I just moved to the UES and this is my new favorite place in the City. After only two visits the bartenders knew my name and greeted me so warmly when I walked in They let me taste the beer before trying too! I usually come around happy hour time and the prices are insane; $11 for a margarita and fries, wow (plus these are the best fries I've ever had). Such a low key vibe inside and it's never too crowded or loud. read more

The Pony Bar - Best fries EVER! - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Good spot for a craft beer, though it took a surprising amount of time for anyone to see me despite it not being too crowded yet. (I think it was a shift change.) There's a beer for everyone. Prices aren't inherently obvious, which I don't love, but ultimately the price was on par with the area. There was only one area to perch by an open window, but it did the trick while I enjoyed my IPA. read more

Came here for a friends birthday and it was the perfect spot! You can get a small side of fries for $3 with your drink. I had a pickle martini which is perfect for all pickle fans! read more

The Pony Bar - Pickle martini - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Cute bar, horrific cocktails. As someone who averages a few martinis a day, this isn't the place. The spicy pickle martini tasted like bottled water from a Chernobyl spring. read more

We came here for HH around 5 and there were plenty of tables available. You seat yourself and then order at the bar. This truly is a no frills, great bar. They have lots of craft beers on tap - there is a board with their names and details. They also have some draught cocktails like old fashioneds. Food wise, they have your typical bar food like wings, fries, burgers. For HH they had things like $3 tacos, $3 cup of fries, $5 smash burger, $8 beers and draught cocktails, $8 salad. We got the steak taco and it was pretty good! The smash burger has just patty and cheese but was pretty good also. Overall, very happy and excited to visit again! read more

The Pony Bar - HH Steak taco, HH smash burger, HH cup of fries - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Honestly love this place. Amazing service, unexpectedly good food that leaves you with a full and satisfied. The happy hour deals are great and all day/night on Monday's which is something to take advantage of on Monday's. Besides the food, the vibe of the place is awesome. Clean, fun, and chill. Great spot in the upper east side. read more

The Pony Bar - Burger, fries, Caesar salad - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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My neighborhood bar. Good beer and good vibe. There aren't many casual beer places in the area read more

The Pony Bar - Wheat Ale, prison city - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

This place is awesome. Such great service and the staff is amazing. Ask for Courtney. Great food and place to relax for a bit. read more

The Pony Bar has been around a long time, and for fans of the beer app Untappd holds a special distinction as being the favorite bar of the founder. This fact made it into a must-visit for me; ultimately we were mixed but had a fun visit nonetheless. Pony Bar is located on the Upper East Side in an area with lots of other great restaurants and bars. It sits on the corner of a block, giving the space lots of large open windows from two sides. The decor is mostly wood, with a great old bar, creaky floor, and restrooms in the basement making each visit there an adventure. We visited on a weekday afternoon and it was busy. One unfortunate thing was the amount of reserved tables for future times, no matter where we wanted to sit it felt there was a rush being placed on us. The food menu wasn't that large either so we basically turned a planned long visit into a short one for just drinks. The bartenders were a highlight - one was immediately friendly, the other warmed up to our party. When I explained why I was there, they gave us a ton of free swag (stickers, matchbooks, coasters, bottle openers). It was this personal connection that made the visit special. As far as beer goes, they have an amazing tap list plus a super limited can list from some special and difficult-to-find breweries in the area. Everything was from New York, with one exception from Philly. I ordered two drafts and one can, picking the most special ones on. They do not do flight or sample sizes. It's worth the visit if you're in the area and a fan of beer. read more

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The staff at NR nearby told us that people wait at the Pony Bar before they get seated. We were lucky that we were here on a Monday because they have happy hour all day on Mondays! I had a hot apple jerry. It was delicious! I'd get this again. We tried the tacos. They are itty bitty. I would cry if I had to pay more than $2 for them. (They're $5 regularly and $2 during happy hour.) Bartenders were chill. read more

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Great bar to go watch sports, loved the selection of drinks and food. Was packed but went for a big round of games. I'm sure the service is better when it's not so crowded but one of our group members waited an extremely long time for their food, the overall wait for everything was a tad long but maybe it's better on a less packed night. read more

Good selection of local beers. We didn't order the food but it looked decent from other tables. The place was clean and the vibe was good but luckily lighting should be adjusted as it was quite dark and a bit loud. It's a nice bar that is good to stop at but there are more memorable places in the city, great place if this is a local place to you that you want a quick drink. read more

The Pony Bar - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Great spot to have a drink and watch game. Selection of beers is great. Staff super nice! read more

The Pony Bar - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Great joint, great bartenders and decent bar food. All around good crew of locals. And they buy you a beer now and then. read more

We stopped by at this local casual bar on a Monday night. All draft beers are $7 and there's a wide array of beers to choose from. Tacos are all $3 and you can choose from shrimp, pork, steak, chicken and black beans. You order at the bar and give the your table number for the food. I tried a shrimp, steak and pork taco, and each was topped with some salsa onion and guac in a corn shell. They were pretty standard for a bar and very filling. Service was nice and quick. read more

