In 1975, Dennis Ryan opened the doors to Denny’s Pub on Beverly Road, transforming what was once a small beauty parlor into a neighborhood mainstay. Fifty years later, his son, Kevin Ryan, is keeping that legacy alive — and, earlier this month, he celebrated the bar’s golden anniversary with live music, giveaways and drink specials that throw it back to the prices of the 1970s.
“It’s a family business,” Ryan told Brooklyn Paper. “My father started it in 1975 and built it from scratch. Before that, he had owned a bar in Park Slope for 10 years. He was a barman.”
When Ryan’s father moved to Kensington, he made sure to buy the property outright — a decision that helped Denny’s ensure when other local spots came and went. Back then, the bar was a full-service restaurant known for steaks, chops and seafood, drawing in the working-class neighborhood that defined the neighborhood at the time.
He began working at Denny’s when he was just 16, working as a dishwasher, busser, waiter and bartender. Then, his father died in 1989.
At the time, he was newly married and serving as a New York City firefighter, and found it “rough” to take over. He and his older brother, Dennis Jr., stepped in to help. Together, they ran the bar and carried on their father’s vision.
Over the decades, Denny’s has remained true to its roots.
“It’s always been sort of a no-frills bar,” Ryan. “It’s not pretentious or anything, especially during those days when they were trying to make the bar kind of hip. It always stayed true to itself, which was a family-friendly neighborhood bar.”
The authenticity has made Denny’s Pub one of the oldest surviving businesses in Kensington.
“It’s been a staple in the neighborhood forever,” he said. There’s only been a couple of businesses on Church Ave. that are there longer than that.”
Even though the community around it has changed, Denny’s Pub has continued to be a place of comfort and connection.
“It was a public house meant to be where people would come in and you could get information, you could find people for work, you could get advice,” he said. “That’s what it’s always been.”
As the years have gone by, Denny’s has remained a steady presence.
“The people there are loyal to the place and what it stands for. I guess it’s a security blanket in a way,” he continued.
For this weekend’s golden anniversary, Denny’s Pub will come a three-day celebration to honor the milestone.
“It’s going to be fun. I made up a bunch of nice hats, t-shirts and giveaways.” They’ll also do a 50/50 raffle.
In true Denny’s fashion, the bar is also cutting drink prices back to their 1970s rates. He said draft beers will be $1, bottled beers are $2 and any other alcohol is priced at $3.
The festivities include live music and a ‘70s night, complete with a DJ and prize. He said guests are encouraged to come and dress in seventies attire.
“Come in hippy or disco stuff, because disco became popular in the mid to late seventies,” he said.
After 50 years, Denny’s Pub remains what it’s always been — a neighborhood bar built on family, loyalty and community.
“It’s crazy how time goes by,” he said. “It’s been there forever, and it’s still the same in a lot of ways. I think that’s what people like about it.”
