My first time at this venue and I was honestly really pleasantly surprised with how nice it was!…read moreThere was ample free parking, although online it does say sometimes they charge. The venue must have somewhat recently been updated as my boyfriend said the layout was different then when he was last there. We went for a metal show and the doors opened promptly. The staff was nice, they did have someone checking bags, keys, pockets and doing a pat down at the door. Once inside our tickets got scanned and ids checked if we wanted to drink. We were given a wrist band for that. The bar was in the back and they did have a room off to the side that appeared to be like a snack bar. They had a smoking section out back since there was no re-entry. The sound and lights were great. Overall it was a good show and a nice venue. I'd go again. It was in the middle of Reading but not a super congested area, mostly residential.

Hot and stuffy bad pizza. Security think they are military and march around bumping into you. Kind…read moreof a dump, its in the ghetto. a lot cooler places to see a show ,i wouldnt be excited to go back here.

We went to ser Phil Wickham here. The place, like any other arenas during a concert or any sporting…read moreevent is loud but the flow of traffic is good. There are enough security people and ushers to assist you so you shouldn't have any issues. There are food and drinks throughout the arena though you'll need a credit or debit card to make a purchase. It is definitely a good place to see an event.

Visited the Santander Arena this past weekend for an old school hip hop concert. I didn't even know…read morethe arena existed prior to my friend suggested this concert. After this show, I doubt I'd see another show here. The area is conveniently located across from a hotel, which is great if you're traveling to Reading, PA like we were from another city or state. Unfortunately I cannot review the parking situation, because with took a Lyft there. But it seemed like everyone parked away from the arena. All of the staff was extremely friendly. From the attendant that helped us find our seats to the nice lady who sold us the $15 deuce-deuce can I'd Trulys. It's really sad how ridiculous these arena prices arena! The seats at the Santander were horrible. Of course because it's a concert, everybody was dancing and having a great time, but the seats were wobbling and moving more than we were. I felt like I was going to end up in the floor! The sound system wasn't the best either. Most times, the music was completely overpowering the artist. For these two reasons, I doubt I'll be back. But the concert was great!

I am specifically writing about the End of Summer Series here at the Bandshell. The regular ones…read moreall summer are too hot for me! These free outdoor concerts liven up a begging-to-be used area, the Volunteer Fireman's Memorial bandshell, a hillside amphitheater which was recently spruced up. It used to be an art-deco pink and green and is now an elegant sandy-gold color. Adjacent to a pond with a moat in front of the stage (how often do we get to use the word moat?), the area does not seem overrun with mosquitoes. So either a healthy population of bats exists (unlikely, poor bats are basically going extinct), or there may have been some spraying. Just to add a bit of macabre to this, keep in mind that this park was once the site of the Reading prison and was formerly called Gallows Hill and Penn's Common. Lots of hangings went on here, most famous of which was the 1805 one of a young woman accused of killing her infant. So some levity is needed to balance out all this bad karma, and Reading and the Berks Arts Council do a great job of creating a peaceful relaxing venue. There is a scattering of artists, food trucks, and other stands. Most of the food is fried, but my friends came back with some lovely Vietnamese egg rolls likely from Van's Cafe. There are also pay-what-you-want mini-massages, fire dancers, henna painters, and more. I spotted the Mayor and other city officials strolling around. We learned that we are the only people in the county without portable chairs, but my spouse dragged in our cushioned deck chairs, thank you dear! You can also sit on built-in benches that curve around in front of the shell, if you don't feel like carrying in furniture. You are welcome to bring food and drinks -- (that do) not (appear to be) alcohol. So our new giant picnic basket had its maiden voyage. We had a group of nine and found plenty of room. There is a beer tent, but you have to stay in the penned-in area. Is this part of state liquor law? It seems uncivilized. I will check out the offerings next time to see if there is anything local or flavorful. There was also a Chinese auction and raffles for restaurant gift certificates going on after the music. We wanted to see the Beatles tribute band, which was last, and it is rare to hear so many Beatles songs being performed. There is reggae next week! Please, enough with the classic rock; you can hear that everywhere. Note to hippie-types: don't go barefoot into the Portapotties! All in all, a lovely end to summer and a brighter side to a much-maligned city.

A place that just feels right. Stuck in time but the best time. Mike's never disappoints. Great…read moreservice, friendly patrons, and uncompromising drinks.

Dive bar with friendly people and staff. We stopped to kill a little time and were pleasantly…read moresurprised by how friendly everyone was. Nice TVs to watch the game. Drinks were great!

The Santander is a beautiful venue. The acoustics and ambience are on point. I would go here to see…read morea show anytime. We had dinner on The Mezz and I would not recommend that. The food was just ok - very difficult to manage plates etc. Supposed to have wine with our ticket, but they were out of white wine entirely. So , go for the show, skip the dinner!

The Santander Performing Arts Center is one of the venues I frequent locally. It's absolutely…read moregorgeous! The architecture and design details are breathtaking, especially the ornate ceiling work and vintage theater charm. Every time I walk in, I'm reminded why I love live shows so much. The acoustics here are usually fantastic, making it a great place for concerts, comedy shows, and everything in between. I've been to many events here over the years and always enjoy the experience. I usually sit toward the front right side of the venue, where the view is clear and unobstructed by the structure it really feels like there isn't a bad seat in the house. There are several bars and snack stands throughout the venue, plus a small area for merch tables, so everything you need is within easy reach. Tickets are generally very reasonably priced for the quality of the experience. Parking is probably the only minor consideration there's on-street parking as well as multiple garages nearby, but you'll want to plan for a short walk. Overall, it's a beautiful, historic theater that delivers great shows and great vibes every single time. Highly recommend catching a performance here if you get the chance!

