I've been going to Durty Nelly's since 2006, and while we've had our ups and downs I can safely say that this bar is my happy place. In fact, when I describe it to people I tell them it's my "Cheers." I've been on various days of the week, different times of day, and interacted with many of the waitresses and patrons. Here are a few things I've learned about Nelly over the years: 1. Do not order a salad here. This is a bar, and you should be eating bar food. Nelly will gently remind you of that by serving the most unholy alliance of vegetables doused in thick saucy dressing if you order a salad. If you want a vegetable, try the steamed artichoke, which comes with a couple of creamy, fatty dipping options (yum). Much better to just accept the fact that you're about to over-indulge and go for a juicy burger, onion rings, potato skins, Irish nachos, or clam chowder, all of which are superbly not diet-worthy. 2. Do not come here expecting 5 star service. Again, this is a bar, and you will be served by the same lovely ladies who are tending the bar. They work hard, so don't take it personally if they seem a little callous. Order your drinks and get happy. You'll be taken care eventually. Oh, and the bar's not really that far away from the tables, so stop whining and just go to the bar if you really need something. Consider it a way to start burning off that burger and chowder. 3. Do not try to dance on the furniture. You will be ordered to get down. 4. Do expect to see a mostly older crowd of regulars. Some people seem to have a problem with these regulars, so I'll say again: it's like "Cheers." Get used to it. 5. Don't be stingy. If you get up on stage to sing a song or two at Karaoke (which starts at 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays) be sure to tip Kevin Cable, the KJ. He's pretty much the most awesome KJ in the world, after all. If you don't have cash to put in his tip jar, try buying him a drink. He's a fan of Washington Apples. Best way to enjoy Nelly's: leave the high expectations at home, and treat it like you're in a old friend's basement bar. Drink, sing, and have fun! read more

Nice strong drinks. Good clean bathroom. Friendly staff. Weird Al impersonator and his cadre of awesome ladies running the karaoke. Every song in the book. 'Weird Al' plays electric guitar along with some of the songs. SO COOL. No I didn't eat here, nor did I arrive before 10pm. But I had a great effing time and I'm coming back as soon as humanly possible. Finding the entrance is a bit uhhhh interesting (hint: it's on the right side of the big bay windows in front). Damn I love this place! read more

Our second stop during my bachelorette party was Durty Nelly's Irish Pub. Like the other places we visited or planned on visiting, it was conveniently located and who doesn't want to consume more alcohol during a bachelorette party? This is where I end with the positive and really start ripping into this place because aside from the convenience, there really aren't too many good things to say about this place. The bar is cramped and crowded on a Friday karaoke night. They only have one bathroom for the ladies and one bathroom for the men so typically there are several people waiting to use the facilities along the narrow corridor. The service absolutely sucks at this place. After we ordered our first round of drinks, it took a considerable amount of time before we saw our server again. Granted we were busy opening up bachelorette night gifts and laughing ourselves silly, we still could have used a few more drinks for the group. We did not try any of the bar food as we had just dined at a nearby restaurant so I cannot comment there. But I will say this, their beer was warm and sickening. In that regard, I am glad in a way that more drinks were not ordered. The Hell began when karaoke started. The stage is small, the noise level is obnoxious and the singing... well, let's just say if you need wall paper peeled off the walls, this is the place to be. To their credit, they had one or two people that were not as inebriated as the others who took the stage and actually sounded good but with a minimum of a two hour rotation between singers, it was pure torture to sit there and listen to this! Generally the audience was very supportive of the "performers" but then again, most were there way in advance and drinking heavily. Which brings up the question, how much alcohol does it take for a really bad singer to start sounding good? Unfortunately, I do not have that answer and I hope I never have to find out personally. This was definitely one of those once in a lifetime experiences that I NEVER want to repeat again. I loved sharing the time with my friends and celebrating my upcoming wedding however, I would have been happier had we gone back to our hotel to open up gifts and spent time in the Jacuzzi with several bottles of bubbly. Karaoke at Durty Nelly's was just not my cup of tea. read more

