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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
Neighbourhoods: East Village, Alphabet City
(212) 228-4461
- Nearest Transit:
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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 Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Brunch
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
465 reviews for Poco
Review Highlights
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"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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465 reviews in English
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Review from Jay C.
Manhattan, NY
5/13/2012
I went on a dinner date to Poco last night. Great overall experience. They have an outdoor seating area, which is great for east-villager-watching. The food and service were top-flight; the drinks were pretty solid. They get a 5 for food and service, 4 for drinks. I'll cut to the chase since I know you folks are busy :)
Food:
Mushroom and Spinach Mac and Cheese (4.5 stars)
Octopus (5 stars -- I never knew I liked octopus this much)
Tuna Tartar (4 stars)
Lobster Roll (4.5 stars -- not too creamy and on a great bun)
Drinks:
Mango Blood Orange Mojito (5 stars)
Ginger Mojito (3.5 stars)
Acai Sangria (2 stars)
Jalapeno Margarita (4 stars -- not as good as the margaritas bringing the heat at Barrio Chino or Mercadito, but very good)
Pomegranate Margarita (3.5 stars)
(For the record, I didn't get shredded -- they have a drink sampler that permits you three smaller martini glasses of the cocktails of your choice.) -
Review from Gracie G.
Hoboken, NJ
5/26/2012
LONG overdue review, fyi.
Came here last November, during Thanksgiving break with my mom for brunch. In short, we were given a crappy table by the back, where my mom had to perch uncomfortably on a stool for the whole time, despite the fact that they had better seats. Food was just OK and mimosas were unlimited but nothing special, mostly watered down OJ. I had the famous Mac n Cheese, which I thought was awful. It was greasy, awfully over-cheesy (how is that a good thing?) and barely tasted any lobster in it. My mom's eggs benedicts looked better though. Price for unlimited brunch was $25 each or something, within 2 hours I think.
Main reason for this review (aside from the unspectacular food/drink) is how they rudely asked us to leave after we'd been there for only 1.5 hours. Their unlimited brunch is apparently 2 hours, but a) we hadn't been seated for the 2 hours yet and b) we were about done, my mom was just finishing up her coffee and the worst of all: c) they claimed they had to give away our table to the next party but the room was EMPTY. All their tables to the sides/middle were empty and I failed to understand why they had to kick us out. And yes, the word was KICK OUT. Their manager came to "rectify" the situation, to which he just annoyingly laughed in my face every time I tried to explain to him how I felt and that they were being rude and inconsiderate to their patrons. Note: they only came to us, once we had paid and tipped the waitress 20%.
I've held off on this review for so long because I didn't want to think about how terribly we we treated. I've never been treated like that, or asked to leave a restaurant, after having paid for my food, and only being there for a reasonable 1.5 hours for a brunch. It made my blood boil for days and I was incredibly upset that my mother had to see that on her visit to NY. We were treated like some type of freeloaders when we hadn't had any outstanding requests but simply for wanting a nice Sunday brunch with family.
Poco will never get my business again and I've already advised my close friends and family not to patronize it. -
Review from Rica S.
Manhattan, NY
5/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is where the sorority girls and frat bros go to have brunch and get drunk again after a night of getting drunk. If that's not your scene, then keep it movin.
The food was very bland. None of the food seemed to have any seasoning on it. The "amazing" lobster Mac and cheese was drowning in cream and cheese and I only noticed 2 pieces of lobster. The coffee at Dunkin' Donuts is better, and they don't even serve cappuccinos!!
Really disappointing and pretty annoying to have all these college kids in the front screaming and doing squats while carrying one another. I guess bottomless drinks attract the most annoying clientele. -
Review from Dorie L.
New York, NY
I had a great time with my company but I still must review this place objectively!
What we had:
1) Tuna Tartar (with creamy avocado, pickled jalapeno)
2) Lobster Risotto (with pan seared scallops, peas, and asparagus)
3) BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders (with pickles and marinated onions)
4) Chorizo Mac and cheese
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Review:
1) Tuna Tartar:
Presentation: The warm plate threw us off!!!! But it was good. The bread could have been a bit more toasted.. just a little bit. For a place that takes reservations, I figure that this could have been better plated. Perhaps a finish design around the tartar and the bread to frame it? The tuna was nicely diced, not too chunky, and not too small.
