Reviewing Hampton Roads Own Restaurant Chain, Kelly's Tavern

I hate to admit that I knew absolutely nothing about this restaurant. I actually found it quite by accident. I intended to review another establishment, but when I got to the site, found it no longer there and a "Kelly's Tavern" under construction. A few days later, while once again looking for another place, I found a Kelly's in Newport News. My husband and I decided to go there instead. I'm glad that we did.

Located in the upscale Port Warwick section of Newport News, off Jefferson Avenue, "Kelly's Tavern" is a totally charming restaurant, both inside and out. The well-constructed brick building has a wonderful corner location, making it easy to access as well as to look at.

The inside of the restaurant is absolutely delightful. It is divided into three sections: A homey, comfortable dining section, a bright and casual patio section, and a piece of old world charm in the bar. A hostess greeted us immediately upon our arrival. She welcomed us with a warm smile and asked our preference for seating. We opted for a booth in the cozy dining section, settling into an astonishing wood and tapestry booth that appeared to be the perfect English walnut. It was beyond lovely, extremely comfortable, and totally relaxing.

Our waitress arrived promptly, introduced herself as Christina, and delivered yet another amazingly warm smile. She handed us our menus, asked if we had dined with them before, and offered to answer our questions when she discovered it was our first time in the establishment. She answered all of our inquiries with utter charm and took our drink orders while we poured over the menu, which was wonderfully varied.

My husband headed directly toward the Rueben Sandwich, which is his favorite. He chose the classic home cut fries to go with his meal choice. I opted for the soup and salad, which looked amazingly delicious. I chose the French Onion soup, knowing that if they made that dish well, they definitely "had it going on." I'm very picky when it comes to my soup.