DMZ Kingston

We started patronizing DMZ (formerly Café East) soon after we moved to town. After a full day of scraping, painting, and building at our house, we’d freshen up and head over to Deena’s place for some hearty home-​style Asian-​inspired cooking and good conversation. DMZ is one of the few restaurants in Kingston that doesn’t punish us for being vegetarians by offering just one non-​meat dish. My man and I often fight over the last bite of the Cuban sandwich. The potato-​kale sopes are another favorite. We always enjoyed the unique soju cocktails before Deena got a full liquor license. Since getting the license, she’s expanded the cocktail menu beautifully. DMZ is our place.

Deena’s fish tacos are amazing. Great place to eat while in uptown Kingston. You’ll always have great conversations with the chef and food servers as well. I’ve noticed people complain about the amount of time it take to get food. Personally, this has never happened with me. Food comes within the expected amount of time and it’s alwasy delicious!

Best chicken Banh Mi sandwich EVER. She pickles the carrots, makes the mayo in house, and the chicken was marinated in something that I genuinely can’t get enough of. Plus got to sit and have an amazing fresh lime juice margarita while getting some computer «work» done on the free wifi :) love this spot and will be back in the evening for some fusion tapas and more tasty drinks!

Went for dinner with a party of 4 last night. I had lunch here a few years ago and was looking forward to returning. Unfortunately this experience paled in comparison to that past lunch. First, service was awful… We had to almost beg for a second round of drinks and would’ve had at least one more had she been attentive. The place was not busy but everything from drinks to dinner took an inordinate amount of time.
Started with the sticky rice cake appetizer. Flavors were good but oddly the dish was cold when it felt like the rice cake should have been hot. Then my dinner course came. But just mine. The rest of my party’s dinner did not come for more than 25 minutes later forcing me to pick at my Cuban sandwich and finally eat it (to avoid it being completely cold) before anyone else’s dinner even arrived. The rest of my party ordered the paella (2 people ordered it so it came in one pan. Would’ve been fine if the waitress had asked or mentioned. Felt weird… Flavors were pretty good) and the lemon vermicelli (shrimp were delicious. Needed actual sauce though for the rice noodles. Very dry).
The place gets very smoky, very easily because it is small and has no venting apparently. Our eyes were burning when we left. Our total bill was more than $ 150 but we left feeling disappointed, in large part due to the service.

Absolutely delicious food… But the customer service will leave a bad taste in your mouth.

Full bar now, nice (small) selection of sake, beer, wine and cocktails… my favorite dish is the paella!

It could be good with a few changes. We had a late lunch and a drink each. The server was very friendly but not sure how to make the drinks which took nearly 30 mins and mine came with coffee grounds in the ice. My lunch actually came before my drink which the owner helped the young man with finally, after he struggled. She noticed the coffee grounds and pointed it out but considering my husbands meal was sitting on the counter not in front of him. I accepted it grounds and all. Food was ok, but the cheese on my husbands Cuban was in huge chunks and not melted. My husbands drink a negroni was good, but very small more like a shot with a giant ice cube in the center which I know is trendy but designed to be in a larger glass. Hopefully they work out the kinks.

I’ve tried this place several times since it opened and the food is just okay. The pad Thai lacks vegetables, very heavy with the siracha. Nice wine list. Something about the atmosphere is a bit uncomfortable, hard to enjoy eating a meal there.

Props to my homeboy big Al for turning me on to this place. We enjoyed the excellent mini bahn mis, jackfruit sopes, rice cake and patatas bravas con huevo to start, then tucked into equally enjoyable paella orientale, sliced steak and baconeggncheezburgers, then topped it off w/​a lovely cherry tart w/​cherries from the owner’s husband’s farm, and fried cheese drizzled w/​lavender syrup. Everything was flavorful w/​a sriracha kick present in many dishes and all w/​o being salty. Service was friendly and warm.

Graphic designer turned chef, Deena has brought a wonderfully creative and flavorful dining experience to uptown Kingston. My wife and I shared small plates for dinner and can’t wait to return and eat our way through more of the menu. Deena and staff are attentive and engaging. Delicious wines by the glass. Feels like an East Village eatery and we couldn’t be happier.

