I came here for a friend's birthday party and I'm sad I didn't discover this place sooner! The ambiance is so nice with lots of rooms inside and outside (outside is still covered!). There was a live band playing that really killed it! Drinks were cheap and quick to get too! read more

Pono Ranch - American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Interesting and fun bar. We came here in the early afternoon during a long holiday weekend, so it wasn't busy at all, but I've seen this place be a great night life. Live music, bar, dance floor, etc. Drinks are not the best or amazing. Their green tea shot tasted like straight whiskey. Their happy hour food wasn't bad at all for the price. We ordered three things, and we got pretty full. Service was nice! read more

Pono Ranch - Green Tea Shooter - American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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The concept behind this "outdoor venue" style bar is good, and can be a fun place to visit. The multiple bars make getting drinks quick, although I have never seen more than one bar open at a time. The menu has some great food, but the drinks can be inconsistant, even from the same bartender. There could be some improvements made, but don't count this place out if in the area. read more

Pono Ranch - American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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We came here on a recommendation from a friend who used to bartend here and loved it! The fire pits make the whole experience on a winter day and the whole atmosphere is so unique and eclectic. Apparently it's undergone some changes in recent years to be more family friendly and offer more food, and I would definitely come back for a casual evening! read more

Pono Ranch - Inside - American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I worked here a few months after pono had opened up until Jon's "restaffing" the following october. We had all found out a day before, if I remember correctly. All of these bad reviews are probably well earned. That staff had dealt with just about everything under the sun as far as having an inexperienced drunk asshole with an ego for an owner. Up until Sean, just about every kitchen manager had a bad attitude and seemed inexperienced, especially the short lady who often tried to pry me away from barbacking and serving tables to help her prep. Initially, my friend and previous manager was hired on to GM this place and was fired after a month or so because Jon's ego got in the way of said GM's actually managerial experience. I'd be willing to wager a lot of these bad reviews from 2014 would be alot better had Jon drank at home and not gotten high on his own supply at the bar. This happened often and to the point we could tell whether Jon was drunk on wine or beer, wine making him even more snide and condescending. All personal stuff aside, the entire kitchen walked out eventually. A mixture of Sean's departure and some pretty flagrant wage theft. 3 or 4 different kitchen staff had noticed most if not all of their overtime missing. I warned a buddy that had gotten hired there in the last 8 months about it, and he left after his 1st paycheck due to tips and hourly wage missing. He's still pulling this shit. If you read this Jon, you evil version of Jimmy Buffet, we used to hide the margarita blender from you. Remember how you used to slip in between couples at their tables and hit on their girlfriends/wifes? Classy. read more

Nice looking bar with fire pits. Good drink selection. Can't wait to be back. Service is great, even tho they have only one bartender read more

Pono Ranch - American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

My friends and I had a blast last night! What made it even better was our Bartender Jose and Happy Dads! 10/10 recommend coming here with your friends for a good time! read more

Pono Ranch - Happy Dads are the way to go! - American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Solid place. Just unfortunate that we showed up on a night that there was a band but would come back. The place has a great atmosphere and good pours. I would recommend this place to other people. read more

Great vibes, friendly staff, and perfectly mixed drinks! The atmosphere is welcoming, prices are fair, and it's the perfect spot to relax and enjoy a fun night out. read more

Amazing experience with great service, really a great vibe in there. The food is also amazing.

This is our 1st time here and probably our last 3/29/25 @ 12:25am! Atmosphere is cool I can give them that. Service & Manager onsite would be the downfall of this place. Prices were not consistent and we brought that up to the server and escalated to management so he was aware. Instead of the manager helping to solve the issue. He decided to handle this situation poorly. There was no accountability or apologies about getting 5 shots 2 mixed drinks for $30 vs same 2 shots and same 2 mixed drinks for basically $60. Instead he wanted to argue and insult my wife. Stating "Maybe the server helped you out" or "maybe it was like that the last time you were here". Considering it was our 1st time there and why would the server help us out when we don't even know each other. He was also very rude and dismissive. We even showed our previous receipt for the inconsistency in prices and there was no real acknowledgement. Please retrain your management and your staff. There shouldn't be any reason customers are to be wrong even with actual receipts. read more

