Visited this bar as an out-of-towner in SF and immediately was made to feel right at home here. An eclectic, divey neighborhood pub with cool artifacts lining the walls, sports on TV, reasonably priced drinks and a good selection. I recommend mainly for the friendly bar-goers, staff and service. The bar wasn't at all busy when we went late on a Monday night, so we spent hours chatting and laughing with bar regulars and our bartender - shouts out, Collin! Felt like hanging with old friends back home. A cool, chill spot to grab a cold one and mingle. read more

Let's be honest, with ourselves... Are you judging those around you ? Yet, you're here. And mind you, daytime bartender is what we cats call "the meow" .... read more

Best bar in SF- hands down. Only one that comes close is North Star in North Beach! Johnny is the best bartender, along with Chelsea! They don't serve food here but their drinks are fairly priced and it is the best environment to hangout with friends on any day of the week! read more

Shanghai Kelly's - Chilly December evening - Pubs Near Me - San Francisco, California

It's definitely a fun corner bar. They throw a super fun block party. Staff know how to have fun. Would've loved party favors or something other than having to buy merch. read more

Several other freshly 21 friends and I showed THIS MAN our IDs and he denied us saying they were fake, these were deadass our real California aged 21 IDs, they were vertical and he was unconvinced, but that's literally how freshly 21 IDs work. Plus, it was one person's bday and she literally turned 21 TODAY and he said it looks fake?? WHY WOULD YOU LIE ABOUT THAT??? Who makes a fake id valid for a specific date he let in several other men with vertical IDs and this just feels misogynistic -- we literally told him to scan our IDs and he denied us that. Whoever owns this establishment, please check your employees' capabilities of distinguishing real IDs from fakes, you literally just lost like 15 customers at once read more

Shanghai Kelly's - Misogynistic disgusting man who denied our real IDs and had too big of an ego to go back on what he said and let us in - Pubs Near Me - San Francisco, California

Dive-y sports bar. Basic selection of beers. Cocktails are only $10! Friendly bartender. read more

Shanghai Kelly's - Pubs Near Me - San Francisco, California

Shanghai Kelly's is a vibe. Not fancy, but never disappoints. perfect place to grab a quick pint with a friend and close out the night.

Have always heard about Shanghai Kelly's and happened to be in the neighborhood (I arrived too early to get into Harris Restaurant), so I walked in for a quick beer. The bar has that instant classic SF feel. The bartender was fantastic and was able to hold several conversations at once! :-O While the bar was empty when I got there, I could imagine the place packed to the gills on a big sports day. Great place which I'll definitely hit again if I arrive too early for Harris, heh! read more

Me and my sisters yesterday went to this bar, we went to use the restroom and knocked on the restroom door because we weren't sure if anybody was in there, a worker opened the bathroom door and screamed at us and then slammed the door in our faces for just knocking on the door? We were so confused. She leaves the restroom and we go in to use it, a few moments later there is loud knocking on the door and as we exit, a bouncer was waiting for us to kick us out. The worker called me a very ugly C word name and couldn't even give an explanation of why we were getting kicked out? The workers were so rude and i'm so upset i even gave them any of my money. I will never ever go back here. Also the other workers are rude and don't care about customers at all. Save your money and take it somewhere else where people will actually respect you and give you common decency. read more

Great place great food, greatest people in the world to be in an Irish atmosphere sort of

Rumor has it, the expressing getting "Shanghai'd" originated in this establishment. Check out the back and there is a trap door near the restroom on the wall that has since been covered. Supposedly the drunks would go to the bathroom, bartender would pull the lever, and they'd wake up as a laborer at sea having to earn their keep back to shore. Those days are long gone, and now Shanghai is a place you go to drink cheap beer, watch games, and maybe rip a few shots of Jager just to feel something. Go to Shanghai Kelly's if you "understand the words that are coming out of my mouth" (Rush Hour) read more

Shanghai Kelly's - Pubs Near Me - San Francisco, California

The front door staff is extremely unprofessional and rude -- acting irritated for no reason. It really affects the overall experience. The bartenders, however, are great! Hoping management replaces the front door team because they're bringing the whole vibe down. read more

The service is by the bar man is amazing the ambience also great this is a true Pittsburgh Steelers bar every touchdown they play the fight song well worth a visit when the Steelers are playing read more

