I saw The Kitchen fully funded on kickstarter.com for $45,000 (they only asked for $40,000) with 309 backers. This in itself is a testament to how attractive their participatory dining concept is to the general public. I love kickstarter and the concept sounded attractive to me as well, so I arranged a friend and I to dine there for Taco Tuesday. While I really want to root for this place, it fell short in execution: #Parking was a nightmare: this isn't the Short North where you can get away with not providing parking for your consumers-- parking garages and parking meters abound in the Short North whereas this isn't the case in German Village. In fact, parking in GV typically requires a city permit. So saying, I spent a bit of time circling around the block just searching for parking. I finally gave up and parked at the church across the street, which had signs everywhere warning you not to park there at the risk of being towed. #The place was very large, so despite the people and furniture within its walls, it still appeared barren. I'm sure there were decorations, but I honestly can't recall. I believe that their lack of decor causes it to lack ambiance in turn. #The queue to order food was actually quite long so it was perplexing to see only one cashier taking orders. The person next to the cashier who was in charge of beer/wine had no line however. I suggest hiring another cashier or having the person in charge of beer/wine help take orders as well. #Processing for each order was inefficient. Here is the process I experienced: 1. the cashier entered my orders on the iPad 2. the cashier then manually wrote my order from the iPad onto a piece of paper 3. the cashier gave me the piece of paper to hand over to their kitchen 4. I walked across to their kitchen to turn in the paper to one of the kitchen staff 5. the kitchen staff gave me a number (I don't get this process. They have systems for this. Look at any fast food joint-- their cashiers punch in orders which are then sent directly to the kitchen and also prints out a numbered receipt for the patron. This type of automation would completely eliminate steps 2-5 and would also regulate the flow at the cash register.) #Food was not terrible but nothing exceptional; for all its shortcomings it really needed to excel in this particular area Here are the pros: #Food was priced very well; my friend and I even purchased a bottle of wine for $24 to drink while dining. #Staff was pleasant #Concept is neat, so it has some promise read more

I finally made it to the Kitchen last night for their Wednesday wine tasting and I already can't wait to go back to taco Tuesday!! The space is gorgeous. The eating area is huge and boasts large family style dining tables. The kitchen is open and you can see the delicious creations being prepared right before your eyes. I definitely had the best potato pancake of my life and their flatbreads and jalapeno poppers were also fantastic! They also have really nice bathrooms - I loved that their sinks look like water spouts! The wine tasting was a great event and I am looking forward to returning again soon! read more

I SO wanted to love The Kitchen. The physical space is absolutely charming, with communal tables and fresh flowers in mason-jar vases. Overall rating: 2.5 stars Tacos: 1 star (Sad face!) Cocktails: 4 stars Ambience: 4 stars We came at 5pm for Taco Tuesday (with the theme Columbus Icons - fun!). I was SO excited to try the tacos, but they were a HUGE disappointment. I ordered 3 tacos (about $4 each), and they were ALL average to below-average. One had chicken Parmesan in it, and the chicken had an odd odor. I had to add Sriracha sauce to make it edible (!!) Another taco had some insipid-tasting ground lamb (I'm a big fan of lamb usually) with potatoes that were oily, yet not fully cooked through. The third taco passed muster (creole shrimp, okra, eggplant) but it was by no means great. Boo. The themed cocktail selection for the day was small but interesting. I got the 'Bourbon Meyer' (very clever names!) which was perfect. Somewhat pricey at $8 but worth it. Oh, and they seem to have resolved the issues with billing/ ordering and long lines, etc. Things were moving along pretty quickly. I can see myself coming back for some cocktails, but someone would have to try very hard to convince me to get the tacos here again. read more

They have a great and knowledgeable staff, an amazing event space and a world-class bourbon selection. Best meal I've made all year!

