The Kitchen Boulder

The Kitchen [Upstairs] was an intimate spot for a date night. (It’s upstairs from The Kitchen and run by the same folks, but doesn’t seem to have its own Unilocal spot.)
We went with a Happy Hour special of half a roasted chicken, garlic fries, salad and a bottle of wine for two for $ 36 — total steal. I was hesitant that the house wines wouldn’t be good, but the white was delicious. The chicken was juicy and I couldn’t stop eating the garlic fries. We ordered a small plate of Gouda balls, which were a bit dry. For dessert, the chocolate lava cake was rich.
All of the staff were friendly and helpful. I would definitely recommend this spot.

This place will have you thinking about your meal for days after…
don’t miss the lamb burger for lunch-​absolutely choice!

Extremely impressed with this restaurant! We had the risotto as a starter which we both loved! The fresh black pepper, Parmesan, and chives really provided a great flavor. My husband (who doesn’t like cheese) even liked it! I had the scallops and my husband had the sable fish. Try them both! They are seasonal. We also had the old fashioned and the winter sangria cocktails which were both fantastic! The olive oil cake is great for those that want a dessert that isn’t very sweet! The service was great and you should definitely check this place out!

awesome kale salad with chicken! wish I have that restaurant in Bethany Beach in Delaware where I live! Amy is great waitress/​bartender!

I just had what was easily the most delicious meal I’ve ever had in Boulder here, and given how foodie of a place Boulder is, this is high praise! The food was prepared and seasoned to perfection. The staff was friendly and appropriate. The atmosphere was fantastic. I loved the entire experience and can’t wait to come back!

I was impressed from the start I ordered the pre fix dinner it was four courses. The food and service were both amazing. The waiter was extremely knowledgeable about the menu which made the dining experience that much better. For the first course I was given a delicious beet salad with thinly sliced apples second course was fresh muddles in a cream sauce excellent the third course was homemade pasta with pancetta and a light cream sauce five star for the fourth course i had steak potatoes and carrots. The steak was not the most tender cut but I was pre warned by the server but the flavor was perfect. Carrots and potatoes were very well done side dishes. For the final course desert a flourless chocolate cake… Amazing — Well that was an incredible meal from start to finish stop by this place you will be happy you did!!!
My server was Sergei I would ask for him if you stop by. Thanks for reading!

I love this place. It easily ranked top on my list of «watering holes» in Boulder. They regularly craft some of the best drinks I’ve ever had. I largely go there for quality craft cocktails, but the food is also amazing.
When the staff makes recommendations, I listen. They not only know their stuff, but they are wonderfully attentive and REALLY listen — sussing out exactly what you need, even if it escapes you. ;)
Highly recommend!

In Boulder for a wedding and came here for Saturday brunch based on rave reviews from the bride, who’s local. A modern environment with a farm to table vibe and nice daylight streaming in. The service was gracious and attentive, yet relaxed.
Hubby and I decided to share a hand rolled chocolate croissant and a Wheat Berry porridge, and were pleasantly surprised when they brought the porridge to the table split into equal individual servings. Both were delicious! Hubby had the goat Gouda omelette, and I had the lemon ricotta pancakes. The pancakes are fluffy and hearty and will definitely fill you. On another note, it is a full expresso bar here, and we were very happy with our almond milk lattes.
Definitely a great stop for out of towners, yet obviously frequented and loved by locals. Highly recommend.

Always a great choice for dinner or brunch for us. The food and service are both consistently great and we have never been disappointed. Just went there again this Saturday for dinner and truly enjoyed our experience. Butternut squash soup was super tasty with a bit of a kick to it. Eggplant spread was amazing with a hint of Indian spices. We also got beet bruschetta which was good and halibut as an entrée which was solid but not on top of my list. The pear and almond tart desert was yummy and made me wish we each got our own instead of sharing it! We will be back.

