Kelly's Westport Inn

I have had other people go to this place and have told me mixed experiences here 🍀 but I guess it’s unusual to say the least that the door man has always been nice 😊 and upfront with me and that I don’t believe that I meant any harm or tried to cross boundaries with people or make anybody uncomfortable but unfortunately my time here has expired and that I only have fond memories of being here at this place….. From watching games, to hanging with friend’s and running into familiar face’s through out the city it has made me come to realize who the true runner uppers are and who runs this place should know that it’s a business and since I’m not a big spender here 💸 and don’t believe that I had done anything so horrible to where I should be banned from this place not trying to make people wonder if I’m friendly or not but in all reality I mutually respect the bar’s decision and appreciate them allowing me to be here in the past I am not a trouble maker or a problem solver but I will continue to keep a rich mentality and move on away from this Establishment 🫡

A classic Kansas City establishment! This bar and family opens its arms to the Down syndrome community and throws us a giant, amazing party each year, all costs covered. Absolutely incredible!

Six bucks for 2 shots on a Thursday? Amazing prices! Service was great too. Was surprised by a vape vending machine but it was cool. Got served pretty quickly too.

I was here last Friday with my friends. Yeah we were drinking, but we were fine. I got to Kelly’s, ordered one drink, drank it, and my head hits the table. My friends couldn’t get me to wake up and I had a faint pulse and low body temp. About 8 paramedics dragged me out and put me in an ambulance. I was literally in a coma. Great place to get drugged! Not sure how the dude was planning on dragging a 200lbs female out of there unnoticed. But uh yeah one of the scariest moments of my life.

Kelly's Westport Inn is *the* spot to be for a night out in Kansas City! The music is always on point, creating an energetic vibe that makes it the perfect place to hang out with friends or meet new people. Whether it’s a live band or the playlist, the tunes never disappoint and set the tone for a fun evening. The atmosphere is always lively, and you can feel the pulse of Westport in the air. It’s definitely a go-to for anyone looking for a great time with great music in a vibrant setting. Always a fantastic time at Kelly’s!

Like old home week. Had my first beer in this place many years ago and walking in ... Was like no time had passed. Love love love Kelly's!

It is the best pub in Kansas City. Bouncers are so friendly and kind. I feel like I am at my home here

Great place to hang out at. Pretty good beer selection and live music. There's also a pizza place inside to get something to eat. The pizza was good too. There was a line to get in when I left.

Okay so hear me out, Kelly's may be divey and old school, but it's a good time, and worth five stars. So when I rolled in here about a month ago for a happy hour with the gals I hadn't been in probably a decade. My memories of Kelly's were clouded by early 20s nights out in Westport, and my impression of the place was that it was usually overly crowded, filled with bros, and a bit dirty. Essentially, the kind of place I feel like I would have found myself in during my college years. All of this being said, I have a friend that is a die hard Kelly's fan and I was genuinely excited to stop in, this time as a person in their mid 30s, and at a respectable time, to see what it's like on an average Thursday. You know what? It's damn delightful. First of all, the drinks are affordable, the bartenders are super nice and laid back, and while there were a good amount of folks in the bar, there was ample seating for our group. We never felt rushed, and it was nice to go to a bar that was unpretentious and just felt comfortable to hang out at. We stayed so long I ended up grabbing some pizza from Guys (that'll be the next review!) and honestly I just had a really nice, chill, evening catching up with friends. Is it the nicest, hippest, bar in town? No, but it's a KC institution for a reason, and I'm happy to be reintroduced it as an adult, and to find that an old friend like Kelly's still has a ton to offer even if you are no longer part of the 1am crowd.

Such a vibe on a Friday night! (ESPECIALLY if PK is dj'ing) It is really loud, so if you are looking for something intimate.. this is not it. But if you are looking to drink, party & vibe.. this is your spot! Only tip is to stick close to your party(friends) because this place can definitely get PACKED OUT! Its easy to get lost in the crowd. They have an upstairs with another bar that you can smoke ONLY tobacco products at. But its "outside" so you can feel a nice breeze. Drinks are inexpensive & service is typically fast. They also serve pizza which is super good & a nice size slice!!!! (The pizza place is connected to Kelly's) . You can access it from the inside & or the outside. Its Guy's Pizza. Will be back as that was my 1st experience!

