A laid-back beer bar seems a little incongruous in Hell's Kitchen, but that's what the Pony Bar is: With 20 rotating, mostly local beers on tap, and two on cask; a wooden canoe hanging upside down from the ceiling; and long wood picnic tables lining the room, it's a refreshing alternative to the tired Midtown happy hour -- and all beers are $5! Patrons who sample and review 100 different brews win a free t-shirt and a video on the bar's Web site. Growlers are available for take-home convenience. And a sign on the wall offers rides on the Pony Express -- a day trip to a nearby brewery, complete with breakfast. "Sometimes you ride the pony, and sometimes the pony rides you," a sign on the wall reads. A few more beers, and that might start making sense. Open Sun. noon-4am; Mon.-Fri. 3pm-4am; Sat. noon-4am.

theponybar.com