Cork and Kerry
(Rating: three beers)
10614 S. Western Ave.
773-445-2675
We rolled into Cork and Kerry to find a small Irish bar with a big beer garden. It’s located along the notorious strip of Western Avenue that’s the site of the annual South Side Irish Parade, where Chicagoans drink beer in 10-degree weather while desperately searching for a vacant Porta Potty.
The beer garden would have been a glorious spot for a mid-June evening had it actually felt like summer. The cool temperatures on Thursday probably kept the crowds at bay. (That and Thorp’s shower in Axe “body spray” deodorant.)
The Garden
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The two-tiered beer garden could comfortably hold more than 200 beer-drinking South Siders. Any bigger and it could host the 2006 Winter Olympics. There are several TVs for watching sports (or if you’re like Sherman, “Gilmore Girls”). A mural of County Cork’s harbor stretches across one wall, while the other walls showcase a variety of bric-a-brac, from old tools to vintage CTA signage.
Crowd
Not even a leprechaun could get lucky at this Celtic crossroads. We didn’t see the usual gaggle of girls typical of most Chicago beer gardens. A few of the neighborhood regulars huddled by the Golden Tee told us, “If you’re looking for ladies, head up the road to 115 Bourbon Street” in nearby Merrionette Park. But for a night of throwing back pints and popcorn with the guys, this is the place.
Random tail
We were hoping to find mammals in summer dresses and sandals, but the only ones we wound up with on Thursday night were five raccoon cubs running around the beer garden. Although we didn’t have Steve Irwin on hand, we figured that with our luck, those furry visitors were dudes as well.
Eats
Plenty of free popcorn, but that’s it. If you’re really hungry you can have a pizza delivered from down the street–Fox’s for thin and Milano’s for thick.
On tap
The bar has all the bases covered, from Hacker-Pschorr to Honker’s Ale. We took advantage of the June beer special: $5 pitchers of Bud Light. And for Guinness fanatics, the pour is excellent. Bartenders even sketched the traditional shamrock in the thick foam head.
Bonus
The beer garden has two pay phones for people who still don’t have cell phones but want to drunk-dial old flames for late-night hookups. Mitch would like to apologize to Jenny, Amanda, Liz, Raquel and Sunshine, Lorraine, the Hilton sisters and that Cirque du Soleil contortionist. He just wanted to talk. Seriously, that’s it.
The “Ugly” truth
We’d go back if we needed a home base for the South Side Irish Parade. The beer garden is extraordinary. And hopefully this week’s warm weather will bring out the crowds.
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Rating scale
5 beers: So great, we forgot our names, lost our keys and will be back next week.
4 beers: Ran up a huge tab and sang “Sexual Healing” to the waitress.
3 beers: Good people, service and food–very chill.
2 beers: About as much fun as waiting in line at he DMV.
1 beer: Would rather sit on a bar stool by Lake Michigan in January.