This spot delivers an exceptional dining experience with a clean, classic pub-like atmosphere and a friendly, attentive staff that makes the environment feel homey. The menu features unique, creative culinary twists, with large portion sizes offered at affordable prices. Flatbreads are huge - the size of a shareable pizza! The shortrib sandwich should be renamed to "everything but the kitchen sink" because that thing was stuffed to the brim. The fish tacos are a standout item for me though. The fish was fresh and perfectly crusted. While cabbage slaw isn't always a personal favorite, their unique mango pineapple slaw is excellent and worth eating down to the last bite. It is a solid, reliable choice for a satisfying and value-forward meal in a comfortable, casual setting if you're in the area. read more

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Fantastic service and excellent food! My server, Emma, was friendly and welcoming, I had the veggie burger with fries and they were amazing. The fries were so crispy and good! I loved the big mocktail selection too. Definitely a keeper for a solo Friday night outing!!! read more

Public Kitchen - Strawberry coconut dream mocktail - Gastropubs Near Me - Wakefield, Massachusetts

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Public Kitchen was delicious, what a great choice! Ordered a Shirley temple for our 13 year old son, and for us a firepit and cactus club as cocktails and they were so good. For appetizers decided on the poutine and it was perfect for the 3 of us to share. As entrees we ordered the cauliflower fried rice with chicken, chipotle chicken bowl and the Amalfi. The cookie skillet for dessert was delicious and it's a big portion for at least 3-4 people. We were so happy with the food and drinks, the waitress was busy and could have been more friendly and was just okay. The ambience was good and we would definitely go back! read more

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visited last evening, flat bread with meatballs and ricotta was fantastic! Excellent espresso martini was great as well! read more

The service was top notch and the food? Impeccable. The poutine was to die for and everything else we ate was delicious. It was a little noisy as evening came but to be expected at a busy bar and restaurant! read more

Public Kitchen - Yum - Gastropubs Near Me - Wakefield, Massachusetts

We went for lunch on Saturday and they were very accommodating for 2 kids and 3 adults. Their espresso martini was excellent! Just the right amount of boozy taste. After we got our drinks we asked for a couple minutes to look at the menu, but our server didn't come back for almost 15 minutes. We started with the nachos and I wish I got a picture, but they were just okay with a mound of lettuce on top. Could use more toppings. I got their special sandwich which was a chicken cutlet with burrata, prosciutto, an aioli and bib lettuce. It was amaaaazing. My husband got their buffalo wings and although there were 0 flats, he enjoyed them a lot! read more

Public Kitchen - Espresso martini - Gastropubs Near Me - Wakefield, Massachusetts

Lovely place to visit when it's warm and the windows are open! Staff was knowledgeable about the menu and so nice. Drinks were good and the chicken burger was delicious. A little pricey for a bar but the big portions helped read more

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Food was excellent. The buffalo cauliflower was some of the best I ever had. The beet citrus salad I had was so fresh and the shrimp that I put on it had Smokey taste to it which was incredible. My husband loved his truffle fries and shrimp tacos. We will definitely be back. Service was on point. Our only issue is that the tables are really close. So if you are looking for privacy this is not the place to go to. It was hard to hear because of the noise level. I would go back on a weeknight when it's not so loud. read more

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We first tried Public Kitchen several years ago and we were a fan so decided to go back. The timing on food was not good. They brought out the appetizer of potato croquettes, and entrees came 30-40 minutes after we finished one appetizer between three people. I got the Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad, others got a salad, fries, and tenders, so not sure why it took so long for our entrees to come out. The potato croquettes were good, and reminded me of a stuffed baked potato. The Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad was decent, but the chicken was dry, and the apples could have been sliced smaller. I tried the tender (forgot the sauce flavor), and I wasn't a fan: it was soggy from being drenched in sauce, and was not a fan of the sauce. Fries were lukewarm, and soggy. read more

Public Kitchen - Potato croquette - Gastropubs Near Me - Wakefield, Massachusetts

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I was in the area for a business trip and stopped by Public Kitchen in Wakefield with some coworkers. The menu offerings are typical to other gastropubs from lighter foods like salads, shareable appetizers like chicken wings, or heartier items like burgers or dinner entrees. I'd compare it to a leaner YardHouse menu because they share similar Asian-fusion menu items. I ordered a burger with a fried egg, and it was satisfying - especially on a cold evening. I liked the side of pickles it came with and the fries were really good! Crispy on the outside and ''mashed potato-ey" inside. My kind of fries! Our server recommended the Fried Pickles with Spicy Aioli and we enjoyed this as well. The service was great and our server was attentive. I liked the chill atmosphere. And my coworkers enjoyed watching a football game while devouring their food. Overall, we left satiated and enjoyed each other's company. The service made for a great dining experience. read more

