This place is as good as it gets between Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. Definitely the best dinner place in St. George by a long shot. Their menu offers a wide variety of excellent choices for dinner entrees and desserts. They also have great drinks. I had the bacon wrapped duck and it was superb. I would give this place a 5 star if I had paid, but I don't know what the end bill was since it was on the bosses tab.
Review Source:Nice ambiance and pleasant bartender. Â Grabbed dinner and a drink at the bar. Â The beer salad was very good. Â The crab cakes were good but not great. Â Large but a little too bready and heavy on the fillers. I prefer a lump crab cake, tough to find in smaller cities typically. Â The zin by the glass was pretty decent. Â Overall, uneventful but would come back. Â Probably a 3 1/2. Â Will try something else in the area to see if there is something I like more.
Review Source:Was in Utah at the Red Mountain Resort (awesome) and decided to have a meal outside of those confines. Painted Pony had excellent reviews and thankfully, even in Utah, they had some decent single malt, Oban. Nice space, light, friendly staff. Had the ribeye, fatty and very tasty.  Service was solid...I was the only one seated at the small bar and one of the waitresses helped me out.  Being from NY, what struck me as funny and kind of weird, was that the liquors  were all in a walk-in closet at the rear of the bar, so you couldnt really see what they had in stock, nor could the Server provide any sort of list.  Other than that, it was a positive experience...nice change from the food at the Resort (also good). I'll go back the next time I'm in the St. George area for sure!
Review Source:Painted Pony is consistently one of the best places to eat in St. George. The food is always good and fresh and the service is prime. I have eaten here so many times I can't count them all. They know me when I come through the door, that is how much I have been here. I prefer the lunch menu because the sandwiches are awesome and only $10/person. They buy as much of their produce fresh, local, and in season as possible and it is reflected in the great quality of the food. If you're visiting the area, this is a place worth trying.
Review Source:The Painted Pony is a great place to go for something special... my family and I treated ourselves one year after seeing this restaurant on TV. It was very nice... Kind of on the expensive side. I think if we went back it would probably be only my husband and I. Not that kids can't go... they can and they have a limited kids menu (chicken fingers) which are VERY TASTY by the way!!! But I think this is more for couples. My family enjoyed themselves and I would certainly go back. They have interesting items on the menu that you don't get to have at other restaurants... I had the duck with apple slices. It was very good!
Review Source:Such a disappointing experience! Â We ate at Painted Pony several years ago and have always talked about wanting to get back because it was so fantastic. Â We FINALLY had a weekend in St. George with some extra free time on our hands and were so looking forward to introducing our kids to it (now that they are getting old enough to enjoy a fun meal). Â All of our food was a disappointment - under seasoned, over cooked and pretty much generally "not good". Â We won't be returning again I'm afraid.
Sometimes you get to make fun food memories with your kids. Â Sometimes you make the kind of memories where you all say, "Remember that time when we thought it would be so great and then it wasn't?" Â Just wish it hadn't cost us so much to make one of those "not so great" memories. Â Want a super fun memory in St. George? Skip the fancy and head over to Mad Pita Express. Â Now that place was fun and unexpectedly delish!
Being from Newport Beach, California and Laguna Beach, California, where there are some of the greatest restaurants in the country, it is wonderful having this gourmet restaurant here! We moved here 2 years ago and dine here often for lunch & dinner, as well as take-out for convenience.
We always take family visting from California here for dinner. Manager and Server extraordinare John, always makes my husband's birthday dinners special as well! The appetizers, soups, salads, entrees, sides, desserts & drinks are excellent!
They offer a diverse menu. They update and change selections as well. Our favorites are steak with ruby port sauce and steak with red wine pan sauce, the sauces are all delicious! Short ribs with risotto, hanger steak with truffled ruffles, ahi tuna, mussels, Caesar salad, baked brie, carrot & jalapeño soup and split pea soup.
They are locally owned and operated and have fresh ingredients! Painted Pony also offers a wide array of hot & cold drinks, both alcohol and non-alcohol. Italian ice/soda & other drinks are delicious.
Lunch is much less expensive and delicious as well, especially the meatloaf, gravy & mashed potatoes! Nicki & Randall, who also own George's Corner Restaurant, along with John, really care about customers. Kelly is an excellent server as well. Brianna, Bryce & the entire staff goes out of their way!
