I guess I should finally write a review for this place since I've been a regular there for the last couple years. It's like my Westport Cheers in the oldest building where you know all the bartenders and have banter with all of them. Colleen, Mark, Styles, Ezra, Mitch, Elliot, Chelsea, Diego to name a few all make drinkin there fun one way or another. Either by just shootin the breeze or insulting my Saints team, it's always fun. I am usually a top patio guy but it all depends, great place to meet up with friends and catch a game. The connected drunk pizza facility is also a plus, I have never consumed their pizza sober so I cannot give a concise review of their product, but I think its great!
Review Source:I've been twice in the last two weeks for events -- one was for part of a pub crawl and the other was a huge birthday party. Â The staff went out of their way to be helpful and kind. Â When our birthday girl left her purse in the bathroom, one of the bartenders brought it back to her. Â The pub crawl organizer had nothing but wonderful things to say about her experience with Kelly's. Â And when several friends had to pick up their cards the next day, Kelly's didn't charge them anything extra.
As long as I'm with friends my own age, I don't feel 1,000 years old, but the minute the group dwindles, it's time to leave it to the 22-year-olds. Â Hey, works for me.
First, my review is based at night without ever going to the patio. Â Good times here want me to press to a 4, but the bar in general is a 3. Â
This place is old and shows it. Â The dive category does kinda fit. Â With that age the place does have character, but its a little rough around the edges. Â They do have large beers and a pizza window into Joe's gives a new college drinker the thought that this place is awesome. Â It use to be my favorite spot in Westport. Â As I've gotten older, tastes have changed. I'd rather be across the street. Â
Would I got back, definitely no question. Â Its a main staple in Westport. Â There is many a night though that I'll make it to Westport without a visit as well.
What can I say, it's a bar. It's not pretending to be anything else. It has pizza, music, beer and someone walking around selling jello shots.
They have huge ass beers that are nearly 3 beers in one cup for about $7 bucks. A steal for a bar, plus you get to look ridiculous while you're trying not to spill it on yourself.
Overall, it's not my type of place, but it is a good hang out spot in Westport.
Kelly's is as old school as old Irish sports bars go and a Kansas City landmark.
You can pull up a stool at the bar in front or find a seat at one of the tables along the wall while you watch your favorite sports team do its thing. Â They don't have a lot of beers, but the ones they do have are cold. If you want some basic mixed drinks, those are available too. Â Upstairs takes you the patio, which on a nice day is nice place to chill and people watch. Hungry? Feel free to walk over to a window where you can buy a slice of Joe's Pizza. Want to watch the Royals or Sporting KC in the summer and the Chiefs in the fall? This is your place.
Late night can bring a different breed of customer and by that I mean the young college aged one. Â They're the young and energetic type who like to pop their collars, sing along to the cover band and place bets to see who can down the most jello shots before falling over. This isn't a bad thing, but as I age I'm finding I just can't keep up as much as I used to.
Needless to say, this is one of my absolute "go-to's" for a chill night out, gameday, or happy hour. Service has always been friendly, they provide a great beer selection on tap, and their upstairs smoking porch provides great outdoor seating during warm weather. It does get a bit suffocating up there during winter if you're not a tobacco fan. Â It's a great place to start off or end your night, regardless of whether it be a group or date night.
Review Source:I've been to Kelly's several times now and have yet to have an unpleasant experience.
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Atmosphere: it is a bar. It is very casual and friendly. Lots of bar stools and high tops. Upstairs there is a smoking patio. In the winter they have this temporarily covered and heated so you can still smoke / sit in the patio. Much quieter up there.
Attire: its a bar. Casual attire. Everyone is out with barhopping type attire on. Jeans and a tshirt seem to be the norm.
Drinks: full bar.
Food: I believe they have some food, but Joes pizza is in the back of the bar and the only place I have ever eaten. The pizza is great.
Service: pleasant, not overbearing, order a drink & they will get it; fairly simple. Waitresses seem very pleasant, as do the bar tenders and bouncers.
Originally came here due to a KC Royalman Podcast that was done here and now it is on my list of bars to visit when I am in the area.
Occasionally they will have live music, and it can get fairly busy on the weekends in the evenings just like the other bars in the area.
I love Kelly's! Â They have a great staff, reasonably priced, and serve pizza. Â Definitely my go to bar in Westport. Â
Their bar staff is older (which works in their favor) and are super knowledgeable. Â If you ask for a drink off the beaten path they 9 times out of 10 make it happen for you. Â Ask for Mark!
