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KitchenCray Cafe

4.1 (1.2k reviews)

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KITCHENCRAY CAFE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Trendy
Moderate noise
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - KitchenCray Cafe

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Salmon grits
Cristall G.

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.

White wine sangria
Toya J.

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!

Seafood Grits
Jacob F.

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

Crab fries (really good)
Melanie H.

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.

Shrimp and grits
Jackie B.

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.

Donyiel C.

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.

Menu
Robin C.

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.

Mimosa
Nisha B.

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.

Jerk Fettuccine with Shrimp
Janay S.

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!!!!

Open Kitchen
Kimber V.

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.

Dining room floor
Andrea K.

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!

CranMango Blast
Jared E.

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

tables and chairs in a restaurant
Hannah H.

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

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KitchenCray Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

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… Read more

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.

Can I order carryout?

Yes and you can call in an order for pick up.

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.

View All 8 Questions

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Milk & Honey Southern Inspired Kitchen

Milk & Honey Southern Inspired Kitchen

(183 reviews)

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Milk & Honey continues to remind me why it's one of the most beloved brunch spots. On my most…read morerecent visit, I ordered the salmon hash, and it absolutely delivered. The dish was beautifully balanced: tender, flaky salmon layered over crispy potatoes with just the right seasoning. Each bite had that comforting brunch richness without feeling heavy, and the flavors were well thought out. It's one of those plates that makes you pause for a moment because you realize someone in the kitchen really understands how to build flavor. Beyond the food, the staff deserves recognition. From the moment we walked in, the team was warm, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. Even during the busy brunch rush, the service never felt rushed or transactional. Our server checked in at just the right moments and made sure everything was perfect. The atmosphere here always feels lively but still relaxed, the kind of place where you can catch up with friends over good food and leave feeling taken care of.

This 12oz. steak served with asparagus was crazy, $35 and when we order, we were not told that…read morethere was no asparagus. We were given broccoli which we do not need... when asked to substitute it for something was told that they could not. Why ask how you want your steak cooked when it was this thin??? The burnt bread for the burger was crazy for the price. Ordered a side of mac & cheese for $11. The portion was super tiny. Additionally the staggering of time my family got their food was crazy, my daughter got her food, 10 min later my husband's food came out and then five minutes later after that, my son's food came out. We were there to eat as a family. It was crazy how it's staggered. Was never checked on for a refill of drink drinks. Do not recommend this location due to the attitude of the servers. They did not care nor did they care to make anything correct or anyone happy. Will stick to milk and honey in Fairfax, Virginia we care about their patrons.

Mid Atlantic Seafood - Shrimp Po-boy and Fries

Mid Atlantic Seafood

(111 reviews)

$$

This location has superb food all around, and I have never tasted anything I didn't love from this…read moreplace. However, if you plan to dine in the restaurant, be prepared for 80 degree heat and VERY loud music that you have to shout over in the dining area in order to have a conversation. When I asked, they turned it down. A little. Other than those discomforts, I found the restaurant to be incredibly friendly and welcoming, and full of happy customers anxiously waiting to taste their food, as well as bright and happy workers. It's clearly a local favorite, and not just for seafood lovers. The man who took our order was helpful and efficient, and he even noticed that we didn't hear our number called when the order was ready, so he left his post to come deliver it to us. The flounder sandwich is to die for, just as good as the one I had in Myrtle Beach! And the selection of sides is almost overwhelming. It really helps to go look at them before you decide, but everything was fresh and delicious, with huge portions, and they put the liquidy dishes into sealed containers that don't leak. I love the cheesy broccoli, the Mac and cheese (my kids love that the most!), and the cabbage with carrots. My friend said the black eyed peas were absolutely wonderful. I will continue to order delivery and carry out from this location, but for dining in, I will go to Laurel.

