Kinfork

Traveling on business and my room wasnt ready… took the free shuttle to the mall in search of lunch… tjis place looked local and promising — had the moonshine front porch drink — very tasty not to sweet! smash burger — wow might be in my top 10 burgers of all time and the tots were perfectly crisp!

I say 3 stars because although the setting is lovely — hipster country I would call it, the food is ok. I was happy with the hushpuppies – light and not greasy at all, cant stop eating them… but the sauce with them was weird — that’s the only word I can think of… weird – peach something and should not be served with those pillowy hushpuppies! I had the flatbread which was strange to see flatbread on an otherwise ‘country’ theme menu. It was ok. Husband got some meaty monstrosity — brisket? pulled pork? I dont know – it was ok. He was very happy with it. Portions were a little small for the price but I guess you pay for being in Woodfield mall (which I would NEVER do but we were here for the Unilocal event so we just gave it a try). It’s nice for an evening perhaps with a group or friends but not somewhere I’d whine all day to go to. I did however like the mason jars everywhere… very country cute décor! Oh and staff was just average. ok — nothing particularly fantastic.

Despite the promising Southern-​inspired menu, most of their offerings lacked one key component — flavor.
Call it the «Curse of the ‘Burbs», but just a dash of salt, a smattering of seasonings during the preparation, or even some fresh herbs would have elevated this food from mediocre to above average — and when you factor in their remarkable price-​points and portion sizes, there’s potential for success, even in a mall.
Since we were visiting from downtown Chicago, I had to do a double take when I saw the craft cocktail list — single digit prices. Yes. Hard to believe! The Moonshine Electric Lemonade was refreshing and potent, while my old reliable — the simple Old Fashioned– was perfectly built around a stiff pour of Forester’s Bourbon.
On to the menu items: Down in the South, where I was raised, «Hush Puppies» (two words) are comfortable shoes. But «hushpuppies», the Southern fish-​fry staple, are small, deep-​fried balls of corn meal, white flour and buttermilk, typically flavored with onion powder or maybe a little finely grated raw onion. Kinfork’s appetizer version of «hush puppies» ($ 7) are ultra-​light, perfectly fried balls of a sweet, cake-​like batter, dotted with pieces of roasted corn, diced jalapeño and cheddar cheese — but despite the additions, the little golf ball-​sized blister of air were woefully lacking in flavor. Moreover, the peach crème fraiche «dipping sauce» tasted like a melted Creamsicle popsicle. Folks, the only thing that should be served with savory hushpuppies is honey butter.
Keeping with the Southern theme, I ordered the Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwich — a massive (ENORMOUS!) tennis ball portion of shredded pork, piled on top of a toasted sweet’ish bun and topped with a watery — again, bland– coleslaw and semi-​fried onion strings. The pork itself was so saturated in their «Red Vinegar Carolina Sauce», the bun disintegrated when I picked it up, and the tomato-​y sauce masked what little subtle smokiness the meat had captured.
—FYI: The Great State of North Carolina is the only state with two distinctive styles of barbecue (and, yes, «barbecue» is a noun, not a verb, for some of us). Eastern style is typically whole hog barbecue, smoked over hardwood and mopped with a tangy apple cider vinegar, brown sugar and pepper sauce. And then there is Western style, which is pure evil. (Just kidding!) Actually, Western is almost the same as Eastern style, but they add a heavy dose of ketchup to their sauce (Sacrilege!), and instead of cooking a whole hog, they usually cook pork butts or shoulders, sometimes over wood, sometimes over charcoal.—
Kinfolk’s attempt to blend the flavors of Eastern and Western North Carolina falls flat — there’s simply too much ketchup in their sauce, and the heavy sugar and/​or corn syrup ratio leaves a greasy coating on the pork that stifles the smoky goodness. The reason you use cider vinegar as the sauce’s base is to «cut the fat» on the pork, for better mouth feel. Unfortunately, their sugary mopping sauce is just too sweet to allow the tanginess and smattering of heat to shine.
The wife’s Meatloaf Plate ($ 15) was a mammoth portion of three flat-​top grilled slices of über-​tender meat planks. Again, a tiny bit of salt and pepper perked up the flavor. The mashed potatoes were tepid and tasteless, except for the oleo-​like liquid pooled on the top, and the two tree-​like branches of broccolini were so bitter they were almost inedible. (Maybe a little more blanching before tossing them on the plate?)
We’ll certainly give them another try, with hopes they are still dialing in the recipes on their expansive menu. And while portion sizes are ginormous, the price points on all their offerings are spot-​on. Service was excellent from our waiter, Chris, and we’ll offer a big thumb’s up to Justin, who steered us towards the restaurant while he was working the crowd in the mall on a busy Saturday night.

