New Kel’s Tavern is a welcome addition to West Side; Bucket opens; Laporte closes
- Steven Keith
- 4 minutes ago
- 5 min read
I’ve waited several weeks to chime in because I wanted to get a couple of visits under my belt to make sure. But I’m here to tell you this: The new Kel’s Tavern on Charleston’s West Side is pretty good!
I don’t mean to sound surprised, but the previous two restaurants at its 222 West Washington St. location (Sergio’s and Books & Brews) certainly had their ups and downs.
So when new and unfamiliar owners swooped in to open a new place there, well, I guess I was just tempering my expectations.
I shouldn’t have. I’m not saying Kel’s is going to blow you away with the world’s best cuisine, but my two visits there have been solid with a few real standouts and truly fantastic service.
The full-service restaurant opened in September inside the large storefront location, which has been spiffed up a bit, most notably with a deep turquoise wall along one side and a new stage for live music up front.
Otherwise, it largely looks the same – for better or worse – and we’ll get to that in a minute.
A menu full of slightly elevated tavern favorites includes dishes like sauced or dry-rub wings, buffalo chicken empanadas, bang-bang shrimp, pimento cheese fries, spinach-artichoke dip and more.
A few salads join sandwiches like a Philly cheesesteak, fried green tomato BLT, a traditional club and a couple of gorgeous-looking juicy burgers.
The Tavern Burger, for example, comes with crispy bacon, beer cheese and Guinness-caramelized onions on a grilled potato bun. Friends, I am here for it.
A nice selection of pastas, steaks, chicken and seafood entrees round out your choices.
After giving the place a few weeks to work out the kinks, I recently visited with a friend and enjoyed a nice dinner.
We started with an appetizer of crispy fried potato rounds smothered in creamy beer cheese and topped with crumbled Black Forest bacon and sliced scallions. They were fine, but nothing to write home about. I was tempted to order another snack to see if it struck a better chord, but I’m glad I resisted, because my entrée to follow was hearty and delicious.
After debating a few pastas (chicken alfredo, shrimp scampi and chicken marsala) and a stunning one-pound hand-cut ribeye, I went all in with “chef favorite” Dave’s Short Ribs. I’m a sucker for good slow-cooked short ribs and these were on point: tender, juicy and flavorful topped with tomato BBQ sauce over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes.
We’d also heard good things about the bourbon-glazed salmon, which was well prepared, but the thin piece of fish it came with didn’t resemble the thicker salmon filets we had seen pictured online. It might be worth another try, though.
We ended the night with a nice crème brulee, plus there’s bread pudding and locally made cakes and cheesecakes.
A week later, my wife and I popped in for a quick bite on a rainy night and fared even better.
I was planning to get that burger I mentioned, but folks have been raving about Kel’s meatloaf and our server said there was simply no other choice.
I hesitated, because it’s a dish I’m super picky about, but it was absolutely fantastic. Two large slabs of moist house-made meatloaf were glazed in a tangy glaze that reminded me of this classic comfort food I grew up with.
We also enjoyed the crispy beer-battered fish and chips, just know you’re getting a large flat filet of pollock instead of the squatter, fatter fish planks you might be used to at other places.
Don’t sleep on the sides here, either, which are pretty strong. You can actually choose three of them to create an entrée plate, and I highly recommend you do. The broccoli casserole and Kel’s corn (whole kernel, but in a seasoned broth) are indulgent, and the spiced cooked cabbage is a winner as well.
Overall, the food I’ve enjoyed on two visits averages a solid B+ and our servers have earned straight As.
But, of course, I have some notes.
There are some creative cocktails and craft beers offered, but the current wine selection is pretty limited.
And while the dining room side of the restaurant has received a fresh coat of paint to complement its black trim and white tin-stamped ceiling, the overall space itself still looks a bit unfinished.
I don’t mind the industrial-chic look, but a few additional touches to finish door frames, paint other areas and mask parts of the restaurant’s exposed kitchen and pipe/duct work would go a long way to creating a more inviting look and feel.
The kitchen is so open, in fact, that you leave the place with your clothes smelling a little like you’ve been to a Hibachi Japanese steakhouse. (I wasn’t going to mention that, but have since heard several other diners say the same thing.)
But if there just there for the food, you’re probably going to walk away pretty pleased with the experience. This place deserves a chance and I hope you’ll join me in giving them one.
IF YOU GO: Kel’s Tavern at 222 West Washington St. is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 304-347-8577 or visit the restaurant’s Facebook page.
The Bucket opens, Laporte Café closes
The Bucket at Eagle View opened its new location this week, following a “soft opening” for residents of the sprawling housing complex high above the city across from Kanawha City.
The sports bar and grill at 530 Silver Maple Ridge at Eagle View joins the restaurant’s original location at . It will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. For more information, call 304-935-5717 or visit the restaurant’s Facebook page.
Meanwhile on Charleston’s East End, The Laporte Café at 1611 Washington St. E. has closed for the winter.
“It’s with a mix of sadness and gratitude that we announce our final day open to the public at this location until the spring,” the restaurant said in a Facebook post last week.
“This wasn't an easy decision, and we want to express our deepest thanks for your unwavering support and the countless memories we’ve created together.”
Laporte Café’s menu will still be available through the Red Carpet lounge next door.
Steven Keith is a food writer and restaurant critic known as “The Food Guy” who writes a weekly column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail and has appeared in several state, regional and national culinary publications. Follow him online at www.wvfoodguy.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest as “WV Food Guy.” He can be reached at 304-380-6096 or at wvfoodguy@aol.com.