540 Kitchen & Bar, Inc — Restaurant in Fredericton

This place used to be quite good, but the last time I was in for dinner was before COVID. I'm finally back in NB and was looking forward to another good meal here. I was craving duck breast so I asked the server to make sure it was NOT going to be well done, and she assured me it wasn't. When the duck breast arrived it had almost no fat rendered out of the skin, so the skin was chewy rather than nice and crispy, and the meat was fully well done and dry. The bulgogi pork bun was pretty small and not that exciting also, with a very small square of pork belly on each one (2 small buns for $11). I brought the overdone duck to the attention of the server, and there was no offer of a retry with another duck breast or an option to take it and bring me something else. The server came back and told me she took 25% off the bill due to the overdone duck. That was better than nothing so I just paid the bill and carried on. After paying, I noticed that it wasn't even remotely close to 25% that had been taken off the bill. 25% of the bill would have been $10, and 25% of just the duck would have been $7.25. The discount was $4.35. Not really enough to make up for the meal not being very good overall. The sides were tasty though. My dining partner got the Flatiron steak and asked for it to be rare to medium rare and emphasized that he would rather have it rare than overdone. His steak was at least medium well, if not almost well done. It also lacked seasoning and was bland. I was excited for a return to this place, but left very...

On Friday, my friends and I had an absolutely unreal experience at 540 Kitchen & Bar in Fredericton, NB.

First off, if you're going, do NOT miss the patio out back. It’s tucked away behind the building and you get to it through this little alley. It kind of feels like you're discovering a hidden gem. Super chill vibe, cozy but not cramped.

Now, onto the food. There was a bit of a wait, yeah, but honestly? Worth every second. And they handled food allergies with real care, which is rare and refreshing. The kitchen even used a completely separate apparatus to cook the ribs to make sure there was no cross-contamination, massive respect for that.

But the ribs… the ribs were the holy grail. I’m not exaggerating when I say they were some of the best things I’ve ever tasted in my life. The meat slid off the bone in this almost magical way, like it wanted to be eaten. Crispy on the edges, insanely flavorful, rich, savory, and perfectly seasoned. Just absolutely perfect ribs. I'm still thinking about them (And probably will be for a long time).

The burger? Solid. Nothing wrong with it at all, but next to those ribs, it’s hard to compete. Fries were crispy and golden, and the aioli sauce they came with was top-tier: creamy, garlicky, and addictive.

All in all, 540 Kitchen & Bar delivers in a big way. If you’re in Fredericton and even remotely into good food, you owe it to yourself to check this place out. Get the ribs....

I just got back from a Friday night out at 540 Kitchen & Bar with my husband. We came in without a reservation, so opted to sit at the bar so we could get into our dinner quickly. Both of us were amazed at the stylish decor as their choices really set the tone for a great meal. I have heard the bar is famous for its draft beer so my husband got a Picaroon’s Maple and our server gave me a taster but I forgot the name. They are perfect starters alongside the truffle soup. The soup was outstanding and we both savored every single bite. For my main course I got the scallops and pork belly served over spaetzli. The scallops were the biggest I have seen in a long time and the rest of the meal was extremely flavorful. My husband went with a simple bowl of Mac & Cheese, but found it to be anything but simple. While I am not a big mac and cheese fan, he definitely is. He said this was the best bowl of gourmet Mac & Cheese he has ever had. I could tell because he was silent for the 10 min it took for him to clean his bowl. If you like Mac & Cheese, he heartily recommends it. The truffle soup is wonderful and a flavorful experience that you should try for yourself as well. Our service from the bar staff was excellent and the meal exceeded our already high...