Calling all Barbie girls! The Malibu Barbie Cafe pop-up just opened in NYC last week and of course, I had to be on the scene to check it out.

So what is this? Located in the Seaport district right next to Pier 17 in NYC, a little Barbie slice of heaven has sprung up just in time for summer. It’s literally what the name entails; a cute little pop-up cafe all Malibu Barbie themed with cute little photo ops to boot for your Instagram dreams.

It starts at $22-30 for kids and $39-$49 for adults, pending date and time slots you choose. Children under 2 do not need a ticket. My recommendation? Go on a weekday and off-peak hours as weekend are expected to be mobbed, especially since Pier 17 is a popular hot spot for weekend traffic. The pop-up will be here til Sept 15, 2023 so you have some time to make your way there, but definitely don’t dawdle because this year is going by faster than we expected. The Barbie movie will be here soon in 8 weeks!

Tickets are for a 90 minute table reservation and include one entrée and side item, but of course, you can purchase additional items off the menu as well to complete your spread. Full disclosure though, I did not get a chance to try the food during my time there attending their press night because I was busy running around taking photos. I did ask other guests how they found the food and the number one recommendation was get the burger! My photographer was snacking on all the passed hors d'oeuvres in between shots, which were small bite sized versions of everything off the menu and he did say it was all delicious. All the bartenders were very friendly and sweet, making sure we were all attended to all night. I noticed all the drinks were really pretty and instagrammable and there was even one drink with straight up glitter swirling around in it.

Other key things to note from their website: 20% gratuity will be added in addition to your food purchase, on site.
Your 90-minute time period begins at the start of the reservation time you booked. It will not be extended for late arrivals, so make sure to arrive early. I would say try and get there 15 minutes early if you can, especially since there’s cute photo ops outside while you wait. Tables will only be held for 15 minutes past your reserved time and will be forfeited if you do not arrive within the 15-minute grace period. There are no refunds or exchanges or rescheduling. They are pretty strict since these are table reservations just like a restaurant and someone will be waiting for the next reservation so you have to be ready and done within your allotted 90 minute time slot. Parties with multiple tables purchased will not be guaranteed to be seated together so if you need a reservation for a big group, they highly suggest you reaching out to them directly for your event.

So. What’s the lowdown on this experience? If you’re a Barbie lover in want of some cute photo ops and all things Barbiecore, then this pop-up is calling your name. The space is smaller than your usual pop-up so I do think the price is a little steep but it does include food which is a nice bonus. But if you’re like me and just there for photos, I do wish there was a less pricey non-food option for those who just want to go for the cute pics. As for the photo ops, there’s a decent amount of cute spots but the Barbie girl in me does wish there was more. Maybe I just want a Barbie pop-up in general dedicated to all things Barbie, similar to the pop-up Mattel held in Soho a few years back pre-pandemic or the World of Barbie tour they have going on in LA right now. The only downside to the Soho popup was that it was so crowded, but that was also because it was free. So I do appreciate that the admission price helps with crowd control so that you don’t have to wait forever in a line just to snap a quick cute IG photo.

So what do you need to know to strategize your experience?

In terms of photo spots outside, there’s the archway in front of the cafe with a pink carpet rolled out to welcome you. There’s a hot pink lifeguard chair around the corner behind the cafe tables and chairs. There’s 2 cute little bikes and tons of balloon arches and columns, although I’m not sure if the balloons were only there for the preview night or if they’ll be around all through the months the event is running for. There was also a pink Barbie Jeep parked out front to help promote the Barbie x Swoon drink, but again, I’m not sure if this is a permanent fixture or just there for the press night. You were allowed to sit in and take photos in the vehicle, which was nice. I believe they were also giving away cans of Barbie x Swoon to try as well.

In terms of photo spots inside, there’s the big direction sign, the little gift shop stand, the giant Barbie boombox, the sand castle/sandbox area, the cute pink swing upstairs, the surfboard, and 2 California Dreaming walls. The staircase leading upstairs I found to be super cute and instagrammable as well but of course you can find hidden gems in little spaces inside the pop-up as well that are built into some of the walls.

All in all, I absolutely LOVE the color palette of the Malibu Barbie theme in this space. I went in to this experience with several outfit changes to maximize my experience and photo opportunities and I do not regret it. It was a lot of fun. Even the bathroom upstairs is absolutely adorable to visit when I was changing in between outfits. From the mirrors to the pink hand dryer, it was simply like stepping into Barbie world. I love it. I wish the World of Barbie Tour was coming to NYC, but until then, this little slice of Malibu Barbie heaven will do, especially being here in time for the upcoming movie. Don't forget to dress super cute and bring your best Barbie outfit(s). It's half the fun!

Thank you to Morgan and Bucketlisters for having me and the opportunity to experience this.