The main courses were good, not amazing. And for 25 – 30 $. it’s not really worth that. The pork chop was too salty and the only thing that made the trout dish stand out was the brown sugar sauce, which was sparse. My favorite though was the dessert: Eton’s Mess and the Sticky Toffee pudding (which is really a moist cake).
Now here’s what I did not think highly of-​our server. Of course, we could’ve had a better experience with another person but I had to deal with what was dealt.
Very aloof. After taking our initial order (an appetizer) and then serving it to us, it took him almost 15 min before he came back (which was initiated by me trying to gesture to him with my eyes). When he came to our table, all he asked was «is everything ok?»… um yes… but, we’d like to finally place our entrée order.
So we place our order. As we waited, we realized «hmm, everyone else has bread on their table except us. Is it something we have to order or did he forget?»
I asked another waiter walking by and he said, «it’s complimentary, but it depends on the server if they want to offer it or not.»
REALLY? (so maybe this comment is to management)… I would think there’s a standard the waiters have to follow in regards to serving the essentials, unless it was actually posted somewhere in the restaurant for the guests to see. I.e. I know some restaurants, in cities experiencing a drought, will post signs up saying «we serve water upon request due to the drought.»
—– addendum —–
mgmt has responded appropriately to mend this experience. I’ve added a star towards customer service.

After a long early hike at Rocky Mountain National Park, we stopped by downtown Boulder to visit for a little bit and grab a well-​deserved late lunch. Although it was an odd time of day for a meal (at 3 PM, a bit late for lunch but a bit early for dinner), we swung by The Kitchen and were promptly seated despite no reservation and appearing a bit on the dusty /​grimy side. The space is really nice — like a lot of spots we went to in Denver, it has a bit of an industrial feel, with exposed piping up top and very high ceilings, but it gives the place a huge feel despite the relatively small storefront. Our waitress was really friendly and brought out our food in pretty solid time without making us feel rushed at all.
We started out with sharing the mushroom toast, which was absolutely fantastic stuff. Mushrooms in mushroom-​based gravy = a really a good idea, especially on top of a piece of crispy sourdough. The mushrooms were cooked just the right amount, with their softness pairing well against the crisp of the toast. There was a large amount of greens on the side, which would have been okay if it was just this dish… but it came with every plate (more on that later). My wife’s small cup of tomato soup was very fresh as well, and I really liked the drizzle of olive oil, giving it a slightly mellower flavor. For the entrée, I went with the dry-​aged steak frites, which was a great choice — excellent flavor in the meat, and the butter melted on top (think it wasn’t just plain butter — had a bit of herbs in it) was perfect. While it was cooked to medium, I felt that it was a tad undercooked and a bit on the chewy side, unfortunately. My wife’s quiche was pretty good as well — hers had bacon, gouda, and other goodness in it — and it was a very decent-​sized slice for the $ 11 it cost. We finished up with the Eton Mess, which is just a fancy way of saying strawberries and whipped cream… but hidden amidst the cream are delicious, lightly-​sweet pieces of meringue that adds a very nice, barely tart twist to each bite.
I definitely enjoyed the food and the drinks here (the beer menu is a whole page unto itself — a very impressive and varied selection; I had two local beers that were very well-​executed), and I’d recommend trying the restaurant to anyone in Boulder or Denver (where we walked by their LoDo location while in town). However, I was disappointed by the amount of salad /​greens on every course — it took up at least half the plate, if not more. While I am all good with making sure we get our proper filling of greens, this was a bit overkill, and they were served the exact same way each time (i.e. drizzled with a barely-​perceptible vinaigrette at best). It definitely felt like more of a way to fill up plate space, as opposed to being comfortable serving smaller portions on a big plate or upsizing the portions a bit. That was really my main disappointment — that I felt like the largest amount of volume that I ate was just… lettuce…and I didn’t order any salads. That’s not a reason to pass up what was otherwise a superb dining experience, but it definitely detracted from it a bit for me.