It's been a couple years and my server from my first visit, Nate, still works here. That should say something! I had John take care of me this time. I drove out of Las Vegas for a special trip just to have dinner at The Painted Pony. They do everything right here. The service is top notch: compassionate 5 stars with a humble and sweet/caring finesse that is genuine. Both experiences with John and Nathan have delivered descriptions of dishes with beautiful mouthwatering descriptions that show how much they care about their chef's creations. It was so hard to decide between the butternut squash ravioli with olive cream  and the ribeye! I love the timing of the dishes delivered, the presentation of the dishes, and the surprises in each dish as the menu describes just the right amount allowing room for yummy surprises.  I love everything about the Painted Pony. It's such a treat to drive a couple hours to see you all! Thank you! Don't go changing! I'll see you again soon!!!
Review Source:Visiting this area from the San Francisco, Bay Area for the holiday and this was an oasis of culinary charm, that I consider competitive with fine dining in metropolitan areas, but most especially when compared to other experiences in this area (southwestern Utah).
We dropped in last minute having come to St. George from our lodging in Zion National Park. The hostess kindly accommodated us on Christmas Eve, despite their busy evening and our lack of a reservation.  Our server, Sheree, was exceptional--she was knowledgeable about the main menu as well as the the wine and dessert menus. Our salad and entrees were quite good, but the true pleasures of the dining experience were the dessert. Perfectly blissful vanilla creme brûlée, creamy with a crisp caramelized crust,  and delightful molten chocolate cake with raspberries and peppermint ice cream. Paired with warmed Grand Marnier, and you couldn't ask for a better topper for the meal.
I'll come back around when I'm back to hike the Narrows in the spring.
This is a nice place reasonable on the wallet in St. George. Â I like them pretty much. Â The food is fresh and consistent. Â It's not over the top but that's not their purpose. Â The service is friendly and they've got my order right each time. Â Not many gluten free options if you're GF like me. Â However, the waitstaff knows all the menu items to avoid. Â I liked the atmosphere and overall vib of the place. Â If you like Painted Pony also check out the Thai place downstairs. Â If you like Thai rather than American Cuisine go there. Â Otherwise, Painted Pony is a sure bet and consistent. Â Good for business lunch or casual dinner too.
Review Source:The Painted Pony is one of very few fine dining establishments in St. George. Â Its menu is somewhat unique but it does offer a few classic gourmet entrees. Â I decided to go outside the norm on the peripherals, and stay classic with my main dish. Â And, an appetizer of the Bacon-Wrapped Almond-Stuffed Dates was an excellent, hot, and delicious beginning, while a small bowl of Vegetable Beef Soup, consisting of corn, celery, large pieces of carrots, and lots of beef in tasty beef broth was good but not really special. Â A Vanilla Italian Ice was very good with rustic bread and butter. Â
Because our server reported to me that it was a dish prepared with tomatoes from the chef's own garden, I decided to try the Heirloom Tomato Salad. Â Unfortunately, it wasn't what I imagined it to be. Â So, although the pyramid of layers of Heirloom Tomatoes and Buffalo Mozzarella with Foccaccia Bread and Balsamic Gelatin and Balsamic Dressing was undoubtedly good for what it was, I didn't really enjoy it. Â
Diane's 16 oz. Ribeye Steak contained too much fat, but the Truffled Ruffles--homemade potato chips bathed in truffle oil--were very good comfort food. Â My 8 oz. Grilled Tenderloin with Bacon Mushroom Demi-Glace and Herb Whipped Potatoes and asparagus was prepared medium rare as ordered. Â The meat was very good, and the sauce was good but there was not much of it. Â
Desserts of Oozy Gooey Chocolate Cake ala mode and Coconut Key Lime Pie with Coconut Graham Crust and small cubes of pineapple on the side were both very good. Â There were constant refills of water, and service was exemplary.
An imperfect but nice dining experience overall!
A terrific dining experience! Â Each course was individually outstanding, and all five in our party raved about their selections. Â The beet salad was passed around because it was so delicious everyone had to try it. Â Steaks were buttery, flavorful and served in generous portions. Â Dessert was easily split among the group, as it was a perfect treat at the end of a lovely meal. Â Thank you!