For an older bar it stays remarkably clean. Â They have plenty of seating both in the bar and on the roof. Â They usually feature a band on the weekends. Â It is usually not my type of music, but does bring in an interesting mix of people.
I really appreciate the fact that they have a zero tolerance policy for people getting rowdy and drinking too much. Â I've never seen a fight happen there (where that is not totally uncommon in other bars at Westport).
Overall I would recommend Kelly's for anyone looking to have a good time!
I've done my best to like Kelly's of Westport, but Kelly's does not like me. Â To be fair, most of my experience with Kelly's of Westport comes at the end of the bi-annual Crawl for Cancer in Westport. I won't say that I'm the consummate drinker that can imbibe all day but still retains an air of complete sobriety, but I'm also not a fall-down-drunk sort. Â I've had my years of drinking and I know my limits.
I've been kicked out of Kelly's twice and was nearly barred entry a third time. I attribute the first ejection to a confusing bit of architecture; Kelly's occupies an odd space that seems to have come together piecemeal -- the corner entrance area is 1.5' lower than the middle section, and is connected by a ramp, and the same goes for the back section of the bar, and the pizza place. Â The architectural confusion is the restrooms -- there are three Women's restrooms and one Men's room (behind the bar, not well-marked). Â At the time I was there, the upstairs deck had not yet been built, and the two women's rooms in the main section were not well-marked. Â What happened was that I needed to use the restroom but I did not know which room was the Men's room. Â Since there were two entrances, and I saw a woman come out of Door #2, the logical presumption is that Door #1 is the Men's Room (not that Door #1 is also the Women's room, and that there is a Door #3 Women's room and the Men's room is oddly tucked behind the bar). Â The restroom (a single stall) was vacant when I went in, but a bouncer saw me come out of the Women's room and said I had to leave the bar. Â Mea culpa on that one.
In the second time I was ejected, I stepped outside the bar on two occasions -- one to help a friend calm down as she was having a panic attack, and the second time to put a very drunk friend in a cab. Â When I came back to the door, the bouncer told me that I couldn't come in again (was it my face?); since an argument about entry with a bouncer is like an argument with a police officer (i.e., an argument you cannot win), I left and enjoyed the rest of my evening at a bar a little further down the road.
The final piece of of my Kelly's adventure came this last spring. Â Again, after a day of Crawl for Cancer, we headed to Kelly's to cap the evening. Â The rest of my team was in the bar when I was stopped by the bouncer stopped me and told me I was "On the line of being too drunk" Â The reason I know this is that I tweeted about the incident just afterward -- "Okay, I really don't know what it is. I was just told by a bouncer of Kelly's on Westport that I was "on the line" of being too drunk." "Is it my face? I'm really hopintg [sic] to be batting .600 on Kelly's after tonight." "What is it that makes the bouncers of #KellysofWestport adjudge me of being unfit of entering the door?". Now I won't say that I was as sober as a nun, but after this I can only think that there's some intangible quality that I have that Kelly's does not want in it. Â I think that I might just have to oblige them and steer the group away from there in the future.
Pretty much the only time I go to Kelly's is for some kind of event (a party, a friend's band is playing there, etc.), so it's definitely fine if you're with a crowd of your friends. I don't think it would be on my regular rotation of places to go otherwise, though, as it's not on my list of favorites. There's nothing WRONG with Kelly's - it's laid back and definitely a good spot to grab a drink, but it's not somewhere I frequent.
When I am there, I like the rooftop deck a LOT, as well as the overall history of Kelly's. I also think the bartenders are great - Â friendly and quick to pour a drink, and if I am with a group, they do a good job of circulating through the crowd and bringing drinks so that you don't have to weasel your way up to the bar unless you really want to. The drinks are reasonably priced, and a good pour...and you can even occasionally get jello shots, if you're so inclined. Because who doesn't appreciate a good jello shot every once in awhile?
I also like that the main floor area of Kelly's is so large, which again, makes it great if you're there with a big group of people. You can sit, stand, or move around with no problems.
When it comes to the food option - Joe's Pizza Buy the Slice, it's alright if you're starving or drunk, but otherwise, I'd say give that a miss and find somewhere else in Westport to eat.
All in all, I know I'll be back to Kelly's the next time our friends want to go, and it's a solid option in the Westport area to grab a drink.
