The Pony Bar

Love this bar. It's in an area where most bars are crammed shoulder to shoulder but this one has a great crowd without being crazy. The drinks are fantastic and the food is amazing. I loved the pretzels and chicken fingers.

The Pony Bar is a go-to spot for our office gatherings, and it never disappoints. They have a solid selection of drinks, so there’s something for everyone. The snacks are great too—definitely try the french fries, they’re a hit! The atmosphere is inviting, with plenty of good seating options inside, making it a comfortable place to relax with a group. All in all, a great spot for team celebrations or just hanging out with friends.

Highly recommended. This is a neighborhood staple, walking in to find a casual bar with plenty of seating at the bar, along the window, in the center with barrels or along the wall at tables, great for groups, couples and someone alone too. The atmosphere is welcoming, relaxed with a couple of TVS. A huge beer selection, but don't worry a full bar with wine and drinks are served by the very friendly and attentive bartenders. Enjoy the happy hour during the week! A food menu with broad bar bites is available too. So happy to live nearby to this great place. I'll be back!

I came in here primarily just for a special badge in the untappd app but actually it's a pretty cool bar and I'd come back again. Bartender was friendly and attentive and the place just as an overall cool vibe. Beer and mixed drinks are good. Check it out!

Pony Bar is as solid as you can get in NYC - and I don't say that lightly. Stopped in because it was the perfect spot to watch the NYC Marathon (75th and 1st Ave). So crowded you'd have thought it was St. Patrick's Day at an Irish pub but we managed to get a table and more. THE CHICKEN WINGS ARE AMAZING! I Love wings and eat them at every bar that serves them. This place has them BIG & JUICY with just the right amount of heat (I like hot but I also want to taste the chicken and I can here). Great selection of craft beers both on tap and in bottles or cans.(I tried 4 of them) Staff was quick and attentive especially given how busy they were. I will totally be back for more! (5 stars for the wings - 4 for atmosphere because I wish it was larger, 5 for service because I can't believe they got to us so quickly given all the people that we there. (including families and runners who came in AFTER they finished.) Great fun!

What a fun day at the Pony Bar! Beer selection can’t be beat, food was great!, staff was friendly. Best bar on the East side :)

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.

Food was horrid, got horrible food poisoning from the Pulled Pork sandwich. My fries were terrible soggy, and when I tried to let my server know, she was incredibly rude and basically watered it down to that’s how they always are. Also watched another server drop a fork on the ground, and then watched them proceed to still give it to table. Place looked cute from the outside, however the floors and tables were extremely sticky. Don’t recommend eating here, food was not worth the price, and the lack of cleanliness and care from the staff, made my visit unenjoyable.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

They're very rude people. Do not go here. They have no etiquette or professionalism. Plenty of other options.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

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.

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!

this place amazed me !!!! Drinks were great & my bartender xander was very personable and sweet !!!! 10/10 would recommend!!!!

Super fun place! Great cocktails! Great drinks great atmosphere and ambiance and great apps. Love it here

I had the best espresso in New York here!!!! Wonderful service and the bar tender Xander was amazing and loved to get to know us as customers and friends!!! Can't wait to come back

Really awesome neighborhood bar. Mondays are fun because it's happy hour all day and cheap tacos. I often bring friends and family when they're in town.

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!

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.

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!

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!

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.

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!

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.

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

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.

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.

My boyfriend and I popped in for a drink on Saturday night after hearing so much hype from other people about this place and we had a great time. We are both fans of craft beer, for me sour beers especially, and there were so many options here. They had three sours on top plus another in a can, we tried all 4 and all were great! They have a very large selection of all types of beers. They also have a beer passport program where you can log beers you try in the bar and after 100 unique beers you get a free shirt, so we logged the ones weve tried. Overall, we loved the atmosphere and vibe in the bar and cant wait to be back soon!

I had a very nice time in here with my date. It was a very busy Saturday night. We sat at the bar and just had drinks. Service was quick and friendly. Would definitely lay go back.

Even when there are rude customers, the bartenders at ponybar always keep their cool. It's been my go to for an unpretentious beer in the ues for over a year. Some guys tried to have their dog lay down on the table outside and despite multiple warnings and irate response by customers - the gals on call didn't lose their cool and treated them with respect even though those yuppies were irate asses and were shocked that someone had told them 'No' for the first time in thier life. I blame the parents...

Wonderful beer selection and knowledgeable bartenders. Great local spot on the UES for craft beers or cocktails

This bar is great. The selection and description of the beer is very clear and makes you want to drink everything. They tell you all the ingredients and where the beer comes from. The vibe was nice and it was pretty spacious. I would def go back and I don't even like beer like that.

Best place to go for craft beer in the Upper East Side! They have a great list of 20 or so drafts that is constantly changing. My favorite beers are saisons, wheat beers, and blonde ales, and every time I go, they have a couple new ones I've never tried before. Many of the beers are from New York and the surrounding areas. Prices are not bad - most of the drafts are $8. They have a food menu, too, with some standard bar fare. Nothing to get excited about, but then again, you're probably coming here to drink, not to eat!