Review Source:This was our 2nd visit to this cute little place, we loved it the first time however since that time they got a new chet and the food just wasn't up to par. Â The steaks were tough and undercooked, the macaroni and cheese was dry and tasteless and the bacon wrapped dates were poorly put together and fell apart......HOWEVER... Â the service was still impeccable! our waiter John was excellent! he was professional, attentive and knowledgable of the menu. Â Kudo's for that!
I don't know that we'll go back again as the prices were high for what the kitchen is putting out these days. Â Its a shame because its a really cute place.
After a week of so-so food on the road in Utah, this was an oasis, in St George on the way to Las Vegas. The place is hard to find if you don' t know your way around but worth the effort. Excellent service and excellent food in 3 distinct rooms including a warm patio with plenty of shade. I never eat BLT' s yet I chose that special at lunch with heirloom tomatoes. The crab cakes were good as well, not too greasy but not dry either. My wife' s arugula salad was fresh and well dressed and saisoned. This place reminded me of what I am used to in San Francisco. I know this sounds like California snobbery but this place is a pearl in Utah.
Review Source:Stopped on our visit to the. City. I had a great filet and our appetizer of tomatoe and mozzeralla tower was really tasty. Â Hubby ad the ravioli and really enjoyed it. Â We went on a Sunday early evening and practically hd the place to ourselves. Â I'd go back again and Los go on a Sunday to avoid the crowds
Review Source:Could there be a better meal? A view of the charming Ancestor Square with a concert filtering music throughout the meal, provided a lovely dining ambience. A perfect service made it more of a delightful experience. And then the food. Wow! This chef seriously knows his business. I can honestly say this is one of the better meals I've ever eaten. The Heirloom Tomato Salad with the chefs home grown tomatoes is worth filling this entire review in describing! It was served with balsamic gel cubes, shallot dressing, making it  a memorable salad. The Roasted Pollock, nestled in warm Heirloom Gazpacho, topped with smoked Andiouie Sausage and served with a polenta wedge was to die for. Hubby had the bacon wrapped duck served over celery root purée that was beyond well prepared. Luckily he shared a bite!  This place deserves 10 stars.
Review Source:Third visit and still a favorite when passing through. The first visit was two years ago while on the way to Colorado from SoCal. Stumbled across The Painted Pony while checking out downtown St. George. Turned out to be a GREAT find.
First time had the cheese plate appetizer. Discovered Beehive Cheese Company's "Barely Buzzed" cheese. Been buying it at Whole Foods ever since.
Entrees were Surf&Turf for me, Lamb for my wife. All I can say is WOW! Â Plating on my S&T was so good I took a picture! Â Taste was just as good. The lamb wasn't as stylish, but was excellent.
Service was attentive and efficient. The server was well informed and very friendly.
On the return trip about a week later, we actually made it all the way to St. George just for the purpose of dining there again. As luck would have it we got the same server! Â He remembered us and made recommendations for our second meal. Ok, have to admit not as impressive as the first meal, but still excellent (no pix this time).
Earlier this month, heading back home from Idaho, stopped in again. Awwwww . . . No Surf&Turf on the menu! Â But the short ribs were the special. Fall apart, melt in your mouth tasty! Â And the mushrooms were outstanding. My wife had the petite filet. Perfect portion, cooked just right, cut it with a fork. Gotta love that.
Again, great attentive service. We ended up closing the place. We'll be back any time we travel I-15.
first off very impressed with the fact that they have actual metal goblets for water glasses. One of the most prestigious eating establishments in all of southern Utah. let me be clear if you are a glutton this is not the restaurant for you. on the other hand if you enjoy fantastically prepared and presented meals then this is absolutely the restaurant for you. portions are normal size not overly gigantic, menu is al la carte. you will leave extremely satisfied with the meal you just enjoyed. now I know why painted pony has a extremely loyal following and high rating.
Review Source:A disappointment, but may be we were just unlucky. Â My husband had the portobello mushroom sandwich, which was good, but his side was flavorless, and my salmon salad was just ok. Â The salmon itself was very good, as was the citrus vinaigrette. Â But the rest was not better than what I could've thrown together at home - plain baby spinach, a few slices of soft flavorless beets and a few blanched string beans. Â If this is St. George's best, I feel sorry for the residents of St. George.
Review Source:Steak was very good. Chicken and Lamb pretty good. But for $30 a plate, it was way overpriced. Outback is better. And in other cities like San Francisco you can get much better dinner for $20 per. Only other place i have been to in St George is Outback and the food was much better at lower price.
