits 10/10 flavor 10/10 whew Chile would recommend. My dining partner got the seafood omelet just copy and paste the same review. They don't have bottomless mimosas but the mimosa karfe was really reasonably priced and we each had at least 4 mimosas out of it. I really think it was more. Also a really good mix. The only thing that can be improved is that the dining room floors were a bit slippery, not a dig, it really was busy so it may be a result if that, but I definitely had to step lightly. The only other thing that could have been better was that it took us a while to get the food but again, it was busy and the manager promptly addressed it and took care of us without request or complaint. I forgot to mention there was a DJ and he was on point. Overall would recommend! They also have an H street location in DC. Give it a try! read more
If you're looking for a place with incredible food, music & vibes tou have to check out Kitchen Cray. We visited on a Sunday for brunch and checked in ahead of time through the yelp app (highly reccomend, a couple ahead of us had an hour wait). I couldn't resist the French toast with fried chicken, I'd seen so many raving reviews about it & honestly it did not disappoint. Rhe vanilla and caramel sauces are so good. My husband got an omelet that had some veggies, shrimp & crayfish. He enjoyed it as well! We decided to get a peach flavored mimosa and that was also delicious! We definitely want to come back to try their lobster mac & cheese to! They have other locations, including one in DC, but this is right outside so if you're staying in Maryland while on a trip to DC definitely visit this location read more
5 years ago
Who doesn't love brunch?!?! This place offers several options to choose from and I am excited for the several locations. Overall my food was not great and it was not a very family friendly establishment. However, knowing more from my first experience, I can set my expectations for a second visit. I will expect blasting music from the DJ, so loud I can't hear my guest but the music will have you grooving. There will be a wait even though we joined the waitlist prior to arriving. The floor will be grossly sticky. The server will not be as attentive but I'll be distracted by the music. The grits will be the some of the worst savory grits I've had but there are more menu items to choose from. Overall not a great experience, but not a home run. I look forward to trying additional items with my expectations adjusted. read more
5 years ago
They do not take reservations and do not tell wait time over the phone. We went on a Sunday morning (around 11am), we were seating quick. But it became full with in the next hour. The staff were very friendly and polite. Coming to the food, everything was amazing. Kudos to the Chef. 1. Chicken and French Toast (5/5) - Chicken was jucy, tender and the french toast was perfect. 2. Seafood Salmon with Lobster Tail (5/5) - Great cheddar grits (Coming from me - I am not big fan of Cheese) with a lot of meat (Fish, prawns and lobster) 3. Mimosa carafe (5/5) We got the regular mimosas. A great place for brunch. Must visit with friends. One of favorite places to go read more
I went for a friend's birthday brunch awhile back. Here's what I got: MUMBO CHICKEN DEVILED EGGS: Chicken tossed in mumbo sauce | Seemed like a good idea, but...it wasn't. Too sweet. Not my jam. CATFISH & GRITS: Deep-fried catfish over creamy jalepeño cheddar grits | Decent, but barely room temperature by the time it arrived. (Not a little air fryer action can't bring to life.) RUM CAKE: Served w/vanilla ice cream | Pretty good, but my ice cream was melted, so that sucked. It was a busy time, so the service was slow... Polite, but slow. Would've been nice to have more than one server to assist with our somewhat large party. I won't hold it against them, because the server was super apologetic and tried to accommodate everyone as best as possible. __ IG: @f.hux I #yelp and I know things. Keep reading... https://linktr.ee/f.hux #foodieHUX #yelpelite #yelpeatsdc #yelpdc read more
Came here for brunch today and I was pleasantly surprised. I came to this establishment years ago and the food was good but it was a long wait and hours of operation were weird. However, this time it was the complete opposite. We were greeted and seated immediately. We ordered old bay wings for an appetizer and they were nicely seasoned and fried. For our entree I got the showtime omelette which comes with grits or tots, it was so good! My boyfriend got the catfish and grits and he said it was really good. I definitely recommend this place for breakfast/brunch/lunch. The patio seating is open now which is nice even though it's in a business center. read more
Business owner information
James R.