Super to hang out and have a beer. Great staff. Needs help in the restroom area. More stalls and need to keep up with paper products in there. I know it is St Patty's Day but restrooms needed help. Joe's pizza is a nice plus to have inside. Would be good to have other options like hot dogs, burgers, etc.
Review Source:Kelly's is the real deal.
I'm not a fan of the cool, trendy, Johnson-county-catered-to, bars in KC. Aka PnL. I mean, dont get me wrong, I like to dress up with my girls like anyone else and go out on the town, but i can only take so much of the pretentiousness and the downright systematic discrimination of others. So that's why I love Westport. And that's why I love Kellys.
Kellys doesnt have this menu of overpriced, swanky drinks and all that. This is a place where you can go order a Dark and Stormy or Rum and Coke and know that it's mixed well. Plus if you ask the bartenders about anything, they know DRINKS, not just how to make drinks on their menus. I most enjoy the older gentlemen behind the bar; they are professional, old school guys who know how to run a bar. I love it and this is why I keep coming back. For those ladies who enjoy a fruity martini, I am sure you can get one here if you ask, but I'm not sure these guys want to make you one. lol
They also just added a rooftop which has brought in more dbags, but if you go during the week, or Sunday nights, you will not be disappointed no matter how old you are. The rooftop is amazing in the summer, best view around. Music is good, pizza is right there inside the bar, and it's just a chill place to have a nice happy hour.
Pros: CHEAP, good drinks, chill atmosphere, good bar service, drink specials during the week.
Cons: None really.
Overall, Kellys is awesome if you like your liquor. Go during the week or Sunday nights, skip it on the weekends unless you're into the big crowds.
Went to this place since everyone around kc told me to visit this place just once, so we did. The atmosphere is laid back and mellow, I ordered the wings here and its a tad bit different. They were baked in hot sauce. They were good actually. I gave this place a 3 because the guy that was serving us went upstairs and I guess forgot about us. I guess thats what you should expect from late night dining.
Review Source:This was the very first watering hole I ever patronized in Kansas City and it continues to be a must-stop when I am in the area. If you are an Iowa State grad or fan, this is the destination for you when you are in Kansas City. Â I make a point to stop in here at least once during every visit to the Kansas City area. Â It's old, historic and has a very interesting floor plan. Â I like the old chairs at the bar and I also like the fact that they've got some "standing" tables located at the back of the establishment.
It appears that they've recently done some remodeling as there is a new and really nice rooftop beer garden.
Walked here from the hotel during our stay. Stopped across the street first. Managed to get an awesome seat on the upper deck by the rail! Great view.
I cannot rate the food - but the beer selection is good. We enjoyed an ale or two before parting. It appears to be a local watering hole, and the decor is classic pub style.
Overall enjoyed our stay and hope to visit again.
Tourist/Non-Local Review- daytime review. (I'm sure that could be a big difference at night)
We walked here from our hotel and we didnt have a car so our options were limited. However we were not dissapointed in the historic Kelly's Westport Inn.
History has it its the oldest bar in Kansas City. Maybe. But cool story. The sign says so. Â Awesome authentic old stuff on the walls, old style bar stools and orginal wood floors. This place has seen alot of people come through the doors, and may look 'worn' to some but that is what makes this place special.
You can get a slice of pizza from Joe's in the back. We played some electronic/golden t putt putt game and drank. Regulars came and chilled and everyone was enjoying themselves. The upstairs deck looked cool.
We liked this place because it had a story, there was no cheesy flair and a cool historic bar. We'd like to go back.
Nice large place...never feels too crowed even though it is.  Service is  great.....the guys rock!  We spent St. Patrick's day here a few years ago.  What can I say but "spending  St. Patricks day at Kelly's is one hell of an experience".  I will never be able to do it again....long day that starts early and way too much beer!   We probably went to Kelly's 10 times when we were there,  nice hang out place with friends.
Review Source:My opinion is being here as a couple - not sure how it is as a single scene (believe me...two different worlds I know).
The rooftop is nice ESPECIALLY if you get here early and are able to grab a seat (it gets pretty packed so it's nice to have a table to put your drink on). The downstairs is fun b.c. they have live music and if you can let go and dance to silly songs you'll have a good time.
The drinks are moderately priced ($4/$5) and the bartenders are pretty attentive so you will not be fighting to get a refill.
Another perk - there's a pizza place inside the bar. Perfection.
Let's start off by saying - Kelly's has added a great rooftop drinking location that holds about twenty-five patrons. I feel comfortable recommending this place to someone for an afternoon drink in the sun or on a Sunday afternoon. I would not recommend Kelly's to anyone on a weekend night - at all.
