Trivia on Thursday night was fun. I like that it was not crazy competitive and that we actually got paper to look at instead of just up on a screen. But don't,get me wrong, if you are there to watch sports; they have a TV for you. I swear there had to be at least 35 screens in that place with that many different games on. A sports viewer's dream. The cheeseburger was yummy and any place that has tots gets a thumbs up in my book! read more

If there's one thing I'm going to remember about my experience at the pony inn. It was their delicious bowl of chili, something that warmed up my body on a chilly Chicago day! Chili not pictured unfortunately , as the phone did not eat first read more

Fun little bar with unique seating!!! We came here on a Friday night for some March madness fun! They had the games on with sound! we loveddddddd the bartender Daniel and our waitress was very kind as well!!! We ordered the chicken tenders with ranch and man what a surprise!!!!!!!!! Delicious crunch and flavor and as someone from Texas that ranch was something special!!!!!!! I saw a pizza come out that looks incredible so I will have to go back! They had some great drink deals and $5 shots! This bar will absolutely go into the rotation! Definitely an older crowd but we think that's fun!!! read more

The Pony Inn - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Fun atmosphere, great service! Yummy food. We had a big group & they took great care of us. read more

The Pony Inn - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cool chill spot to watch a game. Solid food, drinks, and service. Great neighborhood spot.

Good bar but they had 1 bartender serving 50+ people so it took a ridiculous amount of time to order a drink. Would only come back if they figure out how to staff correctly read more

Got the BBQ nachos at Square Roots Fest. Five stars for flavor (it's their BBQ pulled pork), but three for portion size. Ten bucks for this little dish! read more

The Pony Inn - BBQ nachos at Square Roots Fest. - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Pat was so accommodating towards a last minute private party. Nick was an excellent bar tender, my group had a great experience. Easy going people and a perfect upstairs space read more

Came in here a few times on Saturdays and it gets pretty busy and loud, but it's a good atmosphere and the service is great! There's plenty of seating and most of the tables have their own TVs. This would be a perfect place to catch a sports game. Their menu is pretty extensive and the pricing is actually lower than most other spots in the area. I highly recommend their salads - you can't beat the price and the portion! read more

Rude bartender, refused to do the brunch mimosa deal that is advertised on the website as well as a sign on the outside of the bar. We had to buy orange juice from the Walgreens across the street to even drink a single mimosa. Last time I was there my friend was given a beer with glass in it but we gave pony a second chance given it's usually empty and there are plenty of TVs. Probably shouldn't have given it a second chance... read more

A sports bar in the whole sense of the word; small enough to feel intimate, but large enough to accommodate a large groups of friends. With 22 tv's screens there is no blind spot for sport watching. The place has a narrow front giving the appearance to be smaller than it is, but it is long to the rear. There are a few tables at the front, that gives the appearance of being at a patio with the opening store front windows. The long bar covers about half the length of the place, seating over 20 customers while providing enough space for the number of bartenders the place requires. On the opposite wall from the bar is a row of booths, each for 4  ppl per table (or 6 If you must). At the rear is a table for 8 or 10 customers and a few more booths I stopped in on the Kentucky derby day. They were having a special offering unlimited, selected drinks and food for 3 hours for a set price. A good deal, and for heavy drinkers, a great deal. A DJ played music constantly, alternating with  a one person live act, playing guitar, and singing with pre recording music. The food is decent for sport bar, and I have no complaints about the service; it was friendly and cordial. Although, a little understaffed for the day. About my only complaint, and this is a matter of taste, is that the music was too loud; In a narrow space, loud music and people screaming trying to hold a conversation, this is literally a place where you can not hear yourself think. read more

See all

A sport's lover's Paradise. This is an Ultimate Sports Bar. Went here for the Kentucky #Derby Day party. For $50 per person we had unlimited food, bourbon glazed smoked Pig, fried chicken, mac and cheese, coleslaw, baked beans, salad and cornbread. Unlimited beverages included Woodford Reserve mint juleps which by the way we're very good, important, crafts, and domestic pints, Pony punch cocktails and wine. Both live and recorded music added to the festivities. The drinks and food were really good, but the company and atmosphere were even better. A picture of the lady in the yellow dress With approximately 25 flat screen TVs, including one of each table in the main bar you can watch a sporting event from any place in the main area. Lots of space, with at least seating for 8 at the bar oh, there's also 9 booths thaty seat 4 and tables in both the front and the back in order to accommodate many more. Loved the rustic decor, and the efficient staff. My only complaint, is that we were sitting in the back and the music was way too loud. In fact, when we left, you could still hear the music from a half a block away. Will come back here with friends on another occasion read more