Our new favorite place! Delicious, creative, unique and friendly! One of Kingston’s best kept secrets but shouldn’t be. If you haven’t been there yet… go. I can’t say enough good things about what’s going on in this little space. Oh, except, maybe SOJU!

Café East is the real deal. The best burger I have ever had. And the Beef Negimaki is to die for!!! And don’t even get me started on the Sangria!!!

I visited the DMV to renew my driver’s license and DMZ is just around the corner, so having a hankering for Pad Thai –and seeing lots of 4 – 5 Star reviews on Unilocal-​I decided to have lunch here. Well, I have never been to Thailand, but I know a good Pad Thai when I taste one. Or not. In this case, decidedly not. The rice noodles were gummy and stuck together in a glob. The egg was fried into large chunks and tossed on the side of the plate; the tofu was almost burned. The whole mess was overcooked and then topped with way too much siracha… perhaps to make up for the lack of seasoning. I wish it had been served on the side, instead of squirted all over the noodles. Siracha is usually placed on the counter. I’ve never received an entrée with a heap of of siracha dumped on top of it. Where were the chopped chilis? Where was the nam pla? The lime? The green onions? The bean sprouts? The roasted peanuts? My plate was all rubbery noodles, sautéed in cheap oil and doused in hot sauce. I should have sent my «meal» back, but it’s a tiny hole in the wall and my husband gets embarrassed when I send back food. Plus I knew I was not returning, so why bother to get into an argument? I ate some egg and tofu that managed to escape the siracha; my husband ate the rest. He hates to waste food. The cook (owner?) and server were pleasant enough (altho’ a smile from one or the other would have been appropriate) & the café is cute and intimate, if a bit grimy, but the food was downright disappointing. I can’t imagine awarding even two stars to this place, let alone 4 – 5.

I visited the DMV to renew my driver’s license and Café East is just around the corner, so having a hankering for Pad Thai –and seeing lots of 4 – 5 Star reviews on Unilocal-​I decided to have lunch here. Well, I have never been to Thailand, but I know a good Pad Thai when I taste one. Or not. In this case, decidedly not. The rice noodles were gummy and stuck together in a glob. The egg was fried into large chunks and tossed on the side of the plate; the tofu was almost burned. The whole mess was overcooked and then topped with way too much siracha… perhaps to make up for the lack of seasoning. I wish it had been served on the side, instead of squirted all over the noodles. Siracha is usually placed on the counter. I’ve never received an entrée with a heap of of siracha dumped on top of it. Where were the chopped chilis? Where was the nam pla? The lime? The green onions? The bean sprouts? The roasted peanuts? My plate was all rubbery noodles, sautéed in cheap oil and doused in hot sauce. I should have sent my «meal» back, but it’s a tiny hole in the wall and my husband gets embarrassed when I send back food. Plus I knew I was not returning, so why bother to get into an argument? I ate some egg and tofu that managed to escape the siracha; my husband ate the rest. He hates to waste food. The cook (owner?) and server were pleasant enough (altho’ a smile from one or the other would have been appropriate) & the café is cute and intimate, if a bit grimy, but the food was downright disappointing. I can’t imagine awarding even two stars to this place, let alone 4 – 5.

I’m so glad I discovered this place! I loved the décor, my vegan Banh Mi (with vegan mayo no less!) and the genuinely friendly owner, Deena. I can’t wait to come back in the evening to enjoy the cocktails and more on their vegan-​friendly menu.

Had a fabulous dish of Pad Thai for Two tonight. We added shrimp, which was delicious, but not needed to compliment the flavor. It was hearty, bold, spicy (not too much), and satisfying.
Also, enjoyed the Queso Frito small dish, perfect appetizer or dessert for two, very much! That’s an understatement. It was a phenomenal combination of texture, flavor, and temperature that will be difficult to top.
Great beer selection recently added as well ;)

This place is a hip, casual, intimate down to Earth but culinarily elevated gem in kingston. Great, interesting food and cocktails with wonderful owner and chef, Deena who will chat you up at the counter if she’s not too busy cooking.

