The rapid process of urbanization and climate change have resulted in socio-environmental issues that necessitate viable intervention strategies to create green, sustainable, healthy, and livable built environments. One effective method of achieving this is through the development of pocket parks. Although several studies have explored the benefits and design principles of pocket parks, there is a lack of systematic and quantitative understanding, which could influence the decision-making process for the proper adoption of pocket parks. In view of this knowledge gap, this study employs bibliometric methods and critical review to quantitatively analyze and systematically review 276 papers published in the Web of Science and Scopus databases between 1977 and 2023. Firstly, a bibliometric analysis is conducted, providing a comprehensive overview of research on pocket parks. Secondly, a detailed critical review is conducted from three major perspectives: influencing factors, design methods, and benefits of pocket parks. Finally, the research trends and future directions are discussed. The results indicate that (a) pocket park development takes various forms, with a growing number of articles published each year. However, research on this topic is primarily concentrated in the United States and China, with significant knowledge gaps remaining globally. (b) The utilization of pocket parks is affected by various factors, including internal, external physical, and socio-economic factors. The mechanisms of these factors and their interactions demand deeper understanding. (c) There is a need to conduct an in-depth exploration of planning methods for pocket parks, and planning and design methods in different country contexts can be expanded and compared. (d) Further research is needed to compare the benefits of pocket parks in different climatic zones in terms of depth and width. The outcome of this study can contribute to the body of knowledge on pocket parks, foster their wider acceptance, and help urban planners, practitioners, policy makers, and government managers apply them more effectively in resilient and livable cities of the future.