No, I don't think they are. You are asking for different information. If you say 'What's the jacket like?' , the answer might be 'It's nice. It's dark brown wool, with a hood and fur lining. It would suit you.' You are asking for a description and/or a personal opinion. But if you say 'What kind of jacket is it?', you want to know if it's a ski jacket, a waterproof jacket, a cycling jacket, or whether it's a smart jacket or a casual jacket. 'Kind of' suggests that you are looking for some kind of categorisation.

When asking what kind of table, the answer might be a dining table, a coffee table, a picnic table, etc. When asking what the table is like, the answer might be that it is big, brown, dirty, etc. And something similar for jackets.

The first clear example is that when you add "is this?", I imagine you are looking straight at the table or jacket. Remember, this-here / that-there. It also tells me that perhaps you want to know the maker or brand name of the item. "What's ... like?" is asking for someone else's personal opinion/appraisal of the item. Does the jacket fit? Is he/she happy with the table? I really can't see these phrases as synonyms.