Pop's For Italian

Justin made our evening spectacular with his wonderful suggestions as we were first time guests. The host was polite on the phone & in person. Justin was very knowledgeable of the history of the restaurant. He took me on a tour to see the PD room as that is something of interest to me. The food was absolutely delicious. My favorite thing was the huge crispy fried mozzarella! But everything was great and will be definitely be returning with Justin as our server.

I recently visited Pop’s For Italian for the first time to celebrate a birthday. Upon arrival we were promptly greeted, seated and left in the capable hands of our phenomenal waiter, Andre. Everything from the service to the food and drinks were outstanding. The food & drinks came out surprisingly fast. Everything was well seasoned and full of flavor. Andre went above and beyond to make the birthday girl’s celebration memorable and even surprised her with a slice of birthday cake. We were more than pleased with our experience and will definitely visit this restaurant again.

We went to Pop’s on a Saturday around 4 and had about a 20 minute wait. All of the staff was so friendly (especially our waitress!) and the food was delicious. We didn’t wait long at all. The gnocchi was absolutely wonderful and the perfect portion size. Also might’ve been the best dirty martini I’ve ever had! Will definitely be coming back!!

Very nice last minute decision to grab some dinner. Megan was efficient, friendly and professional. Food was very good and drinks were delicious including mocktails. Manager was visibly engaged in making sure the place was running smoothly. Quite enjoyable. Thank you!

We recently dined at this Italian restaurant with a group of six, and while the environment was generally pleasant and the space quite large, it was extremely crowded and clearly understaffed. Our waiter was doing his best but was overwhelmed with too many tables, making it difficult for him to provide attentive service. This isn’t a criticism of him, but rather a sign that management needs to address staffing levels, especially during peak hours. The most frustrating part of the experience was that our meals did not come out together. Three arrived first, and the other three came about 15 minutes later, which made for an awkward dining experience. We also ordered a few different drinks, but none of them came out right — each was missing something, and we had to ask for corrections. Again, it seemed the bar was just as overwhelmed as the kitchen. As for the food, we had garlic bread and Caesar salad to start, followed by chicken pesto pizza, ravioli, and chicken piccata. Everything tasted fine, nothing particularly memorable, but reasonably priced for an Italian restaurant. One policy that caught us off guard was the automatic 20% gratuity added to our bill, which we were told is standard for tables of more than five people. In addition, we weren’t allowed to split the bill per couple, which was inconvenient. I’ve seen similar policies at other places, but usually for much larger parties. A final oddity: we noticed a strange vibration in our chairs, like the floor itself was vibrating. It was noticeable and a bit distracting. Overall, the ambiance was good, and the food was decent, but the service was lacking and the experience could definitely benefit from better organization and staffing. Wouldn’t rush back, but it wasn’t a total loss either.

My daughter invited me to eat here. We sat at the bar. The bartender Carrie was also our server. She was so friendly and attentive. She whipped up two delicious cocktails. We then ordered the Bolognese egg rolls for appetizers. They came with four which was enough for the two of us. However, I could have eaten two more they were so good! I can’t remember what my daughter ordered (have a pic though). I ordered the Con Aglio Panna Gnocchi. So rich and delicious! Such a generous portion, I happily enjoyed the leftovers the next day. Service was great, food was great…will definitely be returning

Update3/15/25: Went to dinner second time. Reserved a table in advance this time over the phone. Ordered couple of pizzas(Chicken pesto and funghi), wines and a chocolate cake. We were truly excited to try out their pizzas but they were average at the best. Chocolate cake was okay too. I found the service slow and understaffed. Only 1 server handling too many tables at busy time. Old review: Great food, loud but lively atmosphere. We went on a Friday evening and found this place very busy. We were told to wait 45-60minutes. Indeed it took more than an hour to get a table. So I recommend to reserve the table first. Our server was friendly and welcoming. Took a bit of time to get our food after placing an order. Garlic Bread with pesto was decent. Main course was amazing. I loved the flavors of chicken Marsala. Sauce was delicious and the chicken was cooked tender and juicy. Pasta was great as well. We ordered tiramisu to finish with. It was good but not the best. Overall a great food and good place. Food pricing is a hit on higher side. I would return to try their pizzas.

