While there is a lot of variety, the food itself is not very good. Ive tried the place twice, based on all the positive feedback. First time for breakfast, second for lunch. The breakfast was ok, the lunch was terrible (a soup of the day that was just awful). My friends lunch wasnt much better. I would have given the place two stars, except on top of the food, they added an extra ten dollars to the bill. When we brought this to their attention, they told us it happens all the time (so if it happens all the time, why not fix this problem?). If you do go here, check your bill twice since their register doesnt always add things up correctly. read more

We have been a customer of Kelly's Diner for years but today was a different experience for us. We arrived at 9:30 Sunday morning, surprised not to see a line out the door, entered the diner, sat down, ordered our food, It was delicious.... paid our bill, tipped the waitress 34% and enjoyed our coffee. As the line proceed to get longer, the bus boy came over and asked us to finish up because they need the table. He also told the table next to us that they needed their table. We were horrified!!!! We have never experienced such rudeness before anywhere especially their. We too have been one of those customers that have waited outside. We proceeded to ask our waitress if we could speak to the owner and she said he was not their. We expressed our feelings to her about just how unhappy we were with the rudeness displayed today, she had no comment. My rating is based on the wait staff not the food. read more

Never have I wanted to rush home and write a review more than this one. We have been to Kelly's on our many visits to Boston to see our son but today was what reviews like this are made for. The food was good as always...not anything special but just good diner fare. The service was some of the WORST I have ever experienced. We entered and were ignored by both waitresses on the floor...finally a man from the back came out to point us to a table. Our server (?) was the lovely Noelle who was much more interested in talking to her friends and flirting with a man at the counter than paying attention to us or any of the people who were seated after us. The people at the table next to us had to go up and ask her to bring them the coffee they ordered 5 minutes before. Then when her friend left she spent the better part of 5 minutes talking to her in the "foyer" until the chimes of the bell from the kitchen brought her back to the reality that she wasn't the only person in the world and others were waiting for their orders . She took the orders of two sets of other patrons that were seated after us before she came back to our table...really? Because I was with my husband and my son I held my tongue...but...I really wanted to tell her to look into another profession because she would starve being a waitress. read more

Fast service, decent food- great hangover cure.

Really great chocolate chip pancakes. Good service. Food came out fast. For a diner, this was surprisingly good food. Will definitely come again. read more

Kelly's has possibly one of the best breakfasts that I have ever had. Large portions at reasonable prices with excellent quick service. Make sure to try out the hash brown potatoes!! read more

Typical diner breakfast. Huge portions for very good prices. I got a Western omlette and it was delicious. I am a diner breakfast girl so would definitely go again! read more

This is a pretty good place. I go here sometimes with my family. They have great breakfast which I believe is sold all day. It's a pretty authentic 50's style diner in an actual diner car! The prices are good too. read more

Went here a few weekends ago for lunch with some old college friends. Great time, great food!!!

Old school cheap, greasy, tasty diner breakfasts of awesomeness served by waitresses who have been there since the dawn of time.

Kelly's is the go-to diner I'm the Medford/Somerville area. It's got the classic diner feel to the atmosphere and food. If you're not a fan of classic diner meals then this might not be the place for you but if so this is the place to be! read more

I had never been to an old school diner and this place did not disappoint. (FYI - make sure you bring cash, as they didn't take credit/debit cards when I was there) I was visiting MA from TX and loved my experience here. The coffee was great, which to me is the true test of a good restaurant. I am kicking myself for not ordering the hash browns. I had a bite of those off of my husband's plate and they were unreal! Can't wait to go back next year when I visit my family again! read more

I was very disappointed with the lack of service. I waited with 3 other people and no one acknowledged us. A simple someone will be with you shortly. People running back and forth but no one said anything. Won't be back. read more

Great greasy spoon, classic sweet waitresses and cheap big breakfasts. I'm a bit of a diner snob and this one is the best i've been too in boston. read more

Get breakfast at the Broken Yolk one day and and Kelly's the next, and see what I think is a great example of the two sides of Somerville. (Hint: Broken Yolk is the yuppies/hipsters/what have you). It reminds me of the diners at home on Long Island, even though it's not open for dinner, let alone all night. Kelly's Super Breakfast is a giant amount of food, and the potato-egg-cheese sandwich is just great when you're on the go. read more

since when is corned beef hash a fried pile of mashed potatoes? gross. since when are over medium eggs so raw the whites are runny? gross again. Kelly's used to be awesome, why did it go so down hill? I'm only giving it 2 stars bc our waitress was nice and the frappe was good. (and my husband likes the homefries there, which are good.) read more

I rarely get anything other than an omelette, because they're huge and cooked perfectly. Love the hash browns too. I encourage my girlfriend to order anything but an omelette, so I can try other items by stealing a bite or two off of hers. All of my stolen samples have been delicious, especially the French toast. Great value for your breakfast dollar, especially for the neighborhood. read more

