Went a few years ago for my 30th birthday and it DID NOT disappoint. Staff were friendly, the building was clean, organized and played out nicely. Tickets, coffee shop, and gift shop was all reasonably priced. Definitely got to take our time and enjoy the experience. I loved every second of this trip and definitely want to go back. Every detail was very on point to the show as well. read more

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A Must for Friends Fans -- With a Few Caveats If you're a Friends fan, this is absolutely worth doing -- just go in with the right expectations. The sets are incredibly well done: Joey and Chandler's apartment, Monica and Rachel's place, the hallway cheesecake scene, Phoebe's taxi -- it's a total nostalgia trip and the photo opportunities are endless. The staff were wonderful about snapping pics on your phone or camera wherever you wanted, which we really appreciated. The highlight at the end is Central Perk, and the coffee is genuinely great -- not just a gimmick. Cute gift shop too, though the prices there are a bit eye-watering. That said, a few things kept this from being a five-star experience. It moves quickly and feels more like a curated photo op than a true immersive experience. I would have loved more time with the memorabilia -- it has the potential to be something closer to a museum, and I wish they leaned into that more. The crowds made uninterrupted photos tough, and some of the lighting in the sets wasn't the most flattering for pictures. Ticket prices are on the higher end, and combined with the gift shop markups, it can feel a little steep for what is ultimately a shorter visit. But we had a genuinely fun time and left smiling. For any true Friends fan, it's still a yes from me -- just maybe temper expectations and budget accordingly! read more

The FRIENDS Experience - Pop-up Shops Near Me - New York, New York

Very cool spot to say you've been. Extremely neat, photo-realistic sets with all the fun memories from the show covered. Set pieces, memorabilia, all the things discussed in the show and funny anecdotes, etc. are all part of the fun and experience. There, of course, are many photo ops, and the staff are all more than willing to take extra pics. Many options for goodies to take home are available for purchase in the gift shop. And naturally, there is the coffee shop where you can get the drink of your choice, and honestly at extremely affordable pricing! Overall, for the purchase price, it was a very neat thing to have done - especially with my wife who is one of the world's foremost knowledgeable and avid Friends aficionados - that said, it is certainly a one-and-done experience that, while we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, will not be something we feel the need to repeat when back in the city. If you're on the fence and enjoy Friends, GO! It's worth it for sure to say you've done once. read more

Central Perk Coffee is the kind of place that instantly feels like your neighborhood hangout -- warm, welcoming, and full of personality from the moment you walk in. Whether you're stopping by for your morning pick-me-up or settling in for a few hours of work or catching up with friends, the vibe here is just right: relaxed, comfortable, and buzzing with good energy. The staff are genuinely friendly and always ready with a smile, making you feel like a regular even on your very first visit. And the coffee? Absolutely delicious. Smooth, perfectly brewed, and thoughtfully crafted -- every cup tastes like it was made with care. Add in their selection of pastries and light bites, and you've got a spot that hits all the right notes for quality and value. What really makes Central Perk stand out is how effortlessly it blends great coffee with great service and a welcoming atmosphere. It's not just a coffee stop -- it's a place you'll want to return to again and again. read more

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Highly recommended for Friends fans! We had so much fun seeing behind-the-scenes content from the show, including costumes and set details. Since it was the holiday season, there were turkeys and Christmas trees on display too. You can also take photos at some of the show's most iconic scenes. Personally, I also recommend checking out the café and the gift shop. The café is small with limited seating, but they offer a good variety of drinks, including seasonal flavors. The gift shop had items like T-shirts and oversized mugs, which were fun to browse. read more

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The people working were super kind and offered to take lots of pictures both on their official cameras and our phones. The selection of drinks at the coffee shop was diverse and for me - a super friends fan - it was well worth it!! Best date night ever!!! We didn't feel rushed at all, we had plenty of time. We went a Friday at 5pm, so we might've missed a rush, but for us it seed pretty slow! read more

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I didn't end up going into the full Friends Experience since tickets were $50, which felt a little too expensive. But since it was right across the street from the theater I was going to, I stopped by the gift shop and the Central Perk replica. It was actually pretty cool to see and fun to reenact a few scenes on the set. The gift shop had a bunch of nice merch too, so it was still worth checking out even without doing the whole experience. read more

