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Poco
Categories: Restaurants Tapas Bars Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Event Planning & Services Caterers Tapas Bars, Breakfast & Brunch, Caterers [Edit]
33 Ave BNew York, NY 10009
Neighborhoods: East Village, Alphabet City
(212) 228-4461
- Nearest Transit:
-
2 Av (F)
Essex St (J, M, Z)
Delancey St (F)
- Hours:
Tue-Thu 5 pm - 2 am
Fri 5 pm - 4 am
Sat 11:30 am - 4 am
Sun 11:30 am - 1 am
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Brunch
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
437 reviews for Poco
Review Highlights
"Lobster mac n cheese was sooo delectable."
(in 74 reviews)
"Skirt steak lollipops - Excellent."
(in 19 reviews)
"she's a professor, used to live in NYC, and loves TAPAS."
(in 94 reviews)
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437 reviews in English
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Review from Anne Marie B.
Manhattan, NY
1/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
I came here for a grubwithus dinner one night so I was lucky in that I got to sample a smattering of dishes offered at Poco.
Initially I was impressed by the ambiance. It was a Wednesday night at 8pm and pretty empty, so I don't know how this place gets on weekends, but we had a great elevated booth for 8 of us. The waiters were very nice, though a tad slow with the water refills, but accommodating nonetheless.
We all shared the chopped salad, mushroom truffle croquettes, and lobster mac and cheese to start with. I really enjoyed all of these, but I think the croquettes were my favorite. If only they hadn't been so small! The lobster mac and cheese was as decadent as it sounds and we were almost full by the time the next round came out. Sliders and sauteed spinach capped the meal. Both good, but definitely not as strong as the first 3 items.
Dessert was a quinoa brownie, which sadly fell quite short. It was dry and I don't really know what the quinoa added to the mix, but I wouldn't order it again.
Overall though, I was intrigued, and I'd like to go back to sample more tapas. This seems like a fun place and while I did not try the cocktails, those who did kept ordering more so they could've have been too bad. Plus I was loving the awkward 80s and 90s music mix they were bumping (no seriously, those are my jams). -
Review from Jenny S.
WEEKEND AYCD MIMOSAS, SANGRIA, & BLOODY MARYS plus one brunch entree for $25 (1.5 hour time limit!) it's $32 if you want to extend to 3 hours! (i would suggest you just drink fast!)
THEY TAKE RESERVATIONS FOR LARGE GROUPS, we had ~15 & were accommodated downstairs (where they conveniently have another bar!), although they hit you w/ a 20% gratuity for parties of 6+
BOO: cake cutting fee of $2 PER PERSON.. even though our "cake" was really just a brownie for the birthday girl...RANDOM FEES LEFT & RIGHT
----DRINKS: mimosas were good, bloody marys were not bad with the blue cheese stuffed olives, i heard the sangria wasn't good so i didn't try it!
----lobster mac n' cheese: FISHY TASTING... if you must have it i'd say share this dish and another with a friend because although it's small.. it is HEAVY
----truffle mushroom omelet (extra $2): needed salt, but the truffle oil saved the taste a bit!.... the breakfast potatoes it come with were nothing special
----complimentary toast if you are lucky! ( i saw other tables with breads)
I probably wouldn't come back for the AYCD brunch deal, but they've got lots of other drink & food deals throughout the weekdays!Listed in: BREAKFAST.. never skip it!
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Review from Anne K.
Manhattan, NY
1/24/2012
Simply a superb all you can drink (AYCD) brunch spot! Here's the skinny: $22.95 for any brunch entree (you can choose from about 15 items) with unlimited sangria, mimosas, and bloody mary's.
Definitely check out their brunch menu before you go because it's hefty. In my opinion, the truffle omelet was well worth the extra $2, but then again, the steak sandwich, eggs florentine and lobster mac n' cheese were all amazing too - go with your craving and you won't be disappointed.
A couple things: 1) If you're coming here on Sunday, make a reservation in advance. This place gets crowded around noon, 2) it's pretty loud so if you're with a big group, sit next to the person you really want to talk to, 3) order one of each of the drink options - they are all great, 4) the service is a little slow but, that's not surprising considering how full the place was. -
Review from Jando S.
1/16/2012 9 photos
Almost 3 years ago during one of Manhattan's miserable rainy days, I found myself sprinting around Alphabet City looking for cover and ducked into Poco. I opted for a glass of wine and sat at the bar to pass the time while the outside monsoon gave the city a proper washing. A little curiosity and a lot of hunger got me to bite the bullet and order a few of the tapas on their then skeletal menu, as Poco was still in it's infancy. What soon followed became a solo dining experience that was nothing less than outstanding.
