Kelly's Cellars

Kelly’s Cellars is a Belfast gem dating back to 1720. With its historic charm, great Guinness, hearty Irish food, and lively traditional music, it offers an authentic pub experience. A must-visit for locals and tourists alike who want a true taste of Irish warmth and culture.

We wanted an Irish stew and popped into this place. Very popular as there were a lot of patrons. We decided to sit inside and our order was taken at the bar. Irish Stew and some ciders to wash it down. The stew was delicious, looked small but it's filling. Served with a slice of bread. Service was brilliant and polite. Felt welcomed. There was music but didn't realise it was live, there was a wee band on the other side. Such a lovely atmosphere. We stayed a bit after eating to catch one of the performances. Such a cool place to come a d chill out and enjoy live music.

Fantastic atmosphere tried my first Irish pint of Guinness and the rumours are true it does taste so much better live Irish music playing couldn’t ask for more for a traditional Irish experience staff and all patrons friendly had security on the door making sure everyone there was the right age no drama just a great experience lots of seating indoor and out door has a rain shelter for outside and toilets where clean couldn’t ask for more. Apparently the only food they sell is Irish stew but we had already eaten before arriving but everyone recommends it and says it tastes amazing.

Had one of the best nights of my life. Met an amazing Irish couple that will be friends for life. The music was authentic the people joyous and the drinks delicious.

Kelly's Cellars was stablished in 1720 and is widely considered the oldest pub in Belfast, steeped in history and traditional Irish charm. It's known for its authentic atmosphere, traditional Irish music sessions, and excellent pints of Guinness. Kelly's Cellars served as a clandestine meeting place for the Society of United Irishmen, including figures like Henry Joy McCracken and Wolfe Tone, as they planned the 1798 rebellion. A Blue Plaque commemorates this significant historical connection. While primarily a bar, they are famous for their homemade Irish stew, which is often highly recommended and can sell out. They do not have a full menu or serve other meals. Kelly's Cellars is a must-visit in Belfast for anyone seeking an authentic Irish pub experience, a perfectly poured Guinness, and a tangible connection to the city's rich and sometimes turbulent history.

A proper Irish pub where you can listen to live Irish music. The pub gets very busy both in and out but it's a great atmosphere and a must see! Loved it!

What a place. Locals don’t need to be told but this is one of the oldest and best pubs in Belfast. Amazing Guinness and very reasonably priced compared to the rest of the city. Come here and enjoy the wonderful live music on offer every day.

One of the best pubs in Belfast to enjoy a pint of Guinness while listening to local musicians playing their way thru a lively crowd. If you're in town, please step inside, you won't be disappointed

Came here on a Tuesday afternoon and got three beers. Quick service, and a decent amount of seats for how busy it gets. Ambiance is on the darker side, definitely a traditional Irish pub. The bartenders were super nice.

Place is hopping. Love the live music and all the vibe this place has. Inside and out!!!! Awesome place to hang out and people watch.

A great local spot, crowded with locals and some tourists. We hung around for a couple beers and the live music and milling crowd. The cellar ambiance ads an old world charm and warm feeling.

Thank goodness for food tours because otherwise, I'd never have walked in. Kelly's Cellars dates back to 1720 (older than America!) and is one of the oldest in the city. It's like stepping back in time. It does not look like much from the outside and, to be fair, it doesn't look like much on the inside. But that's all good because it was an awesome stop. Because it's a food tour, it can't just be beer so with our freshly poured Guinness, there was a bowl of Irish stew and a slice of fresh bread. Does anyone need anything else to survive? It's a little dark, there were some people who looked a little young to be drinking at 1 in the afternoon and the bartender was super busy pouring Guinness. Awesome! [Review 1899 of 2024 - 876 in United Kingdom - 22921 overall]

This place was popping! It's clearly a place that a lot of university students go to but it was still a cool pub to grab a drink. They had a nice outdoor seating area with plenty of seating. Not to emotion that it's an historic pub and you can tell how old this place is once you go inside.