Two stars… one for presentation of food and another one for the server (David I think it was)…lobster bisque had no lobster, am I supposed to presume it’s artificial flavoring? Or did the back kitchen chefs eat all the lobster chunks out of it? The hubby’s meatloaf came out ok, broccoli cooked to perfection. My half slab of ribs was dry, no paying customer wants to discard chunks of rib meat or have to politely pull them out of their mouth because it’s rock hard and questionable meat because it was cooked past the jerky stage… slaw accompanied was nice to offset the sugary sauce, the corn bread was OK, the baked potato was a rock! A small side of sour cream was to accompany it, but could they add a little extra effort and add butter? Disappointed because I kept asking my husband to check it out, only to be let down

We often complain in the ‘burbs (especially in the Schaumburg area) about the corporate chain restaurants. Then in Woodfield Mall of all places, we found Kinfork! What a great place. The service was excellent (thanks Ryan!) and every dish was full of flavor! The Grilled Caesar, especially, was phenomenal! For entre, my wife had the fillet and I had the brick chicken, both of which were terrific. And the apple crisp did not disappoint.
We reserved a table letting them know that it was our anniversary so they had a special table with black linens and champagne waiting for us! And even though we were dressed for just a trip to the mall (t-​shirts), there was no pretension… Just great food and service. Keep up the great work!

Pretty sad as there’s nothing wrong with the place but nothing special either. And for a restaurant in the mall, thats a sure sign for slow business and eventual death.
We ordered an appetizer and two entrees, and they tasted alright. The tab was close to $ 50!

I came here for Mother’s Day and ordered From their brunch menu, which is offered weekly, hence, not a special for MD. Ordered pulled pork eggs Benedict. 1^st time eggs overdone. 2^nd time eggs underdone. You can’t be a brunch restaurant if you can’t get the basics correct.
Stepson got the ribs, tried those too. Meat was dry and flavorless.

I had a taste for a burger wtih pineapple that they make at Red Robin. So we went to Woodfield. The wait was 25 minutes or we could sit at the bar and eat. Nah! So we left Red Robin and saw a sign for Kinfork. We never heard of it so we figured we’d try something new.
The place looked fairly empty but still there was a 10 minute wait. Maybe it was because of the party in the back room and they were staggering the customers to keep the cooks from being overworked. Whatever.
My first impression was I didn’t get a feel for the restaurant like it was cool or had a great theme or a certain energy to it. It seemed odd that the waiting area was so big. Considering the price they are probably paying to be in Woodfield you think they’d try to maximize the floor space to get the most tables. In the lobby there are lighted cases with moonshine, and somehow they works into a rustic camping theme?
Anyhow, we got our table and after looking through the menu we started to wonder if we had a server assigned to our table. Then I guy who looked like David Blaine (the magician) came rushing past the table and said hi as he passed. I thought he was going to be our server, but then I thought maybe he was just being friendly. He ended up being our server.
If you’ve read my reviews on fat in meat, you know I like pulled pork but it’s hard to find sandwiches where they’ve trimmed the fat before they serve it. That wasn’t the case with this place. We had to trim off the fat. Fortunately, I wasn’t the one who ordered the pork, I went with the safe choice and ordered the burger. Because it was only a 5lb burger, I ordered the double. A single would have been enough!
Our food came quickly and the burger was done perfectly. The meat was right-​off-​the-​grill hot and tasted like it was cooked on a barbeque grill. This sandwich is why I gave this place 3 stars instead of 2.
Our server got our order right and it came out quickly so I’m not going to slam him for his service, but serious… he mumbled his words at high speed like he’s said them 1000 times. The problem is I haven’t heard them once, even after he said them. It was turning into a joke. At the end of the meal he brought the check and wished us a good day (at least I think that’s what he mumbled) we looked at each other like, «What did you say???»
My burger was good, but it’s not enough to make me want to return. The camping motif is not done well enough that is makes the trip to Kinfork more than just a place to eat. The inside, as far as interesting or fun go, is on par with Denny’s. Not the food, just the ambiance and décor. If someone is telling me they have a theme then have that experience surround you… Like Buca di Beppo, or Bill’s pizza, or Rainforest Café, or Ed Debevic’s… or even Bob Chins.