Thanks
Pack your patience for your food. Once it arrives, it was well worth the wait. I stopped by for lunch. This is an intimate location that is well staffed. Our food was delicious. My catfish was fried perfectly and the cheese grits are delicious. The lamb chops were perfectly seasoned, sautéed spinach was amazing over the grits. I'm definitely a fan of Chef JR's and will be back. read more
About a 1-1.5: We had heard from a dear friend about KitchenCray, so we wanted to check them out for brunch on a weekend. We decided to make the trek to the Lanham location, as it seemed to be their original post. I had read some reviews that they serve a limited menu on the weekends, but this didn't seem the case - we were provided the full menu with a beverage list; there were some specials wrote in chalk on one of the boards, and the server stated that the kitchen was able to prepare those as well (even though they were specials from the evening before). We ordered: +Crab Tots - the tater tots were perfectly fried and super crispy; these were topped with shredded crab meat and an aioli drizzle; I wished that they were more generous with the sauce, as it only covered the top layer of the tots, and there weren't any sauce left to use with the underneath layers +Wings - we went for the dry rub of Old Bay; these were absolutely NUKED - I mean, I love my wings fried hard, but these were to the point where the bones were disintegrating; not sure how the kitchen would allow this to be served to patrons? Pretty shameful. +Shrimp & Grits - the grits were super thick and creamy; some of the shrimp were not trimmed and prepared well; this also included turkey sausage, but only 3 thin slices of them - these could have been pan-fried or something, because they looked like there were just steamed and put in the dish as an afterthought +Jerk Fettucine Alfredo - this was pretty inedible - while the pasta was cooked al dente, the chicken was stringy and had a weird texture, and the flavors were just off-putting; we couldn't go past a bite Overall, we just couldn't see the justification on the prices of the items with the quality that was being served - the nuked wings were $19 (!), the Jerk Fettucine Alfredo was listed at $25+ (!), which was served with chicken, not seafood. I mean, come on... Service felt nonexistent, and I wished we were checked in more often so we could share our experience. We also weren't fans of the electronic payment, as we like seeing a paper check for an itemized bill. And, lo and behold, we didn't know that there was an automatic 18% gratuity added to all checks, even though it was written in fine print at the bottom of the menu - it just seemed like a dishonest or a bamboozling tactic when they still automatically have a 3%, 5%, and 7% gratuity pop-up for you to add once you run your card - pretty annoying. Located on the first floor of a business building with plenty of parking. Glad we were able to check this place out, but wouldn't return. +nuked wings +lack of quality in preparation of dishes +18% gratuity automatically added to all checks +nonexistent service +plenty of parking in lot read more
I really enjoyed my visit to at KitchenCray Cafe. We came here for a bite to eat after church on Sunday and it was a great experience. I ordered the seafood grits with a side of cheesy eggs and the food was excellent! The grits were nice and smooth, just how I like them and the eggs were also made very well. I was being a bit experimental with the mango passion fruit refresher, and I would not recommend unless you like your drinks SUPER sweet. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed this meal and I will definitely be back! read more
The atmosphere was upbeat and fast paced. I feel like they got busy for a second but then it balanced out. The food was greatttttt. Catfish was cooked perfectly, they provided enough cream sauce so I didn't have to ask for more and the mimosa flavor was really good. They weren't watery so that's always a plus. My friend got the Showtime Omelette & Passionfruit juice which she said was all incredible. Will I be back? As soon as possible read more
