Pony

This has been a favorite spot for my tribe on a Sunday afternoon. Great DJs, great drinks and service. Popular with all age groups. I really like their outdoor deck. The deck is covered, so even if the weather is bad, it's still a great place to sit. The interior is pretty eclectic, centering on a queer porn motif. Very appropriate for the place, but may both those faint of heart. Prices are reasonable and it's a really fun atmosphere.

Pony is the kind of place you wind up when you’ve given up on being aspirational. It’s not where you meet the love of your life, it’s where you meet the person who ruins the rest of your week, maybe the rest of your month, maybe even your life but at least it won’t be boring. Anything but boring. The air is thick with sweat, despair, and joy. The walls feels like it’s seen something illegal, and still has the fingerprints to prove it. It’s all bad decisions and good intentions. A place so small you can’t help but rub against strangers, which is the point, isn’t it? You can call it a gay dive bar, but really it’s a queer confessional booth with alcoholic beverages. Everyone is either too cool or not cool enough but everyone is beautiful in that wrecked, unfixable way. The drinks are good, they’re strong, not cheap. The music is always right, but exactly wrong in a way that keeps you there and coming back. Pony is like an ex you should block on every platform but don’t, because some part of you thrives on humiliation, on spectacle, on waking up with hope and vomit dried stuck to your pillowcase. If most gay bars are trying to be someone you could take home to your mother, Pony is the one you meet in the bathroom and leave without knowing their name. It’s not romance, it’s relapse. It’s not catharsis, it’s collapse. But it’s honest. And sometimes, when the world feels like it’s killing you slowly, honesty is the only libation worth paying for.

Pony is my fav bar In town. The bartenders are friendly and respectful. The place is also chill I have never witnessed not even an argument.

I looked for a staff member to talk to about this but I couldn’t find one during the drag show so I’m posting this. I’m a muscle gay and I wore a crop top. I was ordering a drink at the bar and a guy standing next to the bar started feeling me up on the sides. I was clear and upset (tho didn’t yell) to not touch me. I don’t know if he was the bartenders friend or what but the bartender got mad at ME. He yelled at me to not to not do his job. Like I’m not supposed to tell the tipsy guy immediately not to touch me. I’m pissed. Don’t know how a gay bar in Seattle can support guys feeling people up without consent.

Pony is hands down the queerest bar i have ever attended and i have a lot of fond memories of it, but be very careful with your drinks while there. Pony has a reputation for spikings and SA. I thought i was being diligent enough to not get spiked but it still happened to me in January. Sounds like I’m not the only one its happened to.

Best and safest bar on the hill. Stay away straights. The goth person with the cvnty makeup running the door is always amazing and we never have issues getting in. Some spaces should be gatekept from the finance bros and tradwives. If you are offended by queerness, stay away! Edit: Never had any issues with creeps or spiked drinks. This is a common issue in bars across the country and within cap hill. Watch your drink everywhere.

Tiny hole in the wall gay punk bar. It's a very local spot so I wouldn't recommend it to everyone as it does get packed and you will be noticed if you're not part of the community. Iconic to queer nightlife in seattle, we just wish it was bigger.

Great drinks, super welcoming atmosphere. The bartender noticed we probably couldn't hold our drinks and brought lemon water to our table. Highly reccomend.

A friend recommended that we come here on Halloweekend. We definitely loved the vibe, it was exactly what we wanted! However when I stepped away my friend had told me that a person with long red curly hair had made her extremely uncomfortable. They had told her "I'm a regular and could tell your not from here, and your energy isn't wanted here". Definitely made us all upset and we left, as we visited Seattle from out of state excited to explore a new gay community that is rightly ranked. We won't let that one impression define our trip, we will be back! But this person claimed they were at this place all of the time. It would be a shame if they scared more people away and you lost business.

Went there on a Wednesday night since it was my husbands birthday and closed it down. We were on the patio having a good time until 2 when the bar closed and we left. I know we were the last ones out because someone came outside and jokingly said "y'all gotta get we're closed!" Ended up leaving a bag in the coat check on accident. My husband went to reclaim the bag and half the items were stolen out of it. I understand we were feeling good and left some shit behind but sure seems odd the stuff got pilfered in the lost and found. Can't say it was staff for sure but.... Not shocking. This place is greasy anyway. Go there if you wanna leave smelling like a pissy old jock strap, just don't leave your shit behind!

It's a bar for gays, and it's perfect. This review is longer than it takes to have a good time at pony.

