Awesome.....like belonging to a country club without having to pay annual dues and minus the attitude.
I like nice places--though in So. Cal, many nice places and people can be in your face (see Orange County, Del Mar) with people telling you how great they are and/or how great they think they are--but not here. Pony Room and the Rancho Valencia resort is like driving up to and hanging out in your own country club in plush yet quaint surroundings. More Marin County-ish than SoCal-ish.
As described by another poster or two, it's a lovely drive through RSF before you get to the front gate and then pull up into the valet area (no charge for parking--unlike Grande Del Mar resort) but don't forget to tip....you walk through the very cool Spanish-flair courtyard with lovely fireplace before you take a sharp right and enter the Pony Room. Great comfortable chairs, they use Frette (as in bed linens) napkins, and the food + service is fantastic. I usually sit at the bar and admire the good looking, predominantly female staff--dressed in polo outfits.
Great craft beers and wine list and the food is quite good as well as reasonably priced. Their carne asada tacos are out of this world (bet you can't eat just 1 serving), the flatbread pizza is good, the kobe sliders are OK (would like them better if they could get medium rare right more times than not--apparently, a common theme in SoCal), and don't forget to order their homemade potato chips. They even have complete meal nightly specials and will let you order off the adjoining Veladora menu if you are craving Italian food.
On Thursday-Sat nights there is live entertainment in the corner of the bar and they have a couple of large TV's for sporting events (I watched the NBA finals and Stanley Cup playoffs at this place and gladly drove 35 minutes from douchebag filled downtown to do so)....with racing season upon us, this is definitely going to be a great place to hang--including Opening Day. Too bad they don't permit cigar smoking here--if they did, I'd sleep in my humidor and be here every other day.
Stop it right now Rancho Valencia. Â Just stop it. Â If I would've accurately checked into The Pony Room, I would be the Duke...by about 100. Â This place takes all the obnoxiousness of Rancho Santa Fe, Del Mar and La Jolla, mixes it up in a blender and spits out a concoction of goodness and graciousness. Â You drive into Rancho Valencia (a nice resort across from "the" Jenny Craig's horse stables) by checking into the front gate, and pull up to the coolest roundabout and tree you've ever seen. Â Not kidding. Â They have a valet there...you don't have to use it...but do. Â Don't be a cheapskate...not here. Â Then walk into the coolest bar north of the 56 and south of Via de la Valle...thinking, thinking...yes, the coolest bar in this area. Â
The bar is newly redone, with plenty of nice tables (two tops, four tops, room at the bar) and cool little fire pit/couch/lounge U-shaped seating areas outside by the croquet field. Â I said it. Â The nice little grassy knoll outside...you can play croquet. Â Brilliant. Â The food is AWESOME - go with the kobe beef sliders, cauliflower, steak and fish tacos...and choose a drink from the list of funky drinks - there are about 12 to choose from. Â If that's not your gig, there's good beers both on tap (locals like Stone as well as Belgians and Lagers), beers by the bottle/liter and a really good wine list. Â I've never had a bad experience with service here either...there's plenty of staff always willing to help and are attentive. Â They provide you with a goodly selection of roasted and herbed nuts...I'm not sure I said that right, but they're good for a pre-Stone IPA snack. Â I shouldn't tell you to go here...because that ruins my little private oasis off San Dieguito...but I have to tell you to go...you won't go wrong for a Happy Hour event, early or late dinner, or even a nightcap. Â Be careful of flying croquet balls...and cougars...in that order.
Yes, I came back. Â My problem is I keep coming back (my check-ins are not exactly accurate *cough*). Â I have mentioned the Pony Room in my previous review/novella for Veladora, but after enjoying a few lunches here I decided this gorgeous bar deserves its own spotlight review.
THE PONY ROOM
With its rugged oil painting depictions of western life, panoramic windows, intricate iron candelabras, delightful barstools (complete with hooves and a Rancho V brand on their back side... this is the Pony Room after all), onyx bar, and distressed open-beam ceiling, one cannot help but fancy himself a powerful land baron lording over turn-of-the-century Rancho Santa Fe. Â The atmosphere is classic old-west without the stale beer, balding bartender with handlebar mustache, and dangerous swinging wood doors (you never know when a drunk is stumbling through those things); instead, fire pits, a verdant croquet green, and a charming and attentive staff of expert mixologists (dressed in customary riding pants and boots) tastefully mesh the independent spirit of John Wayne's American west with the sensibilities and casual refinement of coastal San Diego's horse-racing heritage. Â
I previously described the vibrant Friday night scene in my Veladora review; a band, the local gentry, and glowing fire-light conspired to create a sensuous composite image of country club life meeting the nightclub scene - and still the service was impeccable. Â Lunch, however, is my preferred time to exclusively patronize this bar. Â Relaxed, quiet, and unassuming, the perfect atmosphere for a lazy Saturday lunch is quickly established. Â My buddies and I have enjoyed the fish tacos (love the slaw), sliders (they should consider serving sides of the fried onions), and a number of their flatbread pizzas. Â Combining a small plate with a flatbread pizza to share makes for a satisfying shared lunch and, when flying solo, any one of the trios is a delicious option (I love the Tuscan panini... though it is probably best enjoyed in the dining room next door). Â Cap off the experience with any cocktail (I highly recommend the "Cucumber Rose," "Neck Shot," or (my favorite) a half-liter of their sparkling draft wine on tap) and you'll find yourself similarly raptured. Â A wide selection of local and imported beers is also available (though, as an admitted stranger to most lagers, I am unqualified to comment on their quality). Â The cocktails and food are both on the pricey side, but worth every penny. Â
Even when the rapture of their libations wears off it's hard to bring yourself to leave. Â The whole property is an island of serenity and perfection and always has been - my personal escape. Â This amazing bar, however, goes to show you that surprises are in store no matter how long your love-affair has lasted.
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