8÷29÷15 Update:
After writing my previous review, the manager of The Kitchen responded and offered me a gift card to lure me back in so that I might experience the changes that have been made to the menu. I don’t normally accept these gift cards, but as it was for a restaurant I used to really like, and used frequent, I accepted with anticipation. I had the opportunity to use it for lunch yesterday, with a friend.
The service was pretty good, though 15 minutes after being seated for lunch (we came in at 11:30) I noticed our server had changed from female to a male. When I asked where the first person went, I was told there was a shift change when it got busier. Would that explain why our table was never served any bread, which I believe is supposed to be offered complimentary? Hmmmm…
I saw large plates of bread going to other tables and wondered about it a couple of times, but then I got distracted by the conversation with my friend and forgot about it. Now, it’s not as though we needed bread, but we definetly would have eaten some, had it been offered or brought to us. This is partly why no 4^th or 5^th star from me. There seems to be a lack of consistency in how patrons are treated. Some get bread and some don’t? Management needs to remind the wait staff to offer it. Neither of ours did, which others have already noted as an issue too. I happen to love bread, and I always have a couple slices when it’s there, but if I have to ask for it when it’s supposed to be complimentary, then something is amiss.
This time of year, there is a lot of very good, local, fresh produce, so I made sure to read the menu carefully and to choose some items I thought might wow me. I’m not a vegetarian, but I do eat more of them than anything else.
My friend wasn’t very hungry, so she only ordered a bowl of the tomato soup. I’ve had it enough to know what it tastes like, and since it’s a staple on this menu since they opened shop so many years ago, I wanted something different. So, I started with la soupe du jour — a light and creamy (not sure there was actually any dairy in it) melon gazpacho swirled on top with a bit of basil cream (yes this has dairy) sauce. It was also mentioned that it came with sumac something on top too, but I’m highly allergic to sumac, so I requested it be left off, just in case, and it was. I had no reaction. The soup was absolutely delicious! Cool and creamy, with a bright summery nose and taste. Really lovely.
For my main dish, I had trouble choosing, that’s how interesting the menu is now. I ended up choosing the salmon filet over a medley of fresh, lightly sauteed green beans, squash, tomatoes, etc. I just checked the menu online, but I don’t see it listed, so it might have been a daily special too, but I’m fairly certain it was on the menu. In any case, it too was perfect, as was the serving size, for me, but I’m not a big person. I passed on dessert, as I didn’t care to eat anything more, yet I didn’t leave hungry. I’m not so sure about my friend though. She asked to see the dessert menu, but then didn’t order anything. She said nothing appealed to her. I finished with a cup of very strong coffee.
My only other complaint would be the noise level. I had trouble hearing the wait staffers and my friend. It was quiet enough at first, but it filled up as the hour rolled on, and the noise level got to be more than I could take. I was glad to be leaving when we did.
So, even though the meal was paid for by the restaurant, they had no idea I was coming in and just went about their normal routines as though I was just any other patron. This is what reviewers want, the REAL experience. I may be back soon to try some more of the new menu selections. There are more interesting and creative dishes to try, without being overly complicated, but the prices for eating downtown, even at lunchtime, has become exorbitant in my opinion, and The Kitchen is no exception. Boulder is fast becoming too expensive for many of us who have lived here a long time. I will likely only be back for a special occasion.
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I used to really like The Kitchen and would have given it 5 stars 5 years ago, but I felt it went down hill over the years. The presentation and service were never the issue, it was more the food itself that finally stopped me from coming back. It just wasn’t interesting anymore and the taste and quality seemed to have fallen flat, which is strange since it’s mostly or all locally raised/​produced, and mostly organic. I feel there are better places in Boulder to choose from these days.
I tried The Kitchen in Ft. Collins, soon after it opened, and found it too wasn’t as good as the Boulder one used to be, and both are now overpriced for what you get. I do hope they make some changes soon.

Kitchen was a treat– as soon as you walk in you can only hope that they take just as much care in their food as they do with their décor– and the good news is that they do. The atmosphere offers bright white accents and handing chandeliers– even sitting at the bar I felt that it was light and vibrant which is refreshing compared to every other restaurant that thinks the darker, the better. And you want it this way because the food is something to look at. I had the beet salad with grilled chicken and I was satisfied. I wish that the bartender had been a little more attentive but I won’t let that take away from the overall experience.

Such a great spot. The food comes from local farms. The bread is baked there!
We stopped there for lunch!
Zucchini salad w mint WOW!
Beet salad w/​chicken phenomenal!
The service is extraordinary: polite, professional, friendly, timely!