A huge shout to James who treated us like royalty here. This place is pretty big and it's connected to another spot that serves food. They have a small selection of beers but great ones. I tried their sour which tasted like a green apple. James also made a yummy green tea shot for us. This place definitely has that old Irish pub feel and it's so great, if you're into that.

Kelly's is a fun bar with a good atmosphere. It's fairly easy to get drinks quickly and on Friday's they have $2 wells. The rooftop is what really sells this place. If you go here, make sure to checkout the roof!

I enjoyed the historic nature of this building, which was built in the mid 1800s, served as a grocer for wagon trains heading west as they passed by the front door of this business on the Santa Fe Trail, and is the oldest building in Kansas City (according to a plaque). The wood-toned interior of this Irish bar was spacious, with a long bar, friendly and helpful service, a rooftop bar and patio, a secondary bar near the deli and a Guy's Deli counter. They offer a happy hour 3-7 pm M-F and late-night drink specials. This was my favorite bar on a Westport pub crawl. Very nice!

Solid dive bar in the oldest building in KC! Came here after brunch on a weekend, it was pretty slow while we were here but that just meant we got much more attention from the bartender who was great company. Reasonably priced, matches the atmosphere. Would love to come back at night when its probably more packed, overall felt like a fun place, would come back!

The little tiny man of a bartender was a real jerk. My car wouldn't unlock and he would not let me sit inside till the tow services came. I would not recommend going there while this piece is working.

We are in KC visiting my son for the Holidays and as always must visit Kelly's. We stopped before heading for dinner for a few drinks and watch a football game. This is one of my sons Go To Spots. We arrived and the Christmas decorations were fabulous. The bar was hopping for being so early in the evening although my son said wait till later. We ordered drinks and sat at 1 of the tables toward the front. We ventured to the rear where there was light snacks available and ordered the pizza sticks which were delivered to our table and looked and tasted great. After a while we went to the back of the bar where there was another bar not open yet but where there was a Pop a Shot Basket and had a few Family Games which came with many laughs.

I didn't eat here, just went to the bar here the other night. Definitely a fun atmosphere, with a lot of young adults! The drinks were made fast and were extremely cheap. The bartenders were friendly and efficient. Will be going back for sure!

Had a terrible experience with the bouncers. One hit us in the head with the door while opening it, claiming the Publix sidewalk couldn't be stood on and the other (tall, ginger guy with a terrible mustache) talked down to us. Wouldn't recommend!

Fun bar with great service! Even when packed, it doesn't take long to get your drinks! The pizza bones are amazing!

I stopped in at Kelly's today to pick up a gift card and hat that I had won in an on-line auction benefitting a live music venue in town that has been shut down due to Covid. The fact that Kelly's would donate to a competing watering hole in Kansas City while they too are on limited capacity and revenue says a lot about the character of the management. My buddy and I stayed for a drink at the only available seating next to the window, they are taking the issue seriously and strictly enforcing masks and social distancing guidelines. Fortunately they are able to have a bit of outdoor seating in a chain linked enclosure on Pennsylvania for the weekends. Although it has been a few years since I'd been in Kelly's and a couple of decades since I regularly frequented them as a neighborhood option, I have always respected them as a KC institution. They have been in operation since 1947 and reside in Kansas City's oldest building. They are also ground zero for the Irish community. The wooden floor, ceiling and bar provide a dark ambiance that captures the essence that for years has attracted the crowds to watch local sports, discuss James Joyce or slam Irish Car bombs on a Saturday night. A chameleon of an institution that has provided everyone a little fun, nostalgia or comfort for decades. A must stop for anyone visiting Westport. I eagerly await my return visit to use my gift card.

First time to this bar and so far love it!! Red the bartender is very nice highly recommend this place !!!

