Mike’s Kitchen

Mike’s Kitchen is a quintessential Cranston establishment. I have been going here since I was a small child and nothing has changed, in a good way that is! The atmosphere is a classic VFW club but the food is fantastic and never disappoints! You have to try the calamari and the stuffed artichoke, to die for! The service from the kitchen can be outright rude but its something you embrace when going here. The bar staff/​beverage service is always friendly. Be sure to bring cash because they do not accept credit.

Have been going here for years, always only for lunch, so can’t speak to the scene at dinner time. Outstanding traditional «red sauce» Italian style food, served in a VFW Post. Service can be brusque at first, but after many visits, I am always welcomed back and acknowledged by the staff and the leader of the kitchen, Mike. Standouts for me include, polenta with meatballs, chicken francaise, calamari with spicy peppers, any of the soups (when available), veal or chicken marsala. Prices are beyond reasonable and the differentiation between the food servers and drink servers is only confusing on your first visit. I will often add a «to go» to my lunch order so I have lunch for the next day too.

this is a mixed review. I wanted to grab something to take home after working a few hours and doing errands. I got a stuffed quohog. sure this is an Italian restaurant, but my thoughts were, this is Rhode Island! we do seafood the best, and this place is suppose to be fabulous. it had to be the worst stuffed quohog I have ever had. it was dry, and tasteless. I had a few pieces of something that might have been a chopped piece of quohog. the only taste I had in the entire quohog was when I got a red pepper flake. I would rate the quohog at a less than 0 star. I ordered the polenta with meatballs. I was going a distance so I asked for the sauce and meatballs on the side. When I got home I discovered i got the sauce, but no meatballs. when I called to complain the person who answered the phone made me feel like I was lying. she eventually said they’d give me «a new» one. not sure what that means, but it should be a new and complete order of polenta with meatballs this time. However, the very generous piece of polenta and the sauce was delicious, all that I had heard it would be. they were busy, but if you cannot do takeout right don’t do it. I am giving them a 2 star, for terrible stuffie, and missing food. if they make good on the replacement I will change this review.

Probably my favorite Italian restaurant. I’ve been coming here for over 30 years.
There is no atmosphere, but that’s part of the appeal. A place only a «local» or an «insider» would appreciate. I had a visiting sales rep from Wisconsin ask me to take her for a real RI Italian dinner. I asked what mattered more, great food or great atmosphere. She chose food. We went to Mike’s Kitchen at The Post. Every time she comes into town she wants to go back! A pitcher of beer, Fried Calamari and Chicken Parmigiana are my go to items.

We have tried twice to enjoy this place because it is always packed and word of mouth is so high– but both times we left very sorry we had gone. The food was ok, but definitely not worth the wait, or the awful atmosphere. The calamari was awful, worst we have ever had anywhere. We had chicken Parmesan and it was ok, and shrimp scampi which was bland and greasy. And just try and get your servers attention for anything — or try and NOT hit somebody with your chair when you go to leave, your packed in like matchsticks. Sorry, we’ll take a pass on this Cranston institution.

#1 Calamri with a side of hot peppers in oil with garlic cloves. Best polenta (cheesy), melts in your mouth heave. Always guaranteed goodness.

One of my favorite places for Italian food. The portions are generous and the prices are great. I’ve never gone in there when there hasn’t been a wait time to be seated. I usually make my way to the bar and grab a glass of wine to kill the time. I consider a wait time to be seated a badge of honor for an establishment because it proves the food is good that people are willing to wait for it. Don’t be surprised when you pull into the parking lot of the VFW building. Go inside — he’s in there! The building itself is a traditional VFW hall. Unfortunately it’s dated and run down — a face lift would be the icing on the cake for this place. Make sure to review the white boards towards the bar — they contain a whole lot of additional menu items that aren’t included in the printed copy the wait staff gives you upon seating. It is cash only so be prepared.

