Nellie's Sports Bar
Categories: Gay Bars, Sports Bars [Edit]
900 U St NW(between N 9 1/2 St & N 9th St)
Washington, DC 20001 (202) 332-6355
- Nearest Transit:
U St/African-Amer Civil |War Memorial/Cardozo (Green, Yellow)
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Best Nights: Mon, Wed, Sun
- Happy Hour: Yes
- Alcohol: Full Bar
- Smoking: Outdoor Area/Patio Only
- Coat Check: No
18 Reviews for Nellie's Sports Bar
I really like this place. The staff is friendly. It is big, not crazy loud. The bar food is yummy and it is a very comfortable atmosphere, no matter your gender or orientation.
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3.25 stars. One of my buddies took me here to watch an NFL playoff game. It definitely distinguishes itself as the only gay sports bar on U Street. It has an awesome bathroom compared to most places in the area (well, at least the guy's bathroom was nice). The food options were uninspiring, typical bar food... I was hoping for interesting options and found none. I ended up buying some sliders that were unimpressive (then again, since I still believe that sliders should be under $5 like the ones at Krystal's and White Castle, it's understandable that I found these yuppified concoctions moderately despicable). The TVs were nice and the crowd was an awesome, friendly mix of people. Unfortunately, no one seemed too interested in the game (other than me and one of my roommate's friends) so it doesn't bode too well as a sports bar. As a place to hang out and have a beer? Fine.
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Nellie's Sports Bar Grades (all ratings based on a ten point scale)
Trivia: 8.5
Food: 6
Service: 7.5
Atmosphere: 9
I was really impressed with the trivia at Nellie's. They did a great job keeping the game moving smoothly and it was challenging. There were two games (starting at 800 and 900 PM respectively) and boy did they breeze through them. The restaurant area was packed as many people were left without seats and they tried to cram around the little tables. Nellie's has a competitive atmosphere (as it is still a sports bar) and we all had a great time.
The only thing I was a little disappointed with was the food. I had the mini chicken sandwiches. It came out a little bland and it honestly looked like something I would make at home. It was topped with lettuce and tomatoes. I did like the mini potato bread buns, but I was looking for something with a little more umph. Their happy hour was great. All of their Budweiser and related Bud Lights were a dollar. I know I will drink anything that's a dollar. Even sodas are typically more than that.
When you come in, just order yourself a bucket of Budweiser and wait for the games to start. I was definitely surprised with Nellie's and wouldn't hesitate to go back for another trivia night.
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Came here for a party thrown by the Washington City Paper. FANTASTIC outdoor deck area. There's a bar upstairs which can get a bit crowded, lots of space downstairs with a big disco-ball you can't miss.
I hear they have drag bingo - could be fun. (:
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So, I've never been to a sports bar with a spinning disco ball in the center of the place before. Oh, that's right, it's a Gay Sports Bar!
This bar gets my stamp of approval for several reasons: It's near the Metro. It's interior is pleasant. The women's bathroom is clean. Our server (forgot her name) was awesome. They have $1 Buds until 8:00. They have moderately fun Smart Ass trivia on Wednesdays.
All of the above made for a fun night out. I would happily come back in the warmer weather when the rooftop deck is open. "Flamboyantly fabulous", as Tu-Van L. calls it is right on the money. There are not many places you will patronize where you'll see a boy wearing a tee shirt with "Tight End" written across his back.
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Thank you, Nellie's. My friend's bachelorette party was a success! The food was great and the staff was very friendly. They even let us bring our own special dessert.
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I loved this place! A sports bar with a disco ball? Absolutely awesome in my book. They have a ton of drink options, including the awesome Bucket O Beer. I didn't eat the food, but the menu looked good. They have a lot of fun games to play, including jenga and other things. Apparently, by day it's big hangout for parents of young kids, which is perfect. There's a lot of stroller room and the place itself is big and airy and the food seems to be pretty child-friendly.
