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The King's Kitchen
Categories: Restaurants Canadian (Traditional) Restaurants Southern Canadian (Traditional), Southern [Edit]
129 W Trade StCharlotte, NC 28202
(704) 375-1990
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 2:30 pm
Mon-Thu 5 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
95 reviews for The King's Kitchen
Review Highlights
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"The fried chicken was amazing." In 33 reviews -
"Pork Chops, Mac 'n Cheese and Cornbread." In 29 reviews -
"It's also evidently a non-profit community restaurant." In 12 reviews
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95 reviews in English
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Review from Misha T.
5/8/2012
I'm pretty sold on King's Kitchen. Their fried catfish in cheesy grits was truly excellent, and though their fried chicken is more famous, the catfish is truly the way to go.
The sides are all top notch also and their cornbread is absurdly buttery.
I feel like I should have more to say for a 5 star review but I don't.
Protip - go for lunch, it's the same food but much cheaper. -
Review from Nettie B.
Charlotte, NC
5/2/2012
Ate here on a Saturday night. I like that some proceeds are donated to local hunger efforts.
But, the service was somewhat lacking. We weren't checked on after our food arrived. Nearby tables were left unbussed. It wasn't terribly crowded.
The food was acceptable, though my companion's steak was overdone. -
Review from Keith S.
4/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
Based on the giant cross over the kitchen, I am guessing that the King in King's Kitchen is the one true King. Very nice.
Coming into this place it looked very much in its element, which means that it is very elegant, with a open bar, simple clean tables with very upscale silver, china, and stemware. Very fitting for being at the end of the block down from Trade and Tryon. The menu is also simple and elegant, with choices for the not-so-hungry and the very hungry.
I had seen the reviews on Yelp, so I had the Fried Chicken with 3 sides. Everything was just perfect. The chicken was perfect, mac and cheese perfect, stewed tomatoes perfect, creamed corn PERFECT.
One thing I did not notice until "checkout" is that there is a place to put an additional donation at the bottom of your receipt, which will be added to your (credit card) bill. Even without an additional donation, I suppose a nonprofit would be a preferred location if you want to help out.
O-O I'll be back !! -
Review from Audrey W.
Charlotte, NC
4/9/2012
I bought my first groupon for this restaurant. Upon learning that their a non-profit and provide food for the needy.. I felt a little guilty so I ended up not using the groupon. I'm glad they offered one, because it gave me that first little push I needed.
As for the food, the fresh hot biscuits started my evening off with a salivating bang. I ordered and split two meat and threes. I got a hefty serving of flounder, fried chicken, mac n'cheese, collards, green beans, mashed potatoes, creamed corn, and roasted carrots. They all got along swell in my belly.
I had high expectations and they were surely met. Parking wasn't bad, the interior space was very neat, and the waitstaff was very attentive. All around the perfect southern meal and experience.Listed in: Get Some!
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Review from Ian M.
I have lived about two blocks away from this place for over a year now and for some reason we haven't found the time to stop by King's for dinner. Well, we finally did and I am so glad that we did!!
We started out with the fried oysters as our app and they were... Kick A$$!!! (see pic). They were huge with the perfect amount of crispiness and textured seafood gooey'ness on the inside. They were accompanied by delicious cocktail sauce and a second balsamic vinegar dressing thing.. Never had that type of dipping sauce for oysters before but it sure worked!
I then moved on to the Fried Catfish and WOW! It was excellent. The perfect amount of herbs and spices in the batter mix complimented the an ideal flaky delicious fish. I was blown away with the taste. Not to mention, they gave us three side options for the entree. I went with the collard greens, fried mac n' cheese, and the mashed potatoes. I would highly suggest you do the same. You cant go wrong with some collard greens.
My only issue would have to be the fact that they NAILED this dinner perfectly. Now, I am going to go back and have to order the same thing and not try anything new. I know, crazy frustrating, right?
Enjoy!!
-Ian M. -
Review from Jasline K.
Charlotte, NC
3/19/2012 6 photos
Visiting The Kings Kitchen, I had very high hopes. By the end of the night, my hopes were let down a tad bit. We had 8:30pm reservations, but by the time we were seated, it was around 8:45pm. We did not receive drinks(water) until 9:20pm, and our food around 9:35. We waited almost an hour before eating, and I know it was busy for a saturday night, but an HOUR!?! Come one people, do better! The food was ok, the waiters were nice but ALWAYS on the go. The bbq wings we received for an appetizer were not cooked all the way thoroughly, and although they replaced them with more, it left a bad taste in our mouths of the cook. How can you serve bloody chicken wings at a restaurant?! Also, I was very disappointed when I found out they did NOT serve liquor, only a few beers and a few selections of wine. 2 thumbs down in my book.