My first pub stop after arriving in Belfast and we easily found a wee table and enjoyed 2 magnificent pints of Guinness poured with love and shamrocks!

This was my second time to visit Kelly's while in Belfast . What a fabulous experience. Of course we had Guinness always a win in Ireland. When we came in we were super lucky to sit in at the corner table near the fire right next to locals jamming their tunes ! What an original pub with a taste of local not just tourist . Craic!

A great pub all around. Friendly staff and bartenders. A little hidden up front at the street. Quickly opens up to a fairly large pub. Pliant of seating inside and out on a weekday. Pints and whiskey weee on the menu for us. A solid find and worthy of a repeat.

After a long tour, we decided to go on a historical bar hopping experience thanks to Apple Maps. We found our way to Kelly's Cellars and bought Guinness and other beer. We paid at the counter, they took card and we sat outside. The staff was busy and so was the patio. People were having a good time and it seems like locals are loving life. We checked in via UnTappd and then moved onto another beer. Review #60 of 100 in 2023.

Never expected to find this little gem. Stepped off the cruise ship for a pint, and was not disappointed. Friendly staff, great atmosphere. Perfect place for a Guinness.

Kelly's came up on my search for bars in Belfast as the oldest pub in Belfast and a must visit. This bar is fun, drinks are super cheap, the crowd consists of locals grabbing a pint after work and there was us. Kelly's was built in the 1700's, that's old! This pub remains old fashioned, with a vaulted ceiling, worn down bar furniture, but that's what marks the charm and heritage on this old establishment that oozes old traditional values. I really enjoyed the local musicians playing together in a circle towards the back. The employees and the friendly locals is what makes this place very welcoming and fun. We drank inside and then migrated outside and met a local who photographs for Kelly's and posts on their Facebook page, from what I remember his name was "Coln" but I did take a picture with him! He was very nice, friendly and we learned a lot from him with regards to this piece of old Belfast and the current times. Overall, great bar, good times, cozy, sliante!!!

Great atmosphere. Indoor and outdoor seating. Friendly bartenders. Good location close to lots of other things. Almost missed this, but happen to spot it walking by. Glad we stopped!

If 20 stars were available, I would do that! The Irish stew is to die for, fresh Guinness on draught and Harp too! Oh my lord, I literally dream of this and now my belly is full. Thanks be to god, I am in Belfast again!

First stop on our tour to Belfast, this centuries old pub is unpretentious and a great spot to sit inside or outside. @Guinness @trafalgar @BelfastTourism

We visit Belfast the city of my birth at least three times of the year. First step when we get off the plane is to go to Kelly's Cellars. In June we were at home and popped into Kelly's Cellars. I had just sat down and was facing the door that opened and a man walked in. It was my brother. I shouted to him while at the same time telling all around me that this was my brother. Everyone clapped. What a home coming, what a safe and wonderful place to have as an anchor of love.

Great place to grab a drink and pizza in a 303 year old pub. Totally blown away by the fiddler rendition of U2's One while enjoying the outdoor gazebo.

Belfast Pub Crawl Stop 2. Made a quick stop; starting with what is described as the most traditional Irish pub in Belfast. We grabbed a half pint of Guinness, settled into the indoor pub area, and felt semi-uncomfortable by the somewhat dismissive staff. Seems like a place for locals only, like we wandered into the wrong place. We ended up moving to the outdoor area, finishing up, enjoying the experience more as we got to observe the local murals.

From what I initially thought was a comedy club, Kelly's was a great location to end my trip to Belfast. According to a local guide, and by a local guide, I mean random dude I bumped into while entering this establishment, this spot is home to some of the freshness Guinness in Belfast. Like legit, straight from the brewery, fresh from the tap type stuff. While this may sound like overhyping, the texture is the real game changer here. Almost velvety coming down, and I've never said that about a beer before.

