I'm a fan of dive bars and I was even a little unsure about this one. Â An Irish pub in the middle of Chinatown/Flushing? Â Why is it the only building with bars on the window? Â I'm glad we decided to come here though.
Came here with 5 other people, and the regulars happily moved seats to let us sit together at the bar. Â The crowd is mixed: tourists, locals, and everyone else in between. Â Any crowd that keeps the jukebox humming with Nirvana is more than A-OK in my book. Â As another reviewer pointed out, the pick-up scale in this place is non-existent. Â Johnny, the bartender, is terrific and quick to refill our drinks. Â Generous pour on the mixed drinks, my vodka tonic was probably 2 parts vodka and 1 part tonic. Â Pretty sure he makes up the prices, which is totally fine with us. Â Drinks were cheap and he treated us to a round of Jameson on the house on our 3rd round. Â Way to keep the party going, Johnny!
I think the door to the women's restroom is jammed; it was locked both times I tried and pretty sure there was nobody in there since there were only 4 women in the entire bar. Â Restroom was good especially for dive standard. Â If you happen to be in the area for a yummy Chinese dinner, drop by Kelly's for an especially stiff drink or two before you go on to your Asian karaoke.
This place is close to the subway, right by the library (if you wanna read and daydrink...i've done it), and after a shitty day at work, followed by an even shittier subway ride back home (thanks for nothing, 7!), Kelly's has become my go-to spot. The place is pretty small, the smoking area is tiny but gets the job done, and the crowd is super mixed and, most importantly, judgement-free.
The bartenders have always been friendly (once I asked for a White Russian and it took longer than I expected...because the bartender had run out of milk and actually gone out to get some more, rather than tell me to order something else) and I like to take my non-Flushing friends here, as a kind of archetypal Deep Queens anti-hipster joint. If anything of this sounds appealing to you, then check this place out the next time you're in the neighborhood.
Nice little pub in Flushing. not far from the 7 train. It seems like lot of regulars go there cause the older lady bartender know most of them. I ordered grey goose/pineapple. Drink was so strong. Two of them; I was done and I am lightweight. Place was busy on a thursday evening I was there. Wish they have more bigger tV so next time I get enjoy some games. Decent pub for the area cause it;s so hard to find a pub in Flushing other than KTV.
Review Source:Kellys is AWESOME!!!.....I read J.L.s review, & he must have been in the wrong place....Kellys doesn't have a waitress & they don't have a happy hour, cause their prices are so low already....they also don't have "house " Scotch or whiskey...its Dewars JWR or 7....I read your other reviews JL ....sound like a hater to me......& who asks prices when they go to a bar anyway??? Â Slap a $20 down & don't be a whining baby
Review Source:A dive, yes, but not a charming or inviting dive in the hey-lets-enjoy-this-dive-bar kinda dive. The waitress looked at me when I asked how much for my drink, saw her size me up and charged me $6 for a (house)whiskey-soda. Now, as an avid fan of drinking and trying new bars I know full well that you dont often pay much over $5 for well happy hour drinks throughout the 5 boroughs at MUCH nicer places than Kelly's.
Im pretty sure the bartender (female) felt that because I was the only one in there with a button down shirt, didnt look suicidal/crushed by life and wasn't screaming chinese across the bar she could take me for a $1+ ride. I paid for my drink, sipped & tipped and was happy to leave a crappy bar that was too brightly lit and far too unappealing for me to pretend it was an enjoyable place to be or a good experience..
I go to Flushing restaurants often and was giving up hope on finding a remaining bar. Â Here is a good one...
Although they both look closed, Roosevelt Sports Bar and Kelly's are both still alive and kicking.
Nice full bar, friendly staff, good prices. Â No kitchen, but they were very accepting of outside food. Â Which in Flushing with tons of great takeout food works perfect. Â
We got lamb and chicken skewers from Xinjiang BBQ Cart which is directly aross the street and some White Bear wontons, had at bar with cocktails. Â They even supplied paper towels.
Not upscale in the least, but definitely a solid place to knock a few back.
Great draft Guniness, cheap pint cocktails, buyback policy and interesting patio get it the 5 Stars (as far as dive bars go).
This place is a total dive. It absolutely rocks!
Granted, being from Brooklyn I would never make the trip to go there, but luckily my friends live on the same block, so I get to visit fairly often.
They completely ignore the smoking ban, so if you're smoke sensitive don't go there. The place is full of locals - and there is this one woman that has been there every time I go. She must be at least 85, and she's been coming there for Happy Hour since her early 20's! She's a character - definitely chat her up when you're there.
It's not a pickup bar, and there are no beautiful people, so come with friends, monopolize the jukebox and enjoy ridiculously strong, ridiculously cheap drinks!