Taste: Not bad. Can def taste all the avocado in there but I was able to see the jalapenos and tuna more than I taste it. I believe that the sauces used in the tartar overwhelmed the tuna and covered its freshness. Overall, nice tang, but I had more of an "creamy avocado tartar with tuna" than a "tuna tartar with creamy avocado"
2) Lobster Risotto:
Presentation: Sorry, but Chef Ramsay would be disappointed. This risotto was creamy but a bit thick so the rice clumped up. I can see that it makes sense to halve the scallops since the dish is focused the right consistency of creamy rice, but the scallops were a bit messy. Some were halved, some were diced, some were something else. The scallops were cooked thoroughly but not pan seared enough. Chefs, step your game up! Don't make Poco look like they're falsely advertising!! Where did they get the asparagus from? They look a bit anorexic.
Taste: Very strong seasoning so the risotto was heavy . Not sure if it was too much salt but whatever it was, the sauce was overwhelming for the risotto. Scallops were cooked thoroughly so it had the right texture. Could be very filling but the overall taste was thick and heavy.
3) BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders:
Presentation: Not sloppy, pulled pork sliders in-tact, and clean! (I suggest though, a bit better organization) Some places have sliders with greasy bread tops but these were not. Good job!
Taste: Not too salty, great taste, not too salty.. just like how pulled pork supposed to taste like! I'd suggest that Poco use caramelized onions instead of raw onions to it adds an added sweet taste to it.
4) Chorizo Mac and Cheese
Presentation: First time i saw mac and cheese made by shells and not elbow pasta... Nice tactic to make this look like a bigger bowl. Love the burnt top (done by flame torch?) But what happened to the lobster or the other 2 or 3 options there were with the mac and cheese? I saw a lot of shells, nicely cheesed, but not enough of the "extras".. Otherwise, this looks like a regular mac and cheese. I think the mac and cheese was meant to share with someone since it was a pretty big portion for one person
UPDATE: i confirmed with my party that it was chorizo and not lobster that we had. but still, there were barely any chorizo in there at all.. You had to dig for it. It was that small and that few that I wasn't able to tell.
Taste: Taste was not bad considering that there were a lack of the other extras in the mac and cheese. Very cheesy and buttery. Not good for someone whose sensitive to buttery/ oily foods! Nonetheless, the mac and cheese was not bad but won't purposely go back for it.
Overall: Experience saved by great company and food could have been better. -
Review from Chinh T.
5/11/2012
The 4 stars I'm giving poco is not for anything specific, but for completing the whole boozy brunch experience!
The lobster Mac n cheese is not to die for, contrary to everyone else's opinion. It's good, but way too much cheese for a brunch food item (i'd probably prefer it for dinner). My friend ordered this and didn't even finish half of it. I had the caramelized French toast, which was yummy. The portions are on the smaller side, but all the better to save your stomach for the alcohol!
The bloody Mary is not the best...way too much tabasco and it needed some pepper. My friend had the white sangria, which was probably the strongest drink. The mimosas basically just tasted like sparkling juice. Everything gets served in plastic jars, so there's a very hipster feel to the place. There is a 1.5 hr table limit and the waitresses kind of stop coming back as often after your second or third drink. The place is pretty small though, so it's not hard to get their attention.
This is one of the most happening boozy brunch places I've been to, with a very young rowdy crowd and loud top 40s hits playing. Think of tables of people in their mid-20s, taking shots at noon. Bad for hangovers, but good if you're just starting out and want to be drunk all day! -
Review from Brenda Y.
Fort Lee, NJ
5/8/2012
After reading all the Yelp reviews, I had high expectation for this place. I love brunch food so I've been to many brunch spots in nyc and have to say i was disappointed with Poco. Service was slow. it was hard to waitress's attention. and we went when it opened so it wasn't even packed. we had to actually just go up to get our check. I tried the Lobster mac n cheese and it was too salty. My bf got the poco benedict and we've had better.
If you are looking for amazing brunch food, i wouldn't recommend it.
but if you wanted to drink mimosa silly with group of ur girls, where food isnt the most important factor, go for it. -
Review from Nadia R.
Manhattan, NY
4/9/2012
Brunch was incredible and worth the nearly 1 hour wait (We went at Saturday by 12:30.) The lobster mac, lobster benny, even the chicken sandwich were all great (I like to taste everyone's food, don't judge me). My glass was never empty (never even got to half empty!) and all drinks included in the brunch (yes, again, I had them all) were delicious.
The only downside was how loud it can be, and the music selection is a bit obnoxious, but it's so much nicer than the Sunburnt Cow (Poco does not crowd the place until you can't move -- who wants that first thing on a hungover Saturday morning?) Will definitely go back, at least for brunch, since the $29 deal is unbeatable. -
Review from Danielle F.
New York, NY
4/2/2012
A really great AYCD brunch experience. For $25/ person you enjoy an entree...highly recommend both the lobster mac & cheese and chorizo hash with fried egg...and unlimited booze.
