The food is excellent, the seating is comfortable with plenty of room, the prices are cheap, and the service is adequate. The delicious, freshly cooked salmon embedded in a salad was only $11 for dinner. If you order this dish, ask for extra tomatoes (they tend to skimp on them). read more

Have been there a few times and always experienced the worst service ever. Certainly not worth it for the mediocre pub fare I had there.

So, a group of local alumni from Pittsburgh decided to try to hold happy hour event at this bar from 7-9pm this coming Saturday. After this happy hour, many of those in attendance would be going to the basketball game of Pitt vs. Villanova. This bar was close by so it made sense! Yesterday (3 days beforehand) Kelly's notified us that our group would have to leave the building by 9:00 p.m. (which was contrary to what was agreed to in our contract) and would not ALLOW us to watch the game together as a group!!!! (We later learned that Kelly's decision was the result of pressure from the Villanova community because our school happened to be playing Villanova.) Kelly's website provided an inaccurate explanation of the circumstances surrounding our event and the terms of our contract. You can read more at: http://www.thenovablog.com/2011/2/8/1982133/kellys-taproom-hosting-pitt-game-watch-i-cant-believe-what-im-seeing All in all, just not a place I'd want to visit or give my business to. read more

It's a college bar, and one of the only ones close to Villanova's campus (or in walking distance of off-campus housing). When I was in school, it was one of three bars. It was popular (read crowded), staff checked IDs at the door, and staff were generally hospitable. Fast forward ten years, and two of those bars in Bryn Mawr closed. I assume underage customers were the reason. However, Kelly's has stayed open, but they have gone quite draconian. Now, everyone is carded and their IDs are scanned into a system. It doesn't matter if you look 20 or 50. I get they are within their rights to card everyone but scanning everyone's ID to verify age (regardless of appearances) makes me think there is an ulterior motive (data collection?). Also, they cite you must have a state-issued ID, while the state LCB says Canadian IDs, passports, and military IDs are also acceptable for purchasing alcohol. I have been twice since this was instituted when I am in the area (once for a school-sponsored event), and when I asked why everyone's ID was scanned, I got a gruff answer that it is because most residents around there are 20-21 years old. Again, that would justify 100% carding, but 100% scanning? With all the identity theft and data breaches that have occurred, I am more apprehensive at where my data is kept when this is done. They really should note if data is kept, for what purpose, and for how long. The food is good but nothing too memorable. The appetizers we had at our event were mainly fried. The vegetarian quesadillas tasted heavy in butter from the flat top. If I were a college student, I'd probably have no choice but to keep going to Kelly's. Maybe that's the problem - they're getting too cocky because of that. As an older alum, the breweries in Ardmore & Berwyn and restaurants in Wayne are much better choices for a weekend evening around campus. read more

I'd have to say I was massively disappointed. I've been going to Kelley's for years but not sure if management changed or what but yesterday was a disaster. We went there to watch the Nova - St Joe game. The football game on ESPN was running late. The note scrolling on the TV clearly stated that the beginning of the game was on another ESPN station. They refused to change the station saying "the game is only being shown on an app". Even though 20 people tried to tell them that was not true. Meanwhile, we miss the entire first half of the game until finally the guy does change the channel and oh look, there's the game!! His excuse was pathetic. I would have left but had ordered food and didn't want to run out on the order. Meanwhile, the food doesn't seem to come. Others are getting served, 20 min, 30 min, no food. Oh the 2 bartenders, they keep getting their coats on and head outside for a smoke. There were other things as well. As a result, I'll head to THE GROG where they treat you like a customer and always have the game on!!! read more

I've come here since I was a junior at Villanova back in 2010. It's undergone random changes like charging covers or switched to a focus on food... but it still remains the only bar worth going to on the mainline. Don't come here for the food, come here for the party. read more