Had a pint of Guinness in Belfast's oldest traditional Irish pub. There's indoor and outdoor seating. Kelly's Cellars is the place that I needed!

My first night in Ireland, I stayed in Belfast. I was told I needed to have a Guiness at Kelly's Cellars to start my trip out right. It was a bit of a walk from where I was staying but well worth the trek. Of all the cities and pubs I went to on my trip, this was the most memorable experience. Shortly after I ordered a Guiness, an Irish band began to play traditional music (at the table they were sitting at). When you think of going to an Irish Pub this is what you imagine. If I get the chance to party in Belfast again, this is where you will find me.

Even before we replaced Kelly's Tabletops with wooden bespoke tops, we loved it. It's always a great place to meet old friends & new. Remember - friends are strangers you haven't met yet! You always feel like a friend when you're in Kelly's.

We had just finished a walking tour of Belfast and the tour ended in front of Kelly's Cellars, one of the oldest (if not the oldest) pub in Belfast. It was established in 1720 and has been in operation ever since. This is an incredible authentic Irish pub / not an Irish themed pub but the real thing. Some of the folks on our walking tour stuck their heads (and cameras) inside for a quick look but we decided to stay for lunch. When I asked if they had a lunch menu, the waitress said the lunch choices are stew or stew. So, we decided to have some stew. We were served some very ample portions of stew with an authentic Irish brew - what could possibly be any better for lunch. 2 stews + 2 pints was just 16£ and change. You order at the bar and the food/beer is at you table in minutes. In Ireland, they don't call it Irish stew -- it's just stew to the locals - but this was some of the best Irish stew I've ever had. And, based on the number of customers at lunchtime, this appears to be a favorite among the locals.

Made a quick stop in Belfast before heading back to Dublin and we found Kelly's Cellars, a traditional Irish pub built in 1720. My friends grabbed some Guinness and I stuck with Bushmills. There is indoor and outdoor seating and everyone is friendly. If you're looking for some traditional beef stew, I would trust ordering here! We were focused on drinking so we didn't order anything to eat. Great place to hang out on a sunny day!

Wow! True Irish charm for an American tourist like me. Enjoyed a pint of strongbow and a pint of Guinness. Friendly bar staff and pretty cool crowd. Authentic Irish music playing inside. Fairly busy for a Tuesday evening. Fun, welcoming atmosphere with charming quirks. Watch your head on the way to the washroom!

My favourite bar in Belfast. Reminds me of my granddad. Love this place. Very simple and great Irish stew

Even though its touristy and crowded I still love it. Great pints of Guinness and they had a stew on the one day we were there in a warmer. Its deffinately an old-style Irish pub in a new, shinier Belfast. Inside is an older crowd and outside is more of the hip, Euro-types smoking and drinking cider on ice. Ill stay inside, thanks..

Started our second night in Belfast at Kelly's Cellars. Planned on one pint but the music and people convinced us to stay for more. Highly recommend adding KC's to your pub list for Belfast.

Highly recommended by a local, Kelly's Cellars is one of locals' favorite spots to grab cold ones, catch up with friends and enjoy the good times. If Guinness is your choice of beverage, then you're in luck. Guinness here is cheaper than most pubs in the area, plus they also have live music every Friday... an awesome way to jump-start the weekend! It has the local charm without looking too intimidating... Plenty of outdoor seating at the front and fresh air definitely makes anyone happy to be outside. Cheers!

Visited Kelly's on a Friday night last Summer after learning about the establishment in Rick Steve's guidebook as a "Place to Eat". There was a crockpot and a couple bowls on the back bar seemed like everyone was more interested in a couple of pints. Having taken a liking to Guinness Porter I was happy to see it on tap! Traveling through North Ireland it seemed impossible to order a mixed drink. This was not a problem at Kelly's they were happy to mix up a bloody mary complete with tabasco sauce. After a couple pints it's not hard to imagine folks having pints 300 years ago, forming the United Irishmen and having a go at a Revolution since we sat under a portrait of Theobald Wolfe Tone who frequented Kelly's. Good craic, good pints and mixed drinks, friendly locals and a history lesson what more could you ask for? just remember to eat first. Teach Ui Challeigh Kelly's Cellars est 1720 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGgNBeYMPDA 4/23/2016

Fun, lively, cheap beer, and I'm told this is the "local authentic Irish pub". Service was great, vibe was amazing, had a great time visiting this joint! Must check out.

