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Kellys Brewery
Categories: Nightlife Bars Pubs Local Flavour Restaurants Burgers Restaurants Sandwiches Pubs, Local Flavour, Burgers, Sandwiches [Edit]
3222 Central Ave SEAlbuquerque, NM 87106
(505) 262-2739
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Drive-Thru:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- Yes
About This Business:
Good Old Fashioned bugers, hand made patties, fresh roasted green chile whole not chopped , and 1/2 lb nathan's all beef hot dogs with homemade chile beans.
78 reviews for Kellys Brewery
Review Highlights
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"And their sweet potato fries are always good." In 7 reviews -
"...creamy and tasty, and just the right amount of green chile." In 7 reviews -
"Great beer selection, nice open air atmosphere." In 9 reviews
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78 reviews in English
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Review from Rodney M.
Westminster, CO
4/19/2012
We went to Santa Fe & ABQ on vacation. Hungry and beer starved after driving from Santa Fe, we went looking for a micro brew pub. A Colorado native, I'm spoiled with so many micro brew pubs to choose from so close to my home.
Kellys had a good selection of beers on tap, their porters and stouts were some of the best, hats off to their stout! The menu on the back describes their beers and what your tastes may be. This is helpful if your beginning to develop a taste for different beers, and don't know what you want because you've drank Bud and Coors all your life.
Their burgers are money!! Their buffalo burger is juicy and flavorful. The fries were hot and cooked perfect. My girl friend got their Albuquerque Turkey Sandwhich, which was no joke either; tasty & big because they use lots of fresh carved turkey breast and are not stingy with the alvacados.
Their patio is huge and spacious, as is the dining and bar areas. I totally enjoyed eating my burger, drinking my beer... Ehh-emmm.... Beers, visiting with the girl friend, and people watched as Albuquerque walked by on a warm, beautiful, mid September evening! If you want to watch sports while enjoying one of their many hand craft brews, they have plenty of TV's everywhere around the bar.
We'll come back to Kelly's when we're back down that way fo sho! -
Review from Dmitriy S.
San Diego, CA
After arriving in Albuquerque, my coworkers and I quickly realized that in this city, everything closes ridiculously early. After 8pm, it was fairly tough to find a decent bite to eat. Fortunately, my manager had already been to Kelly's during his previous visit and knew that it was pretty legit and should be open fairly late. He was right, and our stomachs were finally rescued.
Kelly's seems like a typical sports bar mixed with a fairly timid restaurant. We decided to sit in the bar, where all the action was going on. The server was great and answered all of our questions diligently. After ordering our drinks, it took her a while to get her to take our orders, but we weren't in too much of a rush.
The beer selection here is pretty vast. I ended up going to the darker side and ordering a Dunnkelweizen, which is a dark wheat beer. Although it's supposed to be similar to a Hefweizen (which I can't stand), I really couldn't see the resemblance. Overall a great dark beer selection that hit the spot after a long day of traveling.
As the for the food, word of warning: their portions are HUGE. After seeing a sandwich come out to the table next to us, I quickly shifted my thought process up to the appetizers part of the page. I ended up ordering the Quesadillas, which are originally veggie, but you can get different meats in them as well (I chose steak). I was served with 8 whopping quarter sections that took me almost an hour to finish. They come with wheat cream, salsa, guacamole, tomatoes, lettuce, and 2 roma tomato "baloons," which add a fun touch to the whole meal. Everything tasted very fresh, the meat was perfectly prepared, and there was plenty of cheese present, just how I liked it. Overall, one of the best quesadillas I've ever had!
Great beer, great food, and friendly service. It's also next door to Gertrude Zachary Jewelry Store, which was the setting for a scene of Breaking Bad. Not much more I could ask for! -
Review from Geoff A.
12/7/2011
Okay college bar
Ambience: Large space with tables, booths, bar and long bench seating. Lots of TVs in the back section.
Service: Good and friendly.
