Once again I am confused where I shot this
Well, the one in Hell's Kitchen gets great reviews, so that's the one to go for!
The Pony Bar
Category:
Bars
637 10th Ave(between 45th St & 46th St)
New York, NY 10036
Neighborhoods: Hell's Kitchen, Midtown West
(212) 586-2707
- Nearest Transit Station:
-
42 St. - Port Authority Bus Terminal (A, C, E)50 St. (A, C, E)
- Hours:
- Mon-Fri 3 pm - 4 amSat-Sun 12 pm - 4 am
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
- $
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Thu, Fri, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
559 reviews for The Pony Bar
Review Highlights What's this?
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"Great spot to try something different craft beer-wise." In 81 reviews
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"Located in the Hell's Kitchen area, this is a hidden gem." In 31 reviews
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"Awesome microbrew selections, awesome prices, awesome bartenders." In 92 reviews
Rating Distribution | Trend
558 reviews in English
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Review from David N.
Manhattan, NYI was first introduced to the Pony bar on 1st & 75th. It quickly became my favorite watering hole. It was comfortable, friendly, the staff was pleasant, informative and loved what they were doing. But all that aside, the craft beers are spectacular and well-priced.
Since moving into Hell's Kitchen, it gave me reason to go to their West side bar. I have to say, I love this place more than the 1st avenue one, only because it feels a little more intimate, gritty and has a comfort level that fits me perfectly.
I have had some of the bar food, and it's fine. Some tasty, some ok, but none of it awful. You are really going here for the comfort and beer.
I recently tried a bourbon stout and it was exactly that. Thank God it came in a 5 oz. bourbon glass. @ 10.5 ABV, that would be a tough walk home in couple of 16 oz. glasses. The only thing missing was a fireplace and plaid ottoman for my feet and a dog I could occasionally reach down by my side and rub it's jowls and say, "Bully!"
My wife, who hardly likes beer, loves this place--it's just weird seeing her drink beer, and enjoying it.-
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At the Pony Bar with my Crash-test Goofy
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Review from Mike L.
Manhattan, NYLike:
+Reasonably-priced drinks (the main reason you should come here is for beer and/or cider)
+The selection of beers and ciders is different each time I go here
Neutral:
Dislike:
*Pretty packed at times
Overall: 4 stars. -
Review from Lauren R.
New York, NYOn beer selection.... 5 stars.
On food...
Fried pickles are great. Not the BEST. But pretty great.
Duck sliders = yum.
Shrimp torta = eh. Too little shrimp. Too much... everything else.
Short rib sandwich was to die for. Pretty sure they forgot my kimchi all together but too hungry to care. It was excellent.
Pretzels? Bomb.
Skip the cole slaw. Get the potato chips.
The people next to us got the tartine and the skillet sausages. Both look amazing.
No table service but the bartenders are cool. Food comes out fast!
Next time don't forget my kimchi or you're getting 3 stars. -
Review from Gina B.
Honolulu, HIWe were staying in a hotel in Hell's Kitchen and a friend, who lives in New York, suggested we check out this bar but advised that we might not want to go around Happy Hour (I forgot the exact reason why but probably something about too many suits...not that I'm opposed to a handsome man in a suit but my BF and his friend Jacob don't share my enthusiasm).
It turns out we end up going to the bar around Happy Hour. Since it was a Monday it was mellow and we were able to snag three stools at the bar. The folks on neighboring stools were friendly and made conversation. The service was efficient. And the beers....the three that I tried (Never Summer Ale and Kinda Blue from Boulder, CO and I can't remember what the 3rd was)...were crisp, clean and very-reasonably priced. Winning combination!
Upon finding out that we were visiting from Hawaii, our bartender, who used to be in the military and was stationed on Oahu, gave us a couple of bottle-opener keychains. I love gifts!
FYI stuff: there's no table service; order from the bartenders. They have a food menu and I recall the prices were reasonable. I didn't order food but BF's friend ordered an avocado sandwich and I recall there were tasty, homemade chips. Also, it's always 4:20 at Pony Bar! Check out their logo and the clock above the bar.-
menu with date means the beers may change daily. nice!
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i should've bought a shirt as a souvenir of my visit
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Review from Chris W.
Stamford, CTGreat small bar with a great selection of beers and priced well. Definitely worth coming back to.
Service was attentive no compliants, this place knows how to take care of good beer! -
Review from Jonathan C.
Oakville, CanadaCraft beer! Craft beer! Craft beer!
All the beers are $6, with higher % drinks coming at 8oz glasses while others come in 14 oz glasses. Pony offers a nice list of choices, with 20 or so taps, though I was surprised there were no lambic or fruitier beers (when I went, at least) for the ladies.
It's a nice pitstop, but with the amout of craft beer bars nowadays, there's nothing really distinctive about Pony that makes it distinctive. -
Review from Homer S.
Hoboken, NJCraft beer, served at good price. Does anything else need to be said?