We all tried the "corn bread" and only 2 out of 5 enjoyed it. I felt it was a little too "wet" for my liking.
I ordered the fried chicken, mac & cheese, and collard greens. The chicken was juicy and delicious. The mac&cheese was ok, but the collard greens had a little too much vinegar for me. I did not like them at all. My sister had the fried chicken, mac&cheese, collard greens and carrots, she loved it all. My mother had the fried chicken, black eye peas, mac&cheese & collard greens. She liked it all except the black eyed peas, which she thought were a bit mushy. The rest of the table tried cabbage and corn as a side, which they thought were delicious, while a friend also had the tilapia and she enjoyed it alot.
Would I go again? Maybe, but not for a very long time. -
Review from Ana O.
4/1/2012
I give The King's Kitchen a 4 on food and 3 on service for the first visit. Maybe after the another visit, I'd be willing to bump up my rating.
First off, it's conveniently located downtown, with some nearby street parking or a garage right behind it. The decor inside is very cute, with some old pots and pans scattered near the front, as well as some interesting home-made art. I really appreciate their mission of giving the profits to the homeless.
The food was very good. For the starter, we had the fried oysters, which came with a cocktail sauce and a bacon vinagrette. They were delicious, and I am not usually a fan of oysters. I had the fried chicken, with roasted carrots, their mashed potatoes, and pan seared cabbage. The fried chicken was awesome, and all the sides were quite tasty. The bread they brought to the table had the perfect texture, more crunchy and chewy toward the outside and soft in the middle, with just a hint of sweetness. They served with real butter, and it was fabulous. My partner had the fried flounder and mac and cheese - both of these were also great. Everything was cooked perfectly. For dessert, we chocolate peanut butter crunch cake. The cake itself was just ok, but they served it with some really delicious vanilla bean ice cream.
I feel bad complaining about the service, because our server was really nice and it wasn't entirely his fault. We arrived there for dinner on a Saturday night at 6:00, and we left the restaurant at 7:48. Our appetizer arrived quickly, but then our food order got lost. Because our server was so busy, it was almost 7:00 before he realized we had not gotten our food. He rushed the food, and we got it about 10 minutes later. He apologized to us then and as we were leaving. It look another long time before he came over to get our dessert order. I think they were understaffed, because everybody was really rushing around.
I would definitely come back again, because the food was very good. I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt about the slow service. I genuinely feel bad for looking a bit annoyed about our food being lost. I would watch for slow service if you plan to come here on a busy weekend. -
Review from Mat M.
Knoxville, TN
4/18/2012
This is simply a wonderful restaurant with fresh real food. I found it here on yelp when I was in town for two days. I went with a lovely lady friend and we had simply a wonderful evening. Food, atmosphere, and my company could not of been better.
We both had the fried chicken which was excellent. -
Review from Rob B.
4/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
We discovered the existence of King's Kitchen based on a Living Social deal a few weeks ago. After seeing the number of ratings the place had we knew it was worth making the purchase. The deal was for one appetizer, two entrees and one dessert for $25, which was quite awesome. We headed down there for dinner tonight after taking in an afternoon hockey game and spending some time at the Mint Museum.
King's Kitchen is a nice little place right amid the hustle and bustle of Charlotte. Upon entering you find a bright, clean-looking restaurant with one of the nicest bars I've ever seen. I usually opt out of sitting at a bar, but if the need arose I wouldn't have any second thoughts about popping down there. The rest of the indoor tables are a bit close to each other, giving you little privacy, but I've been smushed more by other restaurants. There were also some tables in an outdoor area, but the wind was a bit much to deal with that. We had made reservations so upon entering we were seated quickly and our server came over shortly after to take drinks and whatnot.
We were a bit limited on what to order since there was a separate menu for those using the Living Social deal (something that was not mentioned anywhere on Living Social), and I wasn't crazy about the choice of appetizers. We ended up settling on the pimiento cheese ($5) with lavash (sp), which ended up being these really light crackers. The pimiento cheese had a nice spice to it, and definitely went well with the cracker. There was definitely an excess of cheese to cracker, at least for us, since the cheese was a bit much (spicy and rich) to be spread too abundantly over the crackers. They did offer us bread to sop up the remainder of the cheese which was nice, but with two full meals coming we decided to not stuff ourselves.