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This was a one and done visit. Don't get me wrong, it's a fun experience. I was excited the whole time, but it's so expensive for what it's worth. It's basically a museum with photo ops and a replica of the apartments. If you want a decent quality photo, get the photo card. However, I wish I knew ahead of time that the photographers would get a picture with your phone if you like. I would not have paid extra for their photos. I loved the Friends vibe it gave off and the employees were all very friendly and one photographer was definitely a Friends fanatic. He was great. It got a bit backed up once you get to the apartments, but the photographer tried to keep it moving through quick. Also, we got flexible tickets and I preferred that so we weren't on a time crunch. The coffee at Central Perk wasn't bad. We each got an iced salted caramel and it tasted good, but we couldn't tasted the salted part. It was very sweet, which my husband enjoyed, but I prefer more coffee flavor. read more

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Cam in here to just grab one item and ended up staying and looking through the entire shop, would definitely recommend coming here if your a friends fan read more

The FRIENDS Experience - Pop-up Shops Near Me - New York, New York

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Fun way to spend a cold winter (or hot summer) afternoon. Expensive if regularly priced but check social media for discounts. Great photo ops. A must for Friends fans. Very friendly and helpful staff. Save room for a snack at "Central Perk". read more

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This was so fun! Even if you're not an avid fan, but if you've ever watched any episode of Friends, you'll enjoy this experience. There's so much to see and interact with. My camera roll probably has over 100 photos. Lol. As with any "experience" there are different package experiences. The VIP gave you free photos, a free drink from the cafe and a free souvenir mug. The coffee drinks were not that great but definitely not going there for the drinks though. read more

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It was raining outside so we decided to check out The Friends Experience - really glad we did. If you're somewhat familiar with the show, you'll definitely have fun. So many sets, artifacts, and costumes - it's like being IN the show. I can guarantee you'll end up with at least 50 photos in the end - and definitely being 2+ people with you, it's even more fun that way. The staff was also very kind and helpful as we went through all the rooms. Great bucket list item for NYC. read more

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If you're a Friends fan, this experience is a must! It's not a huge space, but it covers all the iconic details from the show really well. Since it's a pop-up, I was actually impressed by how much they included. My mom and sister are big fans, so we had to go--and we were definitely not disappointed. There were several recreated sets, like Monica's apartment and the famous orange couch from Central Perk. They even had a TV playing scenes and scripts from the show, along with real costumes worn by the characters--like Rachel's outfits. The whole exhibit is self-paced, so you can take your time and enjoy each section. One thing I really liked was how they had different sections that highlighted iconic moments from the show. At every spot, the staff offered to take photos for you, so there were plenty of fun photo opportunities. A cute moment suggested by one of the staff members was to peek through a door and pretend to eavesdrop on a conversation happening on the other side--like the characters often did! I found it all very creative and well done. There were elevators available too, which was super helpful since we were traveling with an elder. At the end, we sat down at their little café area and ordered some tea, which was a nice way to wrap up the visit. Overall, it was a really fun and well-organized experience. Definitely worth it for any Friends fan! read more

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Really fun experience and overall, I would recommend it. Especially if you are a friends fan. I would only go again if they added a different things. There is no need to purchase the photo package as they will take pictures on your phone for free. I would recommend getting the All access so you can come and go as you please. It's only a few dollars more. The bathrooms actually were really clean and everybody was nice except for the barista at the café. Beware they think vegan and gluten-free mean the same thing, they do not. We both had two pumpkin spice lattes there is no decaf so be aware of that as well. Otherwise, we had a really great time and again if you are a friend friends show fan definitely go the next time you are in New York City. read more

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As a big Friends fan, I absolutely loved this experience! We got lucky and ended up there on a quiet night. It was easy to get whatever picture we wanted with no one in the background. The staff was more than happy to take any and all pictures we wanted. There is a staff member at all of the main rooms. I highly recommend this to all friends fans read more

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A must visit if you are a fan! It shows everything you'll remember about the show. It offers immersive trivia activities. It vibrates to each guests the beauty of this popular show in every turn of the exhibits. There is an active cafe to remember the Friends favorite hangout which in reality anybody could relate. A bit pricey for an admission to this place but every fan is willing to give for a treat! read more