The bar itself is great--there are several rooms and places to hang out in, including an amazing outdoor roof deck. I'm definitely going back!
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My goodness the neighborhood has improved since I lived here some 7, 8 years ago. And Nellie's is a welcome addition to the 'hood spicing up some gayness in a community that has a convenient metro stop and quality Ethopian food nearby.
Nellie's is also available for private events! Did you know that? It is and you consider having your event there. Just tell the owner I told you so!
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Where can you find both ESPN and dance music playing at the same place? Where else can you find good bar food, tasty tomato garlic and cilantro mayo dipping sauces, and a disco ball in one place? Here at this flamboyantly fabulous sports pub at the edge of the U-street neighborhood. Also good for Wednesday night Smart Ass Trivia Night.
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I went here on a random tuesday I think. We were looking for a wine bar and ended up here. It didn't seem too gay except for the disco ball and the single womens bathroom and huge boys bathroom. Drinks were fine and bartender was nice.
Very friendly and effective gay bar. Many screens for sports enthusiasts (but beware, there seem to only be crowds when there are games on). The appetizers are small, but tasty, the beer selection interesting and with nice bartenders. This is slightly more of a gay bar than a sports bar, but I imagine any gay sports bar would be this way. They have games (not that anyone plays them when there are people to be met). Inviting feel to it, even when there is not a crowd. Recommended.
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Oh Nellie's... Any time I talk to someone about Nellie's for the first time, the first thing I get from them is what a perfect name for a Gay Sports Bar! I live in LeDroit Park which is a couple of blocks due east of Nellie's, other then "Town" it's the closest Gay bar to my house, so I plan on going to Nellie's more and more this summer now that the weather is getting better. Nothing better then getting trashed and being able to just walk home! Nellie's does have some pros and some cons. But first off, I think of it as a very middle of the road bar. Its gender neutral, sports is an extremely neutral topic; the area is neither great nor ultra ghetto. I might have to say Nellie's is almost like purgatory... ether when Nellie's is crowded or when it's a slow night, nothing crazy ever happens nor is it really boring, but every night you can see everyone in the bar praying to the sports gods. The bathrooms are, hands down, the best in DC, a great place for purification! The downstairs urinals are a bit close to each other which kind of bothers me, but it being a gay bar, I'm sure that some people could be into that. The crowd seems to be mostly Twinkie to very average guys. Not like average American fatty, but normal like statistical male. Given that I can say that I will most likely never pick up any guys from this place simply because I really don't like sports nor am I into the statistical normal sized guys, I go for more of the "bearish" type, which I don't see here regularly. I think if Nellie's had a better selection of food I would see more bear types at Nellie's. I know I don't go there for food and that can be a big deciding factor in going to a place where I'm hanging out and there isn't anything really fun going on.
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DC was really missing this. I am glad the owners finally made this place happen!
I love the empanadas and the quesadillas. This is a great place to go with buddies and talk or watch a game. The crowd is very cool. Everybody should feel comfortable here. The atmosphere is warm and inviting with an unpretentious sophistication. The screens in the main room are huge and state of the art. I like the high ceilings downstairs. I like the quotes on the custom stair case and the HUGE patio upstairs.
Nellie's to me is kind of a concretization of the vision of DC's progress and future. It's a good future. DC has come a long way.
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This bar is ok. But I think high ratings stem from tedium with other gay bars moreso than actually loving it.
Its tvs are placed way too high to watch comfortably. The place definitely feels more like a GAY sports bar than a gay SPORTS bar. Its a little too cute and 'vintage.' The upstairs bar is too small with no bars along the walls, making it difficult to hang out for an extended period. (maybe they could lose some of the showcases and put in wall bars. a place to put drinks would be much more useful). As for the layout, I find it to be pretty awkward. The bathrooms are cramped and there is always a line. Bad planning on that end. Once you reach the top of the steps, its tough to even make it to the bar.