For dinner I ordered the fried chicken ($13) with butter beans, sea island red peas and roasted carrots. I went with the white meat, which consisted of breast and wing. The batter is nice and light, but I wish it had come out a bit crisper. The flavor was totally there and it tasted great, but the chicken was a bit drier than other fried chicken breast I've had. The butter beans were awesome, but I wasn't a fan of the red peas. I had never had them before so I have nothing to compare them to, but I just wasn't a fan of the overall flavor. The roasted carrots were crazy good, and I never thought I'd be raving about carrots after any meal. They are char broiled so they have all the black char on them and they are so soft and flavorful...almost tasted like sweet potatoes!
The only fish on the limited menu was fried flounder ($14), but the miss' isn't a big fan of fried foods. Luckily the folks at Kings Kitchen were kind enough to substitute that for the blackened catfish ($20) at no upcharge, which I was very grateful for. This blackened catfish knocked my socks off. It had the PERFECT level of spice...I like enough spice where my nose will run, but not too hot where I have to chug a gallon of milk after each little bite. This blackening spice was right at the threshold for me, where it met the maximum but did not stray over even a little. She also got the mac & cheese, creamed corn and collard greens. The mac & cheese was good, but a little too mushy for us. I really loved the creamed corn...it had this sweetness to it that made it the perfect side. I was not a fan of the collards, but I don't really like any greens, so don't take my word on the collards to heart.
For dessert we split the chocolate and peanut butter cake with vanilla gelato. I don't usually rave about a dessert, but this one is definitely worthy of it. The cake is a couple of layers of chocolate, peanut butter and ganache with some crispy layers thrown in also. The contrast of the soft cake to the crispiness worked well, and the ganache was simply indulgent. Then you had the heaping scoop of vanilla bean gelato. It was soooo rich and thick and the miss' detected a hint of some spice (possibly cinnamon) that really brought the flavor out. When you combined a little spoon of gelato with a spoon of the cake, you really had the ultimate dessert.
Kings Kitchen definitely dishes out some slammin' Southern cuisine, and I love that they do it for a good cause at a great price with heaping portions. While some of the food was totally spot on, some of it was also lacking a bit. If I could dish out 4 1/2 stars I would, but I think there are a couple of things keeping it from 5 stars. Still, I totally recommend heading down to get some serious eats on. -
Review from John B.
Buckhead, Atlanta, GA
4/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
My wife and I loved it! Divine Southern cooking! We are looking forward to returning later this month on our next road trip.
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Review from Karie G.
Charlotte, NC
4/11/2012 2 Check-ins Here
My bookclub met at King's Kitchen and we had a fabulous time! Brian our waiter was awesome and knew the wines perfectly! Everyone enjoyed their entrees. I had the salmon and spinach risotto- Delish!!! The local cheese plate is a must. And of course the banana pudding!!!!!
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Review from Michael E.
Asheville, NC
So it was time to pay this place another visit.
I was CRAVING their fried chicken in addition to their deviled eggs for which I partook of both.
I threw in a pecan pie a la mode for good measure........and all was right in the world.
FYI...they are opening a bakery next door (on Church Street) that from the street and peering through the windows will serve baked breads and sandwiches for the lunch crowd.....another great reason to patronize this place for all the good it does.Listed in: 5 Star Eateries - what I…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/16/2011
So I'm from the South and the Kings Kitchen is a nice and upscale way to eat Southern. So how does… Read more »
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Review from Henrik C.
4/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is a fantastic place. We went here on a Saturday night. The place was packed. We were a fairly large group (16 people). We had three courses. For appetizer we had a mixture of wings, bread, .... all very tasty and the food was delivered in no time. For main courses I had the flat iron steak with sweet potato hash and greens. Others had a specially prepared vegetarian dish, fried chicken, ... All the food was very tasty and delivered very fast (especially considering that we were 16 people). For deserts most of us tried their banana pudding. A bit heavy and an interesting mixture of sweet and bitter, but overall a great meal. Our server was very busy but had just the right amount of attention. Certainly coming back here next time I am in Charlotte.
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Review from Chris R.
Lynchburg, VA
2/4/2012
"Each chicken, feed some people"- Their slogan on the menu
We loved this place. The fact that their sole purpose is to make good food so that they can feed the homeless in the area makes me happy.
I had the fried chicken with mac & cheese, Black eyed peas and creamy potatoes. The entree was excellent for the most part. The peas were not my favorite, but I think it's more of a preference thing for me. My wife had the fried flounder, and it was amazing. I was actually a little jealous, but don't tell the chicken. We also "split" the chocolate, peanut butter crumb cake that was decadent.
