Pony

Omg we loved this tour! I highly highly recommend you do it! We had so much fun with our tour guide…read moreand we laughed so much. The museum inside is pretty cool too.

Great bartender, yummy cheese curds and a surprising gem! The history of this place is really cool…read moreto look into. Worth a visit!

See all

Shorty's

3.9(719 reviews)

1.4 mi•Belltown

This is it, the emperor of Seattle dive bars. Inimitable. Sui generis. My favorite place to hang…read moreout in downtown Seattle when bad decisions and fun are on my agenda. Time without number I've found myself here, be that first dates, my birthday, or New Year's Eve, and it always feels like home. If home were a clown/carnival themed acid trip of a pinball arcade bar, that is. And what's not to love about that? The bar tenders here are cool and friendly people who pour drinks with a heavy hand, and understand the mission: get the patrons who want to be drunk, drunk. The first few times I visited, I felt a leeriness about ordering food. But once I got over myself, I kinda fell in love with the menu, and I've probably eaten everything on it (including the clam chowder). Their hot dogs are wonders to behold, utter symphonies for the senses, and I refuse to visit Shorty's without getting one. Best dog in Seattle? Why yes. I think so. To paraphrase one reviewer: "Take your date here. If she doesn't like it, she's lame and you shouldn't waste your time with her anyways." Shorty's is the bomb.

The male bartender was extremely rude. As soon as we walked in, he aggressively asked for our IDs…read more Then, while my cousins and I were looking through the food menu, he barely gave us a chance to read it before saying, "I'll take whoever is ready to make my life easier." That's not something paying customers want to hear. I ended up ordering a drink for myself while the guys were looking at the menu because they were doing a food hop, and us girls were doing a bar hop. During that time, the bartender came back to our table at least four times within about five minutes. Instead of being attentive, it felt pushy and aggressive, especially since they were still deciding what they wanted. I've been here a few times before, but after this experience, this will definitely be my last visit.

Tables are made from pinball machines

Spicy Pepperand Cheese Hot Dog, topo Chico seltzers

See all

Slushi and beer pint

Montana

4.0(207 reviews)

0.6 mi•Capitol Hill

Great dive bar. A local favorite people have frequented for years…read more So glad to see it survived the Pandemic! Great service. Many drink options. Relaxing seating and space

Solid dive. Cheap(ish) drinks, plenty of booth seating for groups. DO NOT get the pickle back shot…read more- or do at your own risk - it took one of my friends out for 48 hours.

Shots and pickle backs

See all

Streamline Tavern

4.0(118 reviews)

1.9 mi•Lower Queen Anne

The best dive bar in Seattle great local crowd efficient system when things are crowded and a good…read moreselection of booze. ....that is my review

We stopped in for a quick drink before heading over to McCaw Hall to see Nikki Glaser. It was fine…read more Close to the venue, but not particularly welcoming.

Bar area

Douglas (Draft), Rainer (Can)

See all

Drink #2

Bait Shop

4.3(299 reviews)

0.8 mi•Capitol Hill

After a walk with a high school friend around volunteer park during this recent Seattle heat wave/…read moresmoke from the fires, we were in desperate need of an ice cold beverage. Even though their patio was in direct sunlight, there was a shade that perfectly covered the upper body, so your face stayed shaded. We got their basket of fries for happy hour. They did the thick cut fries extremely well. Normally, I'm a skinny fry girl, but these ones has a delightful amount of crisp and seasoning. Additionally, they offering lots of different type of sauce options. I went with the fry sauce aka secret sauce. The ranch was excellent though. I had the cider on draft. It wasn't very sweet if that's what you're into. Now the watermelon slushie situation though. That was a sweet refreshing drink. Perfect hot summer day drink. Inside the bar is kind of dark dive bar, but they have some card games and board games that you can play as well if that's more your vibe.

this is a really fun themed dive bar in cap hill, and actually my first time visiting! they have a…read morelot of fun drinks, but they also do proper drinks too. theres also a small food menu, burgers, fish n chips, wings, nachos, fries. i got the space tang cocktail, it was really cute and had edible stars in it. it was def more on the sweet tangy side, which i liked! the wings we were able to choose two flavors, got the buffalo and lemon pepper. pretty standard, but i liked that they came out fresh, hot, and cwispy. the fish n chips were also pretty standard. the fries were amazing, big and hearty cuts, almost resembling wedges. the ambiance is pretty dark/moody, def dive bar leaning. it is quite loud. and there is a photo booth in the back!

