Stayed in DC for a trip and ended up STARVING really late at night. Kelly's happened to be open (and only a quick walk from my hotel) and I'm really happy it was! The atmosphere of the place was so cool and the food was incredible! Will definitely visit again on my next trip! read more

Marie was amazing! Best bartender I have ever witnessed in a long time. So attentive and friendly and efficient. Was food running bartending and bar backing and still had time to chat with the customers! Will definitely be back for her! read more

What a disappointment, truly. Came here fresh off the Amtrak for the Reuben I saw in the yelp pics. We sat at the bar, ordered a couple of pints and then asked for the food menu. Bartender couldn't be bothered with us. He actually looked annoyed we asked for a menu. So he eventually brings 1 over, there's 2 of us but ok. Then struts away and took another 10 minutes to come back and ask if we were ordering anything. Of course we said hell no! Finished our warm pints and went next door to The Dubliner for more bad service. Did I mention the beer was warm at Kelly's? Yuk! read more

Kelly's Irish Times - Lots of patches on the wall. - Dive Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I was excited to see Guinness beef stew on the menu and disappointed when I tasted it. It looks as though it is a large bowl of stew when in actuality it is mostly mashed potatoes. The top layer is stew that only had three pieces of meat and the rest is reheated mashed potatoes. The decor was ok, however it clearly needed a deep cleaning. I'm not sure what the smell was inside the place. It smelled like old cleaning supplies. I had to switch chairs because it was old and rickety and I didn't feel as though it would support me. Not all was bad, the waiter was very friendly and the prices were reasonable. read more

Kelly's Irish Times - Guinness Stew - Dive Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Never had such a bad experience. We were with a bunch of regulars and were having a good time until the manager on duty kicked us out for no reason. Service has gone downhill. Other than service leaving a bad experience for regulars, Kelly's Irish Times has an outdoor seating section. The food is good with my British friends loving their liver and onions, decent burgers and crispy wings read more

Tons of history at Kelly's! Best to come mid day for breakfast, Lunch or early Dinner. In the evening time this place gets so packed with people its hard to move around or order a drink. In the evening they have a live band that rocks and the pipe and drums teams pass-by during May for Police week. I would recommend this place to visit during police week when the police car doors are displayed to pay tribute to the fallen officers. This place is lots of fun! read more

Esquire named this place bar of the year at some point in time. Esquire must have confused this place with a different Kelly's Irish Times. The place is worse than a dive, it's suffering from negligence and in dire need of maintenance. For private events, the staff don't seem to care that you booked a private event. Anything goes. Drink-wise, they need to clean their taps more frequently. The most disgusting Guinness I've ever had was here. Worst Drink of 2018 (tell that to Esquire). The food is cheap and fine for the price. read more

Super disappointed! I'm a tourist and I visited to check this place out. Bartender had no personality and the place was dead. I was hoping to a fun Irish bar but was super disappointed read more

Smells like there are cats that crapped all over the place, only slightly covered up by kitty litter.

This place is awesome. Great spacious interior, quick service, amazing burgers and onion rings. A decent selection of beer, too. Attracts all kinds! Definitely a place to try out when in the D.C. area. read more

Kelly's Irish Times - The Cowboy Burger - Dive Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

It's been here since 1978 and the interior looks a wee bit worn, and the night we went the bartender was a bit on the surly side, but he knew how to pour the perfect pint of Guinness, so that's what really mattered. read more

Kelly's Irish Times - Dive Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The first bartender was super condescending to me. I asked for a Moscow mule and used the word "like" and he said "do you want LIKE a Moscow mule or a Moscow mule?" Like dang! The other bartender was super nice though, my friend asked him to change one of the channels and after he did it, the rude bartender came back and was mad like what the heck? Maybe he was having a bad day but sheesh, I don't like to be talked down to. Three stars for the nice bartender and cool glasses for the drinks! read more

May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face And may you someday outgrow this bar. I had my first Irish car bomb at this bar. Correction: I watched my first Irish car bomb curdle in this place as a slow drinking youngin. When the Dubliner looked like a sea of frat boys in orange for the Syracuse vs. Georgetown game, we ended up at this less crowded bar recently. Let me tell you, Nothing has changed. On any given Saturday, this place is a mix of loud frat boys, some DC sports drinking league and older men watching lacrosse. Good news, this means your drinks are always paid for. Bad news, you might have to talk to them. Bartenders are still friendly, and definitely very Irish. They understand what a poor man's black velvet is. And I actually had some really good chicken wings here. You can still get genoherpasyphilaids just by walking into their bathrooms. I bet there are five new strains of HPV on the sink faucets alone. Honestly if you intend to hang out here, make like a crazy female astronaut and consider adult diapers. So if you're in the Union Station area, in the mood for some Irish beer or whiskey in a mostly quiet bar and have a large bladder, this place might be fun for a round or two. read more

