Cat D.
Yelp
This is a five star review for a place where the food isn't five stars (but is still pretty good!!) but the culture of the place is. Let me explain.
Pop's is small and intimate, with an atmosphere reminiscent of old-fashioned ice cream parlors. There's both booth and table seating, though I prefer the intimate booths (they can fit up to 4, but are totally comfortable with 2!) You order up front, but they'll take your food/drinks to your table. Service is usually stellar, though as with most places, it can be hard to get a server's attention when it gets busy.
I love coming here for dates or with a group of friends - aside from the food, there's plenty of games to play together, as well as specialty nights (like a vinyl night with old-school records, or a night dedicated to playing Go). While I usually hate places that explicitly say this, the menu does ask you to put away your cell phone or laptop and get to know the person sitting in front of you, but I don't find it as condescending here for some reason.
Speaking of the menu, the main thing to order here is grilled cheese, and there's plenty of specialty ones (and usually a daily special on the board!) My faves are the Southwestern and the Greek, and all the sandwiches come with popcorn and a smiley potato (like the ones you used to get in school). From experience, don't order the ones that have too many toppings, it makes it hard for the cheese properly melt. Overall the sandwiches aren't stunning/groundbreaking, but they're good at satisfying a craving.
There's also housemade sodas, which I highly recommend, and there's also an option for ice cream sodas! I usually hate root beer floats, but I drank a good amount of my fiancé's.
Definitely save room for dessert!! Pop's stocks ice cream from Homestead Creamery (aka the best ice cream), which you can order plain, for a sundae, or for a milkshake. I always go for the classic cookies and cream milkshake and never regret it (usually I want another one even when I'm super full).
Overall, Pop's is historic and worth going to, even if it's a bit of a drive to get there and parking can be a pain. It's really such a fun and vintage place to go to, and you can hit up the Grandin Theatre before/after for the full vintage date experience.