Decor

Fries basket

See all

We're all family here and Daily slushie (Cold Toddy)

The Hideout

4.1(321 reviews)

0.5 mi•First Hill

One on First Hill's best kept secrets. Great cocktails, great ambiance, no TVs - good people…read more Arguably one of the best bars in the city hands down.

Came here with a friend one late night and the ambience is just right. A handful of regulars, dive…read moreatmosphere, music not too loud and strong drinks. It's not a secret bar, but it has an unassuming look that I like and can be easily overlooked. Their tagline is "your favorite neighborhood art bar" which is appropriate as the bar is filled with art and decor that gets your attention. Much of the art is for sale, but definitely for someone who has a strong love for it and or deep pockets. The bar has been around since 2005 with an aim to build in the eyes of patrons for patrons. There is a fairly extensive menu of cocktails that carry a pricey tag, but are good. I simply opted for a couple Tom Collins, and it was excellent. Had me walking back kinda sideways. Definitely a gem of a drinking spot, perfect place to close out a night.

See all

Smooth Operator (mezcal cocktail)

Loretta's Northwesterner

4.2(700 reviews)

6.0 mi•South Park

Small tavern style with maybe half dozen booths and bar seating…read more Quality tap list and delicious burgers. I had the tavern double and failed to snap a pic. It had 2 well seasoned patties with excellent grill flavor, American cheese & chopped onions. Truly simple and delicious. Service is attentive and kind. -Order at the bar

Amazing as always…read more The food is delicious with well balanced flavors and made quickly. The staff is on it and always busy but quick with it. There are a few options of where to sit: Indoors near the front where there are a few booths and bar seating where it is dark and you won't know what time of day it is unless you are by the windows Indoors near the back has some tables as well And outdoors also has a fireplace that is nice for rainy Seattle dining. Very fun atmosphere and good drinks as well. Strong.

Chili cheese fries

Double Tavern burger

See all

Classic Neon sign outside

Screwdriver Bar

4.1(94 reviews)

1.5 mi•Belltown

During my Fall stay in Belltown this cool quaint spot was recommended to me based off of a set of…read morecriteria I asked from my bartender at another spot: dive-y, cocktails, preferably records/vinyl DJs, and cool vibes. The bartender said Screwdriver Bar. I looked it up, closed my tab, and walked over to Screwdriver Bar which was a short walk back to my hotel. Score! First off don't get confused. There is one (1) door attendant possibly for two venues?! I want to say there was a venue on top of this bar. Either way I saw Screwdriver Bar was downstairs so be sure you kinda know where you are going. Screwdriver Bar is (seemingly) free from a cover. I walked down the steps and entered a whole world of vinyl records, throw back artwork and memorabilia that filled the very top of the ceiling all the way down to the tables and floor. This spot made me feel welcomed right off the bat with laughter, people dancing, and a busy bar staff serving up all the drinks from tallboys to fancy hand shaken cocktails. I really enjoyed my time here when I visited. On the menu I thought I saw a dumpling type of food situation going on. I know I smelled good warm food smells but I did not have a chance to order anything (I ate somewhere else). Mostly locals here which made me feel good as the recommendation was spot on and the others here were all having a great time which was the vibe I needed during my stay in Belltown.

Very cool dive bar with an old punk rock, mildly gothy vibe. The cocktails available and the…read morequality is better than your average dive bar. It was pretty packed on Friday or Saturday, can't quite remember which day I was there. I didn't order but nobody at the table had problems with service. The music was loud, and everyone was talking, yet a chill vibe, everyone just having a good time. I'd easily come back and I recommend.