Thanks Nicki. The one suggestion i would make is if you could provide pictures or more detail on the menu. We were visiting tourists and used yelp on our smart phone to find a highly rated place. My friend had grilled ribeye, it was very large. My brother had either duck or lamb, cant recall, but it was about 1/4 the amount of food for similar price. So, they had to share....my brother was very surprised for $28 he received such a small amount and $34 ribeye was a gigantic plate.
2nd experience at the Painted Pony. If I had written this after my first visit, I would be at about a 4 star review. This was 2 years ago for lunch. It was a party of 2, lunch on the patio, and it was delightful. Food was good, and the experience was lovely enough that it made us want to take our other friends on our way to Pine Valley.
This time: beautiful day, great spot on the patio...again, looks like a good decision.
Drinks and bread come in a timely fashion and the bread was fantastic. Thank God for this starchy delight as we then waited for 1 hour and 40 minutes before our food came. We watched a table of 4 next to us arrive after us, receive their food, pay, and leave before our food came. One of our pals went inside to see what was up and they assured her it was coming.
We got 3 different stories between our server and 2 managers/owners. The reason doesn't really matter. We were basically ignored and as we got more hungry, thirsty and frustrated, the minutes ticked away and other patrons dined and went on with their day.
Our food finally came, 2 salads, 2 sandwiches. Nothing that has a long preparation. But obviously they threw together the pulled pork sammy as the bread was rock hard, not to mention the pork was greasy and lacked flavor. My portabello sandwich was ok, not worth the wait. Salads were fresh and good enough.
The manager came by at the end to offer dessert as an apology. Hmmm, we didn't have another hour to spend, so, no thanks. When the bill came, we were charged full pop. Bad form...any sort of discount would have been appreciated. Everyone has a bad day, weather it be the server or kitchen. We are understanding of that...but we found it to be quite pretentious that in leiu of the dessert, we weren't comped anything.
We actually asked on our way out and after mentioning our positions in the service industry, were we given an $8 discount. Thanks.
Next time in St. George, we will be dining elsewhere.
The Painted Pony is a welcome reprieve from a limited number of quality (read: non-chain) restaurants in St. George. The staff was incredibly friendly--from the host, to the server, to literally everyone who we passed or who approached our table. It was obvious that the Painted Pony team values friendliness.
The space is lovely. We got a table, via Open Table, overlooking the courtyard, which was great as the light breeze brought in fresh air throughout our meal. The restaurant is not incredibly stuffy, but has the right amount of class, appropriately reflecting the prices.
While I have a hard time with some of the Utah liquor laws (no wine tasting), I did appreciate that we were able to take our 1/3 full bottle of wine back to our hotel. On a similar note, I also appreciated the reasonable wine prices ($15 for a bottle of Malbec Rose, which is both a good price and hard to find).
Our food was great and portions were large. I couldn't finish my caesar salad (pretty good, but unimaginative 'croutons') and my girlfriend could barely finish her argula salad (delicious). They had plenty of vegetarian options to please our palates and the coconut key lime pie was very satisfying and unique.
Overall, this is a fantastic restaurant that I hope stays open given its large size and potentially small audience. It seems like St. George is attracting more and more seasonal visitors/residents, which will perhaps keep this place busy for years to come.
I'd recommend the Painted Pony for any special occasion meal whenever you find yourself enjoying Snow Canyon State Park or for an evening before/after a trip to Zion.
MY FAVORITE RESTAURANT IN ST. GEORGE!! I am a regular there. Amazing quality ingredients and wonderful service. they are so nice! the bread is fresh artisan made in-house and the pewter goblets are neat!
I'm vegetarian so when i want something different from the veggie options on the menu they always create amazing veggie plates for me.
at lunch - i love the house salad (walnuts/apples/blue cheese ), the Mac & cheese (blend of 4 artisan cheeses), the portabella mushroom sandwich (w/ homemade aoioli) and the homemade raspberry lemonade.
at dinner-- the ravioli will slay you
On December 9, 2011, my friend and I attended the "Art on the Main" event and decided to meet early to have dinner at the Painted Pony restaurant. Â I love this restaurant!
Their menu is so enticing, its difficult to select one entree. Â
My friend had a wonderful ceasar salad and their signature french onion soup served in a large, beautiful onion with the brown outer skin... gorgeous display. She also had a glass of red wine (don't recall the brand but she said it was good!) Â She gave the meal a two thumbs up!
