Kildare’s, West Chester
Gay St. (Across the street from Iron Hill Brewery)
West Chester, PA
610-431-0770
Rating: 2 silver spoons out of 5
Overview: A cool Irish pub that replaces the snobby “Bar and Restaurant” in the center of West Chester. Crowded and noisy on the weekend, but manageable for a slightly older crowd.
Food: Irish Pub fare — Sandwiches, Fish & Chips, Guinness Stew, etc… Solid for what it is.
Bread: Maybe it is just the Guinness talking, but the soda bread is to die for. Sweet and crumbly, and could be eaten even without the butter.
Ambiance: Noisy Irish Pub, but a fun place to hang out that isn’t too over the top. Can be difficult to find a seat at the bar on weekends (if you’re just drinking or waiting for a table). Some seating out front on the sidewalk (sturdy wooden tables/chairs too, not the normally flimsy stuff you’ll see outside a bar in Philly).
Service: Fine for this type of place. Some smokin’ hot waitresses, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Value: They’ll fill you up on food & Guinness for about $20 per — I’d say that’s pretty good.
Details:
# of times we’ve eaten there: 3
Reservations: No
Payments: Cards
Bar: Full
Website: http://www.kildarespub.com
Locations also in KoP, Manayunk, Media and Philly
February 26th, 2006 at 1:49 pm
From Fred (03/04): I never expected a chopped mango and walnut salad at an Irish bar, but this isn’t your everyday Irish hole in the wall. It is a lovely multi-room establishment with a happy waitstaff and inviting fireplaces. The beer makes everything even better. If you don’t want the evening to get awkward, resist asking for the bread recipe. They will get immediately hostile and evasive.
From Mrs. Jones (04/04): What a fun place..West Chester needed it badly…now..if you can find a place to park in the town you’re golden!!! great food, great staff, well run, a real night out for little $$.
May 24th, 2006 at 5:07 pm
[…] Kildares, West Chester Several sturdy wood tables out front on the sidewalk, plus some terrace seating out back. Full Review […]
November 26th, 2006 at 2:58 pm
I feel a comment needs to be made about Kildares in West Chester on weekend nights. First of all, this bar is part of a chain - if you are looking for some semblance of authenticity, this is not it (it feels like “Ireland” Epcot Center). On weekend nights this bar resembles not only a college bar, but an obnoxious spring break college bar. The volume of the music is earsplitting. The music itself completely baffles me. They play 80’s music that is neither kitsch or actually good music. A recent visit found the speakers blaring Eddie Money’s “Take Me Home Night”, part of a playlist that is also played at the King of Prussia location. The food at Iron Hill Brewery, right across the street, is clearly better. I wish the owners of the old Restaurant and Bar had never sold this place, because Kildares belongs in a strip mall. The owners of Kildares have decided to further blight downtown West Chester with an “oyster” bar (the oysters, numerous people have told me, are downright bad) called Doc MacGrogan’s, another chain. Why not just call it J.T. O’Drinky’s? This place is a Kildare’s clone, complete with blaring, unhip 80’s music on weekends, bad food, and a spring break atmosphere. Terrible.
November 29th, 2006 at 2:17 pm
Dear Mr. Reilly,
I resent the use of my name in your response. If I were to open a drinking establishment, I am sure that it would far surpass your expectations.
-J.T. O’Drinky
December 29th, 2006 at 5:24 pm
Mr. Reilly,
Be assured the adult natives of West Chester agree with your accurate assesment of both Kildares and the ’so called’ Oyster House. It also appears Mr O’ Drinky should embrace the critisizm of his establishments and do something about it. The West Chester foodies are proud and supportive of the growth in dining establishments. Don’t embarass us.
January 19th, 2007 at 7:16 am
Yes, Kildare’s is a loud, cheesy college bar only slightly more upscale than ‘the Rat’.
However, Doc Magrogan’s is co-owned by the former owner of the excellent and cheap West Chester Fish Market. Some of the dishes are direct carry-overs, and I find Doc Magrogan’s to be quite a step up from Kildare’s.
The way I see it, we traded the stripped-down-but-good West Chester Fish Market for Limoncello and Doc’s - both upgrades and welcome by me.
January 20th, 2007 at 11:21 pm
Fresh raw bar if your into that sort of thing and tons of seafood , crowded on the weakends but what isnt crowded in Westchester on the weekends. count this as a good edition to west chester.
February 24th, 2007 at 8:46 am
Kildare’s food options are nothing to write home about, as a matter of fact I have made it a requirement never to order anything but the fries. But the reason why Kildare’s is a place you should frequent is the beer list.
For being what it is the beer list is very admirable. The owners have tried to bring to their customers a selection that consists more than Guinness and Yuengling. Orval and Chimay Blue, just to name a few are worth choosing from. Cheers to Kildare’s for the beer, boo for the food!
- Frank (westchesterbeer.com)
April 13th, 2007 at 11:00 am
I have frequented Kildare’s over the past several years and will agree that yes - it does seem to have turned into a college bar. HOWEVER - I always enjoy the food and the service is great! You won’t find a cooler Irish Pub in the states and it may just blow away those in Ireland!awesome!
I have also become a huge fan of Doc Magrogan’s Oyster House. I have not had better oysters anywhere and the crowd is a lot of fun (not your typical college crowd rather, a more mature crowd). We often have dinner late and then stay for thier live music - it’s definitly the best music West Chester has heard in a long time. We have been there a dozen times and always enjoy ourselves. It’s our new “spot”! Though, I will say the wine list needs some work.
June 2nd, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Great bar and restaurant but don’t sit outside unless you want to listen to biker’s engines all evening.