As a DMV resident, those prices are pretty standard. Probably expensive to southerners I’m sure. We pay for the food and ambiance and culture. We dress classy and have a good grown folk time.
I love Darius but his attitude is really ridiculous sometimes. Dining with Darius is $41 for each course. The food is good but that’s considered “expensive” for a scoop of food. The thing is you pay for what you want and can afford. Some people would never pay $300 to sit in a living room to try food but some of us don’t mind paying for things we like. Stop bashing people especially when your shit ain’t perfect. Give your opinion and keep it moving. This has the potential of being like a damn Netflix series but not with all the attitude and negativity.
Unfortunately, those are the prices that we pay in the DMV when supporting black businesses and I'm cool with it. You should see what we pay for our upscale restaurants.
but the upscale restaurants actually have huge names attached to them like gordan ramsey. These black ones just overcharging for slave food and chicken!!! @@lashawn369
That’s what’s holding me back from subbing. I love watching food reviews, including some of his, but I can’t get with the way he carries himself in some of the videos I watched. Idk if he knows it but his presence oftentimes screams attitude. He will even roll his eyes or have a very impatient disposition with a waiter or staff but claim it’s them. Sometimes it just seems very off putting ON TOP of him rating a restaurant. People conflate it with being direct or a straight shooter but there’s a way to go about criticism. I hope he catches on to it because these small businesses are already under pressure from the sheer number of people publicly reviewing their restaurants nowadays, so to deal with rude, impatient, impolite, and entitled reviewers is discouraging.
Chillle…..why is this known scammer rude?! And, complaining about the prices was classless & ghetto! Or, maybe he’s asking because he has to pay his victims their money! The nerve! 😂😂
@@creamylaine I do understand him trying to justify 2 pieces of chicken costing $25. You really do need sides or those better be the best pieces of chicken EVER.
For you to brag you have his personal number then proceed to talk over him and then give him a crap review. You charge $300 a head for a few hrs of dining. Let that black businessman live like you’re doing. DC folks can afford it.
Dining with Darius is expensive. That's why I don't understand why he kept harping on the prices. Not all of his followers can afford to dine with him.
I feel like you’re comparing apples and oranges. People pay for what they want. Darius’s review whether good or bad is still giving publicity to this business. People are still going to taste for themselves. As for people paying $300 for “Dining with Darius”..its more than about the food. They are paying for the experience and the opportunity to meet and greet with a celebrity chef they follow and are a fan of. He has to pay for travel for him and his crew, transportation, the location for the event, product, equipment, accommodations, payroll, etc. I don’t understand why ppl get so upset about his opinions. If I were to go there, it would be a special occasion. $25 for 2 pieces of fried chicken? His reviews are informative and I appreciate the honesty actually. He’s not telling people not to patronize this black business, he’s actually looking out for people so they know what to expect.
It's like the pot calling the kettle black to me. Greens, mac and cheese, chicken nugget salad, shrimp and grits, biscuits is not unique or creative. Lol
Exactly sister. This is the same scammer (Darius Cooks ) who steals from recipes from black women and charges ridiculous amounts of fees for his nasty a$$ food. He has the nerve. Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley is so popular for a reason. I have been to all his 3 locations and they’re world class and always fully booked for reservations
@@jazdavies2407 I don't agree that he is a scammer. I bought his cook books in the past for family and friends that enjoy cooking. One even did the Dining with Darius experience. I just don't like these harsh reviews of black owned restaurants that need our support as well.
You made him do the whole order over then made it seem like it was his fault... totally switch the waiter mood...i kinda felt bad fr him... humble urself sometimes
I went there a couple weeks ago with my husband for my birthday and had an amazing time. We sat at the bar and our server made sure she took care of us. Our drinks (we had quite a few) were very tasty and presented well, it had a beautiful sugar 24kt gold rim with gold flakes on the inside with rock candy lolipops placed on top. All of our food was well seasoned and cooked perfectly...even the lamb was cooked to perfection and I don't even like lamb...I do now.. I couldn't help myself when it came to the crab cakes, I just had to have two when I added them to my vegan bowl for a protein. My husband also had grilled lobster and fried lobster with gator bites. The dream eggs were so tasty and the blackened shrimp on top was a nice added touch. I couldn't leave without trying the key lime pie, it was so good!!! The place is covered in rose walls for all your cute photo ops, the music was trendy and there was a fire dancer! I'll definitely be back and often since we live in Virginia!!
He’s really dragging it with this review. The funniest part is after talking all that crap about the prices he got the whole meal for free AGAIN 😭😭😭 “Mr. Darius Cooks, couple million followers” 🤣🤣🤣😭😭😭 I love this dude but he is a damn trip and a half. And the cherry on top is that he charges way more than the dude for way smaller portions. WOW the audacity 😂😭
@@jazdavies2407 damn…not “Darius Crooks” 😭😭😭 I’ve been seeing a lot of old stuff about him smh. I’ve seen him on the news out here in Atlanta but I’m seeing it gets deeper than I thought smh
Loved the conversation he had with owner. The owner is very articulate, knowledgeable, and a natural conversationalist. Wanted to visit Kitchen and Kocktails in Dallas back in 2021. Hate I didn't.
I watched the whole video and came back to say that yes Darius you can give your honest opinion however you were definitely rude and off putting. Something in your your spirit is just off in this video
I live in DC and these prices are normal 😂😂 it makes dining out pretty funny. You will also get an additional $40 service charge LOL! 1 bedroom apartment $4,200. Grandma house worth 1.2 million. DC is a funny place 😂😂 God is good
That's real talk. The prices are high for southern people, and those that are tight with money. Like when I go to PCC and Wholefoods Grocery stores--I know I have to pay a lot; a few items my eyes bulge at the price, but I either lay it to the side or purchase it and keep moving. Now there is a soulfood place across the street from Howard University, in Washington DC (maybe it not there anymore though) that is vegan, and that food was good AF--and affordable. The building conditions were lacking though. I still purchase a lot and took it back to my hotel.