The staff were amazing. Some of the best service we have had. Our friend told us that their cornbread was extremely tasty, but when we asked about it, we were informed that they only serve that at lunch now. A few minutes later our waiter came back a warm basket saying he found a few pieces in the back for us. All of his recommendations were spot on and he helped us understand a little more about the mission of the restaurant. Knowing that the proceeds were helping the community, we didn't mind splurging on items that we normally might pass over like dessert.
The atmosphere was also warm and cozy. My wife said it felt like someone's home. The candlelight was perfect and the layout of the place was nice.
Definitely try this place if you are looking for soul food in the truest meaning of the phrase. -
Review from Michael H.
Charlotte, NC
3/28/2012
If it weren't for the mission of KK, I probably wouldn't visit again. I've been a couple of times and tried different things. The food is ok, but nothing special...especially for the price. However, because of the mission I'm sure I will be back.
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Review from Ehsan G.
Newport Beach, CA
4/2/2012
Was visiting Charlotte for business and checked out this restaurant after reading the good reviews on Yelp. our server Melinda was amazing and I reccomend you requesting her.
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Review from Dave B.
11/17/2011
Fried chicken isn't the healthiest, but it sure is tasty. Pair it with sides of mac & cheese, coleslaw and roasted carrots -- it's all the better. Add hot sauce, look out!
And with mission for feeding people who are struggling, providing job training, and generally doing good... Well, that's just a place I can support.
The prices were right. The food was good. Ambiance was pleasant. Service was flawless. And, the company was fantastic. Highly recommend this King's Kitchen. Mostly for the good it does in the community. You'll enjoy it. -
Review from Johnny A.
3/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great concept and fantastic execution. That pork porterhouse was amazing! So were the sides! Should have tried their famous fried chicken, but that pork chop sounded too good to pass.
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Review from Doug W.
Charleston, SC
3/24/2012
The idea is nice, that profit from operations will be used to help those in need. But the food is far under par. We tried the deviled eggs, which were similar to what you might expect if you bought them from the Food Lion deli counter. They were out of the ham and swiss sandwich, so I ordered the turkey club. It had absolutely no flavor. Quite astonishing, actually. How do you make a sandwich with turkey, bacon, and mayo, and yet it be completely bland. My wife had a "meat and 3", fried chicken. The collards were good because of the smoked ham. But otherwise everything was average at best. Portions of the sides were very small. Even though the food was relatively cheap, it still wasn't worth it. I feel sorry for people who live in Charlotte if this is one of the better places downtown. 3/23/12
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Review from John R.
Alexandria, VA
9/19/2011
My first meal in Charlotte and it set the bar REALLY HIGH. Everything I had was amazing, and I love the whole non-profit, local food thing, proceeds going back into the community. WIn-win-win.
King's Kitchen is my new go-to place for all friends visiting from out of town. -
Review from Heather N.
Charlotte, NC
11/11/2011 2 photos
The Kings Kitchen was the answer to my "where to eat after our quickie wedding" prayers. The owner of the restaurant, Jim Noble, has a few other restaurants in Charlotte. I've eaten at one of them. Noble's, and it was fantastic. But a bit pricier than I wanted my new husband to have to deal with. I saw a link to The King's Kitchen, and after checking out the website, I was in love. The food was very southern, but I was immediately drawn to the salmon AND what they do for the community. So, I told my husband about it, made the reservation and anticipated a delicious meal.
After our short & sweet wedding, we headed downtown for dinner. We had reservations, but they weren't incredibly busy, so we probably would have been fine without one. We were seated quickly and our server greeted us promptly. He took our drink orders, came back and we ordered a few appetizers for the table. We ordered the deviled eggs & the pimento cheese. I can't comment on the pimento cheese, since I don't care for it and didn't try it, but the eggs were delicious. He also brought out two plates of biscuits with homemade strawberry jam and cornbread. Everyone raved about the cornbread. I had a biscuit with some jam and it was delicious, but nothing special.
The entrees came out quickly and everyone was more than pleased. I had the salmon with the pea risotto, which was fantastic. The salmon had a lime butter on top and the risotto was perfect. And the color was gorgeous and interesting. I was very pleased with the flavors of this dish (the salmon was some of the best I've ever had).
Several members of our table ordered the pot roast. I had a bite of my husband's and it melted in my mouth. I've never had a roast that was that tender and had such great flavor. My new mother in law had the fried flounder. I had a bite of that and it was incredible as well.
