Bar Review: Pod

Pod
3636 Sansom Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
215-387-1803

If you find the idea of going to a typical sports bar or pub to be tiresome, you may want to check out Stephen Starr’s Pod. The Pan-Asian restaurant, located in the heart of University City, is a must for anyone looking to try a new bar scene.

The bar at Pod (as well as Pod itself) is an excellent place to meet friends for a social cocktail or two. The ambiance – futuristic restaurant décor and eclectic musical selections – also make for a nice meeting place for a date.

Beverage manager Eric Thomas says Pod’s location allows “access to young people from all over the world, who have a wide range of different experiences.”

“At the same time, we’re situated in University City, which is in a busy city, so you have regular working people from the city. You get the best of both worlds,” Thomas said.

Upon entry, customers can sit at the bar and order drinks or go to the comfy seating area for a casual powwow with friends.

While sitting on giant red plastic blocks in the seating area, customers can’t go wrong ordering a colorful cocktail. Among the red, blue and yellow drinks offered, go with red. The fusion of fruit flavors is blended with Smirnoff Vodka, white peach puree and liqueur flavored with lychee.

Adventurous social drinkers will be more than impressed with the selection at Pod. The Gingered Plum Wine Spritzer is an enjoyable bittersweet liquid treat.

Just as delectable is the tangy Yuzu Chu-Hai. This cocktail, made with shochu, a mild Japanese spirit, and the Japanese fruit, yuzu, leaves a tropical aftertaste that is as equally enjoyable as the taste itself.

Beer lovers will love the selection at Pod, with $6 draught beer such as Stella Artois, Japanese bottled beer from $5.50 to $9 and international bottled beer from $4.50 to $20.

The good news is Pod has a happy hour from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Colored cocktails are $5 and draft beers and the bartender’s selection are $4.

Adapting from the “it’s 5 o’clock somewhere” philosophy is well worth it for happy hour at Pod.

Josh Fernandez can be reached at josh.fernandez@temple.edu.