I was daring and ordered the carrot soup with jalapeno (don't like hot, spicy) and the butternut squash ravioli with alfredo cream sauce and loaded with mushrooms. AHHH! Its rare to find butternut squash ravioli served anywhere and when it is, I order it! Â I had a glass of St. Michelle chardonnay (yum) with my meal. Â Â
The service was excellent... very attentive and accomodating... When I voiced my concern about the carrot soup, our waiter said to please let him know if I don't like it, he would be happy to replace it with something else. Â That's what I call excellent service! Â
The soup had a little kick to it but was great! Â
My friend and I were in a hurry to attend the art event so we had to skip dessert. Â Next time I dine and the Pony, I will make time for dessert.
The atmosphere, the menu and excellent service.... I highly recommend the Painted Pony.
My friend and I were in st George for just one night so wanted to find just t the right restaurant. Yelp recommendations made the decision an easy one.
We tried the Brie in FILO and the beet salad for apppetizers and they were terrific. I had the ribeye steak which was great and she had the pork chop which was really great. The sides were wonderful I especially enjoyed the polenta. Too full for dessert.
We both think this is a dynamite restaurant and if you are in the area. GO.
I was to the Painted Pony several years ago and I wanted to go back and see if the quality is as good as before. Â It is.
I started with their signature carrot soup with jalapeño seasoning.  It was enough jalapeño to give the soup character and it was a good start.  The bread was several slices of good tasting bread served with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  There were no spices to add to the do it yourself mixing.  I prefer butter but this was OK for a change.  But, serve some spices to take some of the richness of the balsamic away.
For the entree, I went with the bone in pork chop. Â Here's the menu description: Â juniper brined chop, blue cheese walnut stuffed pear, sweet corn bread pudding, smoked tomato relish. Â Everything was fantastic. Â The chop was juicy, I liked the flavor of the corn bread pudding, and the pear with bleu cheese was a great combination.
Dessert was a special for the day. Â A poached pear filled with some chocolate and sitting on a chocolate base. Â There was some slices of red velvet cake with cream cheese and nut filling for layers. Â The dessert was an excellent ending to the meal.
This could be a 5 star place but for two things. Â The online menu should match the current printed menu. Â It's not that hard. Â Service was a bit slow even though there were very few people there and I went at 5 PM--not a late time when restaurants tend to be busier.
In a pleasant converted old building with some nice shops and restaurants. Â I get the sense that it is one of the nicest restaurants in middle-brow St. George and went during lunch so I may not have seen it at its best. Â Was happy with the calamari appetizer and the tuna melt with fries I had was OK. Â Raspberry lemonade, with real raspberries, is a treat and it looks like they have a lot of wine choices, which may be rare in these parts. Â Service was friendly, efficient and unobtrusive and they have a deck, which may or may not have tables during the summer. Â Allow a little time to figure out the non-straigthforward parking situation.
Overall: A good alternative to corporate restaurants for a date or anniversary dinner, or just a night out with friends.