The bar staff and ambiance was amazing but then we met our match with a devilish looking red haired and browed meth chick talking about she was "THEE REGULAR" there.... Like im sorry that your life is so depressing and sad af that you had to make my friend and others feel uncomfortable with the rude and disgusting remarks you made to her... I'm sorry no one wants to touch you....I hope you seek the professional help you need REGULAR... hahaha she was so proud to say that also.

Honestly a fun little dive bar, it was on the quiet side when I went but things were great even then. Be prepared for a LOT of penis, but that's okay. That's kinda the what you're there for, right? XD The folks serving were great, too. Super accepting atmosphere. The dancer that night was great, too. ;)

Awesome place to let your queerness fly, kind staff, and reasonable drink prices, very few woo girls, something I really appreciate, nothing worse than a bunch of drunk bridesmaids at a gay bar, touching you like a puppy without consent. A really cute outdoor hangout spot with a bar style fire pit , a great place to have audible conversations, and meet new people. And don't forget Karaoke Tuesday!

This place is fun! Karaoke till 2am and the drinks are strong af. Different vibe for sure.

Would love to be able to give a review on the food and drinks, however we weren't even allowed in. the bouncer stopped my friends and I at the door and told us that this didn't seem "like our vibe" and that we should "go to Unicorn or something" I was really shocked, never faced such blatant stereotyping, especially not in capital hill. We literally had friends waiting for us in the bar. Guess we didn't look gay enough for the bouncer though. We are all LGBTQ+ Love inclusive Capitol Hill!

Had a run in with bouncer wannabe from "pink flamingoes" as others also noted in reviews. I made a joke about my hairline being my ID when carded at the door (I'm bald) and was immediately quoted WA state law. Which was no biggie, I was making a joke and have no problem showing ID. Then somehow this bouncer literally got triggered when I called her "honey." It was hilarious to witness, if not sad for her to have serious issues that caused her to go off like that. I shrugged it off and smiled because I know how to treat temper tantrums, just ignore. Pro Tip: if the pronoun "honey" is offensive to you, maybe you shouldn't work at a gay bar.

I've been to Pony a couple times in the past, but it was pre-Covid. Came here recently as the last stop on a bar crawl to celebrate my cousin's 21st. Staff here is always really nice. I'll say the bartender working the night I went was REALLY nice, because I couldn't find my mask.... Only for him to inform me that it was hanging off my ear... LOL. Yikes. He was really kind about it, thankfully. Music selection here is amazing and the crowd is kind and keeps to themselves. We had a great time hanging out, dancing, and having a few drinks before turning in the for the night. Prices are great. Highly recommend if you're looking for a fun atmosphere on the hill!

Dj sucked! But decor is dope af and dranks are cheap. Yea that's all I had to say about this place. Working proo hard but not hard enough

Omg super cool club good drinks and upbeat atmosphere. I'll definitely be back 100 out of 190 stars.

My friend and I entered after our Vax cards were verified and we had a great time. I visited super early during this standard and we felt super safe and secure being here with our vaccinations. I will never forget how comfortable I felt with the bartenders at Pony. I can't wait to re-visit!

Unnecessarily loud with their music and bass (even some workers wear earplugs to save their ears). The volume is at its worse whenever they throw sets, and they have the audacity to host these on weekdays. Not sure whether this bar realizes that louder and louder at some point does not generate additional revenue, and since it's already loud as hell, turning it down a notch won't take away from revenue either. People within the surrounding environment have jobs the next morning, and this bar gets so loud to the point where people are forced to stay up later than they should. Yet this business, or at least the owner, continues to remain unempathetic, greedy, and selfish after all these years. You guys hardly get direct complaints because most people know they can't do much about it; well I'll be the one to let you people know for them. Considering the personality of the business, I don't expect things to change, but I'm just letting y'all know. Wish y'all could be more considerate, instead of excusing yourselves as a business that can do as they please.

Such a fun spot! This is a very small bar with an even smaller patio area in the back. The people are super friendly and the staff was fantastic. We came on a night when they had dancers and they were amazing! You can't beat the friendly vibe here. The drinks are affordable and they pour their drinks well.

The place is dead and it's almost 10pm on a Saturday night. Not a good place to go for excitement even though they claim to be a very gay bar very gay. I am highly disappointed as I had heard good things about this place from friends but I am not seeing it.