I came here last night with one of my girlfriends for drinks and dinner. Kelly's Irish Times is good for 2 things -- 1. horrible one man cover bands and 2. fast Irish food. As much as I loved the ambiance and the divey pub feel; it just didn't hit it for me. It seemed a bit confusing. We were here at 9:00-10:45pm. It wasn't incredibly late, but it was late enough that children should not have been running around inside the bar area where there also a group of men who could have possibly been frat brothers 6 or 7 years ago reliving their glory days at what ever SEC college that attended. When one of the kids ran lose past the crowd, one of the frat brothers managed to spill some of the drink on the kid when the kid was being chased by the parent. It wasn't much spillage, but this could have been avoided by not having kids in a bar in the first place. The frat bros had more reason to be than kids. When her and I entered, we were IDed. Young children coming in completely defeated this purpose. Here is one thing I can say about Kelly's -- it is a restaurant and bar. I am sure they have families during the day which I get. I think there should be a cut off on what time children should be allowed in. It is a bar on Friday night with people who may not know how to control their liquor... let alone much else. Please be aware of this. For dinner I got the open faced roast beef. Basically roast beef on two buns with mashed potatoes and gravy smothering it. It was a bit salty. I like salt, so this wasn't a complete bust for me, but it was a tad overwhelming for the average person who might not be into salty items. For drinks I had their on tap cider. Tasted great and it was very smooth. Service was pretty much non existent. There didn't seem to be a set person to one table. Several people helped us which was fine since we were maintained well and there were not lingering issues. Will i return? Eh... I am more partial to The Dubliner. I think I will stick with what I know versus the sister of. read more

I recently joined a DC Fray Kickball league and came to Kelly's afterwards to hang out with my team. It was as dive bar as diver bars come. The basement had a college party glow lights in the dark atmosphere. Even though there was only 1 bartender, he was attentive and service was very fast for the number of people that were there. The music was great and a few people were dancing. Idk if I would have gone to Kelly's if it were not for Dc Fray, but if you want a party atmosphere, Kelly's on Tuesday nights is the place to be. read more

Well that was disappointing. Saturday night, place not even full, only 2 waiters. Took at least 10 minutes to get a drink order in after sitting, then another 10 to get the drinks. Food came out at the same time as the appetizer. Everything, and I mean everything was frozen/reheated. The fries, the max & cheese bites, the pretzels, the chicken fingers, the fish. All prepackaged. The Reuben was ok, it enough sauerkraut, but fine. Overall, it was ok. We ate and didn't die, but wouldn't go back and would not recommend For the love of god, just go to the place next door called The Dubliner, sooooooooo much better. read more

RED LINE PUB CRAWL STOP #2: IRISH TIMES Irish Times is a pretty solid dive. We've always had great service. The prices are reasonable. The gent's room is one of the shabbiest in the DC metro, though that's to be expected at any dive. Call me a drunk, but I still have yet to find this "downstairs" referenced by the other YELPers. read more

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Amazingly underwhelming. The pierogies were decent but I suspect they came frozen out of a bag. My fish tacos were mostly devoid of taste and my husband's Guinness stew was instant potatoes or brown packet gravy (or at least, it tasted like it). This is a decent drinking establishment but I'd go elsewhere for food. read more

So we happened upon this really cool Irish bar. Which soon became our favorite hang out. Phil and Rudolpho a.k.a. John where our new best friends. Best weekend ever. We heard Phill was under the weather and we Hopis doing better now! Thanks for a great day or two or three or four! Kelly's rocks! See y'all next trip! read more

Irish Times is great place for lunch, a beer after work, some beer after WAKA kickball, and any time in between :P Having eaten lunch here dozens of times, I will say that I quickly abandoned the Fish'nChips for the Cod Basket, which is what the Fish'nChips should be. A former coworker swears by the Bombay Chicken. Other coworkers go for the Shrimp or Shrimp and Cod baskets. Basically, if it's fried and you have it with a pint of Guinness, it's a good time :) As mentioned in Brin L's review, there are several times a year that Irish Times has a special menu. No, they will not serve you anything else except what's on the menu ;) And they have a great bartender there named Kevin .. tip him well, he'll do you right. read more