As mentioned, this place is historical and the rooftop patio speaks to that being dedicated to Randall Kelly.
It is worth mentioning, you can stumble into Joe's Buy the Slice pizza shop next door if you are starving and think you want a piece of pizza. Take my advice and avoid - swing by one of the street vendors for some solid grub.
ps - watch out for the ghosts
Getting drunk at Kelly's is sort of rite of passage for all Kansas Citians. Â I have been here for numerous 21st birthdays, bachelorette parties, and special occasions. Â At some point shortly after you turn 21, you realize there are other bars out there and you move on from Kelly's. Â But amazingly, Kelly's never changes. Â The older gentlemen bartenders are still there, they still say god bless you when you tip them, and the beer prices never change.
Kelly's is a meat market. Â I think that we have all probably made bad mistakes at Kelly's. Â Public displays of affection, giving out your phone number to relative strangers, etc. Â Oh, youth, you were so funny.
Kelly's recently added a rooftop deck, and it is awesome. Â Awesome enough that I might add Kelly's back into the bar rotation. Â Why be at street level, when you can people watch from above? Â It's much easier to comment on people from this height. Â As I sat above Westport today looking down at the crowd of people at McCoy's from the relatively empty Kelly's deck, I had to wonder why people were at McCoy's. Â This deck is the jam.
Plus, they had 2.00 domestic draws and 2.50 Boulevards. Â That is one heck of a drink special.
I enjoy getting beers at Kelly's when I'm in town. It's a pretty typical sports bar with an attempt at a pub feel, but the beer selection is good and the bartenders are super friendly. When I'm in the Westport neighbhorhood, I feel like Kansas City is a little bit cooler than it really is. They have live music most nights, and it's loud even when they don't, so don't come if you're in the mood for a lengthy chat in a quiet environment.
Review Source:I just drank a beer in what used to be a site where many historic adventures got their start. Just outside the doors of Kelley's Westport Inn, The Oregon, California and New Mexico trail's were launched. How cool is that? Drinking for history is a great thing. Apparently this place was also a grocery store, run at one time by the grandson of Daniel Boone. Slaves were sold here as well, although this little piece of the building's history and the grocery store ARE NOT connected.
These days, NFL sports play on big screen TV's and the bar back shows the wear of the years in the form of an extremely bowed down counter top where the booze has been stored for a long, long time.
On the way out, as I stood up from the stool, the bartender (an older gent) pointed at me and said, "Come back", as he had seen my out of state ID earlier. That was a nice touch. Friendly people out here in the heartland.
Easy to find at the hub of westport (a walkable entertainment district in a city not known for walkability), Kelly's is great anytime for drinks and loud conversation. Â Pizza joint in the back serves not only amazing slices all night, but gives you honey for the crust. Â i recommend putting honey all over your slice, but if you aren't brave enough, dip the crust first. Â It'll change you. Â it IS loud, but if you wanted a quiet night at home you weren't looking here in the first place. Â if it doesn't catch your fancy, plenty of other choices in walking distance.
Review Source:I have family in the Kansas City area and have been here several times over the last few years while in town for weddings and reunions. I was absolutely smitten after our first summer fling, and officially fell in love the second time around. That time I stayed in the hotel next door and made Kelly's the personal watering hole/place of business/second residence for the duration of the stay. If they had a bed there I would have dispensed with the hotel room altogether.
They have a jukebox, a pop-a-shot basketball game, and a beanbag video game. You read that last one right. The game is called "Bags", and it is a video game version of a game called "Cornhole" that is played by tossing beanbags at a box with a hole in it. That is all. Why they would make a video game of this activity or how it got the repulsive name "Cornhole" is beyond me, but my cousins and I spent approximately $700 playing it.
The bar is big and spacious and is housed in the oldest building in Kansas City. To some this means nothing more than wooden floors and being kind of dirty but to history dorks like me it is neat. Â You can get beers in plastic cups ranging from a pint all the way up to a ridiculous 44 oz. mini-bucket. Ridiculous in that I can only hold two of them at a time. They still allowed smoking the last time I was there which can be baffling to to us lily-livered Californians, but is totally tolerable because the spot is cavernous and well-ventilated.
