Kelli's is a Black Woman Owned restaurant lounge. You do have to be 21 to enter. We went here during happy hour. I ordered the buffalo wings with the house sauce and a lemon drop with house liquor in it. My friends ordered the truffle fries, Caesar salad, salad and jerk tacos. It was all delicious. The buffalo wings were really good. I do wish that they fried them a little longer. If your pallet is savory with a little bit of sweet. This is the place for you. The staff was informative and recommended everything we ordered. The margarita tower can be split amongst 4 to 5 people. The happy hour deal for it is very much worth it. The drinks were hitting! The ambience of this place is very chill. They do need to work on their decorations to fill the space more. It's never a dull moment in there. lots of foot traffic. Free seating upon entering. I will be coming again! They do have select days for happy hour be sure to check before you go because they're happy hour deals are highly worth it! read more

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I've been to Kelli's three times now--first as a guest of a colleague, then when I invited coworkers myself, and most recently returning with someone I'd been there with before. That alone says something positive! Each visit has been around 4:30, and the one consistent challenge has been wait time, especially when there's a crowd. It seems the bar staff is doing their best, but it can be tough for them to manage both the bar and table service, which leads to longer waits. A bit more staffing during that time window might really help. That said, the staff is always friendly and welcoming, the atmosphere is very nice, and the location is super convenient--just minutes from both work and home. It's a cute spot where I feel comfortable even stopping by on my own. The drinks are good, the wings are awesome, and overall I've had enjoyable experiences. I do hope the wait times improve, because this place has a lot going for it. I'll definitely be back! read more

While our guests ultimately enjoyed themselves, the overall experience at this establishment was impacted by significant communication issues, safety concerns, and operational shortcomings. The event was scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM, and I arrived at 6:00 PM to begin setting up. Guests began arriving right at 7:00 PM and were paying for their own drinks, as that was the agreed-upon arrangement. As I stated that I did not want open bar. However, around 9:00 PM, a staff member approached me to inform me that there was no credit card on file at the bar. I assumed she was simply clarifying that since there was no card on file guests would continue paying for their drinks. Instead, I later discovered that the bar had been opened without my knowledge or approval for party guest to receive free drinks. At no point during the planning process or when I arrived early at 6:00 PM did anyone mention that I needed to put a card on file or that the bar would be converted to an open bar. This was never discussed, never agreed upon, and was handled with extremely poor communication. By the end of the event, I was unexpectedly responsible for: The entire open bar tab A 20% gratuity, despite the agreement clearly stating 15% The remaining balance of the bar guarantee that was not met, in which I was fine with covering. The open bar tab was a complete surprise and demonstrated a lack of professionalism and transparency, because why was this not discussed upon my arrival and why was a card not collected at the beginning of the event if the intention was to open the bar. On top of the bar issues, several operational concerns also affected the event: The parking lot was not plowed, and there was a sheet of ice in front of the entrance which was not salted, creating a clear safety hazard and a liability concern. It was difficult for guests to walk without slipping upon entering the establishment. There was a delay in getting us plates and utensils for food and there were no serving spoons for the ranch dressing and no tongs to grab the vegetables. The meat for the tacos was lukewarm and food was left out while not on warmers. Chicken and beef were served together in the same pan, which may create issues for guests with dietary restrictions. Although the bartenders were friendly, the bouncer's behavior was alarming, including pulling bags off guests' arms and there was another worker telling one guest she could not move a chair to sit at another table. We were told 100 chairs would be provided, yet only 59 chairs were available. When we asked a worker to put out more chairs, they stated they didn't have any more despite us being told there were more in the back. Overall, although our guests made the best of the situation, the combination of poor communication, lack of transparency, safety oversights, and contractual inconsistencies left a negative impression. This establishment needs significant improvement in communication, customer service, and operational execution to prevent these issues from happening again. read more