Not too impressive when we come in: there were empty tables but we were told a 5 minute wait that was closer to 10 minutes. When they called out name the hostess brought us in and couldn’t find our table; she left us and came back within a minute and offered us a booth.
When our server came it got better; the food is generally $ 10 – 20 for a meal (we drink water mostly). The music is a bit loud but that is to me; some might find it fine. Our table had some sticky stuff and it was fixed. Do not go here if you are hungry now; the service is very slow and we waited 39 minutes for lunch. Our server did everything he could to make up for the kitchen that was terribly backed up. We were told an event in back was the cause for everything being slowed.
Our food was good, not great. Our son had pork belly sliders (appetizer) and we LOVED the appetizers. Our pulled pork was cold in spots! and we were missing cornbread (which our server fixed).
Our server (Danny) did everything he could but I cannot say I would return. We were told the manager would be coming by and we never saw the manager. For the slowness we should have had some compensation.

Yay! I’m a fan, for a few of the items. I’m a fan of the mussels appetizer, the corn fritter appetizer and the single hamburger with fries. My dining companions gave a ‘just ok’ to the meatloaf entrée and the Carolina pulled pork sandwich. The pork chop entrée was overcooked so it was not juicy at all.
Service was slow. I believe it took about 45 minutes to get our 4 entrees out to us. I did not find the restaurant too noisy as some other reviewers have stated.
Scrutinize your bill before paying. We were charged for two ice teas when we only ordered one. The server quickly corrected the total.

Ooooooooooooh Woodfield Mall… how do I hate thee? Let me count the ways…1) You’re not Amazon Prime. 2) There’s people. So many people. 3) Why are you a freaking Labyrinth? 4) I should probably stop this list because it will never end.
Seriously though, if it wasn’t for my stop at Kinfork I may have committed homicide this day. Luckily, there’s a new restaurant in this hell they call a mall and they serve BBQ with tots!, have a Bloody Mary/​Mimosa bar, the best macaroni and cheese you will ever have pass your lips, and there’s beeeeeeeeeer, glorious beeeeeeeeeer. What else could you ask for really? Oh, and the place looks pretty cool too if you’re into that whole hipstery/​modern/​industrial vibe.
We ended up getting smaller plates (the pot roast grilled cheese, soup, the pork belly sliders, and a mac and cheese meal with tots for the baby (which we ate every last morsel of… thanks, kid!) and all were good but the mac and cheese {and the tots!} was definitely the greatest meal that day. Next time I wouldn’t get the sliders because the pork belly was just too fatty (though I’m pretty sure that’s just the nature of eating pork belly) but I would most certainly try some other smoked meat with that glorious mac and cheese. As a matter of fact, I might just order everything off the kids menu and go to town.
The beer list was pretty decent and like I said, there was a Bloody Mary/​Mimosa bar since it was Sunday, which is pretty much the greatest thing ever if you can make decisions. I can’t, so I sadly had to pass. It called my name every time I passed it though so next time I might just have to bite the bullet and figure out how to make the greatest Bloody Mary ever. Who wants to babysit and be my designated driver?