The Pony Bar - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Pretty straight-forward pub in a super convenient location. Service was nice and there was a good amount of options. I didn't realize that the two TVs had different options, so be aware of that (only because I wish I had ordered something from the second TV). Prices were super reasonable. And bar seating was nice with tons of options. read more

Absolutely least friendly help and bartenders. Food is marginal at best - but can always get a seat. So many other places that are close that are so much better. read more

I was here for some drinks, it was a great time. The bartender, Jess Hackett, was phenomenal. Attentive, and genuine. Also, they made the best homemade Mule. Great staff, great music, good time. read more

The Pony Bar - Open seating - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

I never ate here - only got a drink. A lot of reviews say the food is really good, so I can't speak on that. I am not also a huge fan of more gourmet beers, so I probably can't appreciate all options available. Decor feels a little country western (lots of wood, tables seemed to resemble barrels). Clientele seem to skew to 20's/30's. There seems to be a lot of seating available. Only odd thing is some of the chairs are essentially stools and are very low. Not comfortable to be seated for a long period of time. Overall, a good casual place to grab a drink with friends. read more

Came here for happy hour and thought the food/drinks were alright. The pornstar martini drink was pretty solid with the passionfruit flavors but the mai tai slushie was a little too artificial for me. I've heard the food is ok here but it was disappointing in my experience. I liked the pimento cheese and their pretzel, but the fries were just average. The nachos didn't really have much toppings. The wings were listed as "jumbo" but all of the pieces were pretty small without much meat. Even though the place wasn't that busy, the food still took a little longer than expected for NYC restaurants/bars. Unfortunately the bartenders weren't even nice. read more

I like this place. Good happy hour deals. But THIS was the gumbo, that's NOT gumbo. The broth was so thin. Tacos were decent though! read more

The Pony Bar - "Gumbo" - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Good spot for a quick drink. Their beer list is extensive and fun to try. Didn't try the food options. Fun casual bar in the city. read more

I really enjoyed my first experience here. We can on Taco Tuesday and the deals were amazing. The tacos tasted amazing too. Great eclectic selection of beers. The second time around, I had the same bartender. She was impatient, annoyed, and even just straight up rude. She was not having it when the group wanted water. Although my group was big, around 8 people, we were very courteous and considerate by bringing cups to her or collecting them to one side. We all have our bad days. I hope her days are better. Either way if you're okay with inconsistent customer service but delicious tacos. This is the spot. read more

Decent spot for drinks, so many TVs which is great for sports. Good selection of beers. I also got the nachos with my party of 5 and it was cold when it got to the table but I'll overlook it. I would come back when I'm in the area! read more

Solid bar with good spacing. Enjoyed two beers and some nachos. Pretty wide variety of beers on tap to choose from. No complaints about my experience. read more

Very sad to post this review.... but serving me a frozen burger patty, with some commercial bun, wilted lettuce, and slice of tomato and charging $15?!!! To shame! I used to have some of my favorite, unique bar foods from here preCovid as well as preFire (an estranged employee actually poured gasoline on the bar and lit it on fire). Much has changed since then, is such a sad way. They have one of the best selections of beers, rotating, seasonals, and cask! Now with no food to back it up. When asked about the poor food selection and the removal of some of my favorites (including the hand sliced kettle chips, and fried oyster burger to say a few) I was told prep was too time consuming and they don't have the kitchen staff. I'm certainly going to give this location another try once they figure out how to make the food more appealing. 5 stars for the booze, -30 stars for the food! read more

A great bar in the UES. Tried a few of their drinks including the pickle drink which was interesting. Food was decent too! Would come back

Cool laid back place. The layout leaves room for plenty of people in the event the bar gets fully and roudy, plenty of space to walkthrough crowds. I was a little confused at first because they have sit down tables and food on the menu, but the waitress does not serve you. You to get up and order your food at the bar and then pick it up too. In my opinion, if you serve food you should serve the food. Otherwise the moscow mule is yummy! read more

Not that busy even on a Friday night but we enjoyed our time here! They even had a sour beer which I enjoyed and I like their wings--double fried! And the spicy buffalo sauce was actually decently spicy! read more

The Pony Bar - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Place looks nice. the french fries and nachos were meh, the rim of my water cup and the table were sticky, had to go up to the bar to get water. read more

You got to get on this pony, man! This somewhat cozy craft beer bar has some incredible local beers. They also have some out of state good beers, but most of their tap list is from NY State breweries that are up and coming. If you don't have time to visit every brewery, this is the place to go. Also, the people here are pretty cool. Talkative, funny, generous, I felt very comfortable here, despite not having a clue of what part of the city this is. This place also has a food menu, although the area is full of eating options. You make that call. The bottle list seems tiny (assuming from the tiny fridge), but the tap handles are plentiful. For what's on tap, check them out online. read more

The Pony Bar - Beer - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

If you are a beer lover, The Pony Bar is the place to be, knowledgeable bartenders that provide you to details each beer on the menu.