5.7 mi•Loyal Heights, Ballard

Junglebird slushy

See all

Thunderbird Tavern

4.7(32 reviews)

First timer and will be back! Good lime. Come for the lime stay for the back patio vibes!read more

This place had all the markings of a typical dive bar. There were plenty of TVs to watch sports and…read morea couple of pool tables. The interior was dimly lit with more tables and seating in the back. It was a neighborhood bar with a lot of locals and frequent barflys. Their website said that their happy hour is from 4-7pm but when we arrived at 6pm the bartender said it was actually 4-6pm. She told us though that "it's not happy hour but our stuff is cheap anyway" which was a funny exchange and gave us a chuckle. She was right though because wells were $5 and the Moscow mule was $8 (although it was just okay). We played pool, watched some TV, and just hung out. It was a cool vibe.

Blurry vod sod with lime

SLAWDOG - german bratwurst, w/Salvadoran slaw & Tim's cascade style chips

See all

Pickled egg

Von's 1000Spirits

4.5(4.2k reviews)

1.1 mi•Downtown

Next level food. Never missed the mark. Long wait but worth it. My whole family loved it. Wish they…read morehad a location in California!

Sebastian was an amazing host, guided me through the order. Excellent food and atmosphere.read more

See more unrecommended reviews

Decor interior

Mediterranean Vegan Sourdough Pasta

See all

Beautiful bar area

Why does Yelp recommend reviews?

Hundreds of millions of reviews are posted on Yelp, and our automated recommendation software works in the background to showcase the reviews that it …

37 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Josh H.

1 year ago

pony is responsible for the worst mishandling of a drugging incident i've ever seen. a longtime patron was seen pouring a powder in the drink of a girl who was later so intoxicated she couldn't walk or speak. pony's response, in turn, has been to blatantly downplay, ignore, and outright accuse those telling them what happened of racism, shedding white tears, and engaging in MAGA-like tactics to have this person dealt with. mind you, any other bar would have simply called the police. however, pony seems hellbent on shifting blame to anyone but themselves, so let's get something clear: you are responsible for this. you served the drinks. you didn't help the victim. someone was drugging girls 30 years younger than themselves under your roof, and you haven't even banned her. this is not only shady, but extremely concerning -- will you let the individual return to re-engage with their victims? will you do anything when it happens again, or will you continue to downplay it? what purpose does the perpetrators business serve if it puts your community in danger? how much more evidence do you need to feel inclined to keep people safe? i will miss karaoke tuesdays, but the bottom line is that until you are willing to protect the community you aim to serve, you do not deserve it. do not come here, and give your money to a business that does. EDIT: i wanted to rescind my original review when ownership presumably took over the situation and resolved it amicably. that didn't happen. instead, pony banned the individual mentioned above for one day out of the week in response to nobody showing up (already a strange and awkward choice) then unbanned her as of today, blacklisting those who spoke up instead. baffling and dangerous decision making from staff and ownership all around. turn away and never look back. they don't care about you or your safety at all, and will instead victim blame and coddle abusers. truly, truly sad behavior. read more

Chris B.

12 years ago

Are you fucking kidding me? My friend Bryan who happen to be gay and we went out to celebrate Bryan's birthday with two other people. Apparently, Danielle want to buy Bryan a drink and asked me what is a good drink to try. I used to be bartender so I know what good drink is. I borrowed Danielle's phone and look up a good recipe she can take up to bartender to make the drink. Instead of making her order, bartender response with attitude and say "we don't make a drink off of a phone". There is nobody in line and there is probably like 5 other people that already have their drink. It was slow night on Sunday since everybody have to work in the morning. Bartender says "you can request any drink you want. Just call it out", "Well then make this one then", "No! Something like lemon drop, gin and tonic, or whatever!". Right, you're too busy to look at the drink and make it. Fuck you asshole. You know, we are paying you a money and we expect a good customer service. This bar deserve to be burn down. Fuck you, we are not coming back here again. read more

Meryem S.

1 year ago

Unfortunately seems like "THEE REGULAR" mentioned in previous reviews is being protected by the managers, even after being reported multiple times for SPIKING DRINKS. and GROPING people. NOT A SAFE PLACE TO GO, they turn away mixed queer and ally groups despite advertising as ally friendly, I hear about things getting stolen often, and even though they claim to be POC run and use that to claim people being against them allowing "THEE REGULAR" to continue visiting is weaponizing "white tears", I've heard bad things from queer POC who have gone here, and they claim to welcome ALL queer people, but have turned away bi women dating trans men for seemingly not appealing to their idea of what a queer person looks like. Apparently a good vibe if you're an able bodied white gay man who wants shots, but if you're anyone else, you better hope you're gay enough in their eyes to be welcomed, even if you're extremely queer, or you're better off drinking elsewhere. read more

John A.