I rarely give one star ratings... This place wins the award! Stopped in on a Friday afternoon for a beer and lunch with a girlfriend. The beer was soooo flat. I got a draft domestic of some sort (I know, my first mistake), but there was absolutely zero carbonation in the beer. It tasted like a beer that had been left out in a solo cup overnight at room temp... I'm not exaggerating. This one was slightly cold, so that makes me feel like it in fact came out of a tap. But, whatever. Things happen, and just like anything else, I figured I could discuss this with our server. He was an alright dude, and agreed to take it back and tell the manager (maybe owner?) that something was up with it. I could see her like huffing and rolling her eyes. She didn't care a whole lot about her semi-cold/super flat beer. She sends him back to the table with another sample in a smaller glass of this same beer, and then he left us for like 30 minutes. Obviously, it was the same thing. It had all of the same problems. It was just as gross. When he finally got back, we told him that and he didn't ask if we wanted something else. So I asked him for a replacement myself... Some customer service. As for the food, there was nothing to write home about. I had a club sandwich that was tolerable, my friend had some tacos that were filth. Complete garbage. I won't be back. The hype of this being a fun bar might be true by night. By day, it's a total wash. read more

Terrible food, terrible service, rude waiters- save yourself the stroll and just go to the Grog down the street. Better food, great beer selection and way better service. read more

What a dive! It took the new owners no time to return Kelly's back to its dive status of yesteryear. The food is so-so. It's dumpy and smelly. The floor is sticky. The tables and chairs are a mess. The silverware is grungy. Not fit for anyone but drunken college kids Best to go to a restaurant if you want to keep your appetite and eat. This is just a place to watch kids puke out front, if that's what you;re into. read more

Dinner tonight @ Kelly's...bad news. Ordered the "TBA Club," Turkey, Bacon and Avocado. Turkey was described as roasted, cheese American. Came WITHOUT Avocado. The waiter inquired; it was Avocado "Ranch." Menu was deceiving bc the word Ranch was on the next line on the menu. The turkey was 3/8" solid slice of turkey loaf. The cheese was a thick pungent flavor. The presentation looked fine. The taste was horrible. The french fries were flavorless. I was extremely thirsty and asked for a water with lemon. I love water. This was the worst tasting water...as if their pipes needed cleaning. I ate less than 1 section of the sandwich and politely told the waiter the issues. It was a waste of $12. I guess if you are a student looking for a beer this is the place. And maybe if you have enough beers the food may not taste so bad. read more

This is a great bar to watch a game because there's a lot of space and the food usually comes out quick. It can get a little rowdy with the Nova crowd, which is why it's better to go on a weeknight. read more

It's a college-town bar, what do you expect? Lol. Alcohol, pub/bar food, good tap selection, good atmosphere and specials. A Villanova tradition. It's not an upscale bar, or a great place to grab lunch. It is what it is, a bar! read more

Great brew selection, food could be better. Had a few and we all were pleasantly surprised to pay $3-5 per drink outside of happy hour. We will be back and probably order the food a few drinks in so it satisfies instead of disappoints. read more

The service was very bad. Waiters and waitress do not concern themselves with the customer. If you order a drink they will give you a quarter shot, and if you say something the whole staff than will give you dirty looks. Very unpleasant staff. Horrible customer service. Would not come back, nor spend money here. This business/restaurant does not concern itself with the satisfaction of customers but only profits. I would not come here. read more

Lunch specials are off the chain. Solid lunch spot. Stay away from the night life if you're an adult.

Great bar close to campus with amazing food. Lunch specials are amazing, especially Tuesdays when it's buy one food get one free. The wraps are delish and the taco salad mmmm. read more

very loud that's all I can really say about this place you could go in there to eat is very loud if you go in there to listen to music it's very loud.or at least on the two occasions that I've been here it's been very very loud the food is typical bar food the crowd tends to be college age read more

Good pub with loads of beer on tap & bottle. Big selection of typical American pub food. I had the buffalo chicken hogie which was very tasty & fresh (the bread must have been baked locally that morning). The buffalo sauce was spicy but not acidic (if you know buffalo sauce, you know what I'm talking about). There is a juke box in the corner - not the old fashioned kind, but a new one with tons of music - and one of those computer bar games. We put money in but there were already 60 something credits on the board - karma - give some, take some, I like that. Tons of big screen TVs just waiting for a game to come on. Its a bright room, with big windows, so during the day, there is no hiding. I liked this, because I didn't feel like a looser, holed up in some dingy pub, drinking during the day. Instead, I was getting drunk with friends in a bright, sunny spot. Much better. read more