A spare efficient Guinness-pouring machine with free wifi :) Yes Kelly's is in the modern age, you can stew over the latest meme while stuffing yourself with Irish stew. They also tap some American craft brews like Starr Hill Northern Lights IPA in addition to the requisite Smithwicks, Harp and the big G. Spare is about the right word for this place, that and "dive." This pub has a long plain bar, many small tables separated by low walls, some TVs high up, and plenty of room to stand around while lifting a glass. Fairly noisy with a vague sound system so adult conversation requires a bit of shouting. I think it's a place for serious drinking, and just enough eating so you can keep drinking. Service at the bar was prompt and efficient. Altho as Joseph O. points out, the bar space is cramped by hundreds of clean glasses waiting for their fill, that was a new one on me, a real wall between the drinkers and the bartenders. My only real complaint was that a glass of the good dark stuff was painfully cold, don't like it that icy. I paid $7 for an imperial pint in prime time, on par for this area but perhaps too high for a dive bar. Vegetarian rating: barely 2 stars, you're limited to a 'shroom sandwich, fries, onion rings and of course beer :) Just fine for a low-key drink and fairly cheap food. If you want the same beer but with old-world elegance, go next door to the big D. read more

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Not great. Basically a cop watering hole next to a train station. Not impressed. We sat for about 15-20 minutes and I had to flag down a waitress to help us. The food was average at best. My mushroom swiss burger was very dry and tasteless. My friends Mcmack and cheese was alright, but it wasn't great either. If you are looking for a drink, sure, this place would be fine for that. Food and drink? Look elsewhere. read more

Kelly's Irish Times - Special of the day: mushroom swiss burger. Very bland surprisingly. - Dive Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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During my Congressional staff days in the 90s, Kelly's Irish Times was our go-to bar on Fri/Sat evenings. Loved this place. Now, whenever I/we return to DC, I make sure to stop by for a quick lunch when possible. We recently popped in on a weekday for lunch and enjoyed the shredded bbq pulled pork sandwich and smoked ham sandwich. We each ordered the tater-tots. The sandwiches exceeded our expectations. Delicious. Wonderful meal. Staff was pretty good. Our waiter could've turned up the pleasant factor a notch. Overall, not terrible. I appreciated his recommendation on what sandwich to order. Always look forward to returning to my old stomping grounds on Capitol Hill. No beer this time, just excellent food. Top marks. read more

Kelly's Irish Times - Smoked Ham sandwich with tots. - Dive Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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There aren't many places you can say you made out with a girl, you puked, you won a flip cup tournament and you got in a fight, but the basement at Kelly's Irish Times is that place. Affectionately known as the "puke dungeon" the lower level is where future depressing nightmares come from. I exaggerate a little, I've had good times down there. The bartenders were great. I'm not sure I was charged for half my beers. But I'm an adult now so... Thats what the upstairs is for. The upstairs area is nice and bright. Its like a non-Irish Irish bar. There are lots of uncomfy seats and a bar area. Compared to their next door Irish neighbor it isn't very crowded. I went on St. Patrick's day and this "Irish bar" didn't seem to have anything going on, which I thought was kind of a missed marketing opportunity. I think if I lived in the neighborhood I'd prefer this quieter spot to next door, but I wouldn't really put it into the same category of other Irish Pubs you will find in DC, Alexandria etc. read more

Staff friendly Food enjoyable by all Specials ok ... simple place just the way I wanted it read more

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Kelly's Irish Times is a "Cop Bar". The is good but the selection of whisky 's, scotches, and bourbon is awesome. "Ty" was my server for lunch, this guy's is an animal. Solo server and handled it like a pro... read more

Kelly's Irish Times - Everything from the right side of the menu... - Dive Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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How good your Kelly's experience is depends on where you choose to sit. A seat outside is nice and relaxing, but inevitably, the service will be painfully slow. A seat at the bar usually entails pretty fast service but neither a relaxing nor crazy experience. Going downstairs will get you drunk, sticky and probably AIDS. I'm in a league that frequents the basement, but, I'm usually too grossed out by it to bother. Worse than any frat house I've ever been to. The rest of the bar is a decent dive though. read more

I came here two of the three nights I stayed in DC...I wish I had gone all three. :) I was in Washington DC to visit my lost friends at Arlington, and then to play tourist and wander around the city for a few days. Most of my family is either law enforcement or military, so I immediately felt at home when I walked into the bar and saw all of the patches on the walls. Some of my Navy friends in San Diego had told me that this place was a must to visit on my trip, and I'm glad they did. Sean, our bartender, is a true mixologist! I'd ask him for one of their mixed drink specials, and he'd come back with something exceedingly tasty every time. I started with a cider, tasty, then a traditional Mule (also tasty)...and then he got more creative and brought me their Black and Stormy...which I had two more of. The second night, I continued through their specialty drinks menu and had the Pinapple Mule, and then went back to the Black and Stormy (Jameson Black, ginger beer and a lime wedge). It's very refreshing, and didn't give me a hangover in the morning :) Sean took the time to answer all of my history-geek questions about the pictures on the walls, even helped me take a picture of something that one of my friends had left the last time he was there. And Cierra! One of the staff there, also a total doll! Friendly, sweet, and always had a smile...even when I took over the jukebox with my local Coronado bar's favorite songs. Note, she's got a boyfriend guys, be respectful! Kelly's has quickly become my DC bar, and the next time I'm local, I'll be stepping through the doors with a smile. read more

