LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) - If you walk into Pamplona Tapas Bar and Restaurant in Lafayette between Thanksgiving and New Year's, you walk into a winter wonderland.
For the past five years, Pamplona has been celebrating the holidays by transforming into a one-of-a-kind pop-up Christmas bar.
Andrew Payne, General Manager at Pamplona, said it started in New York and trickled down to south Louisiana.
"A guy who owns Cocktail Kingdom, (where) they basically manufacture glassware and bar tools and things like that, has a couple of bars in New York, and he had one that was waiting to open after the first of the year," Payne said. "And his mom convinced him to do a Christmas pop-up bar. And he did it. And he had a huge success with it."
Five years later, it's one of the most popular spots in Acadiana for atmosphere and menu.
"We try to get things from estate sales that are old that kind of bring back nostalgia for people and kind of like make them like remember Christmas whenever they were kid," Payne said. "You got the theme cocktails, decorations, everywhere, and music. We have movies playing and things like that. So it really it sucks you in."
What are people's reactions when they walk in here?
"Grinning ear from ear, smiles on their face like it's kind of like that awestruck," Payne said. "So this is basically a Miracle Christmas pop-up bar."
As you might imagine, this miracle holiday event is pretty popular; reservations are not necessary but are encouraged. And at the bar, it's first-come first-serve.
Pamplona is located at 631 Jefferson Street in downtown Lafayette.