The house meatballs (albondigas) were seasoned just right and soft, almost like pillows of meat that melted in my mouth. I also sampled their scallops, seared to perfection, and were delicious with every bite. My main course would end up being a skirt steak stuffed with manchego cheese, wrapped in "lollipop" form. It wasn't the most appetizing from the initial presentation, but was enjoyable and certainly worth ordering again.
That night was a quiet one. Aside from a handful of patrons, the place was practically empty. The manager also manning the bar and aside from offering what would be some killer recommendations was explaining how tough business was, noting how small the place is, and how few seats are filled each night. We agreed that "poco a poco" (little by little), the place would soon find itself running instead of crawling. My, how times have changed.
It's been a few visits since, I can easily declare Poco as one of the best places in the East Village / Alphabet City. Their tapas are money, however, their brunch service might be their money maker as it has become one of my favorites in the city. While the AYCD (all you can drink) special seems to be gone, $22-24 per brunch item with 3 cocktails isn't the worst deal in the world, especially when the food is stellar (even the complimentary mini carrot muffins are delicious). One can't go wrong with either of their benedict dishes, be it the florentine, salmon, lobster, crab cakes, or the Poco benedict, as all are equally fabulous. The show stopper is of course, the infamous lobster mac and cheese. A little bit of char, panko crumbs, and a cheesy blend of cheese with some incredible lobsters is nothing short of foodgasmic. If there was one dish to get, this might just be it.
Great for groups, even better for dates, and a fun time for any occasion, Poco has all the right ingredients for a sure thing in the hood. In a relatively short time, Chopped Champion Abe Lopez's simple but scintillating menu has this place going from Poco to Mucho. -
Review from Kara C.
1/15/2012
Price: $25 - $30 for Brunch
Highlight: Lobster Mac & Cheese + Chorizo
I always maintained that Tillman's had the most amazing mac & cheese. But today I have to recant my statement and say that Poco... Poco you sneaky bastards.... that lobster mac and cheese with that crack sprinkled on top of it DAMN. And that lobster mac and cheese with chorizo added DOUBLE DAMN.
First of all unlimited boozy brunch in nyc is seriousness and Poco called me 3 times in less than 24 hours to make sure my ass and my party of 6 would be there on time for Sunday brunch. And they took my credit card and expiration date to hold the reservation, and told me if we broke the reservation, my card would be charged $10 a person. To their credit, I was originally told that they were booked solid, and then they called me back to let me know to come on down....
And come on down we did. We were seated downstairs on the table on the stage by the dj booth under a flat screen tv showing the Giants game. Our table was soon littered with lobster mac and cheese, chorizo mac and cheese, steak sandwich with egg and avocado and omelette, sides of bacon, sides of chorizo, extra ketchup. This was one of the rare brunch times where everyone agreed that everyone else's brunch choices were tasty and swaps were frequent and a lazy susan would have been helpful. I had an issue with my meal, they quickly replaced it and we were good. Apologies were made and shots were handed out to my entire party. Service was amazing.
Atmosphere is loud, crowded, young and fun with top 40 music playing.
Drinks were red/white sangria, bloody mary and mimosas which we drank out of small jars.
They hooked me... they hooked me good with that lobster mac & cheese...Listed in: Brunch
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Review from Vic D.
Manhattan, NY
1/30/2012
Love this place so much! The owner, Sarah, is amazing and the food has always been great. It gets a little crowded on the weekends, but if you can score a seat at the bar during the week sometime, the bartenders usually slip you an extra drink or something as well. Love this place.
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Review from Mil R.
Manhattan, NY
1/17/2012
Wow! Talk about a bang for your buck. =)
Celebrated a belated birthday brunch w my girls on Sunday and it was wonderful! We were accommodated despite arriving extremely late (sorry about that!), which is a huge plus since the place was packed. The food was amazingly delicious, especially for its prices. The music was great and so was the service. Our waiter was on point and another staff member, Drew, gave us a few laughs. Good energy, good food.
I'll definitely be returning. Thanks guys! -
Review from Sasha B.
12/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
Pretty good brunch deal! $25 for an entree and unlimited bloodies, mimosas or sangria for 90 mins... The bloodies were actually very good for an all you can drink... Even had blue cheese stuffed olives!