First, i would like to point out a few things. The V.F.W. owns the liquor license. The V.F.W. rents the kitchen and eating area to Mike’s Kitchen. There is a server for alcohol and soft drinks who works for the V.F.W. If you are not asked if you would like a drink, I know not a usual situation, just go to the bar and ask for the server or better yet just get your drinks. Again, I know not conventional, but wait or drink, up to you.
Mike’s Kitchen hires the servers for food and water. Confusing, I know it can be, but most nights you get very good to great local Italian food. Very fresh seafood and some of the best fried squid (with tentacles). All the squid Mike cooks is very good. You can always ask Mike’s servers to get the drink server to come take your order.
One last thing, you pay the bar server for your drinks when served. You pay for your food when done.
One server for drinks, another server for food and water. If this is an issue than don’t go. It’s different than most.
I have been going to Mike’s since he opened, My memory fails me, I think in the late ’70’s and early’80’s.
Has every meal been perfect, no, but the vast majority of times the food was great. I got what I was craving for and it was prepared at a high level. In almost 35 years only twice was I disappointed and both times Mike fixed the situation. It was one of the most difficult dishes to prepare for a restaurants, Mike’s stuffed chicken breasts, it is a whole stuffed breast with cheese and Italian ham. Dipped in a eggs and herbs and fried then baked. Every other time I ordered Chicken Mike it left me wanting more.
There are lunch specials and daily specials on the wall near the bar. The lunch specials are a great value and a good way to try different dishes.
The are too many meals for me to list them all. They were always served hot and flavorful. Very fresh seafood and delicious parm dinners and parm sandwiches.
My last visit was Good Friday 2015. I never had the baked scrod in all these year. I asked the server what fish Mike used, the response was scrod. I didn’t want to make a big deal but there is no species of fish called scrod. It’s a food service term to describe a boneless, skinless fillets of white flaky fish.
Well, I am glad I finally tried it, it was absolutely delicious. Very hot, very light crackers and bread crumbs. Baked in butter and lemon. It was cooked perfect, moist, flaky, tender, with no taste of fish what so ever. A slightly sweet tasting fish which soon was complimented by the lemon, butter, and crumbs. My bet is it was Cod.
I got a side of potatoes roasted with olive oil, onions and spices. I love them. The onions along with the olive oil make them very tasty from roasting. You could have also had veg of the day with the potatoes or pasta.
Well, sorry, but I have enjoyed Mike’s for many years. If you are in the West-​side of Cranston I would give Mike’s a try. Sunday and Tuesday closed at night. Tuesday open for lunch. Right next to the Atwood Avenue softball field.
Gustare!

Love the calamari it’s the best! What I don’t like is that they are closed on Mondays and if I don’t have cash on me I can’t go either. Credit cards only. But this place is always busy. Great food & great prices. Drinks are sold by a separate waitress which is confusing at first but once u get it, their system works! I love mikes kitchen

Over twenty years since I’ve been to Mike’s…if possible, find it is even better than remembered! Italian done right!

This place is outstanding. My faves are the stuffed artichoke, the sole franchise and the calamari. The veal pram is great. Everything is great!

Place could not be more overrated! You feel like you’re eating in your junior high school cafeteria with the seating/​lighting/​staff. The food is average Italian food. People in Cranston like to see and be seen in this dump and pretend it’s something special. It’s not horrible, it’s just not good.

«Yup. That’s a VFW alright»
That was what was said when we drove up to Mike’s kitchen. Upon walking in, we sat down at the bar, and started a conversation with the bartender and the waitress regarding vegetarian options. After their help (they were super duper nice) I had a decision to make. Go with something I have had before such as gnocchi or eggplant, or go wild and crazy and go with something I haven’t had before, such as polenta. I decided to play it safe and go with eggplant parm for my first visit. I figured that I would decide if they could make simple food that I would like, the next time I came I would get something exotic. Although a little on the mushy side, my eggplant was yummy. The sauce was perfectly made for my tastes. The one thing I can say about the eggplant parmesean is that I wish it came with pasta. Let me clarify: you can get veggies OR pasta OR salad. I chose salad. Did I make the right choice? Can’t say. I got a glass of merlot, it wasn’t very good. I will have to try the cabernet next time. All in all, a good stick-​to-​your-​ribs kind of meal. I had a good time and will be back again.