While a fun atmosphere. The food here sucks. The calamari was dry and overcooked. You couldn't even tell is was calamari. Worst I have had in my life. Burger was not much better. Beer was fine but who can screw up a beer. Service was friendly and efficient. read more

Cute place, nice staff, decent bar food, great band on the night I went... however, you must be ok with incredibly shallow, obnoxious twenty somethings. read more

Stopped by for a beautiful evening of drinks. It's located in a warehouse marine area. The local beers on tap was the draw for me, although they had other cans and bottles we're familiar with. Mixed drinks and snacking food available, too. Intra Covid, they close a little earlier. Also, need to enter bar area with a mask to order and carry out your drink. No indoor seating, yet. Like the nautical touches of the anchors and crane machinery. read more

Pono Ranch - Outside - American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

It was alright. Came for a birthday party and gathering Food was good only had beer didn't try the other dinks. Had mostly Appetizers read more

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Pono Ranch overcharged my card without my permission -- my initial bill was already $18 for a beer and a watered-down margarita, imagine my surprise when I checked my bank account today and realized I was charged $25. Avoid this place. read more

Truthfully my rating would be like a 3.5, but I rounded up because the staff was pretty sweet. The actual mixed drinks in house we tried were very mediocre, but the ciders, beers, etc were fine. The ambiance was actually quite lovely, there is a ton of seating, and there was live music! There was a 10$ cover fee, not sure if this was because of the music or just because it was a saturday night, but that seemed a bit steep to my group and I. I will likely return for the ambiance and... maybe a cider! read more

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Really fun bar with so much potential. Unfortunately, it is ran by 4th graders. I seriously don't understand how you can run such a popular bar so badly. On a Friday or Saturday, hundreds of people will come to pono to enjoy the great setting it offers. Pono prepares perfectly for weekend nights like this by only employing 3 bartenders! The bar won't even be full and the line for drinks will be 45 minutes(not exaggerating). On top of this, they keep another line to get in the place just for looks I guess...? No reason not to let people in when the bar isn't full. Employ 2 or 3 more people and they would add thousands of dollars to their bottom line per weekend night. Unfortunately these people are too inept to realize this or they are purposely sabotaging their own bar. Regardless, I will probably keep going there, waiting in lines, and hating myself for it. read more

They have a new policy where they don't let people in for 30-45 minute periods in the evening. They don't provide a reason either. (Empty and not crowded) Been coming here for years, pretty cold/rude reception. Disappointing, I've been a patron for years. read more

On a summer sunny day this is a great casual hangout for laid back drinks and a snack. The outside seating is a cute set up for sitting in the sun and sipping cocktails. I would say a person's priority here would be drinking, and the food is a decent safety net for not getting too far gone. My suggestion is to fully expect the time you visit to dictate how your experience might go. This place has the potential to range anywhere from Jimmy Buffet Wastin' Away in Margaritaville to a scene straight out of Animal House. The clientele is a mix of fairly well behaved adults to buck the rules frat brats. The bar is average and well stocked with options. Once again your service could be like a box of chocolates. You might get a delicious nutty caramel one time or the sickening cream center you put back in the box. Never know what you're gonna get. read more

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FYI $1 tacos ended last week 4/1/22, but the regular priced tacos are still yummy. Good weather is on the way! read more

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Some friends and I visited Pono Ranch on July 2, 2022. We all purchased drinks and food. I ordered a chicken burrito with guacamole and a beer. The total came out high, by approximately $15, when compared with the menu. When I inquired with the employee that rang me up, they indicated there was an extra charge for chicken and that the price was accurate. I reviewed the menu, which indicated chicken came included and was not extra. I brought this to their attention, but was again told the total was correct. I asked another employee working about being overcharged. That employee stated "oh ya, that's normal. We routinely overcharge people." The food itself was mediocre and the beer didn't taste like the beer I ordered and are familiar with. I do not recommend Pono Ranch and suggest people considering it to spend their money elsewhere. read more