The food was pretty overpriced for what youre receiving (bar food). One bartender didnt know how to make basic drinks and the rest seemed really slow. The downstairs bar is actually oddly set up if you take the time to look at it. The beer selection is fine, but btw...the 'Nellie's' beer is High Life, so dont plan on getting a micro brew.
As for the crowd here, it's pretty much the same crowd youll find on 17th and 18th St with a few new folks closer to 9th thrown in. The fact they are at a different bar doesnt make them different from anywhere else.
On the positive side, the roof deck is awesome in the summer. Now that Town is open this is a great preclub watering hole. I also applaud the owners for trying to spread out the gay bars in this city. Maybe now that the cabs will be metered, people will be willing to venture all over. If Im gonna have to go to a crumby neighborhood for a gay bar, Ill come here before BeBar.
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Nellie's is just kinda 'eh.' If we were making a category of gay sports bars in the DC area, sure, it'd be number one, but it doesn't fare as well in either individual category.
The TV room has a handful of smallish flatscreens along one wall, and on a football Sunday, they were all fired up. But they're really pretty high on the wall for a narrowish room, so every neck is craned upward. Seating is kinda slapdash and uncomfortable, with the main room having a bunch of high bar tables and stools that get shifted around and apparently never put back.
The beer selection is average, but nothing better than you'd get at the Shaw Giant and the food is a on par, though slightly below, for a sports bar.
Still, it's a great idea and they're always packed, so clearly there's an X-factor that was lost on me. The price was right and you can definitely order the small of anything and still be satisfied. The line for the bathroom can be long since there's a lot of boys here and not as many ladies.
Bottom line: if you're looking to watch games with your friends, stick at home where you'll probably have a better TV and better beer. If you're looking to make new friends while watching a game time and you're a gay man, this is your place. If you're only looking to pick up another guy, you're probably better served elsewhere.
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Hooray for this great new addition to the gay scene in DC!
Some serious thought went into making Nellie's a comfortable, classy destination to watch the game. They topped it off with a great beer selection offering brews like Alagash, Magic Hat and they even have their own beer on tap - Nellie's. They also added a great bar menu to entice the crowd with sweet potato fries and lots of mini selections like mini burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches. They also offer empanadas which is noted as their most popular menu item.
You can choose to sit in a large room with several TVs or head upstairs to a smaller area equipped with its own bar. Or if it's nice outside, head out to the second floor patio. It's a friendly bar. Gay, lesbian, straight - I think that everyone would feel right at home and have a great time.
Thanks for opening Nellie's. DC needed a spot like this.
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Who knew there were this many gay dudes in DC? Nellie's Sports Bar reaches out to an untapped market in DC and caters to guys who have a little more depth and character than the typical 17th St crowd.
I've been to many a gay sports bar across the country, and Nellie's is truly something new. It connects DC's quickly gentrifying sensibilities in a relaxed yet upscale setting, and while it's a sports bar (games are on the flat screens instead of music videos) it doesn't shove it down your throat. So, the guy who likes baseball can bring his bf who couldn't care less about the game and both can have fun.
The interior sports exposed brick and pipes, dark woods, and lots of space to hang out. The bars themselves have these neat chiller gizmos to cool your pint before filling it with one of their 8 draught beers, which are just $3 during happy hour. The food menu is full of nods to traditional bar fare, but is much more highly evolved.
Detractors might grimace at its somewhat remote location from the vortex of DC's urban gay culture. I'd say that's one of its best assets.
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I have been to Nellie's a couple times now both times on Saturday night. The first time I was there was for a birthday party that I threw for my boyfriend. The staff were very helpful and they let me bring the cake by earlier in the day and they stored it in the cooler for me. Later that night since the upstairs room had gotten so crowded they let us use the table outside on the roof deck and serve the cake outside.
I have not had a chance to eat there but the drinks were good. I agree with the other comments about the beer selection.
My only negative comment would be that sometimes the line for the bathroom can take awhile.
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