Everyone loved their side items (the mashed potatoes, creamed corn & macaroni and cheese were HUGE hits), and almost everyone was pleased with their entrees. My new brother in law ordered the fried chicken, and while it looked delicious, he said their was so much grease it actually became unappetizing the more he looked at it.
Other than the fried chicken, the dinner was a huge success, and a fantastic evening was had by all. And while I loved my delicious dinner, I love what the restaurant does for the community and that just makes me want to go there over and over again. Anyone in Charlotte needs to try it out. -
Review from David T.
Chicago, IL
3/5/2012 Seated via OpenTable
I was in town for business and in the mood for some Southern cooking, so came across The King's Kitchen on Yelp. Despite my best efforts for healthy eating, I could not resist the fried chicken, and it definitely exceeded expectations. The outside was crispy and well-seasoned. At this point I figured if I was going to not be healthy with my eating I might as well go all out -- got the mac and cheese to accompany it, also very good. The wine list here was decent, some good selections by the bottle. Overall a great place for me to get my Southern fix.
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Review from Keyshaun S.
Buffalo, NY
1/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Excellent service and good food. I wish the cornbread was sweet though. All and all I say it was just OK.
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Review from Matthew K.
Pasadena, CA
3/5/2012
I came here after reading a lot of glowing reviews of the place. I thought it was just so so. I ordered the ribs and the chicken. Since this place is known for the chicken, I was waiting to be impressed. It was just okay. It was moist. Probably one of the moist chicken I had, except it was super bland. It didn't taste like it was seasoned at all, not even the skin! But the vegetables were pretty awesome. I had the carrots. I didn't know carrots could taste so good. Green beens were amazing. Mac-n-cheese were just so so.
Then there was the ribs. It was pretty good. Well seasoned. Fries were good. Slaws were good. Just all around solid here.
So for me, it was just a-ok. Maybe I should've gone for the seafood stuff. If you want good chicken, I would go to Mert's. mmm mmm good... -
Review from Faith D.
11/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Here's the breakdown:
3 stars for food
5 stars because of their overall mission
Meet in the middle for a total of 4 outstanding stars!
Like others have mentioned, their mission is phenomenal! 100% of profit from sales is donated to feed the poor and they provide job opportunities for people in need. In addition, they create dishes using local ingredients.
The ambiance is very nice and spacious. They even have patio seating for those nice days and nights.
Spend your money here and it will go very far to help others! -
Review from Cynthia B.
Charlotte, NC
7/31/2011 5 photos
You probably know that The King's Kitchen is a non-profit restaurant owned by Charlotte chef and minister, Jim Noble. If you didn't know, now you know
The food was absolutely, fabulously, delicious. I enjoyed everything on my plate, Pan-fried Chicken (dark meat), collard greens, black-eye peas, mac n cheese, cornbread..... OMGN.
What really contributed to a beautiful birthday evening was the waiter Lucius, he was courteous, funny, friendly and supplied excellent customer service.
THANK YOU LUCIUS. You made my daughter's B'Day memorable (remember, we were the Bklyn native crew who sang with the band as we were leaving) ........~singing~ Killing me softly with his sonnnnnnnnngggggggg -
Review from Sarah B.
Hayward, CA
9/26/2011
My entire family and I went to The King's Kitchen in May to celebrate my finishing grad school. I made a reservation for 8 about a week prior to the Saturday night dinner. When we arrived at the restaurant, we were pleasantly surprised to find that we had a private room reserved. Although fancier than the traditional "meat and three," it is still just that, so dont go expecting something very gourmet.
Likes: Pleasant atmosphere, attentive waiter who obviously takes a lot of pride in his job, the food was all great (the appetizers, meat, and the sides were all delicious).
Dislikes: Parking. We parked in a garage and walked. And then it rained on our heads. But I guess that's what happens in downtown Charlotte.
Take it or leave it: Take it. Fun place with good food for an good cause. I'm willing to support anyone who has a different business model than the traditional restaurant. -
Review from Jeff S.
7/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
So as my regular dinner plans got screwed up tonight, a few friends and I opted to check out Kings Kitchen.
The positives: Very friendly staff, the purpose of the restaurant is wonderful, the collard greens are amazing, decent wine selection, and the willingness of the management to talk to you about things not working with your meal.
The not-so positives:
Spare ribs should be tender where they should be easy to pick off the bone. These were very tough and I was fighting with them with the butter knife. At least serve them with a better knife.
Water glasses were only refilled for some of the people at our table...seemed to be the pretty ones; the banana pudding - while the claim is it is the signature dessert - it was a bit runny and didn't seem to be set long enough.