He already know the deal with Darius. Maybe Kevin will utilize any of the critique for any improvement. What if he uses it to his advantage and makes tremendous improvements? #justsayin
I appreciate the review and I do agree the prices are pricey but it just didn’t sit well coming from someone whom is charging the same for what you provide.
You need to stop complaining about the prices...your prices were so much higher with dining with Darius. I think you might be jealous because your restaurants failed.
Ive been to this place and everything he said about the food and the price of the mediocre food was spot on. The service I got was even worse than the food and then they charged 15 or 20 percent gratuity and it was only 2 of us! Im not even sure if it was legal to charge gratuity for a party of two. As a native Chicagoan, I can say that we have FANTASTIC Black-owned restaurants like Virtue, Soule, Cleo's, TurkeyChop, and others. I appreciate Darius honesty and fairness on this video. He's right, its a good-looking restaurant but the food really is subpar.
I believe Mr Kevin Kelly's prices at Kitchen + Kocktails are extravagant to keep the rift raft (rowdy) crowd away! It appears his appeal is to reach a professional crowd, not your everyday type of people.
Well the crowd I’ve seen at the Chicago location are regular black folks who want to support black business, and also those who want to do it for the gram! Just saying
Why were you so nasty to the server???? Like it says a lot about your character on how you treat service industry employees?? Also. Why did you feel like you didn’t have to abide by the dress code ???
We had reservations at the location in Charlotte North Carolina and no one never came to our table to serve us. We end up leaving and going to STK now STK was amazing the staff was professional & wonderful. The atmosphere was elegant. Thanks for your honest review.
Darius, I want to first say I follow and enjoy you... however, your review/critique while dining at this establishment was nauseous! You came off as a contemptible obnoxious person! Referring to the prices was ridiculous. For a very special occasion, my po' azz still would like to visit this establishment. By the way, you had the waiter start your order over because he asked about the 'porkchop' that you said you hadn't ordered, but you did!
I found the entire review real, UNTIL the end of the visit, as Mr Darius stood in the lobby and told the Employees that... "The Food was " GOOD", but he's NOT going to "LIE", ova his Sticker shock"... after he basically tore through the expectation of each Cuisine, based solely on the Amount... which I agree was up there, BUT to later claim it was "GOOD" is not real. After watching this review, I bet Kevin, the owner wished he had NOT, AGAIN, extended that Professional Courtesy and let you pay for yourself. Not only did Kevin waste his own money, he wasted a lot of food, you should have split the bill with the staff, you were definitely intimidating & rude, during ordering. I wonder how much you and your off the plane crew ate that time ... I'm banking EVERYTHING, without any complaints. Even though you didn't have to foot the total bill at his previous location either, there is NO doubt that those prices too, would've sent you into shock and definitely the taste, between all you chefs, but NOT a peep did you mentioned in your Full Disclosure, of that Glorious visit ❓
We need to support Black owned businesses. We’ll pay high dollars for Houston’s or Ruth Chris, but don’t want to come off our wallets for this young Black entrepreneur. And let’s talk about your overpriced Dining with Darius tickets for “ average “ food.
Clearly he is supportive of supporting Black businesses, I think that’s the point of featuring them. Some won’t pay high dollar for Ruth Chris or the like bc they won’t, and that’s okay. It’s also okay to not support something “just bc”, especially if it’s not what you enjoy. I wouldn’t mind spending money if I feel like it’s worth it. Honestly, crab cakes are a dime a dozen in DMV so almost 40 for one I would never, but I won’t knock someone that would. I’ve never done Dining with Darius, however, so I can’t speak to the food, but again the same thing applies. You’re saying that that is overpriced and I’m definitely not a fan of “average” food being overpriced. The only thing that I can see as a difference though, is that I’m sure attached to his is the experience of the event. And if I’m honest, I will pay extra for an experience any day.
He's not " supporting " these restaurants by purchasing food from them and giving them poor ratings as if his taste/ food is the standard. He's actually taking money out of the owners pockets, which will eventually close restaurants and put people out of work. He's not even a chef, he's a self taught cook. And his cooks don't use gloves, clean meat or wear hair nets at his events. But if you call that an "experience " then go ahead and buy yourself a ticket.
That's his opinion. You should go check it out for yourself. And from what I could see and everyone else that watches the video, customer service was top notch and clearly no issue at all. Knock it off!
As a DC resident, I actually LOVE Kitchen & Kocktails … I’ve been there about 5 times & on different days & different times. In MY personal opinion, the brunch is one of the best menus & if NOTHING ELSE you HAVE to go for the Kocktails WITH ALCOHOL 🍷 I think that’s what keeps me going back. Because there’s nothing like them in the city. Crab cakes here is a THING & the prices are always set by the market. But we KNOW where to get crab cakes from around here . AND as many times as I have been there; and I once was with a party of 17, I’ve never seen anyone order some of the things Darius ordered. Maybe because we can make them at home but when I go out I try to order things I can’t cook - but that’s just ME ❤ And Darius, you DID order pork chops 😆😂🤣😂
Mr. Darius - Respectfully, this is not the place you need to frequent. Your thoughts are obviously not forward enough. AND that’s ok because you’re in that business he has three thriving restaurants in 3 to 4 years and so do…
I enjoy a honest, thorough review, which this provides. However, being a huge fan of food review shows..i.e. Anthony Bourdain(RIP), Guy Fieri, Bobby Flay..and the like - the delivery is giving snobby/catty rather than informative. I think you’re on to something amazing..however, the delivery could be better.
Dude, Kevin, just DID NOT want Darius to pay for his food order! That's deep. I wonder if and when the shoe is on the other foot, what will happen. Prices are high for an upscale restaurant. Only certain demographics can experience this kind of establishment; certainly not average, and those with keen, knowledgeable, and experienced tastebuds. #justsayin
Sometimes I wonder if the owners of restaurants taste and critique their own restaurant's food at least twice a week or do they just trust the chef to always be in a mood to cook dishes to "taste" perfection because presentation is one thing but how food taste is a whole different ball game....there lies the problem
I love your honesty because some of these people who review restaurants like them all and I think to myself, all the restaurants that the person goes to can't be good. You are brutally honest and to be truthful I appreciate that.