The service was great it was pretty empty during a weekday lunch time. I got the nacho appetizer it was gross I have to say. I wouldn’t get it again but I think it was just the sauce the meat was in. My husband got a burger it was excellent. My son got kids menu chicken strips they were really Good the honey mustard sauce was SO good. Overall not a bad place I need to go back again to try something else.
They also have like a party section which I’m really interested in for a big crowd.

Visited Kinfork on a Tuesday night. The ambiance was nice, and the booths were really comfortable.
For an appetizer we ordered the KF nachos with pulled pork. They were delicious, and the jalapeños were very spicy. For dinner, we got the Carolina pulled pork sandwich and the turkey panini. Both were great, but the pulled pork is the real star at Kinfork. I would definitely recommend you visit Kinfork, and I would definitely encourage you to try the BBQ!

Great new dining option in the Schaumburg area! Actually it’s right in Woodfield Mall. The good in that is of course a tasty option when shopping. The annoying in that is if you’re not at the mall, finding and parking here as a destination dining spot!
When my friend and I went, Kinfork had just opened. We had some delicious food items but service had some big kinks that needed to be worked out (slow, overcharged on items/​sides, not knowing the menu just yet). I’m hopeful all of these issues have now been ironed out because the food was quite tasty.
Grilled chicken portabello sandwich? Tasty and semi-​healthy. I would prefer a slightly less hard bread, but hey! That’s just me.
Tater tots? Really delicious!
Mac & Cheese? Rich and creamy — liked it quite a bit!
All in all, Kinfork is a great addition to Woodfield & the Schaumburg area. I’m hoping for slightly improved service but that their food stays on point!

While visiting Schaumburg, we went to the Woodfield Mall so some of my coworkers from Russia could do some shopping for those back home. We went to Kinfork for dinner.
I ordered the Whitefish dinner, which comes with a pretzel bread crusted whitefish, roasted potatoes, brussel sprouts and a mustard butter sauce. The mustard sauce was excellent, as it pairs perfectly with all parts of the dish. Unfortunately though they were rather stingy with the sauce. The brussel sprouts were a little under done.
They were out of quite a few of their beers (the ones I tried ordering).
The service was very helpful and they offered samples of some of the beers.
The prices are average as are the portions.

Only 4 because I reserve 5 for places that I will go back again and again.
We had some drinks at the bar and a grilled Caesar salad.
I never had grilled romaine lettuce and it was fantastic. The taste really worked and the service was great.
I wish I had ordered more food but we had dinner plans for later that night. I will update my review when I go back and have a full meal.

Tried out this new spot because I love their other concept– Rack House in Arlington Heights (which I just realized I’ve never reviewed for some reason, but I will next time I visit!!!). I just love the environment that they create! It’s inviting and comfortable but still has a classy feel to it. I gave up cheese for lent, so many of the dishes I was unable to have, but my friend and I did get to enjoy the nachos without cheese. And I really mean we enjoyed them!!! There wasn’t a single topping left on the dish. They had pot roast, jalapeños, diced tomatoes and green onion with sour cream graciously spiraled around the top. I do want to try them again when lent is over so I can indulge in the cheese that I saw on other tables portions, but I digress. For my entrée, I had the barbecue brisket handheld, but I substituted the ciabatta for herb focaccia. BEST DECISION OF THE DAY. The waiter, Michael, said that the sandwich would be smaller because the ciabatta is actually bigger, but I seriously mean this sandwich was perfect. The brisket, just like at the Rack House, just falls apart in your mouth. If there’s one thing these places know how to do– it’s barbecue, hands down! The sandwich was also still very large! I finished it, but only had one of my tator tots because I was beyond full. Next time I will save the other half for the following day. This visit I didn’t try any of the beverages, but I saw that some of the same Rack House moonshine cocktails were available. I’ll update my review when I try some of those too. :)
Highly recommend trying either concept if you’re looking for a chill environment and amazing barbecue!!!