Ordered online and picked up my food for lunch and I was pleasantly surprised. ( First time eating…read morefrom here.) The restaurant is cute, my food was good! It taste like it was homemade which is a good thing! I like when my food taste fresh and natural or like something I would have made myself at home ( I love to cook! ), anyways the onion rings were also very crispy and good. You can choose your side with your meal or just get the sandwich. Overall the menu has a lot of options , so I am looking forward to trying there other seafood meals! Now moving along to the presentation, I really appreciated that I had everything I needed ( sauce utensils napkins in the bag) and my food was ready pretty quickly and the person that assisted me was cool, wasn't a long line I was in and out. I honestly had low expectations when I ordered from here, but after my pick up experience, my food packaging, and eating my meal I can say they blew my expectations out the water lol. Loved it and I want to try their salmon next!

Jasper's - ULTIMATE BROWNIE SUNDAY

Jasper's

(791 reviews)

$$

Located in an area that has plentiful parking, a drive up area for to go orders, Jaspers seems to…read morehave something for everyone. Reservations are not needed but it'd be wise to coordinate if you will have a party of six or larger. This allows the correct number of servers to be assigned to your group in advance to manage things. Plenty of TVs if you want to just come watch an event and have a meal. There is a bar here and the drinks were good on my visit. Happy hour starts at 4p and there are food and drink specials available. We arrived earlier than happy hour but the portions and drink options were good to go. I went with the chicken and shrimp Alfredo with broccoli. It was enough for my appetite and needed just a pinch of salt and pepper. Our server was getting her steps in. She was attentive and made sure to balance time between us and her other tables. The food and drink orders came out right but the food could have been warmer. Booth, table and bar seating is available. Payments can be made via cash or credit card and no additional fee if using card. There were no surprise fees when the bill came. I would come back here to experience happy hour or the brunch buffet they have on Sundays.

I am only speaking to their Sunday Brunch…read more I love that they have so many options. I just wish there was more flavor in those options. This is my 4th time here and it's been the same so I like their consistency and because they're consistent I believe it to be intentional. I will say that there is often an older crowd here which to me, makes total sense of why the food isn't packed with a whole lot of flavor and salt. I would just appreciate if there were just a little bit more. Just enough that I would be able to add a little bit of salt and pepper to it and make it perfect. And if I'm being completely honest, the only thing that is lacking in flavor are the meats. Everything else I think tastes great. The vibe is good. The music is sometimes too loud to have a decent conversation with your table when there are also other tables having conversation but that seems to be the norm for brunch. Personally, I think they should turn the music down a bit everywhere because we're not there for the DJ, we're there for the food and to fellowship with our peeps and the DJ/music is an added bonus not the main attraction.

Pancake House - BLT

Pancake House

(196 reviews)

$

The ambiance was more of a mom and pop shop. My family and I wanted a nice breakfast and didn't…read morewant the fake iHop feel. We ran across this place on Apple Maps. The parking lot was packed! We walked in and shared a table with another family that was waiting. You have to order your food at the counter and wait. We decided to eat in. We ordered an omelet with hash browns, cheesy grits, 3 ordered of pancakes, 2 eggs with 4 orders of bacon. I was pleasantly surprised. Everyone enjoyed their food from the pregnant mom to the picky toddler. My husband said the omelette was nice and fluffy and filled well. With drinks, this ran us about $68. I will be returning.

Talk about bad food. This place use to be good several years…read moreago but those days are long gone. A completely different look on the inside. Gone are the blue walls and no more of the carry out feel. I remember this place had some of best bacon but you can tell the quality of food has gone out the window. I walked in and was greeted by a guy taking orders. His customer service skills were good. That was the only reason for the 2 stars. I ordered the wings and waffle, Belgian waffle and breakfast platter along with 2 drinks for $42 bucks. Not too bad. We sat at a table and the food came. Once again, the guy at the counter was great. He made sure to bring over our waffles while they were hot. That was the only part of the food that was good/decent, hence the second star. The rest is poor quality and belongs in the trash. The eggs were not real and god awful. The 8 wingettes came straight out of a freezer bag/ air fryer. TRASH. The bacon was fresh out of the microwave. I'll never ever come back. The food is that bad. If there was anyone standing outside needing food I would have happily given it to them. This place has fallen off a cliff hence the empty parking lot. It is a hard no for me.

KitchenCray Cafe - breakfast_brunch - Updated May 2026

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