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The Kitchen Step

4.1 (498 reviews)
Updated over 3 months ago

The Kitchen Step Photos

THE KITCHEN STEP ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Intimate
Classy
Casual
Moderate noise

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Recommended Reviews - The Kitchen Step

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croissant french toast
Jason K.

Came here for brunch on a Saturday and we really enjoyed our meal. We had the French toast, steak and eggs, biscuits and gravy, and the eggs benedict. The French toast was really good. It wasn't too heavy and the whipped cream complimented it well. The steak and eggs came exactly as ordered, so no complaints. The biscuits and gravy were tasty, but needed a little more gravy to even out the ratio. The eggs benedict was my favorite. Their truffle hollandaise sauce is really amazing. I could it eat it with everything. The inside is really nice and has a instagramable seating area in the entrance. Would have appreciated a little more space between tables, but I know that can be a tall ask in JC these days. Still recommend checking this place out.

Josephine L.

Cute spot for upscale American brunch fare. Definitely get the Semolina Zucchini Fries if you're 3 or more people (or 2 very hungry people). The Mussels are well done and flavorful, though we were eating with French friend who gave the obligatory, "France does it better" comment. ;) The Steak & Eggs are ample, as are the rich Biscuits & Gravy. In fact, portions here are very generous for prices that range from the teens to 20s, so it's almost like brunching in 2015 again. Remember those pre-inflationary days? Me neither.

biscuits & gravy
Natalie T.

This was such a nice spot with a great corner view of the block! The food was really tasty and came out quickly. I was so happy to see biscuits and gravy on the menu and it didn't disappoint! The steak and eggs was also cooked perfectly. Definitely a great spot- the music playlist added to the vibes. Our waitress was a little bit pushy considering it wasn't crowded at all and we would've loved coffee when she already handed us the check, but nonetheless they still provided good service!

This is supposed to be 4 fish tacos costing $25

4 tacos with tiny piece of smelly fish inside arrived like this and costing $25... very frustrating

Christina S.

Great little spot for dinner and drinks. The zucchini fires are a must every time I go! They are delicious!

Zucchini Fries
Benedict C.

I ended up at The Kitchen Step with a couple friends on a Friday night when our prior dinner plans fell through. It was a bit late for dinner, around 0830-0900 so my friend was able to book a table for 3 online pretty easily. Like any other place in Jersey City, finding parking is hit or miss and unfortunately that night was a miss for us. We parked about a 5 minute walk away from the restaurant. Since we had a reservation we were seated immediately. The staff was very friendly throughout the night. The 3 of us started off with drinks and I enjoyed mine very much. From what I could tell my dining companions liked their drinks as well. So far so good. I ordered the Kale Caesar Salad as a "small plate" and the Ricotta Gnocchi as a "large plate". They were out of kale that night so my salad came with mixed greens rather than kale; no problem. I enjoyed the salad. It was light and refreshing. Nothing mind-blowing but definitely solid. A good pretty good start to my meal. I was looking forward to the ricotta gnocchi and when it came out it looked pretty good too. It came with wild mushrooms, paprika butter, and carrot top pesto. It was...alright. I guess I was expecting a more pesto-y flavor but I was a little disappointed to be honest. It was a perfectly fine dish and the gnocchi had a nice chew to it. I just wasn't the biggest fan of the sauce. Now on to my main gripe, price. The cocktail prices seemed pretty par for the course at $16. My salad was $15 and while I enjoyed it, it did not feel worth $15 to me. The gnocchi dish was $26 and it's not like they give crazy large portions either. I didn't leave hungry, but I also ordered 2 dishes. To me it seems like every food dish is $5-10 more than I'd expect to pay for them. Also, there's a 2.99% convenience fee on top of your bill if you're paying by credit card (who isn't these days?). That rubbed me the wrong way. I didn't hate my experience here, but I'd have some qualms about coming back.

The Australian Lamb Pops
Leslie S.