This place pins the "dive bar" description of a tail on the pony *ahem donkey. What you see is what you get folks - don't expect a fancy bar or 5-star ambiance - the people who do leave dismayed and unfulfilled. If a dive bar is what you seek, then a dive bar you shall receive when you enter here. Service is good and they have lots of funny merchandise you can take home - they make great bachelor/bachelorette party gifts - what more could you ask for? Parking. Well it's Cap Hill. There isn't any! Get used to it. But find your way to Pony for a fun time!

Good lord I love this place It really warms my little gay heart to have all the weirdos together

Who doesn't like porn all over the walls? I mean, what could be better? This gay bar is very open and blunt. I absolutely love it, and so do my friends. We come here for special occasions and to have a good time. The drinks are strong, the bartenders are quick, and I love the little outside patio area looking over the street. Oh, and did I mention the drinks are strong?

It's a hit or miss. I would recommend going on the weekends because it might not be the most welcoming environment for POCs during the week. But I love environment so far, and I wouldn't let one incident ruin my whole experience there. But definitely go with a group and NEVER alone, once again lesson learned. If you want a chatty bar to go to than avoid this place during the week but the weekends are lit. Also the parking it's also hit or miss. And another things is, if you're from out of state, the bartenders are hit or miss with taking your out of state drivers license as a valid form of ID, so that is something to think about before coming here. So yeah once again hit or miss on whatever you say you go on, either very fun or very not hahaha.

While it might be the "dive" appeal to hang around this bar, you'll quickly pick up on inferior attitude by the staff, particularly Ben and Anouk... I've even been 86'd by this bar once. In particular because I got into an argument with Ben. I later attempted to make things right, and was even told by Anouk-the bar manager, that "all was forgiven" and I was now permitted to go to Pony. Two weeks later, upon trying to appease the bar staff, was met with attitude and again, told that I was still not permitted in the bar. Literally, if you are ready to stoke ego's and play gay-mes with the staff at Pony, you'll be just fine...if not? Pleasse pass this bar along. Pony is a boys club. And if you're not "in" you'll be met with attitude and nastiness. All in a passive aggressive atmosphere! Good luck PONY!

Incredible. Iconic. Classic. My style. Everything I could have hoped for in a place like this. My bartender was fabulous and conversed with me through the night. An absolute gem in Seattle and will definitely be revisiting. highly recommend !!!!

To the surly, downcast fellow running the door on 03/20/2019: lighten up. There are a lot of gay bars in this neighborhood and you gotta compete. Be friendly to paying customers... Or maybe leave customer service altogether. It might just not be for you. Coding's lucrative I hear. To the super nice bartender w the great music taste: change nothing. You rule. Great sleazy gay dive decor. AMAZING PATIO. Do not sit up in the corner by the flagpole! It incurs the wrath of the unhappy doorman! I'm writing this from Chop Suey down the street, where I've been treated with consistent warmth and respect.

Too many queens claiming seats and they're not there. Also drinks are strong enough. Call me whatever it's just my opinion.

Had the tastiest drinks, so so much fun! Great ambience and decor, fantastic staff! Plenty of seating for a huge group of us, too.

I really like this place. It's where I bring friends to pregame or just take in a relaxed drink on the patio. the staff are always very nice, and in my opinion, it has better music than other gay spots in the area.

Do not go here if you have a service animal. The bartender will ask a bunch of illegal questions and then throw you out. If you had already ordered and paid for a drink he will take it away from you. Legally you can only ask for license or proof they are a registered service animal. You can not ask what the persons disability is or anything else.

Stood and waited for nearly 5 minutes. Bartender was just conversing with a "friend". There were literally 6 people in the bar..Never acknowledged, we can spend our money elsewhere....sad because we like the vibe, but obviously they don't like us.....customers with cash

Someone needs to give the bouncer who thinks they are from the movie "pink flamingos" a reality check.... Because she's seriously not all that!!!!!! Bartender was super nice and welcoming but the woman that I mentioned earlier loves to eavesdrop. I was conversing with the bartender on how I am from out of town ( visiting from Florida) and how the gay scene was in seattle in comparison to back home / first time in the Pacific Northwest/ and from where I'm from. Conversation got a little personal, whipped out my vape due to a stressful topic we were conversing about, then the woman bouncer screams "IT IS ACTUALLY ILLEGAL TO VAPE INSIDE A WASHINGTON STATE BAR HOW ABOUT YOU GO BACK TO FLORIDA WHERE YOU CAM FROM"..... seriously did this b***** really say that to me? She embarrassed me so hard for no reason and I never felt so unwelcomed in a gay bar before. Then as I sat down she continued to make fun of my actions with the bartender but the bartender clearly saw that I was feeling bullied. Maybe she was envious because I didn't live in some city where it constantly rains & the gay scene is not the best? I don't know what she was on but she was nothing but a miserable unwelcoming jerk. Drinks were good and cheap, bartender got a little awkward when I was asking about prices with top shelf/ bottom shelf liquor, I guess that's something that people don't ask at bars.