See all

This place is okay with plenty of TVs for games, but we had two different waitresses that hardly ever came when we wanted another round of drinks or food. They mostly talked to guys at the bar and didn't pay attention. We had to wave them down consistently. The food is okay at best as well. The filet sliders are definitely not filet meat, and were burnt. If you're drunk, I'm sure the food would suffice, but it's not very good otherwise. Finally, they definitely don't enforce people wearing a mask when they get up from the table or go to the bathroom, but they did check vaccination cards and ids when we entered. read more

Fun bar with live music on Wednesdays. Great to pop in on if you're in the area. The beer selection was good and service was nice.

Love the pony! Great food and drinks and amazing DJ! Fav spot for Kentucky games. The location of perfect it's right on Belmont making it easy to get to in lake view. read more

I went here for the half price appetizers. Upon arriving they check your ID at the door no matter what time of day it is. I was greeted and properly seated. Our waitress gave us menus but not a welcoming friendly attitude. Very nonchalant for it to be a Friday afternoon. She barely gave us 5 minutes to view the menu before asking if we wanted to place an order for a drink (alcoholic). She was sweet but pushy on wanting us to order something besides water. So friend and I ordered a jack and coke and one margarita. She took our meal order and the food arrived in a timely fashion. The wings are basic bar food. Either hot or bbq. No in between. The fries.... don't get them unless you do waffle fries. I didn't know he fries were going to be a mockery of steak and shake's French fries. Plus they were nearly burnt to a crisp and no salt/ seasoning added as described on the menu. My friend on the other hand, ordered the calamari and waffle fry nachos. Her dishes were amazing. Definitely would've paid full price if they were not half off. The one thing I did like about the bar here is your option to choose top shelf liquor or well liquor. And if you choose top shelf in any drink, it's only a $2-3 up charging. read more

See all

How the hell is it possible that there are 30-some reviews for this place, yet no one's mentioned the stack? That's the reason I heard about Pony Inn: a location in Chicago to get the infamous Diner Stack from Merry-Ann's Diner down in Champaign. Heck, the menu lists it as "U OF I STYLE!" I sincerely hope any Illinois alumni who loved Merry Ann's can appreciate this review. Ok, it's a pretty nice and open place for a sports bar, but we did come in on a Saturday morning. But we didn't order any drinks. No, our party of three were here to have a stack. They only serve the Breakfast Stack Saturday and Sunday mornings, which I consider a poor business decision. It's hard to eat that much gravy when you're sober. I guess I should explain what a stack is: a base of hash browns, topped with a couple sausage patties, some cheese, a biscuit, eggs any style, and the whole thing is smothered in sausage gravy. Compared to the authentic version, the gravy isn't as thick as it should be, and they don't really give enough hash browns. Still, it's better than driving two and a half hours for one. And we still cried tears of joy once the food came out. If only they would serve them at 2am... read more

The Pony Inn - Stack. Sausage. Over easy. Biscuit. - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Found myself at the Pony Inn this past Saturday for a friend's going away party, and had a nice time. The Pony Inn is your typical sports bar, nothing super special, but it did make for a decent venue for our small get together. If not for our group this Saturday evening, the place would have been just about empty, except for a few couples and small groups sitting at the bar. We were able to congregate in the back area where there was a "dance floor" that was playing surprisingly good music! The DJ played majority 80s and 90s hits, which we were living for! The DJ definitely made the evening. They offered a 40$ wristband special, which after I got my tab, should have been the route I took. I think their price for a well vodka soda was a little steep, but guess that's my fault for not opting into the wristband deal. Overall, I had a decent time and would come back for another party or special occasion, not sure I would visit on my own. read more

When it was time to leave one of the bartenders yelled at me and my girl friends to get out while nothing was said to the men in the bar. I told the boss what had happened and he didn't seem to care at all. I voiced my complaints and was treated by mysoginistic people in the bar and will not be returning again. This was not a pleasant experience at all and I am sad that this was how I was treated at this establishment. read more