Food: Okay. I liked the ABQ turkey sandwich and appreciated the use of fresh carved turkey breast. The chicken green chile soup was not as good. Good selection of beers and drinks.
Price: good value.
Not too bad for a cheap, okay meal. -
Review from Joe S.
5/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
This was a pretty cool place. The food was so so. The beer was pretty good as well. The coolest part about this place is you can order a full batch of beer for $100. You can pick one of their recipes or bring them one. Not too shabby.
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Review from Bill H.
Albuquerque, NM
5/7/2012
Below average food, terrible service, unbelievably mediocre beer made from extracts and carbonated water,not actually brewed, and a large overcrowded patio of people enjoying all of the above. Really?? Fortunately for Kelly's there is- as the saying goes "one born every minute".
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Review from Quinn T.
Flagstaff, AZ
4/30/2012
Stopped here years ago on one of my many drives from Chicago to LA. What I didn't know until recently is that the sangria is so fine. Burgers are good too.
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Review from Steve G.
2/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great place! Has a well-worn feel to it, but the staff is friendly and there's a great beer selection - had Hazed and Infused on tap! Had the posole, first time for me - it was good but way too much food! Wife loved the creamy green chile chicken soup. A bowl was plenty! They had tang in the dining room. Not too crowded for a Sunday night. Have to check out more of Nob Hill when we come back to Albuquerque..
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Review from Andrew T.
El Cerrito, CA
1/24/2012
Such a great spot, I've decided to write my first review in a year and a half. Very friendly bartenders(easy on the eyes too, like all off them). Huge beer selection including a bunch of home brews as well as local staples like the Lobotomy(named after the University of New Mexico Lobos). The green chili cheese fries were the bomb. Good people at the bar watching the GB/NYG game including a cool-ass dude from Miami trying to set me up with his daughter(super-model-ish). Well worth the 5 mile walk in the high altitude/cold temperature. And mad props to the hotel shuttle(Holiday Inn Express) picking my drunk-ass up after.
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Review from Cath M.
10/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
BFF, S.O. and I came here on our last night in town...
We just came in for beers... and indeed they have a wide range of selection! Wow.
Since I'm not a big fan of dark beers... I ended up getting their Apricot. FIrst sip: it was ok. I thought it'll be more like 21st Amendment's watermelon hefe but it wasn't... it was more bitter and stronger kick back after the sip.
Ambiance: lots of TVs ... and semi unruly crowd... probably not used to the ABQ crowd of just yelling randomly for no reason at all and end up looking around the crowd of patrons for attention back... yah... no beer could numb that down.
Hoping to try it out again when it's not close to shutting down... to possibly avoid that kind of crowd and actually experience the brewery for what's known for... beers. -
Review from Barbara W.
Jonestown, TX
4/2/2012
We were there on Saint Patrick's Day, and they pulled out all the stops. At one point, about 7-8 pipers were playing bagpipes on the patio. We sat at the bar, drinking beer and watching basketball. We didn't care for their own beers, but they have a nice selection of interesting beers on tap.
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Review from Hanako A.
Tallahassee, FL
12/28/2011
This is my favorite place in town for burgers, fries and brews! The prices are great and the bar is even better. I recommend visiting this place if you're in the area or even going out of your way to have their homemade beers.
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Review from David M.
Los Angeles, CA
7/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
I have driven by this place so many times when I have been in town and I have never been here. I finally have this last visit. The staff was nice and we sat outside in the patio. The beer selection was ok and the the food menu was impressive. I ordered a Green Chile Burger with bacon. The Burger was dry and very mediocre. We also ordered Nachos for the table and those were not too bad.
Overall this place should maybe get a 2 for how bad the food and beer is but since the staff was pretty nice and the patio was nice I gave it a 3. I can't say that I will be back but who knows. I may give it another shot when I am in town. -
Review from Michael G.
