Durty Nelly's
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11:00 a.m.-2:00 a.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: No
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Best Nights: Wed, Fri, Sat
- Happy Hour: Yes
- Alcohol: Full Bar
- Smoking: Outdoor Area/Patio Only
- Coat Check: No
97 reviews
Neighborhood: Lower Haight
"Love, Love, LOVE my neighborhood bar!! Great beers on tap such as Stella, Big Daddy, Trumer Pils, Leffe, Hemp Ale, Smithwicks Ale, Sierra,…" read more »
93 Reviews for Durty Nelly's
This place was seriously jumpin' after Friday night's Outside Lands fest.
Somehow, friends got a booth, so we were isolated from the crush of people in here.
The DJ (who was actually just a dude with a laptop) was really cute and played a lot of fun songs to sing (plus requests) so the entire bar, probably mostly music fans, were really singing along. I finally got the "drinking and singing in an Irish bar" thing. :)
Pretty sweet neighborhood bar. Food, beer, bartenders all good, nothing to complain about. The burgers and Irish breakfast are satisfying. Chicken sandwich was bland, don't bother. Obviously you're here to drink though, and they do their alcohol and beer well. There's usually a fun crowd, and if not you can entertain yourself listening to U2 and people's Irish accents. Definitely worth checking out.
It is said that San Francisco has the most Irish Pubs per capita in the United States. I'm not sure if that's true, but I could believe it. The problem is, almost every Irish pub in SF is a caricature of an Irish pub. Sure, they have the Guinness, and sometime the Harp and Smithwicks, and sometimes the right whiskeys. But most pubs in this town are so kitschy and outwardly glowing about their "Irishness" that I just can't take it anymore.
That's where Durty Nelly's comes in. THIS is the trust, most justifiable and most honest Irish pub I've seen, not only in SF, but anywhere in this country. THIS is what an Irish pub is. This is how an Irish pub should act and function.
Now, on this street, which is 95% asian businesses, you wouldn't expect this. But I'm fairly certain Durty Nelly's predates those establishments and remains a fixture of old San Francisco. The neighborhood is not conducive to pub crawling, drinking, or even fine dining. I would never come out here if it wasn't for this place. But, it's worth the trip and it's worth the struggle for parking.
So what's the big deal? Durty Nelly's has every element that is required of a true Irish pub.
- Owned and operated by actual Irish people
- Frequented by actual Irish regulars
- Proud of Ireland but not in a brash or "St Patty's Day" kind of way
- They have Guinness, Harp, Smithwick's, and a Cider on tap
- They pour your Guinness properly, giving it the 120 seconds it deserves
- They serve everything else "Irish style" such as serving a glass with ice along with your cider (this is one tradition I did now know prior to visiting)
- Customers mingle with each other and buy each other drinks...regularly
- They have musicians sitting in the corner, by the fireplace, playing music (some Irish, some U2-type pop)
- They serve everyone with an equal amount of general interest and disinterest
- They serve Irish pub food, which I've heard (but haven't confirmed) is pretty good.
Again, THIS is what you want from a quality Irish pub. Durty Nelly's delivers.
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I'm kind of torn on this review because on the one hand we came here to hang out with a friend's Gaelic Football team and the club said drinks were on them all night so my fiancee and his friend got tanked for free which is always nice. There were also quite a few rowdy Irish footballers here and I'm talking seriously rowdy. One of them was swinging around what looked like an ornate metal door handle he'd torn off something which let's face it is kind of awesome. But on the other hand the people were a little too crazy for me and there were like three girls in the bar out of like six total girls that were obviously drunk and being passed around and manhandled amongst all the guys which is frankly kind of gross. I think I'll give it a middling three stars.
I love this place. Its everything an Irish pub should be. There's good food, good beer and I don't feel like someone is going to call Child Protective Services for bringing my kid. There's even actual Irish people. Who could ask for more? I love their Chicken curry and chips or Shepherd's Pie. Perhaps its because I usually go here on a weeknight or early Sunday, but its never too too crowded or rowdy and the service is fast and friendly. And its loud enough for no one to hear my toddler yelling at everyone, or they're too drunk to notice so its a win-win situation.