I've been very disappointed in quality of food in Southern Utah. Â I guess I've been spoiled by living in Los Angeles, but there are only very few decent places to eat in Southern Utah but nothing's really wow-ed me yet. Â I was going to Benja Thai place again but thinking of spending at least $30 for lunch on so-so sushi when you know you'll get much better quality sushi when I go back to LA, I was a bit hesitant. Â That's when I saw the lunch sign at Painted Pony which is right next door to Benja. Â I've seen this place on Yelp and its reviews so I knew it wouldn't be cheap, but again, if I was going to spend $30, why not to try this place? Â So I went upstairs. Â
The place was very nice and they had many magazine displays which they're featured in. Â The servers were well mannered and very attentive (except one grouchy girl who might be a hostess or something, I'm not sure). Â Many of their customers were ladies and they all kinda looked like from upper business class. Â A bit of Beverly Hills deja vu. Â Â Â
The lunch prices are from $9-11, not bad at all for this setting and quality. Â Although the potion looked "elegantly" small for me who can eat like a big guy, it'll probably be okay size for many people. Â I just eat more than normal people so I've ordered their famous carrot soup to start. Â I was imagining to have some cream based soup, so when I tasted it and it wasn't creamy, I was a bit disappointed. Â It came with a couple of pieces of croutons(?) which were very hard like biscotti even when I dunked it in the soup. Â When I ate the soup with it, however, the taste revel went up by another notch. Â
The server recommended me their grilled tenderloin burger. Â It looked good but I'm not a big fan of bleu cheese. Â She told me she could ask to put it on the side, so I've decided to try it. I had my first bite. Â Wow! Â Meat was tender and juicy, and everything was perfectly seasoned. Â The pickled onions was especially outstanding. Â I've tried some bleu cheese in my burger. Â It was delicious. Â I've never liked bleu cheese before but it complimented this burger very nicely, so I ended up putting all the cheese they gave me in my burgers. Â They told me most of their veggies and herbs were from the farmer's market or the owner's garden. Â When I had their fries, I could really taste the potatoes. Â The only item I didn't care was their homemade spicy ketchup. Â It was spicy but also it was too sweet for me. Â But otherwise, everything was just so delicious. Â
I was so impressed, I had to order their chocolate cake dessert. Â It was good but it didn't wow me like their burger did. Â With that and a cup of coffee and tip, my bill was about $30. Â The same amount of money I was going to spend on so-so sushi. Â This will be my new lunch place when I go to St. George from now on. Â
Their dinner entries are from $24-34. Â Sure, they are not cheap but from what I had for this lunch, I bet they'll be worth the price. Â I'll definitely try their dinner with my family when we visit this town next time. Â Â Â Â Â
There might be better places than Painted Pony if you're in LA, but in Southern Utah, this place gets the perfect 5 stars. Â And I have to try some other stuff before I give two thumbs up, but who knows, this place might hold its 5 star spot even in LA.
Great Wine List... and they even allow you to bring your own wine for a corkage fee of $15.
Had the surf and turf, and my scallops were prepared perfectly... melted in my mouth. Â
Also ordered the season heirloom tomato salad which was the highlight of the meal because fresh heirloom tomatoes sweet and flavorful.
The coconut shrimp was also very tasty.
Service was Fantastic!
We stopped here on the way to Zion National Park.
We ordered the chicken samosas and mixed green salad with apples and walnuts. The chicken samosas were so-so, the pastry being a tinge too thick and not quite crispy enough.
The salad was a total disaster. Normally, salads are pretty hard to mess up. I mean, throw a little balsamic here, a tinge of EVOO, some shallot and seasoning - it's all good. So you can imagine how I felt when the chef managed to leech all the flavour out of an apple - leaving it with a rather unpleasant tasteless, cardboard like substance. The walnuts fared no better. They were unseasoned and uncooked.
The bacon-wrapped duck was delicious however the bacon definitely need a little more crunch. The sauce and puree underneath were well done.
The same could not be said for the grilled pork chop entree or the "truffled" ruffles.
First, the truffled ruffles. The ruffles are potato chips that are fried in a manner like at a state fair. The problem I had with the dish was the uneven manner in which the truffle oil was distributed on the chips. Some had a mild pleasant truffle flavour while others had no truffle flavour whatsoever. The chef would have been better served by having a truffle aioli on the side than sprinkling the oil in such a manner.
The pork chop itself was quite good - seasoned and cooked well. It was the sides that accompanied it that was the problem. The onion bread pudding was a overwhelming large portion which encompassed more space on the plate than the main protein. The large, doughy, mushy, monster with bits of carmelized onion attempting to escape its folds did not resemble anything like a bread pudding. I did not find this appetizing at all.
Finally dessert. The coconut key lime pie was highlight of the meal. It's crust was perfectly buttery and tropical. The zing of the lime cut through the richness of the crust perfectly.
Overall, the dining experience was sub-par for a fine dining establishment.
If you've got some cash - well more than some, this place isn't cheap - and you want great contemporary food, you must try this place. Â My husband and I have never been disappointed in this high end restaurant in the St. George area. Â Try the sage-smoked quail, the wine list, the duck, and the ahi tuna salad.
The presentation is gorgeous and the service is great too. Â Such a gem in a usually disappointing market for food. Â If you're on a budget, lunch is cheaper for most of the same items you get for dinner.
The actual location of the restaurant is great - good view of the square. Â Parking is a little more confusing (made a U-turn after I first saw the place, then had to do another one at Main St.) though.
My colleague and I really enjoyed the food though - the carrot & jalepeno soup was actually pretty good (after hearing that combo, we had to try it), and the Ahi salad was great. Â Very affordable, too!
