Darkey Kellys is a hopping bar! This place gets outta control on Thursdays when they have BBQ night out in the beer garden. We were curious and went one Thursday night, but we didn't opt for the BBQ spread. Instead, we had our own ideas of fun that night. What you need to do to have a memorable experience at Darkey Kellys 1) Go on a quiet night when nothing is going on 2) Sit at the bar and get to know your bar steward. Ask about pouring a proper Guinness, or that 6 Euro deal for a taste of the 12 year old Jameson 3) Be open minded for conversation - we learned a lot of how to savor, sip, and enjoy 4) Ask to try the Keogh's Shamrock potato chips - they are ADDICTING!!! 5) Get their chicken wings - this is a MUST The End This bar really meant a lot to us, and we really enjoyed the mellow Irish classics that was performed live while we ate. The bar itself inside is pretty standard - wooden bar stool at the bar, and lovely nook tables for some intimate conversations. I loved the bar itself with their variety of taps and just watching these guys work. At the top of the menu, make sure to read the legend of Darkey Kelly - pretty awesome indeed! read more

Fun! fun! Fun! evening of pints and grand Irish music. Just what we came to Dublin for in a traditional Irish Pub with a great history. Enjoyed so much we came back a second night. Food was delicious- fish and chips was an enormous serving and very tasty. read more

Decent pub and decent pints. Its nothing special and a bit away from the other pubs. Normally its live music, but government shutdowns ruined that. read more

Admittedly, I'm quite partial to anything that shares a name with me .. I mean if it's a Kelly it has to be good ... now unfortunately for me Darkey Kelly is in fact a good ole lady of the night who used to frequent the area. The ladies of the night are long gone (well I guess this point is debatable, but Darkey Kelly is definitely gone) and now a pub stands in its place. Nowadays the main draw is the trad music that you can find here on many nights. If you're a fan of the ole diddle aye then it's definitely worth a stop off. read more

Darkey Kellys - Pubs Near Me - Dublin, D

WHAT A GEM!!!! So kid friendly, even after my kids were screaming and whining. They brought coloring pad and crayons. So impressive. Beer so fresh. I had Chicken curry- it was a seasonal dish. And it was delightful! Hubby had fish and chips, also good. Kiddos had fresh coated chix and fries and free ice cream to go along. So good. Our server, MO, was a delight. Would definitely go back if in Dublin, definitely the highlight. read more

Darkey Kellys - Pubs Near Me - Dublin, D

Really great bar, plus it helped that it was attached to our hotel! For dinner one night I had a grilled vegetable sandwich. It was very tasty. It had eggplant and peppers on it and came on foaccia bread. It also came with chips that were obviously hand made. Overall, it was a tasty meal! They also have an excellent selection of beers from your typical Guinness to some craft beer options. Every night they also have live Irish music. We stopped in one night and it was really fun to listen to. It also seems like it brings in a ton of locals too. It definitely gets packed the later it gets. If you want a table, get here early. Overall, pretty good food and is very fun--I would definitely recommend a stop by! read more

Wonderful place with if you can believe it an even better atmosphere. The bartenders as well as the patrons are with a stop in. They always have live music and some great tasting fish and chips read more

Oh my. If you are need of the REAL Irish pub experience Then this is that place for you. I ordered the fish n chips. Huge order. Yet, my smarter than I wife ordered the ribeye. Over the top. The gravy was just that good. Order it. If your thinking about an $8 order of wings- order the rib eye. WOW!! Fabulous services read more

Solid authenticate Irish food that caters to families and those who want an early start/ early finish. The service is of a high standard which is why this pub rates higher than its neighbours. read more

Darkey Kellys - Pubs Near Me - Dublin, D

We loved this cozy pub and went multiple times during our trip. Get the seafood chowder and the beef and Guinness stew.

Super friendly staff, lively crowd, rye river red Irish ale and live music made this a fun night out.

Service was good and the food was good as well! I got a burger and it was very large. A great pub that you might want to check out!