A bar that is trying to be a typical Irish bar. We where there on a wet Saturday afternoon and the bar was packed. The usual array of drinks and walls covered in Irish stuff. Bad point was how hard it was to get a seat inside, the guys playing instruments where a great touch but took up a good bit of room. Good points was the rather large covered area outside for over flow. A good bar if you are looking for an "Irish" bar real close to the centre of town.

Fun vibe! A bit crowded and grungy, but to be expected as they fill the pints to the top and people are always bumping into each other. Great vibe for a drink with friends, and they had some nice live music.

As long as they keep the pints coming and at a fair price this will continue and forever be my go to spot in the city. As an American living in Belfast, Kellys Cellar is not only a great setup and with deep historical meaning, the people in there always in good spirits and it shows. Patio out back during the winter with heaters is perfection. See you tomorrow--I mean later today (probably).

Kelly's Cellar really is the cliche of everything you expect when you think of an Irish pub! Its got fantastic live music most nights, cheap great tasting beer and Good old Irish stew on offer- they even sell cockles from behind the bar! I adore the atmosphere of the place and the minute you walk in it's like being catapulted back in time to the traditional and lively! The decor really is something to be seen! Every nook and cranny is filled with memorabilia from old notes, beer bottles and promotional posters. You could spend the whole day in there and still be able to point out something new! The craic, as they say, is mighty and situated in the centre of Belfast, tucked away behind castle court its central to everything in Belfast and really is the one place a visit to Belfast wouldn't be complete without! A fantastic night out filled with live traditional music and plenty of banter!

Old, traditional pub with a decent selection of draft beers (but no cask ales). Nice live music when we were in (just a jam session).

This might be the greatest bar on earth. I spent just under two weeks in Ireland the last two days of which were in Belfast. Prior to finding Kelly's I felt like everyone's favorite Irish rock star/activist regarding pubs in that "I still hadn't found what I'm looking for". Sure they had been fun but they were generally either too touristy, too crowded, too quiet, too rowdy or too family friendly... But I finally found the goldilocks pub I was looking for in Northern Ireland. Kelly's is unapologetically pro-Irish Republicanism in a way that you don't really find in the Republic itself. I suppose the authentic Irish rebel bar does have to be in the Irish city still under the administration of London; otherwise it would lose some of its rebel cred. Filled with a mix of punks, leftists and working class Irish Catholic locals it was a breath of fresh air from the tourist and frat boy filled pubs of Temple Bar and the family filled ones of Dingle. It is one of the only places in Belfast where Gaelic script is everywhere you look; seemingly in a to defiant "feck off" to England. There is not much food available here (just stew I think) but plenty of Irish beer, whiskey, sessions, people and the accompanying "craic". A must visit bar in Belfast if not Ireland or the world.

If you've never heard of Kelly's Cellars the only way you'd find it is by accident. Hidden down behind Tescos and the side of the Castle Court shopping centre, Kelly's is a proper Irish pub. It is dark and dirty (not unhygienic, just dirty) in just the right way. You won't find any fancy cocktails or poncy gastro-pub lunches. You can have stew and like it. Or maybe a toastie, if you are lucky. If you are looking for a cosy spot though just off the beaten track to drink pints and have the craic it is perfect.

Any place that's been in business since 1720 is worth the trip, and Kellys doesn't disappoint. Friendly staff and a clientele that keeps to themselves. They pull a good pint here too. Free wifi.

