The People’s Kitchen

We went during Worcester’s restaurant week because they have a special prix fixe menu ($ 23.16 for starter, entrée, and dessert). Our waitress was helpful and attentive, the ambience was fine etc. I’m a vegetarian so this may not have been the smartest restaurant choice because my options were extremely limited. There were no vegetarian starters so I had to choose the naan flatbread without prosciutto. It was salty and mushy unfortunately. For my entrée I again was forced to have the quinoa ravioli with a sherry cream sauce. The greens and sauce were two of the saltiest things I’ve ever eaten. Last, I ordered the white chocolate mousse. That, too, was a disappointment: roughly a tablespoon of whipped cream served with one single strawberry and some granola. Maybe it was because of restaurant week and the special menu but I felt very disappointed. I’m sure there were more delicious non-​vegetarian items offered, but I can’t say that I’ll be back.

Came here the night before Valentines Day with my fiancé. We both had a mixed drink, the names of which escape me, but they were awesome. We ordered goat cheese and a gouda for an appetizer which comes with pickles vegetables, a fig/​honey spread, bread, and almonds. I could live off this cheese. Seriously. However, I’m pretty certain the almonds were just blue diamond smokehouse almonds. Which is no big deal because I love those, just a little odd for a place like this. My fiancé had a chicken dish for the main course and I had steak. Both were incredible. My only complaints are I ordered medium, but received medium rare to rare. At other establishments this may be an issue, but it was a great cut and I enjoyed it all the same. The dining area is also a bit tight, tables are very close to each other. Make sure to have the truffle fries.

Gotta love this place. Its a cozy comfortable restaurant with good drinks, great food and delicious desserts. The ever changing menu is something that keeps bringing me back.
My first time visiting the people’s kitchen, I had the pleasure of trying the root beer braised pork shank. It was awesome and a must have. If it’s ever on the menu when you go, I strongly suggest getting it… I promise you will love it.
This past visit, I picked up the Moroccan spiced pork tenderloin. Another tasty dish where the meat just melts in your mouth.
No matter what dish I’ve had at this place, I’ve always left full, happy, and looking forward to my next trip.
If you are ever looking for a nice place with great food, the people’s kitchen is a must try. Keep checking the website to, see what the menu looks like, and try a little bit of everything.

Great food and atmosphere to celebrate a birthday-​waitress was good– bar downstairs was hopping– just a fun night!

Another one of our favorite restaurants in the area. I’ve always felt that the décor of the dining area needs an update (what’s with the heavy wood paneling?). The drinks from the Citizen are always good. We had the grilled lamb chops and a cheese plate for appetizers. The lamb was cooked perfectly to our liking and had a great marinade. A couple of us in the group had the prix-​fix which was pretty well portioned. The roasted duck breast was exquisite and so was the Moroccan spiced pork tenderloin. For dessert we had the chocolate mint cream which left us wanting for more. The crème brûlée was also one of the better ones I’ve had. A great experience overall!

The food was good. The service was not good hence the rating. Here’s why: For some reason they sat a well dressed couple in a booth made for a family of 6 in the back of the restaurant. The table had a sheet of construction paper over the white linen. The lights over head were turned up all the way with no lamp shades. The area they sat us in had four booths all in close proximity, filled with families. It was clearly the kids/​family/​loud section. The adult section had ample seating available with couples scattered throughout the restaurant, privately dinning. We asked for a wall charger and was told there were none up stairs in the dining area but the private/​normal/​formal/​adult area where we should of been seated had plenty of outlet options (outlet was not a big deal but still… an example of bad services offered). We felt as though we were singled out and lied to for some reason, not sure why this would happen in this day and age, but that’s how we felt. Valet was good, the waitress was good, the hostess made us feel the restaurant had a hidden policy and we fit that policies profile. It’s too bad because we were looking for a local spot to frequent with family and friends.

An Excellent food experience!
Waitress — attentive, knowledgeable, pleasant, helpful.
Pre-​Fix Meal — Amazing, from the appetizer course to the dessert.
We will definitely be back over and over again! I highly recommend this restaurant if you’re looking for an amazing meal obviously made with ‘real’ food cooked by a real chef. (As opposed to pre-​made pre-​packaged mediocre food cooked by just a guy).

I’ve been here a couple times and haven’t been disappointed!
The food is really top notch. The burgers are amazing. The atmosphere is trendy. Drinks are great.
Great place to grab a drink, or to have a 3-​course meal. I’d recommend People’s Kitchen to anyone.