Meg was our server and she was phenomenal!! We came in around 9pm on a Tuesday night and got seated immediately stayed till shortly after 10 which was closing time and no one made us feel rushed to leave. We ordered the chicken piccata and Bistecca alla gonna, both entrées were portioned very generously and tasted so amazing! Unfortunately they ran out of chimichurri for the steak dinner but they made up for that by giving us dessert on the house. Loved this place and will definitely be back

Andre was such a fun server. really made my birthday special the carbonara was SO creamy

Great food, great drinks & even better service! Andre was the absolute best!! Couldn't have picked a better place!

Love Pop's, great food and atmosphere! Our server Andre was fantastic. We will be coming back!

I have no complaints. I had an excellent male server, I wish I caught his name, shame on me. They had a happy hour from 4-6 with drinks and a few food options. I must say their salads are bomb, and we were able to get the chopped and Cesar at happy hour price. My husband got chicken parm and it was made just how chicken parm should be, chef kiss on that. My waiter even treated us to a free birthday dessert which was a pleasant surprise. The place is huge, with outdoor seating. Parking in the back that u must pay for. I would come back for the salad alone! Cheers!

I was here today for the first time with a fairly large local brunch group. I tried to keep that in mind while deciding how I felt about everything. Service was pretty slow, but for me personally it wasn't bad service. I got anything extra I asked for pretty quickly, but we did wait a very, very long time for everything. Then again, we were a large group so that is to be expected. Nothing against our server at all. I think I made the mistake in ordering the avocado toast. I should have realized that with that large of a group my food was going to come out somewhat cold and cold toast is not enjoyable. It was also not TOASTED! It was grilled so lightly that it barely had any color on it. One of the ladies in our brunch group said it looked like I was eating avocado bread, and that was pretty much on point. I also ordered a poached egg that I was going to divide between the two pieces of toast and that egg was severely overcooked. No runny yolk and a very overcooked white. I did not bother sending the egg back because frankly, I waited long enough for my food and I did not want to wait any longer. I will say that the toppings on the toast were all delicious and very fresh. The monkey bread, which I ordered as an afterthought, was the best thing I ate today!

Pops is one of my favorite Italian restaurants in the area hands down. Very nice ambiance and beautiful bar in the center of the restaurant. Conveniently located with great parking. The staff is always amazing and the food is great. I'm going to sing the praises of all the dishes I like, but I have to start with the not so good first. Never order the Shrimp Scampi, bland and not good. Ok done lol. Fritto Misto (Calamari), Garlic Loaves, Classic Caesar Salad, Wild Mushroom Cream Pasta with Shrimp, and Lobster Ravioli all AMAZING.

My two girlfriends and I died there last night and had a reservation at 6 PM. While my food was fine, theirs was cold, but our waitress was great about it and fixed it so no real issue. Around 8 o'clock, the "director" of the store stopped by and told us we needed to leave because we had surpassed our two hour time limit. I had made the reservation and there was no record of this whatsoever in any confirmation that I got and the waitress never mentioned it to us at any point during our dinner. We tried to explain this to him, and he was a condescending d$ck. I mean a real a$$hole. Whoever really runs this restaurant should put this "director" in his place.

Wow. I can't tell you what a disappointing experience we had this evening. We were having a nice dinner when the "director" came by our table to inquire how our dinner was (barely) then to tell us there is only a 2-hour limit to stay at the restaurant....very rudely. We were never told there was a 2 hour limit. When we mentioned that to him, instead of saying I'm sorry to hear that, he said it was on the website when the reservation was made on-line. In addition, our food was cold when it arrived to the table so we had to send it back. The waitress was amazing about it, however there was a 20 minute delay to get it back. We explained this to him, however he didn't seem to care. Again, he said sorry but ran away. We will NEVER go back to this restaurant as long as this "director" is still there.