Shanghai Kelly's - Pubs Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Went for a Steelers game. Vibes/atmosphere was great. Service was pretty good. Crowded and difficult to watch the game at times, but that's what we came for. read more

This is going to be pretty short but I came in on Superbowl Sunday to see what it's like in SF when the 49ers are in. The place is relatively small which isn't an issue, just an observation. This is definitely an old school looking bar for sure which is cool, kind of gives a dive-y feel without the dive bar prices. It was pretty packed as expected, and if I was in the area and wanted a no frills bar toss might be one of the places I'd stop in at. read more

Definition of cool little dive bar. Bartender was a great dude and the drink prices were fantastic. I have nothing bad to say about this joint and would love to come back! read more

Shanghai Kelly's - Guinness - Pubs Near Me - San Francisco, California

The staff ruined everything. Rude, slow, unfriendly, and made the whole place feel unpleasant. Definitely not coming back.

This is such a fun awesome bar! Great times and always some theme thing going on! Easy fun good comfort food and lots of drink options. It's a San Fran icon! Check it out ‍ read more

A staple in SF, fun place, a great place to meet old timers and young folks. Lots of Boston College alumnus here, watching sports and hanging out. Friendly bartenders and just a fun place to chill and enjoy some downtime with friends old and new. read more

Shanghai Kelly's - Inside - Pubs Near Me - San Francisco, California

This is a great bar to enjoy Schlitz cocktails (a can of Schlitz served with whipped cream and a cherry on top) with your pals. The only issue is they don't have Schlitz and you need to substitute a PBR. It's more traditional to use Schlitz, but if it's not available, I've always found Pabst makes a good substitute. I came in here with some friends for a Two Times Tuesday and we got caught in a real pretzel when the bartender ran out of whipped cream midway through making the first cocktail. No matter, Shanghai Kelly's has a "you fly, we buy" policy, and the bartender gave me 10 bucks and sent me across the street to the Walgreens to grab a couple cans of Ready Whip (I was the one who had to go because I came in last place in a game of 1-4-24). Once the proper ingredients were assembled, the barkeep made a great a cocktail. He even topped of the whipped cream halfway through, which was a nice touch. read more

Shanghai Kelly's - Schlitz cocktails with the pals with a PBR twist - Pubs Near Me - San Francisco, California

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my favorite dive bar in San Francisco. great to go watch the games or just catch a friend for a beer during the week. friendly staff and love how they randomly cater for events. read more

the staff here was super rude, made me want to leave immediately which I did. there's tons of bars close by which I'd recommend over this place. read more

Stumbled across this bar while looking for a good place to have a drink with friends. The bartender was personable and friendly! I would definitely come back. read more

A great spot but the bartender chris is deplorable.. hope he's doing ok but his attitude from the beginning was rude and off putting

Great dive bar, I walked in and a regular bought me my drink the bartender asked my name and shook my hand. I felt like I had been coming here for years. It has a great feel and it has the appearance of the best local bar open for 100 years and everyone that isn't an asshole is welcome. Only regulars can act out. They have a jukebox they sell cigarettes for those that still like the cancer sticks me not so much, but a bar has to cater to all. Shanghai Kelly's is a imperfect bar. But if to like imperfect dive bars that are great this is where to stop in and have pint and a shot or more. Thanks for the great time read more

Great place to grab a quick drink with friends or alone! Bartender was friendly! Had a golden state cider! Was somewhat lukewarm. Only real complaint I have! I'd still come back for the great location! read more

Shanghai Kelly's - Beers with the boys - Pubs Near Me - San Francisco, California

The best corner bar in the city! Fun crew, great drinks, music, and people. Good for a game as well as a rowdy night out.

Recently went here with a group of my friends since we were all itching to grab drinks at a bar and all the bars in the Marina were booked and there was a HUGE line! Came here ~8pm and we were able to secure 2 tables (6ppl max seating). Last call is 9pm since our curfew at 10pm but starting from 3/3 (Wed), they said they'll be open until 2am! The drinks were SO cheap for SF! Conner was our server and he was so awesome and made our experience so much fun! We will definitely be back again :) read more

Frequent Shanghai Kelly's. One of the most authentic bars in the city. The staff and patrons are always so great. Want to give a special shoutout to Zac,, he's the reason I continue to come back. Whoever is reading this needs to give Zac a raise. read more

