The Polo Bar

polo bar is definitely a new york institution, but i was worried it would be overhyped. I LOVED the bar snacks they give you while you’re waiting… the fried olives were insane and for that alone, I would go back. The pigs in the blanket were cute, but nothing special. I wouldn’t order that again… the burger was a very good, classic burger with nothing fancy. It was nice that they cut the burger for us to share (simple, but a lot of restaurants wouldn’t do this). The ice cream sundae was amazing… totally worth every bite of indulgence. Overall, the meal is fun and the ambiance is amazing- such a vibe and so cozy. The food isn’t crazy amazing, but overall solid quality but definitely at a high price point. (Drinks are over $20 each.)

We came to Polo Bar on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving for dinner before a show. I have always wanted to come here, and I was not disappointed. The upstairs bar scene was incredibly cozy, especially because it was 38 degrees outside. Upon heading downstairs, we were shown straight to our table where our server already knew that we had a show to catch and asked us what time it was curtains up. For dinner I had the chicken paillard which was topped with baby kale and mushrooms. It was light and incredibly satisfying. My husband had the mushroom tortellini topped with black truffles and he said that was also great. Would love to come back when we have more time to spend at dinner and don't need to rush.

We had an amazing dining experience at the Polo Bar! The food was delicious - the filet mignon and scallops were both cooked to perfection. The scallops tasted very fresh and the filet mignon paired with the peppercorn gravy was exquisite. The crab cake appetizer was also very good. The dessert and cappuccino were both delightful and wrapped up the dinner nicely. I think what made the experience stand out for me was the attentive staff and the intimate and sophisticated ambiance. The decor was definitely on theme (equestrian, modern, upscale) and I really appreciated the coat check area because we had quite a few shopping bags with us. The service was amazing - our tables were cleaned after every dish, our food and drinks were brought out in a timely manner despite how busy it was, and we were very happy with our servers recommendations.

Our first time here. What a wonderful experience. From start to finish. We sat in the bar for a little bit before our table was ready and all I can say is it was such a great experience. Delicious drinks and snacks. The staff were spectacular. Then walked down to our table and more wonderful people, food and drinks. Carlos, our server was so great. Food was amazing! Thank you for such a great experience.

It was an absolutely exquisite experience! It is hard to snag a reservation here but it is so worth it. Our reservation was at 7:30 pm and we got there by 7:00 and they let us enter right away. We were seated in the waiting area until our table was ready by 7:27 pm where we had some drinks and snacks. My hubby ordered a whisky and I had coke. The fried olives, chips, and nuts came while we waited and they were so good. All our servers were exceptional. From the time we entered, Diane who is the host at the front door was so polite, kind, and courteous. She remembered to wish me happy birthday. Not only her but, every staff member that I came across knew I was there to celebrate my birthday which shows their attention to detail. It took me by surprise that everyone knew and wished me as I came in and as I was leaving. Phenomenal food! They first brought out their croissants and butter and both were DIVINE! Everything is made in house and you can tell. For starters we ordered their pigs in a blanket which came piping hot and so tasty with their in-house spicy mustard although caviar seemed inviting too and it’s something we will order on our next visit (I wanted something really chilled out this time and the food hit the spot). I went for their burger and Ralph’s corned beef sandwich and our waiter understood exactly how we wanted it (without us having to over explain). In fact they brought the burger and sandwich cut in half and plated them for us already so we didn’t have to do it ourselves. The meat of the corned beef sandwich melts in your mouth. In my opinion it was better than the burger even though the burger was amazing. The fries were good too, and the coleslaw was fresh, crispy, with the right amount of zing. For dessert we had a scoop of Ralph’s coffee ice cream and it was on another level - Bursting with that bitterness and sweetness and both perfectly balanced. It has to be the best coffee ice cream I’ve had by far. The old fashioned chocolate cake was nice too, and so rich we could only have half and they even wrote happy birthday on the plate and brought it out and that gesture melted my heart. The restaurant is beautiful. Horses are my favorite, and everywhere you could see beautiful portraits of horses. It was packed with people coming and going throughout our time there, which was more than 2 hours. They do have a strict dress code policy in place which I actually like. Reservations were made with Austin a month in advance (in fact we were communicating several months in advance and then finally spoke about the actual reservation 30 days before June 10th). Our server Will went above and beyond which made our day. We had another waiter from Bangladesh who was really kind and sweet - he too was super attentive. (I did not get his name but I wish I had asked him). Diane at the entrance is the perfect host. Everyone there is professional and they make sure you have a great time. Will surely be returning. I came to the Polo Bar after nearly 6 years - I came with friends way back when and even then the experience was really good from what I remember. Looking forward to coming here again, not just for the awesome food, drinks, and dessert but for the exceptional service! Thank you for such a fabulous night!