If that’s an exterior wall, you’re REALLY going to miss the insulation. All brick is not meant to be exposed. Especially in a kitchen where it is not going to be at all easy to clean.

My brick was in similar condition up close, cleaned it as best possible and then put on several coats of a sealer that didn't change its sheen/appearance. The walls could have been exposed brick too, but those were more of the brick that wasn't meant to be exposed variety in addition to creating plumbing, electrical and other headaches. I think the distressed look adds character, but its hard to tell if this would work in your kitchen with just a close up.

It's of course possible to repoint brick, its messy though particularly for interior work.

Thanks for the response and picture, DrB477! Your exposed brick looks great. I'll get more pictures -- it's a large area, and I don't mind the distressed look from a distance, but overall I prefer a recessed joint and as long as it's not sealed yet, it would be the time to do it. If I go directly for the sealer after one more clean, it sounds like it will smooth it out a bit.

fwiw, it's technically mortar (not grout) and it's going to be very, very messy to have repointed inside your house. If you do decide to proceed, make sure to hire a mason who has worked with old brick before and who knows the correct amount of Portland Cement (if any, depending on the age of the brick) to use in the mix, or you'll be in a world of hurt down the road.

Thanks wiscokid! (my home state :-) ) and thanks for the clarification on mortar. The mortar itself is quite solid, so I think I'll stick with it as-is, have one more round of cleaning done, and then seal. Worse-case scenario is that one day we decide to cover it again. But getting the poorly installed and cruddy 4x8 fake paneling off the walls, along with the unsalvageable original plaster, is worth the dramatic change in our kitchen.