10+++++++++++ the way this bar changed my life--the generosity of all the workers brings me to tears. I am crying currently...zacs ass brings me back every time wanting more. The genuine interaction you experience are unparalleled. Come here for the time read more

This bar lost my credit card they were holding for my tab. The only reason I had a tab is their annoying policy of two drink minimum or $15 minimum on cards which kind of forces you to keep a tab. Generally I'm fine with that.... EXCEPT WHEN YOU THEN LOSE MY CREDIT CARD. read more

Superb bar, if I could give it more than 5 starts I would. I'd also claim them on my taxes due to how much I'm here. God bless the service here! read more

1. when you're here you're here you're family. 2. if you want a good time come to kelly's. 3. johnny and connor rule the world. 4. thank you goodbye read more

Shanghai Kelly's - a view of the bar area - Pubs Near Me - San Francisco, California

this place has a great local vibe, and the bartenders and bouncers are super friendly.

The bartenders here are characters. Straight-shooters, who will make you smile with their forward humor, while refilling your water glass on the regular. Shanghai Kelly's on a weekday around 7:30pm is a great spot to catch up with someone. The music - like the bartenders - is mellow and solid. It doesn't try too hard. It just is. On a mellow Monday - you may find yourself in here - with just a small handful of others. You can tell that Shanghai Kelly's is a regular spot for many. It just feels like it. The soft yellow lighting, and endearing Irish bartender have a unique way of putting you at ease. I've only been here on quiet week-days so I can't comment on what Shanghai Kelly's is like on rowdy game nights or weekends, but I'm a fan of this place for the below reasons: I never had to ask for water refills. I dug their diverse music selection. There was no wait for a clean bathroom. That is all. Trust. read more

I thought this place was named after a feen named Kelly who had a thing for China. Word on the streets is Kelly was a red headed Irish man with a temper who basically "ruffied" sailors to get them to do work on ships sailing to far away lands. "King of the Crimps" he was. Dastardly antics but not illegal in the 1800s. Anywho.... A great neighborhood bar and I am lucky to have a friend who is a "neighbor" who took us here. Divey, laid back, sporty, and cheap drinks! It's not huge but there were plenty of seats...magic I guess. Also, there were enough TV's so that you can see and keep up with whatever is on at the time from any place in the bar. I had the pleasure of meeting one of the bartenders, Dave. He served me the "Champagne of Beer". He asked if I wanted another at the perfect time, two sips before empty. I didn't meet the other bartender but he was wearing a FC Barcelona jersey and jacket so he is fine by me! Overall, this bar has a Cheers like feel and is a nice spot to have a drink day or night. read more

Shanghai Kelly's - Pubs Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Shanghai Kelly was a mystery. why i came here. no doubt it was a change of pace from the much frequented chinatown bars. no doubt my friends introduced me to this place. probably discovered cocktais here as chinatown bars wasn't proficient in them. read more

We love this local bar. Great music, drinks, TVs for games. All of the bartenders are very nice. You can choose your tunes on the jukebox. They have several IPAs on tap. They have two bathrooms and plenty of barstools. read more

At almost any bar, I can usually push, shove and squeeze my way to the bar and get a drink. I followed some friends into Shanghai Kelly's on a Saturday night, and barely took 3 steps in the door before I was completely surrounded by drunken revelers. I myself had just started to brown out so I was with like company. It's not a very large space, but I was still shocked at how many people they were able to cram in there. The big plus was that there seemed to be no shortage of attractive women making this a huge boon to single lads such like myself. The atmosphere was pretty lively and fun, if I actually got a drink I'd give this place 4 stars. But the ladies in our group weren't interested in waiting for their drinks, so we continued on to The Buccaneer. There is a pay parking lot ($10) not more than a block or two away that can used if street parking is too hellish. read more

Cool little bar with a real neighborhood type vibe to it. The bartender noticed that it was my first time in there and started asking if I was new to the neighborhood, etc. Real friendly guy, chatted with him awhile and he even bought me a shot (thanks bruv)! It's kinda far from my place so I haven't been back since the first time I went (the night I ended up there I was out on a walk to clear my head, long story). To be honest I don't really think I'd go out of my way to frequent the place, but if I was ever in the area and feeling a little thirsty for a good stiff drink, I wouldn't hesitate to stop in. I suggest you do the same! read more

Shanghai Kelly's - Pubs Near Me - San Francisco, California