Kelly's Tavern
📍 Leather bars in Newport News
Kelly's Tavern in Newport News offers a cozy, neighborhood bar atmosphere with a laid-back vibe, ideal for unwinding with friends or enjoying a casual meal. Known for its standard bar fare with creative twists, such as crispy fried pickles and hearty wraps, the menu caters to those looking for comfort food in a relaxed setting.
The establishment blends a smoking-friendly environment with a welcoming space for non-smokers, though the balance can sometimes feel uneven. While some patrons appreciate the friendly, attentive service from staff like Tiffany, others note inconsistencies in order accuracy and wait times. Overall, it’s a spot best suited for those seeking a no-frills, social dining experience.
Features and services of Kelly's Tavern
Service options
- Outdoor seating
- Kerbside pickup
- Takeaway
- Dine-in
Highlights
- Fast service
- Fireplace
- Great beer selection
- Great cocktails
- Sport
Popular for
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Solo dining
Accessibility
- Wheelchair-accessible car park
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance
- Wheelchair-accessible seating
- Wheelchair-accessible toilet
Offerings
- Alcohol
- Beer
- Cocktails
- Coffee
- Comfort food
- Happy-hour drinks
- Happy-hour food
- Late-night food
- Organic dishes
- Quick bite
- Small plates
- Spirits
- Wine
Dining options
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Dessert
- Seating
- Table service
Amenities
- Bar on site
- Toilet
- Wi-Fi
Atmosphere
- Casual
- Cosy
- Trendy
Crowd
- Family friendly
- Groups
- Tourists
- University students
Planning
- Accepts reservations
Payments
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- NFC mobile payments
Children
- Good for kids
- High chairs
- Kids' menu
Parking
- Free of charge street parking
- Free parking lot
Pets
- Dogs allowed
- Dogs allowed outside
Kelly's Tavern is in position 40 out of 62 in leather bars in Newport News
Customer Reviews
Kelly's Tavern has a rating of 3.9 out of 5 based on over 749 reviews on Google
When you first walk in, there's never anyone to greet you. All the staff stay in the smoking/bar area. Hardly ever address customers in the non-smoking section. It's clear this location values their smokers and drinkers over their other customers. The smoke smell lingers into the non-smoking section which makes it unbearable for those of us who don't smoke. Been to this location twice and both times the service was shit. Had to flag someone down both times to be seated because everyone was in the smoking area. No staff in non-smoking. A friend recommended it but that friend is also a drinker and a smoker and sits at the bar. So if that's your vibe then you'll love this place. If you want to enjoy a decent family dinner, definitely do not go to this place.
Came for lunch as it was on my list of places to try. Really enjoyed the worn in, neighborhood bar feel. They serve standard bar fare with a bit of a twist, and so I got the fried pickles and a wrap. Overall not bad, pickles had a good breading and were crisp on the outside. The wrap was good just the fries were a bit over done and unsalted. Bonus treat was that someone's dog was outside and attempted to make friends.
Ladies– this is not a safe space. Women WILL be harassed in here, and possibly worse. I have been to this bar several times and every single time I was hounded by men who wouldn't take no for an answer, and when I asked the staff to do something, they would laugh or ignore me. The last straw was a recent visit; I decided to stop by for a drink or two after a long day and was immediately greeted with a woman saying the exact same things I'd been saying (but she was far more direct, as i believe we should be). There was another woman there who was clearly unsafe and expressed that, and when the first woman tried to intervene and draw attention to the problem, they KICKED HER OUT. I can't speak for all the staff, I'm sure some of them are lovely, but it's not worth risking your safety. 0/10.
I'm new here and came in to watch the game and have a bite. There were lots of people here who seem like regulars. It's a nice spot with ok food. I wasn't a fan of their sauces for the chicken tenders, but the tenders were good. You're allowed to smoke in this bar.
We walked in at 11:45. We waited 5 minutes before being acknowledged (the place was virtually empty). At 12:38 the waitress finally brought out my husband's fish and chips which we could see under the warming lamp for over 10 minutes. My order finally came out. It was of course wrong. So we waited over 40 minutes for crap. There was no apologizing for screwing up the order. We should have known not to come here when it's empty at lunch time.
Waited 45 minutes with an empty restaurant at noon. Soggy fries for me. My wife’s order was wrong and when they brought it out the burger was raw from rushing a replacement and they still had her side wrong. No apologies or attempt to correct or make good. Never going back and would highly suggest new management!!
Wonderful place to relax and watch a game or just meet up with friends. Great food and Tiffany along with the other staff are very friendly and inviting. Burger was made customized without any issues. Definitely will return.
Information about Kelly's Tavern
Address
Kelly's Tavern is located at 1010 Loftis Blvd, Newport News, VA 23606, United States
Phone
The phone number of Kelly's Tavern is +1 757-246-0080
Website
The website of Kelly's Tavern is: kellystavern.com
Business Hours
Monday: 11:00–00:00
Tuesday: 11:00–00:00
Wednesday: 11:00–00:00
Thursday: 11:00–02:00
Friday: 11:00–02:00
Saturday: 11:00–02:00
Sunday: 11:00–00:00