Lobster Mac was good but I've had better. There weren't big pieces of lobster in it. -
Review from Olga T.
1/23/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
I had a really great experience at Poco. The lobster mac and cheese, manchego steak lollipops and pork sliders were all INSANELY delicious! My only complaint is that we waited a REALLY long time for our food....but the host was nice enough to take the beer off our check as an apology for the long wait. I'd love to come back!!!!
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Review from Leslie M.
Manhattan, NY
1/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Brunch is a must!
Lobster mac n' cheese is the best thing on this earth! I am very critical of mac n' cheese and can say this is one of the top 5 I have tasted (others include Cafeteria and Penny Farthing). The bottomless brunch really is bottomless. Before you are even halfway done with your drink the waiter/waitress is coming to your table with a carafe to refill your drink. We drank, ate, and then continued drinking. Never felt rushed to leave our table of 6 despite the large crowd waiting to be seated. Must make a reservation! I would go back any day. Intrigued to try other things on the menu since the mac n' cheese was so good. Expect another review on Poco sometime soon! -
Review from Elisandra C.
Long Island City, NY
Came here to celebrate my friends Birthday, although our whole group was not there yet they still sat us down. Which was a good thing because that place gets packed. The atmosphere is good the music was great, if you are going to good time and to eat good food and drinks! If you are looking for quiet place this is not the place for you. We were celebrating so we didn't mind that loud music and talking over each other.
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Review from Erum R.
New York, NY
1/27/2012
Pretty much a night club during the day. Best eggs Florentine I've had! YUMMY! Lobster mac and cheese also was great as was the chicken sandwich. I may go back at some point because it's in the area. If you don't drink everything is $14.95 - a little hefty for eggs Florentine especially in that neighborhood. Worth the experience though!!!!
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Review from Andrew L.
Staten Island, NY
1/4/2012
Came here with the girlfriend for dinner. We really wanted to do a tapas kind of dinner and she really craved lobster mac and cheese.
Everything came out tasting very good, but the highlight was the lobster mac and cheese and the croquettes. The lobster mac and cheese was large enough to share amongst the two of us. Lobster chunks and creamy cheese every bite was just so undeniably good that we were still raving about it the day after. The croquettes were also delicious - even creamier then the mac and cheese and frankly speaking, it was the star of the night. In the typical tapas fashion, everything was cheap (happy hour).
The only improvement I can possibly think of is to maybe offer 2 more options on the tapas menu, but aside from that, I can easily see myself frequenting Poco on Friday and Saturday nights. -
Review from Diana S.
12/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
I really want to give Poco 5 stars...but it just wasn't quite there for me!!
I was lucky that someone was new or didn't know because I was able to reserve a table for 14 people at 1:30PM on Sunday for brunch! Apparently they never do that but allowed me because the person I got in touch with the first time took my reservation!
My friends and I do a huge group secret santa each year and I'm usually the one that ends up planning and organizing it...which means picking an appropriate brunch spot. I had really wanted to go to Harry's for their AYCD brunch...but they're closed on Sundays!
I told my friends the reservations were at 1:15PM because they're always late. At 1:15PM there were only two people...myself and my friend..haha typical. They didn't show up until 1:30+. Normally they wouldn't seat us until we all arrived but there was no room inside the restaurant for us to wait and it was like 20 degrees out, so they let us sit down at 1:15 when I arrived...which was super nice of them!
I ordered the lobster mac and cheese based off of all the Yelp reviews raving about it. I would have enjoyed it more if it didn't come 10+ minutes after the first dish got to our table! They had informed us when we ordered that they were going to split our order in half so half would arrive first and then the second...but really it ended up just being which ever order was cooked first came out first. My friend's omelet was cold by the time my dish arrived!! This and the fact that my mac and cheese was a little on the watery side made for the -1 star.
Other than that, the drinks kept on flowing and I had a fun time! -
Review from Jesse F.
Queens, NY
11/28/2011
3.5 stars for their boozy brunch. In Poco's favor, we missed our reservation time by about 20 minutes, but were still seated cheerfully (the unlimited drinking time limit begins when you sit down, regardless of whether the whole party's arrived). $25 gets all the bloody mary or mimosa you can drink, along with an entree, which includes potato and a salad for egg dishes. It must be said that the waiters are not stingy with the refills. The more skillful drinkers of the group (not me) definitely polished off a respectable number of drinks*. However, nothing in my meal was memorable (except the inedible, inexplicably salty salad), so I won't go out of my way to return.