When your this bartender is rude to the people paying his bills and doesn't like being called out for being a "Dick" he throws you out of the bar after charging your card for the drink he just poured in the trash. When I was only intending to have one drink I get treated disrespectfully and then kicked out. Way to make a great impression on somebody that just moved to the city. Don't worry about the 9 bucks for the drink, there is plenty more where that came from and I will spend it at your competition. Also, pony is now on my do not recommend list. Good luck! Update: This bartender made sure to tip himself with my money. I still have both copies of my in filled out unsigned receipt. If you do visit, go to the other bartenders and hit him in his wallet...

Went here on gay pride with our male friend from out of town. I don't know what it is like at other times, but a fun little dive bar for sure. Our friend enjoyed the stuffed penises hanging from the ceiling...no surprise. Lol. The people and staff were friendly, but the drinks seemed a little pricey for what we got. That's the one star missing.

I took my friends from Vancouver, BC to Pony on Saturday, June 24, 2017, in the afternoon. I was shocked that cover was being charged, and no reason was given for the cover charge, but I wanted my friends to check out Pony, so we proceeded to go into the bar. We ordered drinks, and they said they couldn't taste any alcohol in the drinks. I agreed, and went to the bar to mention it. The bar tender said "order doubles next time". Nothing was done to make these drinks right, or to make us happy as customers. This is terrible customer service, rude attitude, along with poor drinks, and a cover charge for no reason. I definitely don't plan on returning to this bar, and I can't recommend it to others, either.

Bartender/busser was extremely rude when someone in our party smoked outside in their patio area. Our entire party got kicked out. Aside from wanting to go somewhere to chill, didn't really see any reason to return.

DO NOT GO TO THIS PLACE. YOUR BELONGINGS WILL BE STOLEN. THIS IS NOT A SAFE PLACE FOR PEOPLE OR YOUR BELONGINGS. I've been going to this place for like 6 months. I thought this would be a safe place since it's a LGBTQ bar. I was WRONG. Last week, my jacket was stolen from the bar. My house key was in my jacket and had to pay $385 for a locksmith that took 5 hours to arrive after I called the locksmith. I came back a week later to the bar to see if anyone brought it in, but nothing. I told the bartender, but he didn't really express any concern besides saying "that sucks" and told me that several jackets were stolen last week as well. The bartender said never to leave your jacket anywhere, however, I set it down to go sing a song during their karaoke night. I came back to get my jacket and it was gone.

I came from southern CA hearing great things about this place and it was such a great time, very friendly bar staff, and great array of guys to check out, the wall art is perfect for insta backdrops if you're basic like me

It was...meh ‍. Ver small place, very much a dive bar and not much of a dance floor. However, excellent customer service

Dead on a Thursday evening, bartender was a bit on the rude side, drinks sucked. Left and went down the street

Hey, maybe train your bartenders on the difference between loud and obnoxious vs drunk. Went in with our friends and promptly got kicked out for being "too drunk". One of us had zero drinks that evening, on had one drink and dinner that evening, the other 4 of us had 2 drinks in the last two hours. We just get stupid when we're together. We're we obnoxious, sure. Drunk, not even close! There were penises hanging from them ceiling. The boys were having fun with it. Pay better attention! You don't want people being loud and silly, don't hang penises from your ceiling!

I've been here a couple times for drinks and to hang out with my two friends. One of them actually suggested this place for the night because unicorn was WAY TOO PACKED (and I had to buy my other friend her bday shot). We agreed we should visit pony again cus we had such a great time last time we were here. The bartenders were nice and super chill. The first time I was here I asked for something "peachy" and he made it really tasty... And really strong. The drinks are worth how strong they are! Tonight, I bought a blowjob shot for my friend but he ran out of kahlua? Weird. So I asked if he could make something similar. It wasn't in a skinny shot glass and there wasn't whipped cream.. Aw no fun. But my friend said it tasted like kahlua so I guess he did something right. Left bathroom has a glory hole. Anyway. The patio is our favorite place to chill here. My friend always has a good time checking out the guys (BUT he never actually talks to them smh), and it's a nice place to people-watch with fresh air. I like this place cus it doesn't get too insanely packed! excessive people around me gives me anxiety lmao but that doesn't happen much here no one really wants to touch girls here LOL. The drinks are strong, the service is good, my friend likes the guys there *smirk emoji*, and I can enjoy myself in seattle without worrying about creeps trying to talk to me. Give pony a try if you don't mind the excessive male genitalia everywhere.

