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We started in the kitchen
Clean books, operator-readable reporting, and guidance from people who know the line.
One team for restaurant accounting, bookkeeping and CFO services. The numbers translated through people who've actually run the restaurant and the M&A deal.
Book a 20-minute fit call →See how we work →Trusted by independent restaurant operators
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WHAT WE DO
Service. Payroll. Vendors. Cash. Staff. Tax deadlines. And the numbers still don't tell you what's really happening.
We know what that feels like. We've run the restaurant, worked the line and the now handle the books. You get clean, operator-readable financials and forward visibility, and when you grow, raise capital, open units, or prepare for sale, we have the financial team and experience to stay with you.
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about us
Most accountants know your books. We know your business
Most CPA firms are good at accounting, we are CPA experts in restaurants. We're built the other way around. Founded by a CPA with twelve years working every job in a restaurant to working fifteen years at the highest levels of corporate finance. We deliver financials that read like an operator wrote them and hold up when the bank or the buyer comes asking.
Learn more what de do
Weekly closes, not monthly
You see last week - comps, voids, prime cost, cash - before you repeat it.
Operator-readable reporting
Statements that read like an operator wrote them, not a tax return.
A firm that grows with you
From your first location to your next raise, location, or sale - we are built to scale with you.
Restaurants only
We don't do dentists and dry cleaners. Restaurants, bars and the hospitality industry is the whole practice expertise.
Ready to take the next step?
Book a 20-minute fit call. No pitch – we’ll tell you whether we’re a fit, and if we’re not, we’ll point you to someone who is.
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Services
Hands-on accounting for independent restaurants — clean books, proactive tax, reporting an operator can actually read.
Every service connected to the next — so your books, your tax position, and your cash flow read as one story, not five separate spreadsheets.
Restaurant Bookkeeping
Daily POS reconciliation, weekly prime cost, and a clean monthly close. Built on industry leading technology.
Tax Planning and Prep
FICA tip-credit optimization, entity structure, multistate sales and meals tax, and quarterly planning - Not just a return in April.
CFO Services
Unit economics, expansion and break-even analysis, lender and investor packages, and cash-flow forecasting for when the stakes get bigger.
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Where we work
Your market is our market. We work hands-on with restaurants and bars across Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia - and remotely with operators nationally.
The flexibility of our workforce allows us to offer peerless advisory to clients anywhere in the country
Learn more about locations
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Free review
Find out what your current accounting is missing — and what you could be doing instead.
Why work with The Kitchen CPAs?
- We close weekly, not monthly. You see last week before you repeat it.
- Our team works directly with your chef and GM, not just the owner.
- You won't have to switch software or rebuild your back office — we integrate with what you already run on.
- We catch operational tells in the data — comp/void patterns, ghost shifts, tip-pool math errors — before they become your problem.
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BLOG
Check out some of our most popular articles
Practical, plain-English guidance on the numbers behind running a restaurant — tips, taxes, margins, cash, and growth.
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3 min read
Why Every Restaurateur Needs a Restaurant CPA
Running a restaurant is equal parts passion and precision. While you’re crafting memorable dining experiences out front, your back office needs to hum with just as much finesse. That’s where
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Eric Dembinski
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4 min read
4 reasons to partner with a cpa firm specializing in restaurants
Why Restaurant and Bar Owners Should Work with a CPA Firm That Specializes in the Hospitality Industry Running a successful restaurant or bar isn’t just about great food and good
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Eric Dembinski
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3 min read
Why “Restaurant CPA Near Me” Is an Outdated Search — The Case for Working with a Remote Restaurant CPA Firm
If you're a restaurant owner looking for accounting help, chances are you've typed “restaurant CPA near me” or “restaurant accounting near me” into Google. While that used to be the
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Eric Dembinski
Eric – I just have to say how incredibly grateful I am to have you on board. From an accounting/tax perspective, I genuinely lie awake at night wondering why they make everything so unnecessarily difficult. Thank you, seriously, for making me feel less crazy and for being such a steady, no-BS voice in all of this.
Anita DiPietro-Catalani, CEO
Controller - AED Management
Eric from The Kitchen CPAs has done wonders with my restaurant business. He's been very attentive to our needs in a timely manner and helped me strategize where we need to make adjustments to our operations. I would highly recommend him and his company to any business, especially in the restaurant industry.
Gary Koh, Operating Partner
Tommy Condon's Irish Pub & Restaurant
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FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a restaurant CPA different from a regular CPA?
A restaurant CPA understands how the business actually runs — prime cost, tip credits, POS reconciliation, comps and voids — not just debits and credits. We reconcile Toast or Square to your books, claim the FICA tip credit, file Form 8027 on time, and read your P&L the way an operator does. A generalist treats a restaurant like a retail shop with a kitchen attached.
Do you work with single-unit restaurants or only multi-unit operators?
Both. We work with independents from a single location up to multi-unit groups, with a sweet spot around $2M–$50M in revenue. Whether you’re cleaning up one set of books or consolidating several entities, the systems are built to scale with you.
Do you integrate with Toast, Square, or Restaurant365?
Yes. We’re fluent in Toast, Square, Restaurant365, MarginEdge, and QuickBooks Online, and we integrate with the stack you already run — we don’t make you switch systems or rebuild your back office to work with us.
What is the FICA tip credit and can you help me claim it?
The FICA tip credit (IRC §45B) is a federal income-tax credit for the employer’s share of Social Security and Medicare taxes paid on employee tips above the threshold frozen at $5.15/hour — and it’s claimed on Form 8846. Many restaurants under-claim or miss it entirely. We calculate it correctly and capture it — often a meaningful annual saving for tipped operations.
Ready to take the next step?
Book a 20-minute fit call. No pitch – we’ll tell you whether we’re a fit, and if we’re not, we’ll point you to someone who is.