Hours after DePaul men’s basketball’s first win over Marquette in January, celebration spilled off the court and continued into Kelly’s Pub, a bar just steps from DePaul’s Lincoln Park campus at 949 W. Webster Ave.
Chris Holtmann, the DePaul men’s basketball head coach, became acquainted with Kelly’s Pub upon recommendation from former women’s basketball head coach Doug Bruno. “I’ve kind of learned that that’s the neighborhood spot,” Holtmann said later in January.
Following the win against Marquette, Holtmann posted on X that he would buy beers for students at Kelly’s.
DePaul’s marketing coordinator Nina Goodhue recalled the night on the “Blue Demon Room” podcast.
“I got the call to come into the coach’s conference room postgame after Marquette … that’s not supposed to happen. So I come running in and Holtmann was like, ‘All right, so I want to buy beer. Where are we going?’ And I was like, ‘You want to do what?’”
“He’s like, ‘Yeah, like I want to buy beer for the students.’”
Though the plan to go to Kelly’s didn’t work out that evening since the bar had a private event, it ignited something.
Shortly after the idea gained attention online, Kelly’s reactivated its X account and began posting about DePaul basketball, signaling a desire for a deeper connection with the Blue Demons’ basketball program.
“I have seen some increased interest because of the fresh excitement in DePaul basketball,” the pub’s manager, Megan Kelly, said. “There is an energy about the coach and the men’s team and the way they are playing that we have not had for many years.”
With the Big East Tournaments approaching — the women’s tournament set for March 6-9 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut and the men’s tournament March 11-14 at Madison Square Garden in New York City — students looking to follow DePaul’s postseason runs can gather close to campus.
Kelly’s Pub has been tied to DePaul’s history going back generations, Kelly said.
Kelly’s has been part of the DePaul community since 1933. It opened after prohibition was repealed in the United States.
Kelly’s dad attended DePaul’s then-grade school and high school and also its law school.
“We are part of DePaul and DePaul is part of us,” she said.
Kelly’s proximity to campus makes it a natural gathering spot.
“The location and pricing is a big factor,” said Jocelyn Torres-Barbosa, a DePaul public administration graduate student. “… Virtually anyone can get there. The prices are very reasonable, which helps as a lot of students don’t want to spend a lot of money when going out.”
Kelly said the energy grows even stronger on busy nights and during games.
“Game nights are also fun and bring a kind of communal electricity to the mix,” Kelly said. “It is really a more intensive way to experience a game when you are with a big group of people cheering for the same thing.”
For Torres-Barbosa, weekly specials are also part of the appeal, with “Wing Wednesday” being her favorite.
“‘Wing Wednesday’ definitely keeps me coming back to Kelly’s,” she said. “Seventy-five cent wings, $2 off draft beer and decently-priced cocktails is my vibe.”
While Torres-Barbosa hasn’t gone to Kelly’s to watch a game on purpose, she has coincidentally experienced Kelly’s packed for a DePaul basketball game.
“When the games are playing, everyone’s watching, the bartenders included,” she said. “It’s fun and everyone’s rooting for the same team.
“Especially if they’re winning, the vibe shifts a little to be more attentive to the game.”
According to Kelly, the welcoming atmosphere is intentional and part of why students have kept returning for decades.
“Even our staff tends to stay for several years,” Kelly said.
She confirmed that the bar will continue building its connection with DePaul basketball through promotions like selling $5 DePaul Cold Time cans for games during March Madness along with regular specials.
“We are the official watch party bar,” Kelly said.