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While we didn't come to New York City with the prime purpose of attending this experience, we were so happy that we did. This experience went above and beyond what we expected. From the unique cast signed scripts displayed, to favorite memorabilia preserved from the show, to perfectly executed photo opportunities with incredibly accurate renditions of the guys apartment and the girls apartment and other nostalgia inducing sets....this is a Friends lovers dream. I couldn't help but be a little sad to be experiencing this in a world without Mattew Perry (aka Chandler). This show was so iconic and I've seen it from start to finish at least 4 times. I was so impressed with the workers who really took their time to take awesome pictures and help us pose it just right. Central perk was a legit operating coffee spot!! As a fan, this just was amazing. If you are a mega fan like us, you must go! The merch and photo opportunities by itself make it worth it but the experience as a whole was simply 5 stars. read more

The FRIENDS Experience - PIVOT!!! - Pop-up Shops Near Me - New York, New York

If you're a fan of the show, you'll likely find the novelty of a real-life Central Perk appealing. It's smaller than you might expect, but as a pop-up event, it provides a decent replica of the iconic set. I'm not a fan myself, but I can appreciate its uncanny resemblance to the original. That said, the value of this pop-up largely depends on your level of fandom and the allure of New York's media-driven tourist traps. Expect overpriced coffee and merchandise, as well as replicas of key elements from the show. On the plus side, the lines were short, and there's no need to worry about delays or poor service. read more

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You get the full experience of the epic FRIENDS tv series. Get there early as lines can get long. Not sure about parking because we were lucky enough to get a very close parking spot. Outside the officer was so friendly. When you begin the tour/experience you feel like you're transported into the show not a visitor. They take photos of everything and give you a card if you wanna purchase them. They are awesome about using YOUR phone to snap pics too. Sooo glad we did this!! At the end you go into the Perk Cafe where you can sit and enjoy a coffee. They have a good selection of souvenirs which we bought, of course! Well worth the money for such an iconic experience. VER FUN! read more

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The people that worked there are very nice. But the museum was waaay overpriced imo. $60 to see mostly costumes worn on the show and have your picture taken. If you are a HUGE fan of the show it might be worth it. If not, save your money and look at clips online. read more

As a fan of the show, i truly love this experience. I've been here twice and both times loved it. First time was during covid and second time was during the holidays. Perfectly replicating the shows and every room has opportunities for photos. Highly recommend it and def wouldn't mind coming back read more

The FRIENDS Experience - Pop-up Shops Near Me - New York, New York

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If you are a friend's fanatic, or even just know an episode or two, or have just heard of the show - go here! This place is amazing. It is such a fun memory set of one of the best shows ever. You feel like you are living in the moment. It's not huge and doesn't take all day. It is the right amount of fun to make you laugh, bring back memories and leave you feeling like watching the series all over again. Awesome time! read more

I came with my best friend Maggie over my winter break. We had our tickets around the time when Matthew Perry passed away so in a way it was in his honor. At first we thought it was frustrating how we were let into the exhibit almost an hour late but the exhibit was way more than worth it! Each room was like stepping directly into a scene or an episode. The museum was so immersive and the gift shop was impressive too. I wore my t-shirt that says "How you doin?" I ended up purchasing a bag of ground coffee from "Central Perk" which is really good. I also have a central perk mug that was purchased from the store as well. The tickets were a bit pricey but I had a great time with my friend. read more

I spent my high school and college years watching Friends. Some of the jokes and episodes didn't age very well, but at the time it was a great and fun entertaining sitcom. I also had a crush on Monica... For $60, you get to walk through recreations of the apartments and Central Perk, and some museum like exhibits, and a whole bunch of fun photo ops. It is excellent and well done!!! 90% of the staff were energetic and eager to take your photo with your own cellphone, despite them trying to sell you professional pictures. At the very end you can even chill in Central Perk with coffee. It's a bit pricy, but I think it was worth it if you're a fan, and we went on a Monday afternoon in which there are no people! If you're a broke tourist, you can still visit Central Perk to buy some coffee and take photos. read more

If you're a Friends fan, this experience is for you. First, the staff is extremely friendly! Next, they have so many fun props, wardrobes, sets from the show that'll make you giggle. Finally, you get to take lots of fun pictures of classic Friends sets and moments (pivot!). Go with your friends and have a ball. read more

It's definitely worth going if you are a die hard fan. I ought full experience tickets which included pictures and a central perk mug. Was pretty good for the price. Service at Central Perk was ok. The coffee was not my preference. Would recommend for the fun of it. read more