We came to Kelly's Westport for New Year's and, BOY! Did we have fun! Even though we were here from outta town, the welcome vibe was so infectious. There was celebration and mirth, but we did not see one person who had more liquid happiness than they should. It truly felt like a hometown crowd, with lots of familiar faces, and so very much catching up. Even the so-called "bouncer" was just a friendly doorman (but he had a close and charming eye on that door, believe me.) There was every legal age of reveler in attendance. There were multiple generations of Kansas City types who happily shared family stories, baby pictures, beer and eventually Champagne! "5-4-3-2-1! Happy New Years, everybody!" They gave out lots of party headgear, and 2020 glasses, so everyone looked equally enthusiastic and proudly silly! You know how people always shrug off New Year's Eve by saying, "Oh...it's amateur night.", right? Well, not here at Kelly's. Staff and patrons alike are all in top form and we were made to feel like we fit right in! The true sign of how much fun we had is that we stayed much longer than we thought we ever would!

Best New Year's ! It's Kansas City landmark bar where they celebrate Irish New Year's at 6 PM Kansas City time, which is coincidentally midnight in Dublin Ireland. What a wonderful idea will be able to go out and have dinner and be back home and in bed at a reasonable hour before most other people have Found their car keys. Kelly's is a lot of fun, filled with all manner of Kansas City locals, who all seem to know each other somehow. What a friendly atmosphere and a lot of fun! It's a good reason to be in Kansas City on New Year's Eve! The party was complete with DJ, complimentary champagne, Party hats and the New Year's countdown to 9 o'clock!

Good selection of craft beers, cool classic bar feel. Baseball and shark week on TV. Some people but not super busy on a Sunday evening

Fun, epic, historic pub house. A place where culture is born and community is developed.

I've been here twice. First was for their Hawaiian event. I believe there was a cover. Drinks were not the best. Bar was crowded. They had jelly shots at the mini bar which were just alright. The live band was the best part. I did enjoy the music. My friend wasn't big into it though. My other visit was for their Wednesday meat bingo. Free to play. I love the concept, but there were only three games in 2, 3 hours? I had their red bull drink special and somehow it still felt watery. There is a pizza window in the back of the venue. I never tried it, but its nice to have the option when you're out drinking. There is a second floor too, but I think mostly for smokers. Nowhere near the top of my list for Westport.

Could not have been more pleased with our experience saturday upstairs on the deck. The bartender was so personable and recommended drinks for my son who had never been to a bar. He was kind and patient and took care of all the patrons in the same way, even sent us with a large water cup to ward off the morning hangover. We will definitely be back!!

I remember coming here in my 20s and some asshole bartender violently took my drink out of my hands and threw it in the trash and told me to get out. I was just sitting there. Weird and left me feeling like shit. Fuck this place.

Great place great people working the bar. They even charged my phone when it died behind the bar. Good prices make this a stop when viviting Westport. !!!

Ok fine so they were friendly and kind and personable and clean and had a good selection of beer but the real kicker is, our server gave us a cup of Tums for our tummy aches. And now I will judge all bars by their Tums selection.

One of the oldest bars in KC, Kelly's is a dive bar gem. Located in the heart of Westport, they have cheap beer and drinks, and typically always a decent crowd. Lots of standing room inside, as well a deck upstairs that is covered in the fall for smokers. They bring in a variety of people during the days, young and old, at night it fills up on the weekends with a younger crowd. They don't serve food, but do have a window inside that connects them to a pizza place next door called Joes Pizza by the Slice. The pizza is not great, but suffices if you are drunk.

My friend group has rented out the top patio three times now for private events, and we have the BEST time every time!! Mostly due to the bartender, CJ! He is hospitable and professional. He lets you play your own music through the speakers and will adjust the heaters/fans to your (many) requests. Highly recommend renting the private patio for your next event, and make sure you request CJ!

Be prepared to show your tits bc this drink ain't cheap! ;). Favorite Thursday night spot.

Good selection of craft beers. Priced right. Wife said her drink was a good pour and again priced right. Good crowd however, being a little older....as the night went on...the crowd got younger and wife and I needed to go. If you are looking for a cold beer and a friendly staff...stop in and say hello.