The build up on the Salt and Pepper shakers and the Sriracha is GROSS and the customer service is the same as the condiment holder .... I had to ask for water, napkins , and a togo tray and the bar maid turned her head like she didnt see me. I RECCOMEND For paying customers to Not waste their time or $$$$. Dont eat here if you expect to be treated like a customer.

My feelings about this place are Eh. I came here on Friday night around 10:30pm with three other friends for a bite to eat and a drink. We saw that the kitchen was open late, it was close to my apartment, and that the food on the menu looked good so we gave it a try. We each ordered a drink (2 budlights, a pinot noir, and a pinot grigo). The drinks were all fine. Foodwise we ordered: a grilled cheese, the pimento grilled cheese, and two short rib grilled cheeses with two Cole slaw sides and two potato chip sides. The food came out quickly which was great and the chips and cole slaw seemed homemade and were very good. My short rib grilled cheese looked amazing when it came out but after biting into it I was not impressed. The sandwich was soaked in grease and it did not have much flavor. My two friends who had the grilled cheese and the pimento grilled cheese said their were good but also a little greasy. Overall, the place has a cool chill vibe but I do not recommend the food.

This place is awesome. Such great selection of beer. Absolutely fresh craft beers. Food menu is great upscale bar food. Owen is a great bartender and has a great understanding of craft beer. As a resident of Long Island I will keep coming back to the Pony Bar. You do not normally see this many different types of crafts beers ok draft. IPA's, porters, lagers all such a great selection. If you like booze they have that too.

"Ride 'em cowboy " This is a great place to get a craft beer or five. They often rotate the beers on tap so you can get a different flavor of beer each time you visit. Plus the prices of beer are very reasonable and you can purchase growlers of your favorite beer. I have not had the food ... Yet but often times it smells and looks delicious. The bartender was very helpful in describing the different types of beers and even offered tastings of the beers. Just note that this place and get really crowded and loud after 6/7pm. But, the setup, with pennants from upstate breweries and random barrels, of the bar is kind of cool.

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.

WOW! Between the amazing American craft beers, solid food menu, and terrific staff, Pony Bar's second location is awesome! First off, their beers are $5. All of them. Huge menus on flatscreen TVs behind the bar give the names of the different beers, region, ABV, and pour. If you want descriptions for their rotating beer selection, ask one of the bartenders for a printed beer menu. The more potent beers get an 8-ounce pour while the ones under 8% ABV (I think that's the cutoff) get a 14-ounce pour. They also offer growlers to go, for either $16 or $19, (depending on the ABV) plus a $3.00 deposit for the growler itself. Obviously it's a no-brainer to have that sucker filled up with a higher ABV beverage, not just for the greater mileage, but it's also much more reasonable of a deal. Now on to the food - I ordered the chipotle shrimp torta (delicious, but messy!) but managed to grab a bite of two friend's sandwiches - the veal meatball parm, and the fried oyster & bacon sandwich. Sandwiches come with either homemade potato chips or a small serving of cole slaw. All three were amazing, although my vote goes to the fried oyster & bacon duo! Bartenders were terrific throughout our two-hour visit, offering plenty of free tastings in specially-tailored mini glasses for just such an occasion. Although the space was a bit small (and eventually crowded), we had a blast. I'll definitely be coming back next time I'm on the UES, or Hell's Kitchen.

Stay Gold Pony Everything that I love from the Hell's Kitchen Craft Beer Mecca on the Upper East Side. Now, if you're the type of person that's gonna balk at a $6 beer, are too afraid of trying a beer you've never had before, or gasp! you're a fan of domestic bro type swill, this is not the place for you. You're gonna have a bad time! The Pony has a pub like feel to me that I love. You order at the bar. They have cask beers. There are two big flat screens with the current beers on tap. What I really love about the Pony is that I get to see all my favorites like Ballast Point (all over town), Stone, Abita, Dark Horse, Oskar Blues and Magic Hat. But, it's not gonna be the flagship brews that you'll see from these brewers. What you're more likely to find are the deep cuts. Be adventurous and try something new. The Stoudt's Heifer in Wheat that I had during my recent visit rivaled any of the good German Weisbiers I enjoy this time of year. Taking a spot with the Stag's Head, Gingerman, and the Blind Tiger in my NYC craft brew rotation. Cheers.

Pony bar is the perfect spot for beer lovers. I usually prefer cocktails, but when I do have beer I am particular and their large selection and bartender recommendations have never disappointed. Always strong and solid craft beers I like on tap, and the bartenders are great at recommending a good beer based on my likes. Also a cozy chill vibe and friendly people and bartenders. They also offer jugs of beer you can take home and later bring back and refill for a discount.