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still five stars.....
Im desperately wanting to be at Nelly's right now
We were here too briefly on my birthday but if I have my way Ill be there this weekend
service is always outstanding (love the daytime girl bartender)
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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08/06/2007
Have you ever been sitting at work and had an undeniable craving to be somewhere else???
thats how I… Read more »
This is "my bar". Authentic, great company, great staff, BEST Guinness...a real Irish pub. It's in my neighborhood, a total gem of a pub...but I would be more than willing to travel across the city to go here. Trust me, it's a cozy bar, nothing bad about it.
I could go on and on about it,tell long stories about experiences I have in this place, good memories and so on---- but i will keep it simple. Its just the best Irish pub in the city. Take my word for it.
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Robbie with the ZX-9, served us. I don't remember much more after having 3 cherry bombs.
What does Durty Nelly's mean? Is it like a Dirty Sanchez?
Bob's your uncle.
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As an expat, I am not ashamed to say that I love a good old fashioned pub quiz. Maybe I am settling into my years but there is nothing more pleasant than going to your local bar and sitting down with a bunch of people to try to guess at trivia you have no idea about. And o, the feeeling of euphoria that is experienced when you 'GET ONE RIGHT'.
Thats right folks, ever Wednesday night, Durty Nellie's hosts a pub quiz. And there is no better setting. Durty Nellies has a really comfortable feel - even with my haphazard attendance, I still feel like a local. And for a busy bar, we normally always get a seat. The bartender (Otie?) is really friendly (I too have become victim to the Cherry Bomb) and always welcomes you in with a smile. The regulars are a fabulous mix of characters (Darcy... who has clearly struck a chord with a few). And their food is pretty good - chicken curry & chops, BLT, fish and chips... proper pub fare and done well too. Long may Durty Nellie's reign as one of the best pubs in the city.
I haven't tried the food (although I hear it's decent), but the second I parked outside and saw dudes with flipped collars, ridiculously stressed jeans, and ed hardy hats smoking outside trying too hard to get in some girls pants, I began to regret inviting all my friends. Beer was fairly priced (Smithwicks on tap always wins a few points for me), but everything else was a nightmare. The DJ couldn't stop blaring typical bullshit like Journey and Akon and the bathroom was literally the size of my closet. Trust me, there are MUCH better pubs in the area.
This place is always awesome. Really great crowd, not too light and not too dark, the food is awesome. It's a small place and accordingly they have a small menu, but what's on it is delicious.
Parking has never been a problem for me and I've always had an *awesome* time here. :)
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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05/29/2008
Great location. Not quite 9th and Irving but not quite 48th.
Great volume level. Quiet enough to… Read more »
Can't get enough of this bar... Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrobbie is so cute bartender before 6 pm. He's so cute & sexy accent ;-) Brandon is the coolest bartender ever! I took all Yelpers here for Cherry Bomb after their dinner at our restaurant.... for the last 5 days! Yikessssssss!!! Cherry Bomb is so good with Mandarin Vodka & Smirnoff...
How many can I take really? Let just say that since I started this year, 1 Cherry Bomb... Now, probably 5-7 in 1 night! & it 's hitting you slowly & creeping up on you ;-) & there is NO better way to drink this shot but definitely with a group of Yelpers ;-)
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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05/08/2008
Right across from our restaurant & so often my BFF & I come here for a Cherry Bomb in the afternoon… Read more »
my friends and i yelped about for a place to meetup and drink before outside lands. when we got here, half the N train car we were in were here too. bartenders were super nice and on the ball when attending the bar and though we didn't get food it looked/ smelled pretty damn good when we saw it stroll by.
at one point 3 of us looked around, looked at each and than said, there's a lot of good looking people in here- this is a really good looking crowd. not 23 and hipster but 30 and well, just flat out good looking. there were even groups of good looking people. can you imagine living in a world like that. i guess its right here.
i'm coming back.