Let's start of by saying the server we had was amazing. She was accommodating to our needs with a friendly demeanor. I got the Cranmamgo Blast and it was delicious. Do you see the presentation of the showtime omelette and tots.. these are the best looking tots I have ever seen honestly. So.... This place is not only about presentation when it comes to food but the flavors... THE FLAVORSSSSS.. these people up here believe in seasoning.. can you feel my praise dance through these words.. the showtime omelette is a must have, the jumbo shrimp deviled eggs, and even the tots.. DO YOU KNOW WHAT KIND OF BLESSING YOU GOT TO PUT ON THE TOTS FOR THEM TO TASTE AMAZING.. come on somebody . Now... when something is amazing, you know something else is going to have to be a slight meh. The ambiance of this place is not a party, popping, brunchy, type of DC feel. This is more of a trying to get away from the business of DC and have good food in a chill environment. They also have music which adds to the vibe read more
Food: 5 star Service: All of the DMV foodies know that Kitchen Cray is a definite go-to for amazing seafood and southern cuisine! With a menu that'll make you say ooooooo... The Seafood Salmon, Catfish and Grits, and Chicken and French Toast and Lobster Mac is banging!!! The service however was extremely slow... It took 10mins to get seated, and there was no line and lots of empty tables. In addition it was over 15mins before we got our drinks - lemonade & water!! Whether this is because they were short staffed that day, or need a dedicated host/hostess, I don't know... But there's a lot of room for improvement there! I would still go back... read more
I've been wanting to try this place for quite some time and so when I found myself in the area for work I decided to stop by for a quick lunch. This is in an office complex and can be a little bit tricky to find. But there are signs that the office suite number I was greeted by the host at the door who took my temperature. I had no problem with getting seated at around noon time on a weekday. I did not order a drink but I ordered food. The food I ordered: chicken wings with jerk seasoning and crab meat with grits. I was a bit disappointed with the seasoning and I thought it would be much spicier on the chicken wings but it was just a little bit flat. They were cooked well however. The shrimp and grits was also on the saltier side. I had no issues with the service whatsoever. Everyone was great and courteous. I was a bit surprised to see that so many people have been writing that the service was poor. So I wanted to add my thought The bathroom is outside of this restaurant. It is a shared bathroom in the office building. You do need a code to get in. Parking is free and in a lot Ambiance is fine there is not much wall decor Price is good given the quantity and quality of food. Overall I think it's worth a shot. I just wasn't blown away at by the food. read more
2 years ago
4 years ago
This is my second time here, and it doesn't disappoint. I'm a sucker for casual non pretentious yummy brunch, and KitchenCray always deliver! I got the classic shrimp and grits and it was sooo good! They were also generous with the shrimp portion. My sister got the crab fries and an omelette with a side of gator tots and those were delicious as well. We also got a pitcher of mimosa and you definitely need to take your time with those. Love that I can have a great brunch experience without going to DC. Tip: 18% gratuity is automatically added to your bill read more
4 years ago
I'm still sitting here in the restaurant writing this review. I'm confidently giving this place a 3. 1 star for being a black owned restaurant that I wanted to come support and 2 stars for the food. Let's break it all the way down We arrived at about 1:15 to put our name down on the list table of 4 and 1 baby. The wait was an hour. Still better than the h street location that told me our wait would be TWO hours. So we decided to wait. 1 hour later we were seated. And forgotten about. When I finally called someone over I asked for at least water to which we were told she's getting to it right now. BTW know that you are eating with plastic cutlery on formica plates, but you might get lucky and get a set of silverware Waitresses going back and forth about who's table we actually were, we finally got our water after a 2nd plea and simultaneously had to remind our waitress about what our drinks were. We placed our order and then continued to wait and wait and wait and wait. One of the reasons why we waited is because everyone kept coming out with sighs of contentment. We kept looking around while sitting and noticing that everyone's plate was CLEARED. IT WAS BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE HUNGRY. Don't worry my plate of lukewarm food was cleared too. Your's would be too after waiting 50 minutes for your good......and an additional 15 for the 4th persons plate who they forgot to put in. It's 340. I asked for my check 5 minutes ago. Let's see how long they hold us hostage Update to add insult to injury there is an automatic 18% put on for gratuity. I was initially going to pay the receipt because again but that put me over the edge and made me complain about the wait and the disjointed serving. To which I was adequately compensated for my troubles read more