Had a good time last night listening to sounds! Patrick was pretty amazing and the others as well. Had #1 appetizers which fed 4 of us and quite good!! read more

This place is great. They totally know how to pour a Guinness! I always order at least 2 Guinnesses and fish n' chips. I usually sit at the bar and the people behind the bar are really chill and enjoyable. I've tried their shepherd's pie but it was a tad bit too much for me because the meat was overwhelming but I suppose meat lovers will love it. The service and parking situations are great. It's cool because everyone is friendly. When I want to be left alone and quietly drink my beer, people leave me alone. When I'm in the mood to socialize, everyone is down to earth and not afraid to talk to strangers. read more

Wow! Have wanted to come here for years and finally made it. Came in with a party of 5 for lunch and were seated right away. Shrimp cocktail, with bourbon sauce, Fish and chips, San Fran Burger, Clam chowder and more. All were excellent as well as the service. Our server was awesome. Harp and Guinness on tap! Great place, I live 1/2 mile from here and will be a local patron for sure! read more

this place is great, I have been here a few times and on this night I was here to celebrate an engagement for my friend. The karaoke on Saturday night is hilarious- I recommend this place read more

Been to this place twice (both while I was at conferences at the OCDE) since it is right around the corner. When you only have an hour lunch break, it's important to find somewhere nearby and this place is about 3 mins. away by car. Both times I went there the service was pretty bad. It takes FOREVER to order drinks, then to get the drinks, and refills? Forget it. I got kind of a bratty vibe from the waitresses both times too...like they didn't want to you know, wait on people. The food is mediocre. It's definitely edible, but not more than average. I got the cheeseburger both times. The decor is typical pub, but the chairs at the tables are SO uncomfortable! Like, really difficult to sit in for more than about 10 mins. I tried it twice thinking maybe my first time just wasn't on point since I usually enjoy these types of restaurants (pubs), but I don't intend to go back...I'd rather just go through a drive through and save the money. read more

So, it's a bit smelly in here (I blame it on the carpet and the fabric bar stools), and the food is average, BUT you really can't beat the trivia night they host there. The questions aren't created/produced by Durty Nelly's, but the fact that they let Geeks Who Drink use their bar on Wednesdays is awesome. So far I've had the fish and chips (3 out of 5), turkey club (4 out of 5), turkey melt (3 out of 5), and corned beef (2 out of 5). I was most disappointed by the corned beef reuben. The meat was tough AND chewy (depending on which area of meat I was eating), and just not good... They also gave very little sauerkraut (which I actually liked!) The fish and chips were just average--the meat was a bit chewy (shouldn't it be flaky??) but the tarter sauce made up for the average texture. Also, the beer batter got SO soggy so quickly. I wanted more crunch! Service here is pretty good if you get Justin, the awesome mustached waiter. There's also a bubbly, short, middle-aged blond who is really friendly and sweet. read more

Nestled in an parking lot full of office buildings (one of which I happen to work in) this spot is pretty great. When I used to eat meat their turkey sandwich was clutch. The other reviews are giving less stars because of the food but really, do you expect a cuisine style menu at an IRISH PUB? That's like looking for legit people to hang out with on craigslist. Either way, an ice cold black and tan on my lunch break served with a smile by a REAL Irish lady couldn't wash away the woes of shitty clients any better. The 2 missing stars above are for 2 reasons, both of which aren't really big deals because they both relate to food and again, THIS IS A PUB. 1. St. Patties day here was pretty dissapointing. We came for lunch and it literally took 1 hour for them to serve one of five options from their special lunch menu for the day. Being vegetarian I had to get a Turkey sandwich and take off the meat because they couldn't just bring me a basket of fries, it had to be part of the meal. 2. NO SPLIT CHECKS. Come on? It's not like they're using the old "take an imprint of your card and call AMEX" style of swiping.. I've seen their POS system and it's just as up to date as any other place so just SPLIT THE CHECKS! All in all, you go to a Pub to drink and you can drink here with friendly service, a cool ambiance and great drinks. Not to mention the amazing slogans on the walls: "God created Whiskey so the Irish wouldn't rule the world" read more