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Shame... shame!!! My favorite local place served some lousy food tonight which was a shock! First, as always great greeting and seating. Next, MacKenzie arrived to take our beverage order. Quick response and things are looking good as usual. Ordered an appetizer, their corn mix with fajitas chips. Delicious. Mail course order: My wife loves a great burger when not having Filet Mignon. I ordered their infamous "meat loaf wrapped in bacon, sitting on top of home made mashed potatoes and asparagus. To die for. True comfort food at its best. Then the BOMBSHELL... My wife's burger arrived with their cool little fry basket... But... luke warm, soggy and obviously dunked into to Fry A Lator one too many times. Yuck !! Greasy, floppy and not worthy. ( as a young man, I did work in the most famous east coast fry joint ever seen so I do know a few things about proper cooking) Waitress came over. I spoke up for my wife about the reheated fries. She said I'll put in a fresh order. Just a few minutes... Meanwhile I'm thoroughly enjoying my meatloaf, she's eating her burger only. New fries showed up... but. They batched up some new fries with the old soggy fries trying to unload them?!! Shame on you!! The GM was apparently not watching the meal service and sub par crap was served again!! Hence, my two star rating tonight. I call a spade a spade!! It's usually always a 4 or 5 star. Not this night!!! Bob G read more

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Again, Super yummy! Great sized portions and the food presentation was awesome, and our server was so nice I wish I could remember her name. read more

Public Kitchen - Fish Tacos - Gastropubs Near Me - Wakefield, Massachusetts

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Great vibes! I love the open front layout. It gives inside the restaurant a nice atmosphere and fresh air. Lots of indoor seating and outdoor seating. We sat indoor and it was super casual. The tuna poke nachos for appetizer was loaded!!! Lots of toppings and super saucy and spicy! I really like the sliced avocados and I recommend removing the jalepenos if you can't handle spice. I didn't like the chip itself, it was a bit thicker than a tortilla chip. The steak tips as a main dish was good. Lots and lots of mashed potato and four pieces of steak tips. I definitely wished there was more steak and there was just too much potato. Not a good ratio. But the steak tips and the sauce on top were super flavorful very yummy. The asparagus on the steak tips and the mahi mahi dish were unchewable kind of wilty and rubbery. Service was very nice and food came at a good time. Overall I enjoyed the ambiance. Super causal and refreshing. The food could use a little touch up. read more

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Sat at the bar on a Sunday bc it's usually the best service. Unfortunately the bartender was more concerned with a group of guys than the rest of the customers. The food was decent but not having a drink while eating wasn't ideal. read more

Went to the movies and Imax and on the way back popped into Public Kitchen. From the beginning the service was outstanding. Sat at a very nice table, met the server and she took our order for appetizers. Yummy fried pickled and nachos. Both portions were huge. Two veggie burgers and a mac and cheese. My son told me the mac and cheese with ritz crackers was outstanding. The veggie burgers were delicious and HUGE. Burgers came with perfectly done fries. The noise level was tolerable and all the TVs had sports on so we were happy with that. If you find yourself in the Wakefield area I'd recommend eating at Public Kitchen. You will be very happy. read more

Everything was served late, arrived Cold and Too Greasy. Slow service, horrible lack of management, owner was mean and unprofessional, no sense of customer service. Won't come back. Urge others not to either. read more

Food was excellent, cooked as requested and huge portions at a fair price. Service was also excellent and not one mistake on a party of 10. Great job!!! read more

One of my favorite restaurants in this area! Food is always fresh! The menu is big! The staff is friendly! They also have the best fried pickles I've ever had! Definitely worth checking out! read more

We love Public Kitchen in Wakefield for a cozy weeknight dinner or even a weekend out with friends! I would highly recommend the Salmon dinner entree and any of the drinks really. The service is always quick and everyone is super friendly! read more

Lovely meal in a great space! The service was wonderful, kind and welcoming! We had a late dinner and it was perfect!

