The Pony Bar - Hell's Kitchen

fulcrum

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -6.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5 | $$$

Met a friend here on a late Wednesday afternoon. Weather was a very nice early May day in NY so the door and windows were open creating an especially welcoming and comfortable atmosphere. Their electronic beer board was very intuitive and exciting. We started with two terrific casks: a DIPA and their Green Tea Stout. Both were little 8 oz pours with really big tastes. I would have been satisfied with just those but wanted to try others while here so went for the other stout and IPA they had on draught which were almost as good. Went back to cask just in time as the DIPA kicked. I didn't write down the names of the draughts since they change so often but I'm quite sure they've been replaced with equally delightful choices. Plenty of range (wheats, porters, ryes, pilsners) but didn't partake. The food was the biggest surprise: excellent. Had both sliders (lamb, duck) followed by the calamari and, like the cask options, went back for more sliders. The calamari were too syrupy sweet but didn't care since more sliders were on the way. Overall, fantastic and I'll be back.

05-11-2013 14:26:36 | More by fulcrum

JoeBloe

New York

4.16/5  rDev -3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $$

Re-visited this place last night (a monday night) - At 9pm the bar was full but there was seating at the barrel tables running down the middle - the electronic draught list board is impressive - we had some Stone 11-11-11 Vertical Epic, Brooklyn Defender, and they even had Bud Light bottles for my non-craft drinking friend, as well as a Yankee game and a Jet game running on both ends of the bar, without a bunch of drunken college kids yelling at the screens - Beers are reasonably priced, you get a bunch of change back from a $20 bill for 2 beers - I can only imagine this place being way too crowded on a weekend, the full bar monday night crowd was just right for me -
Positive vibes all-around -

10-09-2012 14:15:10 | More by JoeBloe

nickmorgan11

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev -7.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | $$

This is a great little bar in New York (emphasis on little) there is not a whole lot of room to deal with, so get to know the person next to you. There selection of beers is fantastic. They had a Vermont day on one of my visits and Stone-day another. You'll pay around $6.50 per beer depending on what you're drinking. We always have a good time there and the place is usually pretty packed. Service is the one downside, they are a bit slow with serving you, in part because there are so many people. But worth multiple visits. CHEERS!

05-07-2012 02:52:31 | More by nickmorgan11

maximep

New York

4.48/5  rDev +4.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5 | $

one of my favorite bars but ONLY if you hit it at the right time. don't expect to have an enjoyable time here on the weekends, no matter what time.

$5 a pour is unbeatable in NY for the craft beer scene, the food is your standard pub grub fare but really well executed (pretzels, sausages, etc.) and also well priced.

service quality fluctuates based off of how crowded it is.

again though, $5 a pour is amazing but I wouldn't even dream of having a halfway decent time at this place on the weekends. the crowd turns all bridge and tunnel and since there's no table service and generally 2 bartenders, ordering a beer can become a shouting match and an arm competition just to give the hardworking tenders your hard earned tender.

04-22-2012 18:16:30 | More by maximep

Gratefullawyer

Ohio

4.65/5  rDev +8.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 4 | $$

Was in NY City to wander about about soak up atmosphere , eat and find beer. Read about Pony bar on beer advocate and took a walk to find it on 4.9.12 . Well worth the journey. Maybe 15 or 20 minute walk from times square.

When you walk in the electronic score board of beer on tap, the clock set at 4:20 and the old picture of Neil Young set the atmosphere. Sparse on seating, old wooden kegs for tables.

But here is where you come to sample beer & meet the neighbors.
The menu is sparse but the turkey chile and pretzels are tasty

But here is beer . Belly up to the bar ck scoreboard and order.
All beer is $5 yep every beer. The size of your glass changes but the beer is there.
The scoreboard flashes and bells ring when the beer changes
Night I was there there was Oskar blues pilsner, hills Edward a pale ale, a mix of new York beers. Overall a very good selection of beer and a knowledge staff

04-15-2012 02:17:09 | More by Gratefullawyer

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.4/5  rDev +2.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $

It is a pretty low key place and is really a place for BAs, you do not get a lot of folks that walk in off the street looking for BMC beers. It is located a little off the beaten path in Hell's Kitchen but definitely worth the trek. A little dark on the inside, fairly small, and lots of wood in the decor.

Beers are always well poured in the proper glassware and the beers are always fresh - they usually replace anything that kicks with something completely different and have their website up to date with the current tap list.

Again, this is a place you order on your own from the bar and the bartenders are quite knowledgeable and willing to assist folks in picking out something that they will like.

With about 20 different taps and a cask, the selection is always good here.

Food is pretty good and your standard bar fare.

This is one of my favorite places in NYC and is a great deal. All beers are $5 (except at Happy Hour when they are $4) and they only feature American craft brew beers. Don't know where else you are going to find a place with the selection at such a low price.

03-08-2012 22:09:41 | More by dbrauneis

Hopdaemon39

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev -4.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | $

GREAT VALUE!! All beers are $5 for a 14 oz or 8 oz for higher abv beers. It's hard to gauge this place because it's so unusual- very small, very quickly rotating taps. I really wanted to go yesterday because it said they had Founders Nemesis and a bunch of the Founders stuff that looked great but when I got there a few hours later Nemesis and most of the others I wanted were gone. I got two beers (Founders Vertigo Winter Wheat and Chelsea Strong Ale) that were reasonably good and of course very well priced. They have two casks (the strong ale was from a cask). Of course because of the pricing and the rotation I'm very interested in going back but check what they have on their website before you go and if it's something popular make sure you get there pretty damn fast.

The bartender was very responsive to all customers- good service, only two kinds of glasses unfortunately...

03-08-2012 22:08:55 | More by Hopdaemon39

KBrennan1000

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev -9.6%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5 | $$

I have to admit being pretty disappointed with the Pony Bar. I wasn't really sure what to expect but I rather thought there would be a wider selection. Don't get me wrong, the beers they had were good beers but their list was made up almost entirely of year-round beers from Abita, Weyerbacher and Long Trail. All fine beers but nothing that special. It's possible that we came on an off day for them but I found it to be pretty unremarkable. If I was nearby I might stop in but I won't seek it out again. Friendly bartender and good prices though.

02-05-2012 16:27:29 | More by KBrennan1000

Clembo1957

United Kingdom (England)

4.44/5  rDev +3.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $

I Loved this bar - i wish i'd spent the rest of the evening there instead of touring some of Manhattans other establishments.

A good beer list and $5 a pint a bargain compared with some Manhattan Bars. The beer list is on a board behind the bar there is also a printed menu and the bar regulary posts which new beers are available on Twitter. I had Geary's IPA which was excellent. The Bar tender was helpful and friendly. The bar was fairly quiet during my visit which was fine by me. I also liked the Neil Young photo on the wall.

An excellent bar and well worth seeking out if in Manhattan.

02-05-2012 14:58:16 | More by Clembo1957

infi

New York

4.36/5  rDev +1.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $

Right on the corner of 10th Ave and 45th. Hell's Kitchen.

A real, laid-back and unpretentious place. Reminds me of a smaller RnH, but with the same vibe. Tap list is automatically recognizable once you enter, but the bartenders also hand you a printed list of the beers with descriptions, which was also convenient. Great variety of beers from different breweries and states. Ordered a Loonie Kuhnie from Kuhnhenn, which was delicious. Not too big of a crowd, but given it was a Monday night. Audible hearing levels, dim lighting and flat screens showing the Fiesta Bowl made for a nice experience for me. $5 for any of the drinks is one of the best deals ever. Definitely a must-stop if in the NYC area.

01-04-2012 02:28:20 | More by infi