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a.kitchen
a.kitchen
  • Address:
    135 South 18th Street
    Philadelphia, PA 19103
    Neighborhood:
    Rittenhouse Square
  • Cuisine:
    Contemporary American
    Price: $30 and under

a.kitchen Details

  • Dining Style: Casual Dining
  • Website: http://www.akitchenandbar.com/
  • Email: mpowell@stayaka.com
  • Phone: (215) 825-7030
  • Hours of Operation: Breakfast: Monday to Friday: 7:00am - 10:30am
    Weekend Brunch: 8:00 am to 3:00 pm
    Lunch: Monday to Friday: 11:30am - 3:00pm
    Dinner: Sunday through Thursday: 5:00pm - 10:00pm; Friday and Saturday: 5:00pm - 11:00pm
  • Payment Options: AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
  • Cuisine: Contemporary American
  • Executive Chef: Chef Eli Kulp
  • Dress Code: Casual Dress
  • Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
  • Additional Details: Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Menu, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Getting there

  • Cross Street: Walnut
  • Public Transit: Bus: 18th and Walnut
  • Parking: Public Lot
  • Parking Details: Parking available in local garages. No Valet available.

    Central Parking System – 1616 Sansom Street
    Parkway Corporation – 1845 Walnut Street
    Central Parking System – 201 South 18th Street
    Priority Parking – 1710 Chancellor Street
A word from a.kitchen
a. kitchen, located in the AKA Rittenhouse Square, is a contemporary American restaurant focused around Chef Eli Kulp's bold flavor-forward cooking on natural hardwood charcoal and accompanied by one of the most compelling wine lists in the country featuring many of the most in-demand Old World… style artisan grower-producers in the world, as well as a large selection from leading natural winemakers. Continued
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Diner Reviews
  • "Ellen Yin & Eli Kulp have a hit off Rittenhouse Square. Tootsie and I sat at the counter right on top of the kitchen and watched the show. Thank goodness for real charcoal. The duck breast came off the grill like the best steak you've ever had, only it was better. Because it was duck. Eat the turnips. Eat the beets. Eat the shiitakes. Pray to your god that they bring you a "gift from the kitchen" of pickled quail eggs, which melt in your mouth like poor man's foie gras. Skip the skate, charred up with sambal, which is sledgehammering a fly. Do ask the bartendress to make you something. I described a Remember The Maine, which she simulated quite nicely. With a big smile. Which is a bonus, like getting the rocks back with your cocktail. "
    Dined on 4/15/2014
  • "Nicely revitalized menu. The appetizers (squid and tartare) were imaginative enough to be interesting though the taste was just short of brilliant. The entrees - duck and skate chargrilled were superb and so was a leeks side dish. The place is as noisy as ever."
    Dined on 4/10/2014
  • "We ordered so much that the server warned us that it might be a lot but we ate every single dish.We sat at the kitchen area and watched the chefs execute each dish. The grilled squid is great, deep fried peppers( just OK) ..all the other appetizers especially the smoked mussels were excellent. The grilled duck breast with crispy skin was perfect and the grilled wagyu was tender and cooked perfectly. I would eat there again and order the other half of the menu."
    Dined on 4/12/2014
  • "The new menu has some great options, but needs a little work to develop enough options. I am also disappointed that breakfast has been discontinued, which is one of the best parts of aKitchen!"
    Dined on 4/13/2014
  • "We have always liked a.kitchen but under the new management the food has been kicked up several notches so it is now outstanding. The service is attentive without being intrusive and on the night we had a special situation the entire team kicked in to make sure everything went well. A great place!"
    Dined on 4/12/2014
  • "I really enjoyed the food and service. The ambience was nice, but a little tightly packed. The wine selection was just all right. The menu set-up is interesting -- small plates and recommendations for sharing, however, most of the food was not easily sharable; ie: excellent clams that came with one piece of bread...or the burrata also had one piece of bread. So if you're ordering a lot of small plates, be aware that they're not always sharable."
    Dined on 4/10/2014
  • "We have always enjoyed A.Kitchen but now it's even better. New staff and Chef, expanding menu and oh so tasty. Definitely a place to eat and enjoy life in and around Rittenhouse Square"
    Dined on 4/10/2014
  • "Portions much too small. Everyone looked at each other and laughed!"
    Dined on 4/8/2014
  • "I was attending a conference and walked by this restaurant several times. The ambience looked good and I liked the small plates. My hotel recommended the restaurant as well, and I made a reservation. In general, there are better quality restaurants in the same area. The food selection was not very special. In the mood for fish, there was a choice of mussels, clams, or a whole snapper. Snapper looked good, but not offered as small plate (I was eating alone). Guests may order wine by 5 or 7 ounce sizes, and the wine glassed have marks to make sure there is not an over pour. Have not seen lined glasses in restaurants of this caliber ever. The server had a "miscommunication" with the kitchen and my dinner entry was delayed."