I don't live in the bay, but wish that I did so that I could go to this place all the time! My friend lives in the area and frequents the Irish bars quite often. Naturally, when I was in town for the weekend we hit up Durty Nelly's. One of the bartenders, I believe his name is Odie, was playing live music in the corner by the fireplace all night long. He sounded awesome too! People were dancing and have a great time, especially an Irishman named Darcy. He was a dancing machine! Good times, good times...
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My boyfriend and I lived in the sunset for as long as I can remember and this is the first time we've ever been to Durty Nelly's. For our first experience it was awesome! The bar tender gave us free shots just for wearing green! The bangers and mash was awesomely delicious! I loved how they put mushrooms and onions into the dish, and the gravy sauce for the mash potatoes were absolutely yum! The sausage was cooked just right too! I am soo making him take me again, next Friday! hehe.
This place has great food! great people! and awesome drinks!
Kudos to the bartender who gave us free shots!
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What a night?!! All I remember was meeting this awesome girl and drinking heavily.
It was after all St. Patricks Day.
The drinks, the music, the dancing that took place almost everywhere in the bar, and the sticking floor from all those bottle spills made the night memorable. Probably one of the best St. Patty's day, I've experience.
In the end, an Irish Bar wouldn't be an Irish bar without a fight. Yup, a fight....no surprise. And yours truly Stanley K went home lucky.
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This place is great! I went on a Saturday night to meet up with a bunch of my Irish guy friends --- clearly, the right crowd to be with at an Irish bar, I was given a free shot as soon as I stepped up to the counter! But apparently that's a common practice, which is uh, amazing? Great bar tender, busy but not overcrowded atmosphere... and a fire place?? If you ever want to meet up with me, well, now you know where to look first...
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I luv this place... Straight up Irish Pub just how you want it.. The place is quite small but cozy & got a good ambiance...
The best Irish Pub in that whole strip I must say... Quite interesting with their variety of drinks there... The Cherry Bomb is a must try... Got it all buzzed a few times but my friends & I still come back for more ;-)
Brandon is the best bartender there.. He's a big teddy bear & so happy always :-)
Beside the drinks, the burger is so yummy & only $9 with fries & pickles, now that's a steal!
They also have happy hours... Well, we always happy when we go there so nuff said ;-)
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Went out exploring and ended up at Durty Nelly's. We certainly could have done worse! There was a one-man band rocking out in the corner with some U2 covers and other classic (apparently) Irish tunes, and the crowd ranged from 20-somethings out for a fun Friday night to 50-somethings hitting on those 20-somethings. It was nice to see that inter-generational bonding. Strong showing by Durty Nelly's.
I'm a regular at the Sunset bars and this one is, in my opinion, the best. It has the best atmosphere (a cozy living room vibe with a fireplace), excellent musicians (there's not much room to dance but people make it work), and a good crowd; by the time the bar closes, you will know 80% of the people in the bar and will keep most of them as life-long friends.
The price is about the same as other Sunset bars, maybe $0.25 more a beer, but much cheaper than downtown SF. I haven't tried the food yet but it looks absolutely delicious. Parking is kind of rough around dinner-hour (there are many Asian restaurants in the neighborhood), but you'll always find a spot.
My husband and I are quickly approaching regular status at Durty Nellys. This is because it is such a cozy and normal bar (which is difficult to find in the Sunset). The food is good too. I'm a big fan of the chicken sandwich with a few Stellas at the end of a long week while enjoying the warm fire place.
Dare I say the best Irish pub in the Sunset? I dare. It's pretty far out there, but definitely well within stumbling distance. The live music on Friday's is great, I'm a big fan of their renditions of Red Red Wine. If sipping finely crafted cocktails made with fresh fruit and all that jazz is your idea of a good night then don't bother, if drinking anything that happens to come by your face without question is more your style then Nelly's is the spot for you.
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Standars local Irish Pub that's guaranteed to deliver a drunken entertainer from amongst the crowd on any given night of the week. Great for Stella and Magners, and the house red aint bad when your'e in a monetary crunch...Oasis, here I come!
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Durty Nelly's is awesome. I've always walked by it on Irving st. but never walked in. Well all that changed on Saturday. It is actually a very nice and cozy place. With a fireplace, and a couple tables and booths. Wow, who would have thunk it?
