What a time. I have been to Shelly's back room twice now and they never disappoint. The ambiance, vibes and the staff are great. As soon as we walked in we were greeted by the hostess. Once we got to our table our waiter explained the menu and the requirements for spending. Unfortunately, to sit down you have to spend a minimum of $30.00. So if you aren't into Cigars maybe this isn't your place to go but if you don't plan to partake. When we walked in we were immediately hit with the smell of smoke. I wish their ventilation was a little better. For food and drinks I ordered the wings and an old fashioned. The wings were a little burnt unfortunately but still edible. The old fashioned tasted amazing as I ordered it to be a little sweet and they did just that. So I was thrilled. For a cigar I ordered an acid blondie which has suggested by the waiter. It was sweet and wasn't too long or thick. It was very smooth. I think I found my favorite cigar. Our waiter was super attentive and made sure that my cigar was lit the entire time. Overall, it was a great experience. It was a very chill night with chill vibes. I will be back soon. Cheers! read more

So disappointing to see they still sneak a 5% "admin fee" onto the bill. Today they closed early and required payment in cash because their point of sale system is down. They even turned off the TVs almost an hour early and started turning off the lights 30 minutes before the announced early closing time (5:30pm). Despite this utter admin failure, they still had the nerve to charge the 5% extra. read more

A friendly bar with a good selection of cigars. One of the few places that you can actually smoke cigars inside. I didn't try the food, but the menu looked like good bar food. read more

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My wife and I went here to watch the 2020 debate. It was a bit pricy and you have to put up with the cigar smoke but the service was great and drink selection was excellent. We had a Japanese whiskey flight read more

Was visiting DC and needed a spot to eat. The place was open, and easy to get seated at - sat outdoors but is also big inside space. I did not realize it was a cigar lounge, so smelled very strongly (not super enjoyable if you do not like the smell of cigars). The food was decent, very causal and big menu. The servers did their job but were not super attentive. Overall fine experience. read more

Shelly's Back Room - chicken sandwich and salad - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

DO NOT GIVE THIS PLACE YOUR MONEY. I was at Shelly's Back Room today and witnessed the most disgusting treatment of a customer I have EVER seen. A server named Kate told a paying customer not to come back -- and when he dared to complain about it, she THREATENED TO CALL THE POLICE ON HIM. The police. For complaining. That is beyond rude -- that is hostile, humiliating, and completely out of control. The entire room went silent. Everyone was uncomfortable. Kate clearly has zero training, zero accountability, and zero respect for the people paying her salary. Management should be ashamed this person represents their business. I will NEVER set foot in this place again and I'm telling everyone I know to stay away. An absolute disgrace of an establishment. ZERO stars if I could. read more

This is my 2nd ever 1-star review. I previously had Shelly's at 4-stars. This is what the woman wrote inside my matchbook. "More money next time". I've included the photos in my review - maybe a friendly member of the Shelly's staff might recognize the handwriting. I am an excellent tipper. I've dined at Shelly's several times and tipped my standard 20%. This was from a time I stepped into Shelly's and bought 2 cigars to take away. I never even went into the restaurant. Etiquette for tipping on takeaway would be 5% if someone prepared and packed food. This was putting 2 cigars in a plastic bag. Needless to say, I will never give my business to Shelly's again. I would recommend that you find another place as well. read more

Shelly's Back Room - Matches from Shelly's - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Excellent atmosphere fantastic cigars, wait staff was incredible. Didn't eat any food but for a fantastic cigar experience head to Shelly's

First time I ever experienced a cigar bar. Went with two friends on an excursion to DC. Pretty sure we stuck out like fish out of water, but it was so fun. Thank you to a very nice woman next to us who gave us recommendations on purchasing our first ever cigars. It was a fun atmosphere but very gentlemen club like - we were three boisterous women in casual, colorful attire. Leaving this review for the memory of it as it was a fun first experience to smoke a cigar. read more

Could not decide on drink, so I got a flight. Attentive service by all staff. New favorite cigar bar in North America - I will be back soon. By the way they have 200 +/- cigars and drinks to choose from. read more

Shelly's Back Room - Flights of adult beverages - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Went here last night with friends after work. We were seated in the bar area though we asked to not be. They told us they were going to be busy but they weren't when we were there. It was exceptionally Smokey in there last night. Everything is over priced but I get cigars and alcohol are "luxuries". They have a good selection of alcohol to choose from. I ordered food as I hadn't had dinner yet. Worst Cuban I've had in my life. They also hardly put any meat in it. The pork tasted old. No flavor at all. And the fries were mushy and lacked salt. I'm not expecting 5 star food here but at least have some decent bar food. Absolutely Do not recommend eating here- not even the fries. read more