Great post work spot- opens at 3 just when you need a real deal break. Get a 64OZ GROWLER yes you heard right from around 16 drafts changing all the time to take home $24-$29. Bring your own if you got it. Pigs in a blanky, taco time, or wing out- love it here. Live your best happy hour life! read more

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I really don't like beer. But I was really lucky and arrived at happy hour with my friend. All drinks are $6. I tried 2 really fruity beers. They tasted like fruit and didn't have the gross beer taste. I would come back to try all the different types of beer. It's a nice big bar with chill friendly staff. read more

The Pony Bar - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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I love their chicken and shrimp tacos!. Love the bar. Casual, good food, and good friendly service . They also have outdoor seating and tv inside. read more

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This review should actually be 2-stars based on my last visit, but I'm giving Pony Bar an extra star based on all of my fond memories in the past. This used to be my go-to spot for happy hour and I loved the staff. Unfortunately, the pandemic changed everything, with staff moving on and the menu changing. As stated above, my last visit was less than stellar, as my friend and I received room temperature, undercooked boneless buffalo wings. It was shocking, to say the least! read more

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We were just looking for an afternoon refreshment and the Pony bar delivered. A couple of our first choices were not available but the staff was helpful and ultimately everyone left refreshed read more

The Pony Bar - Menu - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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I'm invited here for the 6th anniversary of Untappd. Cool bar in UES with great beer selection. You can check their realtime taps online. I think that's really cool. I tried their Buffalo Pierogies and Naked Thai Calamari; they tasted amazing. Will definitely come back to try more beers and Candied Pork Belly Meat Sticks here. read more

The Pony Bar - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

An Upper East Side gem, The Pony Bar keeps up an impressive rotation of beers and ciders year round. You won't find the standard Aheuser-Busch or Coor's options (although they may serve some in bottles/cans.) Mixed drinks and wine are also available but don't come here for that. When you arrive, grab a few drink menus and a place to sit. You'll want a chance to read through what they have on tap as it's always changing. Everything is ordered at the bar so don't wait for a server to come around. You'll be able to sample anything you'd like and flights are available as well. While most of their beers are around $8, they are served in different size glasses so make sure you check that before you order- unless you just don't care. The menu here is strong and has been overhauled within the last year. There's really no bad options on the menu so feel free to follow your heart. Again, order at the bar and the food will be served to you. read more

The Pony Bar - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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American Craft Beer Extravaganza! So much beer to choose from and so little time to drink them all! One does not simply walk into the Pony Bar expecting to order an imported beer. Well, actually, they just don't have any here. American beers all the way baby! It was quite fitting to down a few here yesterday on the 4th of July. This new outpost of beer love is a terrific addition to the UES neighborhood we reside in and has already become a hot spot. With over 20 rotating beers on tap there is more than enough diversity for everyone's palate. Ciders and cask beers too. All of the beers are a ridiculously affordable $5 each. Yes, all of them! It's cray cray! So while the frat boys were downing $7 Heinekens and lame Bud Lights at the many bars in the area I was enjoying some might tasty craft beers here last night. Boulder, Barrier, Kona, Coney Island, Southampton, and Abita are just a few that we happily imbibed. It seems the higher ABV gets an 8 ounce pour while those under 8% ABV get a 14 ounce pour. They also offer growlers to go at a reasonable fee, for either $16 or $19, plus a small deposit on the glass. Bartenders seem to know their beer and will happily offer tastings if you want to sample a few before your purchase. Love the rustic decor here. Canoe hanging from the ceiling, spacious with lots of seating, growler jars used as hanging lamps, barrels used as tables, beer signage everywhere, great classic rock playing, and only a few tv's. It's meant to be a gathering place for beer lovers, and succeeds admirably. Behind the bar are two large digital screens listing all the beer available that day. When they change beers the bartender rings a bell notifying everyone that a new beer has been tapped. Sweet! The Pony Bar also sports a nifty menu of food offerings. Their home made potato chips with malt vinegar are addicting. Large hot soft hot pretzels with deli mustard help soak up the beer. The sandwiches are huge! I had the fried oyster and bacon with lettuce, spicy tartar sauce, on toasted Pullman bread. A big messy to eat but delicious. We also had the eggplant sandwich with roasted red peppers, zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, on a toasted ciabatta roll. Also very good, and a nice option for beer loving vegans. There are a few qualms I have with the place. Horrible acoustics. It gets extremely loud in here. The AC seems to be on as some parts of the bar are cooler than others, and the bathrooms are like a sauna. As it's the UES it seems like the baby carriage crowd is here during the afternoon hours. Still, these are minor things that in no way affects my view of this wonderful American craft beer emporium. I saw a mixed crowd here that did range from mostly mid 20-somethings and older, but was not really an obnoxious frat boy gathering. Everyone was here to enjoy beer and the company of friends. Seriously, if you give Pony Bar anything less than three stars you really should be hanging out in the old folks home. That, or just give up drinking beer. read more

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