*In fact, our waiter's arm must have grown tired, because he gave up and left a carafe of mimosas at our table. Props to Abby M. -
Review from Mary C.
11/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was sadly dissapointed with this place. It was packed and everyone seemed to enjoying the place, perhaps it was the unlimited mimosas putting the smiles on their faces.
I did not get the unlimited drinks. In fact, didn't even have one drink.
Which was probably why I was coherent enough to realize this place is not all that it's cracked up to be. Service was shabby. Our reservation was "lost". One of the seats had water all over it. A waitress came over to wipe it up only after several attempts of hailing someone down. She didn't even do a good job wiping it up.
The lobster mac n' cheese was tasty. However, everything else was just average.Listed in: Brunch Spots in NYC
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Review from Whitney H.
Manhattan, NY
12/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love Poco in more ways than it would be fair to expect any reader to listen to. So, I'm going to get down to brass tacks.
-The food is delicioso. This covers lunch, brunch and dinner. I've never ordered anything that I didn't absolutely love, and I've tried half of the menu.
-Prices are more than fair, especially for the hefty portions.
-The people who work here are awesome, especially Mark. I love him.
-Half priced wine on Sundays? See you there.
-$25 for brunch AND bottomless bloodies, mimosas and sangria?
Seriously - go. And give Mark a hug for me. -
Review from Ryan S.
Massapequa, NY
2/5/2012
Loved the atmosphere, Lobster Mac & Cheese and unlimited brunch drinks. Come for brunch and you won't be disappointed
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Review from Maria H.
Hackensack, NJ
11/30/2011 2 Check-ins Here
AYCD BRUNCH!
Make sure to make your reservation on time. And if you dont have a reservation, good luck getting seated in a timely manner.
the line is usually ridiculous.
But well worth it.
They are not stingy with the booze, and the food is phenomenal!
Oh and they have only the greatest 80's dance (and freestyle) blaring through the speakers. I was smitten the moment I heard Gorge Lamond "Bad of the Heart".. I see you Poco! ;-) -
Review from Dan M.
11/7/2011
I had been wanting to try Poco for a while now and finally made the trek out to Alphabet City. My mom was in town and I thought it would be a nice spot to take her out to brunch.
We were seated downstairs, it was a bit dark but the chairs/couches are very comfortable. We ordered a round of bloody mary's for the table. The drink was great, spicy enough packed with a ton of taste.
I ordered the 2 fried eggs with hash and home fries. It was a dish I would normally not order but I was feeling adventurous. It was a tasty meal, the hash was very good.
My mom also enjoyed her omelet. Outside of the service being a bit slow Poco is a very solid place. Good food, a bit on the pricey side but all in all very tasty. -
Review from Kassy M.
Brooklyn, NY
10/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
No, it wasn't the fat girls dressed as black swan. Nor the shitty zombie makeup, and definitely not drugged up Amy Winehouse.
What scared me the most on Halloween was Poco. First of all we had to wait 10 minutes in the freezing cold for an unknown reason. Then we were told that the cover is $5 (but we came up with an excuse not to pay). Then, we went to the basement...
The basement was completely PACKED from wall to wall. The music was ridiculously loud and the sound was extremely unclear and unbearable. I hate when places think that louder is better.
I am pretty sure that aside from my group of friends, every single person in that basement were all coked up. Sporting a dorky/slutty Halloween costume, thrusting their crotch into strangers, their make up dripping from their faces, all while having extremely dilated pupils, everyone looked like a serial killer in a comedy horror film.
I was extremely uncomfortable in there. It was insanely hot, you can tell that everyone was super horny, and it was just one of those places that you knew you would get a drink spilled on you.
I don't think there's ever an appropriate time and place to be soaking wet in beer, being poked and elbowed by coked up strangers, while listening to a horrible DJ spin. -
Review from Nina S.
11/1/2011
I came here for brunch this past Sunday and have to say I really was not that impressed with the food. I had the poco benedict, which sounded more interesting than it actually tasted. I thought the arepas that replace the traditional english muffin would give it something extra but instead it detracted from the entire meal. The dryness and thickness of the arepa overpowered each bite I took of the benedict. I also tried the lobster benedict - good, but not good enough to recommend. Maybe I should have tried the lobster mac & cheese.. oh well. The place is also really loud and it was hard to hear the person with whom I was dining.