Shelly's Back Room - Whiskey menu - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I have reviewed this place before, but now I have had the food. The wings are great. They are roster and not fried. When you are on vacation nice to have food that is not fried. The service is beyond good or amazing. You can look and tell they are working their **** off. This is a must place for us when we are in DC. I will say, service is the best part of this establishment. Then cigar portion. Then the food. read more

Great selection of bourbons and Cigars for sure. I had a nice Reuben sandwich for lunch. I also ordered the chips and salsa. . The serving of salsa was pretty skimpy Given the size of the basket of chips I got. I had to ask for a refill on the salsa. Also, the salsa to me was not salsa, It was more like pico de gallo as it was all just chunks, which was tasty enough, but if I'm to be dipping chips into salsa I was really expecting something a little more liquidy and not just chunks. Also, their chips are way too thin for their salsa, as such as it is. The chips kept breaking every time I wanted to scoop up any of the chips/pico de gallo sauce. Finally, I was a little annoyed at the end, when I noticed the was a slight price increase on my angels envy bourbon. Apparently they charged me $.50 to have one ice cube in my glass. I noted to my server that nobody had asked me what size ice I wanted I had merely said angels envy on the rocks. I didn't get rocks plural. I got one piece of ice. And it wasn't one of those humongous cubes like I have at home either. read more

My hotel was near by so I stopped in to check out Shelly's. Open space layout with chairs and tables in the center and comfy wide leather chairs along the wall with a bar in the back area. There is no walk in humidor. You order the cigar you want and it's brought out to you. The stogies were more expensive than average. I ordered an Old Fashion to enjoy with my smoke. There are TVs, lockers for rent and menus for cocktails and cigars. I enjoyed myself but too pricey for me. read more

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DC is a place of many conversations...they happen in parks, in big marble buildings and when it's time to relax, they move to the cigar lounges like Shelly's Back Room. This establishment is well known for "spooks", a local reference to those whose profession and personal life is surrounded by mystery, thus making Shelly's Back Room the kind of place where you will never know who you'll encounter. With all that said, there is no reason to fear Shelly's. It's the kind of place that managed to survive decades of anti smoking laws and manage to please with a remarkable level of consistency. While Shelly Jacobs is no longer the owner, it is now ran under new management. Cigar prices are fair and scotch selection is substantial. There is a sense of being in an old school exclusive club when visiting this cigar lounge. Thus, for any lover of a good cigar and a conversation, Shelly's is the spot. read more

Smoke a cigar, have a cocktail and food all at the same time. America is great!!! Definitely adding it to the cigar lounge file read more

A wonderful place to be... great ventilation, great menu, great service and great atmosphere

Great food, great service, and wonderful atmosphere to smoke your favorite stoggie! Blown away with the coordination between the food side and bar side. Super team! read more

Shelly's is an institution. Great drinks , service, and ambience. If you want to smoke a cigar in a welcoming spot-this is it. and the foods good too. read more

Fantastic spot for a cigar, food, and a drink. Very friendly staff. Sit inside or out. Sassy is hilarious. I had the French dip one day then the Jambalaya. Both delicious. Open late, gets crowded late at night. read more

Great Food, excellent service and superb customer service. The ambiance is also excellent and a lot of interesting professionals. This is a must place to visit if you're a cigar smoker visiting DC read more

I enjoyed the service. The wine was great. The music I didn't like but it's Xmas I guess that's why they had it playing. I wish they would've did a variety. The food was good. I would recommend this place. It wasn't smoky. read more

Super nice staff and a welcoming dining room. It is a cigar bar, and there's no getting around that, though there are nonsmoking side rooms where you can eat if you're just catching a bite. The selection of cigars is more than enough for me, and if you're very fancy they have lockers for your own stash. It's a regular stop for many in the area to grab a drink and enjoy a cigar when we're in that mood. read more

Such a cool area seated near the White House. The place gets busy with a very interesting and diverse crowd. The servers are very fast and seem to know people's orders that frequent there often. The servers are also extremely friendly. The drinks are a bit pricier and there is a $30 minimum pp. The overall ventilation system for cigar smoke is great. You rarely ever get smoke blown your way. Overall great and will definitely be visiting more frequently. read more

Best tasting food you can order. The Cuban is awesome, the wings can't be beat. Atmosphere and servers are terrific and the management runs the place well. I have never been to this establishment and not had exception all food and service as well as a wonderful time. read more

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What an incredible experience this restaurant/lounge offers! I had a great time while in D.C. on a work trip. The menu was excellent, the staff was warm and welcoming, and the cigar selection was outstanding. Conveniently located within walking distance of the National Mall, it was the perfect spot to unwind and reflect on the history I explored each day. I'll definitely be back! read more