Im definitely going try KK when I return to Washington! This is based on the owner's demeaner and because he's fine as f**k! The owner was down to earth, yet, extremely professional. I like that he came out to greet a fellow chef. #Winning! 😊
Unpopular opinion 🤔I appreciate Darius reviews 🙌🏾. Especially as mother who doesn’t get to go out to dinner often, so when I go out to dinner and spend money I want a good experience. A lot of these restaurants ( not just black owned) are over priced and the food is not that good. I am from Baltimore and his review on Papi’s was spot on. The food is not that great and it is over priced. After COVID I started cooking different type of dishes at home 🏡 because the dining experience has really went down over the years 😔That “short rib” plate was a mess, I didn’t have to taste it to see that meat was dry and cheap, I go to DC often and I can appreciate his review, I am not saying I wouldn’t check out “Kitchen and Kocktails” but I wouldn’t spend a lot on my meal choice.
Right! So unnecessary, and I'm usually understanding of Darius but this attitude was a no-no from jump. The waiter is just trying to clarify to make sure the order was right 🙄
It’s really not. The price is reasonable and what you would expect from any fine dining restaurant in downtown of a major city. It’s not a cheap fast food restaurant. If that’s what you expect
Don't know where to start I don't believe in putting our brothers down we have to support each others I couldn't afford the prices so I wouldn't go but if my boyfriend was paying that's another story the point I'm trying to make is I love what the owner has accomplished and don't want to tear down anyone I would be able to experience the opportunity to eat there even though I wasn't able to pay for my own meal we can agree to disagree. I believe Darius wasn't happy from the start when they ask him they needed to change their attire.
So because he's black, he's suppose to not give constructive criticism? I too have never been, but I can understand his professional lense to know that it can be better. I'm pretty sure the people are paying for the area, the cost to maintain the upkeep, employees, food cost, etc... that doesn't negate that the food is subpar.
@@brittblessedExactly!!!!! These folks crazy. So let subpar food slide and people keep spending the money just because the owner black. NO! The owner ain't gonna let a penny slide if you short on paying that bill. Yall are nauseous.
Eating out in DC is ridiculous! Restaurants shake you down just to give them your money. They charge a "service recovery fee" and tax is 10% on top of high prices. When and if I eat out it's in Virginia sometimes Maryland.
I feel like I know you remembered saying “Pork chops, Southern fried”. I think you just wanted to give him a hard time cause you told him to be ready and here he go asking you questions about what you ordered when you told him to be ready 😂. If he asking questions, that means he wasn’t ready 😩.
You're paying for that ambience, not just the food. That ambience is fire. To be fair, when you order all at once and chat up on the video, the food is sitting there getting cold, especially grits. I'm a new subscriber. You're hands down the best foodie critic I've found online. I don't like what sounds like complaining., because eating out can be a pricey proposition. That's part of the fun of going out to eat, so complaining about the price is not what I'm watching for. Just taste the food while it's hot and then go into whatever diatribe you want afterwards. But I still love your videos. Cheers🎉❤😊🎉 P.S. Sounds like you just trashed your friend's new restaurant. They got mad customers. That ambience is not possible to sit and eat and not spend a Benjamin or two. Just saying...I wish the owner much success.🎉😊. Cheers.
Entitled and insufferable. He came in with an arrogant disposition that would be offputting to any service provider. He is a know it all that knows nothing. If you can’t discern that, the prices are going to be different based on the market you’re not qualified to give a well informed review. I’m going to visit this weekend just because of how the owner was a class act.
I ate there 2 weeks ago. It was pretty cool. The place itself has a very aesthetic appearance. The music was good, the waitresses were fantastic. 3 of us ordered fried pork chops and they were not fried pork chops. It seems as though they dipped the chop just enough to cover it with corn starch and fried it on the grill. It was not what we expected. The pork chops were not southern fried. One of us sent it back and got the fish and grits, which 3 of us ordered that. It was pretty good. One of us ordered the shrimp. They were OK but a bit too fishy, very big in size. We found the place to be a bit pricy too but we don't do it all the time. There were 6 of us. The bill was very close to $400 with a tip included. Overall I give it a 3.75 rating. I wish you had tried the fried pork chops so you could have tasted them for yourself. I had fried potatoes because the dinner sides were not ready. So we had to order breakfast sides. Our reservation was at 12:30.
I can appreciate a quality dining experience. That's his level. I would definitely make reservations there. At least once. And really the average Washingtonian won't know what "real" southern fare is. But I bet a high style dining experience is a must there.
That's what I'm saying! That's real talk. A person with keen and experienced taste buds, e.g. like a food critic will know the difference. But, I know a few people that would know the difference--but WILL NOT say anything of their awareness that the taste is lacking. They are not food critics or chefs though.
Chef Darius , you do you Boo , you are so blatenly honest and I would never eat here prices are too damn high and presentation was not worth cost of food. You didn't say anything really wrong with Papi's , so I didn't get the heated response from them ! Keep up the good work ! ♥ I love food as well and cook too. Much love from San Antonio TX
The owner is very professional and I love his concept. We will definitely visit when in town. For Darius to complain about the prices throughout the entire video, assessing the owner’s financials, disrespecting staff, etc. Is very disappointing, not supportive, and he seems a little jealous. Wishing the owner great success.
The prices are just sad! But, you Darius, I knew YOU was going to get this Black chef and OWNER a problem! Looking at your present PERSONAL problems! 😂
100% Agree. If you are going to charge high-end prices, your food BETTER be darn near perfection or you won't retain your customers. At bare minimum, the dishes could have come with sides. This does not cost the restaurant that much more, and it completes the meal. Why should they pay 3x the amount for something they can get cheaper and better anywhere else? I'm all about supporting Black owned businesses, but the businesses need to support the customers also by making fair prices for the food they offer.