I visited maybe two months ago with my friend for happy hour. The bar had people and it was a few others occupying another table. It took a while for us to get service and when we did, we were told we are busy you should just come to the bar to order. I'm not sure if this place isn't marketed well enough or what... I asked how long they had been open because the furniture looked like random folding chairs and card tables (cheap furniture). I was disappointed in the food. I don't think we will be back unfortunately. read more

I like this place! Came here on a double date and had great service with great music! We came during Happy Hour where everything on that menu was $10. The passenger princess is a 10/10 - tasted good and got us all right! The nachos were also good but I just wanted a little bit more meat. My friend had the sliders and she said they were solid. It's really cute inside and I recommend this spot for their daily deals & happy hour- can't go wrong! Not too many spots like this in the area so much appreciated! read more

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I came to Kelli's Chicago after a event we had! It was cute in here! Had a more sophisticated crowd, the vibes were there! Very clean and spacious!! They were hosting different parties there and the music was still lit! The drinks were so good! I had a strawberry margarita. The only thing was me and my friends waited by the bar for about an hour for drinks. It wasn't that busy for us to wait that long to order. We had to get other people to order after we seen people who came in after us, get drinks. We only stayed for the event, otherwise we would've been left. That was crazy!! The drink was great! I want to come back but I'm HUGE on service and hospitality. It's nice if your chilling with no where to go (This is coming from a retired bartender) read more

Kelli's - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Black woman owned business. We randomly stopped in for their Saturday Happy Hour special and had a great time! Drinks were mixed well, service was good, and our server was friendly and pretty attentive. It was a decent crowd but not crowded. $8 from 8-9pm $9 from 9-10pm margs. lemon drops. sidecars. loaded chicken nachos. Bbq chicken sliders. read more

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My friend and I stopped by Kelli's for drinks after dinner somewhere else, and we were pleasantly surprised! Kelli's has that classic neighborhood bar feel -- welcoming, laid-back, and spacious enough that it would be a great spot to host an event or get-together. We sat at the bar, and the bartenders couldn't have been friendlier. They made us feel right at home from the moment we walked in. To top it off, it happened to be bingo night, which made the evening even more fun and lively! I noticed they also host trivia nights, so I'll definitely be back for that -- and next time, I plan to try the food too. If you're looking for a relaxed neighborhood spot with great energy and even better people, Kelli's is worth checking out read more

I came across an IG post about Kelli's Thursday night trivia and thought it would be the perfect way to start off my birthday evening. Finding the main entrance was a little tricky, my GPS placed me near the gated parking lot on the side street, so I had to walk around the block to get to the front walkway. I also didn't realize they closed at 9 pm on weekdays, so definitely plan your visit accordingly. Once inside, the vibe was great. Trivia night was a lot of fun, the staff actually played against the guests, which added to the competitive but lighthearted energy. Most of the crowd seemed to know each other, giving the place a warm, neighborhood lounge feel. Not sure what to order, I asked the bartender to surprise me with a drink. She whipped up a delicious smoky pineapple cocktail. Overall, I really enjoyed Kelli's atmosphere. I'd happily come back for trivia or just to try more of their cocktails. read more

I wish I took more pictures. Especially of the martinis. These were well made. The bartender was very friendly. The place was cute. I did get their happy hour nachos. They were mid. I would be interested in trying something else. read more

Stopped in to attend a pregame event that they had prior to Everyday People. They had a day party with unlimited margaritas from aboit 12-4p. Margs were only $30 and full sized. I also ordered their wings which were on special for $1.50. I tried kelli's special sauce wings plus the buffalo and they were hot & fresh. They were actually pretty good. The margs were good which i was suprised by as I am very particular about my maragaritas. They were well balanced & didnt slack on the alcohol but it wasn't a strong alcohol taste of that makes sense. I did appreciate that security seemed to be on top of their job...thorough searches as well as makimg sure that ppl didn't just linger around. He noticed i was standing at the bar too long (waiting behind someone to grab water) & asked if i needed anything. He then asked the ppl to make way so that i could grab water, which i didnt notice was sitting at a water station next to them. read more

