Week 8: Kelly's Bar and Lounge

I'll admit it, this restaurant was on my list because of it's name...

Don't make that face, if there was a bar that had your name, you would stop by, too.

What was I expecting before attending Kelly's Bar and Lounge in East Liberty this evening? Well, actually I was expecting to go to Abay, a restaurant that has been on my list for ages, but I somehow keep messing up the execution of attending. Tonight, I simply forgot that Abay is not open on Mondays.

So, when my friend Christy called me from outside of Abay to say that we should change our venue plans for dinner, I immediately thought of Kelly's. Because I didn't do my research, I thought that this was an Irish Pub (rookie mistake) for the longest time. It turns out Kelly's is far from an Irish Pub (unless you count the beer). Here's the run-down:

• Kelly's has a diner-like feel: booth seating with classic diamond shaped vinyl coverings.
• The menu is 75% alcohol, and the draft list is seasonal and refreshed frequently. I'll be honest, I didn't think outside of the box and went with my classic Yuengling order.
• There are about twenty American-style menu options, and I ordered a Shrimp Po Boy sandwich (classy), and although the presentation was nothing to write home about, the meal was pretty good. Pretty darn good.

The Bottom Line

Once a week budget, friendly waitresses, varied draft specials, and bench seating galore; I'd say Kelly's is a keeper for late night eats!