$25 for a dish + unlimited drinks is an awesome deal. Was the food good enough to warrant me ever coming back? No. -
Review from Daisy V.
Brooklyn, NY
1/16/2012
Went there with a group of friends for a casual brunch. I ordered the skirt steak & egg sandwhich...DELICIOSO. Had some of my friend's lobster mac & cheese...Holy Moly again DELICIOSO. And for drinks I had their amazing sangria. It was so good I ordered it 3 times. That night I was the happiest girl in the city. Delicious food and great drinks. I will definately go there again and will refer my friends.
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Review from Karin J.
REGO PARK, NY
11/24/2011 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
Brunched it here with a few gal pals. Made reservations that were confirmed, and subsequently lost when we arrived.
Other than their famed lobster mac and cheese and benedict (which is probably the reason for their 4 star rating), everything is just okay.
I don't know about you, but when I'm taking back mimosas and bloody mary's, I want some great food to go along with it.
Poco mas por favor! -
Review from Laura T.
Staten Island, NY
I'm on a brunch review high at the moment and this place gladly doesn't disappoint, in my book at least. :)
Came here for another brunch date (Saturday mid-afternoon) with my girls about a month ago. We missed our original reservation because parking is such a b!tch in the LES/East Village area but got lucky and got seated right away in the outside area on a gorgeous, sunny fall day as soon as we did find parking.
Our waitress was nice but definitely did enforce the 3-4 drink rule, sadly. (As opposed to the unlimited drink pouring at places like Essex, Bondi Road etc.) But there's gotta be limits somewhere so I'm not gonna hate. First drink for me was the white sangria, which was good but too sweet for my taste. (I like my drinks decently strong) I switched to the red sangria after which was a much better alternative for me.
Food was DELISH! I had the Truffled Mushroom Omelet and my girls had the Pulled Chicken sandwich and the Poco Benedict. Both enjoyed their as well. We also ordered an extra side of the home fries to share.
Glad we didn't get seated inside as it's insanely loud and splattered with people that can't handle their liquor. :P I would suggest trying to get a seat outside when the weather's nice and when you want to actually hold a conversation with your group or date and people watch.
The manager did stop by to check on how everything went, which was a nice touch. Will definitely be back .. especially to try the infamous Lobster Mac n Cheese. -
Review from Jeff S.
11/15/2011
Had the brunch here. I'm pretty sure my party had a better experience but mine was sub-par.
For $25 you can order anything on their brunch menu + all you can drink of either Mimosa/Bloody Mary/Sangria.
I ordered the Lobster Bennedict. It was not amazing.
GF ordered the Lobster Mac and Cheese. It was amazing.
Bloody Mary - Really spicy
Mimosa - Nothing special.
Service was swamped so we got blown off a lot. I just didn't think the food I ordered was good at all, coupled with slow service (had to refill my own water) worth a skip. -
Review from Vi N.
10/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Sunday brunch here gets crowded, so I suggest making reservations or arrive early.
The food here is decent, for the price and all you can drink sangrias/mimosas/bloody marys, it's the best deal you'll find on a Sunday afternoon for $25.
I had the lobster benedict (add $2 for the lobster) along w/endless refills of mimosas. The food was great and the drinks kept coming! At one point the waiter would just walk around w/a bottle of champagne and refill our glasses w/straight champagne!
Service was good, for a crowded place the watiers were very attentive, never letting our glass run dry :] -
Review from Alison C.
10/17/2011
Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of discovering Poco at a food and cocktail tasting. At that event, I returned to their table multiple times to delight in their unbelievable Mac N' Cheese, which was stuffed with chunks of tender Lobster meat. I also enjoyed their aromatic Mushroom Truffle Croquettes, which packed a major dose of mushroom flavor. The delightful servers that were managing the table pleasantly handed out complimentary beverage coupons to encourage us to visit the restaurant.
Though I was eager to sample their full menu, I happened to be in the area with friends one evening and stopped in to receive my free cocktail. The dimly lit space was composed of long wooden tables to fit almost any party size. We grabbed stools at the swanky bar and spent quite a bit of time deliberating on our selections. My Passionate Elderflower was simply divine. The concoction of vodka, St. Germain, passion fruit, and fresh lime had been finished off with a pour of Cava. The sparkling drink was fruity, tart, and full of ripe passion fruit flavor. My friends enjoyed their other refreshing cocktails as well.
