The Kerryman. Chicago, Illinois

661 N Clark Street

Guinness Tag: $9.00 | Overall Rating: 9.50

Today's Dedicated Pint: Jodi Garrison

The Kerryman Irish Pub of River North, Chicago

Once a notorious gangster hangout known as the McGovern Saloon, now owned by three Irish natives who did an immaculate job turning the place into one hell of a beautiful Pub. Moving forward, I believe the word "authenticity" should be defined as "The Kerryman Irish Pub in Chicago." Before we get into some of the meat and potatoes about the place, I just have to say how impressive all of the architecture and craftsmanship throughout every square inch of this establishment truly is. Both the bottom and second floors are masterpieces, and the world should let these 3 Irish owners know how great of a job they've done to the place.

To be honest, this Pub wasn't at the top of the totem pole when I made the list of all of the Pubs that I wanted to hit within my short trip to Chicago, although I'm certainly glad I plopped my potato on one of these barstools because it surely deserves to be treated as one of the best (not the best) but perhaps the 2nd or 3rd best Irish Pubs in the city, and probably the entire state of Illinois. We were eating hotdogs at the famous Portillo's & Barnelli's across the street and noticed the Kerryman's signage staring at us through the window and said "alright, we're going there next."

The curb appeal is inviting as you're greeted with greenery, a plethora of patio tables wrapping around the building, and a beautiful foyer. Once you step inside you are introduced to the high ceilings, remarkable pillars, incredibly styled staircases, and the bar itself being surrounded by booths along the windows. Whoever designed this place laid everything out so well. Everything falls right into place and seems to be at the perfect location.

The furniture is proper, and the barstools are comfortable, allowing you to easily bend the elbows for a few hours at a time. As you sit at the bar and look up, you'll see the second floor's seating and railings, floor to ceiling mirrors, a couple of TVs (that are tucked away and don't deride the magic), and the beautiful Crown Moulding along the painted ceiling. I swear, it's as if these guys quite literally took every possible square inch of this place into extreme detail and consideration. This place needs to be a paragon for every aspiring Pub owner who's looking to open a proper Pub in the states.

A marvelous pint of Guinness inside The Kerryman of Chicago

They pour their Guinness the right way inside glassware with their name etched on to it. There are 12 beers on tap that include all of the essentials, and the whiskey selection will make any whiskey snob happy. The prices are steep, but for good reason. You get what you pay for here. The bar countertop has a marble finish to it and the tables/booths have a stained wooden touch. The music is mostly Gaelic with a sprinkle of current pop songs thrown in every once in a while.

As you take a stroll throughout the place, you'll encounter some attractive wallpaper along the stairwell and upstairs hallways. The lighting throughout the place is nice and dim, and the light fixtures are rustic and unique. You'll also find some old school wall decor and Guinness signs, and a hand painted elevator door!

I know, I can't stop raving about this place. I'm drunk off its beauty.

The upstairs is truly where the Craic is. The downstairs bar is good for congregating, although I think it's safe to say that the Craic is more so coming from behind the bar down there rather than the front. Upstairs? It's everywhere. The second bar on the second floor is so drop dead gorgeous that I don't think my words will do it justice. Up there, you'll find live music and dancing multiple times a week. We're not talking "club like" dancing with Sean Paul on the stereo, we're talking true heartfelt dancing.

The Kerryman Irish Pub's second floor bar

The upstairs might be closed if you go during a weekday lunch, but you can still roam around and check it out if you ask politely. Pay attention to the staircase as you walk up there though, as it's pretty damn sweet. Oh, the toiletries here are clean, tidy, and they don't smell like farts. The Kerryman is an aesthetic treasure.

The blemishes that are attached to this place are too miniscule to even bring up. This place kicks ass. I'll happily go about my way throughout the rest of my time on this planet telling everyone about the most prestigious bar in the River North area of Chicago. Not only is it worthy of a recommendation, but I'm essentially telling you to stop at The Kerryman before you die. Do it. Do it now.

Slainte!

The Kerryman from across the street inside Portillo's

Portillo's and Barnelli's Hot Dog Shop