One crab cake for $30.00...not when I can go to the supermarket, buy 8 Oz of jumbo lump crab meat for $26.00, and make four. Lord knows I love my people...but our prices..wow.
When Darius is in love his reviews are better but you have already been to the restaurant then go back and complain of the price and food that you already had ….. you sell nuggets and salad from costo😢for 300
I watch you sometimes and you keep mentioning you do food reviews from all over the country, but I have yet to see you in the Midwest or the West Coast.
I’m confused…why did Darius come back to this restaurant if he already ate there before knowing what the food was like. I understand he went there before and they covered the cost of the food (which he didn’t do a live review), so he wanted to show support. BUT he had to already know the food was average from the first time unless something drastically changed. 🤷🏾♀️
I have a question? Why is it that a black man who does reviews on black owned restaurants always made a mockery of the things we tell the truth about? Is it because everyone else is afraid to speak the truth? I’m just curious. Change is always difficult and can’t be excepted. Just my opinion. Have an amazing evening.
I went to Chicago location and had the same thoughts. The food and cocktails we had were just okay. We don’t mind paying for pricey good food but we questioned if the sides were shareable when we saw the price because I’ve been to upscale restaurants with sides that have been $12 up to almost $30 and they were always shareable…and you may have some left to take home.
I have NEVER seen someone as miserable as Darius. True definition of misery loves company. When he sees someone more successful than him in restaurant business, he wants to bring them down. By the way, Darius Cooks is the same person who scammed a lot of black women by stealing their recipes and cooks some of the most unhygienic food you’ll ever see. Kitchen +Kocktails are absolutely incredible establishment. I visited all three of their locations and the food, drinks, ambient are world class and the prices are very reasonable…. It’s not any more expensive than other fine dining places in downtown.
I'm going to Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley and I'm going to follow whatever social media page he has. Kevin Kelley is attractive 😋well put together, well spoken, well traveled & SMART! I swear i had a quick moment of "what am i doing w/ my life moment" when he graced us on-screen. Never saw (nor heard of) the man a day in my life. Clearly a hard worker trying to do something for himself & people of color. Brava Mr. Kelley! Brava!
Bro 😎 let's get one thing straight on the standard of crab cakes in the DMV area is FAIDLEY'S SEAFOOD IS THE O.G. AND THE ABSOLUTE STANDARD OF THE ULTIMATE CRAB CAKES 5 STAR ⭐
I WAS THE SERVER IN THIS VIDEO IM SOOOO GLAD EVERYONE CLEARLY SEES HE ORDERED A PORK CHOP!!!🤣🤣🤣
He definitely did!🤣🤣
He definitely said a southern fried pork chop.
No doubt he did.
You did good young man. His demeanor towards you was unwarranted. Stay positive
Darius is so condescending 😮
I like how the owner presented himself as smart, gracious and humble- definitely a class act
All the class still would never justify $25 for two pieces of chicken with no sides. No
@@Diligently2UI agree with you 😂 👍🏽
He’s a the truth!
It’s him berating the waiter about the prices like sir the waiter did not set the prices. Chill!
Didn't he say that he was rich? So why the hell is he complaining
He likes to throw around that he 'knows people '😅
He did order pork chops! Darius is a little snippy.The owner is so professional.
Yep and said “ southern”
Wow he said pork chops what is the tea on that I’m confused
As a DMV resident, those prices are pretty standard. Probably expensive to southerners I’m sure. We pay for the food and ambiance and culture. We dress classy and have a good grown folk time.
I love it! If I ever travel there I will visit this place you only live once and also the atmosphere is very elegant, classy looking and relaxed.
I love Darius but his attitude is really ridiculous sometimes. Dining with Darius is $41 for each course. The food is good but that’s considered “expensive” for a scoop of food. The thing is you pay for what you want and can afford. Some people would never pay $300 to sit in a living room to try food but some of us don’t mind paying for things we like. Stop bashing people especially when your shit ain’t perfect. Give your opinion and keep it moving. This has the potential of being like a damn Netflix series but not with all the attitude and negativity.
Girl, THANK YOU for saying this about Darius! His attitude with the waiter was totally uncalled for!
Unfortunately, those are the prices that we pay in the DMV when supporting black businesses and I'm cool with it. You should see what we pay for our upscale restaurants.
@@lashawn369 Girl, yes! I just posted my "go-to" order @ Pappadeaux. Yup, white owned establishment. We go quarterly. It's bomb but expensive as h***
but the upscale restaurants actually have huge names attached to them like gordan ramsey. These black ones just overcharging for slave food and chicken!!! @@lashawn369
I noticed he is like that with all black owned restaurants. Nasty with the waiter, insufferable. He is the the definition of a Mean Girl 😂
I like the owner...I wish him much success!
Darius is extra😂! Lord have mercy! He need some love in his life.
It's something wrong with him. IMO
That’s what’s holding me back from subbing. I love watching food reviews, including some of his, but I can’t get with the way he carries himself in some of the videos I watched. Idk if he knows it but his presence oftentimes screams attitude. He will even roll his eyes or have a very impatient disposition with a waiter or staff but claim it’s them. Sometimes it just seems very off putting ON TOP of him rating a restaurant. People conflate it with being direct or a straight shooter but there’s a way to go about criticism. I hope he catches on to it because these small businesses are already under pressure from the sheer number of people publicly reviewing their restaurants nowadays, so to deal with rude, impatient, impolite, and entitled reviewers is discouraging.
I think he does have love in his life the cameraman 🤣🤣💋
Darius seems arrogant and entitled. Also has a reputation for being a scammer!
Chillle…..why is this known scammer rude?! And, complaining about the prices was classless & ghetto! Or, maybe he’s asking because he has to pay his victims their money! The nerve! 😂😂
Not you making him redo the entire order and not even getting porkchops 🤣
I like him but he's a little narcissist towards certain foods everyone taste buds are totally different Darius really was mad at the prices
@@creamylaine I do understand him trying to justify 2 pieces of chicken costing $25. You really do need sides or those better be the best pieces of chicken EVER.
lol @@JennRico9292
For you to brag you have his personal number then proceed to talk over him and then give him a crap review. You charge $300 a head for a few hrs of dining. Let that black businessman live like you’re doing. DC folks can afford it.