Came here on a Wednesday for a special Mad Men themed pub trivia. This was definitely one of the best pub trivia's I've been to. Well organized and the MC was entertaining. Our waitress Nikki was very nice and had our tables reserved for us when our group got there. The food was decent. I got the Fish and Chips. The tartar sauce and fries were really good and the fish wasn't too rubbery. The fried portion of the fish tasted a little bland but that's the joy of tartar sauce! I wish I'd specified that I wanted the Happy Hour Fish and Chips (they had great priced happy hour offerings for the whole quiz) because I ended up spending twice as much on the full sized menu version. You wouldn't expect an Irish pub to be in such a business-focused/industrial area (well I guess for that exact reason you would expect it) but I appreciated how easy it was to find (even after my GPS pooped out on me) and the ample parking available. I think I may be frequenting this place a little more often for all my pub trivia needs! read more

The best friend LOVES corned beef (so weird), so she dragged me here for dinner. I was not impressed. I had the fish and chips, the fish was ok. The fries were gross. My friend did not like her corned beef either. Avoid the food. read more

This place is fun for groups and it is very different because there is a stage for karaoke. The host and dj are really friendly people. Drink prices are ok but they serve you right away. So thats a good sign. Only down side is it is a small place. read more

I think the happy hour lasts all day here. Drinks are cheap. Food is decent, good for bar food. This place is great for after work drinks. Don't bring your hot date here. read more

I love Durty Nelly's. I've been here many times before on their "alternative ladies night" (Sunday) - I think they're closed on Sundays now - so when the Yelp deal came up I had to get it! This place is just a good time. We went on the Karaoke night and stayed way later and drank more than I intended but had a fantastic time! You can't beat a little pub with good food, good drink and good entertainment. read more

This was a miss... even with a Groupon. I ordered the French dip and unfortunately could not even chew the meat on the sandwich. It was so tough. My husband had the shepherds pie and said it tasted like warmed up hamburger helper. We left just before the karaoke started. Even an amazing deal on a Groupon couldn't save this meal. read more

Overall a fantastic place. I moved from San Francisco to Orange County in 2012 and some of my finest OC memories are playing pub trivia at Durty Nelly's on Wednesday nights. The staff is always extremely helpful and attentive. The prices are more than reasonable and the place attracts a very enjoyable crowd. Trust me if you're even slightly interested in pub trivia come on down to Durty Nelly's! read more

An authentic Irish pub/restaurant, with excellent food and irish and british beer. Really excellent service as well. Trivia here on Wednesday nights, and plenty of parking after hours, as it's a business park. A fun place to go with friends. read more

I went here the other night and while I enjoyed myself, I found the service to be a bit disorganized. It seems that we arrived at a time when the waitress and bartender were both on break. We couldn't get seated and the bar was full. When we finally got a seat, it was impossible to get a beer. Finally the bartender came back and from then on, all was great. I had fish and chips and beers. The bartender was actually very nice and attentive. Not sure why it was so difficult to get seated and served but that type of thing always rubs me the wrong way. read more

I've yet to find an Irish Pub with good food, so I usually just go for the drinks. This place is fun for happy hour, where you'll usually find a business crowd mixed with a few drifters. The beer is cold and the service is usually pretty good. This is a fun place to watch any European sports, like soccer, but it's not the most comfortable place to hang out for too long. All the seats are wooden, and the prices are on the high side for a pub. read more

Durty Nelly's was a good way to end on my cousin's birthday after the terrible service we had at Onotria Restaurant. Durty Nelly's is a cute Irish pub with a good mix of people (not trashy). Luckily it wasn't that crowded on a Saturday karaoke night. My cousin waited for 20 minutes to sing her song. Drinks are cheap! Got myself a pint of SVDC (Stoli Vanilla Diet Coke) for $7 buckaroos! Plenty of parking. We all had a good time! read more