    Dined on 4/5/2014
  • "I found this restaurant way too dark to even see how pretty the food may have looked. I also found our selections too spicy for my taste. I was very disappointed since our previous two meals under a different chef had been very good. And this chef just garnered wonderful accolades from Food and Wine magazine. Only 7 other tables were occupied and it was also too noisy. I would not return."
    Dined on 4/7/2014
  • "After having visited the "new" a kitchen twice; once for lunch and a second time for brunch, it missed the mark both times. As someone who was a regular. I will not be going back."
    Dined on 4/6/2014
  • "First impressions were great!! Loved the "vibe" and decor. Noise level was a bit loud, but it didn't bother us. Good energy! Food was delicious - apps: prawns and green salad, entree: Dover Sole (split by 3) and Wagyu Steak (for 1), sides: Potatoes, and Beets (shared by all). Food was delicious, servers were friendly and knowledgable, however we were extremely disappointed by small portion of potatoes we received!! We were told the sides were "family style", however the potatoes came in a very tiny bowl (a single serving, maybe for two). Which then in turn made us wish we had split the sole by 2, not 3. I would encourage your servers to be more descriptive about the size of the sides. Thank you!!"
    Dined on 4/6/2014
  • "This was our second meal at A-Kitchen, but it will be our last. The menu had changed significantly since our last visit. Everything is now coming off the open grill. To me texture is almost as important as taste and many of the small plates had the same wilted, mushy feel that results from vegetables over too hot a flame. We were also not comfortable with our waiter encouraging us to order more dishes than we had selected. We know how much food each of us will eat, my daughter eats very little and my wife is dieting, so his attempt to pad the bottom line was not appreciated."
    Dined on 4/6/2014
  • "Wonderful food, seats and ambience not very comfortable."
    Dined on 4/5/2014
  • "we have been going to a kitchen for a really long time. i guess they switched management and chefs. the food while being still very good, was over salted. almost everything we ordered had way too much salt. just writing this review so they can make a change because we still really like it there. also for brunch they used to have the BEST cheese steak. they need to get this back immediately."
    Dined on 4/5/2014
  • "Clams were outstanding. Red snapper was dry and not very flavorful. Barbeque chicken was very good."
    Dined on 4/5/2014
  • "A friend and I were having lunch at A-Kitchen this week. Just as our main course was arriving, the room smelled of smoke and the fire alarm went off. It turned out that there was no emergency, but the fire alarm remained as we are the main course. Things like this happen, but I do think as a courtesy to the diners inconveniened that it would have been a nice gesture had they offered to comp the entrees or offer dessert and coffee."
    Dined on 4/2/2014
  • "I really enjoyed the meal at a.kitchen. I was there early on a week night so the restaurant was nearly empty (I also think they were expecting a very large party later in the evening). Service was fairly smooth with just a couple of awkward bumps here and there. Dishes seemed to get better as the meal went along, with the uni rice cakes being the only disappointment (flavor and texture of the rice cake overpowered the uni, which was a shame). The care in plating the raw fish dish was fantastic, and the great presentation was matched by the flavor. The stuffed squid was also a stand out. Overall a great meal and I will go back and try to catch them at a little busier time."
    Dined on 4/2/2014
  • "A lot of the food was smoked or pickled. The dover sole was not fileted properly , it was pink inside, and not cooked enough. the rest of the food was fair to good. Not even close to the original aKitchen food"
    Dined on 3/30/2014
  • "Enjoyed sharing several dishes with friends: the Wagyu was very beefy and cooked perfectly. The duck breast was tender and delicious, the quail eggs were a tasty small plate and so was the house made burrata. We were disappointed with the fried pepper small plate - not great value and nothing noteworthy about them. Would return if the menu changed seasonally."
    Dined on 3/28/2014
  • "Food was terrific but the restaurant is extremely loud. I was there on a date, so one on one conversation was ok, but took some work. Would not have been good with another couple."
    Dined on 3/29/2014
  • "the restaurant replaced the entire menu, it is more grilled dishes now, few salad and other options, we miss the old menu, may not be back as often as we did before, a little disappointing..."
    Dined on 3/23/2014
  • "Wife and I had an enjoyable dinner at a.kitchen. Many plates were enjoyed with only one less than delicious dish, and that's simply because the fish choice was too "fishy" (sea bream). The head chef and menu were switched over this week and there's a lot of former/current Fork personnel overseeing the operation, which can't be a bad thing. We would go back."
    Dined on 3/22/2014
  • "Did not the selection of the new menu as compared to the old menu. Limited choices for the appetizers and small plates"
    Dined on 3/22/2014
  • "Great place for meeting friends, colleagues, or dates. A.Kitchen has great food, drink, STAFF, and atmosphere. Had brunch off the new (March 2014) menu with Eli at the helm. Great pastries and scrambled egg with sea urchin. Will be back!"