Husband and I stopped in for lunch and were so impressed. First, the bar and restaurant are very charming with a great selection of seating. The music was loud enough to hear but not blaring (yay!). The staff were friendly and helpful, quick with drinks. We ordered the tuna melt with chips and the ham & cheese with tomato soup. When our meals arrived we were shocked. They are enormous. Tasted wonderful! I was in a food coma for a few hours but it was all worth it. We'd definitely recommend you stop by for a pint and a meal. read more

Darkey Kellys - Tuna melt with chips - Pubs Near Me - Dublin, D

This place is the quintessential Dublin experience! We absolutely loved everything about it. The staff was wonderful, the drinks cold and plentiful, the food was hugely portioned and delicious, and the music was authentic, enjoyable, and made us feel welcomed and entertained. We chatted with the singer who had a lot of great stories to tell and treated us like locals. We had a tuna melt which was absolutely delicious with enough fries to feed an entire table. We also had the fish and chips which tasted like they were fresh from the ocean to our plate. Simply delicious! Our friend had dessert for dinner and said the chocolate cake and mousse were to die for. Smithwick's Blonde and Dublin Blonde....delish! We loved the place so much, we went back twice while staying in Dublin and took a slew of friends with us the second time. For the best, authentic real Irish pub experience, check out Darkey Kellys! read more

The hotel I stayed at was connected to this pub so I stopped in for my first meal in Dublin. I ordered a Guinness and the Fish and Chips. It did not disappoint! It was very tasty and though it was a quiet Tuesday afternoon, the atmosphere was still great! I came back later that night to listen to the live music and grab a drink. The bartender was very friendly both times. I would highly recommend this pub for anyone looking for great food and a great atmosphere! read more

Darkey Kellys - Pubs Near Me - Dublin, D

I've been in Ireland foe several days and Darkey Kellys is the first time I've thought about checking in. My honey takes amazing pictures of our food so I've decided to start taking after pictures of the results. After all, how do you know a review is worth anything if the food and environment wasn't truly enjoyed?! We sat at the bar, heard some amazing live music and threw down on some authentic fish and chips, Guinness stew and local beer on draught. Our friend lives here and new exactly where to take us that would be outstanding, outside the tourist area and still be memorable! Enjoy the after pictures! read more

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Popped in here for a meal! I was expected pub food to the Canadian standard and it blew my expectations out of the water! So delicious and our server was a really great young lad! Would definitely revisit read more

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We ate and hung out in A LOT of pubs in Dublin on our visit and this is one of my favorite places. Great food, exceptional service, and just overall amazing atmosphere. Had several people recommend it to us and it did not disappoint. read more

Darkey Kellys - Food - Pubs Near Me - Dublin, D

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The most authentic pub we visited in Dublin. Very cozy. It felt like a lot of locals were around. Good veggie options, and our server was attentive. read more

Pretty good pub. We each had a burger on our first night in Ireland. Typical pub food, good chips and a good ale.

A fine example of an Irish bar. The place was packed so I sat at the bar for dinner. The live band drew quite the crowd, but the true performer was Paul behind the bar. Watching him made me dizzy. He went a mile a minute but took care of each person quickly and accurately. I had the bangers and mash which was quite delicious! I would highly recommend this place. More importantly, ask for Paul at the bar he was the main entertainment! read more

Great atmosphere all the staff was super friendly especially Mo and Shane. I got the fish and chips and loved it. I never ever eat fish so kudos to them. I sat at the bar but they serve the full menu at the bar too. Would definitely go again. read more

Darkey Kellys - Pubs Near Me - Dublin, D

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This is a great pub with very good food and and an awesome environment. We had Guinness stew and fish n chips and both were great. They had live music as well. The staff was great too. It was crowded and we had to wait for a table but it was well worth the wait. read more

Fantastic place. Go here if you want to experience Dublin. Brilliant staff, food, drink and entertainment. Go. Go, Go. read more