The bar is very popular here! Too loud for dinner so we ventured into the dining room meant for…read morelarge events. It's too bad. They didn't make it a little bit more accessible to the bar area because it was just us and one other couple in this huge big room that was beautiful. I feel like it could be better utilized if they opened up a wall or something give people a place to go When that bar area gets so full like it was, they make their own rum, and I got a rum punch, which was absolutely delicious very false spiced tasting. We ordered the margarita flatbread, which would've been better if it had basil on it, which is what a margarita is supposed to have, but it was actually absolutely delicious with the heirloom tomatoes and thick chunks of bacon. I would definitely get it again.

My coworkers and I had an early dinner here. We first started off with drinks. My skinny margarita…read morewas fantastic! We then decided to order a bunch of appetizers before our entrees. My favorite appetizer I think was the deviled eggs with crab! It's creative and was pretty good. The different chicken wings were good. The calamari was crispy and perfectly seasoned. I ordered medium rare steak fries with upgraded truffle fries. When the dish came out it came with a slab of butter on top of the steak. The truffle fries didn't taste like any truffle oil was infused into them (or maybe they forgot I'm not sure). The steak was a little overcooked and just bland. No seasoning on the steak at all..very disappointed. I think the food was mediocre. Again maybe other entrees would be better and I think the food overall is just okay

Food is delicious comes out fast even when it's crowded. They usually have great bands playing. And…read morethe Cover isn't bad either.

FRESH ORANGE CRUSHES! You can tell this place is a local…read morewatering hole. It is cozy and warm inside. I was here for only one drink and that was a handmade fresh orange crush! The bar tender was attentive and super nice!

This place has become a favorite of my husband's and mine! The food and service are consistently…read moreexcellent! The drinks are served up strong and service by our server tonight, Grace, was very attentive. Every time we come here we order the crispy potstickers appetizer and we agreed that their fried pickles are the best we've had anywhere. The dill dipping sauce that comes with the fried pickles is the bomb. My husband loves burgers and it's not always easy to find places that actually serve great burgers, but tonight he said "this is delicious!" Our server, Grace, was friendly, helpful and paid attention to the right time when to offer another drink or see if we want anything else. The music playing is a mix of genres so there's something for everyone and we enjoy it. They play it at the perfect volume. Loud enough to hear it well but not so loud that we can't hear each other talk. And, the outdoor patio seating is dog friendly! Reading some of the other reviews, I am baffled that people are leaving three and four stars when they have nothing but raving positive things to say (awesome, fantastic, etc) about the food, drinks, ambiance and service. That makes a place worthy of a five star review. Do yourself a favor and visit the Liberty Taproom!

I visited Reading Pagoda and stopped in here on my way back. The food was pretty basic but yummy…read more My vodka punch was really great. They card everyone at the table if you get an alcoholic beverage. The service was great. I lucked out with my server. I was in a time crunch and she was very accommodating of that. When I was there, they had a live band which was cool.

Feels like I'm bowling back in the 90's. The amount of money they make there is uncanny you'd feel…read morelike the place would be nice. Both bathrooms are rundown and smell like piss and sewer every time I've gone in there. Draft beer is flat. Miller Lite cans are $5.50 for a 16 oz (THATS CRAZY). I could buy two meals anywhere else for the price they are charging for theirs. Gatorades are almost $5! Ball racks are the same as 20 years ago and the trim is coming off the back of the floor. I could go on and on. Bottom line is they are making hand over foot and not putting anything back into the place.

My daughters and I stopped by on 8/13/20 to pass some time together. I was looking forward to the…read moreexperience because Heisters was a place I spent much of my teenage/20-something years. While it was a fun time together, and we spent a few hours bowling, the atmosphere was rather run down and outdated. The shoes were overly worn, and frayed, having seen much better days. The decor looked the same as about 20+ years ago. The place was not crowded at all which was nice in a way of not being crowded with social distancing in place... but on the other hand it was disheartening as I remember it being one of THE places to be. If you're interested in a quiet and slower pace without worrying about aesthetics, give it a go as it will definitely be what you're looking for as we had a wonderful time and experienced no difficulties with the equipment. Everything ran smoothly and the customer service was friendly. If you're needing something that's aesthetically pleasing in your surroundings, I'd suggest seeking an alternative so you're not detracting from an otherwise positive experience.

This is literally the only dance club in Reading and since they have this monopoly on this shell of…read morea city, they don't feel the need to provide anything of quality. Plus they allow smoking, so don't wear anything too nice unless you want it to reek of second hand smoke. They do have a private lot to park in; however, it tends to fill up rather quickly. The Dj is horrible. If you're lucky, you might be able to dance to 1 of every 4-5 songs; the rest either have no beat or are way too slow to dance to. This is reflected in the fact that most of the crowd is sitting at the bar/tables provided or standing around the general dance floor area. We went on Thursday night (college night) and every single person there was at least late 20's-30s, so it's definitely an older clientele hangout. And if the guy happens to be your age, you're not in the clear yet. Just when you think you're safe, he might whip out his phone and show you pictures of his daughter and baby momma. (True story) At least there was no cover (Thursday is free with college id); that's the only positive thing to say about this experience.

They used to get some pretty good bands in there, not anymore. Its just the same DJ's every…read moreweekend. The place has seen better days