Dining with Darius is expensive. That's why I don't understand why he kept harping on the prices. Not all of his followers can afford to dine with him.
I feel like you’re comparing apples and oranges. People pay for what they want. Darius’s review whether good or bad is still giving publicity to this business. People are still going to taste for themselves. As for people paying $300 for “Dining with Darius”..its more than about the food. They are paying for the experience and the opportunity to meet and greet with a celebrity chef they follow and are a fan of. He has to pay for travel for him and his crew, transportation, the location for the event, product, equipment, accommodations, payroll, etc. I don’t understand why ppl get so upset about his opinions. If I were to go there, it would be a special occasion. $25 for 2 pieces of fried chicken? His reviews are informative and I appreciate the honesty actually. He’s not telling people not to patronize this black business, he’s actually looking out for people so they know what to expect.
It's like the pot calling the kettle black to me. Greens, mac and cheese, chicken nugget salad, shrimp and grits, biscuits is not unique or creative. Lol
Exactly sister.
This is the same scammer (Darius Cooks ) who steals from recipes from black women and charges ridiculous amounts of fees for his nasty a$$ food.
He has the nerve.
Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley is so popular for a reason. I have been to all his 3 locations and they’re world class and always fully booked for reservations
@@jazdavies2407 I don't agree that he is a scammer. I bought his cook books in the past for family and friends that enjoy cooking. One even did the Dining with Darius experience. I just don't like these harsh reviews of black owned restaurants that need our support as well.
You made him do the whole order over then made it seem like it was his fault... totally switch the waiter mood...i kinda felt bad fr him... humble urself sometimes
This dude said he came back with the camera to “return the favor”…wtf???? 😂😭 Don’t ever do me no favors my guy 😭
LOL! You on these comments and im here for it. Me too
That part
The way he treated that waiter….like who does he think he is???
Yeah, he was definitely being a hole towards him. He can remember everything else but a pork chop?
The owner is classy!
I went there a couple weeks ago with my husband for my birthday and had an amazing time. We sat at the bar and our server made sure she took care of us. Our drinks (we had quite a few) were very tasty and presented well, it had a beautiful sugar 24kt gold rim with gold flakes on the inside with rock candy lolipops placed on top. All of our food was well seasoned and cooked perfectly...even the lamb was cooked to perfection and I don't even like lamb...I do now.. I couldn't help myself when it came to the crab cakes, I just had to have two when I added them to my vegan bowl for a protein. My husband also had grilled lobster and fried lobster with gator bites. The dream eggs were so tasty and the blackened shrimp on top was a nice added touch. I couldn't leave without trying the key lime pie, it was so good!!! The place is covered in rose walls for all your cute photo ops, the music was trendy and there was a fire dancer! I'll definitely be back and often since we live in Virginia!!
I been there too and had a great time and my food and drinks were good. You know the prices before you go. If you can’t afford it then don’t go.
$11 Mac & Cheese? Darius you charge $41 for a scoop of Mac & cheese be real dude 🙄🤣
I think his point was if you are going to charge that price the taste has to match.
@@popcorn36.. ok but can someone charge $41 even if it’s good? When we’re talking about pricing that’s ridiculous!
Ingredients should always be the pricing point. Add a lil more for technique.
if its good they can charge 100 and people will line up and pay for it! @@FabFergie
On top of that D.C is expensive. Like dont go sumwhere n complain about the prices
He’s really dragging it with this review. The funniest part is after talking all that crap about the prices he got the whole meal for free AGAIN 😭😭😭 “Mr. Darius Cooks, couple million followers” 🤣🤣🤣😭😭😭 I love this dude but he is a damn trip and a half. And the cherry on top is that he charges way more than the dude for way smaller portions. WOW the audacity 😂😭
@@Realshyt34 they nicknamed him Darius Crooks for a reason. He’s a known scammer who steals black women from recipes and charges $200 for Mac N Cheese
@@jazdavies2407 damn…not “Darius Crooks” 😭😭😭 I’ve been seeing a lot of old stuff about him smh. I’ve seen him on the news out here in Atlanta but I’m seeing it gets deeper than I thought smh
@@FabFergie it really did.
He’s a known scammer.
Loved the conversation he had with owner. The owner is very articulate, knowledgeable, and a natural conversationalist. Wanted to visit Kitchen and Kocktails in Dallas back in 2021. Hate I didn't.
When you talk about prices but didn’t pay during the initial visit…
You are nobody bruh...no matter how many phone calls you make.
This man is full of his self where’s his restaurant?you going around critiquing
Owners a class act ❤
Absolutely
I watched the whole video and came back to say that yes Darius you can give your honest opinion however you were definitely rude and off putting. Something in your your spirit is just off in this video
I live in DC and these prices are normal 😂😂 it makes dining out pretty funny. You will also get an additional $40 service charge LOL! 1 bedroom apartment $4,200. Grandma house worth 1.2 million. DC is a funny place 😂😂 God is good
That's real talk. The prices are high for southern people, and those that are tight with money. Like when I go to PCC and Wholefoods Grocery stores--I know I have to pay a lot; a few items my eyes bulge at the price, but I either lay it to the side or purchase it and keep moving. Now there is a soulfood place across the street from Howard University, in Washington DC (maybe it not there anymore though) that is vegan, and that food was good AF--and affordable. The building conditions were lacking though. I still purchase a lot and took it back to my hotel.
You said 1 fried pork chop! 😂
And did!!
You did order porkchops
He did…
The owner is not going to like this review 😂😂😂 and he paid for the food 😂😂😂😂
He already know the deal with Darius. Maybe Kevin will utilize any of the critique for any improvement. What if he uses it to his advantage and makes tremendous improvements? #justsayin
@@msvichymsba3501 Good point because them short ribs did look a little off/dry
I appreciate the review and I do agree the prices are pricey but it just didn’t sit well coming from someone whom is charging the same for what you provide.
