Review: PANDO PARK-Your Favorite Spot on Park Avenue South

Be one of the many happy guests that visit Pando Park on Park Avenue South at 31st Street. Open since the beginning of 2023, it is an inviting spot that definitely makes you want to return. This convivial American bar has chef prepared food, a fantastic cocktail menu, and a whiskey program you won’t find anywhere else.  They serve lunch and dinner daily along with weekend brunches.

The venue is ideal for social gathering.  It has nightly entertainment that includes Tuesday Trivia from 7pm to 9pm; Wednesday Live Music from 6:30pm to 8:30pm; Thursday Tableside Magic from 6:30pm to 8:30 pm and Friday Live Band Karaoke from 8pm to 10pm. And of course, your favorite events are always shown on the big screen monitors above the bar. There are a lot of seating options with the expansive bar, high top tables, along with tables and booths in the rear. And it’s so convenient to Nomad, K-Town, Murray Hill, Gramercy, Herald Square, Chelsea and Flatiron.

Pando Park is part of the Pando Pub Group that also includes Pando 39 on West 39th Street. The Group is a NYC-based hospitality and lifestyle company with a diverse portfolio of nightlife and restaurant venues. Pando Pub Group was founded by colleagues that are noted veterans of the hospitality sector. Their experience spans over 35 years, both in New York and globally.  

The cocktail program is amazingly original!  Sip and savor artisanal selections that include For My Friends.  This perfectly balanced drink is a mix of house infused chili vodka with passion fruit, orgeat and galliano. Eat a Peach is a refreshing and complex cocktail is made with bourbon, pisco, mescal, peach lemon and bitters. Whiskey aficionados will be impressed by over 100 different selections that represent domestic and global distilleries offered in a one or two-ounce pour.  Visit for their Happy Hour that’s just right for after work with a build-your-own-cocktail program that is available on weekdays from 3pm to 6pm.  There's also an excellent choice of wine and beer.

We stopped by for an early dinner and settled into one of their cozy booths.  The menu has been carefully curated to pair with their beverage program. At Pando Park, oyster lovers have found a home.  You can relish them all day, every day for $1.50 each. There are great starters, perfect for table sharing and enjoying with your drink order. The Mac & Cheese dish is beyond compare.  Served piping hot, it is rich and creamy with a three cheese béchamel sauce that uses smoked gouda, sharp cheddar, and parmesan finished with red bell pepper. And there are fresh, savory salads such as the Brussel Caesar with shaved brussel sprouts, white anchovy and seasoned bread crumbs.

Other customer favorite apps include their Jumbo Wings that are sauced tableside, Deviled Eggs Three Ways, perfectly seasoned Buffalo Cauliflower Bites and their delectable Crab Croquettes.  There is also a selection of flatbreads and a Butcher Board charcuterie with fine cheeses, cured meat and cheeses. A unique specialty is the Wagyu & Bone Marrow Bruschetta.  The bone marrow is served with hot stone a5 wagyu, pickled beech mushrooms, and a shot of whiskey. 

If you’re having a main course, burger cravings will definitely be satisfied with choices such as the Smoke Burger served with a whiskey bacon marmalade, smoked mozzarella, bibb lettuce and their signature pando sauce or the Pork Belly Blue served with crisp pork belly, caramelized red onion, crispy shallots, bibb lettuce and pando sauce. These steak house cut burgers are always cooked to your exact liking.  Other go-to entrees include house made pastas such as Tortellini stuffed with short rib and shallot cream in a whiskey sauce and the sesonal seafood dish, Whole Dorade that can be fried or grilled served with crispy tri-colored potatoes.

Pando Park also has a terrific private dining space with it’s own bar, attractive décor, and room for a presentation or a DJ.  It’s perfect for corporate events and special occasions.

There’s nothing typical about Pando Park. It’s a NYC gem.  Visit just once and it will likely become one of your favorites!

Pando Park is open 7 Days a week, Monday to Thursday from 11am to 12am;  Friday from 11am to 2am and on Saturday with brunch from 11:00am to 5:00pm and dinner from 5:00pm to 2:00am.  Pando Park is located at 450 Park Avenue South, New York, NY  10016.  Visit https://www.pandopubs.com/location/pando-park/ and call 646-850-0044. Follow them on their Instagram and TikTok handle @PandoNYC 

Photo Credit:  Alexandro Loayza

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