I was disappointed with the ribs. The waiter asked my truthful opinion and I told him. He said it was taken care of and the manager came over and talked to me about it as well. I appreciate this and the purpose of this restaurant and in order to make things right, the staff needs to know about these flaws.Listed in: Uptown, downtown, upside down
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Review from Nicole W.
6/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Anyone who says it's tough to screw up fried chicken obviously hasn't made much of it....or eaten any "bad" fried chicken. Thank goodness the fine folks at King's Kitchen have that dish down pat!
I have been waiting to head over to this nonprofit phenom for quite some time and finally got a chance to grab some dinner here. I'll put it out there right now - I love the concept of a nonprofit restaurant. I love the idea of feeding those who are without and putting people to work who are in transition. Now that that's clear, let's focus on the food & experience.
The restaurant hosts clean lines, bright walls and nice lighting. Hubs and I chose to sit out on the patio and enjoy a late dinner. Our waiter, Stuart, was incredibly friendly and led us through the menu with ease. A few glasses of wine later, we were ready to order. As mentioned, I chose the fried chicken with roasted carrots and mac & cheese. The bird was perfectly crispy and super juicy - honestly, it rivals my grandmother's fried chicken and that's say a whole lot. The carrots had the perfect amount of sweetness and were by no means overcooked. And lastly, the mac and cheese was heart attack worthy and delightful. Price wise, I think $13 was a completely fair (and affordable) price for this plate of food. The portions aren't gargantuan, but they are plenty large for the price!
We finished off the evening with strawberry shortcake - made with biscuits, fresh strawberries and whipped cream. While the treat was refreshing and tasty, the biscuits were a bit stiff and the portion was on the smaller side. Thus, I need to come back and try the coconut chess or chocolate pie. Oh woe is me.
I'm looking forward to coming back for another royal dinner at King's Kitchen...if I were to grab lunch here I may fall into an afternoon food coma! -
Review from Kyle B.
Charlotte, NC
2/15/2012
Like the concept...but not the food. Went for valentine's dinner. Two appetizers on the menu were not available. No draft beer available. Which leaves limited wine list and 6 or so bottle beer choices. Scallop appetizer was ok. Chicken and dumplings...sent back. Ordered blackened catfish...burnt. Shrimp and grits were lumpy....very strange. Either this was a bad night or this place is hurting.
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Review from Sarah F.
Charlotte, NC
10/28/2011 1 photo
We ate here about a month ago. The fact that I can't remember the details doesn't speak so highly, but I do recall that it was good, if not exceptional. Very solid comfort-food offerings, that mostly seemed to be at the appropriate price point for what's given.
I do remember that the first biscuits sent out were room temperature and seemed stale, but the waitress saw I had only picked at mine, and brought more out - this time from a fresh, hot batch. Much better.
I had Meat & 3: pot roast, butternut squash, collards and mashed potatoes. The potatoes were listed with gravy on the menu, but only came out with a dish of broth/au jus on the side. I wasn't sure if that was supposed to be the "gravy", or if that was for the pot roast and they just forgot the potato gravy all together? Anyway, it was decent and filling, and would have had leftovers if I'd cared to take them home. Nothing too special though. Pot roast was fork-tender though, I'll give it that.
Fiance ordered...some kind of fried fish, with tomato jam on a bed of cheesy grits. His dish was definitely of a higher caliber than mine, more upscale, both in presentation and in flavor experience, but you could have told that in advance based on the menu descriptions and prices of our respective dishes.
This was our first visit, spurred on by an about-to-expire online coupon we'd purchased. Overall the experience was fine, but we had a long wait before being seated, and the jazz duo/trio (?), which we were seated near, was a bit too loud to be able to converse and hear each other.
King's Kitchen was fine for one evening's eating adventure, but there are other restaurants in Charlotte that we have had consistently better experiences at, so this one is unlikely to enter our repertoire for future revisits. -
Review from Tracy D.
9/6/2011
Took my aunt and uncle here when they were visiting from California because I thought they would really like the whole non-profit angle and the religious aspect that Jim Noble brings to his workplace since they are also very religious.
Came at lunchtime and we were seated right away. Our server was nice but was sooo soft spoken it was hard to hear him. I went with the meat and 3 and did the fried chicken with mac & cheese, creamed corn and sweet potatos. It was all good but not great. I prefer the style of the sides at Rooster's and the creamed corn wasn't really creamed. The corn bread was awesome though. I did have to ask about them because our server never brought them over till long after our food arrived.