Albuquerque, NM
4/18/2011
Food - mediocre
Beer - mediocre
Ambiance inside - lame
Crowd - a mixed bag of douchebag motorcyclists revving their engines out front, hipsters, yuppies, regular joes, college kids, and suburbanites trekking into Nob Hill
Service - reasonably friendly
The food and beer is of the generic brewpub variety. Back in the 90's we would have thought this beer was great. It's 2011, however, we now realize it sort of sucks. Chama, Marble, and every other brewpub in the state kick this places @ss in the beer arena.
Overall it's a one star place.
So, why did I give it 3 stars? The outside patio and the people watching.
It has, hands down, the best outside patio in all of Nob Hill. It's a shame more restaurants don't emulate it. The people watching is fantastic. Between the bikers, college kids, tourists, shoppers, and the often attractive wait staff there is lots to gawk at. It's in the shade starting in the late afternoon so the sun isn't an issue.
Being situated right on route 66 in the center of Nob Hill in a former gas station from the glory days of The Greatest Road it is simply fantastic to sit outside. On a Friday evening when it's 81 degrees with no wind the patio pure awesome.
Now, to put all of the above in perspective you should know I live just a few blocks from here. I really wish the food was just a little better - I'd eat here every week if it was. -
Review from Greg M.
Austin, TX
5/11/2011
Great spot to hang out on a nice day. The burgers are good, and they are huge, plus the sweet potato fries are great, as are fried green beans (who knew?).
The huge patio is nice and service was friendly and accomodating. Practically right across the street from UNM. -
Review from Justin S.
I give this place a 4 for the beer and 3 for the food. I make sure that every trip to Albuquerque has enough time to sit and peruse the local talent... the one's that work at Kelly's and the ones that attend the school just down the street. As far as microbrews in the area, I much prefer the beer served here rather than ones served in Chama River Brewing.
The food here is, well, marginal. Sure you throw a little green chili on, and everything is ok. It seems like the food here is pre-packaged, and the only cooking that's done is via a microwave.
Come here for the atmosphere and the beer... when it comes to the food, I'd venture to stay clear. -
Review from Chris F.
Worcester, MD
3/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
What I like about this place is the way it embraces the Route 66 southwestern culture, particularly the gas-station architecture, like something from an old Ed Ruscha painting. It's slightly off-center, and they brew their own beer, which isn't bad. It's a cool place to hang out with some friends and enjoy a game or just have a good time.
On the other hand, the food isn't that great. I've been here a couple times, I've had the reuben, they cure the meat themselves, but it was too dry. The chile soup is amazing, one of the best in the state, but everything else is mostly greasy, salty and otherwise flavorless. The beer, which ranges from light to hoppy to thick and rich, also lacks punch, except in alcohol content. I liked the Oatmeal Stout the best, but the Belgian IPA wasn't bad. Just pretty overwhelming. But I brew my own beer, so I have pretty high standards for incredients. Price-wise, you can have a good time without breaking the bank. -
Review from Paul H.
Albuquerque, NM
4/9/2011
Everything here is enormous. The portions are huge, and the food is tasty. It's a nice spot in Nob Hill, but be warned that parking is hard to come by, especially in the daytime. Often you'll have to park on the street, a block away even.
Great beer selection, nice open air atmosphere. Definitely some good food to be had here; the turkey sandwich was enormous, I had to take some home, and I am a big eater.
It is mostly open air seating so on a rainy or cold day, you might want to go someplace else. However, for New Mexican summer nights or spring or fall days, it's a great place to hang out. -
Review from Bryce D.
Palo Alto, CA
10/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is a review just about the bar and the beer: They have quite a selection of beers on the menu, we were informed when we sat that the kitchen was closing so if we wanted to order food, we would have to be quick about it. We weren't getting food, we were just there to chat and kick back. You can tell that this place was the bar of choice for the kids in the area, alot of whooping and hollering, but once they left, it was more quiet. The service was alright, there was a huge group just sitting and standing behind the bar just talking.
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Review from Cameron B.
