PoNy’s Miches
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When FEZ on Central abruptly closed downtown in September, diners lamented the loss of the Mediterranean restaurant with mid-century modern charm. They won’t have to wait long to dine again at the corner of Central Avenue and Portland Street, but they’ll find a fresh, beachy take on a traditional bar and grill.
PoNy’s Miches, the popular West Valley mariscos joint, is coming to Phoenix next year.
Jose “Pony” Flores and his wife, Analiz Gonzalez, founded PoNy’s in 2020, selling non-alcoholic micheladas and shrimp ceviche from the tailgate of their truck.
“We put our creativity together, her recipes with mine,” Flores says. “That’s how PoNy’s Miches was born.”
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The couple saved to purchase a food truck. Sergio Escamilla, an attorney and entrepreneur, was one of their early customers and says their food blew him away. He approached the couple about partnering on a brick-and-mortar, which the trio opened in Goodyear in 2024.
There, customers order at a counter and make their selections, similar to a Chipotle, Escamilla says. However, the owners discovered that the fast-casual concept wasn’t well-suited for family gatherings and celebrations. They also don’t have a liquor license at their Goodyear restaurant, so guests can only sip non-alcoholic micheladas, agua frescas and horchata.
“They enjoy the food and they want to bring more people and hang out,” Escamilla says. “At that point, I think we knew we’re onto something; we’ve just got to expand and get a bigger concept.”
While on the hunt for a Phoenix location, the owners learned that the iconic FEZ space was available. The PoNy’s team jumped at the opportunity.
Coming to the ‘big leagues’ downtown
“The energy downtown is great. It’s flourishing,” Escamilla says. “We wanted to bring that good food to the big leagues, to downtown.”
At the new restaurant, PoNy’s will have a liquor license, allowing customers to sip a fully loaded michelada made with Flores’ fresh mix and house chamoy.
The menu will grow, too. Currently, PoNy’s offers shrimp ceviches with scratch-made sauces, seafood tacos and loaded fries. The Phoenix bar and grill will also serve wings and burgers.
“Once Liz and I are in the kitchen, that’s our playground,” Flores says, noting that they like to fuse Mexican and American cuisine. “Who knows what we’ll come up with.”
The team is “pony-fying” the mid-mod space to give it a beachy vibe. But the PoNy’s team plans to pay homage to FEZ with special menu items.
Past FEZ customers have stopped by and shared their favorites, Flores says. The owners have discussed keeping the popular FEZ burger, a half-pound patty topped with barbecue sauce, feta, cinnamon pears, garlic aioli, crispy onions and cilantro. A signature FEZ drink may also make PoNy’s bar menu.
“They’ve been there for 20 years,” Flores says of FEZ’s history. “We want to leave a little bit of FEZ still in there.”
PoNy’s Miches Michelada Bar & Grill
Opening in January 2026
105 W. Portland St.