Our table had free flowing bloodies, mimosa and sangria - all received rave reviews. Although I would have liked an orange wedge since everyone else got garnish (bleu cheese stuffed olives in the bloodies). Get a rez in advance and go early - it gets packed.
Thumbs up, Poco. -
Review from Louis R.
3/18/2012
St Patty's Day, 2012.
Drunk retards in green pants/shirts crowding every bar in Manhattan. No, your green tiara ain't dope, freckles...stop askin me.
Where can I get my drunk on without smashing someone's face in while still being able to witness the shenanigans?
How about $25 all-you-can-drink Bloody Mary's/Mimosas with steak and eggs at Poco while sitting outside watching the amateurs stumble up Ave B...
3 hours of pure drunken entertainment...dayum this works.
BTW, my dope ass waitress was wearing the tiniest skirt, I almost saw her hoo-hah. Not that I was lookin.Listed in: Brunch?! No thanks, I'm…
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Review from Steph C.
5/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place had excellent service, we were greeted by the manager, Julie and she explained all the items on the menu and was very informative. Our server was also knowledgeable about the food and was very prompt in seeing if we were doing okay even though we were seated outside on a Friday night. I had the paella which was good however the mussels weren't as fresh. The large clam and shrimps were fine but the mussels were just bleh, I think half of my mussels were just no good. I loved my friend's dishes though, they had the lobster mac n cheese and the other had the grilled shrimp on bread which was expensive considering that it was 4 pieces but I would say that one of the best dishes. Don't know where the lobster was in the mac though but it was still good. I will definitely come back here for brunch.
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Review from Michelle W.
New York, NY
4/30/2012
AYCD brunch for $25. Do make a reservation, otherwise you will be tossed into the corner with the worst table possible. A group of us came on Sunday and got seated at a table outside in a wind tunnel. The entire restaurant was empty and we asked to sit inside, but that was the only table available. We did ask to be moved inside if someone missed their reservation but was kind of dismissed. Magically a table of 4 appeared and the 5 of us squeezed and made it work.
Service was a little slow, but they did fill our drinks pretty often. As we got our food, the drink service slowed and eventually came to a halt as they were kicking us out of our table. The food was good. I had the Lobster Mac & Cheese and it was surprisingly pretty decent. I didn't have high hopes for this place, but they did deliver.
Service was Poco's downfall. They were a little snotty, a little rude and for the most part a bit irritating. I understand people having reservations, but if the entire restaurant is empty (and they have a downstairs), not really sure why we got dumped outside in the cold. We had super slow service outside and pretty slow service inside. Our food came fairly fast, but that's about it. I've never been so rushed at brunch. It's like they have a timer on every table and as soon an hour and a half hits, it's time for you to go. We were waiting for them to bring us our bill and they were asking us to leave the table. If you don't want me to pay, I'm more than happy to leave, but if you want your money, you need to relax. Not sure why they thought we'd go to the bar to wait for our credit cards to be returned, but if you want customers to come back and not just frequent once, you gotta take it easy.
Between the food, service and price, I probably won't be back. There are much better places for $20 and you don't have to worry about getting kicked out, even if you over extend your stay. -
Review from Pamela S.
Manhattan, NY
4/8/2012
I had high hopes for Poco's brunch since there's a permanent crowd constantly stationed outside every weekend waiting to get their drunk brunch on.
I ordered the Poco Benedict. The food came out super quick, which seems good, but that points to pre-made meals nuked in the microwave for a few secs and whisked out- not great for $25+. I'd rather enjoy a drink or two and wait for them to make it fresh.
The mimosas were pretty good, and the waitresses were on top of the refills- a must have for any AYCD brunch place. Overall, the service was definitely the best part of the meal. Not dyin' to go back. -
Review from Vic D.
Manhattan, NY
Updated - 5/11/2012
This place has been a consistent favorite for years now. Best advice is to sit at the bar where the bartenders occasionally give you free "tastes". Food is amazing. Go for the Mac and cheese, lollipops, and octopus for sure. Plus everyone is just so friendly here!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/30/2012
Love this place so much! The owner, Sarah, is amazing and the food has always been great. It gets… Read more »
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Review from Megan L.
Manhattan, NY
4/11/2012
I adore this place. I've been here for brunch, two-tapas, unlimited sangria Tuesday nights and unlimited mussel and wine Wednesday nights many many times, and every time, they never disappoint. The lobster mac and cheese is to die for, and the other entrees I've had (sliders, calamari, brussel sprouts, mussels) are equally delicious. The drinks are never empty, either, and the white sangria is amazing.
