Ribs were fine, sauce smoky but plain, salad fresh. Overall acceptable but forgettable, a fair…read morethree-star dinner.

Stopped in after a funeral and was really pleased to have delicious food. I had the ribeye sandwich…read moreit hit the spot and the green beans were great. I cleaned my plate and will definitely be returning. I don't live in the area but I told my sister about it and would love to pick up some cuts of meat sometimes. Good butcher shops are hard to find.

This restaurant consistently delivers on a great southern meal. The proteins and side dishes taste…read moregreat and the portions are plentiful. The food was cooked to order and served hot. My favorite are the hush puppies (which seemingly come with every meal).

GoldBelly delivery of Kings BBQ. Poorly packaged caused the food to become thawed. So the Pig Out…read moreParty that serves 12 had to eaten in a weekend! The ribs were dry and slightly chewy the cider bbq sauce was just ok. The pulled pork had too much vinegar The hush puppies were dense and doughy Considering the cost, I would never order again

My wife and I visited Chef & the Farmer in Kinston to celebrate my birthday, and it turned out to…read morebe one of the most memorable dining experiences we've had in years. We were delighted to be personally greeted by none other than Vivian Howard -- James Beard Award-winning chef, restaurateur, television personality, and author. It was our first visit since Chef Vivian reimagined the restaurant into its current format: an intimate, chef-driven dining concept she calls "Chef New," inspired by one of her favorite restaurants, Chez Nous in Charleston, where a compact menu of six rotating daily selections keeps the focus squarely on quality and creativity. Chef Vivian herself seated us, and from that moment, the warmth and intentionality of the experience never let up. We were fortunate to be seated directly in front of the open kitchen, where we had the pleasure of meeting Chef Hope and watching the culinary team work with quiet precision. Every member of the staff -- from our server to the pastry and salad chef -- contributed to an atmosphere that felt both refined and genuinely welcoming. The prix-fixe menu, which rotates weekly, offered a wonderful range of choices. We opened with a starter of soft-shell crabs -- caught just two hours prior -- served with charred scallion mayo and a bright corn relish. The dish was extraordinary: delicate, fresh, and perfectly executed. My wife's Brussels sprouts, tossed with spiced peanuts and goat cheese and finished with a honey vinaigrette, were equally impressive. A generous pour of Sorgente Prosecco made it all the better. For our mains, I chose the flank steak, accompanied by asparagus with green butter and a silky root vegetable purée. My wife opted for the house-made tagliatelle in a shrimp scampi that she couldn't stop talking about. Both dishes were beautifully presented and thoughtfully composed, reflecting the restaurant's deep commitment to farm-to-table sourcing and local ingredients. The meal concluded with fantastic desserts and continued conversation with the staff, who were as knowledgeable as they were passionate. Throughout the evening, there was an evident attention to detail in every element -- from the food preparation to the way each dish was explained and presented. This is the kind of dining experience that reminds you why food matters. We will absolutely be back.

We've eaten a few times at Chef & the Farmer, enjoyed the Kitchen Bar experience, and were excited…read moreto try the latest iteration, The Counter. As always, Vivian does not disappoint. The Counter occupies what was once the private dining room at Chef & the Farmer. Decor is cool - bare brick, tin ceiling, polished cement floor, tables and chairs new but antiqued. An eclectic mix of music plays - a little too loud for my liking, but not so loud that we had to shout. Perhaps a dozen tables, plus a few on the sidewalk for when it warms up. The menu is simple, only a dozen or so choices. Some are old favorites, some new creations. A special of the day is offered. You order at the counter, and food is served at your table. You pick your table. We opted for an early dinner, arriving at 4PM on a Sunday. It was quiet in the restaurant, only us and and one other table. Service was good, but a little disjointed - one entrée arrived a full 5 minutes before the rest of the food. I tried shrimp and grits, the daily special. 6 shrimp, atop a bowl of cheddar grits, adorned with ground sausage, mushroom and roaster red pepper sauce. The shrimp are smoky; a crispy crunch to each one. Grits are creamy and perfect, complete with a few lumps. The sauce pulls it all together and adds the tiniest hint of heat. YUM! Also tried blueberry bbq chicken enchiladas. These are 3 to a serving; tortillas stuffed with shredded chicken prepared with Vivian's famous blueberry sauce. They're served in a shallow pool of poblano cream and topped with sliced radish, cilantro and cotijo. With a side of black beans. The chicken is the star.. it's moist, flavorful with the sweet/sour goodness of the blueberry sauce. Delish! Also tried a trio of sides - fried collards, hushpuppies and beets. The fried collards are a familiar favorite - deep fried collard leaves, crispy and salty. Hushpuppies are golf-ball sized, wonderfully crisp on the outside, moist and sweet on the inside. They're topped with apple & jalapeno preserves. Beets are served with slices of orange, topped with spiced and feta vinaigrette. To be honest, you could just order one of each of the sides (there are others) and that would be a meal! The counter offers wonderful food. Not quite the experience of a full sit-down meal (I really MISS Chef & the Farmer), but still - worth the drive to Kinston.