This is s great traditional city centre pub that is a must for anyone visiting Belfast for the first time The interior is everything that you would imagine a traditional Irish pub to be and the selection of local drinks is excellent - You can usually catch a tradition session here too The new outside area is excellent and a real sun trap with four large outdoor TV's for watching sporting events If you want a good pint of Guinness and a bowl of stew, this is the place for you

A traditional Irish pub hidden down a side street in Belfast city centre, its got the old world feel with low ceilings and open fires - it's always busy so if you manage to get a seat you are one of the lucky ones. There is a mix of locals and tourists as well as young and old so no-one should feel out of place here. There is plenty of outdoor seating and bank square had recently been renovated so is much nicer to sit outside on a summers evening. Definitely a pub to put on your bucket list if you want to know what the pubs were like in days gone by.

Kelly's is a cute kittle bar with great history. Worth a stop and a pint. The staff is very friendly and the fire was a nice touch on a cool, rainy September day.

Kelly's Cellars is a lovely, traditional, Irish pub which is quaint, cosy and quirky serving a full range of beers and spirits. You'll find whitewashed walls, roaring fires, traditional Irish music, chatter, laughter, noise and plenty of atmosphere in Kelly's. They also serve food though I've never actually eaten here, I've only visited for drinks. There's outside seating which is nice to lounge in over the summer months. I have always found Kelly's to be very busy any time I've visited and thus sometimes unfortunately haven't managed to get a seat. Definitely worth a visit however to soak up the music, history and great ambiance.

This place is great for outdoor drinks. I'm not a bit fan of the indoors but it's always a good spot to bring tourists for a more traditional Irish pub vibe. The upgraded outdoor area really adds to the place and they have installed TVs to show the Euros. Serves good pints - what more is there to say about a pub. It's dead on.

I visited this lovely quaint Irish bar and had a real nice pint of Guinness. I was speaking to the landlady and soaked up the atmosphere. There's plenty of original artefacts dotted around which all added to the ambience. Great spot.Also serves Irish Stew.

Loved this pub in city centre Belfast because of the outdoor seating area, coziness and decor inside, live music and wonderful Guinness. Patrons were buzzed and jovial on a late Sunday afternoon, well into their Sunday Fundays when I went - and the ambiance inside was super fun. A host of musicians gathered on one side of the pub, but it wasn't just all traditional tunes. There was some folk music and singing that varied it up quite a big. Highly recommend going!!

NOTE: The Yelp pinpoint flag is wrong for this location as of May 2016. Definitely worth locating this old (debatably oldest) Irish pub in the alleys behind a Tesco supermarket. We found it by entering the side alley next to Hercules Bar off Castle Street towards St Mary's Church (very nice old church). Kelly's is very welcoming and didn't feel too crowded like some other pubs in the downtown area. The locals were super friendly and liked to tell you stories about the town and this old pub. The outdoor seating is popular in good weather and the indoors is nice and shows the uniqueness of this old building. The Irish stew was fantastic, but they sellout normally quite early - by 6pm the time I visited. I would come here again next time I'm in Belfast. Thank you to the bloke who chatted us up and encouraged us to stay - he said his mother was born just up the street and went to the church up the alley.

Located in the city centre Kelly cellars is one of the best bars in Belfast. It has a very tradional Irish atmosphere. Drinks are very reasonable and there is indoor and outdoor seating. I went with 3 people and had an amazing time, everyone was very talkative and there is a great vibe, would highly recommend this bar to anyone, we all had a great time

Kelly's Cellars has a very different character from the old school mirrored and panelled pubs I otherwise visited in Belfast - it's subterranean and a little more alternative. The staff were good and the whole atmosphere is friendly, although it's very loud so the old man I was with struggled to hear what was going on (is the old man me? maybe). Worth a visit if you're having dinner in Mourne's next door, or to hear some live music.

This is one pf belfasts oldest pups,the decor is warm and inviting, with a real fire place,it also has some great traditional irish musicians, a great place for a quite pint or a nite out,well worth a vist