The coup de grace is the pizza place that makes slices that is literally inside the back of the bar. A pizza place inside a bar like this would normally be the icing on the cake, but after you've had a couple off 44-ouncers it is like the golden icing on a cake made of angels. Kudos, Kelly's, your one-stop shopping is truly a blessing to lazy drunks.
I'd give it a no-brainer 5 stars except that on party nights the K.C. wankster/frat boy vibe is pretty heavy (the place is tough to beat when it's quiet) and it is in Westport, which on weekends has the streets barricaded by overzealous police who check IDs and pat down anyone who want to enter the semi-hectic party zone. It's like Missouri Mardi Gras.
Kelly's is a bar that I go to if I'm missing the bars from my college days. It has a wooden floor and the decor consists of old 8x10s of famous athletes and Kansas Citians from years past. They have a good atmosphere and a somewhat mixed crowd- but most of the patrons are frat types and normal-looking girls (who you know have never had a jagerbomb) glance around with wide eyes, trying to fit in and appear seductive to the passersby. Am I annoyed or bitter? I can't tell.
Either way, I usually have fun at Kelly's. It's a casual atmosphere and the wait staff are really nice. The ones we have had are always older gentlemen, but they are so sweet and fast to serve you as you sit down. (Unless it's really busy, then you usually have to get your drinks from the bar.) They have pretty reasonable/average prices for Westport and offer a huge big beer that I can barely carry with both hands. it's usually a steal, definitely ask for it if you are planning on getting more than one beer at Kelly's.
Once you are done drinking, I definitely recommend getting some pizza from the little pizza shop in the back (Joe's Pizza). They give you one huge slice for $3 and it's amazing. You should get some of the honey they offer as dipping sauce to go with it -- I know, sounds disgusting, but you HAVE to try it. It's actually really good.
Kelly's Westport Inn is the crown jewel of Westport. Â Boasting the oldest building in Kansas City, Kelly's is a classic bar. Â The walls are covered with sports and Kansas City memorabilia. Kelly's always attracts a fun crowd of young and old alike, and in the back they serve Joe's Pizza, whole or by the slice- arguably the best drunk pizza in the city (argued by me). Â Kelly's is the best Kansas City bar you can ask for. Â Two full bars, one in front and one in back, and a beer bin in the middle. Â The friendly wait staff also takes drink orders, and serves jell-o shots till last call. Â There is plenty of seating through out this big bar as well as dartboards, video games and a basketball pop a shot in the back. Â No Kansas City experience is complete without a visit to Kelly's.
Review Source:I wanted to love this bar, since it's cool, historical, and unpretentious, all things I dig. Â But the first time I ever went there, it felt like college, and I was surprised and a little saddened to realize that that's kind of a negative for me these days. Â
Signed,
Too Old for Kelly's
One of the greatest bars ever. I love that you can drink all night and then order a slice of pizza when you get the munchies at 1 a.m. from right inside the bar or outside of the bar. If you are an Iowa State Cyclone fan this is the place to go when the Clones are in town. Â I wish the Big 12 Tourney was in KC every year. I LOVE KELLY'S! Go Cyclones!
Review Source:To add on to what Cheri said, Kelly's is actually in the oldest building in the whole city. Â
Kelly's is kind of the unofficial "captain" of the Westport bars. Â Cheap beer in huge plastic cups, loud music, packed crowds and lots of younger people make the bar feel like college again. Â Depending on your mindset, that could be good or bad.
An awesome, historic bar right in the heart of old Westport. Imagine your absolute favorite bar from your college days -- loud, crowded, peanut shells all over the floor -- however, you're all grown-up, and yet it's STILL a blast. That's Kelly's, baby -- and it's been a rite of passage in the Metro area for as long as I can remember.
Review Source:Living in LA and visiting my family in the Kansas City area I never appreciated what KC has to offer. Â
First, my family always wanted to go to some buffet joint or family restaurant which was always awful and one time they took us to some Mexican restaurant and living 3 hours north of Mexico and having Mexican restaurants on every corner I know Mexican food and sorry KC you are too far from border and they never took us to BBQ.
Second, my grandmother was Southern Baptist and we did not go anywhere near a place known for their libations.
So here I come to KC as an adult and find Westport. Â It's like a big block party of bars and restaurants and decided KC is not so bad after all.
Last time I was their my SO and I stumbled upon Kelly's. Â What a fun Irish bar. Â The place was packed the beer was cheap and the food was good too. Â
The Jagermeister motorhome was there too with the Jager girls giving out shots...don't tell grandma. :)
It is located in one of  the oldest buildings in KC.
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