The Pony Bar

Hell’s Kitchen has long been a dead zone for civilized bars, with mainly dirty dives like Rudy’s serving the neighborhood’s drinking needs. We like grungy saloons as much as the next guy, but sometimes it’s nice to sip a beer other than Bud. That’s why the Pony Bar, which indulges the current appetite for American microbrews, is such an oasis. The Pony comes from the crew behind Lansdowne Road—bona fide lager lovers who have transformed this sunny corner spot into a clubhouse for beer geeks. (“Calling that an imperial mild is an oxymoron,” said one such nerd on a recent night.) There’s plenty to banter about, with 20 beers on tap and two cask ales artfully listed on signboards according to provenance and potency. The thoughtful selections include Dogfish Head’s peachy Festina Pêche Berliner Weisse and Victory’s Bags Packed Porter, a toasty treat rich with coffee and chocolate. We loved San Diego’s Ballast Point Big Eye, an assertive IPA rounded out with malty sweetness. The beers rotate rapidly (bartenders ring a bell to announce newcomers), and with good reason: The prices are so low that the juice sells out fast. All 14-ounce servings cost $5, and more potent quaffs, like Otter Creek’s rich Russian imperial stout, are served in eight-ounce glasses for $5. The bar knocks off an additional dollar from 4:20 to 5:20pm. Unfortunately, the expert curation of suds doesn’t extend to the cursory liquors—the selection is pedestrian, save for Tuthilltown’s superb Hudson Baby Bourbon. Equally unremarkable is the affordable greasy pub grub, the best of which is a thin-sliced roast beef sandwich served with house-fried chips, or the sausages dipped in zippy mustard. Good beer and passable chow is an uncomplicated notion, but the area’s dives have certainly survived on less. Hell’s Kitchen’s bar drought may finally be easing.—TONY

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