Darkey Kellys - Pubs Near Me - Dublin, D

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Perfect end to a 2 week holiday through Ireland. One of the top 2 fish dinners I had on the trip and the best fries! Yes, I ate fish/chips multiple times throughout the last two week!!! The side salad was also delicious. We have noticed the side salads in Ireland are so good. They are more than an afterthought as they typically are in the States. My husband had bangers and mash for the first time and was almost licking his bowl clean. The music, wow. The band was just phenomenal. We stayed after dinner for a couple drinks to enjoy more of their music. The 1 star deduction was from the flying bugs and dirty bathrooms. Yes, I am a tough reviewer! It makes my 5 star reviews more meaningful. read more

Stopped here on first night in Dublin. Great band playing, attentive friendly service, nice Beamish beer went well with amazing lamb shank. OMG, ten days later and I am still thinking about that meal. Get in there! read more

My favorite pub in Dublin. In house over 200 Irish whiskeys. Lots of beers on tap.the service was great. Nice 70/30 split. 70 locals and 30 tourists. read more

Stopped in for dinner while in Dublin with my wife. Great pint of Guinness. Food was GREAT!

Amazing food, great traditional atmosphere and beautiful decor. The waitress was helpful and very nice. It's a nice stop if you're at the St. Patrick's or the Dublinia. Recommended. read more

Darkey Kellys - Chicken and chorizo Penne and the Guinness Beef Stew! - Pubs Near Me - Dublin, D

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Hands down the best fish & chips we've had in Ireland! Great music and atmosphere, too! Make sure you meet Joe if you're there. read more

Darkey Kellys - Fish & chips - the best in Ireland! - Pubs Near Me - Dublin, D

Amazing authentic Irish food and live entertainment! It has a warm and cozy feel. The service was prompt and friendly. Overall a wonderful Irish experience that I'm so glad we were able to enjoy on our trip. Excellent! read more

We visited this restaurant at the last day of our tour and it was really good. It was a Sunday and an impro band was playing. The perfect ending. We ordered some starter, the fish and chips and a pasta dish. The staff was friendly and helpful. All extra wishes and changes of our order were no problem. The drinks were very affordable, maybe a little bit too small for my taste but the drink menu was really good with plenty of choices. The food was delivered quick and every time there was a staff member around in case of any wishes. On a short trip to Dublin you definitely don't want to miss this place. read more

We had a fantastic time. Great live music. Very good food and friendly people. Will definitely come back.

If you are looking for a decent place to stay in Dublin that is central and inexpensive, you may find yourself at the Harding hotel (located directly across from Christ Church) - you'd be lucky to end up here. Just a stone's throw from temple bar The Harding is in a part of town is much less rowdy, yet still lively enough (and central enough) to draw a crowd; it also happens to host one of the more fun local bars in central Dublin, Darkey Kellys. Darkey's was our first stop on many a night for food, and for a comfortable place to have a few beers without feeling like we were overpaying (all the pubs in Temple Bar charge a fortune for drinks, beers here were 1-2 euro less than pubs that were nearby). It certainly didn't hurt that we were staying in the hotel and could eat and drink without having to start a tab, or, if we felt like it bring dinner right back to the comfort of our room. Because Darkey's is the house bar they will happily charge anything you'd like to your room, which was actually really nice on the nights we were beat from walking all day, or just felt like taking food to go (especially if we didn't have cash on us, and couldn't be bothered opening ANOTHER debit card tab). The ambiance was what you would expect of a pub in Dublin; it had a large bar that looked like it had seen its share of people over the years, was dimly light even during the day, and offered live music nightly - exactly what you would want from a proper Irish establishment. They did have a yard in the back that they called a "beer garden", but it was really just a place to drink your pint outside; not knocking it at all, the space was lovely and full of locals ranging from old timers to students from Trinity (Darkey's was always full with a diverse crowd), I just wouldn't call it a beer garden (beer yard maybe?). The alley behind the beer yard and hotel (leading to a beat up looking hostel), was an old Viking trail (not useful to you, but interesting none the less) - Quick tip, if you do end up coming here/staying in the hotel, this alley leads to a dead end that is a bit creepy, avoid it at night. The tap lineup was extensive and covered a nice range of beers from imports like Franziskaner (German Weiss beer 5.0%abv) and Tennents (classic Scottish beer, 4.0%abv), to local favorites like Five Lamps Porter (red, rich porter 4.8%abv) and Franciscan Well Friar Weisse (my personal local fav, 4.7%abv, a must try if you're in Ireland); just make sure to read the beer menu, as either side of the bar has different taps and you'll undoubtedly miss half of them if you aren't careful. The food was simple but very tasty, we ended up splitting the house burger almost daily for lunch as it was big enough for two (ask for the garlic mayo on the side, it makes baller dipping sauce for the fries). Like most pubs in Ireland, this place seems much more concerned about what's in your glass than what's on your plate; while the food was good (especially compared to other pubs we visited in Ireland), you got the feeling this place cared way more about the beer selection than food options - interesting considering how decent the food actually was. Great place to grab a reasonably priced pint in an awesome part of town, this place is perfect for starting your night or for taking a breather from the mayhem that can be (and most often is) Temple Bar, highly recommended. read more