1st time @ Kitchen Step. The Food Ambiance + Service were all on point. 4 of us were seated at 6; our reserved time. there were several tables still open. Cocktails I had 2 (not my usual one) the nightly special was awesome an interesting cucumber seed mix, next was a fig cocktail (I love figs:) it was lovely. Hubby had his Espresso martini (I never understand how you can mix alcohol + caffeine) it came out with whipped cream which made it more a dessert he thought. Food: Small Plates - Crispy Brussels Sprouts - Excellent flavor mix said coconut carrot puree w/pomegranate - did not taste coconut - tasted really good. Bruschetta of Prosciutto + whipped burrata w truffle honey. Excellent! Charred Octopus - was Very Good - fingerlings w/a nice small plate. They got the right amount of Char without incinerating the poor octopus! Winter beets salad with whipped burrata - OMG Delish! The portion sizes were decent; Any less would have been too little but all satisfying. Next Large Plates 2 of us had the Lamb Chop Special - perfect medium rare a light lovely crust. Only thing chops were served atop a deep fried (I may have this wrong) crispy potato which did not affect the lambies seemed a bit oily but I ate it all! The asparagus not overcooked very good. Hubby had the salmon - OMG it was Delish he only gave up one bite - I was happy w the lamb so no jealousy. Other party had the Halibut + really liked it. I had a taste which seemed a bit bland but she loved it. Desserts! With such a good meal we had to try 2! Ricotta Zeppoles were Great! The nutella dipping sauce + cherry marmalade Delish! Much fancier then the ones @ the Italian feasts we'd get as kids! The Strawberry Shortcake was just right on. More scone like but delish w/a crumy almost crusty top then the bursts of not over sweetened strawberries.. the nutella sauce I could have drank - I usually dont like nutella. The cherry marmalade was a very tasty surprise. On most dishes the portions were just right although some like the beet salad (beautifully presented) looked smaller then it was. The ambience was a soft glow, a basic but warm non fussy interior. They had outdoor seating w/those fire heaters which look inviting. Our young helper was friendly + other then waiting once for a 2nd bottle of water all dishes were brought out appropriately paced. A manager came over to check in a couple of times - a welcoming personality. If any staff room for improvement was the hostess who was just a bit indifferent. All in all a 5 Star experience.

Brunch buttermilk baked chicken breast
Kyla B.

Had a reservation so was sat very quickly. The server was very attentive and great vibes for a late morning brunch. Got the brunch burger and it was very tasty. I felt like it was a good size for the price. The cup of coffee I got was very standard. Some of the other things my friends got were a little on the smaller side but the quality was pretty high! Would come back!

Eric H.

Great cozy place with a very homey feel to it especially on the inside. The menu is pretty simple and straightforward without being stuffed with too many options. The pork chop is always the go-to dish here for me. I also enjoyed the burger and fries. The mussels were also good but wasn't so sure about the spicy mayo-like dressing drizzled on top of the mussels and fries like chocolate sauce. Regardless, the food was good and I'd go check it out again since it's right in the neighborhood.

Taylor E.

Lovely restaurant with tons of outdoor seating to enjoy the beautiful fall weather. The service was a tad slow for my liking, especially the bar yet the waiter Michael provided excellent service and gave great recommendations. As an appetizer, I ordered the maple-chipotle bbq glazed wings which were cooked perfectly and had great flavor; definitely a must try item. The pink lemonade mocktail was incredible and I wished I ordered it for my drink as the lychee mojito was disappointing as it had no lychee. The shrimp po boy was a the perfect entree with so much flavor and the right portions. The fried pickles were a nice surprise. The Spanish mussels were delicious. I wasn't a fan of the large puff pastry that was served on top to be used to dip in the sauce, especially since I had no plate to rest the puff pastry on while I ate my mussels. Overall, good dining experience and great food.

Jumbo lump crab cake
Kyle R.

Thought I was in a Brooklyn bistro until I realized k was still in Jersey. Cozy tone is set as soon as you step into the place - long narrow layout with a chic bar right in the middle. Intimate setting perfect for a little date night, cocktails or even a brunch outing. Nice bonus that it just so opened to be run by one of my favorite chefs in NJ who does some innovative flavor profiling on what would normally be a basic dish. The food was fantastic with a seasonal rotation. And the cocktails were crafted to perfection. Highly recommend checking it out

crispy brussels sprouts

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1 year ago

Was ok. One of the better brunch places around. Can be a bit overpriced. Service has been good

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Page 1 of 13

The Kitchen Step Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - The Kitchen Step

What is the difference between "Restaurant" and "Dining Room" when making a reservation online?

I don't think anything but specify if you want an outdoor greenhouse

I would like to make a reservation for 11/7, 7pm for 3 guests in the dining room - resy doesn't allow me to proceed. Could you please confirm?…

Hi, Kerstin, Please call us at 201.721.7115 as we need more information to complete the… Read more

Is this byob?

No they have a full bar.

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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Monkey Bar - Smoked Whitefish Caesar (~$28)

Monkey Bar

4.3(483 reviews)
4.7 mi•Midtown East

Amazing vibes and food! We got a lunch reservation and I was surprised at how busy the restaurant…read morestill was. Service was a bit slow but not an issue. The waiter was really nice. I ordered the non-alcoholic ginger drink, spicy rigatoni pasta and the truffles pasta and Monkey Bread. Everything was so light and fluffy. None of the food felt heavy or greasy. Would definitely come here again!

