Nellie's Sports Bar Bars & Clubs in Washington – GayOut Guide
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Nellie's Sports Bar

Tripadvisor (108) 4.2
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84
/ 100
GayOut Score
🦉4.2
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Address
900 U Street Northwest, Washington

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About this place Nellie's Sports Bar

Nellie's Sports Bar, at the corner of 9th and U Streets NW, is a gay sports bar spread over several floors with a roof deck. It is a regular stop on the U Street strip. Games are on the screens, and the weekly schedule includes drag brunch, trivia and other themed nights. The crowd is mixed and social, more of a bar for hanging out with friends than a dance club. Weekend drag brunch is the busiest time, and it is usually worth booking. The roof deck fills up on warm evenings. The bar has a 4.4 Google rating from more than 1,500 reviews. We have no hours on file, so check them before you go.

Features

Gay Drag Queens Drag shows Food served Mixed LGBTQ+ Drag scene Sports bar Quiz nights

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Community Reviews

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GayOut Community

E
EffEss1971
Aug 2026
★★★★★

Been there for Drag Brunch and It was great. Food was suprisingly very good but honestly you don't go to Drag Brunch for food. Show was exeptional. Hab a blast.

J
Joshua
Aug 2026
★★★★★

When I was leaving, the bouncer said that I had to throw away my drink. When I asked what law allowed him to force me to throw away my drink after I paid for it, rather than answer, he smacked my drink out of my hand so that I couldn't drink any more of it, rather than answer my question. When I looked at him shocked and said that was assault, he said, "I don't care." A friend of mine asked him what authority he had to smack my drink out of my hands, he said that he was security on a cigarette break. When I told him that I'm going to post a negative review identifying his comment that he didn't care about committing assault, he again said that it didn't bother him at all and he hoped that I did. This establishment hasn't improved in this area.

C
Charity T
Aug 2026
★★★★★

This was my first drag show and I attended with my best friend. The brunch food was substandard but the queens were incredibly talented. I wish there had been a stage for them to perform and that it wasn’t such a hot room. Everyone was melting. If you do the drag brunch bring lots of cash- as collecting money is the main goal of each performer!

K
Kathleen M
Aug 2026
★★★★★

We arrived for the 1pm drag brunch on Mother's Day 2022 and were ushered upstairs to the bar where we remained until 2pm. We had reserved a table for 12 which was crammed in between the back wall and another table of 12. We were brushing up against our neighbors. We didn't eat until 3pm and the show didn't start until 4pm. It lasted one hour, and the queens were difficult to see because the tables were so close together. Clearly Nellie's drag is about making money on the people who invested $50 hoping to see a show. Instead we drank for 3 hours, ate a mediocre, picked-over buffet, and were irritated before the short show began. BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

C
ChinoWW
Aug 2026
★★★★★

If you want to relax, enjoy a good meal and see friendly servers, this is the place to go. Emphasis on relax...you don't get the rush-out feeling from other places, and enjoy a delicious menu.

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Christopher Dawkins
Aug 2026
★★★★★

My husband, myself and a friend decided to give Nellie's another try (after a long break) on Saturday expecting to watch the NFL playoffs (which is advertised in the weekly emails I receive) only to catch attitude from the bartender downstairs. At 4:45 (game started at 4pm) Drag Brunch was over and the downstairs dining room was ready, I ask the downstairs bartender how much longer we have to wait to watch the game in the dining room...he says "sweetie, go back upstairs". Wrong answer! I ask again, choosing to ignore his snarky response, and he responds, "we're cleaning after a party...we'll be open at 7pm. Go upstairs"...it's 4:45 and the dining room is empty and ready. I grab my friends from upstairs and we leave only to find the bartender and crew having shots at the downstairs bar! Never again Nellie's. My friends and I was there when you opened over 10 years ago...it's a shame we can't enjoy sports there like we use to. Side note, the downstairs bar opened right after we left at 5pm!

D
Dan
Aug 2026
★★★★★

As a british guy who moved to dc a year ago, this place has become a great welcoming safe and fun place to be! The bar staff especially Ian are amazing and the drag brunch is so much fun!. Used to be a great homesick bar for me and now my best place to go out.

