Kelly's Olympian

I really enjoy this place. The atmosphere is special, the bartender are nice and funny, only the security guard needs to learn how to smile a bit. They have a good selection of beer and drinks, and some fingerfood on top. The crowd is mixed and always in a good mood. Don't miss this out, when you visit Portland.

Delicious noms, even for a 1am find. Dani’s meatloaf sandwich will be the best you’ve ever had. Good gluten free options. Cool bar with a couple pinball machines and a Photo Booth.

Super cool place, especially if you like vintage motorcycles and vintage memorabilia. Very nice. Miranda, the bartenders Grandpa was the sheriff that had to deal with Evel Knievel when he was young. He's actually the one that named him evel.

doesnt look much from the outside, but when inside, this place has a unique vibe. great selection of beer and boy oh boy, didnt think a quesadilla there would taste that good.

Cool dive bar that has its priorities straight. At least 50% of the space should be taken up by the bar.

Super cool dive bar! The food and drinks are great and this is definitely my go-to place for late night food! I haven't been to one of their shows so I can't say anything about it. Seating may get limited when it comes to big groups. The staff were great and they'll definitely get you taken care of! Overall a wonderful bar and my favorite in Portland!

Kelly’s Olympian is a total disaster. The staff acts like they’re doing you a favor by even acknowledging you, and the food tastes like it was microwaved straight from a gas station freezer. The place is dirty, loud, and feels stuck in the past—in the worst way. If you’re not a regular, expect to be ignored or treated like an annoyance. The bouncers are rude and seem to enjoy making up rules just to keep people out. Honestly, you’d have a better time anywhere else. Avoid this dump at all costs.

Super friendly staff, love the awesome atmosphere, and cocktails are on point.

The best dive bar in the heart of downtown! I'm a sucker for neon and kitschy decor, so this place has always fascinated me. Decent bar food, cheap drinks and plenty of seating.

Cool bar! Was in town for a concert and we decided to come here to kick it. Inside has lots to look at, antique signage and cool things! The vibe is cool, food is great, service was ok. Ordered food and it was fast and delicious. Definitely visit again if in town.

This is one of the coolest dive bars I've been too. Neon lights everywhere, old school English bikes hanging from the ceiling. Lots of seating, tons of beers to choose from. Bartenders were all super friendly the vibe was super casual as you would expect from a dive bar and yes it's the north west but for those that care the crowd was diverse. Food is also really good for being a dive bar. My partner got the vegan chili with house made tortilla chips. It was actually really good for being vegan. I got the Chili Sausage which was an Andouille sausage with house made chili stuffed into a hoagie roll. I definitely recommend it. Good bar food that pairs up well with some beer. If you're in the neighborhood or looking for a good spot to kill some time definitely hit this place up.

Good dive bar with TV's and good prices. Don't love the area it's in but it's a solid spot for cheap drinks with some cool decor in the bar.

Great beer selection! I had the quesadillas, which were awesome. Need to try the food while you're there. If you like classic motorcycles then this is your place. I love the decor and the vibe. Great service and friendly folks at the bar. I will definitely be back when I make my next trip to Portland.

Very limited and fantastic experience, we were there for an afternoon. We went to see Flamy Grant on her A Million Ways To Cry In The West tour. What went right: we found street parking instantly and close, we got greeted just inside the door for ID's, the bar was fast and she was sweet, it was clean, I like neon signs, you could go to the bar and the show smoothly, the sound was good for the show, Flamy Grant was beautiful, fun and entertaining. Cant speak to the food as we didn't have any, would return.

Idk if this review will account for much since I was literally in the bar for less than 10 mins...but here we go anyway! It's a busy Thursday night at Kelly's Olympian. The doorman checks our ID's (not gonna lie, that hasn't happened in a minute and I was perfectly cool handing my drivers license over even tho he likely asked for it because it's part of the job and not so much because I look under 21...but whatever, it works!) and we stroll into a brilliantly lit up room. The bar is pretty full up, we find seats down yonder and the far end. There are plenty of tables around and a cool vending machine with "adult" mystery bags. Interesting. Once seated, a bartender meanders over and takes our order for Church Juice. Holy moly, pun intended. That is delicious but not just delicious delicious, scary delicious. It's the drink that tastes like it has zero alcohol but a few more cups in, you might start teetering off your bar stool. Anyway, we finish our fantastic drinks and request the check, we get it quickly since the bar is long and there are two bartenders serving customers. We pay and leave behind the bright lights and motorbikes hanging from the ceiling. We'll be back, I need to know what's in the mystery bag and I feel the need to try every cocktail on the menu!