I eagerly await my next visit to Poco where I can further regale myself with lavish comfort food and elegant cocktails from their complete list of offerings. Oh Poco, how you tease me so! -
Review from Tanya F.
Manhattan, NY
9/19/2011
Dear Poco
I would have given you 4-5 stars a few months ago. What happened??? Alas my love - how you've changed!
Tanya
Ok, now for reals. Poco was a favorite of mine for a long time. Cute EV location, lots of fun places nearby to go afterwards. And AWESOME FANTASTIC REASONABLY PRICED FOOD!!
The quality has diminished significantly. I remember when anything you ordered at Poco was fabulous. We ordered 4 items:
1) Brussel sprouts - what used to be my favorite dish. It was too sweet. The sprouts weren't cut properly. The portion size had shrunk by like half.
2) Mushroom truffle croquettes - Um. I HATE it when restaurants label something "truffle" and you can't taste the truffle. it's a strong flavor - it doesn't take much! These were actually a little gross. They were this fried gloppy cheesy mess. It tasted like a frozen tgi fri appetizer you find in the freezer section of your grocery. I know that's harsh but.... true.
3) spinach and mushroom mac and cheese - not bad. but not nearly as good as it used to be. the sauce is supposed to be saucy but not entirely liquid. This isn't soup. Come on guys - this is amature.
4) Calamari - it was fine. good even. not great.
that said, I generally eat like a bird and have a tiny appetite and I was still hungry after this dinner.
Here's the saving grace and the reason I will continue to go to poco - the atmosphere. It's just a lot of fun. Very lively. Very social. They have the great late night happy hour (10:30-12; bogo on drinks.) We moved to the bar after dinner to take advantage of the happy hour and had a blast. Other people at the bar are friendly and talkative (shout out, Chris!) It was a really fun night. Probably won't order much food there again, but would defnitely return for happy hour. -
Review from Annie C.
Jackson Heights, NY
1/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
I'm not a big East Village fan. I hate hipsters and yuppies...and this place had their share of 'em. However, the lobster mac and cheese was really good but it lacked the bang that I was hoping for. But it was yummy so definitely try it. Unlimited drinks for an hour and a half is included in the brunch option for $25 something. The only drawbacks to this place was the tight space and the grumpy waiter we had. He literally tossed the menu down next to me from the middle of the table. You could also tell he wasn't a happy camper because he plopped our drinks down and rushed us. Granted, we were a big group (13) but we made our reservations, played by your rules by waiting for everyone to get there, and are paying customers. Then we noticed that gratuity was added on the check for parties of 6 or more. Ahh. Ok. I'm not knocking this place. It's good but I'm telling it like it is. GO and enjoy. :)
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Review from Janelle S.
Seattle, WA
11/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Bottomless mimosa and breakfast for less than 25 dollars!
Note: there is also a time limit -
Review from Diamond D.
Manhattan, NY
11/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
B is for Brunch and this place seems to hit the nail on the head.
$24.95 for 3 cocktails & a b'fast. The Lobster Mac N Cheese was excellent (better than what we had @ Mermaid Inn). Big chucks of lobster and an herbed panko crust set Poco version apart from the traditional counter-part.
Our wait was typical weekend in the area. We got our food/drinks fast in spite it being very busy. The waiter, Mark, was attentive throughout our meal.
Great deal and would recommend giving the place a try. -
Review from Kirsten S.
New York, NY
9/25/2011
If you are looking for a boozy brunch with tasty food, this is one of them. The deal is 1 1/2 hours of unlimited mimosa, bloody mary, red sangria, and white sangria service (and good attention to refills) and a brunch entree for $25.
I came with a medium group for my birthday and they were very patient when people trickled in up to 30 minutes past the reservation time. They seated us when all but one of us arrived because they did not want to start the clock too early on our drink service. I thought that was nice.
We ate downstairs, which was weird because it was daytime and the downstairs was really sultry and romantic (with a TV playing the Food Network, of course... for me, that adds a little allure to anywhere). But besides the initial disorientation with dining in dim light at 12:30 PM, the area was well suited for my group.
Almost everyone in my group ordered the Lobster Mac and Cheese (yawnfest, I know... you have already read about 50 reviews for this dish). But I must say, it lives up to the hype. And it truly is hyped! They plaster their "famous lobster mac" on their chalkboards, menus, and even free pens, of which I somehow ended up with three. Add some Sriracha and the already divine dish becomes otherworldly.