Food is always fresh, people are always nice. I read the negative reviews of food orders being small or waitresses being non existent. While I have no issues with the waitstaff, it's crazy to say anything ordered here is small. If you find orders small here, go on a diet immediately. Get the corn beef hash, it's not out of a can like the "other" restaurants in area. You won't go wrong eating here. read more

Awesome for breakfast. No wait. Reasonable prices. Had the #3 with bacon. Home fries have something different in them. Not sure what but it's good. read more

Nice place. So much less crowded than the other places down the street. Not the fastest service ever but good enough and the food and portions are great. Cash only. read more

I've been going to Kelly's once every other week for lunch since they opened, great food, service and prices. You will not be disappointed,I would also suggest going a little before or after the lunch rush for a more relaxing time. read more

I heard about Kelly's from one of my roommates from college. The boy knows how to eat, and let me tell you something, he has yet to let me down! This place is legit, got there for lunch on a Friday so there was no wait, thank god, b/c I was hungry. I got the Reuben with a side of fries, couldn't finish the fries since the sandwich was the size of my head. They did have a weird way of refilling drinks: we all ordered the same type of soda and when we were close to empty the waitress would fill up a separate glass and come pour it into our glasses, never seen that before. Just an all around classic diner experience. read more

obviously love it... what townie in somerville doesnt? really good cheap food. beware of the line for breakfast !!!

The physical diner is cool and the food is average. But the wait staff are appalling. I would worry about them spitting in your food when you are not looking. My husband hesitated when considering the ingredients in his omelette, and our waitress threatened to leave. She informed us angrily that she had other customers. We then overheard another waitress tell the table behind us that she did not like a customer once and so she "nuked his coffee". She said this 2x for effect. I have no idea what nuking a coffee is, but the culture in this diner is to HATE the customers. So if you go, be super nice. I wouldnt put it past the angry old ladies to spit in your food. There are 2 other great breakfast spots just down the street on Broadway. Try those first. read more

I'm a 20% or more type of tipper, especially at diners where the bill is usually very low and the waitresses make peanuts. Somehow $3 on a $20 check seems like an insult given how hard they work. Last Saturday, however, I left my first 15% tip in decades. PJ was distracted, right off the rip, forgetting drinks (it was only two of us) and trying to give us the wrong people's food not once but twice. She'd ask if we wanted more coffee, we'd say yes, and she wouldn't return. Etc, etc, I could go on and on but I already feel embarrassed to be writing this. In the end, the bill had a $4.49 breakfast sandwich on it and a $0.75 bagel that weren't ours. PJ did the math in front of us, but forgot to remove the bagel, nevermind the tax. My son (16 yrs old) thought it was all pretty funny and kept making gestures to me like the waitress was high. Who knows. The food was decent. Nothing spectacular, nothing bad. Prices were fair. They seemed very proud of the hash which the Improper Bostonian had called "The Best" a few years ago. I've had real homemade hash at restaurants--stuff you'd kill for--this was no different than what you can buy in a can. Oh yeah, parking: On the street is nearly impossible but out back there is room for 3 or 4 cars and usually a space or two. Will I go back? Not intentionally. Would I recommend it? Sure, if you're in the area and hungry. I wan to say that my experience was probably an isolated incident but, jeez, does PJ work there everyday? Go to see the diner, a very cool structure with a bit of history ... maybe try lunch on PJ's day off. read more

If it was possible for me to give a zero star rating I would. Awful service. My experience was horrible. Very dirty place. Something that resembled Broccoli in my coffee. Food tasted bad overcooked. Even the toast was bad. Just close please read more

Kelly's has always been my stand-by/go-to place for breakfast. The appeal is not only the proximity to my house but a more basic, reasonably priced menu as compared to the other local breakfast joints. I also get a kick out of the "seasoned" waitresses who are only slightly less gruff with their customers than they are with each other. Unfortunately, I went on Monday and was completely shocked by the lack of service. My companion and I had wanted to sit in a booth but were asked to sit on the other side of the restaurant because they were trying to spread out the tables. OK, fine. We walked over to the other side and even though all the tables were set I noticed a couple of them were covered in crumbs. We picked a table that looked to be the cleanest and sat down. I grabbed my menu and noticed it had a ketchup stain. These are paper menus, why can't they chuck the dirty ones. Our waitress checked in with the two tables behind us but never came over to see if we'd like coffee and/or were ready to order. I have seen this waitress there before, she's super young and appears to be lost most of the time. After five (5) minutes, when no one came to our table to take our order or even acknowledge our presence, we left. No one even noticed us leave, we walked out without a word from any of the staff. Kelly's, there are too many other places out there for you to have such poor service, step up your game or lose out. read more

Kelly's is a great diner! It is simple, fun, and delicious. I normally get the basic two eggs, bacon, and hash browns. It satisfies my diner food desire! The eggs benedict is also tasty. read more

I wouldn't know what their food is like. I got there around 8 AM on a Sunday. After I waited in line for a table, they told me they wouldn't seat me, saying they were "very busy". They didn't tell me it would be a wait. I asked if I could eventually sit, and they said no. read more