This is one of those "Old Man-Get Off My Lawn" style reviews. It's not the bar's fault, or the young whipper snapper's fault, it's just the fact that I'm almost 42 years old that I give this place 2 stars. We were in the Power and Light district and we asked the waitress where should 5 guys like us go to hang out and she recommended Westport. So we got in an Uber and headed to Westport to bar hop. We decided on Kelly's at one point because they were playing live music. We asked the Millennial aged bouncer what style music and he said " Uuuuh I think like Zeppelin and stuff". That had us sold. Well it was 3 youngsters playing mainly 60-70's rock and it was decent but no Zeppelin. My buddies bought us a round of draft beer in plastic cups like one would get in a college or dive bar. There was a pizza by the slice place in the back of the bar which serves a purpose but it wasn't very good. The bar was also full of 21-25 year olds and we were by far the oldest in there. The girls were all in mini skirts and low cut shirts. I was enjoying the view but felt like an old perv. Then my 18 year old daughter texted me and after that I saw her face on all these young women. Completely ruined my night! I wanted to go put my jacket on all of them and get them robes to cover up! WTF happened to me!?!?! Anyway we only stayed about an hour as it wasn't our crowd. If I was 15 years younger, I'd be all over this place but unfortunately I'm not.

Great drinks and located in Westport next to other fun bars/restaurants! Cool atmosphere being one of the oldest buildings in the area!!

Wow! Just wow! Not a bar sitter, booze hound or beer drinker at all. Could care less about craft brews and sports games on TV. But I am a History Nut and in every state--of the 50 states I am attempting to visit, I like to learn about the historical events that took place there. And Kelly's Westport Inn has HISTORY in droves. According to the city tour I took, Kelly's has been around in it's location since way before the Civil War. When those Kansas territory Injun wranglers would come to town back in the day, it was Kelly's where they would go to get sloshed. Around the Civil War era, rich land-owners would journey to Kansas City to buy supplies & groceries. They brought their slaves along. These poor souls had to be kept downstairs in the basement while their masters drank, caroused & made whoppie upstairs. I could not bring myself to even imagine seeing this, but in that basement, there was a trapdoor, where the slaves were kept and shackles to lock them up to prevent escape. Now that is a very heavy glance into what our country once was. It is something that I bet a lot of the imbibers and chicken wing eaters don't think about at the Kelly's bar these days. Just be happy that there is so much history come alive here and Praise God that we no longer treat our fellow man as we once did. I'll drink to that!

$9 44 oz. Busch Lite and a window to order pizza from INSIDE the bar... what more could you ask for?

Always have a fun time here. Cold beer and people watching . Met a long time bartender last night (Red-X), super nice guy with some funny wit and stories. Even met an old KC Cop who reportedly put out a fire that was started on the bar many years ago while he was on duty outside the bar. Good times.

Anthony saw that I was famished and gave me protein bars so he basically saved me 10/10 would recommend also Jordan, CJ, and Ethan were pretty helpful!!!

I'll share a very good experience I had here earlier this week. We were throwing a memorial Happy Hour for a friend who recently passed away. She'd loved Kelly's so we picked this bar. First, they reserved the whole pack part of the bar for us and stocked a bartender in the back bar. Then they gave us a very steep discount. For it being 5:00 on a Tuesday, we packed this place up. For their part, Kelly's was extremely hospitable. The back bartender was courteous and very quick. They had a server working the floor, too, but jumped back and helped the bartender when needed. It made for a very nice flow for the evening. I've been to Kelly's before and had always had a good time. It's certainly a staple of Westport and although it tends to draw the kind of young college crowd I'm not a big fan of (you know the type), this has always been a fun bar. For myself, the great experience they provided on this night for the 70+ people who packed their space will not be forgotten as I search for a good Westport bar to patronize.

Not too shabby! We've stopped here on both of our trips to KC MO. Everyone is always friendly and the drinks are priced right. As others have said, cheap beer in disposable cups, cute hole in the wall with plenty of flavored vodka drinks and friendly clientele. Check it out for a quick decent drink.

One thing that struck me about Kelly's is that it's less crowded than Johnny Kaw's next door and is more of a friends' place rather than people just trying to get wasted and take a girl home. They have a live band that's actually pretty good and people dancing!! Otherwise, it's a lot of cliques standing around with their drinks talking to each other. Again, not really a place for meeting strangers. Maybe that's just the scene in KC, you go out with friends and leave with the same friends. Not my scene but it works here.

