I have to give this a 1 Star because no food. Seriously?? You are the only Irish pub in the area and no fish and chips? No bangers and mash? I'm sorry but that is just unacceptable. Service was okay though. read more

Great place, Kayla is a great bartender makes excellent drinks and very professional.

When I got to the pub there was a group of guys outside the bar and they all gave me dirty looks. Whatever, I asked them how they were doing tonight and they told me not to cause trouble or they'd shoot and kill me. I went inside and told the employee and she brushed it off and told me to not cause trouble and I wouldn't get shot. Absolutely unacceptable that's the kind of establishment you guys run? I didn't even bother ordering food I just left. read more

Bad service wouldn't recommend workers are cool at first but end up being rude and give you dirty look's asked for a glass of water never got it keep in mind the place was not that busy for them to not give me a simple glass of water. BUNCH OF SQUAREz! read more

As soon as I walked in they said "who are you" the customers are rude to strangers and new patrons I was questioned about my ethnicity from the server and I felt like I couldn't eat their food after thinking I may get poisoned. I left after the weird conversation from the server. read more

Great bar. Jeanette and Kaleb took so much care of us! They really went above and beyond and we are forever grateful.

Food was disgusting Luke warm no where near up to tempature I seen mouse fecal matter under bar area and the bar smelt of urine staff was unorganized not paying attention and rude In all wouldn't go again read more

Always a go to spot while in downtown. This spot is usually on the quieter side but since Main Street has been shut down in front of this bar the outdoor patio has been able to have been extended out. Nice place to just sit around and chat with friends. Drinks are strong and reasonably priced for a downtown venue. Definitely worth checking out if you just need a breather. read more

Shay McElroy's Irish Pub - Patio Views - Pubs Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I was waiting for my beer when the owner called a group of my friends the n word for no reason and told us leave with no refund

Worst absolute trash place I've ever been to. I'm not joking, people were rude and loud as can be. no respect for personal space or even boundaries. Over proves drinks and crapy management. Don't come here!! read more

Terrible bar they don't have good drinks, the owner is rude to customers and doesn't care what they have to say.

Horrible establishment and DO not spend your money here ! The place has even worse management and customer service. Also depending on what you look like you will get something different every time read more

This place is actually terrible unclean, terrible food, drinks, and the service... no words for how miserable, these people are. Dont work with people if you don't have basic conversation skills? read more

Shay's is the quintessential downtown, friendly bar that every city needs. Here you will find a pleasant mix of downtown dwellers, business guests from the surrounding hotels, sports fans, and perhaps a smelly dude drinking in the corner. All the folks who work here are quick of their feet and friendly with their words. The bars vibe definitely encourages talking to the stranger next you. This is also a nice place to post up with your laptop and knock out some 'work from home' . They open early (12 pm) and you can always find a drinking partner no matter the time of day. Tuesdays are karaoke night and draw a crowd every time. From cowboy crooners to Taylor Swifties the music is varied and it's a guaranteed good time. They no longer serve food but you can get a single serving pizza, or take advantage of the ample dinning options right outside the door. The hot dog truck is my guilty pleasure. Don't judge me' There is always a group of locals hanging out, out front and I might me among them. Sit down and have a chat! read more

Great service, great music and outstanding beer. Just what you expect to get at a traditional Irish bar!

In downtown Houston. Bar is a lot of fun a good local crowd. There is a good beer selection a decent prices. A real Irish pub vibe. I was told even the bar came from Ireland. Bartender was busy but we always had a drink. He was friendly and talked with us. We recommend stopping by for a drink. read more

Watered down drinks .More ice than alcohol. This was a great bar when it first opened. Poor customer service even when there not busy. Beautiful bar though. read more

Not bad. Nice decor, and a decent overall selection of whiskey. Did not have Green Spot, Red Breast, or Knappogue Castle...well known and popular Irish whiskeys. Not sure how I can buy any Irish whiskey at nearly any ABC store but yet somehow their wholesaler is unable to get them for this pub. That was the excuse anyway..."since covid". Rrrriiiiiggghhhhttttt..... read more

Extremely rude server who "refused to serve me" for being too drunk, even though she served my friend. I'm not sure if she was insecure, but my friend and I were sober returning from a concert and she refused service. Shout out to the bartender named "Sam" who refused to serve me for hi-cupping once. First time in Texas and I'm very disappointed with how rude she was and refused to charge my friend for her drink because she "wanted us to go". Was hoping for some southern hospitality. everyone at the bar said that it was out of character for the place and never happens so i highly consider looking into how staff treats their customers and is rude to people who just walk in read more

Shay McElroy's Irish Pub - Pubs Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Shay's is really all about that I've arrived home feeling! Living at the rice which is connected to the building is a massive convenience when it's cold or perhaps you just don't feel like going that far, etc. the environment is warm and inviting and I've noticed most people who go are generally pretty dang friendly to strangers! I love the jukebox, my friends and I always have funny battles with trying to get our songs to play and we quite enjoy playing tunes that aren't exactly fitting for the setting but of course, the patrons never seem disappointed and let us carry on with our shenanigans! The beer selection is excellent which makes me feel confident that they take pride and care with their kegs/beer lines. This place is truly a hidden downtown gem, if you haven't been and you'd like to visit a historic location with great vibes and service, this one's for you! read more