Delicious. We found this place by searching on Unilocal for gluten-​free restaurants in Kingston, NY. So many great things on the menu. I loved the chicken satay tacos, skirt steak tacos, and grass-​fed burger. We also had the rice pudding, espresso, and blueberry soda, which were all excellent. We actually went back two days later since we liked it so much. The location is just off the main drag. Street parking is easy. The owner is cooking behind the counter and is a lot of fun to chat with. Everything is prepared fresh right then, which really comes through in how clean and good the flavors are. Definitely recommended.

Overall great experience. While the space is small, the ambiance is fitting.
Friendly service and knowledgeable owner /​chef on site. In fact, she cooks practially right in front of you. So any questions or suggestions can be explained immediately — very nice!
The food was unique and well prepared; flavors balanced and blended nicely. Great cocktail, beer, wine and sake selection.
A great addition to the up and coming Stockade District in Kingston and well worth checking out.

I’m in Kingston for a few days on a work trip from NYC. As I was walking around, checking out the town, I came across Deena Rae’s beautifully designed cozy little café. An East Village transplant. I sat down at the bar, and immediately felt at home. So friendly, reasonably priced, and some of the most creative, delicious food I’ve had in a long time. I stayed past closing, chatting to Deena Rae and her lovely employee. Chef was very knowledgable, yet down to earth. I can’t recommend this spot enough. A great night out.

Unique, innovative, quirky. Love the kimchee and goat cheese omelette, with smashed potatoes. As well as the fish tacos. Cheap beer and good sake selection a big plus. Service is quirky too. Mom and pop, everything made to order. Definitely worth trying!

It’s nice to see that Kingston is really opening up to have such a diverse selection of restaurants. I hope this one lasts, as I was very impressed with its menu’s offerings and the quality of the food I tried. At my table, we ordered the Malaysian Shrimp And Pineapple Skewers (appetizer), Shrimp Pad Thai, Chicken Pad Thai, and Classic Bánh Mì. This was my first time eating a Bánh Mì sandwich, and it won’t be my last! This one had pork pâté, pickled carrot, sriracha, and house-​made mayonnaise and it was a very interesting, but not TOO interesting, combination of flavors. It was a delicious sandwich, though I did wish it came with a more substantial and interesting side. (I’m pretty sure the side it came with was Chex Mix — not something that really fit in with this menu.) I tried the two pad thais. I’ve had a lot of Pad Thai, and mostly from some really authentic Thai restaurants in Queens, and this one was significantly different from the others I’ve tried — in a good way. Since I only tried a couple of bites, it is hard to describe the difference now, but I will go back so that I can later! Unfortunately, our appetizer came after we had finished our entrees, but it was still a tasty snack. The pineapple didn’t do too much for me, though the teriyaki tofu was thoroughly tasty. Overall, the Bánh Mì grabbed my attention the most. And there are many other menu items I am interested in trying.
And a last few notes…
— I love what they have done with the décor of this place. It’s eclectic…
— Our server was kind and hospitable. The chef (owner?) took time to speak with us about the food, which was nice.
— The comfort of the seating and temperature could have been a little better, but that is my only complaint about the facility.
I definitely recommend this restaurant!

This really is my go-​to restaurant now, especially for breakfast and lunch. It’s like having a truly inventive, delicious, home-​cooked meal. Wonderful, Asian-​inflected food, but also the best burger in town; probably in the state, actually. Plus the owner, Deena, is a delight. Give it a try!

NOT authentic at all. If that’s what you’re looking for, don’t even bother. The prices are also pretty high for what you’re getting. and what you’re getting is faux-​fusion asian/​western cuisine that pretty much takes what western folks feel is asian, throwing it up in the air and seeing what lands on the plate. i’m exaggerating, but it’s not very good, at least to my palate. it’s relatively new, so perhaps it will get better, but I would look elsewhere.