Avoid the "hash" on the side dish menu. Literally a gray sludge that they fried and passed off as potatoes and corned beef. The waitress even smirked at me when I ordered it... omelot had gristle in it. Egg sandwich was underwhelming and not worth the $4. No wonder the brunch line here is the shortest. read more

Super friendly staff, super clean, and a neat atmosphere atmosphere that feels straight out of the 1950s. The food is fantastic and arrives very quickly after you order. They also open at 6, which is earlier than most other breakfast joints in Somerville. My new favorite breakfast spot in the area. read more

My wife and I come here often, we have a lot of medical appointments across the street., We have yet to be disappointed., The staff is courteous and know what they are doing., We normally get breakfast., I get a number 7, Bacon and bacon scrambled and home fries., The potatoes are to die for., Can't see the 1 or 2 star reviews., My mother always said, diner food is the best., She was right.... read more

Amazing for breakfast. I think you have to be from here to truly appreciate this place. Service is okay, but exactly what I would expect from a townie diner. The waitresses are all from the area and are quick, efficient, and aren't gonna kiss ass- which I for one appreciate. Cheap, delicious food, no frills. Been going here since I was a kid. read more

THis was my second breakfast at Kelly's, my boyfriend has been there several times. We went on a Tuesday morning and got seated right away. Our waitress, Noel, came right over to get our drink order. The place wasn't very busy, not everyone has Tuesday's off (lol). While we were looking over the menu, Noel came over and chatted with us until another table or waitstaff pulled her away. No problem. My boyfriend and I love to chat. Long story short, we ordered French toast (excellent) and a #10 (awesome). Noel was super attentive and funny. It was like having breakfast with an old friend. The food is awesome and we had a great time. read more

I love Kelly's. Lived in Winter Hill for two years and this was always my go-to breakfast spot. The decor is spot-on, service is vintage New England family restaurant (as if, efficient and simultaneously friendly and grumpy, which is exactly how I like it) and the food is significantly above typical diner fare. They do eggs well, which is much harder than it sounds, bacon is crispy and thick, hashbrowns are a good texture and everything's swimming in yellow butter. Coffee is meh, but it's the right strength for diner coffee where you want 500 cups. I will say the food is a little inconsistent, and the hashbrowns sometimes come out a little off-tasting. They bring their A-game on the weekend. I can never understand why the Sunday line at Kelly's is merely out the door while sound Bites is around the block. I mean, the food at SB is probably 10% better, but costs nearly double (last I was there), service stinks and has 0 ambience. The other negative is that Kelly's closes at 2. If you guys stayed open late, you could capture some Davis Square business (it's not that far from the T, you little lambs) from the overrated Rosebud... read more

I love this place. I love the retro feel of diners like this one, and the fact that its close to me is a win win. Well not to mention the very important thing that the food is really good and very reasonably priced! I love their fries! See you soon Kelly's Diner haha read more

Was on a short trip over in Somerville from Ireland and went looking for Kellys having seen it on Diners Drive-ins and Dives some years ago. Didn't disappoint !!! Excellent steak and eggs - great service too. May be some considerable time before I can go again but well worth the visit !! read more

Pathetic. Seriously how pathetic is a place that tells an 83 year old woman to stand up and finish her coffee so that others may sit. That is what happened to us. We weren't even there but 30 minutes. Sitting at the counter Would have been less but it took forever for waitress to come over and take our order. We had a decent tab including a take out order and We tipped her over 20%. But as soon as she picked up her tip some kitchen worker came over and told us that we had to stand up and finish so that others could take our seat. It was really strange. Further I don't even think the waitress rang up our order. She took our money and pocketed it and made change from a large wad of bills in her pocket then crumpled up the tab that only had a dollar amount on it. Nothing itemized on the bill just the total amount. Something dishonest was going on. I worked in restaurant management for years. Seriously how pathetic is a place that tells an 83 year old woman to stand up and finish her coffee so that others may sit. Something smells rotten at Kelly's. For sure read more

good coffee. decent service. funny waitstaff. outstanding raspberry pancakes. this is a diner, a traditional diner. the furniture is old and the place is quirky but the food is good and the price is decent. there are vegetarian options and poultry based breakfast meats. read more

I adored this place when it first opened in 1996 and I think the last visit to this place was 2002. I came back this past weekend because I had a craving for their home fries. I found them to be a little bland although I still enjoyed them. My artichoke and tomato omelet was grayish looking for some reason and did not really taste like eggs. Also the flavors did not really blend together and some of the marinated artichoke pieces had a tough exterior. The coffee was great and they had free refills. We did not get any jam for the toast and we did not ask. My husband got corned beef hash which was advertized on the menu as best of Boston. It did not have a lot of meat and had absolutely no flavor. I did not try it because it just did not look good. Our waitress was OK. Not super friendly but not mean either. She reminded me of a waitress that they would feature in a movie for a diner. The place is still pretty cute and there is still a small wait at the door to get in. Reminded me of my past life. I think I will be back for the hash browns, coffee and maybe pancakes which I did not get a chance to try this time around but they looked very good. read more