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Huge fans will LOVE, casual fans may not so much I stopped in because I was staying nearby and it started raining on me, so I decided to hop into a coffee shop - the coffee shop just happened to be Central Perk! It is important to note that you can walk into the shop/central perk on their own. This may be the better option for a casual fan. That being said, the photo on the couch at central Perk is part of the exhibit so you may not be able to get that. Cost: The entry fee was about $50 which as a casual fan I felt was a bit high, but not too high to leave and fair to kill time while waiting out the rain (especially since the exhibit is self paced so you can take as long as you want) . I did feel that the $40 for your photos from the photo ops was high. That was only for the digital copies and they had bundles with printed copies as well. At most photo ops the staff does take photos with your phone too so you don't have to purchase digital at the end, but definitely make sure you like the phone photos ! There were 2 stops where the phone photos they took were completely blurry. The experience Overall the experience was pretty cool. They were very heavy with the props/outfits. They also built out several sets (like the apartments) which was my favorite part ! The flow was self paced which was nice, but got clogged at each photo op because everyone wanted pics and cell phone pics. This created significant choke points in the exhibit that limited the flow. Photo ops: There were a lot of photo ops and they're definitely worth it ! I did skip the couch moving scene photo because I was alone. Honestly, this whole experience is better with friends (of course !). That being said, only the couch moving photo is the one where you really need a group. I did get skipped over in the first photo op and had to call the staff back. They didn't realize I was just alone and not with one of the groups. Staff The staff was really nice the whole way through! There was one camera operator in general who really brought a lot of energy and helped everyone feel more comfortable in front of the camera Central Perk The drinks at central Perk were really good ! I opted for the peach iced tea because I felt like the experience was a bit warm. They had themed drinks and snacks as well. RGift Shop The gift shop was what you'd expect. I do wish they had less clothing and more memorabilia and little collectibles to purchase though. Overall if you have time to kill, you're a huge fan of the show, and you have a group then this is worth the time ! If you're a solo traveler, budgeting, and just a casual fan then this may be a pass. read more

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Quiet on set ! Just kidding ! I loved watching Friends growing up and so glad to see we can enjoy the experience. We took lots of photos. We got to see the set, their apartments and the coffee shop. Such a fun time! Friendly service. We had a group of 12 people. They do group pricing at a lower cost. They have an ultimate package ticket where you get 6 printed pics, coat check, coffee and a souvenir mug. The ultimate ticket gives you 20% off merchandise in the gift shop. If you go in a group and want the pictures not everyone in your group has to get the ultimate ticket. They do have to pay for their own coffee and coat checks. read more

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What an experience! I mean.. I wasn't a fan growing up! I never got into Friends! But my 2 friends that I was with love it ! So I mean why not.. we were just walking the streets of NYC going from point A to point B and stumbled across it! We thought it be fun to check it out . And for someone who didn't watch it , really enjoyed it . I saw clips .. so it's not like I didn't know anything! But it was cool to take pics, have props , the replicas, the sets! Just awesomeness! You can take pics with your phone, and / or you scan a QR code and staff will take pics where at the end you can download and view. If interested you can purchase. Every staff working there was fun, energetic and pretty cool. Friendly and helpful! There are baskets where you can put belongings while you take pics . If it's your coat or bag. You can walk in and buy tickets or purchase online. read more

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F.R.I.E.N.D.S has been my favorite show since I was a teen, so when I found out that the friends experience was going to be in New York I had to go! I loved it! It was so much more than I was expecting. I loved seeing all the memorabilia. There was a long line and it took a while to get in, even though we had previously purchased tickets. But it was worth the wait, because there was so much to see! There's a lot of photo opportunities which was great, because it goes by so fast and at least you have pictures to look back at. We bought the premium package which includes all of the pictures and a souvenir. There's seriously so much to see that I feel like I could have stayed there longer, but I had to keep going through the different rooms with the group of people we went in with. If your a fan of the show you will love it. read more