L
Lydia M
Aug 2026
★★★★★

Had so much fun at Nellie’s Drug Brunch!!! I went with a group of 10 and they also could accommodate really large groups of 25. Will definitely go back!

P
PebleBeach7thGrn
Aug 2026
★★★★★

Joined a few friends here for a drink or two. Bar tender was super friendly and mixed cocktails like a champ! Love the rooftop spot with plenty of room, and happy hour specials are sweet. I most value the queer diversity of this place - it's not just a bar for queens, or just a bar for butch lezzies. It's truly for everyone. That's rather unique for DC.

J
Jennifer M
Aug 2026
★★★★★

The Queens ran a well organized brunch...it started on time and it ran smoothly. The buffet lunch was fine, but nothing was great. Everyone felt the food was just okay. The show was a bit disappointing in that it wasn’t much of a show. A couple of the Queens didn’t even know the lyrics to the songs they were lip syncing...and the focus was very much on collecting tips and not so much on giving a show. Two of the Queens put more into their performances but it was still all about the money. We had fun but it could have been so much better.

M
michael Jefferies
Aug 2026
★★★★★

let me start by saying if i could give 0 stars i would. the security team is by far the worst ! they don’t respect gay people or people in general. very disrespectful towards customers & overly aggressive. the drinks are overpriced and the staff in general are rude ! i wouldn’t recommend coming here at all.

M
Ms. L. Carrington
Aug 2026
★★★★★

My co-workers and I went here for Nellie's famous Drag Brunch and a time was had. The service was top tier , the hosts paid attention to detail . The food was absolutely delicious 😋. You get served a Mimosa or Bloody Mary as soon as you walk in. The fun never stops and the atmosphere is very warm and inviting. I loved it here and all of the Queen Divas SLAYED HONEY!! We can't wait to go again . Nellie's also offers birthday packages!!

J
John Meacham
Aug 2026
★★★★★

Great memories. We miss Poundcake.

A
Alena Shifrin
Aug 2026
★★★★★

We attended the Drag Brunch today. It was a very fun time!! There was a wide selection of delicious food. Service was great. The Queens were AMAZING! Such a great afternoon. Highly recommend this for a fun brunch.

T
TrizzyTroy69 Tolbert
Aug 2026
★★★★★

Always a festive n fun time. DJs are great, drinks are affordable n strong.

K
Kyle Lambing
Aug 2026
★★★★★

I’ve been to a bunch of DC gay bars and as someone not from here, this one was the most welcoming! And the best wings!

C
Crystal
Aug 2026
★★★★★

Exceeded my expectations. I saw the mixed reviews, especially about the food not being good, so I set my expectations very low for everything and was pleasantly surprised. First of all, the food was surprisingly good. It tasted like a homemade buffet that someone's auntie made, not a professional chef, but still very satisfying. I will say there isn't sufficient options for vegetarians unless you really dont mind filling up on desserts. But food was good. Show was good. Ladies were sweet and entertaining and respectful. It was the perfect level of crowded-not too crowded and we all had fun.

Y
Youry Pierre-Louis
Aug 2026
★★★★★

Always a good time a Nellie’s

L
Lorita Geddie
Aug 2026
★★★★★

Friendly staff & delicious food, Outstanding show.

S
Sherrod Vincente
Aug 2026
★★★★★

I hate the fact that if you put your drink down for 1 second, the bartenders are literally watching you to throw your drink out! It happened to me twice, once downstairs and once upstairs. I did not like that at all. One of the backbar gentleman downstairs was kind enough to make me another one. The long hair Asian guy that was bartending downstairs was extremely rude, I ask him for a specific drink, he made something completely different, then got mad at me, and threw it out, and went to the next customer without correcting himself. DO BETTER!!!

N
nicolis789
Aug 2026
★★★★★

I got roofied here and they charged me $17 for the drink they spiked.

D
Darojanae Jacobs
Aug 2026
★★★★★

The show was nice. Food -3/10, eat before you go.

D
Donshane
Aug 2026
★★★★★

Good music. Good sports shows good drinks. Good place for happy hour

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Last updated on 6 November 2026

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