Stopped in for a late lunch with a coworker. Service was good, food was fresh, soup of the day was just being mad. We both ordered the Guinness BBQ chicken sandwich. Chicken was over cooked BBQ sauce had zero hint of Guinness. Side salad was amazing. read more

This is my go to place whenever I pick up or drop off son number 1 at Nova. The cheesesteak egg rolls are awesome (love the dipping sauce). My salad is always fresh and the bartenders have always been friendly and helpful. Plus it has a great draft selection. read more

This bar is childish. If you want to be babysat then definitely come here. My bf and I went here over the weekend and were thrown out with no explanation. Mind you we were not very drunk or even heavily dancing. Just minding our business and enjoying our friends' companies. Then the bouncer started pushing us repeatedly saying "let's take a walk to the door" over & over not telling us why or answering our questions. We asked to get our COATS? his response: shook his head & said lets take a walk to the door. We asked to close our tabs and get our CREDIT CARDS? shook his head & said "lets take a walk to the door" We get to the door and he takes my bf's beer and tosses it, then he takes my cup, which was plastic, so when he GRABBED it, it squeezed and spilled all over my shirt. mind you i'm already in a thin trapped top and he WOULD NOT let us get our coats, he doesn't apologize but instead pushes us out of the door in the cold and tells his coworker "these two are done" and we still had NO IDEA why. The guy was being unnecessarily rough to paying customers, would not tell us why he was kicking us out, would not let us get our cards, would not let us get our coats, and spilled my drink on me while still pushing us out in the cold anyway. read more

This is the worst bar on the mainline by far. Terrible service, bad food, overpriced drinks, rude bouncers, and the bar is full of underaged college kids. Many other bars in walking distance to Kelly's that are so much better. read more

A great family restaurant - I have gone to Kelly's a number of times as a kid in my 20's. I took my kids there recently for dinner. I thought it was fantastic and my kids had a great time. Usually I need to make sure places are "kid friendly" and it didn't seem like anyone had any issues with kids at all. I felt very comfortable there, the food was great and the servers were wonderful and friendly. My husband I and went back for a "date night" and had a great night. About 11pm the younger crowd rolled in. The place was packed, and the "kids" were lots of fun to hang out with - even though I could be their Mom!! read more

Younger crowd. Known to local students as an easy place to get served underage. Decent drink specials. read more

Love Kelly's, stopping in after a long day at work is so nice! The bartender John is super funny as well! I wish their cheesesteak egg rolls were smaller and had more. Maybe eight small ones and not four bigger ones! That's really the only downfall I believe. read more

Classy college bar! Leave it to Main Line to pull that off. The drinks are drinks and the menu isn't bad if you're looking for bar noms.

Something tells me Bill learned the term "gastropub" and was dying to use it in a review. Unfortunately, the idea that Kelly's is a pub with a focus on the calibre of their dining menu is miles off. Kelly's is, in brief, a big, loud place with a few decent drafts; typical bar food; and an okay record with service. read more

We are not Nova students, but my posse had the best time here on Friday night! We met the nicest people, people would come up to us and talk, and the DJ was the best!!! Serious incredible! Made my out of town friends feel so welcome! Made Facebook friends, my one friend described it as "Narnia", and we had to hi-5 the DJ. Made Facebook friends, and they had songs that everyone knew and sang along with. It was like a scene out of a movie. read more

I am a grad student at Villanova and have been going to Kelly's Taproom for a year. My friends and I (all grad students age 23 or above) were just denied entrance due to "fake IDs", that are clearly not fake. They were rude and insulted us all in the process. I will never drink or eat at Kelly's again and strongly encourage everyone else to do the same. Erin's Pub has cheaper drinks and The Grog has better food, regardless. Kelly's Taproom sucks! read more

Worst bar experience for a young person. The bar tender immediately asks for a credit card because he was afraid we were going to walk out on the one drink he gave us. We ordered food which was bad but even worse was how obvious it was that they thought it was time we gave up our seats at the bar. It was obnoxious. What a terrible place read more

