May Kelly's Cottage in North Conway, NH - Guinness, Entertainment, and Plentiful Delicious Food
Written: Oct 12 '08 (Updated Nov 05 '09)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: atmosphere, service, menu, specials
Cons: a few short-cuts on some meals, un-adventurous kids menu
The Bottom Line: One of my favorite places to dine. It offers comfort food and much more with an Irish flair.
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| AliventiAsylum's Full Review: May Kelly's Cottage |
When a friend and I wanted to go out one afternoon last spring to drink some Guinness, we found our favorite haunt for that particular libation closed. Undaunted, we tried to think of where else we could find that fine brew on tap in the Mount Washington Valley. Our quest ended at May Kelly’s Cottage. We now have a place we go to about once a month for delicious food with an Irish flair.
Located just north of the village of North Conway on Route 16, May Kelly’s Cottage doesn’t look like much from the outside. It’s a peach colored cottage with red trim. However, once you walk inside, you’ve entered a different world. You might think you’ve seen a restaurant with memorabilia decorating the place, but I’ll tell you that you haven’t seen anything until you’ve gone to May Kelly’s Cottage. Right from the time you walk in the door, you’ll see all sorts of old signs, figures, and kitschy items. Walking to the seating stand is a bit of a walk down the hall and around the curve. There are a few sections set up with fun exhibits to look at. My favorite and the favorite of most who come here is the winter scene - be sure not to miss it.
Seating options are in the main dining are, the bar, or - in the warmer months - on the patio with a gorgeous view of the river and Cathedral Ledge. I haven’t dined on the patio, but I have sat in the bar and in one of the dining rooms. Instead of one huge room, the place is broken up into a few smaller rooms with four or five tables in each. There is a main dining area with a number of tables, but even this has been divided by half-walls to create a more intimate feel. The colors are bright and cheery. All around us no matter where we go are various articles of memorabilia.
Starting out, I highly recommend the beer battered onion rings ($7). These come with a horseradish sauce for dipping and are out of this world. For those wanting a more traditional Irish menu, there are May’s Potato Cakes ($6.50) which are also fantastic or Traditional Stuffed Quahogs ($7). There are plenty of selections which are more commonly found, such as a Vegetable Quesadilla ($9) or Fried Mozzarella ($7). There’s even an appetizer sampler that’s a nice afternoon treat between friends over Guinness.
We’ve only eaten at May Kelly’s Cottage for either beverages and appetizers or dinner, so I can’t speak to the lighter luncheon fare such as soups, salads, and sandwiches. They also offer a selection of burgers for those who aren’t adventurous.
Not that the entree menu is dominated by Irish food. There’s plenty to find that are traditional American dishes: steak, ribs, turkey and fish. However, some of the best meals I’ve had here were when I made up my mind to be a bit adventurous and try something different. I’m not a fan of lamb in general, but once I broke through that and tried the Traditional Shepherd’s Pie ($13.50) I was pleased. This has ground lamb with fresh rosemary, carrots, corn and onions in a merlot gravy with mashed potatoes on top. As good as it was, there was way too much of it for me to finish in one sitting (especially after the appetizers and Guinness) so I had a second meal out of it. Feeling more adventurous, I have had the May’s Irish Stew ($14) which has lamb tips with potatoes, celery, carrots, and onions with mashed potatoes and grilled biscuits on top. The lamb was tender and delicious - definitely not what I have always thought of in regard to lamb. My only regret was I was hoping for a home-made biscuit and what was on top was typical of the mass-produced biscuits restaurants can order from their suppliers.
Since I am not usually one to order something that I can have just about anywhere, I leave that to my dining companions. I have to say the Slow Roasted Baby Back Ribs ($20) were a rack with more meat on them than I have ever seen before on baby back ribs. It’s two pounds of ribs, and it’s not mostly bone with a little bit of meat on them. The Marinated Sirloin Tips ($19) have a delicious marinade that isn’t too spicy but nicely filled with flavor. For steak with an Irish flair, there’s the Ploughman’s Dinner ($18) which is a 10 ounce Angus top sirloin steak grilled to order with an Irish potato cake, brown bread, and beans.
