Pony Club Bar & Lounge

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Bar Built Around the Vine

Tucked just off the lobby of Hotel Cheval on Pine Street, Pony Club Bar & Lounge carries the hotel's understated equestrian character into a space anchored by a traditional French zinc-topped, horseshoe-shaped bar. It's the kind of room that feels both considered and easy — the sort of place where hotel guests and Paso Robles locals end up at the same barstool without it feeling accidental.

Wine Spectator recognized Pony Club with its Award of Excellence in 2023, a nod to the bar's genuinely thoughtful wine program. The list leans into the surrounding Central Coast appellation — pours from Saxum, Tablas Creek, Halter Ranch, and Hubba Wines sit alongside selections from Arroyo Grande Valley and San Luis Obispo County — while reaching into Burgundy and the Veneto for sparkling options. It reads like a map of what makes this corner of California worth paying attention to.

Cocktails with Personality

The signature cocktail list has a distinct point of view. The Honey Badger pairs rosemary-infused Bulleit Bourbon with Liquore Strega and a house-made ginger-honey syrup. The Spice Island Old Fashioned swaps bourbon for Gosling's Rum and a house-made nutmeg syrup. The Strawberry Balsamic Sling builds on Barr Hill Gin with a house-made strawberry-balsamic lemonade. These aren't afterthoughts — they're built in-house with specific ingredients and clear intention.

Small Plates, Serious Cheese

The American food menu is compact and well-matched to the drinking. A cheese selection brings together Fromager d'Affinois double-crème brie, Central Coast Creamery goat gouda, and aged Danish havarti. The classic wedge salad comes with house-made buttermilk ranch. A gourmet grilled cheese on sourdough — gruyère, caramelized onions, fig jam — anchors the savory side, alongside deviled local eggs, an Angus beef slider trio, and a grilled chicken sandwich with herb-marinated breast, provolone, and aioli on a French baguette. Sticky toffee pudding with crème fraîche closes things out cleanly.

Open to All

Pony Club is open to the public Wednesday through Sunday from 4 pm. The patio is dog-friendly, and a $25 corkage fee applies for guests who bring their own bottle — wine only, one bottle limit.