by Nicole Y. on I love this place. Pod was one of my favorite restaurants to go to in Philly and is a great place to take out of town friends. The martinis are all very tasty and reasonably priced. The sushi is a little expensive, but is extremely good. I also really enjoyed the salads and soups here. They have a conveyor belt sushi bar where you can sit and pick individual rolls as they move by. The vibe there is really great - they have rooms that light up in different colors and generally your table/chairs have lights in them as well. There is usually Cowboy Bebop or something similar playing on the TV behind the sushi bar and they have great happy hour specials. It sometimes gets overrun with Penn students, but if you call ahead and make a reservation you won't have to worry about waiting very long. The only downside is parking nearby which can be difficult, particularly on the weekends.
by Eric Cromartie on So this is a perfect example of a place you go to for everything but the food. I mean, the food is ALRIGHT... but not spectacular. Theres not much you can say about raw meat and veggies that you cook yourself, huh? That being said, I find this a great spot for cheesy date-night... because the entire place is a topic of conversation, which is awesome for mismatched awkwardness situations. Yes, the restaurant is themed as a seaside port town... yes, there is a pirate ship in the middle of the restaurant... yes, they have live alligators swimming around under your table... and yes, Dante himself still lumbers around knocking on your table asking how your dinner is fairing. All this might seem a little to much to handle, but thats the joy of it all.
by Valarie A. on Friday nights at El Rio and it becomes "our dive." I decided to meet a couple of friends for happy hour last night and the place was ready to go! They offer chips and salsa, oysters and $2 beers! I opted to sit inside, but once I walked to the garden area, I realized I should have grabbed a table outside. Where else can you totally kick it in the Mission and enjoy a little fresh air. The crowd is totally mixed and I think that is why El Rio really is Your Dive! Everyone was super laid back and the bartenders serve a mean drink. A special thank you to Christina for carding me- She so made my night!