13 years ago

My night ended bad at Pony Bar . when I went to collect my credit card from the Latin or Indian bartender, They had lost my card and would not look for it, then the bouncer came over grabbed me from the back, pushing me hard outside, and "physically threw me out", I was not being rude or violent, just in shock over them losing my credit card. what If I had fallen over and hurt myself, in all the years living in Seattle I have never been thrown out or been asked to leave any establishment. My bank was notified and stopped any payment to Pony. I will NEVER go back. Just read some other comments on a few sites & yelp, this is not the first time this has happened to someone at pony. I feel violated.....The patio was the only thing about this place that's nice. Next time going to Cc's or the cuff..... Fire the violent bouncer... read more

Laura B.

118

8 years ago

Had a strange time at Pony Last night - it's weird because this is a regular spot for us and never had problems before. It started with another women customer saying we are marginalizing them as we are all "straight white women" when in fact: we were not all 'straight' or all 'women'. It continued from there as the dancers were saying we are taking up their space for actual customers to tip. We gave them our money and we were having a good time - why are we not allowed to be there again.?? It's interesting how they have fought for equality and I am all for that. But now we are the ones being shamed for our sexuality. read more

Jack T.

5 years ago

Yup, I can confirm that this bar is the most inconsiderate bar in Seattle. Absolutely no consideration for the apartments around it when it decides to throw over-the-top concert-like bar nights during weekdays when people are trying to get a reasonable amount of sleep for work early next day. I'm 99% confident that those who live in apartments facing this bar want to bulldoze the living **** out of it. You guys are so unbelievably, damn loud and don't give a ****. Thank you for ruining all of our sleep schedules and quality for the sake of money. read more

Daniel J.

8 years ago

The tall bald headed bartender that complains about making Negronis is a absolutel asshole!!! One of the simplest cocktails since the prohibition era and this guy complains ?!?! 3 components?!?! Really?!?! I guess he's used to selling Rainers and shitty shots!!! Then he 86s our group that's buying average drinks?!?!?! The bartender sucks and he feels like he's self entitled!! Coming from a industry person and telling him I'm in the same industry he had a attitude from the beginning!! I hope the owners address this!! read more

James G.

12 years ago

I love this place and I love the people. I use to go to the old Pony and I call this place a second home even if I don't go as much as I use to. My advice to people who don't like it.....if ys can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen. This is NOT Purr or Neighbors. You should be aware of that before even walking in. If you are shocked by the bar itself or the crap on the walls then turn around and leave. This isn't disneyland honey. read more

Daniel K.

132

11 years ago

One star for the doorman. Don't bother coming to this club if you are a from another country. My 40 year old friend from Thailand brought his Thai Id and US green card which is in English and clearly shows his age. Pony is the only bar in all of Seattle that wouldn't allow him in without a passport (who wants to risk losing a passport just to go to a bar?). 1 star for the racist, rude doorman who should be fired. read more

Darcy D.

13 years ago

The dj was rude and slightly classist and seemed spaced and referred to himself as an anti-jukebox which was confounding and unattractive so no to this place, and this place smells like old mcdonalds fries. FYI man has manky beard #verypoor #toohipster #toopainful #bullyingbyexclusion #isthisevenagaybar #toosoontoforgetthepast read more

Johny C.

3 years ago

Some guy claimed to be the owner and went into my female friend's face and said she was disgusting. I don't think it's right to go into a woman's face ever. She apologized and he said "don't apologize you're disgusting." I will never tolerate this kind of aggressiveness. Thanks for giving the gays a bad rep. read more

Rue M.

1 year ago

Imagine unbanning the one person who gropes and spikes drinks, then blacklisting everyone who came up and spoke about the problem. Watch your drinks, and don't stand in the corner if you don't wanna get grabbed. Don't bother complaining to the owner either. They don't care. read more

andrew g.

17 years ago

As a first time patron of a gay gay establishment i found very relaxing friendly bar staff quick service and very strong drinks. I had resevations about a strait man going to a gay bar but it was one of the best nights out i had in a long time. read more

Daniel B.