I haven't reviewed Kelly's? Wow, i lose Portland Points! Kelly's is, by far, the best dive-style bar downtown!! Motorcycles on the ceiling. Yup. Photos of old Portland ... when Kelly's was already well established. You bet. Strong pours? Yes, indeed! Nice people working there? Absolutely. Best chicken strips in all Portland? Beyond a shadow of a doubt. They are so nice when I tell them I'm sober tonight. They are just as nice when I close out after the first drink and ask them to cut me off there. They are nice when I drink too much and they need to cut me off (by OLCC standards, which is what we would just call "gettin' started" in TX or "tipsy" in Maine ). I love this place and everyone is not just welcome, but awesome. I've gotten hit on here 10 times more often than CC's and Scandals put together! ;)

Was recommended this place by some locals. Quirky dive bar in the pearl district that is decked out in vintage moto stuff. Staff are super friendly, beer and food was good, and so were the prices. Definitely recommend this spot for anyone who's looking for a cool hangout spot.

what fun!!! ____________________________________________________________ Awesome Staff!!!______________________________________________________ I live this place!!!!______________________________________________________

Sexiest bartenders in town. Oh and the drinks are good too. :) You have to try the meatloaf sandwich!!!

Can't mess up a quesadilla but they sure did. Visiting from California and we got recommended this place. Our server was rude because we didn't answer who's food was who gave up 2.5 seconds to answer.

Great service. Had to be patient when busy, but good vibes. Did u know they've been here since 1902?! WOW!! Cool place, cool bikes! Stop by!

Kelly's olympian is one of the coolest bars I've ever been to!!!!! They're constantly changing up the tap selection to help their dedicated patrons try the best draft beers and ciders. A heaven for those who seek variety. The lightning inside makes everyone and their mother look sexy but don't be fooled - the bartenders are just as beautiful in sunlight. Motorcycles hanging from the ceiling? Uhmmm yeah they have that too. An ever evolving menu AND a calendar full of events, Kelly's is a happening place and a beacon of fun in downtown Pdx. It's always a treat to hang out here!!

Kelly's Olympian is an absolute Portland classic located in the heart of downtown Portland. They are one of very few venues dedicated to live music and events that bring people together. They offer a wide array of shows (seriously, any genre you can think of) as well as regular comedy shows, and karaoke nights. The venue boasts amazing professional sound and fantastic lighting that really brings the shows alive. The bar is separate from the venue and is lively and spacious. The bar tenders are attentive and friendly (not always the case in Portland). The bar is decorated with motorcycles and motorcycle memorabilia. It makes you feel cool just being there. If you like to space out, there is a lot of rad stuff hanging from the ceiling (including full-ass motorcycles!) that you can stare at while you enjoy your drink. The food is tasty and always comes out quickly. My favorite is getting the veggie burger with cheesy loaded seasoned curly fries. I also like that on days when I want a lighter meal, they do not charge extra to have a side salad instead of fries.

Great spot for beer and food. Chicken quesadilla is really good! Oldest bar in Portland! Dig the motorcycles hanging up too. I haven't seen the live music yet but will next time I'm in town.

I had an incredible time at Kelly's last night! From the moment I walked in, I knew i was in the right spot. The place was buzzing with laughter and good vibes, making it the perfect place for a night out with friends. The staff was fantastic - attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable about their drink offerings. They whipped up some of the most delicious cocktails I've ever had, and their creativity in mixology was truly impressive. I particularly loved their old fashioned , a perfect balance of flavors that left me wanting more. The bar's ambiance was fantastic, with well-chosen music that set the mood just right without overpowering conversation. The lighting created by the red neons was a cozy yet lively atmosphere, making it easy to enjoy the company of friends and even make some new ones. One thing that stood out was the variety of drinks available. Whether you prefer classic concoctions or want to try something more adventurous, they had it all covered. The beer selection was impressive too. I also have to mention the bar snacks - they were the ideal accompaniment to the drinks. The nachos was a favorite among my group, and we couldn't get enough of it. All in all, Kelly's is a gem of a place that I'll be visiting again and again. Whether you're looking for a chill evening with good drinks or a lively night out, this bar has it all. Cheers to Kelly's and their amazing team for providing such a memorable experience!