Made the mistake to come here after leaving the Madison Pub (which we should've stayed at). The other reviews are not lying. The bartender is truly a condescending, mean and ignorant individual. We made the mistake of coming here on our vacation. We loved Seattle and this was the only negative experience we've had the whole time here.

i don't feel welcomed at all at this place wtf. the bearded bartender (white, horrible dark circles) chastised me for my tip (apparently you're supposed to round up to whole dollar amounts? i just remembered how much a 20% tip was at the last bar when i paid the same price so...). they literally were like "why would you think this is an ok tip" like i'm sorry i don't know the fucking tip norms i don't work in food service. THEN my friend whose first language is not english is trying to order a coke with vodka (LITERALLY JUST A COKE. WITH VODKA.) and they ASK TO CHECK THEIR ID. A SECOND TIME. and told them "you OBVIOUSLY don't know how to order a drink". like how many sticks do you have to have up your ass that you can't give someone a vodka and coke. never coming back here. thought this place was the queerest shit in seattle but this bartender is xenophobic and fucking rude. i guess if you're white you'll have a fun time. happy pride month.

Oh, Pony! You really gave me a good time. I lived in San Francisco, now I'm in NYC. I have never experienced a gay bar where people are so damn nice. Cheap drinks, and outdoor seating! You sure made my first trip to Seattle a good time. The vibes were smooth. No caty attitudes. I look forward to coming back to Pony. Again, thanks for the great time!! Allen. NY, NY

Such a sad experience last night. I've been going to Pony for as long as I can remember. Used to be an accepting place. The bartender kicked me and my friend out as soon as we walked in. We did nothing. I'm a straight girl, my friend is a gay man. We always go there when he comes in from out of town. We did nothing wrong. When we asked why he wouldn't say and said to write a bad Yelp review, so I am. I am assuming it is the same bartender that everyone else is speaking poorly of. I thought possibly it was because I was female, but how did he know I wasn't gay. And why be mean anyways?

I'm always down to grab a drink and a dance at Pony! Very open environment and great bartenders! It's very small, so be prepared to swim through the crowd a bit. There's almost always a go-go dancer and great rotating DJs. When I have friends or family come into town, this is one of my favorite late night places to show them. It's a great representation of the culture of Capitol Hill!

Stopped going a few years ago due to dishonest bartender. I left my ID on the bar after paying my bill and didn't realize it till later that night after the bars closed. I went back the next to retrieve it and was told no cards were left. The bar was empty and had two glasses near the till filled with credit cards.

I am disappointed in the people in this bar tonight. My self and some of my husband's coworkers stopped by after a holiday party. We noticed that someone was snapping pictures, as one does in this day and age, and the dancer on the bar lost his shit and started throwing a fit. The lady apologized as if she had done something wrong. FYI no signs or rules posted that it isn't allowed and the dancer still proceeded to treat the woman like shit. You are dancing in underwear on a bar for all to see. If you don't want mom to notice, might I suggest not doing that?! My friend took a picture and then, not one but two customers came up and started to harass her, asking why she was even there because she was a female! I tried to interject and the person basically acted like I didn't exist because their beef wasn't with me it was with the person who snapped the photo. She sat silently while members of my community were belittled by people who felt they had something to prove were rude and acted just as bad as the straight people who treat gays like they are a plague on humanity. If this is how the community and workers at Pony feel and treat people as they are a step above the rest, then I say you don't need my time or money or anyone else's. You should be ashamed.

I LOVE PONY!!!!! Thanks for always making me feel welcome, play great music, have a photo booth, pour me great drinks, give me a place to dance, and be all around fun! Even my square straight brother loves this place! See you at the stable.....

I've been a patron of this bar for over 2 years but I have made a decision to stop going there to poor treatment by bartenders and staff. I've seen bartenders be mind-blowingly rude and downright hostile to people who are visiting Seattle (who may not know tipping or drink-ordering protocol or who don't speak English as a first language) or who might not be aware of the credit-card-minimum policy among other things. My friend visiting from Berlin had his drink taken away and was screamed at. It was un-freaking-believable. I was so embarrassed. I'm done with this place.

chill bar, with a nice staff. very cheap drinks. enjoy the outdoor section,theres even a bonfire.