Kelly’s Bar & Lounge

Worst bartender ever! The dude with dreadlocks! Totally miserable unless you are one of his friends! I won’t be back! Great food though! He totally ruins the night every time!

Kelly’s is a landmark, an institution, and a standby place to meet. The attraction is the owners’ commitment to a recreate a nostalgic, magical classic bar with great drinks, good beer, and excellent bar food.
People rave about the Mac ‘n’ Cheese, and yes you should order it.
Some week nights feature vinyl DJ’s. The vibe is generally hip and the drinks are strong.

[tl;dr: Be prepared to spend two hours to eat an utterly tasteless burger. The main problem is that there’s only one server for nearly fifteen booths.]
Just for the record, the one star is for the vibe. (Great vibe.) The missing four stars, however, are for nearly everything else that matters: the service and the food.
Imagine Tommy Wiseau saying «You’re tearing me apart, Kelly’s!» Because I really wanted to like this place. But I’ve been here twice now, and both times I’ve had an absolutely horrible experience.
Visit 1: All I wanted was a cheeseburger. It took us 30 minutes to give our orders, and another 45 minutes to get the burger. When I got it, it was 70% raw. (I ordered it «medium.»)
Visit 2: All I wanted was a cheeseburger. It took us an hour to give our orders, and another 45 minutes to get the burger. When I got it, it was utterly tasteless, as were the fries. (Having learned at least one lesson, I ordered it «well done,» so it came medium.)
There will not be a third visit. I swear it.

Interesting bar/​lounge. First time I ever ate in such darkness and it was still happy hour. Dark to point where i couldn’t read the chalk boards. Btw, I have ²⁰⁄₂₀. Food was decent. Service was friendly and attentive. Nice selection of beers. Great bang for your buck. Especially with all these trendy lil boutique restaurants opening all around town. We would visit again.
Only complaint… our veggie wontons were really burnt! Maybe cook couldn’t see because it was so dark.

Stepping into Kelly’s Bar & Lounge is a bit like stepping 50 years back in time. Just like the sign out front, the interior is a relic from another era. Kelly’s is dark and cozy, but welcoming. It sort of has the feel of a dive without the griminess of one.
The beer selection is pretty good, both on draft and in bottles. Additionally, the daily cocktail is an excellent special. Even at full price, Kelly’s cocktails are a great value (especially for the East End) but at $ 4, it’s practically a steal. Happy hour is a good deal too, with $ 2 off drafts and half-​off appetizers.
The food selection is nothing extensive, mostly the usual bar fare, but what I had was very good. I had an order of fried pickles and a mini mac and cheese. I can’t rave about the mac and cheese enough. If you’ve heard the hype, you should know that it’s real. Gooey, cheesey, and baked to perfection. The slightly browned and blackened crust lends a savory flavor to it that you just can’t beat. If you only ever get one thing at Kelly’s, make it that.
Kelly’s is a great place to go if you find yourself in East Liberty and in need of a drink and/​or bite to eat. Looking forward to many happy hours here in the future.

This bar does the seemingly impossible by combining the authentic grit of a dive bar with an upscale lounge without it feeling hipster. I know you don’t believe me, check it out and tell me I’m wrong. Diverse, laid back crowd drinking one of their signature martini cocktails. I believe there is one usually $ 8 or $ 9 cocktail drink for $ 4 (or at least the nights I’ve been there). It’s a stone’s throw from the shadyside Ellsworth bars. Seriously, if you have two friend jack and Diane and Diane had to wait for the bathroom at Soba and Jack left to walk to Kellys, I’d bet on Jack getting to Kellys before Diane was out of the bathroom*.

I really love Kelly’s. Its a really great bar. Every once and a while my friends and I plan a trip to Kelly’s for drinks and appetizers, but what has most consistently placed me inside Kelly’s is the long wait at BRGR. I’m not knocking Kelly’s, but the honest truth is that I didn’t really frequent Kelly’s for anything more than a few drinks or some fries. For a while, I didn’t give them the time or credit that they deserve. I’m usually in the area to have dinner, but Kelly’s is generally less packed and has good drinks. Its the ideal place to stop by if you need to kill some time, or if you want to get drunk, or have a laid-​back dinner date. Whatever floats your boat.
If I intend to head to Kelly’s, its for happy hour. They even have happy hour on the weekends. They have ½ priced appetizers, $ 2 off drafts (I think its $ 2 off.), and a special drink of the night (I believe its $ 5). They have grilled a Halloumi & Olives appetizer that’s awesome, great fresh cut fries, and mac n’ cheese. ANNNDDD they have ice cream sandwiches. I’ve had mint, pumpkin, and chocolate chip, and I recommend them all.
The only thing I’ve had at Kelly’s that I didn’t like was the fish tacos. I would describe them as gross. They were basically fish sticks inside of a tortilla. I would not order them again or recommend them to anyone.