Seattle, WA
11/5/2010 1 Check-in Here
Every university should have a good microbrewery within walking distance of main campus. Kellys is UNMs, and they do a very good job of it.
Located on Central - Kellys resides in a converted old service station, which they pay homage to via the pictures and trinkets around the building. They also arguably have one of the best patios in the city due to it's sheer size.
Beer-wize, there are ton of different beers on tap that are pretty decent, but not up to my Pacific Northwest standards, but good nonetheless. They are great building blocks to the real beers.
Food-wize, it is pretty much standard pub food, but I did wish they incorporated more New Mexico ingredients into their dishes, but the green chili fries i had were excellent and the chili was hot.
Kellys is always a solid choice to go eat and drink around UNM. -
Review from Jessica A.
Minneapolis, MN
10/11/2010 1 Check-in Here
'Twas a night before Sunday, and all through the town....
So my work colleagues and I were newbies to the ABQ bar scene. We started the night at Kelly's Brewing. It was right on a corner of Central Ave, and had a pretty large outdoor seating area - -so we stopped.
Service was very friendly. The tap beers we had were fine... my blue moon was great.
It got a little chilly outside for one in our party, so we went inside. There was plenty of seats and tables inside as well.
But we didn't have any food... just a round of drinks, and off to the next. :) -
Review from Carolynne M.
Chicago, IL
10/11/2007 1 photo
I liked the very extensive menu of their own brewed beer (I had the Brown which was lovely, thankyouverymuch)
Sitting outside on a warm, late summer day and people-watching while munching on an Albuquerque Turkey sandwich (turkey, swiss, green chile and avocado) with green chile stew is just nirvana. I only wish our server had been just a tad cheerier.Listed in: Just a Big Hole in Arizona
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Review from Denis S.
8/15/2008
This was a great place for dinner. Very friendly staff and a lot of space. Despite being crowded, we were able to pick between outside and inside seating with absolutely no problems.
They have a good beer selection, but I've seen much better. However, they do have a cool option to make your own beer, which I have never seen. It takes about 2 hours to brew, then you wait another week (or two) and come back and get a whole bunch of your own beer. You're assisted by people who know what they're doing, so even if you're a beer amateur, you'll be fine. Unfortunately, as I was only here for one night, this was not an option. However, had I been here longer, I'd leave with some extra bottles.
However, we did have a chance to try their burgers. I tried both the Buffalo and the ostrich burgers, and both were fantastic. We also got a mixture of regular and sweet potato fries, and were not disappointed. Overall, great place.Listed in: My Search for the Perfect…, Trip Across the Country
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Review from Scott L.
Albuquerque, NM
7/12/2010
I love good beer. Kelly's does not have good beer. It tastes like kit beer brewed in a garage. That is all I will really say on that.
The food is average, like most brewpubs. The service is hit or miss. They do get 2 stars for the pet friendly patio, which is one of the best in Albuquerque. I really want to like this place, but would love to see an improvement in the quality of their brews. -
Review from Rachel C.
6/20/2010
Stopped in here for lunch on my last visit to the Que. This building has had lots of history over the years. I lived just down the street from here in the late 60's . . . it was a Goodwill then. What a weird assortment of ghosts must be haunting this place at night.
But in the daytime it is a hopping and lively spot to get a little bite and a beer. Take your time looking at their extensive beer menu. It is listed from light to dark. We had an ostrich and a buffalo burger. Not your run-of-the-mill lunch choices.
We arrived on a busy Saturday afternoon, but still were seated quickly. They have an large patio and lots of seating in what used to be the auto showroom.
Our waitress, whom I'm sure was normally a resident of Area 51, was friendly, but a tad slow. She kept mixing things up and forgetting what we ordered; but she did it all with a smile.
Note to owner/manager: Need some good bus folks. Most new customers were seated at tables that hadn't been wiped off. I saw a couple of guests wiping their own tables.