I really love this place and would recommend it to anyone! The pasta and produce is so fresh and I haven't ordered a single thing I haven't liked yet. Their cocktails are also really great. The staff is all very friendly and overall ambience of the restaurant is great with the decor and set up.

Elizabeth has always been kind and calm in the mornings when we pop in for breakfast. She talks up different elements which is really nice. She exceeds customer service for a slow moving morning!

I was looking forward to trying out this restaurant but unfortunately can't recommend it. The ambiance/decor was nice, I would say the food is fair. My entree came out cold (rigatoni with vodka sauce). My friend's did as well. The kitchen did re-make it, but it was about a 20 min delay. The turnoff was the guy that rushed over to our table at the end of our meal (he said he was the director?) to brashly let us know we were 6 minutes over our 2 hour time limit. We let him know that we had to wait for our entrees to be re-made, but he didn't care and said that was the policy. So we literally had to down our drinks and leave (we were done eating but finishing up due to the delay with our food). Sadly I will not be returning, too many other good options in the area with better service.

So tasty snd such a huge space! We had a great service and they were able to take the meat out of the pasta I've ordered!

There's street side parking (free on Sunday's) and asince the weather was nice, it was an easy stroll to the restaurant. I ordered the. Caprese breakfast it was really good. The service was attentive. He really wanted to do a good job. We ordered also the Mimosa fountain which was a lot. Very expensive for what you got. I was in a group of 10 people and we had a great time. The food was not an expensive for the portions that you got. Definitely a place more for the company you're with than the quality and price that you're paying.

Andre was amazing! He took great care of us and hooked it up for my friends birthdays! Food was amazing. Definitely recommend! Andre real

First time visit to Pop's and it was a very casual, open space. There were several large parties so it would be a great spot for a family/friends celebration. I ordered the breakfast flatbread and it was good; the flavors were a nice balance between being too bland or over seasoned. Our server was also pleasant and she provided good service. Would recommend!

Love the atmosphere of this place! It's like all my favorite things, coffee, mimosas, spritzers, and pizza. We were here for brunch and I really would love to come in for dinner. I ordered the spritzer trio and an egg dish that had mozzarella and honey on a piece of sourdough. It was delicious and I want to try recreating it at home. Our server was great and attentive. We would definitely come here again to try more dishes and possibly those huge mimosas!

I absolutely adore going to Pops for Italian! Their food is always incredibly delicious, especially their garlic loaf. They offer homemade pasta, a variety of pizza options, as well as salads and entrees. I have never been disappointed with anything I've tried here; it's always exceptional. Pops provides a comforting and inviting atmosphere, with a fantastic staff that adds to the overall experience. Whether you're going on a date, hanging out with friends, or enjoying a meal with family, this place is perfect for any occasion. I've even taken my parents here, and they absolutely loved it! The restaurant's quirky yet welcoming atmosphere is a great way to showcase Ferndale's food scene. Honestly, I can't recommend Pop's enough. It's a must-try!

Sam was fabulous!!! She was so helpful and courteous! Ask for Sam if you go!!! Food as usual was great and amazing. Ambiance is cool and pleasant.

Andre slayed so hard, he ate the house up, boots down, what a diva! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I came here for Valentine's Day with my girlfriend and ended up absolutely loving it. Some of the best Italian food I've ever had (including the food I've tried in Italy). The ambiance was very nice, with an industrial feel, nice mood lighting, and a large space. As an appetizer, we ordered the arancini, which I absolutely loved. We split the fettucine already and the Michigan trout & risotto as entrees, and both were outstanding. The risotto flavoring was immaculate, however, the standout dish to me was the fettucine alfredo. The pasta quality was so high that you could definitely tell that it was handmade. Will definitely return for another round soon and highly recommend others to try this place!