Love this place . Awesome inside & great food. Great for parties & events . Love the hands n approach to cooking your meal ! Fun ! Parking can be a challenge , so arrive about 20 min early to get a spot . Can't wait to come back . I hope they might eventually open other locations in Dublin , Gahanna , Worthington , etc read more

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I really hate giving negative reviews but this place has so much potential. I hope the kitchen staff finds this to be constructive, not destructive. Tonight, I ordered from the Kitchen for the first time and was very disappointed, especially after friends spoke so highly of past experiences. I ordered the taco platter and two salads. Upon opening this platter I was immediately confused and unsatisfied. This platter contained a 1/4 of a crab cake, chicken linguini, a giant pile of rice, two measly piles of corn, sweet potatoes and a tablespoon of ground beef that tasted like it had been sitting since this morning. The entire platter was bland and cold. The crab cake was so thin and tasteless, I do not recommend ordering any crab cake from the Kitchen until they make some serious changes to their recipe. After spending over $50 my expectations were much higher. I do have to say the Herb Salad was excellent and would order that again. I'm willing to try the Kitchen again but no plans to ever order tacos. read more

I've been to The Kitchen on several occasions to pick up a Veggie Box from Urban Farms of Central Ohio, but this was my first time eating there. I went on a (Taco) Tuesday to support the fundraising efforts of the Ohio Guidestone. Finding nearby street parking is always a little tricky, but I lucked out and found a nearby spot right away this time. I think the space itself is just really neat. Open storefront windows give it a lot of natural light and there are cute and quirky accents (like a bookshelf with books arranged by color). Between those unique features and the long wooden tables that encourage you to mingle with other guests as you eat, The Kitchen has a homey and cozy vibe. Order your meal near the bar: the days offerings are written on a chalkboard wall. I tried three potato tacos on corn tortillas and my friend tried three different meaty tacos (chicken, pork, and carnitas). My friend has a serious food allergy to shellfish and the staff were very understanding about ensuring her meal had no contamination. We also ordered their chips and guacamole and a couple of margaritas (my friend got the classic and I ordered their blood orange margarita). We didn't realize we needed to stick around and pick up our drinks at the bar after ordering (oops) because we were given a number for our table and we incorrectly assumed the drinks would be dropped off, so keep this in mind if you're a new visitor to The Kitchen. The margaritas were a bit too tart for our liking but the tacos were delicious. The real standout for me was the guacamole and homemade chips. The chips were a little greasy in the most delicious way possible! I definitely plan to return to The Kitchen to try out some of their different theme nights in the future, especially because they sent a $5 off coupon with my receipt. read more

We had our small, untraditional wedding at The Kitchen in August and I can't say enough good things about our entire experience. The staff truly went above and beyond to make our day special. And the food was phenomenal. They came up with an inventive and delicious menu based off our preferences. Our guests are still raving about the food and drinks! The space is breathtaking and unlike any other venue in Columbus. You'll be in great hands if you have your special event at The Kitchen. Our wedding day was perfect thanks to their team! read more

Well, I finally hauled my goods to The Kitchen for Taco Tuesdays... and I can promise you one thing- it won't be the last time. The place has an open, family style concept. I love the rustic/slightly industrial decor. If you want a quiet, intimate little table for two, you should probably move on... it's not happening here. It is more like a raucous family dinner- I loved the fact that I came with two people and found five or six more people I knew from the neighborhood and elsewhere inside. The format lets you skip from table to table after you order to say hello while you wait for your food. Yes, there are kids and yes, it is loud- but I think the entire purpose of this place is to create conversation and interactions among the patrons and the staff. It's like you are going over to a friend's for food and not some stuffy restaurant. And the food is awesome- creative, fresh ingredients, constantly changing menu. You get to bring your order directly to the cooks and see where the food is prepared. The staff is quick, efficient, and friendly... you can tell everyone really cares about what the are doing. If you want to go somewhere like everywhere else, there are plenty of places in GV that will fit the ticket. If you want a new dining experience, check out this place. We are lucky to have it. read more

Too many cooks in the kitchen. I was so unbelievably excited for the Northern Italian participatory dining experience and had high expectations as the class is quite a splurge at $75 a person. Unfortunately, I believe they overbooked the event by probably half. There were around 40 people in attendance, which meant that there were at least ten of us who were left standing around most of the 2.5 hours that the cooking was taking place because there wasn't room for everyone to have a turn cooking at each station-it was kind of first come first serve, and once a station was full at the start, it remained full (We LOVE to cook and we only got to peel oranges for a salad). We had a lot of fun drinking wine and chatting at the dinner table once dinner started! Also the staff was wonderful-so friendly and helpful! However, we were very disappointed that we weren't actually able to cook, which is why we chose the experience in the first place. read more