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The food deserves five stars! There were four of us and we had, fish and chips, hamburger, bangers and mash, and beef stew. The sauce for the bangers and stew was delicious. We would certainly recommend the stew from here! Prices were pretty reasonable for the amount of food received. read more

From its illustrious beginnings as an 18th Century brothel to its current function as a trad Irish pub, Darkey Kellys has always promised an interesting evening. Mine was quite interesting, that's for sure. There were no prostitutes to be seen (thankfully, not really my scene right there) but there were certainly some interesting conversations floating around (aka absolute disaster of a first date!) Probably not the best place to go on a date, Darkey Kellys is more a pub to head to if you have a nice group of friends with you or want to chat to some old guy at the bar, but them's the breaks. The bartenders will remember your drink of choice, so the service is great in that respect. The outside area is quite interestingly situated between a hostel on one side and the hotel on the other. It would be a pleasant place for a sunny Sunday arvo bevvie. They have some great trad music here, so if you can pull up a seat inside you'll be grand for an evening. But I really must reiterate a piece of advice I picked up from my experience here - don't take a potential partner on a date to a brothel, or anywhere that has ever been a brothel. It doesn't bode well for the future of that relationship! And that's all I'll say about that. read more

The biggest plus for Darkey Kelley's was that it was downstairs from my hotel (The Harding). The space is fairly large, yet cozy and comfortable - but lacks the authenticity you find at other Dublin pubs. I never ate, but they had a great selection of beers on draft. The service was friendly, yet a little distant, even on a night where it was rather quiet. I did like Darkey Kelleys but its difficult to compare it more favorably when so many of the other Dublin Pubs I visited were overflowing with life and character. It is a great place to grab a drink, before you head out and explore what else Dublin has in store for you. read more

Darkey Kellys is a great pub, the people here are so friendly, drinks are good and the food is tasty! We were staying at the attached Harding Hotel and stopped down to the pub on several occasions. Cheers to Padhraig, the best bar man in all of Dublin! He is very knowledgeable, not only of Gins and Beers, but of all of Ireland. If you are looking to try a new drink, tell Padhraig your likes and dislikes and he'll whip up a drink you are sure to love. The nightly entertainment is also very original and they sound great! Be sure to stop by on Thursdays for free BBQ with your brew! Such a great deal! read more

Grabbed a nice lunch after a long morning walking around Dublin. Of course, a perfect pour of Guinness, and exceptional Fish & Chips, with a batter that was refreshingly light. I imagine this place gets quite busy at night. Love the vibe of this place! read more

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My husband and I spent a great evening here. I would return and recommend to anyone who is visiting Dublin. Staff were inviting and friendly. Quaint pub with excellent food, beer, and service. The music was fabulous, from the session to the band, all was wonderful here! Beef stew was very good with mashed potatoes and vegetables. Worth the walk! read more