AMK Kitchen Bar Brings Brunch Comfort to Bucktown

Still one of the new kids on the block, AMK Kitchen Bar has brought American comfort food classics to Bucktown. Using local and sustainable ingredients, the kitchen has set out to be a go-to neighborhood eatery. Custom graffiti art from local artist, The Lie, is featured throughout the restaurant and the bar knows its way around a bottle of whiskey. We stopped by recently to check out their brunch, tag along as we get the scoop!

First up, the Grilled Watermelon and Roasted Beet Salad. This small plate, from Chef Barney Smith, layers field greens and pumpkin seeds on a bed of red and golden beets. Bruleed goat cheese and grilled watermelon surround the intricate stack, which is tossed with a citrus vinaigrette. Consider us intrigued!

Time to get our veg on! We're next greeted with the Kale and Wild Mushroom Egg White Frittata. Using eggs whites as the base, this savory dish is stuffed with chopped kale, caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms - then topped with fontina cheese and roasted red pepper. A light side salad completes the plate.

We mentioned whiskey, right? The beverage program, led by Jon Ruiz, boasts a selection of more than 60 whiskeys, dozens of craft brews, wine, American spirits and seasonal cocktails.

Chilaquiles are a popular brunch staple composed of eggs served upon lightly fried corn tortillas and topped with an assortment of goodness - and typically in Chicago, a soggy mess. Not the case at AMK Kitchen Bar! The Chilaquiles and Huevos keep the corn tortilla chips crunchy but still load-up with chicken chorizo, chipotle chile sauce, white cheddar cheese, pico de gallo and avocado sour cream, all topped with two sunny side up eggs. Bravo!

We can never have too many side dishes and the Mac-N-Cheese at AMK Kitchen had our attention from the get go. Asiago, provolone, gouda, fontina, and havarti cheese are blended together and then mixed with jalapeño bacon crust.

We're stuffed but the Stuffed French Toast makes an encore appearance. The french toast is coated with crispy rice and then covered with Nutella, caramelized bananas, chantilly cream and toasted walnuts. Time for a walk!