Made a plan to reserve a table 21 days previous to when we would be in the city - and was able to…read morespike one. There is currently construction and scaffolding in front of the place, but you'll see signage where to go at the opening of the scaffolding. We walked in, past the bar and checked in. We were seated within 5 minutes. I ordered a bourbon old-fashioned and we ordered crab rangoon as a starter. There were a lot of them and the sweet chili sauce was great. For my entree, I ordered the vodka rigatoni and a side of buttered broccoli. The vodka rigatoni was really good - liked the flavor and a decent size of pasta. The broccoli was really good for some reason to me. Also tried the truffle mac and cheese which was incredibly rich and tasted great. As a dessert, we had the chocolate pie which was dense, rich, and topped with a huge dollop of whipped topping. I really liked the atmosphere of the place, loud roaring 20s style with jazz playing. Plus I kept finding myself checking out the mural on the wall. Try it for yourself - but worth the fight to get a table.

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Monkey Bar - Spicy Shrimp scampi

Spicy Shrimp scampi

Monkey Bar - Truffle Monkey Bread

Truffle Monkey Bread

Monkey Bar - Truffle Monkey Bread (~$35)

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Truffle Monkey Bread (~$35)

Lola's - SOUTHERN CHOPPED HERITAGE PORK sweet potato, black garlic honey butter, collard greens

Lola's

4.6(89 reviews)
3.5 mi•Flatiron

We had a really nice experience at Lola's last week. My son had Lola's on his NYC list of…read morerestaurants he wanted to try so here we are! We were seated at a nice quiet table overlooking the kitchen with lots of room. I love when a restaurant reads my comments on my reservation! Adam was our server extraordinaire and he really helped make our evening memorable. From his great menu recommendations to his very attentive service, you can tell he really takes pride working at Lola's and made sure we had a great meal. The tuna appetizer was very good and two of us had the crispy chicken thighs which were excellent...super crispy on the outside and juicy inside. I loved the buttermilk sauce on the side along with the coconut vinegar and hot honey... nice addition! My son had the Atlantic Char which seemed to disappear off his plate very quickly .. he really enjoyed it. Thank you Adam and Lola's for a great dinner!

Stumbled across this spot by just walking in flatiron. We were seated by the kitchen counter which…read moreis a pretty cool concept. The ambiance was great and I loved watching the food being cooked. Service was 10/10 and our waitress was really attentive. Apologies that her name is slipping me at the moment. I wish they had more items to choose from but overall would recommend. I had the low country boil and my friend had the pork dumplings and grit cakes, all very delicious. I will come back for the fried chicken thighs

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Lola's - Interior

Interior

Lola's - HOUSEMADE NAAN carrot masala yogurt, cilantro chutney

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Lola's - SOUTHERN CHOPPED HERITAGE PORK sweet potato, black garlic honey butter, collard greens

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Tanner Smiths - Tuna Poke Tacos

Tanner Smiths

4.3(2.4k reviews)
4.6 mi•Midtown West
•$$

Prior to going to a Saturday afternoon matinee, a group of us were looking for a good brunch spot…read more I had Tanner Smiths bookmarked, so we stopped in. What a cool place! It definitely has the vibe of a speakeasy, especially with the jazz band playing. We went with the brunch special which is $35 for bottomless drinks with the purchase of an entree. It pays off if you're having more than 2 drinks and we made sure we did! Bloody Mary's were excellent! The food here was outstanding. I had the 3 Eggs Any Style and my wife had the Breakfast Flatbread. Those dishes as well as our friends were well made and delicious. If you're headed to a play or just in the area, I'd recommend stopping here to eat, drink or both!

We came here based on a friend's recommendation and had high expectations, but the experience was…read morevery disappointing. We're three young women in the service industry and still felt completely unwelcome--the hostess told us to find our own seating even though the sign said see hostess. The bartender was rude and uninterested, standing 5 min+ at the bar without even being acknowledged. Another staff member was dismissive when closing us out and rolled her eyes when asked to take cash. The overall vibe felt like we weren't wanted, even though it was only around 11 PM. The DJ was underwhelming and the bathroom was vile. The most pleasant part was the below average $20 drinks. For an expensive, well-known spot, this was a very poor experience. Couldn't pay me to return.