One of the best parts, though, is the staff. They are always friendly, accommodating and attentive. I will keep coming back here time after time. -
Review from Andrea A.
Manhattan, NY
4/10/2012
I love this place. I originally tried it out on recommendation from open table- had no idea what to expect. Ended up being the best decision I made that night.
The ambiance of poco is delightful, dimly lit, and intimate with a friendly and lively touch. The staff is also very helpful and nice.
As for the food, WELL.. the truffle mac and cheese, dates wrapped in bacon, sliders (mini burgers with guacamole!) are my favorite. I've been here three times and will go again. -
Review from Ariel A.
New York, NY
3/30/2012
I feel bad knocking it because the people there were very nice & accommodating,
I really didn't enjoy the food at all. It felt like an American impostor of Spanish tapas, with the half-assed effort of greasy bar food.
The music was offensively loud with a shuttering techno beat.
just not good. -
Review from Lily Z.
New York, NY
4/2/2012
Went for brunch for a friend's birthday on Sunday. We arrived and checked in on time, and yet had to wait for the previous table to finish up before us. Once seated in the dungeon of the restaurant (downstairs...in a dark corner with stone walls), the service was ok. Not bad...but not great. Definitely better if you go with a smaller group (we had 13 people).
Food? The Poco Benedict was ok, a little weird with the chorizo made to look like bacon bits. The Chorizo Hash was pretty darn good. Had a little spicy kick from the chorizo and 2 fried eggs...a staple for any drunken / hung over brunch! Lobster mac & cheese was also quite delicious,...light and a little bit sweet from the lobster.
The bloody mary's were AMAZING! Topped off with a blue cheese stuffed olive...can't get any better. The mimosa was also quite delicious and very sparkly.
It's a great option for those looking for a boozey weekend brunch but if you're not looking for the unlimited drinks? Go on a week night for some of their other specials. -
Review from Lauren L.
Manhattan, NY
5/7/2012
A fun place for a casual birthday dinner with friends. I'd never been to that area of the city so it was cool to try a new spot. The food was decent, the sangria was great, and the rest of the drink list looked top notch. It was pretty empty for a Thursday but the atmosphere was good overall. My favorite part was that all the drinks were served in mason jars, and even the shots were served in mini mason jars as shot glasses!
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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 Zachary A.
New York, NY
4/29/2012
Simply amazing. VERY friendly staff, good food and great, down-to-earth crowd. I've only been for brunch---drinks never left empty :-). Prices are reasonable--probably the best brunch I've been to in the city. This was also my first brunch experience!
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Review from Angel H.
New Haven, CT
3/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
I stumbled on this place because Cornerstone Cafe down the street was packed with people and had an hour wait.
I can see why folks like brunch at Poco - $24.95 all-you-can drink special with an entree from a dozen or so selections. But what is a girl to do who doesn't feel like getting smashed on a Sunday morning with bottomless bloodies or mimosas? Well, Poco has you covered - for $14.95 per entree, which isn't great but isn't terrible either.
I ordered the Florentine Benedict, which was pretty standard and not as exciting as "pimento hollandaise" would suggest. The eggs were perfectly poached and the hollandaise wasn't too buttery or thick. The homefries and salad were pretty average. My dining partner ordered the breakfast sandwich with chorizo, and it totally stole the show. Their chorizo is really amazing - incredibly flavorful and tender, and not greasy at all. The one bite I was allowed was absolutely delicious.
One thing we didn't care for was the club music playing at 11 am while we were trying to eat and have a nice conversation. Other than that, I'd probably come back here next time I'm in the mood for a boozy brunch. -
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 Sean W.
2/20/2012
I think people who wrote good reviews were drunk from the All You Can Drink Brunch. There was a lot of hype about their brunch, so I figured me and my gf should check it out since we always loved AYCD brunch joints like Calle Ocho and the Sunburnt Calf/ Cow.
I recommend making reservations prior to going here a week in advance, otherwise you are looking for a long wait since it is a very small place. So while you wait, grab a Pretzel and Beer at Sigmund's next door.
We finally a got a small table in the middle, which sucked since there were annoying loud drinks constantly maneuvering around us. The drinks were clearly watered down, probably to cut back costs since drunks don't care about quality when they just want to get more drunk.
I had high hopes for the food, but that also was a bigger disappointment. My Lobster Mac n Cheese was mediocre and the pasta was overcooked, while my gf didn't even finish her chorizo Benedict dish, and was sick after. The only redeeming factor was the service, which I would give them a point for, our waiter was accommodating and friendly and always refilling our drinks.