Too Long Don't Read: The manager Orlando is extremely hostile and incredibly disrespectful to his staff! I was unexpectedly and unjustly fired from l Pop's for Italian back in September. I had just started as a server a couple months ago and I am disappointed with how everything was handled. I had come into Pop's for Italian in hopes to find a part time serving gig that had a positive and supportive environment. The first person I met, was a manger at the time named Caleb. He was so friendly, welcoming, passionate about his job and seemed like the ideal person to be managing a restaurant. All that being said, I was very upfront with the people who interviewed and hired me about my availability. I already have a full time job at a salon and just need to make extra money. The mangers who hired me had absolutely no problem that I was only available to work two days a week. I was very upfront about the fact that I would have a few time off requests when I first interviewed and again, the managers did not have a problem with it. So one day about a month into my working there, Caleb (nice manager) told me that Orlando (a new manager who started a week after i did) had a question about my availability. So the next day I messaged Orlando (new manager at the time) through the scheduling app and let him know the two days that I am available to work. He then tells me that because of new roll outs and updates for the restaurant and menu that everybody needs to work at least three days a week. And I was just really thrown off because I had already made sure that my availability and time off requests were okay with the managers on day one. So then I explain all of that to him and he tells me that leadership has changed and that I can either add an extra day to my availability or come back when I'm ready to work three days. I was really frustrated and blindsided by his total lack of understanding and compassion that I already have a full time job and would like to pick up more shifts when I can but for right now i could only commit to two. So after messaging back and forth on the 7 shifts app for probably about 30-45 mins, I finally realized that he was going to take my job away if I didn't gave him another day. So I told him that I would pick up sundays but I also told him I was really frustrated that I was backed into a corner and forced to pick up an extra day. So I ended my message with "I hope you have a better day than my morning is going" and then he responded with a message that was essentially him firing me over a SCHEDULE/MESSAGING APP because of my comment. And then removed me off of the 7 shifts app immediately, so that way he could erase his tracks and also so I couldn't communicate with anyone else from the restaurant. I am upset because I really liked working at Pop's and thought it was going to work out well. I really appreciate how it felt like a small business who cared about their employees, but my conversation with Orlando was very, unsympathetic, cold, corporate. And to be let go for something so small, it just seemed like he was playing a power move. I didn't realize that expressing frustration was a fireable offense lol! I really love the vibe of this restaurant and think their menu and staff are great!! It is the manager Orlando who I have a problem with because he played with my and many other people's income and also contributed to a negative working environment because of how hostile he was with a majority of the staff. I tried reaching out to the owner to explain what happened but I received no response. But I am not saying don't eat here, the lobster ravioli is BOMB!!! BUT if you do go there and you meet a manager named Orlando make sure to tell him he's an A** if you've made it this far thanks for reading and hearing me out xoxo

Caroline was so amazing very great service need to hire more people like her.......................................

We love Pops! It's our families go to restaurant. The food and wine are delicious. The Wild Mushroom fettuccine is the absolute best! Our 5 year old is obsessed with it. Service is always great, special shoutout to Andre for being fabulous and taking care of us and our two young kids.

Great place to gather with friends. Love all the wine options and the cocktails are good too. The food is usually a bit hit or miss but the arancini are to die for each and every time. Love the ambience! Also, just have to have great shoutout to the host, who the day before helped me secure a Saturday night reservation for 8 people! Will be back.

Easy reservations through Resy. Lots of parking in the back (park via mobile app). Love this place for group dinners than a date night. Tonight just dined for 2. We both got the Wild Mushroom Fettuccine - one with cashew cheese & chicken. Lots of noodle alternatives available. Shoe string truffle fries were ok - a small order for $8. Happy Hour wine flights aren't a deal - just pick your own 3oz pours off the menu.

Came on a Saturday morning was actually pretty slow surprisingly. Got sat right away and we ordered the champagne tower and yes it was very large we split it between 6 of us and that was a good amount for each. I ordered The Detroiter Benny and wowwww this was absolutely delicious, the flavor was savory and tasted like perfection. One of the best Benedict's I have ever gotten. The potatoes were to die for as well. The staff was very nice and friendly and place was pretty clean. Will definitely be back. Great brunch place!

