Each day of class seems to stretch longer and longer and, despite some better weather, summer feels far on the horizon.

In order to push through I need a good spot to get everything, from a refreshing drink to a full meal; having delicious food and helpful service would just be the cherry on top. I am talking about a place where I can sit and eat or take it home quickly and chow down in my bed.

You can find all of those and more at POPO.

Located in at 405 SE Bishop Blvd, it is easy to miss this restaurant as you drive by Safeway or Walmart. Parking is a little treacherous, and I had to park around back in the bank since they were so busy. The drive-through is a little perilous, and it isn’t consistent even if it is open.

The hours are a little funky, so you need to stay with me here. They open at 3 p.m. and close at 8 p.m Mondays–Thursdays. They switch this up slightly on Fridays and close at 9 p.m. Finally, on the weekend they are open from 12–9 p.m.

Got that? Good. If you want up-to-date hours or just need to check their menu, you can find them on their website.

I love POPO’s atmosphere; it always tempts me to eat inside rather than get takeout. The tables are set apart from each other enough to enjoy your company but still get the light din of conversation and people enjoying their meal around you. Not only that, the layout lets people enjoy their meals or grab their Doordash without butting heads.

If you are going to visit POPO, I would recommend sitting and enjoying the restaurant itself at least once; it was enough for me to really take notice of the restaurant.

The service at POPO is another highlight of my visits. I will admit that the menu is quite extensive and, even though I almost get the same thing every visit with few variations, I still get overwhelmed by the amount of choices. However, the cashiers are always willing to answer my questions and guide me through the delicious food and drink underneath.

And boy, are the food and drink delicious.

Like I said before, POPO has a large menu and it is easy to get lost in it, so I am going to break things down into the drinks and the food.

Let’s start with the drinks.

I ordered the milk tea with strawberry boba juice poppers, flavored with green apple. There are over fifteen flavors, substitutions for traditional milk and tons of toppings that you can add to really customize your drink. With that you can add some more options for your drink, like sweetness and ice level, to get it to perfection.

After everything was said and done, my drink was around $9, but I had it filled to the brim with the poppers so I was not complaining. The drink came out before the food, and while I did miss the lid the first time, I always enjoy getting the straw into the drink.

I could talk about how tasty the drink was but I think the main thing that stuck out to me was how refreshing it was. The milk tea was perfect on that sunny day and the poppers really added to the experience. I would order again in a heartbeat. The bun itself is so soft and fluffy that you could mistake it for a pillow, and the sweetness of the dough is cut by the richness of the meat. With a sauce that is more of a paste, the meat is a perfect palate balancer to the drink and bun and can really stand up on its own.

Moving to the food, POPO has an equally large food menu, and it does not disappoint with its offerings. I often forget, but POPO does have the options of a full-style restaurant, even if the environment is a little more laid back. I ordered the BBQ bruins for just under $10 and I was tempted to immediately order it again.

Other options include Yakisoba, some delicious hotpot with a wide array of options and flavors. I am partial to the original bone soup hotpot but I do not believe you would lose out with any of the options. The pork buns were a perfect cap to this visit and had a perfect mix of bun and pork. The combo is mouth-watering and, despite being a light appetizer, does a good job of filling you up.

Perhaps the one thing that POPO falters in is price; it is a little expensive for the amount of food or drink that you are getting. The quality is certainly worth it and I have not stopped going since, but my wallet is certainly aching. Still, with around an 8/10, POPO is worth the visit!

If you know of some food spots that I have not tried yet that you are just dying to brag about to your friends, let me know by emailing [email protected].