The drinks were delish. Standard Mimosas, but the Bloody Mary and White Wine Sangria were something special. The Sangria was not too sweet and a little tropical, and the Bloody Mary (first time having one!) tasted like it had wasabi in it to heat it up. It also came with blue cheese-stuffed olives.
They charge a couple of dollars to bring in outside cake, but my friend brought one along and was so much fun to share with the table.
Everything about the brunch was fun and yummy. I could not have asked for a better birthday! -
Review from Amee S.
Manhattan, NY
12/3/2011
Such an amazing brunch! Granted I had fabulous company which probably made it 80x better but you'd have to be a total priss to not have a good time here. Somehow after a night of drinking my friend and I managed to get up and make a 12 noon brunch reservation (I know! A brunch place in Manhattan that takes reservations day of?!) on a Saturday. Sooo lucky we could wake up and get there that early because we had JUST beat the rush.
We each got the AYCD brunch option and split so we ordered sweet and savory (really the only way to truly enjoy brunch in my opinion) The truffled mushroom omelet was unf***ing believable. Well maybe anything truffled is unf***ing believable, I can't be sure. I don't even really remember the eggs part of the omelet because they were soo generous with the mushrooms and truffle oil. The cheese combo added a fabulous saltiness to complement the richness of the truffle oil and the meatiness of the mushrooms...whoever came up with this dish was a freakin genius. There were also greens...spinach or kale or something, freaking awesome.
On the sweet side we went all out and got the poco cakes. Now, I actually make some pretty awesome pancakes with the premixed batter, so I don't order pancakes often. Usually they are too mealy or too thin or something is wrong with them. I'll only order them if they are something really off the wall that I wouldn't be able to make myself easily. These wouldn't be hard to make but I'm so glad I got them. I assume they used about 38940932 more lbs of butter than I would ever use for pancakes because I could taste it, but at the same time they were super light and fluffy without being dry. I didn't need the nutella or the whipped cream or the maple syrup (though I did make my way through all the above). Even though it was mid-November, the strawberries and I think maybe blueberries? were pretty amazing.
Drinks. Ok so the AYCD drinks are premade but you have to give them some leeway because A) the food is freaking awesome, B) its AYCD!!, C) our food came out like speedy Gonzalez from the bugs bunny show was in the kitchen and D) you can change up your drinks!! Unlike Essex, which is very good, you don't have to stick to just 1 type of cocktail. My friend started out with sangria and switched to mimosas (or vice versa). I on the other hand was so in love with my bloody mary that the idea of parting ways even when we were leaving was difficult. Secret tip: Ask for it extra spicy! I had 1 that I forgot to tell him to make it spicy and it was wayyyy worse than the ones I specifically asked to make spicier.
Our waiter was an absolute cutie pie. He dropped my first drink way back behind the counter and it made a loud noise. When we turned to look to see what was going on he looked up at us and was soo apologetic. I just responded, as long as I get my drinks and it didn't spill on me, I don't mind waiting another 30 seconds. He was very attentive and kept the drinks flowing. Fan-f***ing tastic! -
Review from Joey C.
New York, NY
Updated - 9/25/2011
As a very honest Yelp reviewer, my overall perception of restaurants is not only based on taste, ambiance, and pricing, but also on the involvement of the owners and key figures that make up the restaurant, either when a good or bad scenario arises.
I had reviewed Poco restaurant, with a heavy heart, might I add, with a very poor outlook on its establishment, food, and lack of consistency. In order not to be redundant, please read the original review.
I wanted to submit an update due to the fact that I came across a personal message from the owner of Poco offering me a heartfelt and sincerely explanation of what could have occurred and why it might have occurred that particular day, and why my experience was less than satisfying.
Just as I am very honest in my reviews, whether positive or negative, I am also very fair when it comes to the owners trying to rebuild that bridge in a positive manner so I can come back to their establishment.
Let it be known, I wasn't offered any freebies or anything of the sort, for me to come back(and it wasn't necessary). The mere fact that Sara, the owner, took the time to reach out to me, is more than enough of a reason for me to go back.
This is what EXCELLENT customer service is all about, folks!
Thanks, Sara.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/13/2011
Not a very satisfying experience...Had run out of food...Did not have the drinks on their… Read more »
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Review from Holly C.