The Pony is a great place to hang out. I have been going here for about 10 years and love it. I will say that their food menu is not as good as it used to be. However, the service is always good and the drinks are always flowing. read more

Went to the Pony in for Trivia the other night. The trivia is definitely interesting compared to what I've done before. It was all fill in the blanks, which I was not expecting. However, we did have a good time having drinks on a Thursday night. read more

I became a regular over the summer after my beach volleyball team came here to support our sponsor each week. I've tried a few things across the menu, but have a few favorites. The burgers are good overall - with the exception of the turkey burger. Both my friend and I found the turkey burger too dry on more than one occasion. You must try any of the famous grilled cheese and dipping sauces. The sandwiches are the length of a loaf of bread (just sliced the "wrong" way). They are perfectly buttery and grilled! Easily a full meal with leftovers! Like any bar there is a full selection of beer. They do make cocktails here though - one can get a mean Jack & ginger! And the service - its good. Both at table and at the bar. They will split your check - refreshing, right?! read more

The Pony Inn - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here after running the Chicago Marathon since it was advertised that the entire group would receive 26.2% off the entire bill. Since I live close by, I was thinking it'd be perfect cause I could wobble down home after my celebration dinner. Coming in, the place was empty and the host/bouncer said that the 26.2% off wasn't applicable for The Pony, just their sister bar in Bucktown.. I pulled up where I saw the advertisement, he took it to the manager, and they said they'll honor it. Funny thing was that when my boyfriend went to use the restroom, there was an advertisement in there too. So it seems like communication might be an issue with staff and management. No worries since we got that settled and confirmed that split checks were doable, always a big plus. We ordered a bunch of appetizers, entrees, and drinks. Everything was standard bar type of food and standard pricing. I will say that the tater tots were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. They were delicious. All in all, nothing too notable here. The clydesdale, which is the grilled cheese, was hugeeee. Good deal for just $11. The cowboy burger was just okay. Wings were a good size and juicy. Waffle nachos were good. I'd come back out of convenience. But nothing was too spectacular. read more

See all

Really a solid bar. Great drink deals, good food, good prices! Staff was super nice and helpful. The space is really big and awesome. Perfect for hosting functions. I was here for a group party on Saturday night and they were so helpful and allowed us to use the upstairs. Just overall a really solid bar! read more

Overall: Standard run-of-the-mill sports bar. Nothing great, nothing terrible. Just a fun average place, which is okay! The good: Lots of space and overall a pretty good music selection for the younger crowd. The bartenders are friendly the few times I've been there, and they at least have decent food. Pretty good sized TVs. The not-so-good: Overpriced food and drinks. Not the best selection in the world. The atmosphere has much to be desired. It's just a pretty standard sports bar kind of place. Nothing special about it. read more

Since when does wearing an ironic shirt and toting a Mac confer mad DJ skills? The only dj's I know that rock the look and pull that off are Steve Aoki, Girl Talk and Nikki C. I attended a birthday party here this weekend and was excited to try out a new bar, but first impressions aren't everything - especially when the DJ refuses to play the requests of not just one or two, but FOUR birthday girls. yeah, that's right. A Beatles song was rejected, Britney was "just played" and apparently, the cupid shuffle was "too ghetto" for the crowd. I know, don't you wish we could have chucked the guy into Hyde Park? too ghetto, my ass. Ugh, I like to sing and dance to "save a horse, ride a cowboy", but country only = NOT inclusive bar. I know spots that throw a bone to all music aficionados. Unfortunately, the Pony's not one of them. Plus the drinks are overpriced, probably to cover for all the $$ they blew on the gratuitous flat screen TVs. Gag. Skip it if you can, especially if you're a birthday girl - you may not be a diva but you should damn well get your choice of music. And you certainly shouldn't have to pay downtown prices for food/drink at a spot that's out of the way from every major train line or neighborhood. *edit 6/2009: So I got a lovely one-liner PM from i'm assuming the owner: "Just pleases don't come back!" http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=yPc8OeG93b_VR5_y1VY7ng rest assured, I never will. *edit 11/2013: Well, I clearly don't check my messages very often, but I got another delightful passive aggressive little PM from another relatively unknown yelp user: "Skip it if you can, especially if you're a birthday girl" --- A birthday girl???? WTF???? Really? How old? 10 years old?????" http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=BghHxlcIBq_4g-h7BwQpeQ you want to talk "how old"? pot calling the kettle black there. way to let go of a grudge for a review I wrote FIVE YEARS AGO. My friends and I had a terrible time and I stand by whatever sentiments I had at the time. This is the whole point of this website - real reviews from real people. You've managed to succeed in a tough city by staying open and I give you props for that. So please get over it and stop harassing me. Thanks. read more