3 years ago

Fewest Stars The worst experience The mascara drawn girl who checks IDs is the biggest c u next Tuesday ever and CANNOT believe they receive a paycheck from anyone A truly horrible human being that I cannot believe wakes up in the morning read more

Chris V.

12 years ago

Bartender doesn't pay attention to you if your not pretty or young...total asshole. If you're older or not so pretty don't expect good service. Why don't owners train their employees better? Even us troglodytes need a beer once in a while. read more

David O.

16 years ago

New gay hipster dive? I guess that is the best way to describe. Feel bad for 4 stars, but it doesn't match the original feel, vibe, and crowd even... Sorry. But i still like it! read more

Joe S.

2 years ago

Consistently the rudest bar tenders of any of the gay bars on the hill. Like every time I've come here since 2017 they are SO PUT OUT by your existence. Get over yourselves. read more

gender b.

15 years ago

Terrible. SUPER RUDE staff. Just uptight nasty bitches. Small bar, corny decor and again just really super rude hipster assholes working there. Not worth it at all. read more

Matt S.

8 years ago

Ordered a Pom martini from the homely tall bald bartender and he said, this is not a subway salad bar. I will never go back. What a pathetic bottom douche bag. read more

Eric B.

8 years ago

You know for a bar that celebrates 70's and 80's gay culture they sure don't welcome or treat older men who created that same culture very well. Assholes read more

Pony - gaybars - Updated October 2026

People who viewed Pony also viewed

Diesel Seattle

3.9

(114 reviews)

Strong drinks good vibe A bit loud but epic service even with a crowd. Great "bear" bar.read more

The lazy bartender expects you to walk to him to order a drink. I don't know if they understand…read morethat in the SERVICE INDUSTRY your job is to serve customers. Laziness is a sad standard. The employee that worked on 1/25 should get retraining to actually serve customers.

Massive

3.4

(8 reviews)

Massive is doing their ABSOLUTE BEST to give us the feelings that RPlace did. Nothing will ever…read morereplace that feeling, but Ethan and all of the staff and event organizers are absolutely incredible to be around. You can tell they are in this industry because they want to expand and improve the queer club culture of Seattle by embracing the trans community, weirdos and drag folks of all persuasions. While it'll never be the home I had in RPlace, it does have a place in my heart as part of queer nightlife in Seattle.

Massive is a massively agist bigoted bar. If you are over the age of 40. Do not come here. The…read moreparty promoters. And the owners. And the workers will discriminate against you. Learn through your own experience. This is a terrible bar.

Queer Bar

3.4

(102 reviews)

Queer/Bar used to be a place for community, for safety, for fun. Its where I've experienced so many…read morespecial nights with friends and family. That vibe changed during QPF as everyone knew what was coming. It's now owned by the same people who own Cuff, and I am sure I'm not the only one disappointed that a few people can utilize their finances to steal our spaces from us and charge us more to return. Check out Massive, The Eagle, CC Seattle's, Diesel, Chop Suey, Unicorn, and the corner of pike and third before you give this place a try.

Great spot to watch a show!…read more The layout can be a little tough to navigate when the crowd gets going, but that's true of most clubs, so no surprise there. The staff was great, quick and attentive even with a significant amount of people ordering drinks and crowding around the runway, checked on us frequently and made sure we never had an empty glass. We didn't try any of the menu offerings, but people seemed to be enjoying them quite a bit. I look forward to my next visit!

Madison Pub

3.7

(126 reviews)

Busy as fuc$ Sunday night. Dodgeball tournament hit the bar. I'm not a regular but the "bus stud"…read morejust tapped my leg and said "welcome back" wtf. Ya I was here last night. But what a way to feel welcome! No winder they're celebrating 40 YEARS!

Wouldn't even know what it's like, waited in line for an hour before eventually leaving. Not worth…read moreit. 2 people got in in the hour we waited, Insane

Kremwerk

3.7

(73 reviews)

I came here and waited so long in line and paid for tickets to a show and got kicked out in line…read morebecause the bouncer said I had bad vibes but he kept moving me with his security stick because he said I was in the way of people exiting ..... I literally wasn't and he said he wouldn't refund me. So rude, never coming back , literally ruined my night I haven't seen my friends in so long. 0/10. Horrible.