After a quick search on Yelp, I decided to give this place a try after reading a few very good reviews.
It is a bit tough to find parking. There's a small lot off adjacent to the Mexican restaurant, turn in before you see pass the sign for Painted Pony. Otherwise, there's another lot in the back...I think you turn left at Main? They are on OpenTable, so it's easy to make a reservation. I took my parents here after our second day of hiking in Zion National Park.
To start, I had the carrot jalapeno soup. Very very good, with excellent flavor and hint of kick from the jalapeno. My parents had the French onion soup, which was beautifully served in a hollowed out onion. Pretty good, I tried some of my mom's.
For dinner, I had the bacon wrapped duck. Is it just me, or does wrapping bacon around something instantly make it taste better? :P This was really really good, one of their signature dishes. A duck breast is wrapped around some small pieces of apple, then the duck is wrapped with bacon and baked (?) all together. Delicious! The cider reduction sauce went beautifully well with everything. The dish had three wrapped pieces, each on top of a small medallion of mashed potatoes (?) and some garnish on top. I would highly recommend this dish. My mom got the surf and turf, which was just ok. The tenderloin tataki tower is not really raw and most people would think when they see tataki, but it's cubed and perhaps stir fried. Decent. The scallops were pretty good. My dad had the leg of lamb with a super good mint sauce. A generous portion of three pieces.
For dessert, I had the white chocolate banana nut bread pudding with caramel sauce. Really good, and they serve up a huge slice of it too with a large dollop of whipped cream. My parents had the vanilla bean creme brulee. I didn't try any, but it's probably pretty standard.
Service was excellent. Everyone was very polite and courteous, and they kept our super cool metal chalices full of ice water. :) I insisted on picking up the tab since my parents told me not to get them anything for Xmas. It was about $60/per person including tax/tip. We didn't order any wine though, because my dad is on some medication. We did have some oolong tea with our desserts.
I highly recommend this restaurant even if you're staying in Zion Lodge or in Springdale. It's only an hour away. :P A must if you are staying St. George.
On my quest to find my favorite restaurants around the world, I was fairly excited to try the Painted Pony after hearing rave reviews from locals as well as on Yelp. Â
First off, the location is great. Â It's located up top above the Ancestor Square, which has some pretty cool history. Â It's a bit tough to find, as it's in a building in the back up on the second floor, but the decor is nice and rustic. Compared to the other establishments that I've been in in this area, it was a nice change to have linen spread out in front of me as well as a halfway decent wine list.
The menu itself was nice. Â Most the entrees were what I considered "safe" choices, and it almost seemed that the exec chef picked one item off of a handful of nice restaurants' menu (which isn't necessarily a bad thing). Â I'm sure that this immediate region plays a large part in the lack of "food experimentation"
We started with the phyllo baked brie to go with our wine. Â The brie itself was good, the blackberry compote...eh. Â They should be sure to give you a serrated/steak knife in order to get at the dish without destroying it.
I was excited to try the beet salad. Â I'm a huge fan of beets, and have been impressed once before at another establishment for their beet salad. Â I was slightly disappointed with this salad, as it seemed that they used canned beets. Â Additionally, the sherry mignonette was overpowering and was too acidic. Â The only saving grace was the huge mound of walnuts that evened it out.
I then ordered the rack of lamb.  The lamb itself was prepared well, cooked exactly how I ordered, and fairly well seasoned.  The parsnip timbale fell short, as did the mint sauce.  Both under-seasoned and lacking flavor.  My only suggestions is that if they are to serve full rack of lamb that they use the "lamb tip hats" so you can actually pick them up without slipping out of  your fingers.
On to dessert...we ordered the oozy gooey chocolate cake as well as the white chocolate cheesecake tower. Â Both desserts were decent.
I did discover the trend here at this restaurant, and it all falls on the chef. Â He/she is NOT tasting their dishes prior to going out. Â Period. Â One of the most important things any restaurant (especially a "nice" restaurant) can do is serve quality food that the chef tastes/approves before they sell that dish off. Â All of the sauces across the board here (including dessert) were too acidic. Â In theory, the sauces would have been a great compliment to the dishes, but they were just too sour.
Even with my complaints, I would still give this place another shot. Â The service was fantastic, great wine list, nice ambiance, and I loved the metal water glasses. Â For the area, this is a great place with a lot of potential. Â I just hope that the owners make sure that the chef is tasting everything before going out.