Would I return? Yes, but just for the beer. Food was acceptable; but cleanliness and service left a lot to be desired. Lunch for three of us was $49. And having the credit card machine brought to our table while the waitress leaned over my shoulder was a tad disconcerting - especially when I had a choice of 18 or 20% tip for what I considered mediocre service.
The ghosts of years past are definitely haunting this place! I just wish they would clean up after themselves. -
Review from Jennifer B.
Oakland, CA
4/9/2010
This is the first brew-pub I've ever been to that has Spanikopita as a main dish. I was heartily pleased by it. The beer selection is pretty wide, but all in all this joint doesn't stand up much against the slew of brew-pubs in my torrid* beer-drinking history.
Kelly's was a great stop after a hike and a solid decision by our Albuquerque hosts.
*Yeah, OK, not really. -
Review from Katie H.
Chicago, IL
2/1/2009
The beer was great - my dunkleweizen was exactly what I was craving - and the service was attentive and friendly, but the menu was uninspired and the place was dead so we opted not to eat.
Something about the atmosphere didn't really sit well with me. I think they were going for cool lofty space and instead it was more cavernous dining hall. I thought it was off that a place with candles on the tables was showing a video-game playing competition on the tv. -
Review from N J.
San Mateo, CA
4/26/2010
So we went to Kelly's yesterday on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon, full of optimism. We love us some beer and we were really stoked about the wide beer selection and the cool atmosphere (inside a 1939 building).
Our enthusiasm faded pretty fast when we were forced to wait a very long time to be served. It took considerable time for someone to even take our drink order and then we had to wait even longer for the waitress to bring us our drinks. We waited. And waited.
What's crazy is we were seated right near the service stand and I was amazed that though we were within two feet of a constant group of 4-5 waitresses chatting amongst themselves, no one could manage to bring us a couple of drinks.
Anyway, we were just about to walk out when the waitress finally showed up and tried to pass off an obvious wheat beer as a Belgian trippel (she even initially had said, "here's a wheat..."). My husband expressed his doubt (since when does anyone put a lemon wedge on a trippel?) about the validity of this, but rather than admit her mistake, the waitress insisted it was the right beer.
Not being troublemakers, we let it go and he sipped the beer a few times, then had me try it and it was obviously wrong. She never came back though, so he had to get up from the table and track her down to get an exchange. When our food showed up, delivered by someone else entirely, it was only so-so. My buffalo burger was cooked pretty well and the side salad was good, but the meat in my husband's hamburger had the consistency of industrial grade carpeting.
The service and the food are both responsible for me giving Kelly's negative marks but the worst aspect of the experience by far was that we were also subjected to a really awkward close to our mediocre dining experience. The waitress brought a credit card machine right to our table, pointed out our two options for tipping (18 or 20%) and then stood there as we got roped into seriously overtipping her for her near-incompetent service.
Not good, Kelly Brewing. From here on, I definitely think I'll be getting my micro-brew fix somewhere else. -
Review from Jon P.
Tarrant, TX
5/10/2010 2 photos
Many, many years ago, this was a major Route 66 gas station and Ford dealership that started in 1939. It is a historic landmark that has been Kelly's Brew Pub since 1999.
Kelly's is near the University of New Mexico. So you should expect a younger crowd in general. Overall the patrons are eclectic. Older, younger, straight, gay, bikers, business people. So a good place to people watch.
In the warm afternoons and weekends, this place is bumping. So expect a larger crowd. Given that, I have always been satisfied with the service. The waitstaff works very hard.
If you are trying to have a quiet conversation and are sitting outside, then move to the corners, not to the middle. The middle is where the server station is and leads to the interior.
The beer is of very good quality. The food is appealing to carnivores, vegans and those in the middle.
Located on the historic Route 66, it is a wonderful place to share a beer and have some food, especially as the sun goes down. -
Review from Grace P.
Albuquerque, NM
1/28/2011
Awesome beer selection. Try the Oatmeal Stout if you're a fan of stouts. Their servings are huge and they have some of the best nachos around. Any time of year is great to go, but summertime is best for atmosphere. The staff is great.