Nice Irish Bar with cold beer, plenty of whiskey selections and even a small selection of cigars that you can enjoy on their outdoor patio. Bonus is that they have a great juke box. read more

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Love this place. Reminds of the bars and pubs back home in NJ. Beer is always cold and the staff is awesome. I'm moving downtown in the fall and want to be close to Shay. read more

My husband and I rarely are able to go out and enjoy a drink in Houston (we're from north Houston area) and this place did not disappoint. The bartenders were wonderful women, they made me an amazing peaches and creme martini, don't know if that's a regular drink they serve but wow it was so good. To top it off we met some of the most down to earth people in that bar. Highly recommend, we will definitely be back! read more

Jeanette was an absolute angel!! Came here after an Astros game and she took great care of my group. I'm a bar manager (Haymaker in Austin) and would 100% hire her at my bar. She was attentive and sweet even though other quests were being pretty rude. Service was amazing, prices were reasonable, and the location rocked. Will definitely be back if I come back to Houston (especially if Jeanette is working)!! read more

Came here as a foreigner to Texas. I was grumpy and just wanted a drink. The girls at the bar served me, although they ignored my presence, they served me as I needed. I observed that when an overly inebriated man stumbled in, they harshly bayed him to leave, and refused to serve him. They were great rough-and-tumble girls who took no shit, and did their jobs (and the right thing) without hesitation. Although I felt invisible to them, I understood that they were efficient. Maybe someone else's feelings would be hurt, but I didn't really care. read more

No St. Patrick's Day specials....... (It's an Irish pub) Not a lot of space to sit but otherwise pretty nice looking bar! read more

Shay McElroy's Irish Pub - Pubs Near Me - Houston, Texas

One of our favorite watering holes when we are in town. Service is always good and the beer icy cold. They've got a very basic barsy type menu, the food is very good. It's in a convenient area, close to other eateries, hotels and bars. We usually stay at the Magnolia so it's just a short walk away. I believe it can get packed on weekend nights, so get there early to grab yourself a seat. There is bar seating and some table seating as well, I like It is what it is nothing fancy, but it's a nice place to grab a drink and relax. read more

Shay McElroy's Irish Pub - Cool diggs. - Pubs Near Me - Houston, Texas

The beer is poured properly. The all female staff are witty and formidable. The general manager is a riot. The owner has put together an excellent team. My favorite part about this spot is the [expletive deleted] a/c. It doesn't matter if its 105F with 75% humidity outside, it's ALWAYS a balmy 69 degrees in the bar. read more

Just like Cee B.'s review emphasizes: the customer service experience definitely leaves a lot to be desired at times. It is not always that atrocious - but it mostly is. After my fury at being treated awfully by the Flying Saucer on Halloween 2011 I have not been back there once so I have expanded my search for my new place. I thought this was going to be it - excellent location, it has an Irish name, it is a neatly decorated place. But I am not the only person that thinks customer service needs a serious upgrayedd, especially considering how many other bars there are downtown. Like Molly's across the street. Or Sunny's two blocks away. Or Warren's. Of all the reasons in the world to not give this one star - I like that it is never that busy. I don't like waiting for my booze. I could do without the sass. But that is something to work on, we all have things we need to work on so it is not such a big slam. The crowd is definitely not young. If you care about that sort of thing. Unless I am here with someone my age, everybody is north of 40, and perhaps it is 50. This is definitely not Cheers, your friendly neighborhood local bar. read more

This is my go to bar for everything Main Street. While most of the scene likes to hang out at Commoner or Deans or those "speakeasy old-timey" mixology bars, I prefer this cheap dive for my double vodka and sodas. There is always plenty of room on the patio for us to sit and drink while enjoying the street life of downtown Houston. It never feels over crowded and you don't have to wait long to get a drink. The staff is awesome and friendly. read more

Shay McElroy's Irish Pub - Watching trains and people go by - Pubs Near Me - Houston, Texas

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This is my home bar. One of my pictures shows the old tables and chairs on the patio. We loved those. So pretty. The new ones...meh. Not so much. The tables and chairs aside... Holly, Jeanette, Cassie...they are my gals. I love them!!!! There are a number of bartenders that have come and gone over the years. Everyone has always been extremely nice and professional. I have never been treated poorly. Since I live in the building, it has been really nice having this place downstairs. Too bad GreyStar ruined the living quarters here. Anyhoo...that will not deter us from going to this fine establishment. I have met so many wonderful people here and made many many friends. Typically, walking past the patio I see at least one person that I know. The drinks are good and the people are even better. Plus the sandwiches are fantastic. I do not recall the gentleman's name in the kitchen, but he is worth his weight in gold. He does a great job. Love him to pieces as I do everyone who works there. If you are looking for truly a nice and friendly place to hang out, come on by. My BFF met her husband there and so did I. Not bad, huh? Halley puppy curls up outside and wants to know where her Blue Moon is located. read more