Photos
Tanner Smiths - The setting from the entrance

The setting from the entrance

Tanner Smiths - Double Smoked Cheeseburger

Double Smoked Cheeseburger

Tanner Smiths - Gluten free bun

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Gluten free bun

Friedman's - Shakshuka

Friedman's

4.0(3.4k reviews)
3.5 mi•Midtown West
•$$

Salads and soups were well-seasoned and enjoyable, though the steak was a bit flat. Tableware and…read morepresentation were refined, making for an above-average experience

Had reservations for 2 on a Saturday afternoon and the place was packed. We got there about three…read moreminutes late, but they seated us within 5 minutes in a booth. It was our first time eating at a Friedman's location. It had a nice diner feel to it, with a mix of booths and tables. The brunch menu has a variety of breakfast items, salads, sandwiches and burgers, starters, and entrees (fish tacos, grain bowl, fried chicken). I like that several of the items are naturally gluten free, and some can be made gluten free by request. We decided to go with three breakfast items from the brunch menu: I got the shakshuka, my sister got the Nova Benny, and we got the lemon ricotta pancakes to share. All 3 dishes were great. The shashuka came with grilled ciabatta, perfect for dipping into the sunny side eggs and tomato sauce. My sister loved that the poached eggs and smoked salmon of the Nova Benny came on top of a crispy potato latke. The pancakes were fluffy and the lemon ricotta and lemon zest elevated their flavor. Our server was friendly and attentive, and he asked us if we had any allergies when he took our order. He came by several times to check on us and refill water. I would return to Friedman's when I'm in the Herald Square area, or check out one of their other locations in the city.

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Friedman's - Interior

Interior

Friedman's - Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Friedman's - Lemon Ricotta Pancakes Berry French Toast

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The Smith - Veggie Burger with fries

The Smith

3.9(2.4k reviews)
4.9 mi•Upper West Side
•$$$

The place has indoor and outdoor seating--a room at the back is a bit easier to hear each other…read more We had a great waitress named Tiffany. We had all delicious food and drinks--we recommend the fried calamari, French dip, and strawberry pie!

Came on a Sunday night around 5, but grabbed a seat at the bar first and ordered a few drinks…read morebecause we were still waiting for one more person in our party. Bartenders were cool and drinks were good. Because it was a Sunday and it was pretty busy, we decided to get a table before the restaurant filled up. The waiter was super cool and did not rush us while we waited at our table. I got the braised short rib mafaldine and I gotta say it was one of the better pasta dishes I have eaten in a while. Very thick and flavorful sauce along with the nice texture of the mafaldine pasta and nice and tender meat made this such a great dish. Very generous portion size, too. Even when we were finished and we stayed and talked a bit, we weren't rushed by the waiter and he let us continue to stay and talk. That was pretty cool of him. Also came by several times to drop off water and check if we needed anything else. Some negatives are that the place is pretty dark and kind of cramped. It is also pretty loud, so you will need to speak pretty loudly to be heard at your table. Overall, I loved the braised shot rib mafaldine. My friends also liked their dishes, which included the steak, late night spaghetti, and Mediterranean salad. If I'm back in the area, I will be sure to come back here.

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The Smith - Inside dining

Inside dining

The Smith - Salmon tartar

Salmon tartar

The Smith - The bar

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The bar

Zou Zou’s

Zou Zou’s

4.2(581 reviews)
3.4 mi•Chelsea, Midtown West, Hell's Kitchen
•$$$
Full bar
Gluten-free friendly

Went to Zou Zou's for a little bday celebration with gfs and had a great time. Not to mention,…read morethere was such a sweet little bday care when we got to the table. So thoughtful, and such a great touch to start the evening for us. We decided to order the family style menu and we enjoyed the whole dinner. All of the dishes on the menu were really good and great price for $74pp. I wish we had a 4th in our party so we couldve had the duck, but we'll definitely be returning to do so. The dips were so good and so fresh! I think all of the dishes were perfectly seasoned. I get sad when dishes are overly seasoned or overly salty. Oh, and im not much of a sweet tooth, but their dessert was marvelous and the sweetness was balanced so nicely.

Mixed feelings towards Zou Zou's. Having dined at most of Quality Group's restaurants, we had high…read morehopes for Zou Zou's and booked a table for dinner on Easter. Walking in, it's a stunning restaurant and on this night, not too crowded which made us wonder why they would seat us next to the servers station away from dozens of much nicer tables. Note that I booked through Open Table where I have Gold status which I thought meant you get a better table. Next fail, we wanted to start with a Mediterranean dip, but they only offer that if you go with a $39 tray with multiple dips. Not something a party of two would be able to east, so we skipped apps altogether. Sucks too, because several tables had it and it liked amazing, just too much for two. For dinner I had the Yemeni Au Police Kebab, Filet Mignon which was absolutely delicious. The peppercorn Hawaii really sweetened the meat's flavor. So high marks for the steak. My wife had two small dishes which she wasn't as thrilled with, Grilled Artichokes which were too dry for her liking and Manti, which she liked. Main takeaways. Very pricey, beautiful atmosphere (if you get a nice table) and maybe a place that's better for a group than a couple.

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Zou Zou’s
Zou Zou’s
Zou Zou’s

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The Kitchen Step - desserts - Updated May 2026

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