I love that you can pay with your credit card table side! More places should do that! -
Review from A.J. S.
4/11/2010
Ok, after a while of eating Burritos, Enchiladdas and Nachos I got bored and wanted something else. So, while in the area we went to this restaurant. When I stopped in and looked at the Huge beer list, I knew i had reached the place for me.
Service - The service was excellent, the waitress was nice, she knew a lot about beer. She was cheerful nice, and a good server.
Ambiance - We ate outside. They had these nice lanterns which kept the area from getting too cold while giving light. I think they ran on propance, but I am not sure. They were a really nice touch.
Food - The food was very good. I liked the chili fries, and I had a sandwhich which came with a salad. The sandwich was very good, and was very filling. I really enjoyed the food from bite to bite. Also the portions were huge.
Also did I mention I loved the beer? I had the "Brewnette" and the Belgian Dubble. People with me had a Belgian Pale, a Weizen, a Dunkel, an Amber, and A Altbier. All of these listed beers don't even scratch the surfact of what they had. I would go back, just for the beer. -
Review from Jim S.
Albuquerque, NM
2/19/2009
This place holds some of the best real estate in Albuquerque as an old fill up station that has been converted to a brewpub/ restaurant with a great view of the mountains and the whole nobhill scene. Unfortunately, the beers and the food are past mediocre. First off , as a brewery, the beer seems to be yielded way too quick as you have weird aftertastes that seem to linger. Food is pub fare, but nothing of note is really good, actually very disappointing. Service is terrible-unprofessional, long waits, and have no knowledge of the menu/beers.
The sad thing is in the summer months this location can have few rivals. Imagine if they took pride in their food and beverage- if so, they would be featured in Sunset. -
Review from clayton p.
San Diego, CA
3/2/2011
Generally friendly staff, great beer selection and good place to view sports. I had the turkey green chile enchiladas and it was excellent. perfect combination of flavor and spiciness. I recommend this dish, you'll enjoy it.
Only problem is trying to watch sports at night. Even as a paying customer, I can't stay to watch any basketball games past 10:00 during the week. A lot of west coast games go until 11:00 and I have to find somewhere else or just go home. not really cool. -
Review from R.J. M.
Richmond, VA
Updated - 8/18/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Great green chile cheese burger.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/19/2010
Tonight the patio was packed and I was expecting a significant wait to be seated. Much to my… Read more »
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Review from Peter M.
Alexandria, VA
12/6/2008
Back to the 60's midwest decor meets microbrew. The good news is that the beers are good, and the price isn't too bad either. Avoid the fish, as they were on a fry binge the day we were there and had to send some of it back for a re-fry. Fish tacos are fried fish from the warehouse, although the quality is still pretty good. The soups are good too, and the service is modestly good too.
Bottom line: Go for the beer, avoid the fish and chips. -
Review from Wookee V.
Albuquerque, NM
8/23/2011
Service is horrible, food OK and beer is mediocre at best. The killer patio keeps the place in business.
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Review from Thomas A.
11/27/2009 2 photos
AMAZING! GO here NOW if you want a mind-boggling cheeseburger.
This is a brewpub, which means BEER and FOOD. I read some reviews which disparage both here. I must heartily disagree - when it comes to the Green Chile Cheeseburger and the beer.
I've only ever had the Green Chile Cheeseburger and Fries (2 visits), and frankly there's not much reason to get anything else. My friend, and Albuquerque native and foodie, agrees that they put on one of the best burgers in ABQ. He had previously had the Albuquerque Turkey Sandwich and said it was merely "ok"...
The fries simply have to be eaten to be believed. They are lightly spiced and "breaded slightly"(?)...and are served with sweet potato fries mixed in with the regular ones. One could easily eat a plate of these deep-fried Nirvana-Sticks as a meal in itself. If there is a God of Fries, these are what I would offer Him as a sacrifice (after ordering a second helping for myself of course). I haven't left a single speck of frenchfry-residue on my plate either time here, even the little dry brown semi-burnt leftovers are better than most places pathetic bland fries.
