{"id":51229,"date":"2026-10-13T17:30:14","date_gmt":"2026-10-13T17:30:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/51229\/"},"modified":"2026-10-13T17:30:14","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T17:30:14","slug":"the-oldest-irish-bar-in-delaware-has-belonged-to-one-family-since-1889","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/51229\/","title":{"rendered":"The Oldest Irish Bar in Delaware Has Belonged to One Family Since 1889"},"content":{"rendered":"

For many Irish immigrants arriving in Wilmington in the late 1800s, the first thing they saw after stepping off the train was a tavern across the street. Inside, owner John D. \u201cWhiskers\u201d Kelly made a point of offering newcomers temporary food, shelter, and help finding work.<\/p>\n

Kelly\u2019s Logan House still sits across from where that station stood, and the Kelly family still runs it. They\u2019ve owned the place since 1889, so it\u2019s the oldest Irish bar in Delaware and quite possibly the oldest continuously family-owned Irish bar in the country.<\/p>\n

The building is also the only 19th-century Wilmington hotel to survive virtually intact, and it\u2019s been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1980. These days, it\u2019s a Trolley Square favorite for comfort food, craft beer, and one of the city\u2019s most beloved St. Patrick\u2019s Day traditions.<\/p>\n

\"brick<\/p>\n

Simon via Flickr<\/p>\n

It belongs on any list of restaurants steeped in history in the First State, and the photos lining its walls make that obvious the moment you walk in. Some family heirlooms are jewelry; this one has a long beer list.<\/p>\n

What to Expect When Visiting Kelly\u2019s Logan House in Wilmington, Delaware<\/p>\n

Look up when you walk into the tavern. When the building was documented for the National Register in 1979, the tavern\u2019s walls and ceiling were covered in pressed tin, a classic detail of old American barrooms.<\/p>\n

Then take a lap past the photos on the walls, which trace the building\u2019s long history. One crowd favorite shows John D. Kelly III sparring with boxing legend Joe Frazier.<\/p>\n

The menu sticks to crowd-pleasing comfort food, with vegetarian options and brunch on weekends, and the impressively long craft beer list will keep any beer lover busy. When the weather\u2019s nice, grab a table on the patio.<\/p>\n

Sports fans pack the bar on game days, but St. Patrick\u2019s Day is the main event. Kelly\u2019s has been a traditional gathering place for the holiday for generations.<\/p>\n

Buffalo Bill, Al Capone, and a Hotel Named for a General<\/p>\n

The Logan House was built around 1864 as a hotel and named for Civil War General John A. Logan. It sat across from the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad station, so it saw plenty of travelers passing through town.<\/p>\n

Logan House lore says its famous guest list included Buffalo Bill, Wild Bill Hickok, boxer John L. Sullivan, and even Al Capone.<\/p>\n

In September 1889, John D. \u201cWhiskers\u201d Kelly bought the property and opened a tavern on the ground floor. The family eventually moved elsewhere but kept running the tavern and hotel, and for many of Wilmington\u2019s Irish arrivals, Kelly\u2019s became their first foothold in a new city.<\/p>\n

Today, siblings Joanna and Patrick Kelly co-own the bar, carrying the family business into a third century of Kelly ownership.<\/p>\n

Plan Your Visit<\/p>\n

Kelly\u2019s Logan House is at 1701 Delaware Avenue, at the corner of North DuPont Street in Wilmington\u2019s Trolley Square. A Delaware Public Archives marker out front tells the story of the surrounding Forty Acres neighborhood. Hours vary, so check the bar\u2019s website before you go.<\/p>\n

\"kelly's<\/p>\n

Simon via Flickr<\/p>\n

Expect a crowd on St. Patrick\u2019s Day and during big games. If you\u2019re visiting in March, the Irish Culture Club of Delaware also sponsors a parade through downtown Wilmington ahead of the holiday.<\/p>\n

Brandywine Creek State Park, home to Delaware\u2019s first old-growth forest, is a quick drive away, and so is Delaware\u2019s haunted historic town. Saving room for dessert? Wilmington\u2019s donuts you need two hands for are nearby.<\/p>\n

FAQWhat should I order at Kelly\u2019s Logan House?<\/p>\n

Stick with the comfort food and pair it with something from the long list of craft beers. Weekend brunch is a local favorite, and vegetarian options mean everyone at the table can find something good.<\/p>\n

Where is Kelly\u2019s Logan House located?<\/p>\n

Wilmington\u2019s Trolley Square neighborhood, in New Castle County, is where you\u2019ll find it, on a corner just minutes from downtown. The neighborhood is easy to explore on foot, with shops and other restaurants close by.<\/p>\n

How old is Kelly\u2019s Logan House?<\/p>\n

Its building went up around 1864 as a hotel, and Whiskers Kelly purchased it in 1889. Some historians consider it America\u2019s longest continuously family-owned Irish tavern, and it\u2019s certainly the First State\u2019s oldest.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For many Irish immigrants arriving in Wilmington in the late 1800s, the first thing they saw after stepping off the train was a tavern across the street. Inside, owner John D. \u201cWhiskers\u201d Kelly made a point of offering newcomers temporary food, shelter, and help finding work. Kelly\u2019s Logan House still sits across from where that<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":51230,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[6366,6364,6362,6365,6363],"class_list":["post-51229","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-delaware","tag-delaware","tag-delaware-dining","tag-delaware-food","tag-delaware-grocery-stores","tag-delaware-restaurants"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/vive.im\/@dc\/117434792278208174","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51229","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=51229"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51229\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/51230"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=51229"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=51229"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=51229"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}