I’m sorry but this place is incredibly over-​hyped.
Our food was alright, but my boyfriend’s steak was no where near worth the $ 30 we spent on it. Everything there is farm-​to-​table, local, whatever, so I’m guessing that’s why it is over-​priced. So, maybe worth it to some, but the whole experience left something to be desired.
We got a table in a decent amount of time for the brunch hour on Pearl Street Mall, but the service was only okay. Our waitress was nice enough, but not personable like you would want her to be.
I can’t say we will be back… we might go to the Kitchen Next Door or stop in for happy hour but I wasn’t impressed enough to spend that kind of money. I love food and am totally willing to spend good money for good food, but the food and the experience was not worth the money here.

The menu changes here nightly, and I am never disappointed when I eat here. The fries are on point, as well. Highly recommended.

Deben tener cuidado cuando van a the kitchen porque se llaman igual y esta pegado uno al otro. Uno maloooo, comida americana nueva y el otro es muy bueno, pedi solo entradas. El lugar es bonito y el ambiente agradable. La comida es excelente. Pedi la espinaca con sesame! Lo recomiendo.

My husband and I visited again due to our love for the place, and were not disappointed. We shared a bowl of tomato soup, which, seemingly simple, was full of great flavors and had a soothing quality. I had the lamb Bolognese, which had me wishing I had some privacy to roll around on the ground and moan (which I didn’t, so I did it mentally), and my husband had the chicken and spaetzle, which was also completely delicious. Service was great, as usual, and I again geeked out at the adorable square ice cubes in my drink. I wish we lived closer so we could make this a weekly adventure.

Always expensive, but always delicious. Went for a work lunch, and we were all incredibly satisfied (outside of the boss, who ordered the Trout Salad). He said the flavors were fantastic, but it was such a small portion, it couldve been a side salad. He did eventually order more food.
We started with the pork rinds, charcuterie, and garlic fries. All were very delish, especially the burrata (sp?) cheese on the charcuterie.
I had the pork sandwich, which was extremely filling and really good. The potato salad didnt have much flavor. Other coworkers had the mussels, trout, lamb burger, and the previously stated trout salad. Everyone enjoyed their food.
Three of us finished with the affogato (soooo good) and one lemon tart. We were all wired, but all enjoyed our selections.
The service was really really really good!

I stopped by The Kitchen for lunch with my friends.
From the moment we were seated till we got up and left, the lunch at the Kitchen Boulder was a lovely treat in the middle of a cold day. I absolutely loved the décor. I couldn’t help myself and wandered around a little bit while waiting for our food to arrive.
I love that they bring a bottle of water to your table. I drink water like there is no tomorrow, so I always welcome a whole bottle of water all to myself. I ordered Olive Oil Poached Bristol Bay Salmon Salad. The flavors of the salad complimented each other extremely well: sherry vinaigrette with chive aioli wasn’t too overpowering, pleasantly light and balanced. Bristol Bay salmon was cooked nicely, still moist and flavorful (though in general wild-​caught salmon tends to be a bit drier side than farm raised). I did not try what my companions ordered, but everyone was very pleased with the food served at The Kitchen.

The other night I was lucky enough to get a spur-​of-​the-​moment invitation to a small celebration dinner at The Kitchen. For the most part we shared small plates. My favorite was a squash dish with wheat berries and an amazing sauce. A few others at the table ordered the salmon croquettes which looked marvelous. Our waitperson was kind enough to add a plate of crispy fresh vegetables to the fresh bread that comes with the house-​made hummus. So good! There were a few more menu items the others enjoyed that contained meat, therefore I did not try those items. They seemed quite contented with their food, however!
The others also ordered a few desserts as well as coffee drinks. There was a grand-​looking chocolate dessert with a sphere of chocolate on top. I would have loved to try it but I’m trying to be good about my sugarless diet. Alas.
World-​class service and food are both the standard here. I was impressed.

I really don’t understand why people love this place.
We has the tasting menu for dinner and humus waiting to be seat.
The waitress said that we had to wait 30mn to have a table but we wait one hour!
During the wait we have glass of wine with humus very good, and the Bread perfect. For us french people the Bread it’s important so very happy to eat this very very good bread.
When we where seatted and chose the tasting menu everything was really disappointing.
The Bread different and When we asked for the Bread served with the humus imposible to had it!
And all the food was poor in taste.
I really don’t understand how people in Unilocal could say that it’s à good place for food lovers.