The cheeseburger is "melt in your mouth" fantastic...and the green chile is hot enough to satisfy a heat-masochist like myself, while still being tolerable enough for chile-newbs or people with limited range (though if you are really sensitive to spice-heat, you'll want to avoid it). ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC in every aspect of burger ratings possible.
The beer is awesome! I can't believe Yelpers mock the beer list (20, yes TWENTY, beers) as "too broad, thus lowering the quality"...huh? I have had 6 different beer varietals and every one was top notch start to finish (the Oatmeal Stout and Dunkelweizen were especially good, but every beer I've had is amazing and clean).
The only thing preventing this place from a 5-star rating is that the food, in general, is not all that exciting - unless you get the green chile cheeseburger. Everything else is spot on.
Be advised, there is no parking other than a token dozen spots out back, you will likely need to park in the surrounding neighborhood. The walk, however, is worth it and in a very nice little area of ABQ. -
Review from Brian L.
1/21/2010
I thought that the vibe and atmosphere of this place was pretty good. I read that the cheeseburgers here were amazing, so I wanted to give it a try. I got the buffalo burger, which wasn't that big. The piece of meat looked a bit old and dry and covered about 80% of the roll that they put it on. I had heard buffalo was just as good as beef if not better, but I wouldn't say that after eating here (not a good indication of how good buffalo is, as the meat was dry).
My friends got the ostrich and the posole (soup). The ostrich burger was funny tasting (not that the meat wasn't good, but I just thought ostrich tasted odd!). The posole was way to spicy for my friend, but I found it to be alright.
I got the Imperial stout which I thought was fantastic. It's like Guinness, but from a microbrew. Kinda awesome! -
Review from Ralph M.
Minneapolis, MN
2/15/2008
All microbrew is not created equal. I have been to a couple very good brew pubs, and many, many medicore ones. This one ranks as mediocre. They have many, many beers (and I do love the color gradated menu pictures), but none of the 4-5 I tried was really that good (the ESB was especially bad). Drinkable? yes. Better than Bud? yes. But I would take a Fat Tire or a Bell's Two Hearted (love!) or even a Sam Adams over most of the beers here.
Food was passable, functional. I'll leave it at that. Interior was kinda huge and open air. I prefer cozier confines.
I would of given this place 2 stars, but god damn was my waitress hot. I have to give some credit for that. She'd make the place worth a return trip. -
Review from Ryan T.
Mountain View, CA
5/18/2009
Had a great time after a friend's graduation from UNM socializing with his family and friends here at Kelly's. Hearty food that's a step up from what some may call pub grub, there are so many choices here, even for non-meat eaters. Being one of two pescetarians in the crowd (yes, we eat fish but no bird or meat), I got a tuna steak sandwich along with a dunkelweizen. And the sandwich came with a pretty decently-sized salad. Not bad seasoning in the fish, although I think I would have liked my tuna lightly seared instead of cooked through, even though I had requested it on the rare side. Neverthless, a good sandwich. The dunkelweizen was just a touch of a deeper shade than some of the hefeweizen varieties I've tried. Very refreshing, and great to see it produced locally.
Glad to have experienced the unique venue Kelly's has established itself to be here in town. -
Review from Chupacabra X.
Albuquerque, NM
Hit and miss on most menu items ever since they expanded and the original owner doesn't dote over the kitchen. Nothing spectacular about the brews either, most are pretty watered down if you compare them to most micros.
But... their green chile cheeseburger was one of the best I've had in town. And their sweet potato fries are always good. And it is cheap, and it is near a college, and it is always busy.
They also have a massive patio and huge indoor seating space. Live music sometimes, a bar, a large TV for sporting events. Kids menu. Walking distance to affluent neighborhood... Easy to see why Kelly's is raking it in year after year.
Oh yeah, on busy nights be prepared to walk, you won't find parking anywhere near the restaurant.
