Molly T.
Yelp
4.5 stars. Simply put, this is a craft beer haven disguised as a sports bar. Don't get me wrong - it's my favorite place to watch big games on the UWS. But that's largely because of what's on tap on any given day. Whoever you are, Mr. Keeley, you done good.
Space first. This place isn't particularly big, so it gets crowded FAST. I don't even bother trying to come here on Sundays during football season. There's nothing particularly remarkable about the layout/decor here - that said, I might be completely unaware of my surroundings due to excessive excitement about the draft list.
Beer. Brews. Brewskis. Suds (that last one I just looked up, felt like I needed a fourth). Like Pony Bar, George Keeley's displays its draft list electronically, its heavenly glow lighting up the dimly-lit establishment. When I came here last night, there were 23 beers on tap. 23! They've got a good mix of international and domestic beers, though I'd say the menu typically favors the latter. Props for supporting the local breweries! Last night, they were doing some sort of pumpkin event, so they had upwards of five different pumpkin beers on tap. Not only that, they were serving these beers...IN PUMPKINS. Sadly they ran out by the time we got there, but watching people imbibe via pumpkin was a ridiculous and awesome experience. Of the beers I've tried here, my favorite was the "Of Love & Regret" by Stillwater Artisanal. Rich, complex, notes of lavender and chamomile (apparently), absolutely glorious. Shout out to the bartender last night for the recommendation. Like all good craft beer bars, they'll give you a taste of whatever you'd like here - so don't be shy in asking!
One more note about the beer that deserves its own paragraph. What differentiates George Keeley from Pony Bar (I find the two very similar) is the simple yet brilliant feature of displaying how much is left of each beer on tap. I'm not sure how much this actually influences a patron's decision, but I happen to think its a great idea. Some of my favorite craft beer spots will disappoint me at times with the unfortunate news that they've run out of the beer I just ordered. At Keeley's you won't run into the conundrum.
While the food here is not nearly as impressive as the beer selection, it's still quite good. If your company doesn't care about bad breath, give the Everything Bagel fries a try. Everything bagel seasoning is delicious. Fries are delicious. Why not? Other things I've tried (pictured): the Fish Tacos (grilled haddock and jalepeno slaw w/ chipotle mayo) and the Nachos (all your typical fixings - we swapped the chili out for chicken, but in retrospect I think I would've been very happy sticking with chili). Both decent. If I had to choose one over the other, I'd probably opt for the nachos.
Beer: A+. Food: B+. Service: B- (This past visit, our waitress gave us some serious attitude initially but she lightened up as the night went on - or maybe we just could tolerate her more after a few beers - one or the other. Jokes aside, I do think it was the former). No question, this is one of the best bars on the Upper West Side.