Simply Amazing. We had our wedding reception here and it was perfection. The food, the people, the staff. The next day, I had people still raving about the food and the staff. Yes, the food was incredible, and we expected that. But, the staff was incredible -- let's face it, we've all been to weddings/catered events and have been served by 'those jaded workers' -- and it really puts a damper on things. Not the case here. The bartender was hugging people at the end of the night. I had family asking me, 'who was the bartender? He was sooo nice!' Not your stereotypical snooty bartender here -- what a breath of fresh air. Seriously, this venue was perfect. My husband and I love food and we wanted something that embodied that. We also loved that fact that we were able to support two women who own their own small business. Owning your own small business is a TON of work, and doing it in the restaurant business can be quite risky. These two women know what they want -- again, breath of fresh air! Jen and Anne are meant to do what they're doing. They have a passion for what they do and it's obvious. The charm. The vibe of this place is second to none. It's authentic. There's no reproduction-meant-to-be-vintage, but-it's-really-not kind of thing here. It's old, awesome, and beautiful. Awesome work guys and gals. Keep it up. We love you and your staff. Hope you're enjoying a much deserved weekend off!! We'll see you soon! -Julie & Jordan read more

Lovely owners, very good food...beautiful venue(s) and fun experience overall! Highly recommend.

We went for the Bourbon dinner last night. This participatory dinner was so much fun and the menu off the charts good! The space is warm and cozy with a wonderful staff. Looking forward to more of these events at The Kitchen!! Thank you for a wonderful night. Shawn Maghie read more

We went for taco Tuesday- the menu changes each Tuesday. Almost all of the menu was pre-made, so substitutions or eliminating an ingredient was impossible. If you're a picky eater, this is not for you! Cocktails were good, but a bit on the pricy side. read more

The Kitchen's "pivot" during Covid has been spectacular. The make it at home mess, cheese boards and the Zoom wine tastings have been so perfect. Thank you for being part of our new normal. read more

Had my wedding here. Absolutely amazing! Our guests had a wonderful time. It is a beautiful location for pictures. The staff is so friendly and helpful and the food was outstanding!!! Highly recommend The Kitchen read more

If your looking for a smaller non-traditional wedding venue look no further than The Kitchen. We had our intimate 60 guest wedding at The Kitchen in September and had a wonderful experience. The space is amazing so minimal decor was needed, All the tables, chairs, serve ware, and linens were included in the space rental which was amazing and very affordable. Anne, Jenn and their staff were really wonderful to work with and very accommodating crafting a custom menu that would please all our friend and family (especially gluten free, vegetarians, and food allergy guests). We weren't billed for the final food and alcohol until the end of the night so we were able to double check everything before the final payment was made. Thanks Anne and Jenn for making our special day stress free and delicious! read more

Been here a few times for brunch and Taco Tuesday, and each meal has been great. Not sure why others complained about the environment, I've seen kids here often but never out of hand. The open floor plan means noise carries, but I'm always able to have a conversation. Overall, good food and good people. I like the bare, simple layout. Tuesdays have creative taco themes at great prices. German village already had plenty of stuffy dining options, this is a great alternative! read more

The Kitchen is, indeed, as good as it gets. I've been to a number of Taco Tuesdays, which are always fun and the food and drinks are great. But this review is really for my wedding, which we celebrated at TK this past weekend. Short version: the food was amazing, the space was amazing, and the service was amazing. Also, the price was extremely reasonable. Longer version: Wedding food is never great, in my experience. Good, sure; great, nope. My wife and I are food snobs, and on top of that we had some gluten-free folks, lots of meat eaters and lots of vegetarians, some severe peanut and other nut allergies, and Vietnamese family who would be eating the Vietnamese-themed wedding menu we selected with Anne and Jen. We love the space there, and Anne and Jen were extremely helpful, so we felt good about booking them. Also, importantly, their prices are extremely reasonable. Throughout the entire process, they were not only patient, accommodating, and responsive but also enthusiastic about our various ideas and requests. It was a genuine pleasure to plan a menu with them, and they went above and beyond to make sure that we and our families would be happy. When it came to go-time, they made room for last-minute changes and were welcoming as always. The food was FANTASTIC. Everyone was happy and full, and everyone raved about how great the food was, how much they loved the drinks, and how incredible the space looked. We could not have had a better experience. read more