Oh the VFW, I have is fond memories of eating here years ago. The «Post» what all loyal customer call it, is NOT what it used to be. This place was so good that when Al Forno’s was putting together it’s cookbook they used Mike’s Polenta recipe in their book. I would go here for dinner with my dad, and go at lunchtime with coworkers.
After my last two visits, I can’t recommend the Post to anyone. The food quality has declined so much, just so they can keep the prices low. The chicken I ate was old, it was chewy and had a bad overall taste. The mushrooms in the marsala were from a can and were just mushy. Another time I ordered the swordfish and it was overcooked and fishy. This was never the case when I ate here years ago.
I feel bad for the waitstaff because it’s the same core from years ago. And they are all such great people. I really hope something changes here and they return to the quality of yesteryear.

Do not expect nice décor or pleasant servers when you come here. What you can expect is good food, and I guess that’s the main reason for going to a restaurant in the first place. The chicken parm, sole, and fried calamari are delicious. Their meatballs are decent, but nothing amazing. I wasn’t a fan of the Marsala. I do love their marinara. Apparently the 82 year old cook comes in at 4am to make it so no one knows what’s in it. :-)

Ok, so I am withholding the fifth star because of the atmosphere. Oil cloth table coverings, paper napkins and plastic water glasses. Nevermind the whole
weird separate server and tab for the bar. But, all that said, go early or you will wait. No matter if it is lunch or dinner. The food however is a home run so go and eat. You’ll be happy.

I went there with way too high expectations — I should not have read all the reviews.
I have no problem dining in establishments that are not upscale, I knew that this place was in a VFW so I knew what it would be like inside. What I was not expecting was super greasy food, service that made me feel as though I was inconveniencing the server and completely stagnant air so I left there feeling as though I had bathed in grease.
I am not quite sure what people are talking about when they refer to the food as authentic and «spot-​on» — I felt it was bland, oily and very heavy.
Sorry Mike, although I am not a fan, you do seem to have your share of followers.

I hate writing this review. Because as far as I’m concerned the less people know about it the better. I’ve been going here for years with my family. When I lived out of state, this is the restaurant I requested on my first night home. It’s quirky. The food is decent to great. There is a separate waitress for food and drinks. I mean, it is a VFW when it comes down to it. The local color is all over this place. There is very good chance if you’re italian (which I am) you’re related to half the people eating that night. And the reaction when you bring out of town guest? Priceless. They love the food. They are shocked at the characters in it. They always want to come back.

To be fair, I must admit I’ve only dined here once. Well, twice, but the second time was a catered birthday party and didn’t have the traditional Italian foods. In fact, at the party the food was very mundane and not flavorful at all. At the one dinner, I had chicken parm and it was pretty decent. I recall not getting enough red sauce. I am really into red sauce. I was not impressed with this restaurant, although it seems everyone in RI raves about it.
I do feel the need to return to Mike’s kitchen. I am told — «order the broccoli rabe, order the snails, order the polenta, order the smelts» …something other than what I have actually had there. And SO, I AM going back soon. And I will Unilocal about it after I return to Mike’s Kitchen. I know that on weekends, it is so crowded you cannot get in. That has to say something about it. So, I’m going back. I hope I have a different experience next time.

Great, consistent food in huge portions
Family style and familiar faces
Long waits and usually sub-​mediocre service
The Tabor-​Franchi VFW Lodge doubles as a restaurant of plenty. Given that, however, you are NOT HERE for the ambience, friend. It’s heaping helpings of delicious Italian-​American food, and not much else.
Prices are very fair; merely for good food and lots of it, they’d be a steal, but combined with wait times and nary a single person in the place particularly concerned with your customer satisfaction (a nice young woman named Paula is an exception), I’d say it nets back to simply «very fair.»
Be prepared — you’ll pay as you go with alcohol, and it’s cash only throughout.
If surefire, never-​fail recommendations are your only game, wipe your waited-​too-​long frown off with the polenta and meatballs… no appetizer, bread, or anything else, really, because you’ll want to save room for the platter on its way. And even if you’re normally a member of the Clean Plate Club, you might end up requesting a to-​go container anyway here.
If it’s your first time, map it before you go, and watch for sudden moves from old fogies in the parking lot.
If only for the sake of your taste buds and growling belly, you should put it on your list to give a try.