When I heard "Pony Inn" on Belmont and Ashland, I have to admit that I pictured something so totally different from what the Pony Inn actually is... I was picturing a dive bar with a few pounds extra, hairy bartenders in their 50's, maybe a TV or two, still reaking of the cigarette smoke from last December - so imagine my surprise when it was a seemingly brand new place with incredible interiors, flat-screen TV's everywhere you look, GORGEOUS bartenders (men and women - my favorite is Saturday night's bartender Jason) and Dannity Kane's "Damaged" blasting upon our entry... Drink service at the bar was a TAD bit slow (probably because the bar is just so darn hard to get to) but the bartenders are so good looking, I didn't/don't mind too much. Now that's the way to hire! I had the 14 inch "Clydesdale" grilled cheese last night - FANTASTIC! Great for four people. Others have already said this, but the place was really, really hard to characterize. It has a sports bar-esque appearance, a dive bar attitude (people were just there to have a good time with decent people), a Lincoln Park soundtrack and an odd mix of hipster and downtown club with the staff. I spent hours there just last night and I couldn't easily describe it to anyone - I just know that I would definitely recommend it and return. read more

The Pony Inn - The Clydesdale Grilled Cheese Sandwich - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The Pony gets 2 stars for their great service. Our server worked really hard to find a perfect table for a big group! Alas, if you're stuck near the windows, you will have a great view, but no tv (well, almost no tv) and you may get walked on by folks trying to go upstairs. All in all, this wasn't bad as my team was losing so badly, I didn't even want to see the tv.... However, I dropped stars because of the food...really really not good bar food. The pizza was edible, but probably because I was starving. This is definitely a spot for drinking or chatting, not eating.... Again, good service, bad food! read more

I've been to the Pony a handful of times so let me break down the two most common situations in detail. -Late night Saturday The (bad) music is always on 11. Trying to get a drink is a chore. The air reeks of cologne, hair gel, and fake tans. The mixed drink pours were not very friendly. Did I mentioned the (bad) music was incredibly loud? -Afternoon sports watching venue Here is where the Pony shines. Tons of tv's, every booth has a TV to itself along with the plethora of big screens. The menu is solid and the food is pretty good pub grub. I've had the chicken club, a couple of the salads, and the sliders...all of which were really good. Volume is still a bit loud, but for sports, that's totally cool. The best part is the douchebags are still at home playing xbox and the trixies are still at the tanning salon. -Overall The entire staff seems to "get it." They are all quick and polite. Unfortunately, the clientele is a bit of a downer. Go for a game or maybe happy hour, but make sure you are out the door when the Rhianna comes on. read more

The Pony Inn - Miller Lite ponys for $3. - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great bar with a ton of TVs to watch all your favorite teams. Awesome beer list and bar bites. Staff is super friendly and provide excellent service. Will definitely come again. read more

I wanted to take Paul and Sarah to Kuma's on Sunday morn before the doors opened. Somehow the people behind us ended up before us and the wait was estimated as an hour and half. I couldn't think of anywhere else on Belmont, so I decided on House of Sushi and Noodles which unfortunately was closed. So with our Phuket attitude we settled for the nearest restaurant which was Pony Inn and it was not crowded at all. Which is usually not a great sign during brunch time, but Phuket! However, sometimes unplanned circumstances has its surprises. I've had waffles and I've had fried chicken, but I've never had chicken n waffles. I was asking myself, why did I not take advantage of this Mike Tyson two punch combination while I was in ATL? The waffles were a bit soggy, but the chicken drizzled with some honey made me a jollibee. But I'll tell you what. The thing that totally saved the day. The one little quarter sized item that just lifted my spirits and melted my frustration was the unexpected strawberry butter. Oh, strawberry butter, if I had a tub of you, I would rub you on everything including myself. I Ginuwinely thought this was a pretty cool place. This was almost like a modern day saloon. The only thing missing was a brothel upstairs and a massive brawl. But maybe that only happens at night when the service goes rawhide. $6 Chicken N Waffles, I will be back. read more