Location was beautiful, quesadillas were glorious (pork butt for the win), Dustin was fantastic, tacos were ok. I'd say worth the experience for sure! Glad we roughed Livingston for the experience. read more

I went to taco Tuesday again last night and the tacos and variety were amazing. There were lots of families early, but my friends and I stayed for the duration and had a few cocktails in the 'living room '. A beautiful place to hang out! Loved the fried green tomato taco as well as the chicken and nectarine! Can't wait to do a cooking event ! read more

I try to come here every Tuesday for their taco night because I love seeing what delicious concoctions they'll come up with next. I've never been anything but extremely impressed. The tacos are very reasonably priced for what you get. 4 bucks for a filet mignon and lobster tail taco? Yes. So good. read more

We just had my son's rehearsal dinner at The Kitchen. It was just perfect! Ambience was warm and cozy. The food was excellent and the staff was great to work with! We received so many rave reviews from our guests! read more

Went here for brunch. The food was very good--homestyle with a creative twist--and the staff were super-friendly. The flow from arrival to order could probably be improved a bit and more seating added, but all in all a good experience. I'd love to see booths up and down the walls.. In any case, I will return when in the area. read more

We dined at The Kitchen with a large group for a friend's 30th birthday dinner and LOVED everything about it. Super fun concept, great food & drinks, fantastic service, etc. Our meal had an Italian theme (yum!)...we even got to roll our own pasta. The staff went out of their way to make sure our guest of honor and the entire group had a great time. We will definitely be repeat guests!! read more

Love this place! What a cool concept and a fun twist on going out to dinner. I felt like I was just hanging out at a friends. Only the food was so much better then anything we could prepare. Oh, and they have a bar. What else do you need! Love love love. read more

Zero stars for Sunday brunch. Ridiculous prices for incredibly small portions of food. $4 for a very small fried piece of dough, a donut according to the menu. All other meals were small, pricey, and not at all well done. Don't waste your time. read more

I went to Taco Tuesday for Disney Villains. The staff was really great there. You can see them prepare your food and talk to the cook if you have any special requests. I would have to say the food was really good but seems a little over priced for what you get. The food was very tasty but the portion was not much. $4 for a taco is not bad but I would expect it to be rather large. I ordered 2 expecting that to be pretty filling, unfortunately it was not. I probably could have had another 2-3 of them but can not justify that price. It was a really good experience and cool atmosphere. It was worth going once for the experience but I doubt I will be back. read more

I was at the kitchen for my girlfriend's birthday for the Summer dinner party with a couple of our friends and it was a great time. The ladies that run the place were super nice and made the experience a lot of fun. It is an unbelievable space with a lot of room and has a cool setup where you can get cocktails easily. As for the cooking - thats the best part. You get to cook but only do the fun parts of cooking and not the cleaning. As for the food it was pretty good - you have to realize that it is a bunch of novices cooking it haha. However, it is fun to sit at the table at the end of the night and enjoy the meal. I definitely want to check out the taco nights and some of the other events. This is a great option for people who want something different than the typical group dinner experience with friends. read more

I only made it to Taco Tuesday once but I really enjoyed it. Food was outstanding, very fresh and inventive. The owners were really helpful and accommodating to my friend who has a gluten allergy and had some questions. The cocktails are pricey but well worth it. The space itself is gorgeous! I will be back! read more

Five stars or two thumbs up! We went to The Kitchen for Sunday brunch and we're thoroughly impressed. An inviting and friendly atmosphere, we love all of the wood work. My kids actually finished all of their food which is a big compliment :) I had the pork trotter hash & it was very good. It was diverse in complex flavors that all worked very well together . We will be back... read more