We went here for my daughter’s going-away dinner before she left for college. Even a picky teenager found something she liked - May’s Meatloaf Dinner ($13.50). This is individual meatloaves wrapped in bacon and served with gravy, mashed potatoes, and vegetable. Again, there was enough food for a second meal and she wasn’t about to let anyone else get their hands on it. My younger daughter liked the Chicken Pot Pie ($13.50) which is a home-made version of what I have served out of the freezer so it took her a bit out of her comfort zone in a positive way.
Entrees I still haven’t tried but are on my list are the Corned Beef & Cabbage ($14) served with potatoes, and Spicy Chicken Curry ($14) which is white meat chicken, red peppers, onions, mushrooms, and peas tossed in a spicy curry sauce. I am sure once I have the corned beef here, my own at home will pale in comparison and I’ll be spoiled for life. When I finally get really brave, I have my eyes on the Irish Mixed Grille ($15) which consists of Irish bacon, Irish sausage, black & white pudding, steak tips, tomato, baked beans & French fries.
For the smaller set, there is a children’s menu. This has items that can be found on almost any children’s menu with chicken fingers, pizza, macaroni & cheese and the like. There is also a dessert menu that varies depending on the season and the whims of the chef. I have honestly never had anything simply because I usually fill up with the meal and take stuff home beside.
Especially during busy season, I recommend having reservations. Thursday nights, when May Kelly’s Cottage runs their two for one special they are essential. This consists of two selected appetizers, two selected entrees, and dessert for $25 and it draws quite a crowd. I have learned that this is one of the most popular restaurants in town, and for good reason, so if you have your heart set on eating here I would call ahead to be sure of getting a table.
The afternoon we wandered in here we discovered another of the gems of May Kelly’s Cottage: music. On Sunday afternoons, local musicians gather together for a session of music with an Irish flavor in the bar area. This has more the feeling of sitting in on an informal jam session than a well-rehearsed show, and I thoroughly enjoy Sunday afternoons in the bar because of it. On Friday nights beginning at 8 PM there’s another performance by Four Feet Two Shoes who perform Celtic folk music and are pretty well-known around the Valley.
When I have the opportunity to recommend a restaurant in our area to someone, May Kelly’s Cottage is at the top of my list. The food tastes great and has a wide variety of offerings for those who are adventurous or not. The nights with entertainment are a huge plus, and the atmosphere is wonderful. I have never had bad service here, which is a credit to the type of employee the place attracts as well.
I’m getting a hankering for some Guinness….
Website: http://www.MayKellys.com
Telephone: 603-356-7005
Other places to eat in New Hampshire:
Bea's Cafe, Conway NH ~ Cafe Noche, Conway NH ~ Decades Steakhouse, North Conway NH ~ Delaney‘s Hole in the Wall, North Conway NH ~ Harts Turkey Farm, Meredith NH ~ Merlino's Steakhouse, North Conway NH ~ Moat Mountain Smokehouse, North Conway NH ~ Muddy Moose, North Conway NH ~ Peach's Restauran, North Conway NH ~ Red Parka Steakhouse & Pub, Glen NH ~ Yankee Smokehouse, West Ossipee NH
Sites to see in New Hampshire:
Attitash Bear Peak Ski Resort ~ Bretton Woods Ski Resort ~ Canobie Lake Park ~ Cranmore Mountain Ski Resort ~ Franconia Notch State Park ~ King Pine Ski Resort ~ Loon Mountain Ski Resort ~ Madison Boulder Natural Area ~ Mount Washington Cog Railway ~ North Conway, NH ~ Polar Express Event ~ Shawnee Peak, Bridgeton ME ~ Six Gun City ~ Story Land ~ Whale's Tale Waterpark ~ White Lake State Park ~ White Mountain National Forest ~ Wildcat Mountain
Some places to stay in New Hampshire:
Attitash Mountain Village - Bartlett NH ~ Comfort Inn & Suites - North Conway NH ~ Hampton Inn - Concord/Bow NH ~ Yankee Clipper Motel
Books about the area:
Appalachian Mountain Club White Mountain Guide ~ 50 Hikes in the White Mountains
© 2008 Patti Aliventi
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: Yes
Best Suited For: Friends
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AliventiAsylum
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Member: Patti Aliventi
Location: Mount Washington Valley, New Hampshire
Reviews written: 2077
Trusted by: 687 members
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Now writing reviews to pay for the "out of network" costs of our health insurance...
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