Kelly's Bar & Lounge - A Good Old Neighborhood Bar in East Liberty

Kelly’s is a dying breed.

The place has been described in many ways, with varying degrees of accuracy: Gritty (sure, I guess), diner vibe (I can see that), punk (OK), divey (fine, if you must). What it is, I think, is just a good old fashioned neighborhood bar.

It’s not a sterile, boring, plain jane chain of an atmosphere. I guess that’s enough to translate to “divey” these days.

There aren’t 4 levels of management interrupting your meal and your conversation just as you were getting to the punchline of your joke because ‘it’s time to check in and see how they like everything!’ I guess that qualifies as gritty?

They play music that’s not top-40 and they play it at the volume they deem appropriate (that’s “punk”!).

The booths and railings and neon and overall interior design is certainly reminiscent of a diner, so there’s that.

Look, call it what you will. It’s a bar. The drinks are made well, and they’re strong. There are no TVs, so you’ll have to pay attention to the person next to you. ‘Oh no, what if I find out that the person I’m with is actually boring? We spend all of our time watching Netflix and not talking to each other that I’m not sure if they, or I for that matter, can carry on a conversation throughout a full meal’.

I’ll spare you the suspense, they most likely are that boring, but, as I said, the drinks are stiff, so it should hopefully work itself out in no time at all.

The food is above average, the music is solid, the service is… well, places such as this tend to operate on the assumption that the staff are the cool kids and if you’re in you’re in and if you’re not you’re not. But move past it, settle in with some friends at the bar, order some mac ‘n’ cheese and a Pittsburgh Platter and don’t care too much (cause, really, isn’t not caring the mark of the really cool kids?)

Why is Kelly’s a dying breed? I don’t know. It’s expensive to open a new place, at least if you do it right. There was the hope, I think that as devastating as COVID was to the industry, a possible silver lining would have been a thinning of the herd, allowing some places that were on the edge to take some government funds and bow out gracefully, and allow the serious players to regain their footing. But, is it me, or does it seems like post-covid, a good proportion of newer openings have been those plain jane chains swooping in with their deep pockets and faux authenticity (just calling it ‘street tacos’ doesn’t make it street).

I don’t know, but I do know that through it all, Kelly’s Bar and Lounge remains. And we’re all the better for it.

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Your online concerns, addressed

(they won't do it, but The Monster will):

 

"Edited to add that we reported to Google that it is a bar and not a restaurant. Google agreed and made the change.

With a full menu, and listed on Google as an "American Restaurant" we went for lunch, at noon, with our 3 year old grandson for his favorite-Mac & cheese. We drove an hour and paid for parking.Upon entering we were immediately and rudely told to leave by the bartender and told it is their policy to not allow anyone under 21 and that they are NOT a restaurant but a bar only. That is obviously not true. We have been there many times, and their full menu is prominent on their website.

Just FYI, PA law does not prohibit minors in a bar when with an adult. There is also nothing on their Google info, or on their website, about it being 21+ only. While they are privately owned and can have whatever rule they want, they should classify themselves as a bar on Google, and should be clear about their 21+ rule."

ONE STAR

All Right!! It’s like we’re back in the sixties. Taking it to the streets and sticking it to The Man!

That is, if The Man is a neighborhood establishment and protesting in the streets is similar to messaging a corporate behemoth with the economic output of entire continents. But, ok, it’s something. We’re making a difference here.

And while we’re on the subject of keeping our priorities straight, I think Kelly’s is great. But I could probably suggest some other places, way less than an hour drive from anywhere, that would be more appropriate to take a 3-year old at noon.

“It's a cool little spot in the atmosphere is cool, BUT!!☝️. I came in a little bit after 7: 00 pm mind you , it was a Friday... But it wasn't crazy busy. I sat at the bar and got served a beer after a couple minutes and looked at the menu. I ordered the pierogies which looked good from the photos and also people said they were good in their reviews. Five for $7, okay it's not too bad if they're really homemade and good. Buuut, they weren't.... At least as far as good anyway. They were very bland and to be honest as I was eating them I thought the mrs t's frozen perogies taste better and have so much more flavor. The size of the pierogies were very small too. I ordered another beer and drank it. They Started getting a little busier, but it wasn't anything out of hand... I wanted to get another beer but I literally sat there for 20 minutes waiting for them to even acknowledge me and at that point I just asked for my check. Now this could be chalked up to just being too busy and being understaffed but there were two girls sitting right beside me, that seemingly every employee in the bar knew, that was getting an awful lot of attention and time. Maybe it was an off night, but it's too overpriced and has too poor service for me to ever go back. Maybe if you order different food and have a different staff you might be more lucky... I won't test my luck.”

TWO STARS

Yeah, some things never change. Not to make this all about me, but I will a little bit.

You see, a lifetime ago I found myself in a similar situation. Crowded beach bar, all male bartenders. I mentioned to the girl next to me that there was no way I’d get a drink as long as she and her friends were standing there, so maybe she could help me out and flag down the bartender?

Well, I got my drink in a timely manner, and the rest of the story... is really none of your business, so stop asking me about it!

Now, I can’t in good conscience suggest you do the same, as this was a long long time ago, a time when men still knew how to flirt without being creepy and before we decided to require written authorization in order to speak to the other human beings in public. I do feel for you in that regard.

As for the pierogies, it sounds like on the one hand you didn’t like them very much, but at the same time you also wished they were bigger so you had more to eat?? Fascinating.

“Not a bad place, does not have TV's though..”

TWO STARS

I guess reviews are subjective, so if you want there to be TVs, then not having them is a negative. But no one said there would be TVs, did they? Would you rate Mcdonalds lower for not having TVs? How about an art museum?

Handing out a poor review to a place for achieving what they set out to do feels wrong. Like, icky. If we’re not able to enjoy a place for what it is, then maybe it’s just not for us. Doesn’t mean it’s a bad place though, does it.

Kelly's Bar & Lounge

6012 Centre Ave

East Liberty

https://kellysbarlounge.com/