Arriving in St. George on a Friday night close to 9 pm doesn't give you many choices for a decent dinner. Â However, I was easily intrigued by the name of the "Painted Pony" when the reception at our hotel (The Inn at Entrada) suggested it. Â A quick peek at the menu easily sold us. Â We called ahead to be sure they were still open and were told the last seating was at 9:30 pm.
We parked in the back lot of the Ancestor Square and as we entered the front door, we were quick to notice their many published articles framed along the walls to the restroom. Â We were seated immediately at a table by the window. Â Our water goblets were filled immediately and menus were given to us.
Our waitress (Liz) came by to take our beverage orders and we immediately requested the "phyllo baked brie" (blackberry compote, roasted garlic, $12). Â We had quite a few concerns about the menu mostly that so many things sounded so good and there were only two of us eating. Â We asked Liz for suggestions and she was very knowledgeable about the food and gave us her personal favorites as well.
One of the things she highlighted was the "beet salad" (sherry shallot vinaigrette, goat cheese beat gateau, honey and walnuts, $8), which is actually something that both the BF and I would have ignored. Â However, her description definitely had our interests piqued and we ended up ordering it!
The brie arrived with eight toasted baguette slices and was presented quite nicely. The creaminess of the brie, the crispiness of the phyllo, and the sweet hum of the roasted garlic was such a nice treat. Â The blackberry compote added an additional sweetness and contrast that worked well. Â It was a generous portion and definitely worth it. Â This dish only made us excited about the rest of our dinner.
When the beet salad arrived, Liz had already told the kitchen to split the plates so it would be easier for us to share. Â The vinaigrette, cheese, honey, and walnuts were so harmoniously put together and we found ourselves really enjoying this light dish. Â (It made us look at beet salads in a new light!)
I was easily sold on the "surf and turf" (tenderloin tataki tower, cumin seared scallops, orange mango mojo, $27). Â Liz did let me know that the meat would be along the medium rare side, and I told her rare would actually be even better. Â The dish came out beautifully with a generous four scallops and a decent amount of beef. Â The beef wasn't exactly rare, but it was still very tender. Â The crispiness of the potato tower and the citrus contrasted nicely. Â I was impressed and getting very full!
The BF was caught between the "bacon wrapped duck" (apple stuffing, thyme scented potatoes, cider reduction, $29) or the "spiced pork tenderloin" (hazelnut cranberry stuffing, guajillo chile mole, mushroom pot pie with house smoked bacon $28), but Liz thoroughly explained the duck entre and that sealed his choice. Â It came in three surprisingly large pieces and was, once again, a joy to look at. Â The duck was very tender, full of flavor from the bacon and hint of apple. Â The mashed potatoes and sauce also were delicious and only added to the dish. Â Definitely a winner too!
We were both sad that we couldn't make it to dessert, which included things like "white chocolate banana bread pudding," "white chocolate cheesecake tower," and "crme brulee."
Service was impeccable. Â They definitely work as a team here, clearing dishes and refilling our water goblets with ease. Â (At one point our knife was taken away and we did have to request for another one, but that was very minor in the overall service experience.) Â The staff has obviously been trained well and does a fine job of it.
The next time we visit St. George, we'll definitely be making a return to try out their other dishes because it all sounded so good. Â They also have a wine list that would be worth taking a look at.
(I posted pictures of our dinner in the business profile!)
I am absolutely amazed that I am the first person to ever rate the Painted Pony! Â I have been dining here for several years and make it a point to stop here whenever I visit St. George. Â
Located in the tower at Ancestor Square the Painted Pony is probably the longest running restaurant to ever occupy this space and for very good reason. Â The food here is amazing and is not what you would ever expect from St. George. Â The reason for this is because the owners are originally from San Francisco (or so I was told by the hostess about five years ago). Â
The Painted Pony is the only restaurant of it's kind in St. George and a respite from the chain restaurants that breed like rabbits in this town. Â The PP is a bit Southwester and a bit Contemporary American in what they offer. Â I have tried something new every time I visit and it has always been cooked to perfection and served beautifully. Â The deserts here are amazing as well. Â They also have a very well selected wine list. Â
If you ever find yourself in St. George and looking for a meal, please consider this place. Â You will love it!
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