I will always love Kelly’s bar. I have been coming here for years and it always holds a special place in my heart. The $ 4 drink specials are always worth trying and they also change seasonally. The interior of Kelly’s is a beautiful dimly lit bar with red booths. In the summer it’s always worth hanging out on the patio. The staff is quick and knowledgeable. Oh and don’t forget the food, I always get a mini mac and put hot sauce on top! They have a really great barley wine festival every March and it is the best beer festival in the city– hands down!

Living in Highland Park, Kelly’s is my local bar of choice. Food is well above average for bar food and they have specials on apps during the week. My favorite thing on the menu is the Pittsburgh Bites (tofu, mild) they are deep fried, crispy, and super tasty. Other stand-​out items are the halloumi with olives, and tacos. Friends recommend the burger, chicken sandwich, and mac and cheese, but I have not tried these items before. I had a Southwest wrap once that tasted like it was frozen and I didn’t like it, I haven’t tried the other items, since I’m not into meat, but they also do a nice salad.
There’s a lot of hype about famous bartenders and upscale bars in the city lately, and indeed, if you’re interested in an expensive cocktail of the «craft» variety than Livermore or Harvard & Highland are probably more your speed. Kelly’s does classic cocktails, and the bartenders care about what they are making. I have never been displeased with any cocktail I have had here. The beer list is also extensive, they change drafts regularly. I am a wine drinker usually but I have no idea if they serve wine here because I always get cocktails. They are strong, high quality, and reasonably priced. I will admit that there have been nights when I’ve had a few too many, but thankfully this bar is in walking distance of my home ;)

Kelly’s is a fantastically kept secret for the slowly reviving East Liberty scene. It’s built styled after an old diner [It may have once been an old diner] with the bar to the left of the entrance, some seating to the right and a cool court yard in the back of the bar.
This is the place that the staff comes after they have closed their own restaurants. And not just the immediate surrounding ones, but from downtown. [not there’s some veteran commitment]. And I completely understand why. The drinks are reasonable, especially for it’s «too chic» neighbors, the rotating craft beer list changes often no matter the season change or not. And the food is good. Try the tuna melt with cheddar or the pittsburgh bites appetizers [which come in hot or mild/​chicken or tofu]. Most crave the Mac’n’cheese which you can get in a Mini version for $ 4 if you are not able to stuff all the scrumptiousness into you at once, but beware, it’s quite peppery.
The signature drinks are made quickly and great and all the bartenders have great character. Every once in a while there will be a live spinning DJ [something I wouldn’t expect whatsoever] in the front corner of the bar.
Naturally, as it needed when your clientele is current or previous restaurant people, having a smoking area in the back is an absolutely must. Best is of course late Spring and Summer nights where you chat the day away with your friens and colleagues.
Love it come again and often

This place is a great hidden gem for awesome food and amazing cocktails at very reasonable prices. My favorite things are the Mac and cheese (to die for), sweet potato fries, and their super tasty sidecar. Bartenders are always great too!

Excellent drinks. Lackluster food. Annoying vibe.
The drinks are so good and so strong, I have been there twice and don’t remember leaving each time. The food is nothing special… everyone raves about their mac & cheese though. It is always packed there on the weekends. Very dark… no TVs which is nice. Parking is atrocious.

Let me start with positives. I’ve never had a bad (weak) drink at Kelly’s, and I feel it’s very reasonably priced. The only food I’ve tried was the mac and cheese, which was ok given how much it cost.
Kelly’s has two major issues: cleanliness and service. The booths are covered in crumbs, regardless of the time of night, and the tables often need wiping. Mysterious sticky stains abound.
The service would be so-​so if not for this crazy policy: let’s say you sit at a table. No waiter has been paying attention to you, so you go to the bar to get a drink. Are you allowed to bring that drink back to your table? No, you have to drink it at the bar! It’s a kind of catch-​22.
For these reasons, I have to give a 2 star rating — there are better bars around.

Looking for a hip, divey, and cool place to have a drink and/​or a meal? Look no further than Kelly’s Bar & Lounge! Nestled between a yoga center and a bank on Centre Avenue in East Liberty, this diner-​like bar offers some great happy hour deals and some great food. Their mac & cheese is VERY good. A perfectly crusted cheese covering a pit of ooey gooey cheesy macaroni. It just makes me drool thinking about it. How about a drink to wash down the cheesy goodness? You can’t go wrong with their IPAs and cocktails. I, personally, like their margaritas. Setting the mood are the DJs playing a wide range of tunes. I’m sure you’ll be moving to the beats of a couple of their musical selections.
Overall, this is my go-​to hipster/​divey bar. Great happy hour specials, great food, and good music! Service is also excellent; they refill your drinks as soon as they are almost gone.