See all

I used to live right across the street from the Pony, and am luckily still in walking distance. This is hands down my favorite place to watch the Hawks games in Chicago. They bring in a really great crowd that just makes the games that much better. Their upstairs room is really cool because the roof contracts during the summer, which makes you feel like you're on a patio when really you're still inside. It brings in a nice breeze, and is perfect for spring/summer/early fall. The food I would say is slightly better than average, not great but not horrible either. It's just your standard bar food really...the chili and chicken sandwiches are my usual go to. My rating is for the over all atmosphere, service, and food quality. read more

The Pony Inn - Buffalo chicken pizza....uhmazing. - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The brunch buffet was what I had come for. They were advertising that this is a new addition to their bar that is one of my favorite places for burgers and fries. So why not brunch! The start up needs some work but over all not bad. There was a communication issues between the kitchen and owners. Kitchen thought the brunch started at 12 and the ad said 11. So we sat here for 30 mins waiting for the start up. Once the start happened though food was pretty good. The omelette station is amazing and it came out perfectly cooked!! Just the way I like it. Thin but not too thin, and def not over cooked where you see the brown crisps of the egg. Kudos to the chef behind the station. The house made Bloody Mary mix is also very good! Probably one of the best I've had in the city. You can taste the tomatoes! None of that premix crap where it's extra vinegary. My feedback to this new addition is to have the set up ready when a advertised is one. Two, the biscuit's gravy is a bit on the salty side which could happen when it sits out (water evaporates and salt stays). Three, the Bloody Mary and mimosa bar should be closer to the bar to avoid a cluster once this picks up. When people start moving toward the buffet the line may get chaotic and the DIY cocktail station is too close to the food where there might be way too many people in that corner. read more

The Pony Inn - The bar - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A charming establishment featuring a friendly, accommodating staff. Delicious drink and food options from an extensive menu. In particular, the pizza and tacos are fantastic. Rustic, cabin-like ambiance has a calming, comforting effect. Located in the hoppin' neighborhood of Lakeview, The Pony is a must-stop for Chicago residents and visitors alike! read more

This place is awesome! I went for the euro finals and it was decked out in so many TVs. Service was great and the drinks were fast. Food is typical bar food and not too bad pricing wise. Overall, great vibes! read more

The Pony Inn - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Grits were salty and the wings were not that great.. BBQ sauce was too sweet. Only reason I gave em 3 stars is because the bartender was extremely nice! Wine selection kinda sucks too.. Use to love the grilled cheese from here tho.. read more

The Pony Inn - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Great spot for sports. Even as an 'away fan' this was a great bar for a large group. Food was all around great and they were happy to have us as customers. read more

The Pony Inn - Down the bar galley - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Poor selection and poor service. I was ready to order several rounds but even though it was not busy everything took forever and was flat or watered down. Disappointing. read more

I been here a several times and is always to watch the UK games. My friends are all fans of Uk. This is a known UK bar in chicago. They have many large screen to watch the game. Is a really nice bar, big but good. They have good beer specials on game days. The food is good also. I love the chicken wings there! So spicy and good( some of the best I had). The staff is really friendly. I'm sure I'll be back for a UK game. read more

The Pony Inn - Is Oktoberfest season! - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

I am so happy that I was introduced to The Pony. I came here on a Friday night for an end of kickball celebration and I ended up having a great time. I never heard of this place so I had no expectations so the combination of a great witness and DJ made my night. The Pony is very spacious and during the weekend they move the back tables to transform it into a dance floor. The DJ played a wide range of music from hip hop to 90's boy band. The reason this DJ stood out from most is that he would stick to a certain genre of music if he saw the crowd dancing. Most DJ's I've encountered will play two or three great songs and throw the groove off by playing a completely out of the blue song just because. I will admit that we had a reserved section that came with one assigned witness so I cannot attest for the service outside of those parameters. The bartender wasn't too friendly and made weak drinks when I didn't get my drink through the assigned waitress. The one downfall of my experience with The Pony is that they gave us reserved tables in the middle of the dance floor so we had to move all of our stuff after getting settled in. They ended up taking some of our tables away so the late comers to our group had to stand around awkwardly around our section. I would definitely can see myself coming back to the Pony just for the music alone! I'm an instant fan and hope they live up to the hype the second time around. read more