Had a visit on a very busy Tuesday evening. It was a busy time and the restaurant was buzzing. We had an easy time finding parking on Main St, Wakefield, MA. We were seated rather quickly and set up. Our wait for someone to come over was reasonable. We ordered the bavarian Pretzel and some drinks. The water was busy but stayed on-time with us. The Pretzel arrived rather quickly and was delicious. It was much bigger than I had seen. We placed our entree order after the pretzel was delivered and things went pretty seamless. I had a burger, which was delicious. looked like a 10oz instead of the cheap 4 and 6 oz that I have seen at other places. We ordered a caesar salad with chicken and the "fungus amongus" which was a pizza with arugala, honey and mushrooms. Both dishes were fine (see pics). It was a nice stop. I was not knocked over by the food or the experience, but it is a nice addition to a downtown. It was crowded, clean and well-staffed. Originally, we were hoping to sit outside but there were no seats available. I am thinking that maybe more outside seating would be a good thing? 4-stars for good! read more

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Came here last week. Was super excited to try as this has been on my list. Server was super friendly and pushed sales, which is fine. I got the fish tacos and my partner got the chicken sandwich. Very disappointing, probably our worst meal of the week of being here. Fish was good and crispy but the tacos were soaked with soggy old cabbage. The softshell ripped and was so wet. Couldn't even eat them like a taco because of the soggy shell and bad cabbage. I ended up picking at the fish and pineapple, disappointed. My partner said the sandwich was mid and could have gone to McDonald's for the same thing. Server noticed me picking and dissatisfied but kept walking. Sad about the experience, don't recommend. read more

Public Kitchen - Fish tacos and Chicken Sandwich - Gastropubs Near Me - Wakefield, Massachusetts

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Public Kitchen was a pleasant surprise. The food was good, we ordered fried pickles, fish tacos, and braised beef tacos. The tacos were really good, you get two tacos, which are really loaded. Definitely a casual vibe, plenty of tables and good size bar. I'm planning to go back again to try some additional menu items. read more

Public Kitchen - Gastropubs Near Me - Wakefield, Massachusetts

Love this place! I've been a few times, the food is great, the wide variety of options for food is awesome, and the service was wonderful too - especially the bartender John! Can't wait to go back especially for lunch! read more

Been to this spot several times. The food is decent. Not amazing. Not terrible. Decent pub food with some twists. The downsides- the place is extremely loud. Especially with music blasting. You can't hear the person sitting next to you. And then the cleanliness factor. The bar is always sticky. The menus are gross. Nothing feels clean - and this must be chalked up to a management issue. read more

O M G We've been coming here a lot and have alway had fantastic food but I must tell you about something in particular. The Maple Old Fashioned. I'm a whiskey and bourbon drinker for the past 40 years and I can safely state the this place has the best Old Fashioned in...the...world! That includes England, Italy, France, Germany, Netherlands, Iceland, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Australia and, of course, the US coast-to-coast. I kid you not, I've tried them everywhere. This is a must-have. I'm here now on my third. (My wife is driving). read more

Public Kitchen - Bestest OF evarrrrrr! - Gastropubs Near Me - Wakefield, Massachusetts

Friend service, great menu, huge portions! The cocktails were well balanced and made correctly. We all enjoyed our meals so much! I forgot to get a picture of the Poutine with Short Ribs but please trust me it was heavenly!! Not an inexpensive menu but the great food quality and large portions make for a pretty good value. My salad was also lunch the next day! I look forward to my next visit in this lively location! read more

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Popped into this cozy restaurant on a cold day for some poutine fries and they did not disappoint at all! Some of the best I've ever had and a great portion to share between a few people. Would love to return for some of the yummy looking drinks and delicious sandwiches-super intrigued about the spicy peanut butter burger! read more

Public Kitchen - Short rib poutine - Gastropubs Near Me - Wakefield, Massachusetts

Where shall I begin? I love this place, my GO TO restaurant in the area. The food is great, the drinks are delicious and the staff rocks. First, you'll start off with a crisp glass of water with an old school design on the glass--Ronald McDonald, Bugs Bunny, Wile E. Coyote, etc. With each sip, you'll be taken back to the Looney Tunes Era and then some. Next, you'll want to check out the drink menu. I have tried a variety of them and highly recommend: 3-9-7 (Vodka-Sweet & Delicious), Brockman Blues (Gin & delicious), In My Gin Era (Gin), Lemon Drop Martini (Upon request), & the El Diablo (House infused Tequila-if you're into spice) YUM! If you're not into cocktails, they have numerous canned/bottled beers and my favorite, a rotating draft beer list! Staff allows you to taste test a couple of the beers, which is helpful. For apps, the Elote Corn Dip, Nachos, BBQ/Buffalo/Sweet Chili chicken tenders, and Buffalo cauliflower are all so tasty! For dinner, I highly recommend the following: Buffalo Chicken Flatbread (GF or nonGF) Asian Short Rib Steak Tips Swordfish Piccata (Plate changes seasonally) Classic Baked Haddock My mouth is watering thinking about all of these options! Overall, great place to eat and drink. So many options to choose. You won't be disappointed. See You There! read more