Overall, if you just want a straight up brunch with unlimited drinks, this place would just serve that primary purpose. Just as long as you don't mind the small cramped space, loud annoying drinks, and sun-par food. -
Review from Priscilla R.
Bayside, NY
4/18/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
Tapas were yummy and drinks were strong. Strawberry margarita was strong and delicious. Jalapeno margarita: concept was unique but was a little spicy. The tapas we enjoyed were the steak lollipops, lobster mac and cheese, and mini lobster roll. Poco's atmosphere was lively, hip and trendy. Perfect place to unwind after work and have a few drinks. Will definitely come back to try the brunch menu.
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Review from Lauren Jaime G.
East Lansing, MI
3/9/2012
Omg. Not only is this an exceptional boozy brunch, you dont even realize the AYCD drinks are not *that* good because the food is marvelous! $24.95 for your choice of a fairly good selection of menu items and AYCD Mimosas, Bloodys or Sangria (white or red). Sign me up.
Lobster Mac is TDF and I would definitely give a nod to the Chorizo hash. They also serve the drinks in mason jars, whaaaaaat!
I made a reservation, which I would suggest if all of your party is arriving at the same time. It's a small space and the tables fill quickly. I did notice outdoor seating and I cant wait to go back in better weather. Our third was late and once you order, your drink clock kicks off (1.5hours) so we decided to wait for her at the bar. When she came we decided to go ahead and eat at the bar because the bar tender was a gem and we were closer to the drankz.
Sitting at the bar turned out to be a banner idea because we didnt have to wait for a waitress to refill our carafe, AND the bartender refreshed our drinks before we could finish them. One mimosa, two mimosa, three mimosa, 12
Oh! It's also a concert in there, the music is on blast and it's every song I evvvver wanted to hear while having mimosas and eating Lobster Mac @ 12pm (the trifecta Beyonce, RiRi and Britney). -
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 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 Tanya F.
Manhattan, NY
Updated - 2/13/2012
The last time I reviewed Poco, I said that the atmosphere was great, but the food was so-so and in some cases bad.
I heard they had just hired a new chef, and perhaps were in the process of working out some kinks.
I gave Poco another shot last night, and it did not disappoint!
The brussel sprouts were amazing. (I said earlier the portion size had shrunk, but it's back to the normal size.)
We also had the skirt steak lollipops that were sooooo good. Star of the meal, for sure.
Finally we had the meatballs - cooked to perfection, really great consistency in the meat - yummo!
All of that, plus half price bottles on sunday - color me happy.
The service was really great, and the waiter even gave my friend HH price on the drink, even though HH was over like 10 minutes before.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/19/2011
Dear Poco
I would have given you 4-5 stars a few months ago. What happened??? Alas my love - how… Read more »
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Review from Esther W.
Manhattan, NY
3/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
We gave up drinking for lent so this place was definitely not as good as we thought. We came here for brunch so you basically pay for the bottomless drinks. If I was drunk I probably would have thought this was the greatest place on earth and would have gave it 5 stars.
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Review from Tom W.
Manhattan, NY
4/4/2012
We went for the Tuesday $35 Sangria and 2 tapas deal.
The place was quiet on the night so we were lucky to have a nice atmosphere and vibe.
The food was OK but the Sangria was pretty weak and there was 4 things on the tapas menu which weren't included as part of the deal, not even if we wanted to pay a couple of dollars more for the excluded items.
Also, if you're going for the Sangria deal on Tuesdays, everyone on the table has to do it. -
Review from Leslie M.
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 Natasha A.
Carlsbad, CA
2/13/2012
Had the Poco Benedict...very good. I've had more flavorful chorizo, but all of the flavors in this dish were wonderful.
DRINK ALERT!! The bloody mary was awesome! One of the best I've had. So if you're a bloody mary drinker, I say you have to try this one.
I also saw at least 10 lobster mac-n-cheeses go out...something I will be trying on my next visit. -
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 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 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 Jesse F.
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 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 Lynette B.
New York, NY
Updated - 2/22/2012
What happened to this place? The brunch (ok, maybe it was because it was Drunch) used to be amazing. Take away the unlimited booze from here and you're left with sub-par food. The place was more than half empty, but the hostess seated us all the way in the back because we "don't have reservations". Mind you, the entire time we were there, only one other couple came in. That's it. No wonder this once jam-packed brunch was empty. It's no longer what it used to be. Not the booze. Not the food. Not the service. Bummer.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/27/2009
AWESOME.
I am so happy this place is in my neighborhood. Amazing food, great unlimited drinks brunch… Read more »
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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 Kassy M.
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.