Unfortunately there is a undocumented account by the Name of "Agent 1." who is giving out blatant bad reviews not just at Kelly's Olympian, but a couple other spots as well. Saying the security was being micro-aggressive, when I was present right there, and he clearly wasn't. If you see this account, please report it. Thank you!

I got a rare form of food poisoning from this place. You want to avoid the food. I saw a C grade in the food rating. The security guard is really gruff and aggressive as well. I would just stay away from this place in general. Plenty of better options in downtown Portland..

If I could give this place zero I would , that staff was very rude . I prefer my food very specific and I may have been indecisive, and took my time . But they kept getting up set when I asked multiple questions about their food . Well for being a paying customer , I will not come their again . And I will be sure to let people know , how rude and impatient their staff is .

Great bar and the bar food is good! Also has a cool vending machine and gambling machines.nice interior decorations and never had issues here.

I came by here with a friend for a quick shot before moving on to the next spot. The service was super friendly from the bouncer to the bar help. The interior of the door was really cool as well. I would stop here again!

After flying into Portland pretty late on a Friday, we stopped by to pick up some food to eat back at our hotel. We might be one of the few walking into a bar to order takeout, but what can I say, we really wanted some corn dog nuggets. All the food was pretty good and definitely hit the spot. Would definitely order the curly fries again and the reuben sandwich. The sandwich was full of meat and just tasted so good after a long night of delayed flights and traveling. It just needed a pickle - but otherwise delicious! The wings were pretty good too, but the ranch was not great. I recommend eating the wings on their own but they are SPICY! In a good way of course. I'd pass on the tots and corn dog nuggets next time - the corn dogs aren't bad but the batter is definitely a bit on the sweeter side for my tastes. Overall, good food that hit the spot and would be back for the reuben. The employees were super friendly and the bar wasn't very full which was nice - we just sat at an empty table to wait for our food.

Enjoyed the Kelly's Olympian. It wasn't hard to find street parking, drinks were strong, and I loved the Photo Booth. Moreover, I appreciated that they supported a black -owned event The Lab.

Great service and fun people. Good music, would be nice to have a couple of pool table or something like that. Totally recommend, staff is awesome

Kelly's Olympian is not only a bar with rich history, it's also a great place to grab some typical bar food and a drink on a rainy Portland day! We made it in right before happy hour and took advantage of the timing. The nachos were good, very satisfying and the mini corn dogs were pretty typical, but the bartenders, music, and decor filled in the last star for me. Prices were reasonable(at least during happy hour) and the beer selection was pretty nice. Consider stopping in if you see them open when everywhere else isn't, apparently they have live shows too, so I'm hoping to go to one of those soon!

Out of towners just stopping in for a drink on my bday and Tony & Thomas we're super friendly and welcoming. The Mac and cheese bites were DELISH! Highly recommend

I was finishing my water for my medication he assumed I was drunk not sure if it was due to my color. He didn't give me the time or day to explain that it was just water. Wish this could be handle differently

Went in today always wanted to but just never made it , loved it is what it is, it was packed but the they kept the service moving, it's old school and should be as one of the oldest bases in Portland , we had the corn dog bites and really enjoyed them, will be going back. It's décor is motorcycle's and gas stations fantastic.

This place is super dirty and the bathrooms are always a mess. It is located in a super sketchy area of Portland. The bartenders are rude and always have an attitude like they are superior. Learn some hospitality. I could tell how the food comes out the kitchen is probably never cleaned

Best in Portland. One of the true survivors. Awesome environment, excellent music. Legit, old school PTown hang still providing the best downtown experience in the modern era.

Great atmosphere, drinks, and food. Vibey decor, a couple of pinball machines, slot/lotto machines, and a vending machine of adult grab bags. A bit of a shady area but security is ample and they are also really friendly! Seems to draw a fun crowd. Would definitely return!