Well, if it does, I'd say that the beer picking skills of those animals at The Blind Tiger is better, but those guys also fleece my wallet for more cash. I also don't recall if I've eaten the food (or if there is food). Is that enough? -
Review from Yan T.
Pony Bar is the real deal: a fantastic beer bar, with about 20 well-curated taps at all time. And they also churn out some really good, unpretentious food, all without pomp or ceremony. This time around I didn't even have a beer--the pumpkin cider was THAT enticing.
The small space tends to fill up after work, with seats hard to come by, but at about 11 pm on Tuesday night it was golden. A few random dates scattered about and a few stout hopheads roosting on their stools.
The only real downside is having to go knee-deep into Hell's Kitchen to enjoy it, but that probably helps keep the wrong folks away to the greater enjoyment of beer nerds. -
Review from Alexandra C.
New York, NYPumpkin cider. That's right- pumpkin cider!! The best damn drink I've ever had at a pub. Crisp, clear, delicious and not too sweet.
Now that attitude the unfriendly bartender had towards us. Come on, giddey up girl-- this is the Pony Bar! You're supposed to be friendly!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/29/2012
Nothing gets me to walk over to 10th Avenue.
Except this place!
Beer obsessed bf loves their beer… Read more »
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1/29/2012
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Review from Hanna K.
New York, NYwent for halloween and it wasn't that crowded but the one in this location is pretty small. not that big for a bar. and the beer is really cheap like everyone had mentioned. $6! and i got the skillet sausages and they were pretty spicy. the pretzel is just a pretzel, nothing special. and the burger didn't taste anything like "kimchi" like it had said on the menu. and the pickles that came with the burger had way too much wasabi. IDK WHY they taste like wasabi but it was disgusting. but the beer was great and so was the skillet sausages. -
Review from Sean L.
Love the ambiance here! It reminds me of a much more organized and classy version of a typical LES dive bar. Both drinks and food here are fantastic, although because of how popular it is, the service may take awhile. The things that stick out to me most are:
1) Pulled pork sandwich and house chips - WOW all of the sandwiches here are amazing but this pulled pork monster is just bazonkers and was the first sandwich I've tried here. Fantastic meat-to-bread ratio, and the bun is tasty, oily, and crispy! So much flavorful meat piled on top with savory sweet sauce, although it is a bit tangy sour for my tastes, but the meat is just so tender and moist I could eat this all day! House chips are fresh, crunchy, and highly addicting! Well seasoned, too! For about $10 this is a great deal!
2) Cider on tap - they always rotate through the offerings they have here and all of them are pretty good. However, the ciders are pretty nice and are great choices when you're looking for something sweet that isn't a traditional cocktail.
Will be coming back often! Especially for their sandwiches! Great place to come late afternoon when they open while the crowd isn't super large yet.-
Amazing cider
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Review from Michael B.
Manhattan, NYGreat place. $6 for any beer on the menu (they keep the prices level by varying the pour sizes). Taps change out nightly. Fantastic selection of American craft beers. Great staff who know what they're talking about.
Solid food menu, too. Great, well-designed options with 95% of the menu $10 and under.-
Rotating tap screen
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Review from Wendy C.
Caldwell, NJGood lord, the beer at this place is good. They have such a fantastic variety of brews on tap, it's overwhelming. They're SERIOUS about beer here, and the bartenders really know how to answer questions and give recommendations.
And the food is equally fantastic! I had a decadent fried oyster and bacon sandwich, which was just perfect next to my nice, hoppy IPA.
I'm glad I don't live nearby as I'd be here every freakin' day. -
Review from Shana K.
Love craft beers on tap? Go here! Be warned that the place is super loud and you'll likely have to stand. Completely worth it though. It's deceiving from the street, so go inside and have a few beers from around the state. I didn't see any food coming out of the kitchen, but I imagine they have some good pub food to go along with the beer selection. -
Review from Stephanie P.
Queens, NYI've been here about a solid handful of times and I can't believe I haven't review it yet! I do wish this place was a tad larger or perhaps not always so packed - but alas I guess that's what happens when a place serves fantastic gastropub fare and really fantastic craft beers.
My inner beer snob always loves coming here because I never know what I'm in for since their beer selection rotates depending upon what's available, what's in season and it often changes before your very eyes whenever they tap a keg out and ring their bell loudly to let everyone know that a new beer is now available.
Most of the beers here are domestic brews and there's usually a great representation of midwest and upstate New York breweries. There's always also a great balance of regular alcohol content and over-proofed beers and bartenders will let you sample any of the beers before you make a commitment. Awesome :).
The food here is pretty solid. Out of the handful of times I've been here I've only eaten here twice (as I'm normally just here for the beer, heh).
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Dishes I've tried are:
* Pulled Pork Sandwich made with homemade BBQ sauce and served on a toasted brioche roll. It's pretty delicious. Could be more meaty, but the pork was so juicy and flavorful as was the bread that I can't really complain too much.