You need to stop complaining about the prices...your prices were so much higher with dining with Darius. I think you might be jealous because your restaurants failed.
Why you didn’t say that to the owner when he sat down with you? Nothing but negative reviews. Seems like you’re hating
I still think he is obnoxious.
Ive been to this place and everything he said about the food and the price of the mediocre food was spot on. The service I got was even worse than the food and then they charged 15 or 20 percent gratuity and it was only 2 of us! Im not even sure if it was legal to charge gratuity for a party of two.
As a native Chicagoan, I can say that we have FANTASTIC Black-owned restaurants like Virtue, Soule, Cleo's, TurkeyChop, and others. I appreciate Darius honesty and fairness on this video. He's right, its a good-looking restaurant but the food really is subpar.
A lot of these "pretty" restaurants be subpar
I believe Mr Kevin Kelly's prices at Kitchen + Kocktails are extravagant to keep the rift raft (rowdy) crowd away! It appears his appeal is to reach a professional crowd, not your everyday type of people.
Well the crowd I’ve seen at the Chicago location are regular black folks who want to support black business, and also those who want to do it for the gram! Just saying
I would give this black owned business a try.
I'm proud of that Lawyer/ entrepreneur that he is very collegial. You go brother!.
Why were you so nasty to the server???? Like it says a lot about your character on how you treat service industry employees??
Also. Why did you feel like you didn’t have to abide by the dress code ???
I was a consumer at the Chicago location. Totally overated, I tried to give his business the benefit of the doubt. It was terrible!
I don’t blame you
We had reservations at the location in Charlotte North Carolina and no one never came to our table to serve us. We end up leaving and going to STK now STK was amazing the staff was professional & wonderful. The atmosphere was elegant. Thanks for your honest review.
Darius, I want to first say I follow and enjoy you... however, your review/critique while dining at this establishment was nauseous! You came off as a contemptible obnoxious person! Referring to the prices was ridiculous. For a very special occasion, my po' azz still would like to visit this establishment. By the way, you had the waiter start your order over because he asked about the 'porkchop' that you said you hadn't ordered, but you did!
I found the entire review real, UNTIL the end of the visit, as Mr Darius stood in the lobby and told the Employees that... "The Food was " GOOD", but he's NOT going to "LIE", ova his Sticker shock"... after he basically tore through the expectation of each Cuisine, based solely on the Amount... which I agree was up there, BUT to later claim it was "GOOD" is not real.
After watching this review, I bet Kevin, the owner wished he had NOT, AGAIN, extended that Professional Courtesy and let you pay for yourself.
Not only did Kevin waste his own money, he wasted a lot of food, you should have split the bill with the staff, you were definitely intimidating & rude, during ordering.
I wonder how much you and your off the plane crew ate that time ... I'm banking EVERYTHING, without any complaints.
Even though you didn't have to foot the total bill at his previous location either, there is NO doubt that those prices too, would've sent you into shock and definitely the taste, between all you chefs, but NOT a peep did you mentioned in your Full Disclosure, of that Glorious visit ❓
We need to support Black owned businesses. We’ll pay high dollars for Houston’s or Ruth Chris, but don’t want to come off our wallets for this young Black entrepreneur. And let’s talk about your overpriced Dining with Darius tickets for “ average “ food.
Clearly he is supportive of supporting Black businesses, I think that’s the point of featuring them. Some won’t pay high dollar for Ruth Chris or the like bc they won’t, and that’s okay. It’s also okay to not support something “just bc”, especially if it’s not what you enjoy. I wouldn’t mind spending money if I feel like it’s worth it. Honestly, crab cakes are a dime a dozen in DMV so almost 40 for one I would never, but I won’t knock someone that would. I’ve never done Dining with Darius, however, so I can’t speak to the food, but again the same thing applies. You’re saying that that is overpriced and I’m definitely not a fan of “average” food being overpriced. The only thing that I can see as a difference though, is that I’m sure attached to his is the experience of the event. And if I’m honest, I will pay extra for an experience any day.
He's not " supporting " these restaurants by purchasing food from them and giving them poor ratings as if his taste/ food is the standard. He's actually taking money out of the owners pockets, which will eventually close restaurants and put people out of work. He's not even a chef, he's a self taught cook. And his cooks don't use gloves, clean meat or wear hair nets at his events. But if you call that an "experience " then go ahead and buy yourself a ticket.
Stop it. Just because it’s a black owned business doesn’t mean we should be overcharged for subpar food and be ok with it
@cedricgaines1416 right! At least Ruth Chris meals come with sides
That's his opinion. You should go check it out for yourself. And from what I could see and everyone else that watches the video, customer service was top notch and clearly no issue at all. Knock it off!
What ever happened to being wrong and correcting it with a sentence on the screen. Them Southern Fried Porkchops was ordered.
Sounds like the shrimp that were on top of the fried green tomatoes should've been in that gumbo, lol
😅😅
As a DC resident, I actually LOVE Kitchen & Kocktails … I’ve been there about 5 times & on different days & different times. In MY personal opinion, the brunch is one of the best menus & if NOTHING ELSE you HAVE to go for the Kocktails WITH ALCOHOL 🍷 I think that’s what keeps me going back. Because there’s nothing like them in the city.
Crab cakes here is a THING & the prices are always set by the market. But we KNOW where to get crab cakes from around here . AND as many times as I have been there; and I once was with a party of 17, I’ve never seen anyone order some of the things Darius ordered. Maybe because we can make them at home but when I go out I try to order things I can’t cook - but that’s just ME ❤ And Darius, you DID order pork chops 😆😂🤣😂
Mr. Darius -
Respectfully, this is not the place you need to frequent. Your thoughts are obviously not forward enough. AND that’s ok because you’re in that business he has three thriving restaurants in 3 to 4 years and so do…
I enjoy a honest, thorough review, which this provides. However, being a huge fan of food review shows..i.e. Anthony Bourdain(RIP), Guy Fieri, Bobby Flay..and the like - the delivery is giving snobby/catty rather than informative. I think you’re on to something amazing..however, the delivery could be better.
