Kells Brewery

I don't make it out to Kell's (any of their locations) as much as I'd like. This particular Kell's, out in NW off 21st street, is my wife's favorite go-to location for St. Patrick's Day festivities, which is a bit of a double-edged sword. As expected for their showcase holiday event, it was packed to the gills, even though we're just coming out of mask mandates, so the experience comes with some...inherent risks. That said, we're about as prepared as anyone can be, immunology-wise, and it's about time we started returning to normal. If we don't, we never will. The $20 cover netted us entry, plus a couple of sweet Kell's t-shirts. The 21st avenue location features a covered auxiliary tent for capacity spillover, meaning the main dining area is pretty much standing room only, and barely that. We wanted to enjoy the live music (a staple at Kell's, even during regular weekdays and weekends), so we waded into the throng, hoping to find a place to sit...a tall order, in and of itself! Snagging a table during a premier event requires vigilance, patience and assertiveness, but after about an hour, we managed to grab one, and ordered food and drinks. It's a foregone conclusion that my wife will order the Corned Beef & Cabbage on St. Patty's, and myself, having had some for lunch, pivoted to my other perennial favorite, the Shepherd's Pie. Incredibly, despite the overwhelming mass of humanity ordering food and drinks at the same time, our entire order manifested at our table within 15 minutes. A jealousy-inspiring portion of corned beef landed, hot and fresh, in front of my wife, but my Shepherd's Pie was satisfying enough to keep me from stealing more than a bite or two (at least until she became full, at which time, it became ALL MINE)! Two-for-one! Heck yes! There were, of course, a few nitpicks here and there: the mashed potatoes in my Shepherd's Pie seemed a little on the cold and hard side, likely having sat idle for a while before being utilized. Considering the amount they must have had to make to prepare for their most popular holiday, that's not surprising. I'd also say that the cocktails I ordered were a tad on the anemic side, but that is also not normal, and likely a result of the event. Knocking even one star off of Kell's rating, because of a couple minor hiccups, due to the swarming chaos of their St. Patty's Day event, would be unjust. Any day of the week, this is a four-clover, five star pub, and being able to pull of such an overwhelming event as successfully as they have, requires a degree of skill (and luck) that only the Irish possess!
Mar 24th, 2023

Fish and chips were killer! I could spend hours staring at the whiskey/bourbon selection
Mar 18th, 2023

Good food and great beer. Nice atmosphere.
Mar 13th, 2023

Mar 11th, 2023

The Reuben was delicious, thanks!
Mar 7th, 2023