By and large, style beats substance at Kinfolk. Which is partially because the style is gorgeous (modern camp theme, mason jars EVERYWHERE) and partially because the lunch entrees aren’t where they need to be to justify the price.
We kicked things off with hush puppies, served with peach crème fraîche. I was a big fan of the crumb inside the hush puppies, which had whole corn kernels and bits of jalapeño peppers in them. The outside was deep-​fried to a nice, dark-​brown color, leaving quite a few crispy bits. Overall I thought the appetizer was pretty well done.
As for the Carolina Pulled Pork, another signature item? The baked potato was pretty standard, with the exception of a bit of kosher salt sprinkled among the outside (an idea I’m going to steal the next time I bake potatoes). The inside was a bit dense. I had sour cream, which was nice, and butter in little plastic containers, which is an… odd… presentation choice.
It also came with cornbread, which was all right. This recipe is of the denser variety, with a few corn kernels and good corn flavor.
The pork itself was nicely tender but didn’t have the smokiness I was looking for (the more, the merrier as far as I’m concerned!). It was paired with a barbecue sauce that claimed to be a red Carolina vinegar sauce but I could’ve easily confused with something bottled. Which gets to the main criticism I have of Kinfork.
The food is pretty damn basic. Just because the theme is campy, doesn’t mean the food has to be campy too! The pork needs more smoke, and maybe some crispy bits. The barbecue sauce needs a lot more depth, starting with the cider vinegar. The potato maybe ought to be fluffed. The cole slaw needs to be better than the generic creamy stuff from Sizzler. My wife’s salad mix needs fresher lettuce.
This might sound like a lot to ask, but it is a $ 14 lunch entrée, and our bill came to $ 44 before tip (and we don’t drink alcohol!). So I think it’s a fair ask.
But look. If they improve the food, Kinfork has a really good future in Schaumburg. I hope, though, they’re a quick learner.

Who goes to a restaurant and buys meatloaf? I did for restaurant week and I now understand why. The meatloaf was very good, a nice firm texture with the ability to break apart into manageable pieces then coated with a nice sweet bbq type sauce. It was very good!
It comes with brocollini which was cooked perfectly, tender but snappy and had a nice flavor to them as well. It also came with mashed potatoes that were creamy and buttery. There was some random seasoning in it as well which made it much better than normal mash.
I find it interesting getting food that is very homey but elevated to the next level. Service was excellent, very friendly and welcoming.
Also tried a few of the desserts
Strawberry Shortcake — it’s more like a sundae kinda, it gave you the next texture of soaked in shortcake with a marscapone topping to give it some richness.
Peach Cobbler — Very tender peachy peaches. It is topped with local, according to the server, Homer’s vanilla ice cream. The ice cream is great. The crumbles are good as well.
Apple Cobbler — Apples that have been cooked to a gentle softness, not mush, made this a great texture contract to the vanilla ice cream. It also came with brown sugar crumbles that were much larger than the peach cobbler. I enjoyed it thoroughly. I normally don’t like fruit based desserts but this one was great and I kept wanting more!
I was told that a lunch menu is coming, I look forward to that.

I saw that Kinfork was opening months ago, and then I went to their sister restaurant (Rack House Tavern) and they told me about Kinfork as well. Needless to say, I’ve been waiting for this place to open.
They are located in the mall (their sign outside is red, it’s not very big). The atmosphere is casual, but nice. This is not your hole-​in-​the-​wall place. They do take reservations, and even though we made one on a weekday at lunch time, we didn’t need it. I don’t know if they just are not busy in general, or they are not busy during this time. Anyways, we were seated right away. The theme is campground meets comfort food.
They have a full bar and drink menu, but since we were on lunch break, we didn’t drink. We ordered the hush puppies, pulled pork sandwich, brisket sandwich, mac and cheese, and brussel sprouts. Everything was really good. They are light on the sauce for the sandwiches, but if you ask for some on the side they will give it to you. The menu is pretty similar to Rack House. There were a few differences… but for the most part it was the same.
The service was ok. For not being that busy I didn’t feel like our server did the best he could do. It wasn’t bad by any means. We waited a while to get our bill settled. This is important at lunch time since they are located in an area that is near many businesses (people are on their lunch breaks and need to get back in a timely manner).
I would definitely come back, but I feel like they need to differentiate themselves a little bit more from Rack House and improve their service. Otherwise it would be 5 stars.