Durty Nelly's - Irish Pub Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I've been here several times and have always had good service, good food and of course.....beer. This particular evening I was witness to the highly entertaining world of the Karaoke geekdom, and holy guacamole was it great. I've not heard of the this sort of closet singer talent prior. Only two acts that I could think of were of the sort that might sound like me. All others were pretty frickin' awesome, a star in their world and the sort of entertainment that all the wall flowers hope to find. Fridays agree with me at this local. read more

Durty Nelly's - Comfy - Irish Pub Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I had no idea this little gem was near my office. Positioned in a commercial office park near John Wayne, I was pleasantly surprised to find a good dive bar and restaurant for lunch. I'm looking for solid fish and chips plus Cape Cod's to wash down the goodness. Bing! The waitress was nice and while the bartendress screwed up my order and brought me a screwdriver, how could I complain. Booze is booze. Fish and chips hit the spot and my drinking/lunch Amiga enjoyed a hearty Shepherd's pie. I'll be back! read more

What a vibe at this local watering hole. Show up any time for the best day or night of your life.

Friday night Karaoke really GOES OFF at this joint. KJ KEVIN and his fiancee seriously KILLED IT, all night long. This dude looks like a younger version of Weird Al Yankovic, and he is very friendly, kool, and knows how to treat a wide range of people in a friendly manner. The service staff was also outstanding. The waitresses were very attentive and nice. I would categorize the food as "good", but not great. Also, the men's bathroom is kinda small for a place of that size. Plenty of free parking, and real easy to find, too. My entire group were first-timers, and were unsure about what to expect. We now love the place, and would highly recommend it. We'll be going again soon. read more

Had a blast night! My girl and I found this place on Yelp. The drinks were flowing,the karaoke was amazing with a great sound system and the environment was welcoming. Definitely be back! read more

Not the worst place in the world, but definitely wouldn't go back or recommend. Bought a Groupon and went in for dinner a few weeks ago. Not happy when we found out they closed the kitchen over an hour early that night!! Went back a few nights ago and waited over 10 minutes, without even being acknowledged, before I finally got up and asked if we could please get menus. Once our server finally came over, she was decent, but not great. Food was really disappointing though! Nothing more than bar food. I ordered the corned beef sandwich, my boyfriend ordered the ham and cheese sandwich. Both sandwiches were SERIOUSLY lacking in the meat department (see photos). Neither sandwich was over a half inch thick. They were basically glorified toast. For $9 each, they definitely weren't worth it. Like I said, not the worst place in the world, but definitely not somewhere I'd go back to, or recommend. read more

Durty Nelly's - Sad little ($9) corned beef sandwich. Bread, mustard and a microscopic portion of corned beef. - Irish Pub Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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I'd give it a try if you are in the area. Google screws up the address a bit, it is on red hill across from the Euro Cars and the Ferrari and Maserati service center near where Red Hill ends at Bristol. My wife and I go here about once a week. We wait out traffic after work before heading home. I like that it has the restaurant / Pub feel more than a straight-up bar. I have never sat where they do the Karaoke or Quiz night. I think Quiz night is usually Wednesday. I saw Vicka S's 1 star review over them not having green beer on Saint Patrick day. I think it is actually credit to this place that they don't cater to this type of low brow, and add stupid green food coloring to their beer on St. Patrick's day. It is also stupid to think green beer has anything to do with Ireland making green beer is actually frowned upon in Ireland. But I digress. Anyways the food is fine, there is basically two sides to their food, they have a Irish food selection and more traditional bar food like wing, burgers, and so forth. Probably what I like the most is that they have several beers from Ireland on tap, which is not always easy to find in our area. Beers are $6 - $7 a pint. read more

