Kerryman Irish Bar & Restaurant — Restaurant in Chicago

I walked in here expecting your average pub food, but I couldn't have been more wrong. The quality and quantity of food here just blew my mind. The pretzel was HUGE and the cheese sauce that came with it was very creamy and held very well to the pretzel surface. The bacon jam also had the perfect consistency. It was neither too salty nor sweet (which often happens at other places) and delivered an excellent balance of smoky flavor with meaty umami flavor without being overpowering. The tomato soup was extremely flavorful and almost had the depth of a New England lobster bisque minus the seafood flavor. The blackened chicken sandwich was also cooked perfectly, with the right amount of vegetables and sauces that made it easy to hold in my hands (which is, again, not often the case in many other places). I could also tell the salad was put together very thoughtfully - the lettuce pieces were tossed with the right amount of balsamic dressing so that they had an even coat of dressing. This made each bite enjoyable without making the salad swim in dressing. They were topped with cubed cucumbers, tomatoes and celeries which added a lot of texture to the plate.

On top of this, we had very friendly servers, Ellen and Nellie, who were great at walking us through the menu. They were very professional, yet cheerful, and made the whole evening memorable. Overall, excellent food with quality service. I would definitely...

A party of 4 (middle aged) women and men walk in and we were told that we weren’t welcomed in. We did absolutely nothing but try to get in from the freezing cold. And we were told we couldn’t come in by the door person. He told us that the so called “owner” said we weren’t allowed in. With ZERO explanation as to why…we were made to leave without even being let in with no reason. It was freezing outside and we were running for the door (from an Uber). I’m not sure what he thought he saw but the so called”owner Trevor” didn’t even have the guts to come talk to us to explain why. What a coward to not have the courage to comfort his “customers” that didn’t do a thing to deserve this. OR…the door person made a decision and just plain out lied! Do NOT spend one single dollar at this establishment. Not worth a single cent being spent there. So many other great places to visit while here. They don’t want your business if you have any diversity whatsoever. Stay away and find the many other places that...

The triple grilled cheese sandwich was great, and so was the Guinness. The young lad behind the bar was a good character, but unfortunately that’s where the positives end.

The overweight old-lady that was between the bar and the floor was the most unpleasant creature I have encountered. I had my luggage with me for a flight that evening, and she kicked it around the bar into a random corner without asking whose it was, then again I guess there was no need when it was placed beside me and I made sure it wasn’t a tripping hazard.

Also, don’t buy the merchandise. I had asked for one of their Champions hoodies, as a gift for my brother. When I got back to Ireland the next day I only realised that they had provided me with a knock-off discount store quality hoodie for the same price as the Champion one, I just hadn’t the time to open the packaging when there. Pretty shady business tactic if you were to ask me.

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