I am very disappointed to say that I have not been able to step foot into Kelly's past the front door. As a first year law student, I came to the bar with most of my class to enjoy the end of orientation and get to know everyone. However, the bouncer (who later told me was the manager as well) claimed that my ID was a fake. I know as a 22 year old from Arizona that my Arizona driver's license was in no way fake. Arizona did recently update their driver's licenses from an older version which looks completely different. Even though I explained this to the bouncer/manager, offered my Villanova ID, debit card, credit card, and insurance card as proof, he insisted my ID did not have the proper UV marks on it. Sadly, as a student who just moved to Pennsylvania, I left my passport, SS card, and birth certificate back in Arizona, thinking I wouldn't need them - wrong! I even called the local police station and an officer came to me and authenticated my ID. However he was not allowed to tell the bar that my ID was real since it could make him liable in case I got too drunk and something bad happened. What was most upsetting about my experience at Kelly's was how patronizing the bouncer/manager was. I understand they need to be strict and enforce checking ID properly, but using techniques that turn away potential paying customers for invalid reasons and treating that person like an idiot for wondering why this is happening is not professional, welcoming, or even decent. I am very disappointed in this business and encourage people to not waste your time or money there. read more

One of my favorite places in Bryn Mawr. There is an eclectic beer selection and the food is good. Love the 5.00 burgers on Monday and taco Tuesday. Staff is the best around! A good hangout for watching sports or just hanging with friends. Perfect combination of college bar and neighborhood hangout! read more

I just had the worst customer service experience that I have ever had at this restaurant. While watching a basketball game with a group of 10 people, we spent about $200. When we looked at the bill we noticed two Demi-Semi beers that were not consumed by anyone in our party, nor delivered to our table. After politely asking the waitress about it she assured us she would take them off, no problem. Yet minutes later she returned with the manager to tell another person at our table that she would only refund one. I am a senior at Villanova and for somewhere that should be a great place to watch a Villanova basketball game, I was sorely disappointed- yet again, by a place that repeatedly lacks good customer service. So, to Roger (the manager) who told us "what's the big deal, its only 2 beers between 14 of you" and to our waitress, who provided generally okay service but assured me she would take the two beers off our tab and then came back to claim she definitely served them to us (she did not)- the big deal is that I am frustrated to realize that they would never have treated a group of people 2+ years older this way. It is not about the $16.80. it's about the fact that we bring business to your restaurant every single weekend and you don't even have the decency to show us the same respect that you would to any other customers. Also for anyone that doesn't care about customer service, their food is okay but the grog has better burgers and I'd recommend going there instead. read more

I graduated from Kelly's way back in 1969. The diploma had a beer stain or two and some ketchup marks near the lower edge. No Latin, it was all in English. Happy to see that not much has changed. read more

I have only been here once a few years ago. But, it is very nice inside. It was Good service. The grilled chicken sandwich was delicious!

Always a solid choice. Best option in the area for a good mixture of bar food and fun atmosphere.

If you have an out-of-state ID, don't waste your time. Even if you're of age and present a legitimate, valid, government issued ID, they will declare it isn't real. Apparently this has been a problem for years. Many college students in the area struggle with this. The mystery is why anyone continues to go back to an establishment with such condescending, ignorant staff members. read more

Went for lunch on a weekday afternoon. Food was good, if only they had remembered to bring it out. The waiter never stopped by to check if everything was okay, so while everyone else had their food, I was stuck waiting for 15 minutes before I eventually flagged the waiter down. It seemed every time he brought food out he avoided eye contact with other customers so as to avoid having to check if they needed anything. The food was good, and it was a nice break on a long hot day, but the service was not something to be proud of. read more

The bouncer here treated me so rudely compared to my friends and I can't help but to think that race has something to do with it. Kelly's needs to find new employees or train them in simple etiquette. I can't even believe that this is something I have to deal with in 2015. Kelly's please be more respectful to your patrons. read more

it's a mediocre bar with HORRIBLE SERVICE. the venue is great... if they would hire non-coked-out bouncers and bartenders that actually cared about tips... it could be a great place! read more