Everybody wants to know how to get into the Polo Bar.
People call the reservation line like it’s a 1990s radio contest and they’re caller number nine. People know a guy who knows a guy. People camp out on apps at midnight like they’re waiting for Taylor Swift tickets. I found the answer, and it is simple. It is elegant. It is called signing up for FoundersCard and showing up to their private event inside the Polo Bar.
That’s it. That’s the secret. You’re welcome.
Wait, What Is FoundersCard?
For anybody who doesn’t know, FoundersCard is a membership built for founders and entrepreneurial types. Shocking, given the name. You get discounts and perks across a bunch of brands, plus networking events with other people who are building things. Some of those events happen in places like the Polo Bar, which is how a guy like me ended up in a room like that.
If that sounds like your kind of thing, check out FoundersCard here.
The Dress Code Situation
Let’s address the elephant in the room. The elephant was me.
Everybody was suited and booted. Jackets, ties, pocket squares folded with the precision of a Navy SEAL making a bed. The whole Ralph Lauren fantasy. And then there was your boy. To quote my friends, I looked like a Russian. Chain out. Polo shirt on. Sleeves rolled up. I looked like I came to collect on a debt, not network.
In my defense, I wore a polo to the Polo Bar. That’s called theme dressing. Nobody appreciated it. Ralph would have. Probably. Maybe. Okay, no.
The Martini, Obviously
Before we get into anything, your boy had a martini. It was colder than my ex’s heart, and we all know she was a special one. Clean, sharp, exactly what you want in a room that looks like a hunting lodge owned by a guy with fourteen horses and zero student loans. The martini felt right at home. More at home than me, honestly. The martini was dressed for the occasion.
Ralph’s Corned Beef Bites
The night kicked off with Ralph’s Corned Beef Bites. Little smidgens of corned beef, really good, really juicy. Where were these on St. Patrick’s Day? I could have used a tray of these instead of whatever I ate that day. I don’t remember what I ate. I don’t remember most of that day. That’s how St. Patrick’s Day is supposed to go.
The Seafood Tower
What do you want me to say? It’s a seafood tower. A full one. I have never met a shrimp I didn’t like, and I have never met a lobster I didn’t like. All the standard players showed up and did their jobs, which is more than I can say for the Yankees bullpen most Octobers. Nobody needs me to explain a seafood tower. You see it. You want it. Done.
Burrata Heirloom Tomato Salad and the Crab Cake
I went with the burrata and heirloom tomato salad. Very nice, very clean, very fresh. Creamy burrata, good tomatoes, and a kitchen smart enough to get out of the way. It was also the only vegetable I ate all week, so my doctor can stop calling.
The person next to me got the Polo Bar crab cake, and it was the crowd favorite. Everybody liked it. Nobody said one bad word about it. In a room full of founders who critique everything for a living, that is basically a standing ovation and a Series A.
The Polo Bar Burger: A Moment of Silence, Please
For the entree I went with the Polo Bar burger, and we need to talk about it properly.
On paper, it’s the standard setup. Lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, cheddar, crispy bacon. Nothing on the menu description is going to make you gasp. Then it shows up.
The first thing you notice is the cheddar. It isn’t sitting on the patty like a polite little square. It’s melting down the sides like it gave up on life and decided to go out in style. Just look at the pictures.
Then you pick it up, and that’s when you understand. This burger is juicy. Not “oh that’s nice” juicy. Juicy in the way where you instinctively lean forward over the plate so you don’t ruin your shirt. I was wearing a polo at the Polo Bar. I was not about to also wear the burger. Every bite had juice running down to the bun, and the bun held up like a champ. No falling apart, no soggy collapse, just a sturdy little hero doing its job.
The bacon brings the crunch and the salt. The tomatoes are actually good tomatoes, which is rarer on a burger than it should be. The pickles cut through the richness right when you need them to. Every piece is pulling its weight. It’s a team effort. Bronx Bombers in their prime energy.
No tricks. No truffle. No gold leaf. Just a classic burger, executed perfectly, by people who clearly care. That’s harder than it sounds. I went through more napkins than a toddler at a spaghetti dinner, and I’d do it again tomorrow.
Dessert, Family Style
For dessert we went family style. Coffee ice cream and the coconut cake. There was a third option, but nobody really wanted it, and when a table of overachievers collectively skips something, you respect the vote. That’s democracy. The coconut cake and coffee ice cream were the right picks. Sweet ending, no regrets, only mild loosening of the belt.
The Verdict: I Hate to Say It
I hate to ruin everybody’s day. I know half of you were hoping I’d say it’s overrated so you could finally stop trying to get in.
Sorry. It’s worth the hype.
The room is gorgeous, the service is sharp, everything that came out of the kitchen was on point, and the burger alone is worth the effort. I would highly recommend it.
And here’s your deadline. The Polo Bar is moving. It’s leaving its cozy downstairs home at 1 East 55th Street for the ground floor of a new office tower at 625 Madison Avenue, which is expected to open in summer 2029. The new space will be bigger, so reservations might get easier, but it won’t be this room. If you want the original, cave-like, wood-paneled Polo Bar experience, you have until 2029. That sounds like a lot of time. It isn’t. I said I’d lose weight by 2020.
Just maybe dress better than I did. Or don’t. I’m not your mother.
As always, what do I know? I am just a fat guy from Brooklyn trying to survive the week, one martini at a time. Looking for more NYC restaurant reviews? Check out my Best Steakhouses in NYC, Best Burgers in NYC, and Best Restaurants in NYC lists.