Pono Ranch - Chicken burrito. - American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The best bartender in Seattle (Cassie) just walked off, the worst bartender in Seatyle (Nicole) got fired. The location is awesome and inside is well designed. Avoid weekend nights, and it's a great place. The food is decent and ginger beer good. Interesting spot to try. Not the best but not the worst. Give it a go. read more

This is a very friendly, casual place where you order at the bar and they bring you food. The space is obviously reclaimed from a former industrial site and that's part of the charm. The outdoor seating allows for families and pets to come along. The music is often great. The food is simple but tasty. I've been a customer since they opened, always had a good experience, and never experienced any problems as mentioned by other reviews. I often recommend it to folks who are new in town and have been to a few birthday events there. Always a hit! read more

I really want to like this place because it's fun place with live music every once in a while! But lots of super young people that are rude to others, super long lines outside for seemingly no reason except to make them look busy and the younger kids all flirt their way to the front of the line and cut everyone. Staff was rude and bar always has a crazy wait for drinks, probably understaffed. read more

Pono Ranch is the move on the weekends for sure! Love that Bartending DJ and his energy. Like who has that?? Bands are a lot of fun too. Food is amazing also! Those chicken strips!! Yum! It can get packed on the weekends so get there early. Service has really stepped up too with all 3 bars in full effect. Fire pits, outdoor seating. Yup. Its the move. read more

I hate that I spent money here. The entire experience from stepping in to leaving was garbage. You walk in and there are tons of confusing signs that don't explain to you a waitress will not seat you or serve you. The staff is inexperienced or just doesn't care to be there. I watched multiple people walk in confused and the waitress just looked and turned and walked the other way. I feel like it's common sense to greet your customers. The food is overpriced and disgusting and poorly cooked. Seriously don't buy an entree because it's no different portion sizes than the small bites (tacos). The only good thing about this place is the physical appearance of the outdoor space, which could still be cleaned up and better. This place is hyped up by hipster kids that's why it's made it to 3 stars. Don't be fooled. read more

Pono Ranch - Cheap beef tacos $9 - American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Overcharged by $26!!!! No refund after two weeks. Super expensive, might as well get 7/11 hot food + drinks and trot down to gas works for a better experience. read more

Way too many people during covid. I was regularly touched and bumped by others and no one was monitoring. No one was wearing masks, Including employees. The hours are also way later than what is written on both their signs and online, not sure why. Extremely disappointing and unsafe. read more

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I guess things must've been pretty bad at this place a while back, based on previous reviews, but either this place has improved or other Yelpers are just nitpicky as fuck. I went yesterday, right when they opened, and sat at the bar. The only problem I experienced was not being able to have my order placed until twenty minutes after I arrived because "the kitchen isn't ready." So that's why they didn't achieve the fifth star. You should be ready to serve food as soon as you open. I played nice, but inside I was steaming like the fajitas they probably waited forever to cook for someone else. I got the fish tacos, and they were pretty good. Nearby Gracia has better, cheaper ones, though. The fries were just average; almost barely worth the stomach acid. It's a cute space, and I'm sure it's great in the summer, but I really have no reason to go back now that I've tried it. And now that I've reached the end of my review, it sounds more like a 3-star, so I'm removing another star. Meh. Whatever. Happy football withdrawal. read more

Staff was super sweet and the drinks were great! I wasn't sure what I wanted to order so bartender made me a custom drink! Highly recommend!