* Their Grilled Cheese which Pony Bar describes as being an American Classic on toasted Pullman bread - I don't really know what "Pullman bread" is (but wikipedia says, " sometimes called the "sandwich loaf" or "pan bread", is a type of bread made with white flour and baked in a long, narrow, lidded pan."), but as far as I'm concerned their grilled cheese comes on TEXAS TOAST and is perfectly buttery and delicious. The bread is super thick and fluffy - I do wish it absorbed more flavor and was a little crunchy - but it's a simple classic sandwich and pretty well done here.
* Naked Thai Calamari - it's served with a sweet chili sauce as a dipping sauce and it wasn't bad, but it's also not the end-all-be-all of calamari...
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Looking over at their menu I'd love to try their Veal Meatball Sandwich which sounds pretty damn delicious - Tasty veal orbs, Mozzarella-Provolone Cheese, toasted ciabatta roll - YUM. Gonna bookmark that meal for my next venture here, lol.
Come here for the beer, eat if you like and bring company because these things are best shared with people you like! Also, during Happy Hour I think everything is $1-2 off.
Don't come here if you're looking for $3 drafts or you'll be sorely disappointed. Most beers are $6-8, but they're QUALITY. Pony Bar is not a dive, it's a real beer lover's (ie. snob) bar :).-
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Fried pickles my friend ordered!
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Review from Jasmine S.
Rutherford, NJBeer was great here. The bar was slammed with orders. The place was packed! Great signs of a great bar! Craft beer on tap! They have new beers on tap all the time.. I want to check out there beer events.. -
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Review from Brian K.
JACKSON HEIGHTS, NYThe original Pony Bar in NYC. This bar is a semi-regular stop for me while out on the town. This says something since it isn't very convenient to get to. Located on 45th Street and 10th Avenue, the closest subway line is the A-C-E at Port Authority.
You will only find American made beers at this establishment. Price still can't really be beat as each pour is $6 (the size varies depending on ABV or exclusivity.) They used to be $5 a pour which was even more awesome.
They do have some of everyone's macro-brews but they cost a buck more than the amazing craft brews. However, if you are looking for a Bud, do yourself a favor and go elsewhere.
This place lost a star for me because they got rid of my favorite food staple, The Sausage Party (Please bring it back!). I really want to give it a *****. -
Review from Laura P.
Ithaca, NYMy best road trip companion and I made a trip down to NYC for a weekend of fun. We found the Pony Bar after seeing a Broadway show.
First off, loved the atmosphere. Totally relaxed with a twinge of the unknown. You could choose from the awesome selection of craft beers on tap that day. Needless to say we were psyched when we paid $8 for two pints. Unheard of in NYC in my opinion. I discovered Pyramid Outburst thanks to my new friend Paul who appeared to be a regular there, and it is now one of my favorite beers to buy. Thank God they sell it at Wegmans.
The bartenders were cool and attentive, which is difficult to find sometimes in midtown. They were both extremely knowledgeable about the beers they were serving up. The best part of the evening hands down came when a creepy lurker was harassing patrons and the bartender went nuts on him NYC style. "LOOK, I'M TRYING TO BE NICE TO YOU HERE....GET THE FUCK OUT!"
God I love New York. Thanks for letting me eat your curly fries, Paul. -
Review from K A.
Manhattan, NYGreat beer bar. Cheaper than most of the other good beer bars in the city. Wide selection, but more importantly, skews toward harder to get stuff over the (relatively) well distributed craft brews from dogfish/founders/kona etc. They fill their own branded growlers only. I've never eaten here. It does fill up with the afterwork crowd as you would expect but still not a horrible place to catch a game (I like the TV placement compared to most non sports bars) but you may be standing as seating can be limited. -
Review from Keith L.
Bro, let's grab a brew at Pony Bar. You know, that tiny, crowded joint on 10th Avenue. No, there won't be any chicks there, man. It's always a total sausage fest. Who cares! It's just us, some good convo, and some craft brews. You know how we love craft brews, bro. #bromance -
Review from Jordan M.
Gallop into the sunset with a craft beer in your hand!
Or just grab a seat (if you can find one). Being forced to stand up won't come between me and having a pint.
Last words: I know this was short and sweet, but this place is that simple: great craft beer. Not trying to be anything they're not (a great example for us all)! -
Review from Rob D.
I love this place. Great selection of craft beers! And the food is awesome!!! I've had the short rib sandwich, pulled pork sandwich, and lamb sliders. It's hard to pick a favorite, but since I rarely see it on any other menus in town, the lamb sliders would be it. The fried horseradish pickles are awesome, but at the same time I think frying them tends to take away the potency, but that's just me. All the bartenders are super friendly and knowledgeable about the beers they have on tap. If you're looking for a craft beer bar that serves great food, this is the spot to hit. Cheers! -
Review from Kayleigh W.
Manhattan, NYBartenders in NY aren't typically the most patient individuals. Asking to taste a beer before ordering a full one = eyeroll. Getting a beer without half a glass of head = miracle.
So needless to say I was shocked when the bartender at the Pony Bar graciously allowed us to try a handful of beers before making our final picks. Add in the fact that the brews are awesome + the location is around the corner from my crib = SOLD.
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