Shay McElroy's Irish Pub - Outside of my home bar... - Pubs Near Me - Houston, Texas

Certainly one cannot ignore the happy hour prices for residents of Rice Hotel at all hours. I mean, yikes! The deck is already stacked, right? However, I lived in Chicago (South Side even) for over a decade so if there isn't a line of bagpipers on the bar at some point or 3 actual Irish men or women independently reciting their particular version of "Danny Boy" they'll lose at least a star along the way. Fingers crossed! Well, I had a great time. Met some fun people and my bill wasn't ridiculous. I had read more

Shay McElroy's Irish Pub - The bottle wall is nice. But the most important bottle of Belvedere is missing? Hmmm. - Pubs Near Me - Houston, Texas

A great spot for happy hour. Best guiness tap in town. Wonderful selection of scotch and some decent cigars on hand. Lots of local color make the place feel like Cheers,,, Almost forgot, the place is infested with some fantastic karaoke singers on Tuesday evening from 10 pm until they close at 2! read more

For the longest time, Shay McElroy's was legendary amongst my friends as the place that I would not go to because every time I went, I would have some kind of weird breakdown and end up crying. I have no idea why this happened, but without fail, every time I would walk in here, I'd end up sobbing at the bar. Then, a few months back, I decided to brave Shay's again and venture in. Much to my delight, there were no tears, I had a great time, and I discovered an excellent bar. Shay's is a lovely, classic bar with lots of gorgeous wood and a large mirror behind the bar. Plus, it's got a great jukebox (The Clash, Dire Straits, George Michael, and more), which I just love in a bar. The bartender Kevin, who just happens to be Irish himself, is also super nice and always a pleasure to talk to. The only thing I have to warn about is that the liquor used in the well drinks is not the highest quality and I've had some nasty hangovers after drinking here. I would suggest making sure that you ask for a premium liquor when ordering just to be on the safe site. Otherwise, this is a great bar and it's hard to go wrong here. read more

Very clean and well decorated Irish Pub! The service was ok. The bartender wasn't in the mood for chit chat. I'm a local and tried to spark up a conversation, but got a smile as she walked away. The jukebox was turned up way too load!! My buddy & I only had 2 rounds and split! Beer was cold and tasted fresh. read more

Okay, I'm going to jump on the bandwagon and agree wholeheartedly with the previous reviews. We came here for our Yelp event (if you didn't come, you really, really, really missed out) and it was just what we needed. We found a spot in a little room and joined a snuggling couple as they watched a bit of baseball. We had a waitress come and take our orders and our drinks were brought almost instantaneously. The prices were reasonable and the laid back atmosphere was a great way to relax. As for the clientele. . .I'm planning to withhold a lot of my judgment on this until I go back again. Yes, we were in costume, but is that any reason to stare the entire time we're there? For a bar that seemed to be a little on the trendy side with some frat-daddy-ish boys, it seemed a little odd that they were so enthralled with us. I mean, if they're half as cool as they're pretending to be, shouldn't they be used to seeing girls out in public? Just a thought. Regardless of that awkward gawking (and suspicious camera phone activity), we had a great time there. Perhaps it was because of the company (that's my guess), but the atmosphere didn't hurt. I loved sinking into my comfy seat and enjoying my refreshing beer as we chatted. This is a great place to people watch and to find dark corners for a bit of misbehavior. What more could you ask for? read more

This is a great, laid-back pub in the downtown area. I have to say, I haven't gone out downtown a lot, but this place makes we want to go back. It's a perfect place to go after work or before/after a game or show at the Toyota center or Minute Maid park, if you don't mind a little walk. This is a great place for a Murphy's Red or Smithwicks! read more

Need to come back here. Not a overly impressive menu of food although the sandwiches all looked good. But lots of selections on taps an plenty of Irish whiskeys. And they pour a good Guinness here. Really cool bartenders too. Worth finding this place. read more

Shay McElroy's Irish Pub - Pubs Near Me - Houston, Texas

I almost forgot I was in Houston. Shay McElroy's is a cozy little (maybe not so little) Irish style pub in Downtown Houston. when I first got there I was about to make my way up to the bar, as is the routine in most bars, when a waitress approached our group to take drink orders. I was a little surprised, but it was a pleasant one. We enjoyed the atmosphere, the conversation, and a little baseball on the television. I'm a big fan of pub-stlye bars because of the service, the selection of tasty beers, and the laid-back, relaxed atmosphere. Shay McElroy's hit all three. My only caveat? The prices were a little steep. But then again, I'm used to $1 beer night in College Station, Texas. read more

This place is cramped to the point where it makes you think it used to be an old visitor's locker room. Throwing some Irish decor on the walls does not make it authentic. Food was mediocre, but the service was really bad. Plus, we were overcharged by about $20 at the end of the night. Parking is a nightmare, and you're either paying to park in a garage or street parking at the mercy of the Nazi meter maids. In fact, we were given a $70 ticket on our last visit despite being parked 100% legally around the corner. Cramped interior, expensive drinks, bad service, and it's hard to get to. I absolutely would never come here again. read more