Ugh We got the sampler appetizer which was the best part of the meal. The chicken tenders were great and the fried Mac and cheese was fantastic. The pretzel was ok, but the pierogies were blah, and seemed dried out. We got the fish and chips (very good), the corned beef and cabbage (yuck) and the Rueben (yuck). The fish was light and tasty. The corned beef was tough and hard to chew, and the cabbage was tasteless with no flavor at all. The Reuben was light on meat (which may have been a blessing) and had some dark orange sauce on it. The tater tots with it had a weird, freezer burn aftertaste. I recommend going anywhere else. read more

Love this bar its location is enough to stroll in a hot or chilly day, They're a fairly friendly lot. The pint of Guinness is served Just as good as anyone else, And I like it that way, Let me get on with me drinking, This is a old bar owned by the same people since 1970, The building I'm told is 100 Years old. I dont like the upgrades, But I'm there for a pint , The additional bar which is in a poor place actually. A happy hour favorite with wiry Government workers, and Gonzaga's priests, Large picture windows at the front & a skylight give this place lots of it's old World charm. read more

This is quite a dive bar & was surprised that the food was decent. They had live music on a thurs evening. The menu is simple paying homage to Irish staples. Decent beer & spirits selection. Rec fish tacos & burger was ok. Fries & tots r crispy & tasty. read more

This was one of those random places I wandered into while on a business trip. It seems like a dump, older, overdecorated tacky sports decorations. But the beer was fine and the food that I got was really good. The beer was just WAY over priced. $8 for a DRAFT beer was crazy read more

Kelly's Irish Times - Bavarian Ham on Pretzel Roll - Dive Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We came from the Chicago area back in May, 2013 and we had to come to Kelly's. We didn't go for the food, we went for the cold cans of beer, the elbow to elbow, sticky floor, great music and a fantastic time. I'll never forget the time I had here, it was one of the best bar atmosphere ever. read more

Kelly's Irish Times - Police Week, May 2013 - Dive Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Place seems fun but not the best service. Our bartender was like a 40 year male that possibly live with his parents. He was rude and messed up a simple cranberry and vodka. Then he botched a B52 shot. He was rude when he was questioned about the drinks and even snatched the drink from a buddy of mines and then gave us unwanted and arrogant advice on how to order a drink. What a Jerk! read more

One of my favorite bars in DC. I was in town for a couple days and made sure to stop by twice. The bartender has an amazing memory as he remembered me from a year ago. Good food and great drinks! The price is right too! read more

My favorite bar during this year's Saint Patrick's Day celebrations. The place was packed with people in green, but we never had to wait more than a minute for a drink. Great atmosphere. Great Bartenders. Great time. read more

Kelly's Irish Times - Everyone is Irish on March 17th. - Dive Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We came in hoping to get a drink and some dinner. Immediately, we ordered an appetizer and asked for two water while we reviewed the menu. It seems that our first waiter couldn't understand our Texas accents. Nothing wrong with that but when the replacement waitress said she was better, she was the one that set the bar. We ordered Kelly's Combo platter and it was pretty good. The pineapple mule was fine. My water was empty before the appetizer was brought to the table but never refilled. After waiting an hour, we finally waived down the waitress and just requested our check. We had hoped to try the NE clam chowder and the Guinness Stew. Now, we are having to find someplace to deliver dinner to our hotel. read more

The times they are a changing, from whatever mediocre DC bar you were drinking at to this delightful pub within a stone's throw of Union Station. I've shut it down a couple times and I can safely say this is one of the better ones in the district. read more

I only had drinks, but I really liked the vibe! I wouldn't consider it all that Irish, but I enjoy small bars with good service. My coworkers ate while they were there and complimented the food. We went both for a happy hour setting as well as late night. During the day you notice all the police patches and interesting array of liquor. I kept asking the bartender what certain things were, and he wasn't very helpful. However there was another patron at the bar who was, so I wasn't too frustrated. They have a decent happy hour and beer and shot specials. At night there is loud music, and greasy food, and supposedly live music sometimes. Good any time of the day. read more

Sorry, but the smell in there was terrible 2 years ago on a visit and it was the same horrible smell last night when I gave it another try. It smells like sewage in there. read more