I love Darius, but he kinda came in “on one”. Kuddos to the server and owner❤️
When you interview somebody, have a spare mic on you so they can be heard too.
Dude, Kevin, just DID NOT want Darius to pay for his food order! That's deep. I wonder if and when the shoe is on the other foot, what will happen. Prices are high for an upscale restaurant. Only certain demographics can experience this kind of establishment; certainly not average, and those with keen, knowledgeable, and experienced tastebuds. #justsayin
You did order porkchops at 4:39
Sometimes I wonder if the owners of restaurants taste and critique their own restaurant's food at least twice a week or do they just trust the chef to always be in a mood to cook dishes to "taste" perfection because presentation is one thing but how food taste is a whole different ball game....there lies the problem
You got a good point here..
I love your honesty because some of these people who review restaurants like them all and I think to myself, all the restaurants that the person goes to can't be good. You are brutally honest and to be truthful I appreciate that.
I love the food there and the service was good. Was there for Lollapalooza 🎉
I believe you.
THE WAITER HAS PATIENCE❤
$17.00 is pennies for a bowl of seafood gumbo. Try eating at a 5 star restaurant. You straight bugging. Stop the madness!!!!😖😖😖😖😖😖😖
He's not pennies if you don't have seafood in the bowl, the only seafood was the two single crab legs😮
Im definitely going try KK when I return to Washington! This is based on the owner's demeaner and because he's fine as f**k! The owner was down to earth, yet, extremely professional. I like that he came out to greet a fellow chef. #Winning! 😊
Unpopular opinion 🤔I appreciate Darius reviews 🙌🏾. Especially as mother who doesn’t get to go out to dinner often, so when I go out to dinner and spend money I want a good experience. A lot of these restaurants ( not just black owned) are over priced and the food is not that good. I am from Baltimore and his review on Papi’s was spot on. The food is not that great and it is over priced. After COVID I started cooking different type of dishes at home 🏡 because the dining experience has really went down over the years 😔That “short rib” plate was a mess, I didn’t have to taste it to see that meat was dry and cheap, I go to DC often and I can appreciate his review, I am not saying I wouldn’t check out “Kitchen and Kocktails” but I wouldn’t spend a lot on my meal choice.
Darius attitude is crazy, it’s hard to obtain mainstream success with an attitude like that.
it’s because he comes off as very arrogant when he’s not really respected and is often called a scammer with failed business ventures. 🤷🏽♀️
It was making the waiter redo the whole order from the start for me...
I know so unnecessary! Come on Darius.
@@angelawilliams9088he should have been paying attention… is that not his job or?? Lol
He asked for pork chop Southern fried. That’s exactly what he said. He seemed to get peeved after reading the $33.00 shrimp and grits.
@@VanessaCocoVe the man was paying attention, Darius wasn't lol
Right! So unnecessary, and I'm usually understanding of Darius but this attitude was a no-no from jump. The waiter is just trying to clarify to make sure the order was right 🙄
ZESTYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!! What is the hell is in the air... All these damn big black zestyyyy dudes!!
that look you gave and said come close, I actually came close 😂😂😂😂😂 he going to be mad but the food is really overpriced 😊
It’s really not. The price is reasonable and what you would expect from any fine dining restaurant in downtown of a major city.
It’s not a cheap fast food restaurant. If that’s what you expect
You are rude. Aren't you afraid of being poisoned?
He is destroying black-owned businesses. Didn't all three of his restaurants fail? so how is he qualified to judge anyone's restaurant.
Don't know where to start I don't believe in putting our brothers down we have to support each others I couldn't afford the prices so I wouldn't go but if my boyfriend was paying that's another story the point I'm trying to make is I love what the owner has accomplished and don't want to tear down anyone I would be able to experience the opportunity to eat there even though I wasn't able to pay for my own meal we can agree to disagree. I believe Darius wasn't happy from the start when they ask him they needed to change their attire.
So because he's black, he's suppose to not give constructive criticism? I too have never been, but I can understand his professional lense to know that it can be better. I'm pretty sure the people are paying for the area, the cost to maintain the upkeep, employees, food cost, etc... that doesn't negate that the food is subpar.
@@brittblessedExactly!!!!! These folks crazy. So let subpar food slide and people keep spending the money just because the owner black. NO! The owner ain't gonna let a penny slide if you short on paying that bill. Yall are nauseous.
Eating out in DC is ridiculous! Restaurants shake you down just to give them your money. They charge a "service recovery fee" and tax is 10% on top of high prices. When and if I eat out it's in Virginia sometimes Maryland.
That’s downtown DC prices. Too expensive. That’s what it is.
I feel like I know you remembered saying “Pork chops, Southern fried”. I think you just wanted to give him a hard time cause you told him to be ready and here he go asking you questions about what you ordered when you told him to be ready 😂. If he asking questions, that means he wasn’t ready 😩.
You're paying for that ambience, not just the food. That ambience is fire.
To be fair, when you order all at once and chat up on the video, the food is sitting there getting cold, especially grits.
I'm a new subscriber. You're hands down the best foodie critic I've found online. I don't like what sounds like complaining., because eating out can be a pricey proposition. That's part of the fun of going out to eat, so complaining about the price is not what I'm watching for. Just taste the food while it's hot and then go into whatever diatribe you want afterwards.
But I still love your videos.
Cheers🎉❤😊🎉
P.S. Sounds like you just trashed your friend's new restaurant. They got mad customers. That ambience is not possible to sit and eat and not spend a Benjamin or two. Just saying...I wish the owner much success.🎉😊. Cheers.
why do you say the food was good to the staff when you said it wasn't
Entitled and insufferable. He came in with an arrogant disposition that would be offputting to any service provider. He is a know it all that knows nothing. If you can’t discern that, the prices are going to be different based on the market you’re not qualified to give a well informed review. I’m going to visit this weekend just because of how the owner was a class act.