Food was great! As well as drinks and desert. Got there price fix 3 course meal. Prices for the fix doesn’t really make sense. It states $ 39.00 but I got the pasta dish which was 22 and a salad which was 8 and desert which was 7 for. Total of $ 37. Only reason I got the price
Fix was because we had a groupon for 50 for 2 people for price fix, otherwise I would of ordered them all separately and
Saved money. I looked at the menu carefully because we dine out a lot. The price fix 3 course meal only makes sense for the top 2 entrees. And you really only save like 2 or 3 dollars. They need to work on service big time. Very slow getting our order in and drinks ran out 3 times. They have bread plates on each table and no bread??? We sat in the bar area tables and I was a foot away from the ladies next to us. (awkward) only reason I’d go back was the food. We went there last night. Got sat at 850 and didn’t get out of there till 1105 pretty long for dinner considering we both had pasta dishes. Better service and more staff and you would have a home run. These are probably the reason they are on groupon. It’s a great deal 50
For 78 value.

So I’ve reviewed this gem on two prior occasions and I am only writing this one because it’s been a while since I’ve reviewed it. I eat here on a fairly regular basis and want to say that at the end of September I had dinner with friends and am pleased to report that my pork tenderloin was the best pork tenderloin I’ve ever eaten. It was a generous portion of perfectly seasoned and cooked tenderloin, moist, tender and simply bursting with flavor! My law partner had the same dish, our third had salmon and he loved his meal. The server was friendly and knew the menu cold (I think her name was Gina). On a recent visit I brought the chef/​owners of Pisces of Chatham and they raved about TPK.
Now I have nothing against other restaurants in the area (actually I’m happy that the Worcester restaurant scene is doing well with several innovative new places) but this place is the best in the city. The chef’s board is always fabulous with a great selection of cheeses and charcuterie. The wine list is not huge but it is well thought out!

Food was really great, the reason for 3 stars is simple the music playing while I was eating was horrid, I really don’t wanna hear, your killing your mother, die die die, while I’m eating, Shame cause the food is really good. Service was also good. I had the braised short ribs ravioli, very nice sauce, I also had the shrimp and scallops dish with pasta also very very good, so KILL THAT STUPID MUSIC JEEZE.

We recently went back to The People’s Kitchen on a weekend night… that wasn’t Valentines Day… that wasn’t following a 30 inch snow storm. Basically, we went back at a time when circumstances would basically require that they be on their A-​game… and TPK did not disappoint.
All of the food is fantastic — that’s never been a beef of mine. The problem I had last time was with receiving wine pairings after their paired course was mostly devoured. This time was a different story. We had waitstaff that was very knowledgeable about the wine pairings, and the wine manager even stopped over to talk about their pairing process. It was a much better experience, and we even left with some notes on wines to pick up (the d’Arenberg Galvo Garage is magnificent). Each wine came out a couple of minutes before their pairing — it gave plenty of time to appreciate the wine before tasting it paired.
From start to finish, the staff was very attentive, the food was remarkable, and the wine spectacular. I’ll go so far as to say that you won’t find any better in the whole of Worcester — TPK really nailed it!

I’ve only ever had their boards but their were stupendous.
Occasionally they will put out a groupon for a three or five course dinner which I have heard is amazing but I’ve yet to partake myself.
Certainly a place I would like to have a full meal at, and you have access to the drinks from still & stir as well as citizen’s.

Mike Covino is the president of the Niche Hospitality Group. He contacted me after my last Unilocal review. We took a break from this restaurant, then I tried The People’s Kitchen again recently and contacted him with a problem (what I perceived to be a nasty comment by an employee), I was told this in an e-​mail (a direct quote): «I think you should reconsider your latest stance on TPK.»
I wished him the best of luck with his business.

I am torn between 3 and 4 stars for this place and I feel this place can easily earn 5 stars if they fix a bunch of stuff. Here is our experiences.
Pros:
— The staff is great, the complimentary parking is great, the server was nice.
— The food was really good, all the seafood and vegetarian options were great.
— It is fairly priced if you have a groupon, without groupon I think its overpriced.
Cons:
Now these are the things which takes down a star even 2 stars.
— This is really not an upscale restaurant, even though they claim it to be but I expect a little more classy and modren sleek interior if its called upscale, compared to restaurant in middle east this place is probably 1 star in décor. PF Changs is way more upscale then this place
— The carpet on stairs is literally at its last breath.
— We had few ants walking around on our table, not good.
— The cutlery is scratched up.
— We were seated next to window which was so blur that it might have been better to not sit next to a window.
— There are no mocktails so if you do not drink alcohol then the only choice you have is soft drinks like coke.
— Bread and oil was unimpressive, you get so much better bread and oil at «Not your average Joes»
I might return to this place if I purchase another groupon but for now this experience was between good and OK.

My wife and I have been here twice so far, once just the two of us and the second with her folks. Both times we could not say enough about how awesome the ambiance and atmosphere are, it must have been an old Fire Station.
Now for the food, we enjoy that the menu is always changing. The first time we went I got duck two ways which was amazing. Then when we went with my wife’s parents I got root beer braised pork shank which was to die for. The flavor of the root beer was nice and subtle and the meat fell right off of the bone. Can’t wait to go back again soon.