12/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
AYCD brunch. They won't seat you until everyone in your party is there. Upstairs was very casual, however we were seated downstairs which I liked better. It was dimmer and had a more low key, relaxed feel. The food was mediocre/okay. I had the veggie omelet (spinach & dried tomatoes) & potatoes & arugala salad. Our server was terrible. We had to constantly flag her down... to order... for refills... half the time she wouldn't even look in our direction. We tried to give her benefit of the doubt, but she was constantly filling the glasses at the table across from us (and the room is NOT big). Even when I had asked for a refill of my mimosa, she didn't bother to ask my friends if they would like one as well (and their glasses were empty). At one point I asked for a red sangria, she came back & asked if I had wanted red or white (I repeated "red"), and then proceeded to bring me white. The red sangria was good according to my friend, mimosas were okay, and I wasn't a fan of the white sangria.
Needless to say, I won't be coming back here for my next brunch date or be recommending it to anyone. -
Review from JennyKayt C.
New York, NY
9/24/2011
I'm giving this place a 5 star because DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO FIND GOOD PLACES FOR GROUPS IN NYC???? (incase you didn't know, it's very very hard). It's hard because you have to make reservations well in advance, because the good places may price out a few friends, because the bad places are well.. bad.
Poco really defeats all of those challenges. You don't have to make reservations too far in advance. It's roomy enough to accommodate a group of 10 (there's a big downstairs). The prices are completely reasonable ($15 for a brunch place. $25 for a brunch plate and THREE alcoholic drinks (though, they will rarely count the actual number of drinks you've had)). Lastly, the food AND the atmosphere are wonderful! The food is delicious and the portions are manageable. The setting is a little rustic and feels very nyc brunch-like.
It will definitely be a go-to spot for me, especially if I have friends visiting! -
Review from Elaine T.
Updated - 8/19/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Waaaaah, what happened to the original chef? I miss my old go-to tapa, the gambas al ajillo??? no longer is there a nice and moist crostini, but instead it has been replaced by tostones (fried plantains!) It has lost its unique flavor, only to be more plain in taste. Another upset is the spinach & wild mushroom mac 'n cheese- it has downgraded in size by half!
I was very excited to take my family here for a visit. I already knew exactly what to order, and even was presumptuous and ordered 2 of most of the tapas I've had before. I was very disappointed that the portion sizes were smaller and some of my original favorites have been replaced with different key ingredients (while still maintaining the same name). boooooo. I will now be on a search for a new favorite tapas bar in my neighborhood.Listed in: Favorite affordable…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/23/2010
This is a great tapas place. The seating is small so you should make reservations before coming.… Read more »
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Review from Patricia S.
New York, NY
9/22/2011
Poco is wonderful, and writing this review is reminding me that I should go there more!
They have a sweet little corner on Avenue B and 3rd (I think) and the service is always wonderful, and the food is always fantastic and so, so delicious. I've had a gorgeous salad here with apples and goat cheese, as well as the pulled pork mac n cheese (a winter must!) and the ceviche when a friend and I were the only ones there and they gave us a free sample.
Best of all, the manager or owner is amazing! Jane G. and I came here once and we had the happy hour wine special which I believe at the time was $15 for a bottle. The wine was .. shall we say .. less than stellar, and later Jane yelped the experience, mentioning the less than par wine. Well, the owner then contacted her with profound apologizes for the experience (we must have gotten a bottle of the sangria wine instead of the regular white on special) and offered to comp our next meal there.
We finally went back and they were so sweet. Not just sucking-up sweet so that we would give them a better review, but genuinely, effervescently sweet. The staff had just been interviewed or something right before we came in, and they were totally giddy about it airing and we all watched it on the corner tv as they squealed in delight about their on-screen appearance.
Go here - the food is fantastic, the service is stellar, and we don't want another Subway sandwich place opening up in the heart of Alphabet City. Let the local businesses live! -
Review from Tracy K.
9/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
It's been awhile since I've had a bad french toast experience in NYC. As a french toast fanatic I have been blissfully spoiled by the endless variations of this brunchtime classic. Alas, Poco was one variation gone wrong.
It looked like someone had gone to Gristedes, bought a bag of sliced bread, dipped it in some milk and egg, and given it about a minute on the griddle. There was very little caramelization/toasting on the exterior, making this just about the palest and soggiest french toast I've ever paid money for. The taste did not compensate for this poor presentation.
The only reason why I give this place 2 stars is everyone else's dishes looked normal, so french toast may just be the one brunch dish to steer clear of. Also, their white sangria is delicious, with just the right amount of brunchtime booze.
All in all, still a solid destination for groups looking for a reasonably priced unlimited drink brunch - - just pass on the french toast.