I ate there 2 weeks ago. It was pretty cool. The place itself has a very aesthetic appearance. The music was good, the waitresses were fantastic. 3 of us ordered fried pork chops and they were not fried pork chops. It seems as though they dipped the chop just enough to cover it with corn starch and fried it on the grill. It was not what we expected. The pork chops were not southern fried. One of us sent it back and got the fish and grits, which 3 of us ordered that. It was pretty good. One of us ordered the shrimp. They were OK but a bit too fishy, very big in size. We found the place to be a bit pricy too but we don't do it all the time. There were 6 of us. The bill was very close to $400 with a tip included. Overall I give it a 3.75 rating. I wish you had tried the fried pork chops so you could have tasted them for yourself. I had fried potatoes because the dinner sides were not ready. So we had to order breakfast sides. Our reservation was at 12:30.
I can appreciate a quality dining experience. That's his level. I would definitely make reservations there. At least once. And really the average Washingtonian won't know what "real" southern fare is. But I bet a high style dining experience is a must there.
That's what I'm saying! That's real talk. A person with keen and experienced taste buds, e.g. like a food critic will know the difference. But, I know a few people that would know the difference--but WILL NOT say anything of their awareness that the taste is lacking. They are not food critics or chefs though.
Chef Darius , you do you Boo , you are so blatenly honest and I would never eat here prices are too damn high and presentation was not worth cost of food. You didn't say anything really wrong with Papi's , so I didn't get the heated response from them ! Keep up the good work ! ♥ I love food as well and cook too. Much love from San Antonio TX
Truely a Salty Queen 😂 why didnt his business succeed if he knows so much Its His ENGERY
The owner is very professional and I love his concept. We will definitely visit when in town. For Darius to complain about the prices throughout the entire video, assessing the owner’s financials, disrespecting staff, etc. Is very disappointing, not supportive, and he seems a little jealous. Wishing the owner great success.
The prices are just sad! But, you Darius, I knew YOU was going to get this Black chef and OWNER a problem! Looking at your present PERSONAL problems! 😂
Looks like he just went there to hate , like don’t go if it’s too pricey hating a##
If you're gonna complain about the prices, stay home and cook your own food, smh.
100% Agree. If you are going to charge high-end prices, your food BETTER be darn near perfection or you won't retain your customers. At bare minimum, the dishes could have come with sides. This does not cost the restaurant that much more, and it completes the meal. Why should they pay 3x the amount for something they can get cheaper and better anywhere else? I'm all about supporting Black owned businesses, but the businesses need to support the customers also by making fair prices for the food they offer.
One crab cake for $30.00...not when I can go to the supermarket, buy 8 Oz of jumbo lump crab meat for $26.00, and make four.
Lord knows I love my people...but our prices..wow.
When Darius is in love his reviews are better but you have already been to the restaurant then go back and complain of the price and food that you already had ….. you sell nuggets and salad from costo😢for 300
I watch you sometimes and you keep mentioning you do food reviews from all over the country, but I have yet to see you in the Midwest or the West Coast.
Saying hello from Chicago Illinois 🙏🆗®️©️
and you did order the pork chop stop being so sarcastic
I’m confused…why did Darius come back to this restaurant if he already ate there before knowing what the food was like. I understand he went there before and they covered the cost of the food (which he didn’t do a live review), so he wanted to show support. BUT he had to already know the food was average from the first time unless something drastically changed. 🤷🏾♀️
I have a question? Why is it that a black man who does reviews on black owned restaurants always made a mockery of the things we tell the truth about? Is it because everyone else is afraid to speak the truth? I’m just curious.
Change is always difficult and can’t be excepted. Just my opinion. Have an amazing evening.
Why is the camera moving so much
At the end he asked if the waiter's name was Kevin so was Darius NOT listening? 😡
I went to Chicago location and had the same thoughts. The food and cocktails we had were just okay. We don’t mind paying for pricey good food but we questioned if the sides were shareable when we saw the price because I’ve been to upscale restaurants with sides that have been $12 up to almost $30 and they were always shareable…and you may have some left to take home.
Doing the most as usual. No hate they just don’t like you.. deal with it sir.
What did you order in Dallas? How was your experience there?
I'd like to experience this place.
Me too. It would have to be for a special occasion when I'm prepared to splurge.
@@Magenta591 💯
Darius as a sassy attitude
I have NEVER seen someone as miserable as Darius. True definition of misery loves company.
When he sees someone more successful than him in restaurant business, he wants to bring them down.
By the way, Darius Cooks is the same person who scammed a lot of black women by stealing their recipes and cooks some of the most unhygienic food you’ll ever see.
Kitchen +Kocktails are absolutely incredible establishment. I visited all three of their locations and the food, drinks, ambient are world class and the prices are very reasonable…. It’s not any more expensive than other fine dining places in downtown.
@@Realshyt34 exactly. He always going black restaurants only to leave a horrible reviews in attempt to undermine.
It’s giving jealousy and bitter!
Them shrimp 🍤 n grits just looked sad and depressing... No way I would pay $33 for that mess🤦♂️🤦♂️
Lmaoooo ayeee Darius why did you give the server a horrible time ?! I love you but damn . You come off very intimidating;lighten up just a bit .
I'm going to Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley and I'm going to follow whatever social media page he has. Kevin Kelley is attractive 😋well put together, well spoken, well traveled & SMART! I swear i had a quick moment of "what am i doing w/ my life moment" when he graced us on-screen. Never saw (nor heard of) the man a day in my life. Clearly a hard worker trying to do something for himself & people of color. Brava Mr. Kelley! Brava!
You ordered the pork chops and then talked down to the waiter. Too arrogant!!
Bro 😎 let's get one thing straight on the standard of crab cakes in the DMV area is FAIDLEY'S SEAFOOD IS THE O.G. AND THE ABSOLUTE STANDARD OF THE ULTIMATE CRAB CAKES 5 STAR ⭐