Had my sister pick up food and she came all the way home to realize they forgot the one thing my…read moremom asked for go all the way back to the store cashier rifled through our bag of food touching everything doesn't offer to remake food and had a horrible attitude looked like she would rather be anywhere else not to mention they weren't even busy only like two tables in the whole place

The servers were friendly and fast. I had a shrimp burger with catsup and slaw and an unsweetened…read moreiced tea. My burger arrived quickly, but without slaw. It was easy to take care of. I enjoyed a generous portion of shrimp on a fresh steamed bun. As always, great iced tea. Restroom was clean, as was the restaurant. This is a chain known for their burgerS and cheesesteaks, but the shrimp and chicken options are tasty. Convenient location by Aldi. Large parking lot right out front.

If you grew up in ENC and remember dirt parking lot country stores then welcome back... great old…read morespot for a red hotdog on a steamed bun, Carolina style and a glass bottle ice cold Pepsi... keep it simple and perfect.

Ma's is where you go when you want a burger or hot dog done RIGHT. their all-the-way burger with…read morebacon? chef's kiss. it's a small spot, but the food and the people make it worth the trip. it's quick, it's tasty, and it feels like home. you can't go wrong here.

Food has been great 12 of 12 visits Service is good place…read moreseems clean Staff is friendly A go to I'm Kinston

I had a great experience. I ordered grilled chicken carbonara and it was delicious. I could taste…read moreevery ingredient in the dish and they were not stingy with them, plenty of everything. I have never tasted mushrooms like they had, so very good. I would like to compliment our server Jazmin, she was the best. She made sure the drinks were kept full, she was very friendly, attentive and very genuine, really appreciated her. Also, the salad looked great, realty wanted to try it, will get that next time! Please give it a try and I hope you will enjoy too!

My wife and I stopped by here today on the way to the beach. We usually never leave Highway 70 on…read morethe way down to Atlantic Beach from Apex, but I'm so glad we did this time. One of the best burgers I've ever had, and my wife agrees. We tried both of their burgers, the regular Smashburger and the grilled onion one. Both were absolutely delicious. The texture and freshness were both top-tier. We also shared a hotdog and fries. Both were delicious as well. Their chili & slaw, and their red hot dogs were top notch as well. The Staff was also friendly and service was prompt. I got to meet the owner. What a nice guy. If you live anywhere close to this place and you like burgers, do yourself a favor and check them out. We can't wait to go back. If I had one suggestion, it would just be to turn on some music or a TV outside in the picnic area. Other than that this place is awesome. I hope this place does well, because we want to visit again. We actually plan on stopping by again when we head back home in a few days. And I forgot to mention the prices. Beyond a deal. Especially in this day and age. Almost like getting a bill from cookout, meaning what a bargain. Give this place a try.

If ever in Kinston, NC, please do yourself a huge favor! Have a grilled onion burger at Home Team…read more old fashioned grill! Smashed burgers at their finest. A limited menu keeps their focus on what's important, good quality food! OUTSTANDING

Quick service and good to grab food Togo. Definitely get a box combo, the fried okra and hush…read morepuppies were great so would recommend. Plenty of seating inside or you have the drive through option.

I was visiting Kinston, NC for work and thought I'd try the local, regional flavor. So I visited a…read morelocal fast food chain, Cook Out, my first time ever at this chain. But I should have kept with the reliable Chick-fil-A's of the world. I had the grilled chkn sandwich--cheddar style. It was edible. The cheese, however, was liquid yellow cheese, not sliced cheddar. In fact, I didn't taste any cheddar at all. The chicken was a little tough. The bacon and grilled onions were the best part of the sandwich. My onion rings needed ketchup because they tasted like how restaurant kitchen dishwater smells, you know, that sort of musty, metallic/soapy smell. I had one by itself (yuk), then two with ketchup, then threw the last five rings away (btw: this was my double-order - 8 onion rings w/ heavy breading). As it turned out, 8 was 8 too many since they weren't very good. My vanilla milkshake was nothing more than soft serve "icy milk." There was no creamy consistency to it. It had that ice milk crystalline texture, even after it partially melted...like 60 minutes later. I know it's fast food, (and it was very fast), so my expectations were low to begin with. But I figured it would be better than this. On the upside, it was inexpensive, only $10.30. The service staff were nice enough and it was a very clean restaurant, hence the 2 star rating, but the food was definitely lacking. Just skip it, unless you need cheap food in a hurry and don't care what it tastes like. Or maybe, the other items are decent--I don't know? But I don't think I'll be giving this chain another chance.