My aunt did get a run down of the restaurants mission statement from our server and overall they seemed to really enjoy themselves. I was treated so can't comment on price, but didn't seem very expensive. -
Review from Travis W.
5/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Comfort food....If I had a last meal request, rest assured it would be comfort/soul food and it may very well come from King's Kitchen. I've only dined here three times but each time has been phenomenal. My favorite...side dish.....is the cornbread. I hope my mom doesn't read this but it's the best cornbread I've ever tasted!
Service is always great and all the proceeds go to a good cause so that warms my heart while the food warms my belly....perfect combo :)
Be a king....eat here! -
Review from Kate M.
5/20/2011
I like everything about The King's Kitchen. The food was great, the service friendly and knowledgeable, the atmosphere inviting and open, and the concept impressive.
There were 5 of us for a late dinner and desert, King's Kitchen did not disappoint. We started with the cheese plate and fried oysters. The oysters were perfectly cooked and served with a bacon balsamic dipping sauce. I had the shrimp and grits (with the tomato sauce on the side) and it was wonderful. The shrimp were grilled and perfectly spiced and the grits were possibly the best I've ever had. I stole a bite of my friends flank steak and cornbread panzanella while she wasn't looking and it was just as good.
We shared a couple deserts between the 5 of us, we had the pecan pie, coconut chess pie, banana pudding, and the brownie. They were all fantastic.
The service was very good. Our server did a good job of keeping our drinks full making sure we didn't need anything while not interrupting our conversations. That's a fine line to walk with 5 women who don't see each other very often. His knowledge of the menu was helpful when ordering, he knew the menu and dishes inside and out.
My favorite part of the King's Kitchen is that every penny of their profits are donated to help feeding the poor. As if that's not reason enough to give them your business, they also partner with area outreach programs to provide employment to those in need of a new beginning.
Between the delicious food and the knowledge that you're helping those in need, there is no reason to *not* enjoy a meal at The King's Kitchen. Often. -
Review from Len W.
Charlotte, NC
5/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Well, I guess that satisfaction is a derivative of expectations versus outcomes and based on the very high reviews of King's Kitchen, my expectations were equally high.
Granted, the concept of this restaurant is wonderful - all profits go to help the homeless population and job sharing programs with the homeless help them establish greater self-confidence and good job skills to help them get back on their feet. What I wondered, however, was whether the mission swayed the reviews some.
Based on this being a non-profit, I assumed that this would be a hole-in-the wall location with a modest environment. However, the setting was a little bright and loud. The first thing I noticed was that my bread plate was dirty, as was the one at the neighboring table where I was borrowing a replacement. The biscuits they brought for the plates were good and warm, but not the best I have had. Our server was very friendly and explained the concept and the chariable mission, which was nice background to have. Unfortunately, that is where the positives ended.
My girlfriend had a stuffed pork loin at the recommendation of the waiter and I had the blackened catfish over cheese grits. The pork loin was extremely dry and over-cooked and the additional sauce we requested to try to make it more edible didn't help much.
The blackened catfish was decent, but half of it was beyond blackened and I had to cut off a decent chunk of the fish that looked like charcoal. The grits were good, but its pretty hard to mess those up.
I'm disappointed that I didn't like this place better. I really wanted it to be good and have a new place to which I could return. Its a great cause, but at the end of the day, the food has to be what brings me back. I'm glad to see others had better luck than we did. Perhaps we just ordered the wrong things. Sounds like the fried chicken is the way to go! -
Review from James M.
Charlotte, NC
9/29/2011
I've wanted to visit this restaurant for months now. My gf and I went here the other night and, unfortunately, it was a disappointment.
We walked in on Fri night and stood right next to the hostess for a good minute. She knew we were there, nothing was said to us, and she just kept talking to the waiter. Now, one minute is much longer than it sounds when you walk in and expect to be greeted by someone. Bad taste in our mouths immediately. Not major, just something we both thought was strange.
We got a nice table, good place to hear the live jazz (we're both Jazz lovers!). The waiter informed us that they were out of the pot roast. No biggie. She ordered the Salmon; I ordered the fried chicken meat & three. I ordered Mac-n-Cheese, fried cabbage, and mashed potatoes & gravy.
5 minutes later, the waiter informed us that they were out of Salmon. Small to medium biggie. She ordered something else and we drank some wine.
A solid 40 minutes later, our food comes out. Major biggie.
Hers looks great. Out of the three sides I ordered, two were wrong. Mac-n-cheese was there, but I got collard greens instead of cabbage and black eyed peas instead of mashed potatoes. Large biggie.
