It's loud. It's crowded. The waits are excessive. And I'm going back. Repeatedly.

Kitchen 64 is the newest casual café from longtime Richmond restaurateurs Johnny and Katrina Giavos (owners of Sidewalk Café, Kuba Kuba, 3 Monkeys and the much-missed Stella's).

But based on all the chatter, you'd think it was the second coming of Millie's.

The buzz hit frantic levels before the first patio bricks were even laid. Most know any new restaurant -- even those run by the pros -- will have preliminary kinks, but when anticipation reaches mouth-foaming levels, initial disappointment is inevitable.

Kitchen 64 has had its share of kinks. Local blogs are rife with complaints, ranging from "service is slow and confused" to "nothing but bad experiences" and "obnoxiously long waits."

On the other hand, one blogger exclaimed, "It's more than just a restaurant. It's a phenomenon." Never have I found an eatery so strongly rued and revered.

After a few visits, I've determined Kitchen 64 is not perfect, is never going to be perfect but couldn't be more perfect for the neighborhood. The food is down to earth, the vibe electrifying, and, for many, it represents the dawn of a new North Side.

Each of my visits has brought newfound loves and "never order agains," but the menu is so extensive -- from a pastramiand kraut-topped dog to filet mignon -- that it's hard not to find a favorite.

We gave Kitchen 64 a trial run one sunny Tuesday around 8 p.m. The wait was half an hour, so we wedged in at the bar and scanned the short wine list ($6 to $7 a glass, $23 to $44 a bottle) before scoring a coveted patio table.

Appetizers range from everyday to eclectic, including our shrimp and Gorgonzola in phyllo ($8.95). It wasn't easily shareable, but it was darn good.

A pan lined with flaky phyllo was filled with a gooey hodgepodge of melted Gorgonzola, garlic cream sauce, cherry tomatoes and jumbo shrimp. Think swanky chicken pot pie in reverse.

We returned at 7 p.m. the following Friday with friends, surprised to snag a booth quickly. Soon, the place was slammed.

Almost any time of day, Kitchen 64's interior is abuzz with life. Pale wood and neon lights brighten the high-ceilinged space as a kinetic mix of conversation and commotion drowns out above-bar flat screens.

This particular Friday, our appetizer -- crab-cake bruschetta ($8.95) -- wasn't the hit Tuesday's was. Three overwhelmingly citrusy crab cakes sat awkwardly atop oversized toast points covered with a spicy tomato-red onion mixture. The creation looked and tasted like two separate appetizers hastily thrown together.

The lamb salad ($10.95), however, rocked. Slices of tender, roasted lamb joined dried cranberries, roasted red pepper, goat cheese and potato wedges for a provocative yet surprising balance of flavors and textures.

Coconut mango salsa gave macadamia-crusted trout ($17.95) its life. Its sweetness brought out the fish's delicate flavor, but the fillet's breading lacked the expected nuttiness.

Thin-crust chorizo, onion and roasted red pepper pizza ($8.95) was over-sauced and under-flavored. The spiced sausage added some zip, but overall it was forgettable.

Unforgettable, however, was the Scott's Edition ($8.25). A hefty roll cradled beaucoup quality prime rib, mushrooms, onions and just the right amount of Swiss. Better yet was the accompanying jus -- salty with an intoxicating maple syrup-like sweetness. Had stomach capacity not limited intake ability, I would have ordered three.

Our server disclosed that some desserts are homemade but some are not. Stick with homemade, such as chocolate peanut butter torte ($4.50), a crisp, salty indulgence perfect for those not wanting death by sugar. Other homemade options include carrot and parsnip cakes.

A reader recently chastised me for heralding "those casual Fan spots [I] seem to love." Add Kitchen 64 to that list. While not in the Fan District, it brings that same casual appeal north of the interstate.

We restaurant-starved North Siders couldn't be happier. dcraig@timesdispatch.com.