.. What can I say about this place. I've met, lost, recovered from and celebrated friends and boyfriends here. This staff has always been sunshine and the place is one of a kind. The food is perfect for the atmosphere and the atmosphere is perfect for Saturday nights. A great place to check out. read more

Been coming in here for close to 10 years now. Staff are always polite and professional. The food is great, and the happy hour portions are perfect for small-medium appetites. For those of you knocking this place, it's a business not your personal freebie factory. read more

VERY fair prices for the happy hour portions of food. For an Irish pub, they could use a slightly larger selection of whiskeys though. Kevin the KJ is still the champ. I had the fish and chips but subbed in the roasted potatoes from the corned beef dinner. The potatoes were a little over buttered but very tender. Fish was good and the batter was perfectly crispy. Next time I'll try the stew! read more

Came here one Friday night and had a good time for the most part. It was awesome to watch the Karaoke-ers. Some were pretty good, word around the bathroom was that these singers were there EVERY weekend. Then there were the normal singers, the tone deaf, drunk, American Idol 1st 2 episodes contestants. I'm harsh but, unless I'm completely toasted, I would never subject an entire room to my super bad singing! But that is half the fun of Karaoke. The bar was pretty busy and the service was pretty good....then we got the bill, not sure if drinks were expensive or if the waitress was ripping us off because the bill was hand written and came out to over $300 for 6 ppl, before tip. And people were definitely NOT wasted! Still, we had a good time and I'd go back but I'll check the the bill better next time. read more

Came here with our yelp voucher $25 for $50 worth of Irish pub food and drink. My husband and I were looking for a fun night out on their karaoke night. We decided to give this pub a try. We ordered a sampler platter with potato skin, fries, cheese platter, smoke salmon, two beer, two margaritas and an extra order of the potato skin. The fried potato skin is the best but they are pretty greasy. Margarita was alright but was served with a cup? I think it is for older people to hang out because most of the people there are 45-70. We were the youngest people there. They have some 70s songs and people seems to have fun. We were sooo full by the end of the night because two of us ate and drunk $50 worth of pub food and drink. read more

Good place to go if you just want to get a drink with some friends, rarely super crowded and they have plenty of seats and tables which is a plus for me (who likes standing in a bar) Go here often for trivia on Wednesday's - the crowd is fun and not intimidating. Been to karaoke a few times on Friday nights, always a good time. Happy Hour is reasonable. No complaints, will continue to frequent this bar. read more

very fun place for karaoke and a fun time with a group of friends! it probably isnt the best place to travel down and check it out but if your local i def recommend a visit the dj is just a bit out there on your first visit here but once u got a couple of drinks on you he makes sure you have a good time. the singing selections varies depending on what the crowd is choosing but from what i heard it seems that he has a wide selection going on. read more

I came in here a couple of nights ago....I'd been meaning to stop by....I could have sworn I'd been here before......but the other night confirmed that I hadn't. I was thinking it was quite large inside......but obviously had it confused with somewhere else. It's nice inside....standard Irish Pub style.....a bit on the smaller side...which I actually kinda like. The service was good......drinks were on spot. Prices were standard for the area. I only stayed for one, but I'll stop in again. read more

Just went here today with a large group about 15. The servers were very helpful and great. Everyone loved the food. One person said The fish and chips should probably come with more than one piece of fish but loved the food. Please come during happy hour they have awesome deals! I will come back! read more

We have been there a couple of times for lunch and find the service friendly and attentive, even if understaffed a little. We are not the bar type, but find the items on the limited menu tasty and reasonably priced. read more

It's all about the karaoke on Fri & Sat nights! The KJ puts on a great show! GO KEVIN! The friendly ladies behind the bar run a pretty tight ship, so no shenanigans here. I'm big on the fish and chips, but not much else. read more

My husband and I love Durty Nelly's. The food is delicious. The owner and wait staff are the best. They are friendly and professional. During this time of COVID-19, it is important to support our local community. I would highly recommend Durty Nelly's. read more