The Breakdown
Location: 83 University Pl (between 11th St & 12th St) Manhattan, NY 10003 (212) 477-7574
Items: 4 small plate items, 2 pints, 1 liter
Cost: $90 (with 20% gratuity)
Best Dish: The pop burgers were awesome (as expected), loved the fried calamari!
Overall: A relaxed space with a laid back vibe, think lounging on a friend’s roof top or patio…but indoors with cooler decor.It doesn’t get much cooler than the Pop Pub in NYC. The laid back lounge and eatery is the brain child of the creative geniuses behind the wildly popular Pop Burger. Located just a few short blocks from Union Square’s throng of artists and performers the venue is a dimly lit comfortably furnished oasis. Within its wood covered walls laughter is shared amongst patrons as an eclectic mix of tunes plays from the custom sound system. Patrons are invited to order their items themselves from the well lit artfully designed window or wait for the attentive friendly wait staff. The decor mirrors the overall vibe of relaxed ease, and is peppered with various images from the owners own extensive collection of artwork. The images that grace the pub are works of Andy Worhol’s famous mural “Thirteen Most Wanted Men” from the world’s fair in 1964. This bit of pop culture is a signature of the Pop Burger franchise.
Team JSD started the evening as we often do with a round of cocktails. Beer and Wine are the only offerings at this pub, but there are many to choose from! In addition to the beer and wine specialty “Beer Cocktails” are also available. Beer cocktails are a unique concept combining beers and lagers with fruit juices and champagne. Although I prefer a cosmopolitan or Hennessy berry, I was not disappointed with my Cranberry Cider. The mixture of hard cider with cranberry juice was a refreshing and enjoyable fruity blend. My companion tried a “Black Velvet” A surprisingly tasty mix of Champagne and Guinness.
One of the coolest things we discovered here as that in addition to pints and bottles beer is also served in Liters. The liters are presented in these unique boot shaped glasses. We simply had to have one, filled to the brim with “Coney Island Mermaid” a locally brewed ale.
The drinks made us hungry for eats so we made our selections from the menu of bar treats. The fried calamari is divine. Light, crunchy and surprisingly non greasy. An easy pick that works well with most of the beers and wines offered.
Next up were the baby lamb chops. These moist tender morsels were served with the house steak sauce, a secret recipe found only at the Pop Pub.
We simply had to try the ‘Fried Shrimp Sandwich” served on a soft buttery bun with a generous helping of tartar sauce this was a unique treat. Somehow they managed to fry several shrimp into 1 patty. Flavorful and absolutely delicious this is a must have item.
You can’t go to a Pop Burger and not have a pop burger! Honestly, who would do such a thing? How can anyone resist these mini spheres of joy. If you’ve never had a pop burger, trust me you really owe it to yourself to try these little things. Despite our full stomachs we decided we simply had to try the milk shakes. After all we owe it to or reader’s to try everything. I opted for the sweet and decadent butterscotch shake, and my companion tried his hand at the Guinness Milkshake. Not for the weak, this monster shake combines Guinness Lager with a scoop of Vanilla Ice cream, the taste is indescribable and weird in the best way.
Though the pub has only been open a few short weeks, good news travels fast and the place had a healthy mix of patrons for a rainy Tuesday night. The perfect mix of design pop culture and fun foods give Pop Pub an edge in the restaurant market. Its a great place to lounge after work with a few buds or for a low key date night. You can really bring anyone there who loves good eats and drinks, feel free to pop up at the Pop Pub you’ll be glad you did.