What a wonderful location under the north end of Ballard bridge. Spacious, creative, friendly and colorful setting. Due to pandemic I did not a chance to go in. Menu in the website, outdoor seating and spaciousness impressed me a lot. Can't wait to check it out first hand. read more

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I am leaving this review as someone who tried to throw an event here. I generally enjoy this space as the bar it is, not often my social scene, but a great place for a outside beverage during Covid times under a covered patio with a beautiful giant olive tree. However, this bar totally F*ed up when my company tried to throw their new year party here. There was total communication breakdown between the manager booking events and any of their staff. We had booked the upper patio area in advance where private parties often happen, supposed to have our own bar and area roped off from the public... But when we showed up no one knew what was going on, the manager MIA, no bar for us, just the bar per usual on a Saturday night. We made the best of it but it was a total flop. To add insult to injury, since we are peak Omicron Covid right now and the whole point of this event was to be outside on a patio, we were all forced to order our drinks inside with a bunch of unmasked bartenders and the public. I understand that life happens, but the fact that there was no communication with the bar staff that a private event had been booked is beyond me. read more

First of all parking is a nightmare. Secondly, it was very dirty, like chewed up gum on the table dirty. It was also full of flys, inside the bar area! I went very close to opening and so it's not like things just got dirty as time passed for the day. It's more like cleaning just hasn't happened and isn't a priority kind of dirty. Not okay, especially in a pandemic. I didn't stay for more than 45 minutes in part b/c I was only able to find 1 hour parking and in part due to how dirty and uncomfortable the place was. I certainly didn't trust the food to even give it a try. read more

Average. Very average bar. Where is the food i'm so hungry?? Also I'm stressed and having social anxiety. And I'm cold and didn't bring a jacket. Maybe wouldn't recommend. Jk I'm chillin. It could be much worse read more

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Another disappointing visit. You would think that if a customer calls 3x within the week letting management know there were 40-60 people coming for a casual birthday gathering.. they would have brought in an additional bartender/server. This place has a nice ambiance but the service is less than mediocre. I will be back... for the live music and the fire pits. Also... these were the $8 nachos.. all I can say is LOL. read more

Pono Ranch - American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Last night as we were leaving Pono Ranch, whoever was working the north entrance tried to stop my 9-year-old daughter from leaving the premises with her root beer. This person, a gray-haired man, and the Asian woman and other gray-haired man wearing a hat all cited Washington State liquor laws as the reason why my daughter couldn't leave with her root beer. As I told all of them at the time, these people were wrong. Subsection 2 of Section 314-11-065 of the Washington Administrative Code states: "For on-premises liquor licenses, the licensee or employees may not permit the removal of liquor in an open container from the licensed premises..." https://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=314-11-065 The section imposes no restrictions on the removal of non-alcoholic beverages as quite obviously, they fall outside the scope of the state's liquor laws. I suggest that Pono Ranch hold a staff meeting to clarify which beverages can and can't be removed from the premises. My daughter was very upset at the suggestion she was trying to break the law and the implication that she should have finished her drink more quickly. These circumstances were also caused entirely by Pono Ranch. Our waitress removed my daughter's first root beer while it was still full from our table without asking. Due to the new "at the bar" ordering (which isn't great, by the way), it took quite some time to stand in line and get her a replacement root beer. Had this not happened, my daughter would have finished her drink well before we left. As I told the gray-haired man before ultimately walking out with the root beer, Pono Ranch should be ashamed of itself for hassling a 9-year-old girl and her family over a root beer. Pono Ranch should also be embarrassed for not knowing the rules that govern its establishment and for misstating them to customers. read more

Pono ranch has an awesome atmosphere and great food/drinks. HOWEVER: Pono Ranch Owners- please STOP handing out plastic cups! Besides the fact that you're in Seattle and plastic cups will anger your customers, they are also one of the #1 ocean pollutants. Don't ruin this wonderful place by showing no concern for the environment. Thank you. I want your business to succeed. read more

Tried to go to Pono Ranch on a Friday night. After waiting in line for 30+ minutes and reaching the front of the line, the bouncers let in their friends ahead of us and also let in a 12 person bachelorette party who was behind us in line. After asking the bouncer for a time estimate to get in, he said "I don't give a shit that it's raining" and slammed the door in our faces. We left to spend our money elsewhere. read more

Nice, big, outdoor space with a lot of seating option. The food was good and the service was fine. Young, rowdy bar, but I had a good time.