I'm the LAST person to complain in my family and, even when I do, I am the most polite complainer anywhere around. Just get the order right, that's all. Overall, the food was great. That's why I am annoyed - because the food was great and the service wasn't. It's a shame to have great food and several things happen along the way that makes the customer not want to return which, sadly, may be the case with us. Along with the food mistakes, etc., our waiter was completely frantic the entire night. Just didn't give us a good vibe in there.
Looks like there's some work to do for this kitchen. -
Review from Peggy C.
4/7/2011
Deviled eggs, braised pork belly, skillet fried chicken, mac & cheese, coconut pie... have I died and gone to heaven?!? I got a LivingSocial coupon the other day, and I think this is the fastest I have ever used my coupon. I have been wanting to try this place, and there's no better way than to drag my girl friend with me on a random Tuesday night armed with an empty stomach and gift certificate!
The interior hasn't changed much since it was ARPA (and on that note, I miss ARPA and their sangria by the pitcher). We got a table quickly. Our server greeted us and informed me (since I'm the newbie) that this is a non-profit establishment. I think it's a very great concept and admirable thing to do (bravo to Chef Noble).
We decided to split our "loots" since it was getting late and she wasn't too hungry. Somehow we still managed to polish 2 appetizers, 1 meat and three and a dessert (as you can guess, it was mostly my doing... taking a bow here). Deviled eggs was tasty, the filling was a little more liquid than I am used to, but it was still good. Braised pork belly was fabulous; perfect balance of fat and meat... I think it was served on a bed of sauerkraut, which was a bit too salty. Skillet fried chicken was crispy. The breading didn't take away from the meat. The 3 sides we picked were mac & cheese (fabulous, moist, just enough cheese sauce), pan seared cabbage (looked undercooked but wasn't, it was amazingly flavorful), and butter beans (another good one, I'm sure there's bacon in it, just have to!)
We closed out the night with a slice of Coconut Chess Pie, which was topped with a fluffy (big) dash of whipped cream. The pie was a little hard (both the crust and the filling) but I love coconut, and it tasted good... not too sweet. I think the most disappointing part of the meal was the butter that was brought out with the cornbread... it was bland... but I am picky about my butter.
It was a great night of good food and good cause. I will definitely be back, I have my eyes on the Polenta Bites and Fried Pork Chop :) -
Review from Larry S.
Charlotte, NC
7/15/2011 3 Check-ins Here
While the food may not be as good as one could hope, I will always choose this as the number one place for lunch downtown because of the AWESOME work they are doing giving folks a second chance.
Hooray for The Kings Kitchen -
Review from Daniel J.
Pittsburgh, PA
6/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great place! The Cornbread is to die for, chicken was equally delicious. Food is good but not anything to go out of your way for. Proceeds go towards the local homeless population and there's some job training aspects. Very neat idea and cause!
Was a bit empty at dinner (like most of downtown Charlotte) but couldn't get a table at lunch the one day I tried. Leave your expectations at the door and just enjoy a well cooked meal and a well thought out cause & mission. -
Review from Pam Z.
1/27/2011
King's Kitchen has restored a little of my faith in humanity. If there were more places like King's Kitchen, the world would be a better place!
You've heard the rumors, and they're all true. The King's Kitchen is a non-profit restaurant that has good food, good business model, and it benefits the local community. Job training program combines with feeding the hungy. Excellent customer service, and well executed food don't hurt either. All for a reasonable price. And the ambiance is clean and casually upscale. Jeans would fit in and so would suits. Plasma TVs on mute keep is a little casual, as do the servers in jeans.
First, our waiter (who had a very unique name that is escaping me but he was awesome) was informative, friendly, and funny. He explained the mission of the restaurant and made some recommendations that were all excellent.
APPS
Deviled eggs were pretty standard but an excellent way to start the meal. Cornbread was phenomenal! I hauled this cornbread back to Washington DC to eat it, it was that good. The biscuits are also stellar, but I'm a cornbread girl.
MAIN COURSE
Pan fried chicken. Although I do like the crispiness of deep fried chicken, this pan fried one was well seasoned, moist and tasty. Mac n cheese was a little too creamy, but was devoured before anything else on the plate. Greens were good. My companions heartily enjoyed their oxtail and potroast.
Beer and wine selection was excellent (I got a pint of Fat Tire, and there were some tempting wines on the list too)
DESSERT
I don't really like bananas. And I don't really like pudding. But their banana pudding was pretty tasty!
Overall, I had good food and a wonderful time at King's Kitchen without breaking the bank. Now just open a branch in DC!Listed in: In my mind I've gone to…