2 years ago
4 years ago
When my husband and I (party of 2) Arrived for brunch we were told a 45 min wait which was fine. We actually got seated within 30. Drinks took about 15 mins. Then took our server another 15 mins to come and take our order. That's when the real wait began. It took almost an hour and half to get out food. We were about to cancel our order and leave. Like that was absolutely ridiculous. Our server gave a dry apology for the wait. The tables that sat after us were getting food and for some reason we weren't I don't know if she forgot the order or what. I would say the food was worth the wait but that wait was very upsetting. On a good note. Food was very delicious. Our drinks were ok. No bottomless ( which might have distracted me from the wait time). We considered a large party on our check so that the gratuity was added. (It was two of us). We would eat the food again but I would not go to that location again unless it was for to go. read more
I've wanted to go to this restaurant ever since I saw it featured on a Food Network show. The restaurant is nestled in an industrial park. As you enter the restaurant you are greeted with mellow music. The tables all seem to be a dark butcher block which is really cool. You can dine in, takeout or have your food delivered by popular delivery services. It was not busy when I arrived around 10:15am, however it quickly started to fill up. I was so happy to be able to snag a high top window seat. I chose the Blackened Salmon which comes served over your choice of mashed potatoes or cheesy grits topped with spinach and a garlic cream sauce. The grits were perfectly creamy. It is hard to find perfect grits and Kitchen Cray nailed it. The salmon had a light sear on the outside and was velvety soft on the inside. With all the texture going on I forgot to say the salmon flavors were perfect. The portion was so big that I could only eat half. I brought the other half home to have for a late lunch and the flavors were even better. I will definitely going back. Make sure you check their hours before going. Today their hours were from 10a - 2p. read more
The food is good. It could be served hotter. The wait was over a hour to receive our brunch and it took a waitress over 30 minutes to come over to the table once we got seated. She only did after a manager told her to come over. It took forever to receive our drinks. I love the music and the days that they have a live DJ. Overall tasty food but needs better service. read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
IF I COULD GIVE THEM A ZERIO, I WOULD: We saw them on Fox 5 DC and heard so much about them so we wanted to try and support. Babeeee when I tell you "It's A No For Me" 1. We arrived and was told that they stop seating because they had an event, but after me pleading, the Host asked the Manager and they obliged. Thanks for accommodating. 2. The atmosphere - Chair seating is hard but it a Cafe. We thought it was a more of upscale restaurant; that's our bad. 3. We were server tap water that tasted salty; it was awful and served in a plastic cut. 4. Credit card charge 3%, Gratuity 18%. Really. Penalize me for not using cash, ok 3% I will accept, but automatically charge me 18% gratitude for 2 people is unacceptable. DRINKS: (IF YOU LOOKING FOR A STRONG ALCOHOLIC DRINKS, THEY DON'T SERVE AT THIS LOCATION, LANHAM MARYLAND). Ok fine I won't judge but the cost is excessive. 1 mimosa: Served in a plastic flute - $12.00 1 sangria: Served in a plastic cocktail cup - $14.00. DRINKS OK BUT COULD BE SERVED IN A LARGER GLASS/PLASTIC FOR THE PRICE. 2 SIPS, ITS GONE. MEAL: Appetizer: Special: Wings - OMG I order to go, got home and the wings were so hard and salty that they were uneatable. In the trash they go. Main Course: HE WE GO: Surf and Turf: Served cold, the lamb chops were order medium well. It was served cold, sent back. Made again and the lamb chops were cooked so hard couldn't chew them. After complaining, server removed from the bill. Seafood grits: (Included Lump Crab Meat with sautéed shrimps. I got 1 table spoon of crab meat, too much old bay, too salty; 4 shrimps. A lot of grits but they were tasty. Overall rating: IT'S NOT WELL VENTILATED, SMOKEY AND OUR CLOTHING SMELLED LIKE FRIED FOOD WHEN WE LEFT. ITS A NOT FOR ME. VERY DISAPPOINTED AND WILL NEVER BACK. BILL: Subtotal: $88.00 Auto Gratuity: $15.94 Credit Card Charge: $2.64 Tax: $5.28 Total Bill: $111.76 (WOW) read more