I met the bartender Brendon and also another bartender named Odie. They are hilarious and super friendly. Me being perhaps the only asian guy in an Irish bar. But they made me feel welcome and I had a blast.
The atmosphere is just an all around warm and almost homey feeling that made me not want to leave. Well, after quite a few drinks, and the liquor still flowing, I actually had to get out of there. But all in all, a great place, and I'm glad to have discovered it!
When I used to go to this place, all of my friends lived in the Sunset and I used to live right around the corner from this place. Granted, we weren't going 5 nights a week, but we'd give it a shot once a weekend, and no matter how many weeks in a row we'd go, we'd always get those "looks" from all the diehards. It is definitely a neighborhood bar. The bartender is awesome, I've met some VERY friendly Irishmen but overall, not good enough to overlook the awkward intro and the extreme overcrowdedness.
This place ROCKS!!!!! I walked in and felt a bit out of place as the bartender knew everyone in the joint except me and my girlie. However, everyone turned out to be super friendly and welcoming. The bartender was serving drinks to people before they even ordered ("they're all regulars - I know what they like to drink" the bartender said with a lovely irish lilt). We ordered some chips (french fries) which were delicious with our guinesses. Next time we want to try the curried chicken and chips. I wish I lived closer to this place so I could just stumble in when I was thirsty.
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I went to this place to meet some friends the other night. I was excited because I never go to the outer sunset and it's nice to know that there's some cool hang outs. Cozy irish bar with comfy-looking booths. I guess they sell food there but I got there at 11pm anyway. People were pretty cool and friendly too. This was a friday night. I don't know how it is on other nights. There was a really, really, really drunk girl that passed out at the bar. She was taken out by her boyfriend. But repeatedly kept stumbling back in. I thought that was both annoying and amusing.
All in all fun place, good music!
I went in as I heard good things about this place. Bad mistake on my part. The place lived up to its name, it was dirty. Spent bottles, and glasses everywhere. Average at best beer selection and shitty music. First freakin song I hear when I walk in (this should have prompted me to leave) Achy Breaky Heart by Billy Ray Retard, then Bonnie Tyler 'turn around song...every now and then..." you know waht I mean. The audio onslaught continues with songs from every bad 80's and 90's top 40 artist. I slammed my oxidized (tasted like wet cardboard from not to clean tap lines) Sierra Nevada as fast as I could and high tailed it to a better bar.
Judging from the reviews this bars is better than what I saw, I just won't return to find out. I'm afraid I might end up listening to the best of Wham B side edition.
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We came here because my friend said she always sees people yelling at each other out front and she wanted to go see if we'd be able to witness a bar fight. Well, it was a Saturday night -- albeit a bit early -- and it was fairly mellow. But it was great! A great place to sit back with your friends and laugh over a beer.
We sat at the very back grungy table near the kitchen, bathrooms and jukebox. At one point, we could hear jock jams-style music (hahahaha) coming from the kitchen and weird 90's music coming from the jukebox, neither of which was expected. But it was definitely appreciated.
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Here is how hard I searched to find something wrong with this place.... I didn't get why they had the singer sewing machine on the wall. That's it. That is my majour complaint. I couldn't find anything to bitch about.
I don't normally bitch.. really, I don't. But I just thought, a place called Durty Nelly's is setting itself up for misery... but NO!!!! I walk in and we had a local football game, and an across the pond FUTBALL game.... Newcastle versus Leeds. I think.... but SOOOO GOOD. College and premier league at the same time? So good.
Small. Simple. I got whiskey and a guinness. They seemed to like that.
Great gal barkeeping.... quick, attentive... rad.
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Great for just drinks, better for food & drinks. On a recent visit, 4 gents were huddled around another who was acting out a soccer play. After the victory dance, another shouts "Armstrong World Cup!"**... the celebrating ensues. You're not going to find atmosphere like than that at many places ;)
The steak sandwich, shepherd's pie and curry fries are all killer. Get it to go as well.