Great music, great staff! We found a couple of seats at the bar ordered some cheap beers and relaxed. After about 11pm the people watching gets good. Lots of young 20-something's out for a night on the town. Expect a few bridal parties to swing through and prepare to watch a bachelorette or two teeter on the dance floor. This is a great place to meet up for a night out if you are intent on having more than a few drinks. The beer is cold the atmosphere is lively, and the people watching is exquisite. It appears they have a love band on weekend nights which only enhances the character of the place.

Cheap beer. Cute whole in the wall. No exotic beers but I would come back.bCould use a broader beer selection. Cardinal bar.

We walked in there, and the bartender was one of the most rude people I have ever met. Did not greet us, simply asked what do we want. Then threw our ids on the table. Poor service.

Kelly's gets at least 3 stars for being the Kansas City institution that it is, and for surviving decades of St. Pat's parade after-parties. I don't go there often, but they earned another star for the way the bartenders cheerfully handled doling out free beer at Boulevard's Millionth Case party. It's a beautiful bar, old, worn and unpretentious, just the kind I like. Lots of good beers, at decent prices. And pizza in the back to soak up all that alcohol. What's not to love?

Kelly's has been a local staple for just about ever. Everybody knows about it. Everybody's been there. But not everybody goes there. I'm not sure if I would ever make myself a regular here, but it's not a bad place. Kelly's is the definition of Westport. A great bar to stop into for a beer and slice of Joe's Pizza which has a storefront inside the bar. The inside is a pretty typical bar where you would expect the crowd to be drinking copious amounts of Bud Light and Jager Bombs. Kelly's also has an awesome rooftop with a rooftop bar. It's a pretty neat place to look out over main street Westport and people watch. Did I mention it's also the oldest building in Kansas City? Before Kansas City annexed Westport it was its own city. How cool is that? Perfect place to stop if your bar hopping for a drink and to check out the rooftop. Or if you want a beer and a slice of the famous Joe's Pizza by the Slice.

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. 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. 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. 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.

Living in LA and visiting my family in the Kansas City area I never appreciated what KC has to offer. 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. 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. What a fun Irish bar. The place was packed the beer was cheap and the food was good too. 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.

Definitely a great place to just have a beer and bullshit. never had bad times here, the staff is pretty cool. Pizza is great when you are drinking, put some honey on it, see where it takes you in life. Overall prices are comparable to other spots. The location is nice!

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.

Kelly's is a seedy dive bar located in Westport, Mo. The service we received there was subpar and the staff were extremely rude. Cannot recommend this establishment to anyone. The whole selling point of Kelly's is that they have been in the location for such a long time. But the look and feel of the place really does bring this home because you can imagine the place without electricity or running water. There are so many other better bars in this district.

Classic KC bar. A cool refuge on a hot day. Spooky history to contemplate. Friendly patrons. Friendly bartender, although she really didn't know how to mix drinks. Still, a good bar.

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. 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.

This gem is a favorite among my Kansas friends, so when I came to visit last week, they took me here for a night out. The first night I didn't remember much about it (thanks, 99 Bananas and vodka pregame!) but the SECOND night I visited here, I was in love. I'm a sucker for a good live band that plays songs us drunkies can dance to, and this is one of those lovely places where everyone there is pretty damn nice, especially the staff. The drinks are cheap and poured pretty damn strong, which is OBVIOUSLY important at a bar. I will always like this place and it'll forever be in my "fond KC memories" folder stored in my brain.

Kelly's is one of the oldest bars in KC, if not the oldest...It depends who you ask. Anyway, I love the live music here, and the best nights are when it's packed and everyone is dancing. It's usually crowded on the weekend nights. Joe's pizza by the slice is connected to it, and it's really hard to leave Kelly's without a slice when you're out late. They have multiple bars to grab drinks and a pop-a-shot machine! Plan on standing and mingling at this place...people turn up!

Wonderful night. Good atmosphere. David Red Cross is a fantastic bartender. Will come back again.