The female brunette bartender was the absolute worst. I was celebrating my friends 22nd birthday and was denied drinks at the bar, I was accepted at other bars and was served within 5 minuets at the same bar by another male employee. I hope whatever your name is (who wore a pink top) on 12/09/2023 thanks for putting a damper on my night.

How do you mess up a gin and tonic? By having no carbonation in your gun. Cute ambiance but sketchy area. We left after one drink

Caveat: I've only ever been here for lunch and early evening during the week, never hung out late night or weekends. That being said, Kelly's is one of my favorite places on earth. The staff over the years has been amazing, always looking out for patrons, quick, friendly, and very good at every aspect of their jobs. Huge draft beer selection, better than usual bar food (shout out to everyone in the kitchen!!!), amazingly decorated. Pinball, sports and movies on TV, Photo Booth... and a great place for shows too! Rare atmosphere that feels welcoming to many types of people, just don't be an a-hole and you'll have fun. Special shout-out to Gigi and Tony and everyone who's been behind the bar in the last few years. My last bar visit before lockdown and one of the first places I went back to once we were allowed. It's been wild guys! Much love.

I don't dislike anything about this dive bar. Mini corndogs! Decent beer! A vending machine with a bunch of mystery items! What's not to like?! If you're in PDX for a conference and are at a downtown hotel, this is a great spot to hit up.

YOOOO!!! This place is lit!!! Who knew Kelly was such a dawg?? A gold medal Olympian if I do say so myself. If you come here, make sure to get lots of beer and cajun tots (hate to say it, but I think Kelly's has McMenamins beat). Cocktails are a little spendy, but the motorcycles on the ceiling make up for it. If only I had a motorcycle.....

This place is not fancy by any means as it's a lot of your typical bar food like appetizers, burgers, and sandwiches. They have happy hour 4-7pm daily with $3-$6 food but a beverage purchase is required. I was a little disappointed after asking the bartender for a happy hour menu to hear that it wasn't happy hour at 11pm. I checked their website beforehand and read that happy hour was 11pm-1am on Sundays. It turns out that they don't have a late night happy hour and they have a late night menu from 1am-close. However, food and drinks are a good price even without it so it's not really a big deal. You can tell that they take their security seriously. The bouncer turned a couple of people away who seemed too intoxicated even after pleading with him. Also, the motorcycles on the ceiling are siiiiick.

Wow, besides amazing cocktails with bacons stuffed into it you can also watch world class riots outside. The window seats allowed me to watch an amazing beatdown of political demonstrators. I saluted them with my Bloody Mary with extra olives & bacon as I witness skull fractures with clubs, eye gauging and pepper spray being shot... I CANT WAIT FOR MY NEXT cocktail evening at KELLYS. The entertainment and cocktails is phenomenal and made me give this 5 star dive a 5 star review. Plus before the riots I also had some chow and honestly for bar treats it's exceptional. Thanks PORTLAND for keeping it WEIRD!

Great dive bar in downtown Portland. Cool decor...lots of neon. Good craft beer selection. Friendly bartenders.

This rating goes for security. Well, I guess the truth hurts Kelly's Olympian as I see you had my previous review deleted. I had no trouble getting into your establishment with my brother and his wife when I was a grad student at OHSU in 2011. However, on Saturday night when I had intended on grabbing a first drink for the night from your establishment, the security guard out front was giving me a hard time about my valid Real ID California driver's license. I didn't appreciate his briefness and thuggy attitude and became upset with him when he chose not to reason with me, a 47 year old. He was confusing the pink illustration of a pier with seagulls on the back of the card for "bleed-out" of data. He apparently hasn't looked carefully enough at newer California IDs, because they all have this illustration on the back. It's not only frustrating, but insulting when someone doubts the legitimacy of a valid license. Please ditch this guy and hire a less judgemental, people-friendly security guard and not some robot with a fake cop vest. He is costing you business!

Do you have the time to listen to me whine about nothing and everything all at once? Four stars for the great atmosphere (can't go wrong with motorcycles and neon) and friendly service, but my cocktail was weak, the Diet Coke was undrinkable, and the blasting Green Day wasn't making it any more tolerable. But, then again, maybe I am one of those melodramatic fools, neurotic to the bone, no doubt about it.