**With a little research I found that this was the 1982 goal by Gerry Armstrong that clinched a 1-0 victory over host Spain in the World Cup. Celebrating a goal from 26 years ago -- awesome!
Popped in here randomly one Saturday afternoon. Twas mellow and comfortable.
We just stopped by for a drink but the food menu actually looked pretty good. I'm not a fan of bar grub but I bet I would enjoy a few things off their menu with a good buzz.
Good place, nice staff, good vibe.
Good day!
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kinda sad i discovered this place after i moved away when i lived blocks away for a while, but its always nice to come here. had the fish and chips once and they were expensive, but they were off the fuckin' chain! always fun to see drunken irish folk stumbling around with their coronas and jager bombs, or even cougars on the prowl, but definitely a place i'd like to frequent more!
how can i not give 5 stars when i walk in to a bar where there's a hawaiian guy singing hawaii songs and dancing couple who's combined age equals more than me and my 5 friend's combined ages!
awesome bartenders
great decor (for a dive)
nice location
fun times.
This bar is pretty slick. It has to be one of the busiest bars in the sunset at night. The drinks are decently priced and Ive never had any problems with the bartenders.
The thing that really wowed me about this place was the good food that they serve during the day. Its not your ordinary bar food. It is really well done. Ive eaten here about 5 times, and have enjoyed myself on every occasion.
LOVE THIS PLACE! Definitely going to be my neighborhood bar. The first time I came here, there was a drunken Irishmen disagreement that landed on our table and spilled our drinks everywhere. 2 minutes later: 6 drinks show up. The first set was 3 beers, and the second, 3 free "cherry bombs." I asked the bartender what was in them, to which he replied "GOOD STUFF!" lol
5 stars for quick service, plenty of people who make ME look tan, and "GOOD STUFF" in the drinks.
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This is The Irish Pub of San Francisco - not kell's or some trendy bar. This is Ireland. I can't understand anything anyone is saying until I have 2 Guinness'. The music is awesome! There is a musician that has been paying at Nelly's for years who is unbelievable. Last time I was in there he had everyone singing before 10pm. This is one of my favorites...it is a dive - but a dive with love...Everyone I've taken there has had a blast. There has not been a time I've been where I haven't. Be ready to sing, smile and get dizzy...
One of my Favs Fo Sho!!! Do it!
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I love this place. I have some friends who live around the corner, so when i go, i suppose that i get the 'local' treatment. that said...
Curry chips.. HELLS YEAH. fish and chips... HELLS YEAH.. regular chips.. HELLS YEAH. Drunken Irishmen (literally ) playing the bag pipes (upside down bar stool...), at 5PM... HELLS YEAH.
Seriously, they have live music at nights, damn good food for an Irish pub, good drink prices.. and the owner/bartender is known to just come around and pour shots of peppermint schnapps for no reason other than you look like you have a nice face.
What's not to love?
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This place has the best hamburger in SF besides Zuni's. It's done right because, like Zuni's, they grind their own burger meat. That's how a burger should be done.
The chips are home made from fresh potatoes rather than from frozen , precut potatoes. The aioli for the chips is also very good. It tastes fresh, like it's made on the spot, rather than served from a glass jar they bought from Costco. [One note is that it's not real Catalanian aioli of olive oil, salt, and potatoes, but rather the French version with eggs.]
The curry is excellent -- my Indian friend raves about it, and brings his family there to eat the curry.
So far you'd think I am reviewing a restaurant. No. it's a great, unassuming, Irish bar. It's always a good time there, celebrating the Irish tradition. On week days it's kind of mellow. But I like it there during that time because it's nice to have a real freshly ground burger with home made chips from fresh taters paired with freshly made aioli, and a pint of stella to wash it all down by the fire. On weekends this place becomes completely different...
There is also a very good "Irish" version of the "Last Supper" hanging on the wall, with Joyce in the middle and Beckett on his left. Extra points for knowing who the other 10 are in the sketch.
I really enjoy Durty's. if you come here, you will find:
good music
good people
good service
good beer
but the real reason i go here is for the chicken curry fries. wow.
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