Honestly this is the first place I’ve been in Worcester that hasn’t let me down. The food was really good and the drinks were phenomenal.
We went on a weeknight around 7pm and nobody was there. We were able to sit on the patio and have a quiet meal with no distractions and incredibly friendly staff. It’s too pricey for me to eat here often, but if there is one available I highly recommend getting the groupon and paying this place a visit.

I had wanted to try this place for awhile and the Groupon made it a no brainier to go try it out.
Unpretentious and laid back, nothing fancy when you go in. However, once you’re seated, you are treated to a wonderful dining experience! We have been here twice and the wait staff is very attentive and knowledgable.
Get the cheese board! Honestly, if you get the Chefs cheese board you don’t even need dinner! But, since we love food… We kept going!
Starters, I had the muscles and honestly wanted to drink the broth it was so tasty! My partner had the radish salad. Both were very healthy portions.
For the main, I had the brined pork chop. The chop is just huge, perfectly cooked, and oh-​so tender! It came with asparagus and a red skin potato salad, there was so much food I had to have them pack it to go. My partner had the swordfish. Again, perfectly cooked. I have never had swordfish cooked so well, it melted in your mouth!
Dessert — this is the only reason I could not give 5 stars as much as I want to. We had the brûlée — unfortunately it had not set, it tasted fine, but like eating warm yogurt. The bread pudding, while advertised in ganache, had an abundance of a chocolate syrup that was just too much.
We will be back! In fact we have company coming in next week and we cannot wait to take them! A great dinning experience!

Awesome little gastropub!
I first found out about this place through Groupon and have always wanted to come here. So when some friends wanted to have a girls night we decided on this place and it was a great idea!
The Groupon was for 4 prix fix meals for $ 80 (or 2ppl for $ 40), with a $ 5 extra charge for the steak and lamb entrée. The waiter was super nice and told us that if we wanted to substitute off the main prix fix menu we could, within reason.
The atmosphere of the place is really casual and publike, reminds me of the gastropubs in London. It’s a perfect place for a first date. The food was very good, presented nicely, and service attentive. Although it was too cold to eat outside, I caught a glimpse of the outdoor seating area and it was beautiful! It was in a little open area in between two buildings and was decorated with lights.
Now on to the food!
As implied earlier, I ordered the prix fix meal ($ 35 regularly); tuna tartare for appetizer, lamb for main, and peach bread pudding for dessert. I also tried (from my friends’ plates) the tofu appetizer, Mac and cheese, steak entrée and s’mores crème brûlée. The tofu appetizer, lamb entrée, and bread pudding were my favorite in each category. All of dishes were very good though, beautifully presented, and came in a timely fashion. The waiter also deserves a mention, he was very attentive, polite, and funny.
I also had a glass of the French Bordeaux. I’m not usually a red wine fan but I liked it a lot! I’m a white wine kind of girl but after reading about the many health benefits of red wine (hello antioxidants!), I’ve decided to turn a new leaf.
Although this place is a bit pricey, it’s well worth it my opinion. I’d definitely recommend this place to friends. There’s not many restaurants like this in Worcester (I don’t think) so I’m happy that the Niche Group filled that void.
Next time I come here, I think I’ll try the Chef’s board of cheeses and meats… Mmm
All around a great experience.

We finally made it on a groupon, and I really wanted to love it… But its not a place I think I will go back to — it was confusingly underwhelming. Service was GREAT, the place is CLEAN, and deceivingly HUGE and spacious. But the food is like a roller coaster — it can hit high notes and it can hit really low notes.
Drinks — mixed drinks, in our opinion (with two mixologists on the table) are designed for young (er) professionals defining a palate. One of the drinks was so nasty (Gandolfini), we had to turn it back. Manhattans were flat, one note, and too sweet. Wine flights were drinkable, approachable, but not memorable. High note: The $ 22 charcuterie and cheese board — the duck prosciutto is fantastic, the smoked trout pâté was really good and the home made sausage was very flavorful. Bread comes out hot and crunchy on the outside with a moist, chewy center.
Appetizers: Hit: The tofu. Miss: the oysters. Flat. Tiny. Lifeless and overpowered by the spice in the shooter and the grey-​ish rockefeller type topping. Mignionete — not bad. Miss: Corn tomato soup. Bland. We added the spice from the oyster shooter.
Courses: HUGE portions. Hit: Burger and truffle fries. Hit: Salmon and the couscous. Hit: 21 day aged beef — WITH foie gras. No dinner misses.
Dessert: Miss: Cannoli. Weird: PB Banana crème brûlée with BACON. PB freaks love fest. Me, not a fan. Hit: Chocolate cake. Hit: FREE Valet
Nice ambiance, just not a place I am dying to go back to. HOWEVER, if you aren’t as «food snobbyish» as I am, it is a great addition to the Worcester foodie scene — I see where they are going, and frankly, I’d stay for wine and cheese, charcuterie and friends. Given a choice for dinner, I’ll stick with the Rail Trail Flatbread Co in Hudson.