Kitchen + Kocktails By Kevin Kelley - Chicago
Restaurant · Near North Side ·
Upscale Southern comfort food, creative cocktails, and vibrant lounge atmosphere
Upscale Southern comfort food, creative cocktails, and vibrant lounge atmosphere
"Now in the former Katana space next to the House of Blues Chicago, the new home offers a larger footprint, private dining areas, and a patio while keeping the Southern favorites—fried green tomatoes, fried catfish, jerk lamb chops, and shrimp and grits—plus lunch and weekend brunch; it previously sat a few blocks away on Wabash Avenue." - Jeffy Mai
"Kitchen and Kocktails is part of a Southern restaurant chain with spots in Atlanta, Dallas, and DC. And though they’ve been in Chicago since 2021, they just moved to a larger location in River North. Their menu has fried green tomatoes and Cajun crab cakes, entrees like shrimp and grits or kajun kream pasta, and a whole section devoted to waffles. We haven’t been here yet, but want you to know this spot exists. RESERVE A TABLE WITH RESERVE A TABLE" - John Ringor
"The original Kitchen + Kocktails is in Dallas, and their spot in River North is their second location. This upscale restaurant serves Southern dishes like pork chops, blackened fish, gumbo, and crab cakes. The huge space is full of giant booths, with lots of places for taking social media photos–like an elaborate flower wall and neon angel wings. Just be aware, there is a dress code, which you can see here. RESERVE A TABLE WITH RESERVE A TABLE" - Adrian Kane
"Kitchen + Kocktails is built around special occasions. Like the original in Dallas, the restaurant is Instagram-friendly, with plenty of drinks and spaces where customers can snap photos. The menu is a medley of southern food with lamb chops, shrimp and grits, and more. Owner Kevin Kelley has famously instituted a dress code. This a spot to be seen." - Ashok Selvam
"A fast-growing, upscale Southern comfort food chain launched in Dallas in 2020 with additional outposts in Chicago, Washington, D.C., Charlotte, and Atlanta. Locations tend to be large and extravagantly outfitted with Instagram-friendly decor and have become celebrity magnets — the Dallas spot has been frequented by former Cowboys athletes. The menu leans heavily into decadent Southern favorites, including fried green tomatoes, hot honey chicken, and waffles in flavors such as peach cobbler and butter pecan. The brand is taking over the Back Bay space at 100 Arlington Street and is targeting a September or October 2025 opening in Boston, motivated in part by the owner’s personal fondness for the city and its chowder." - Erika Adams
