May Kelly’s

I hope this is the only 2 star review I ever have to write, especially since I am quite easy to please.
The hostess was charming and immediately won over my girlfriend with her warm and inviting demeanor. I found the décor cozy and cluttered — in a fun way. Unfortunately it all went downhill from there. Our waitress was apathetic, disinterested and not very helpful; no problem. I ordered corned beef, a no brainer right? My girlfriend ordered the fish tacos which, might seem an odd choice in North Conway but be advised, just down the street at Delaneys you’ll find sushi that’s shockingly good for central New Hampshire. That is a high bar that Mae Kelly’s cannot hope to achieve.
So we arrived happy and not super hungry: 55 minutes later our waitress appeared from the black hole she must have fallen in to, with our food and offered to refill my beer glass which had been empty for half an hour, how kind. We were literally standing up to walk out on this terrible night when she arrived, and I wish we had followed through. The fish tacos were NOT TACOS at all. Think: thin burrito or a mediocre wrap and more disappointing than you could imagine. The corned beef sandwich looked like it had been thrown together as fast as possible and was mediocre. Unfortunately I will remember this dining experience for a very long time.
The next day a local mentioned that he patronizes Mae Kellys for drinks ONLY. Wish I got that advice a day sooner. I hope this review prevents another poor experience for you.

May Kelly’s seemed like the perfect spot for our first night in town for a snowboard weekend. I am Irish, passport and all and was craving some cold Guinness and a light bite. The hostess was charming and found us a nice table in the back The place is full of Irish memorabilia. Our waitress came and took our order for beverages and later, our sandwich order. I ordered fish tacos and my man ordered a Reuben. 45 minutes into the night we were wondering if we were forgotten. Folks around us got food fast and finished whilst we waited. Our waitress never came over and was barely able to hailed but finally, she came and asked what we needed. We asked about our food! She said it was coming and cheerfully left. At 55 minutes we got up to leave when our food arrived. Too bad we stayed. My fish taco was odd (more like a burrito all mashed together) and didn’t taste good. I devoured the tasteless fries due to hunger. My man’s Reuben had a ½″ inch slice of meat. It was awkward to eat. Our mood was dimmed due to the wait so we decided to leave. We took our food with us thinking it might taste better when our mood was not so foul from a ridiculous wait. Having been in food service, a check in and notice the kitchen was backed up (if that was the case) would have gone a long way. Towards the end as the bill came, our server perked up and was quite friendly and suddenly available. I made my man tip her 15% before tax. He was not happy. In retrospect, we should have left 10%. Oh by the way, we drove by the next day and saw the color of the building. Dear GOD, it’s baby poop brown! Ugh… never again.

If you’re looking for great service & fabulous food this is the place to go. It doesn’t matter if you’re in the pub or the main dining areas, the food & drink are amazing! Everything from burgers & pub food to some of the best Irish dishes — this place has it (they have a corned beef sandwich on homemade marbled rye to die for).
The décor in the Cottage is an eclectic collection of antiques that decorate almost every inch of wall & ceiling space. The tables are not your typical restaurant style, but homey couches, benches & chairs making the dining experience just that much more.
The serving staff is friendly & provides great service. They always have a smile. And you’ll be greeted by the most lovely Irish woman who will welcome each of her customers in with a smile. This place is a must visit. Enjoy!

Best dinner we have had in the north country! I had the beef stew and my husband had the ribs. Everything was awesome. Atmosphere was terrific complete with live Irish music. Can’t wait to go back.
Went back and it’s still great! Wonderful food, service and atmosphere.

On a dreary September day in New Hampshire, my Honey and I were dodging cloudbursts, hiking where we could and trying to see the sights through the fog. Cold, hungry, and tired, we drove through the semi-​deserted streets of North Conway and happened upon this absolute GEM of a place! We were the first folks to arrive that day so we had our pick of places to sit and, of course, we chose the pub room. I could have spent hours looking over every single thing on the walls — photographs and memorabilia from across the pond. Our waiter was delightful and spent quite a time chatting with us about beer, American football and the attractions in the surrounding area. May herself breezed through, trailing an Irish brogue that made me want to leap up and sweep something or help do something… I’m considering seeing a therapist about that.
If sitting in this beautiful place, surrounded by beautiful scenery, and drinking Guinness and other forms of glorious medicine for the soul weren’t enough… there was the food. Folks, my maiden name was Sullivan, and I know a wee bit about old country cuisine. From New York to San Francisco, I can recommend some wonderful Irish pubs that serve food my Grandmother would not have complained about eating. Had she been with us, I feel quite certain that my lovely Grandmother would have taken three bites of her meal (it always took three bites to form an opinion) and closed her eyes and declared it «lovely». My Shepherd’s Pie was outstanding with flavorful ground lamb, and my Honey’s beef stew was exceptional. If we hadn’t begun with an order of May’s Potato Cakes we might have had room for dessert, but we were happy with our choice.
I’m usually antsy to leave a place after sitting for a few hours, but I was comfortably at home here and regretted having to leave. Friends, do your soul a favor and go to May Kelly’s. If you can work it to be there on a night when there is music, all the better.
We’ll be back!

Amazing service and Shepherds pie was one of the best I’ve had. Excellent comfort food, would go again.