    Dined on 3/22/2014
  • "While the food is overpriced compared to other restaurants in the neighborhood, it is the wine mark-up that is ridiculous. The pour in each of the two glasses was five ounces and each cost more than I pay for an entire bottle of the same wine. The restaurant then expects me to tip 20% as the staff are paid low hourly wages. That makes that I am paying about six times what the wine would cost at home."
    Dined on 3/21/2014
  • "Our expectations for the arrival of the "Fork team" were well met. Great food -terrific smoked oysters and delicious skate with a twist. We were a bit late for a 10:15 reservation, but were not rushed and the food was still prepared with care and style!"
    Dined on 3/21/2014
  • "My first visit to A.Kitchen was back a few months after their opening. It was underwhelming, really nothing to get excited about. We visited a couple nights ago to check out the new menu created by Chef Eli Kulp. What a let down. The problem in this spot is not the menu, it's their delivery. Incredibly overpriced for minuscule, uninspired dishes. What could have been a huge hit was nothing more than tasteless small plates served one at a time, twenty minutes apart. What a terribly long evening. Their one redeeming grace: a wine list that is pleasing and vibrant, although the staff has no inclination to learn it, apparently."
    Dined on 3/20/2014
  • "Unique intimate restaurant in the heart of Rittenhouse Square offering small places, carefully composed with farm fresh ingredients. The small menu offers many interesting choices, and the sides are easily shared. Enjoyed watching the chefs cook right in the dining room across the bar. Sophisticated wine list and decor. Everything delicious."
    Dined on 3/7/2014
  • "Very good food and services. Staff are friendly and kind. The atmosphese is great."
    Dined on 3/9/2014
  • "slow service, ran out of the cheese I asked for at 11:00 am for SUnday brunch, omelet had a speck of cheese that I could barely even find, omelet had no taste at all,, no spinach even for an omelet, plain food and presentation, cappucino too strong, potatoes were dull, seats were uuncomfortable, space feels cramped, menu is boring"
    Dined on 3/9/2014
  • "This was our first time at a. kitchen. We'd been recommended to try it by some people at Moore Brother's wine. They pretty much never go wrong, so we were happy to try it. The food is really great- interesting combinations very well made. It's served in what might be called "medium plates"- not really tapas-style small plates, but not as big as a normal full entree. That made for good sharing. There are also side dishes available. There is a good wine list, but the wine is expensive. The cocktails were good. The service was of a good quality- certainly no problems at all, helpful, friendly, though not the very top I've had. It's not a cheap place by any means, but for the quality of food it wasn't very expensive. Recommended."
    Dined on 3/8/2014
  • "Every time I go to AKitchen I am amazed At how delicious the food is and the service Is perfect. Everyone is in a great mood and Extreme helpful. Love the size of the portions."
    Dined on 3/6/2014
  • "The restaurant was recommended by two friends of a friend who know Philly. Care and feeding was given to the whole experience and it was an easy 3 hours."
    Dined on 3/3/2014
  • "Food was very interesting and flavorful but very highly salted, from the butter served with our bread to both of our meals. We will try a.kitchen again being sure to ask for minimal salting."
    Dined on 2/28/2014
  • "The seasoning was spot-on for all plates, down to the salted butter for our bread. Best cheese plate I've ever had. Great lighting. If onyl there was a bit more room to navigate between tables along the shared bench. A small sacrifice for consistently wonderful meals."
    Dined on 2/27/2014
  • "Great spot to take a date. Our server was great and very knowledgeable. I will definitely return."
    Dined on 2/21/2014
  • "My husband and I ordered 4 plates to share, 3 were very good, 1 was very disappointing. We were served 2 plates within 5 minutes and they tried to take them away before we were finished. Same thing happened with the other 2 plates that followed. We were in and out within 35 minutes and by that time, very glad to leave. It was a very annoying experience. We won't go back...and we aren't into writing reviews but this was a particularly bad experience."
    Dined on 2/21/2014
  • "Went to a. kitchen for breakfast and had a wonderful time. The waitress was helpful and attentive without being intrusive. The menu was inventive and offered interesting as well as traditional choices. It is a small space but tables were not on top of one another and as more and more people arrived the noise level was still relatively quiet. Everything we ordered was well prepared and delicious and the waitress made it easy to accommodate some food allergies and preferences. Will definitely return!"
    Dined on 2/22/2014
  • "Went for an early dinner with my wife before picking up our daughter at the train station. The restaurant is small and the tables a bit close to one another, but at 5:30 was still empty enough that we didn't feel crowded. The food was very well done - unique flavors presented very nicely and with each if us ordering an entree (we each had a different pasta) and a side we had plenty to eat. The only slight "negative" was our service - the waitress was pleasant but could have possibly been a bit more attentive and could have explained the meal options to us."
    Dined on 2/21/2014
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