Kremwerk on NYE was crazy. It might have just been because of the energy that night, but the huge…read moremess of rooms, crowds of people, and different music in each room made it so fun. It reminded me of clubbing in Berlin and there were music styles for every group. My only regret was not bringing my concert earplugs it is LOUD. Also be careful when you're walkind around! There's a lot of pathways and stairs and I saw a couple of people falling down.

Union

3.9

(84 reviews)

1942 shot + a veggie burger with aioli sauce , + a sparkling water -…read more Great for first dates , and work meetings . Service fantastic. Ambiance Chill AF

It's a gay bar with outside and inside seating. It serves…read morefood. Nice crowd for early evening on a Wednesday.

Mercury at Machinewerks

4.1

(90 reviews)

Volunteer operated and I LOVE IT. Ok hear me out. I am not a goth girl.... But I am open minded…read more This is all you need to have a great time here. The drinks are poured RIGHT!!! I felt safe and welcomed. What more do you need!! They will see me again.

Member operated. Always a vibe. Great dance scene, strong…read moredrinks. Bigotry and belligerence not tolerated.

Stage Seattle

3.1

(72 reviews)

•$$$

Not a bad place for dancing and some entertainment! My friends and I came here for our last stop…read morewhile out in Pioneer Square and had a fun time at Stage Seattle. Stage Seattle is huge! The space is kind of a maze once you enter. The dance floor is a decent size, with lots of booths for the best seats. In fact, the DJ even got off his stage to start walking along the high beams of the booths and was interacting with everyone. It was a fun vibe. It took forever to get drinks though. We decided to not stay very long due to how crowded it was and with such a long line to get drinks on a Saturday night, close to midnight. Staff was friendly though and liked that they played some good music, like hits from the early 2000's! Oh yeah!

DO NOT GO IF YOU ARE QUEER. NOT A SAFE SPACE…read more I am a non-binary person who feels comfortable using they/them pro-nouns. I am neither a man or a woman. The night I was there I was more comfortable using the woman's bathroom and I was kicked out of the club. I explained to the bouncer that I was non-binary and they said "you have a beard sorry". I don't recommend going here if you're not cis, because chances are, you will get kicked out.

VICE Seattle

3.6

(7 reviews)

went clubbing here with Christy and her Seattlite friend group during Halloweekend. Cover was $28…read moreonline, so not sure if prices are different in person, but :(. Pretty expensive! But, they have a free general admission tier available, if you arrive before 2230 or 10:30PM, but it sold out fast for me :(. service was...okay. long line, but security does their best to go quick. there are people who check to scan the QR codes of your tickets, so make sure to have those pulled up on your phone with the brightness up because they want you to quickly pass as they prepare for the next party to scan in for entry. they will not let you through if the ticket purchases do not match with the number of guests, so watch yourself! cleanish bathroom. just had one toilet clogged that was not fixed for sometime. at least there were two more toilets available in the girls' room. there is also a mirror there, but set pretty high, so had to stand on the waiting bench underneath it to check my uneven makeup, haha! at least the sink mirrors were available, but same issue... loved the dj set, though. goo mix of EDM and 2000s throwback music. I was having a great time the entire time that I was there from 2300 to 0200, or 11PM to 2AM. wish that there were more elevated surfaces to dance on, but also to catch a breath because the dance floor heats up quick with the big crowd. I also saw some girls dancing on the platform where the dj was playing at, so if you are by the front, go after that opportunity lolol did not get drinks here, but at the girls' bathroom, I met other girls who did and they loved the female bartenders. They got free drinks if they had matching Halloween costumes (e.g. guest dressed as Hugh Hefner and bartender dressed as playboy bunny). I thought that was pretty funny and I wish that I took advantage of that opportunity ... oh ! Next time!

Fun night club that can hold a lot of people. Music is good and staff are friendly and welcoming…read more Only problem we had was with one terrible security guard. Vice if you're listening get this guy out of here. All of your other security staff is great but this guy acted like he hated his life. It must have been a burden for him to check wristbands and let us in and out of VIP. Sir we paid over $1000 for this table put a smile on your face!

Emerald City Soul Club

4.5

(26 reviews)