The FRIENDS Experience - Pop-up Shops Near Me - New York, New York

I really enjoyed this experience, it was really cool to see a lot of props and memorabilia from the show, even those that were recreated. Everything displayed was so cool. This is one of my favorite shows of all time and experiencing this was nostalgic. All the staff was super pleasant, very clean and organized. My one critique is, this would be a lot more fun if it had more interactive activities. I went to an Encanto experience and it was interactive. Maybe getting someone to talk to the guest, be funny, make jokes ask trivial questions, reenact scenes. That would really make this an A+ experience, especially for the price. This is more like a museum for the show. However, it is beautifully designed and makes you feel like you're in the original set. Love being a tourist in my own city. read more

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I will start off by saying I did watch Friends but am more of a casual fan. We were strolling around the neighborhood when it started pouring and we had to find a quick indoor activity and came here. The check in process was quite smooth and spent a lil under $50/person. The experience itself was generally cute and was a nice walk down memory lane. The staff there taking the photos were very friendly. You get several selection of iconic sets to take pictures in and at the end of it all, you can get coffee at the recreated Central Perk. Thought it was on the pricey side for what it was and thought it was alright for a one time visit. I will say if you love Friends, you're going to love it. read more

The FRIENDS Experience - Cafe at the end of the experience - Pop-up Shops Near Me - New York, New York

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Not a huge Friends fan I was pleasantly surprised with the Friends Experience. The exhibit was laid out nicely, informative but not overwhelming. An honorable mention to the staff who were notably upbeat and pleasant. They assisted with photos (for sale) but also very willing to take photos with your personal phone. It was something unique to experience with the family and an opportunity for many fun photo ops! read more

If you're a Friends fan, this is the ultimate tourist trap for you! It features all the cute photo ops, and the super friendly staff is more than willing to snap pictures of your group on your phone. The experience includes a museum showcasing some classic props and costumes, and it all ends at the iconic coffee shop. A small letdown was the unbranded cup--I would've loved a branded or souvenir cup to truly elevate the experience. Overall worth the price of ticket. read more

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Tourist attraction, coffee was ok, I've had better coffee down the road. Charge for pics...just did the coffee shop and enjoyed that. Service was friendly, very clear on don't take pictures. Selection was good. Value was ok. read more

Truthfully, I didn't do the Friends experience, I just went to the Central Perk coffee shop. Friends is my fav sitcom so I had to do it this NY trip. Coffee was good and the shop is cute! Service was good but because of the experience they're making a lot of coffee and trying to be as efficient as possible so don't expect to have time to be chatty. Not a wide selection of coffee choices, but good ones. They also have some sweet treats if you're hungry or coffee beans if you want to take it to go. read more

The FRIENDS Experience - Pop-up Shops Near Me - New York, New York

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A must visit spot for all FRIENDS lovers. They have re-created all the epic spots, scenes and places from the shows. You start with the fountain and the couch, then lag vegas hotel, followed by Monica's apartment to the boy's Apartment, plus the hallway, balcony all of it. You finally get to the Central Perk cafe. Through out the tour, there are so many memorabilia from the production house, the cast and crew. So many BTS stuff revealed. It's truly fun one hour journey. Some of the downsides were on the execution side. For regular and premium tickets its the same line, only extra benefits are you get free coat check and mysterious gift, which are not worth the extra money you pay for premium. The photo package is also useless, as they take pictures in only 4-5 spots and the quality and skills are so bad of the pictures. In some spots we saw cameras plugged in (las vegas hall), but no one to take pictures. Overall we had a really good time. I suggest all Friends fans to visit ones but but regular tickets only, and skip the photo package. read more

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As a FRIENDS' fan, this is absolutely fun to do all the things from the scenes. Famous fountain, Monica's apartment, central perk cafe, PIVOT the couch and many more. Highly recommend if you are a fan. I would give 5 stars if the photo package is a little better. Some staff never checked how the picture came out so our faces were blocked in some pictures. read more

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If you are a true fan, this is a must! Awesome props, stories, and photo opportunities. A complete mock up the girls and boys apartment, clothing, story boards... just incredible. If you were a casual fan, the experience will be lost on you. read more

Well this review is coming from some one who really did not watch Friends growing up. I only went because my friend who was in town really really wanted to go and is a big fan! I did enjoy the iced latte at the end of the exhibit though! It was cool that it was some what interactive with many different areas to have professional photos done. You get a card at the beginning and at each station where there is a professional photo taken you scan your card. When you are finished with the exhibit you can buy your photos they have different packages you can choose from. If you are a big Friends Fan though, I do highly recommend going. read more

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