Wow, cool spot with some good vibes going on here. I really can’t believe I’ve passed up this place so many times. My bestie and I met up here for a late night bite and a drink. So, what I ordered may not be the best combo but, it’s what I wanted.
Why 3 stars? Well, when we walked in we weren’t sure if we should seat ourselves or wait for someone. A worker walked past but didn’t say anything so we found a table and popped a squat. No one noticed us so after about 10 minutes I walked up to the bar and asked for menus. The bartender handed them over then asked where we were sitting. After I told him we were in a booth, he assured us someone would be over. At the time it wasn’t a huge deal but once we noticed the time, we realized how long we had been sitting there. That’s my only negative but now that I know, I’ll just order at the bar from now on when I visit.
We ordered tacos and mac n cheese. Crazy combo, I know but they both were good. While not authentic tacos were yummy. The mac n cheese… good Lord was it good. It looked a little charred when it got to the table but one bite ruled out all of that foolishness. It was comforting, cheesy and just downright good! I had a cosmopolitan to wash it all down and that was perfect!!!
I am looking forward to visiting again and will update my review at that time, if needed.

Kelly’s offers strong and reasonably priced roaring 1920s era cocktails like the Mint Julep, Gin Ricky and the Side Car. I recommend the Pink Squirrel and the Grasshopper.
If you’re planning on coming with a large group in the evening, know that our check was NOT split for us, so plan accordingly.

Stereotypical 1960’s diner matured into a divey but delightful hipster bar. You’ll find no eggs or pancakes, only craft beers and bangin’ barpetizers. The crispy mac n’ cheese is some of the best I’ve had, get the large, trust me!
It has a great drink selection, consistently fast, friendly service, and a nice outdoor patio for the summer. The prices are small and the portions are large! I wouldn’t have thought the classic diner counter, checker board floors, booths, and jukebox would transform so perfectly into a bar, but Kelly’s made me a believer!

So as I was sitting at the bar eating the hefty fish sandwich, not minding having been given hushpuppies with it when, I checked in on the Unilocal app. Then they started asking me the additional questions when question #2 was, «Is this place hipster?». I looked up from my plate and phone. I gazed over to my bartender, Caleb, and I knew the answer.
Yes.
Because if he isn’t what hipsters look like, then I don’t understand the question. I gazed upon him in his skinny pants with the sky blue/​yellow flannel shirt with only the top four buttons buttoned. I knew. And I was certain.

Kelly’s has been on my to-​visit list forever, but I finally received the opportunity to check it out on Wed. I was planning to go to Burgatory with a friend to claim my free birthday milkshake, but a previous commitment ran late to the point that we were unsure if we’d have sufficient time before closing. Since my friend had also suggested getting drinks, I suggested that we try Kelly’s instead, so we headed over.
When we walked in, nobody came to greet us, so we seated ourselves at one of the booths. Upon doing so, a hipster waiter, complete with large gauges, tats, and interesting hair handed us menus. He told us that the drink special of the night was a rusty nail, which consisted of Scotch and Drambuie (orange liqueur) for $ 4, so we both decided to try it. It was smooth, but quite strong, to the point that it burned a bit going down. The ice thinned it out as we drank, however, so by the time we finished it, it was substantially thinner.
Because we were hungry, we decided to get some snacks to go with our drinks. As a mac and cheese snob, I had to order the mac and cheese, since I’d heard of its claim to fame as one of the best in PGH. Consistent with my preferences, this mac and cheese is of the baked variety, and comes with a crust on top, but has a sharp cheddar sauce that is surprisingly creamy underneath. Although it didn’t beat my current front runner for best mac and cheese in PGH (Carmi), it’s definitely in the top tier of mac and cheeses (score: 9.0÷10). Based on my recommendation, my friend ordered the sweet potato fries with cajun aioli. When they came out, the fries appeared more like chips, but thicker (see photo). While the flavor was very good, esp. hot, the texture left something to be desired, since they lacked crispiness or crunch.
Overall, I enjoyed the drinks and food at Kelly’s. The ambience was interesting – something of a cross between a bar and a diner – and came off as hipster without trying too hard (a la Wingharts) or being pretentious. My only complaint was that the music was a bit loud – not so much that I had to shout across the table, but enough to be slightly annoying. I don’t have any complaints about the service, except that I was carded (I’m not usually carded at bars anymore – but then again, my friend is a couple years younger than me). I’d definitely be up for stopping back in, esp. to try the much-​talked-​about happy hour, and some of the other interesting, less common drinks served there.

Went ahead and added an extra star for excellent service. Though this is a little dive bar, it’s not dirty or stank smelling.
I’ve been here on a crowded Saturday and though it was hipster city the vibe was still chill and I was able to have a good time. I’ve stopped in a few times by myself and bartenders are very friendly and knowledgeable.
The drinks are around $ 6 a pop and poured well. Food size is good for the price, though the only thing to write home about was the Mac and cheese. Very yummy cheese sauce and I typically hate elbow Mac but this was delish.
It’s a nice quiet bar to stop in for a drink if you’re in between things, and if you have a good group of friends during happy hour then it can get fun as well. Definitely one of the more «bang for your buck» options in that part of town.