Took the waiter 20 minutes to get back to our table and take our order, Food was just OK I ordered lamb chops (38$) and didn't want the mashed potatoes so the server said he'll get me extra veggies , there were no extra veggies , but I don't like to complain when I go out to eat I took two bites out of my lamb chops and the sauce on top was freezing cold , The "veggies" tasted like overly salted, oily canned spinach I asked for boxes for me and my friend and the server said he'll box it for us I open the box and there's only 3 lamb chops in the box , the one I bit and two more ( I just wanted to say there were 4 or 5 lamb chops and I only took two small bites out of one) 0/10 never again I guess the food temp and service depends on what server you get ? I hated it ANDDD ANOTHER THING LOL My friends shrimp was BURNT for our food to have taken 40 min to come out that wasn't a very pleasant experience

Oh my goodness the food is amazing, the server was awesome as well. I loved the decor airy and very comfortable can accommodate large groups. You won't be disappointed.

The portions are so big!!! Came here for brunch birthday. Definitely get reservations if you can. A lot of room on the inside for dine in. The food came out as expected and tasty!

Pop's For Italian is one of the best restaurants in Ferndale, let alone Metro Detroit. I have several friends who worked here and even after they no longer work here, they still love coming back here to eat, which I think is a huge testament to not only how good the food is, but also how positively the staff is treated here. There are always delicious items on their menu, along with different specials that change up the menu every once in a while. Both their dinners here and their brunch are wonderful, so you can't go wrong coming here at any point throughout the day! Pop's is great for small get togethers and large parties/celebrations as well and for all ages! We saw both a 16th birthday celebration and a 60th birthday celebration here while we dined, and I loved to see it! It's got a great, welcoming atmosphere that genuinely makes you feel like family whenever you're here. Love Pop's!

Valencia was amazing, she was very attentive and friendly! Our food was so good & came out quick. The new menu is really good with a lot of options.

Andre gave us fantastic and attentive service. Would absolutely return again. Enjoyed our meal for a friend's birthday. Great job, Pops!

Andre was amazing! Great service, great food, and the ambiance was so warm and inviting. My favorite Italian restaurant in the area. Will definitely come back!

Andre was great. He was super friendly, positive, and helpful. He gave off really good vibes. Food was great.

Solid pizza (fungi was good, but choices were very limited). The pasta (pops pesto) was very good. But the beet goat cheese salad was soaked in dressing. They could benefit from having a special pizza on weekends. Plus, they don't have the Big Ten Network, so they couldn't show the U of M v MSU game.

My family and I have been to Pop's many times over several years - I can't believe I've never reviewed it until now. Pop's ambiance is boisterous and congenial; if you don't come in a good mood, it'll put you in a good mood. Everything I've ever ordered at Pop's is yummy. Pizza, pasta, fish - it's all good! The Tiramisu is some of the best I've had. And we've never had anything but top-notch service. Another thing: Pop's is great for big parties, with many tabletops that can seat eight or more.

I had a fantastic dining experience at Pops For Italian ! The food was absolutely delicious, and every bite was a culinary delight. From the perfectly cooked steaks to the mouthwatering sides, I couldn't get enough. The flavors were exceptional, and the presentation was top-notch. The ambiance and service were equally impressive, making it a memorable evening. I can't wait to return for another yummy meal!

Caroline was fantastic, food was great and came out of the kitchen quickly. All of Caroline's suggestions were spot on! Definitely recommend the sausage gnocchi.