3 years ago
First experience was 5 stars. Second experience was 2 stars. Sole reason for the decrease in rating was the horrible wait staff service. The only reason I'm not rating this business as a 1 star is because the chefs did a great job with the food. Wait staff service should be a negative 10! There was no one to greet customers at the front entrance. So after waiting, I seated myself. Minutes after that, a waiter comes by to tell me she is moving us to a low table. I informed her that we prefer a high top. She said okay. So we stayed put. It was a long wait to get a waiter to come over to ask us for our drink order. Then it took longer to get the nonalcoholic drinks. I tried to order a mango drink, but was told they were out of mango. So I just ordered a sweet tea, which was okay... Sweet but fine... It took almost 20+ minutes for the waiter to return to take out food order. During this unacceptable waiting period, we asked two other employees to get our waiter smh. She arrived with an attitude. The food came out. We had no silverware. No napkins. Smh I had to ask for these items by speaking out from my table wayyyyy to the front area by saying hey can we get silverware and napkins. I had to ask an employee to tell the waiter to bring a refill of sweet tea. It was just a horrible experience. So bad that it outweighed the good food. 0 stars for the wait staff service. The seafood grits was good. read more
We've been here a few times and I've never been disappointed with my food. The service is a little hit and miss. This time we had a party of 3 and couldn't get a seat inside at all, no matter how long we were willing to wait. We did get seated in the shade, but right in front of the speaker that caused a serious headache, but for my meal, I took that pain. I tried the lobster mac WITH the lobster tail. It was amazing! We did wait almost 20 mins for a refill on our drinks and then another 30 for our check. read more
The supreme omelette did not disappoint! They did not skimp on the crab meat either, totally worth it! The service was pretty good as well. We went on a Sunday after church so it was a bit crowded but the food came out in decent time and the waitress checked on us multiple times while waiting. The music too was great, uptempo gospel playing. read more
The food is really good. Alot of flavor and really crafted for a hungry belly. Portion sizes are hefty and can be shared. Everyone's plate that I saw looked amazing. There was way too much sauce on the shrimp and grits but the dish was still good. The chef definitely put his own twist to it. I recommend asking for the manager if you have any issues because the staff didn't seem able to manage the seating process. My waitress was Brittany and she was top notch! read more
7 years ago
A review in three visits: Overall, delicious-buttttt a very pricey limited menu with lots of 'dish inconsistencies when assessing the value of the entrees' FIRST VISIT: When we first dined at Kitchencray, our family of six dined on a Saturday afternoon-during their brunch rush. Ample parking, the restaurant didn't look like much from the outside. They are located in a business district shared office building; when we walked in there was this immediate curious feeling were we in the wrong place, but once we were seated, in a beautifully decorated back room, the restaurant had a cozy ambiance. Bonus-the staff was very cheery to welcome everyone. Reviewing their Saturday menu, it was a bummer to discover they severely reduce their typical menu on weekends, leaving minimal choices. We all ended up ordering pretty much the same thing; Three Chicken & French Toasts, Three Showtime Omelets, and a plate of wings to share. Our wings came with hair on them-busy kitchen sometimes that happens, we went to the kitchen to request a new plate...but after that nobody addressed the hair, no 'sorry' from our waiter, no update from the kitchen, no removing it from our bill, it felt strange, like it was our fault we wanted a new plate and they had to 'waste' the food. Then came out the plates, for three dishes of the same thing (twice) nothing looked the same-the portions were all varying-my chicken was massive, my sisters were mini nuggets, hers had a lot of strawberries, I had maybe three