Great place to grab a beer, catch up with friends and enjoy the funky/cool decor. Friendly staff and fair prices.

Came here on a Friday night with my friend and my husband for an event they had going on. It wasn't very busy and there was quite a bit of seating. I love the vibe of this place. They have signs that are lit up and motorcycles hanging everywhere. It's like a biker dive bar. I dig it. I ordered a cider and my friend had an IPA which she didn't care for. Prices are decent for a Portland bar. The bartender who helped my friend wasn't the nicest but the one who helped me was. It won't keep me from coming back though. I found out that they have live shows. Tuesday's at 9 pm they have karaoke and Thursday at 5:30 pm they have comedy open mic which both are free. It was kind of loud here but not too loud where you couldn't have a conversation. I'm definitely coming back because I enjoy bars that have interesting decor and I want to go to one of their shows sometime.

Great vibe! Loved this place. The staff were very friendly and suggestive of drinks. Daily drink specials. The ambiance was right up my alley. Was told it was like a biker dive bar, which you would think would be a turn off...definitely NOT! The decor is very cool, very spacious, gambling machines in the back. I had a great time here and will definitely be back. Celebrating my 50th this weekend here in fact!

I was visiting with a friend from california. We both had cali drivers' licenses, and we are both professionals with plenty of money to spend inside. We are both over 40 and clearly over 21. A friend of mine gets carded, and the security guard out front says his ID isn't real. He has a pocket knife on his fake cop vest, and some lara croft tombraider looking manpurse with a leg strap. Needless to say, we took our cash elsewhere. At least the mental image I have of this guy will give me laughs until i die. Get a new security guard. He is keeping money away from your business. Don't come here. Plenty of other options to spend your money on in this town.

We were a group of 6 in our mid 40s, dressed up after attending a wedding, trying to find somewhere to wind down around 11pm on a Saturday night. Bars aren't open late anymore, so we walked from our hotel to this place. Keep in mind, we are older and not a rowdy young crowd. We walked in, handed the bouncer our IDs, and my husband didn't "let go" of his ID immediately. NO WORDS WERE SPOKEN, bouncer didn't say "I need to look closely at that", but since my husband didn't immediately hand it over to him he told us all to leave. I didn't know what was happening, and I asked what was wrong. Bouncer stated he had a bar full of people and he needed to be able to fully investigate IDs, so if we didn't hand over our IDs immediately then that showed we had attitude and we needed to get out. I was absolutely floored. My husband didn't say a word, literally no one had attitude, and the bar was definitely not so full that the bouncer should behave that way. I've never been kicked out of a bar! After we all walked out I went back in to talk to him alone just stating that no one understood what just happened and he didn't want to discuss it, wouldn't admit that he actually didn't even ask any of us to hand the IDs over to him, and maybe he was a bit aggressive unnecessarily. I'm sure the bar and food are just fine here, but in these times do you really want a bouncer acting like that without cause? None of us (aside from me asking what was going on) even spoke a word to him! Having someone like that representing any business at the door is only going to cause problems for the business itself. Very sad.

Everything we ordered was a hit! -tater tots -cajun tots -wings -chicken tenders -mac & cheese ball Probably some of the best tenders I've ever had.

The Incline Cider and the Gin and Tonic were wonderful. The atmosphere is also lovely. I'd like to second everything else positive others have said, and just add that they truly care about you at Kelly's. I was surprised by the depth they went to to make sure that I and my party were fine after our night out. A 2000/10 experience, I can't recommend this place enough for a night out in Portland.

My husband and I stopped her twice during our three nights in Portland. Great atmosphere. Really enjoyed all the motorcycle decor, and loved that you actually had room to sit and hear yourself talk. One night there was a DJ plate g some older tunes, which I liked. We had food on the first visit, and it was solid pub grub. I had a quesadilla that was stuffed with tilamook cheddar, and my husband had the corn dog nuggets. I didn't try his, but he really liked it. My quesadilla probably had enough cheese to last me for a week, but I ate every damn bite. Good beer selection too, and service was quick. My only gripe is they had pinball but the games were over a $1 each. Seemed a bit much for pinball.