In my previous blog post, I wrote about the Chart Room, a
French Quarter dive bar which I love to go for day drinking. Now, it’s time to look at another French
Quarter dive bar which I love to visit for late night drinking – the Kerry
Irish Pub. And so it came to be that on
the same Monday in late April that my friends and I started at the Chart Room, we
finished at the Kerry.
We were all fortunate to have gotten our second wind
because we did not want to miss a chance to see good live, local music. After all, we were in town specifically to
check out local music during Jazz Fest After Dark, and the Kerry’s choice
seemed as good as any – Kim Carson and the Real Deal. I had no idea who Kim
Carson was prior to that evening, but she and her band left a lasting
impression. More on that in a bit.
The Kerry is, obviously, equally suitable for day
drinking, too, but every time I've been to the Kerry, they always seem much
busier at night. I’m sure that has a lot
to do with the fact that they have live music every night, ranging from
traditional Irish music to metal, punk, classic country and the occasional
acoustic solo singer-songwriter, and I've never known them to charge a
cover.
The Kerry is very much an Irish bar with a local crowd
(and sprinkle in a few knowledgeable tourists).
Of course, you’ll find Guinness on tap, and they know how to deliver a
proper pour. You’ll also find Murphy’s,
a favorite of mine, and a good selection of Irish whiskeys.
It almost feels wrong to come here and not have at least
one Guinness and a Jameson shot or drink.
And on this night, several of my friends felt the same way. I eventually branched out to a couple of
Southern Comfort drinks for variety, but I had to pay homage to the bar’s Irish
roots first.
You’ll also notice the Kerry is decorated in the true
dive bar traditions with a mish-mash of old photographs and memorabilia, as
well as countless dollar bills pinned to the ceiling. But I wouldn't recommend
trying to pull any down to pay for your drinks.
The bartenders seem a little surlier than the Chart Room, for example
(maybe it’s a night shift phenomenon), but the drinks are always poured
well. And if the bathrooms weren't so
darned hot and stuffy, the graffiti on their walls would keep you entertained
for quite some time. The Kerry’s
regulars seem to be a creative bunch.
The bar, naturally, was already lined with patrons by the
time we arrived, so we settled along the rail on the opposite side. Just past the bar, several tables of
additional seating filled quickly while we were there. The pool table had already been appropriately
covered with plywood in anticipation of the night’s show.
The back of the bar somehow holds a small stage where on
this night Kim Carson and the Real Deal were getting ready to perform.
And it was one heck of a good performance! Admittedly, my memory is a little fuzzy after
so much time elapsing, but it was a fun set of classic country, rockabilly and
country-rock originals, many with a New Orleans flair, with a few covers
sprinkled in for the newbies like us (e.g., I seem to recall Creedence
Clearwater Revival and Johnny Cash among the covers, if my memory is
correct). I think her website
appropriately sums it up: Honky Tonk
plus Rockabilly equals Tonkabilly.
You’ll find the Kerry at 331 Decatur Street, near the corner
with Conti, in the French Quarter. It’s
actually less than a two-block walk from the Chart Room. And, if you can’t get enough of dive bars
nearby, walk a block toward Canal Street and check out Ryan’s Irish Pub, too
(and try to sit on the saddle stool).
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