blueberries, omelets had sauce and no sauce, sweet potatoes had cheese and no cheese. Add on the coffees & juice were $4 each with no refills, the bill was around $170 and I was not impressed. After the negative experience, I reached out to the manager, who invited us all back for a re-do experience. We broke the visits up into two events since my family couldn't all make it together again. SECOND VISIT: My husband I returned on a Monday morning for breakfast. It was nice to have the option to try their normal menu, we tried the catfish and grits, the chicken and biscuits, and re-did the wings. The wings were juicy, crispy, and well sauced. The entrée dishes were massive, with ample toppings- I felt like the really did put more attention into the dishes-which made the price seem more 'worth it' this time around. The grits were packed with chunks of crab meat, the sauce was delicious, and the catfish was a massive piece-lightly breaded, cooked well. The gravy was loaded with chunks of sausage, the biscuits were warm and flaky, and they were topped with large pieces of chicken. This visit was a vast improvement and made me begin to think I would be comfortable dining here in the future. THIRD VISIT: This visit, my 'brothers', hubby, and I returned to try the brunch experience on a Sunday. They were very packed-with a dj playing music, taking away the homey ambiance turning it into night club meets brunch- Again, they had a weekend brunch very limited menu- as we attempted to order we discovered, at 1pm, most of their options were 'out'-when having an already limited menu, this was a major bummer since it wasn't as much selection versus just what is left? I ended up with the crab tots, the catfish & grits again, my hubby the lobster mac (but lobster was out so crab mac), another catfish & grits, and a chicken & french toast. The crab tots were packed with chunks of crab meat and topped with about a cup of old bay mayo sauce. At $17 I felt like the dish didn't meet a gourmet 'worth it' quality-since they tasted like out of a bag overcooked tots. As for the entrees: .....again, dish inconsistencies. My grits this time were nothing like the grits I had on Monday-maybe it's the weekend hustle and crowd that makes having to put dishes out at a faster rate drop in quality. I had significantly less crab meat, way more grits, and a smaller piece of catfish. The other grits at the table had a larger piece of fish and was smothered in some sort of orange sauce that wasn't on my dish. The other two dishes seemed fine: The chicken & french toast did look delicious-nothing like my original dish first visit, loaded with strawberries. The french toast seemed deep fried-with a crispiness, which wasn't what my original toast was like. The crab mac and cheese had crispy cheese, large pieces of crab, and a nice bold flavor profile. I appreciate the manager's willingness to have us back to re-experience, I love their happy staff, and their social awareness (such as making us hand sanitize before entering) but my initial woes stand strong. Overall, with the price of their dishes being on the more expensive side $30-32 a plate, while dishes and flavors are delicious I don't want to gamble on the kitchen potentially having an 'off' day. With twice in three visits receiving a mediocre dish, I wouldn't want to opt to select them for lunch. read more
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More info about KitchenCray Cafe
4601 Presidents Dr
Ste 110
Lanham, MD 20706
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Ask the Community - KitchenCray Cafe
Does this location have Wifi?
Does KitchenCray offer bottomless mimosas with their brunch?
They don't. But when you purchase the pitcher, you won't even want bottomless. They are strong and tasty!!
When is brunch opening? Thank you ! How can I register for the wait list?
KitchenCray Closed on Monday's Tuesday's -Thursday 10am-2pm Friday- Sunday 10am - 3pm. Brunch is…
Can someone tell me is this buffet style and also is the lanham location open on Sunday for brunch?
It is not buffet style for the Sunday brunch.
Do you they only offer brunch on Sunday?
Yes we only have a brunch menu on Sundays.
How do I make a reservation?
I just walked in....no reservation was made. However, for brunch I think you can go to their website and register for it. I hope this helps.
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Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
78 reviews that are not currently recommended
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