Went for a participatory dinner. Concept fine, nice evening.... UNTIL. Until it came time to cash out at the bar, where I was told that the cocktail listed on the evening's menu was not actually included in the quoted price per person. Had I known this at the point of purchase, I would not have ordered the specialty cocktail. I was already a little on the fence about the value before this happened (we had chicken), and then this "miss" happened with the evening's stated cocktail. Had a nice enough time I guess, but dollar for dollar could have had an equally fine if not better time at Lindey's. read more

A friend that lives in German Village was very excited to try The Kitchen so we went to their Sunday brunch. The food was wonderful! But the noise level is terrible! There were small children running around unattended who loved the echo of their screams and tapping of their feet but it actually was painful to the ears of those around them. Even conversations from other tables were distracting .Another disappointment was that the delicious food was served on plastic dishes with plastic forks and knives, making it difficult to cut and eat. It was much too slippery and the knives were useless. We were very unhappy and will not be returning. read more

I've been to a few Taco Tuesday's and Sunday brunches and have always found the food very tasty. I have yet to go to a dinner that you sign up for in advance, which is really what this place is all about. Although I have heard rave reviews about those events. Taco Tuesday is my new favorite dinner on Tuesday....particularly the shrimp tacos they served last week--YUM!!! I also love that they support local farmers! read more

It's such a fun little cute place! I attended an event here with a group of people and cooked Italian food together for dinner. Enjoyed a wonderful night! Great place for hosting events and I would recommend it to anyone! read more

The concept to this restaurant is confusing. Some days, you can go eat like a regular restaurant, and other days they have these cook your own food nights. Regardless, my dad and I went to eat there for brunch and had a very strange experience. You order at the counter and then walk your ticket to the kitchen. Why the employees do not do this part, I have no idea. While they were cheerful and polite, I felt like I was bothering the people who were very busy cooking by handing them our ticket. I ordered the fall hash which was supposed to have sweet potatoes, pumkpin, kale and an egg on it, but when my food came there was no kale (which is why i chose that item in the first place). It was basically a pile of sweet potatoes with one fried egg on top--and it cost TEN DOLLARS for some odd reason. When I spend ten dollars on a plate of food, I don't think I should have to use plastic plates and silverware--especially at a place called the Kitchen! Not only is it worse for the environment, but it's cheap and takes away from the experience. On top of that, the food was mediocre at best. I live next door to this place and I don't think I'll ever return. read more

I liked the concept of this place. My job set up a team building event at The Kitchen this past week, and while at the outset I was slightly concerned considering how much my coworkers despise the idea of cooking, the owners did a great job of breaking down the steps and getting everyone excited. I ended up at the easier station because my friend was being laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaame, but it nonetheless was surprisingly cool to be so involved in the cooking process. In the end, we got to eat everything we cooked, and it was actually quite good. They've certainly found a way to streamline the cooking process and dumb it down, even for the most incompetent of people (hah). I do question the lasting power of a place like this, but I think it serves a purpose. I certainly would recommend trying this place out for a group event. It's a good way to get people talking and working with each other. read more

what's not to love? this is a hybrid space with a fantastic themed taco night. strange to some, awesome to most.

We used the space for an executive team building cooking night, it was fabulous. The staff is fantastic and we had so much fun! They accommodated our needs for needing to add a few prepared a head of time options, came up with a specialty drink associated with our company, cake and candles for one of our team members who was celebrating her birthday that night! Food turned out amazing! We had an absolute blast and the building is beautiful! Thank you! Wishing you many years of success!! We will certainly be back! read more

We went here for taco tuesday & we were blown away! As reviewers have said before it is loud and there is unused space that they could put more tables, but I think that is the point! It felt like a community of families instead of an intimate setting. I think they are working out the kinks, i.e. they no longer have you hand in your order to the kitchen and the beer was perfectly cold. Someone else said it was confusing that some nights they have you help cook & other nights they do not, but I think that is a fun unique aspect of it. A friend went on a night where you make your own food & she loved it. I think it would be great to learn how to make really creative & delicious dishes like lobster pot pie. I certainly do not know how to make those on my own. The tacos were $3-$4, perfect sized & delicious, the salmon, bacon lentil taco was the best taco I've ever had, I will be here every Tuesday! read more