Just a quick review for those of you that like whiskey. Shelly's has a good selection of whiskey. I was looking for Powers Irish whiskey and they have it. They also have several other Irish whiskeys, not just Jameson. Of course they have a good selection of Scotch and bourbons also. Plus you can smoke a cigar while you drink. read more

Shelly's Back Room - Powers John Lane - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Top shelf kind of place just wish they had more events or happy hours. Good food menu but it should probably be refreshed and offer healthier or protein options. read more

I can't think of a worse place to go to. The absolute rudest people to deal with. Empty cigar bar, my wife and I go in to enjoy a cigar and drinks before dinner and they ignored us cause we HAVE to seat at a two top or no service. Dude the place is empty and I'm willing to pay your outrageous prices, nope. Do not spend a dime at this place! read more

Have been to this cigar lounge a few times when in DC. The staff is always friendly and accommodating. The ventilation is awesome.The cigar selection is good a little pricey. The drinks and food are also good. I will definitely stop back to this lounge when I am in DC again. read more

Great food, great service, great vibe. A definite must go to place for fun dining, drinking and fun. read more

It's the kind of place that immediately assumes you want a cigar menu and alcohol menu, but asks if maybe you'd like to see a food menu as well...that's the kind of place that understands priorities. Highly recommended! read more

This was my first time visiting Shelly's Back Room, and I must say that I was impressed. We were warmly greeted by staff and seated quickly. The food and drink menu is very robust and delicious. We started with the Tex-Mex Egg Rolls. They were great. These egg rolls could have been an entree on their own. They were very meaty and filling. The guacamole dipping sauce was delicious. Next, we ordered the Cobb Salad w/Grill Chicken and the Chicken Pasta. The Cobb salad was incredibly tasty and fresh! The Bleu Cheese dressing was homemade, and it was very authentic. My wife had the Chicken Pasta. It must have been good because the conversation ceased until she finished. Overall, the food was great, and we will be back again. read more

Shelly's Back Room - Cobb Salad - New American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Great time in DC. Parking is a challenge and expensive but worth it. About 3 blocks from the White House or so. Safe environment. Rather limited cigar menu but the pampering makes up for it and the bases are basically cover. The food looks pretty good but I only smoked my cigar and met a fellow aficionado and enjoyed the company. read more

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One of my new favorites. Great atmosphere and service. I especially enjoyed the young staff guy who was dressed like Little Richard. Great menu of sticks, maybe a little on the expensive side but I found a familiar standby and something new I was excited to try. It's a very cool room that gives a "if these walls could talk vibe..." loved it! read more

This is 100% a high class place!! Walking in the door you catch the smell of fine cigars, but at the same time you are not overwhelmed with the smell of smoke. We were greeted at the door by a very nice employee who quickly escorted us to our seats. The seats where nice, comfortable and well situated as to have a nice view of everything going on. Service was quick and polite(A+) Ordered a couple drinks(one for each of us), drinks were very good, but not in the great category!!! Everything (drinks and cigars) were brought back very quickly and with a smile. Just a overall great experience. Whether you smoke cigars or just want a drink this is a great place to go!! Highly recommend, and I look forward to my next visit!! Note: Our seat had a sign on it that said "30$ minimum". Spending 30$ is easy, no need for the sign. Very much a put off !!! read more

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The good thing about the place is they serve food. My wife though the food was good. Service is OK, drinks are way overpriced. They charged me $50 for two old fashioned. For the cigars, they keep everything locked, After you decide you have find someone to get the cigar. They also charge some kind of admin fee to your bill. That was very disappointing. There are much better places around the area specifically Casa De Montecristo. read more

Stopped in for a smoke and drink. The service is fantastic!! The staff is helpful and patient. The cigar selection is amazing. You cannot beat the ambiance of the entire place. Great people, great experience. Loved it! read more

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Not the best. For what we paid I would have rather gone some where better. The staff was not the best. Super rude since we were not smoking.

Shelly's is bomb. 4.5 stars. Not a lotta places in DC left where you can smoke ANYTHING, let alone a good cigar, but this in one of them. More relaxed than Civil or Draper's IMO. My bartender JoJo was bomb too. She's Thai, as is most of the staff...and she makes some STIFF ass drinks. They even have good food, surprisingly. I've been here a number of times and only smoked cigars and had drinks. This time I had food... wings and fries. The wings are super baked hard so they seem fried and the fries are hand cut. Their kitchen menu is extensive. I could see coming here JUST to eat and I imagine folks likely do. I watched the number of plates come out with burgers that had brioche buns and other really delectable goodies on them so look forward to trying more food in the future. The salads looked good too. I saw a shrimp one that looked delish. Apparently the Chef back there knows how to throw down. Nice bathrooms and quality napkins too. Service is super attentive. I love this place now more than ever. read more

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