If I could give a 10 star review, I would. The food was phenomenal, and they had no problems with modifying for dietary allergies. The staff, our server, Dianna and the manager were very accommodating. Diana, whom deserves a raise, was attentive, funny and efficient. She went out of her way to make sure that everything was OK. The food, I can't say enough. I had the carbonara and it's the closest thing that I have found that is comparable to authentic Carbonara. My husband had the chicken piccata, and deemed it some of the best he has ever eaten. The restaurant itself is a large Caverness room, and I thought it might be quite noisy, but we had no problem carrying on a conversation We enjoyed ourselves thoroughly and would highly highly highly recommend pops for Italian to everyone

I came here for dinner again (against my will) over the weekend with a large party. 1. A ton of us got sick again. What is wrong with this restaurant? Why is it still in business? 2. 1/2 of us got our food 30-40 mins later than the first 1/2 of us. 3. No drink refills were provided.

They make original pasta , handmade. It was more than delicious. Recommend. Staff were very kind and observant. The interior is so fancy and there is an outdoor seating as well.

We had an excellent experience tonight at pops for a family holiday dinner. We had a fantastic server named Andre who was so accommodating even to our little one. All the food was excellent as were the beverages. We had several pastas and pizza. All delicious. We have been before and will absolutely be back.

My server Val was amazing! She had great suggestions for wine and cocktails. She also recommended the Spicy Sausage Omelette which was so good. It was a great experience.

Food was amazing! Loved the margaritas! And our server (Andre) was OUTSTANDING!!!! We will definitely go back. And we ask for Andre every time! Its worth the drive from Shelby Township

The menu seemed very promising, the restaurant very cool looking but it's all show and no substance. I sampled the house wines and the red is very sweet, rose kind of dry, white super mild to almost no flavor- weird. Ordered the garlic loaf , which was very exciting to arrive, it looked great. But it was soooo buttery and oily and over salted that I couldn't eat more than a slice. And this is one of their staple dishes. We ordere spaghetti aglio e olio and maybe my first mistake was to expect anything similar to the classic dish in Italy. Is it possible for a fish to have no flavor at all. Even when one of them, we added the homemade sausage added. No flavor from the pasta itself, as if the noodles were not boiled in salt water - just plain water. Overall a miss for us. Others seemed to have a good time but not sure if everyone was thinking these prices really match the food they're eating.

Val was an amazing server. A genuine joy to talk to her. The food is amazing and the espresso martini is incredible. 10/10 recommend !!

Let's start with starters: drinks! Definitely delicious! The espresso martini is well done! The bread with dipping sauce was delicious as well. My pizza was just ok. First it was a little burnt/charred which gave it a real smoky and inedible taste. Returned and then the crust was too chewy and undercooked. Just couldn't find the balance I guess. But overall I loved the place and would return and try something different.

Solid Italian food Now I'm not an Italian food connoisseur, but this is solid delicious food. Customer service: 9/10 Ambiance: 8.5/10- kinds loud during dinner but what do you expect. Wish chairs were more comfortable if you aren't sitting hear a booth but that's just nitpicking Food: 9.5/10 Had the garlic loaf and garlic shrimp for appetizers. The garlic loaf is the fluffiest baked good next to fresh Krispy Kreme donuts. Warm and delicious. A must try. The garlic shrimp same with spaghetti squash that was cooked perfectly which was an extra unexpected surprise. Pasta texture was perfection and flavors were spot on. No complaints. Must try!

My wife and I have been going to Pops for Italian for years now. It was one of our first dates when we moved back to Michigan. Once we officially moved to Ferndale we started visiting more often and have simply fallen in love with the place. We always sit at the bar because the service is top notch. Bryan has been taking amazing care of us for what seems like forever. He's the best! But the bar staff, in general, is amazing. :) The food is delicious. The wine selection is amazing. Plus you can earn points! Points = $$$ They even have a nice Happy Hour now! Their brunch is really what hooked us. And the menu their "new" chef has come up with is fantastic. It changes quite a bit. Which is good and bad, because you get some delicious new stuff but sometimes your favorites go away. #italianpotatoes #smokedsalmonflatbread #bltfritata *See pictures for a couple of newer brunch items. But regardless, the menu is solid and the service is wonderful. Which is somewhat hard to come by these days. Highly recommended. If you can, sit at the bar. ;)