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Our food was cold, drinks were good, owner Kelli was not hospitable at all. We kindly asked for warm food but was met with pretty irrational feelings for a mature businesswoman. And this was occasion 2... I try to give people the benefit of the doubt especially black businesses. Having a good business idea doesn't make you a good business owner. Take care of people and they will take care of you. It doesn't matter why the food was cold, how you address it does. Money is in the repeat customers, something young entrepreneurs fail to understand. My friend was so upset by the experience... she couldn't believe I brought her there after having one poor experience. I was really hoping I had found a local home for my large network of family & friends to hang and support. I read more

I visited Kelli's for the first time on Wednesday, October 8th and it just happened to be their anniversary! The atmosphere was lively, the drinks were great, and the hospitality was even better. The place is clean, well-kept, and has a really welcoming vibe. The food was tasty and flavorful. I also had the pleasure of speaking with Jackie about their rental opportunities--she was so helpful and informative. They have great pricing for their venue. Definitely a hidden gem in the Bronzeville area. I'll absolutely be back! read more

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Super happy I found a coffee shop near my area. From customer service to ambiance to menu items, this place has it all. It's so cute inside! Perfect for work in the morning and then happy hour later on. They even have events such as karaoke at night. I will be coming back. read more

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LOVE THIS PLACE. food, service and ambiance always great. the espresso martini with cognac is one of the best cocktails i've ever had.

My 24th birthday was this past week. I found a venue for my party, but unfortunately, the sound system turned out to be just a TV on the wall. We were able to get a refund and chose a different location. We stumbled upon Kelli's, a new bar/cafe that a lot of people have been eager to check out. I wanted to promote the business while also finding a spot that was close and convenient. Kelli was kind enough to offer us a discount for the space, providing both the front and back rooms (remember this) for $500 from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. We ensured there would be no issues with playing our own music and that the volume would be appropriate for a party. I invited 100 guests and wanted to ensure there was enough space and loud music so everyone could have fun. My party planners arrived at 8:30 p.m. to set up, as Kelli's was hosting an event that ended at 9 p.m. I, the birthday girl, waited until more people arrived and got there around 9:45 p.m. When I entered, there were still people I didn't recognize sitting comfortably at the bar. This confused me because, as I mentioned, we paid to rent the space, and it was already 45 minutes into my booking. On top of that, once I arrived, I could barely hear the music. The main concern I had for the party was completely ruined. The music was so low that you had to strain to hear it. Kelli's excuse was, "People usually don't have a problem with the music. I'm doing you a favor letting you hook up to my speaker." This was both rude and unprofessional, especially since we had confirmed that the music wouldn't be an issue. She refused to turn the music up and told us we could leave if we had a problem. This upset me to the point where I had to step outside to calm down. My friends tried to make the best of the situation, but the security guard informed us that we couldn't enter and exit the building repeatedly. I would understand this during normal operating hours, but since we were renting the space for $500, I felt we should be able to come and go as we pleased. A few friends wanted to run to the store, while others stepped out for a smoke break to respect the no-smoking and no-outside-food-or-drink rules. They were told they wouldn't be allowed back in. To make matters worse, even though we rented the space until 1 a.m., by 12:28 a.m., we were told to wrap things up. By 12:40 a.m., the security guard began walking up to guests and directly telling them to leave. As we exited, they followed us to the parking lot, rushing us to leave. My birthday was completely ruined by Kelli's unprofessionalism, miscommunication, and rudeness. The only rule disclosed initially was no outside food or drink, but this turned into no loud music, no re-entry, and my party ending early at 12:30 a.m. instead of 1 a.m., which killed the vibe entirely. The drinks were nice, but the bartenders were slow. The tacos were overpriced and very small. Overall, I regret choosing this establishment for my party and will strongly discourage anyone from giving Kelli their business. read more