The Kerryman: User Reviews

Amazing food, service but too noisy to enjoy
By manishjainbit from loop, November 20, 2009

Overall rating:

I would do a pick up the next time since the food was AMAZING! The service was nice, polite, friendly and calm despite it being a friday... But the place was waaayyyy too noisy to enjoy. And it was noisy mainly because both the loud television and music were playing at the same time. The ambience was okay.. not too great..

Superb!!!
By Fizz from Ireland, February 27, 2009

Overall rating:

I'm shocked by the mixed reviews this bar is receiving. It is, quite frankly, my favourite bar in the Chicago area. The atmosphere is electric and the food is fab. I've always been served by extremely friendly staff and the overall vibe is one of lively fun. It seems to me that some people expect a cluttered, 'plates' on the wall decor and trad music if a bar is advertised as an Irish bar! Thankfully The Kerryman understands the essence of the true meaning of craic agus fáilte!!!
Fun and welcome :)

worst place in the city
By slip from river north, November 25, 2008

Overall rating:

Went to this place on a tuesday night with 5 friends. Food was not good at all. The waitstaff was just as bad. The worst part was the management. Who eve the GM was that night was on a power trip. We rude and very very unprofessional . I would never go back again or tell someone to go there again.

Great Food and a different atmoshphere at different times of the day
By Tim from Tim, August 3, 2008

Overall rating:

I live in the neighborhood and this is my default place to take people from out of town when we are just lookin for a solid (but not blah) meal. For Saturday and Sunday lunches it's their great selection of salads - yes, good salads at a bar! Thursday or Friday night it might be a ruben or a burger. If you have kids with they have great Mac and Cheese and chicken tenders (although as a 31 y/o I like these too!)

Good selection of beers and daily drink specials --although the only one I remember is reduced priced momosas and bloody mary's on Sunday.

One IMPORTANT thing to note is that this bar changes vibes like most people change socks. Calm outdoor eating during the day / weekends. Lively, but fun for happy hours. 8 p.m. and later and it can get Loud! with lots of people and DJs on Thurs, Fri, Sat nights. I would not recommend it for dinner / drinks after 8 p.m. if you are looking to have meaninful / serious conversation with someone. BUT, if you are looking for more of a party vibe, after 8 p.m. is Great!

Horrible Food & Service
By rivernorther from River North, July 23, 2008

Overall rating:

I was a fan of this place when it opened several years ago. I hadn't visited in about 3 years until last night. The place was not at all crowded and there were several empty booths in the front room, so we expected good service. It took a while to get waited on for drinks. We ordered an app to share plus a buffalo chicken sandwich and the shepherds pie. Both entrees were marked as house specialties so we were expecting them to be good. The app was ok (artichoke dip) but not outstanding. We were not given napkins, silverware or plates and the waiter didn't reappear until after we finished eating the dip sans napkins etc. There was a very, very long wait for our food once the apps plate was cleared (and still no napkins etc. showed up). Finally the food came. The buffalo chicken sandwich was burnt to a black crisp and hard as a rock, and there was no blue cheese as advertised. the fries were cold. The shephards pie was like soup with the primary ingredient resembling a can of no-bean Hormel chili. There was one meager scoop of mashed potatoes on top swimming in the gravy – not the layer of crusted mashed potatoes I’ve seen elsewhere. I have seen lots of shepards pies and none of them looked like this terrible mess. We sent back the food, paid for our drinks and apps (with no apology from our clueless server), and went to our regular haunt, English, where we enjoyed a fine meal and superb service. We will not return to Kerryman!

Irish bar?
By MJ from West Bucktown, May 12, 2008

Overall rating:

Just because you have Guinness on tap, doesn't make you an Irish bar. Seemed to be more clubby. That's not a bad thing, just calling it like I see it. I don't mean to sound old or anything (as I'm not) but does the music upstairs really need to be that loud? None of my friends could hear anything we were saying. We ended up having a decent time and drink prices weren't really outrageous but don't think i would come back here on purpose.

Ended up having a great time
By kellychicago from river north, May 12, 2008

Overall rating:

I wasn't really sure about this place when I went to meet my friends this past Saturday night. Reason being that some guy dancing knocked my drink out of my hand in the first five minutes that I was there. I went up to the bar and the really nice bartender gave me a new drink no questions asked. She was really nice about it and most girl bartenders in Chicago aren't nearly as cool. I thought the music was pretty good but it was a little too loud. I didn't eat any food but will definitely be back to try it out. I have to also say that my friends and I thought there were a lot of good looking guys there as well!!

I wouldn't stand in line if I were you!
By Jackie from Roscoe Village, April 27, 2008

Overall rating:

We went here last night (Sat.) for a friend's birthday around 9 o'clock, just for drinks. We got in right away. It was kind of cramped downstairs, but the music was tolerable. We went upstairs to see if there was more room upstairs, which there was plenty of room to stand. Unfortunately though, the upstairs thinks it is a club and not an irish pub. The music was so loud and the DJ was terrible, the songs were skipping and it was not the kind of mixes you should ever be hearing in a bar like this. We ended up back downstairs, so we could actually hear each other talk and found and open table. The evening was ok after that, as the wait staff was attentive and got our drinks right. On our way out at about 11, there was a massive line almost a half a block long!!! No way would I ever stand in that line. The place was just average, at best.

Asinine attempts to draw public in...
By mhillgoth from mhillgoth, April 6, 2008

Overall rating:

The asinine door guy told me and my friends they were at capacity (at 10 PM) and we could only go inside as the appropriate number left. We'd have gladly left, except half our party was already inside. The door guy knew this and used it to his advantage to keep us in line for a half hour. A line for Kerryman?? Please. The place was incredibly empty once we got inside, and the music beyond lame. And conveniently, the one in-one out bs was apparently out the window a few, as we saw people coming in by the dozens. I still can't believe the pompous door guy. With all the other great places in the neighborhood, you REALLY think there's a real need for a line at Kerryman? Never again.

Terrible service
By Rodrigo from Downtown, April 5, 2008

Overall rating:

Terrible service. Just terrible. I ordered a pint of Guinness . I know that the Guinness needs to stand for a couple of minutes. I waited for a long time while the barman ignored me and my partially poured pint of Guinness. I tried to call him after I noticed that the beer was ready to serve with no success. I waited and waited and waited until a barwoman asked me what I wanted. I pointed to the pint of Guinness and the original barman whispered something in her ear. They did not charge me for the pint, but it does not change the fact that these pretentious barmen totally ignore the customers. I will not go back to this place because they disrespect the customer. They are too good to serve anyone.