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super disappointment. used to love public kitchen but has gone downhill. ordered two ceasar salads one with chicken tenders one with steak tips. 3 small chicken tenders on one and 3 small steak tips on the other... $42. this will be our last time ordering from them. read more

This place is incredible. I've been here a few times. The best dish is the short rib and mozz grilled cheese. Its something you can travel to try. Wings are great, gorgonzola steak salad is awesome. Great vibes and service. Just love this place read more

Public Kitchen - Short rib grilled cheese - Gastropubs Near Me - Wakefield, Massachusetts

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Great vibe and the food was very good. Why does yelp require so many words. Copy and paste. Great vibe and the food was very good.Great vibe and the food was very good.Great vibe and the food was very good.Great vibe and the food was very good.Great vibe and the food was very good.Great vibe and the food was very good.Great vibe and the food was very good.Great vibe and the food was very good. read more

Favorite lunch spot! Food is awesome and very consistent. Always really fun food and drink specials to choose from. The service at the bar is always great, fun group of bartenders who are super friendly and personable. It brings you back in time with the cartoon cups. Such good childhood memories, shows and characters. I love the big windows in doors in front of restaurant brings in so much light and lights up the restaurant. In the summer the even open the doors too. Here are all my favorites! read more

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Unfortunately I can only advise this restaurant is truly no more than average in all respects, service, ambiance and certainly the food.

Ive written reviews for Public Kitchen before. Mainly for lunch, the bar ect. However, I planned a Graduation party with them for 12/22 and this review will cover that, in case anyone wants to reserve their function room. Working with Michelle and Tony (chef) on what to serve, style, cost etc was so easy. They will discuss needs then get back to you with cost per person. Effortless! Day of, we were allowed to come in an hour early and decorate the space. The room was already set up for cocktail style of party with two tables for ppl to sit at if needed. Amber was our server for the party. She is wonderful, attentive and funny! Im a bit biased bc I know and love her and all the staff! Never once was a guest in need of a drink. Tony the chef came out to check on time that food should start coming, and he came out quite a few more times during the party to bring food and ensure there was plenty to eat! Everything was so tasty and same and above standard that we are used to any other day. One of their staff, Giovanna, made my cake and it was so frickin beautiful!! She based it off of Hubby's invitation and it tasted amazing! So if you are thinking about having a party at Public Kitchen, do not hesitate and book it!!! read more

Public Kitchen - Beautiful cake! - Gastropubs Near Me - Wakefield, Massachusetts

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Was seated, waited 25 minutes. Two other tables seated after us, the waiter went to the most recent seated table first. Have been there multiple times and food was good. But seems they have terrible service now, plenty of better options. read more

Wow, I am impressed at the owner Michelle's talent and cocktail knowledge. Just by finding out what flavors I usually like, she created a martini I loved so much and I had 3 of them (Green Mountain Orange Vodka, Aperol, Passion Fruit Puree, Orange Juice ). We had baked Haddock and Blacken Swordfish dinners. Both come with grilled veggie (asparagus, zucchini...). They are excellent. The blacken sword fish came with orzos and pine nuts. We ended up take home as the portion is big. read more

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The food here is always a delight. Really great quality, great service, and great drinks! Finally glad to have eaten in the restaurant after so long! My go too has always been anything with the short rib! Always so tender and well-flavored! This time I branched out and tried the burger and it was huge and had a great grilled flavor. Ambience inside the restaurant is nice and service has always been attentive and prompt. Always enjoy coming here every so often for a great meal! read more

Public Kitchen - Warrior Cocktail - Gastropubs Near Me - Wakefield, Massachusetts

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Always a great place for food and drinks We love the opening of the windows, it feels like you are dining in North End read more

This place is not worth the price of admission. I ordered the venison burger and my partner ordered the arugula, mushroom, and truffle oil flatbread. Service time was average, but when our foot came out to us, both plates were cold - and the burger buns completely soggy. This is not a "high end" restaurant, but has prices a slim cut above what you'd expect from a similar American-style restaurant. After the food issue was sorted out, my partner and I ate and stuck around for a few drinks. Behold, two additional problems occurred. Our emptied plates remained on the table until we left -- some 30min after we finished eating. On the small tables built for 2, this made it difficult to enjoy our post-dinner drinks. Additionally, my partner's cocktail, which contained milk froth, was curdled BEFORE it arrived at the table. This place could really be something. But attention to detail on both the side of servers, chefs, and bartenders needs serious work. Sadly, I would not recommend this place to a friend. read more