Me and my friends call this place "winner winner Penn State chicken dinner" (PSCD for short) and there is a reason for that. Great place, great chicken, great memories. If you are in town, you MUST try Big Dean's Hot Chicken. I will stake my entire reputation as a food critic on this claim. -Justin B, renowned food critic, chicken sandwich and bagel enthusiast, award winning chocolate eater read more

Not our first visit and won't be our last. The chicken is so yummy and the food was out in a timely manner. It is a college scene and we were there on a Saturday night, so business was good at Big Dean's. One suggestion for staff, be more active on wiping down tables. The cleanliness of the tables for dining in customers kept my review at 4 instead of 5 stats. read more

Big Dean’s Hot Chicken - Waffles Near Me - State College, Pennsylvania

Really juicy and spicy chicken. The service was fast and friendly and the place was also very cozy.

Genuinely the BEST hot chicken place I've ever had. I only have one place in my heart that's a 10/10 and this is an addition to it. 10/10 enjoyment, flavor, quality, proportions. Literally cannot fathom a word to describe how good this stuff is. Nashty bowl is insane, get some tenders and extra sauce on the side and Texas toast (even tho it's not necessary) and you're in heaven. Not even expensive either. 10/10 read more

Big Dean’s Hot Chicken - Waffles Near Me - State College, Pennsylvania

Food was ok, chicken was good quality. Employees were nice. The problem was the lack of cleanliness; bathrooms were disgusting and the floor was dirty and covered in grease. read more

Service was a bit lacking. the menu is a little confusing. They ask too many questions about your order. Let the customer ask if they want changes. I was asked about each ingredient and how I wanted it prepared. it's nice To be able to customize but after the 5th question it got a little old. The chicken tasted good, very spicy even with the mild option. Cooked well but VERY greasy. It was to the point where you get a stomach ache pretty quick. Fries were lacking. Obviously the frozen out of the bag special. Maybe fry the chicken less and the fries more? Place has good potential but will need to step up its game to compete with the other chicken restaurants in town. read more

Inferno was pretty spicy. Wish they had fountain drinks. Fries were very good. Not that busy, but a little wait still. read more

Big Dean’s Hot Chicken - a brick wall - Waffles Near Me - State College, Pennsylvania

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This sandwich helps me sleep at night. When you have no friends, no pets and no family to keep you company on a Saturday night.. this sandwich will. It is PHENOMENAL. On why try to dredge your own chicken when you can dive down here and get the best. Not just in State College but everywhere I've EVER had a fried chicken sandwich. Thank you Big Dean's!!!! read more

Big Dean’s Hot Chicken - Classic sandwich, Nashville hot, with everything on it - Waffles Near Me - State College, Pennsylvania

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If all you want is chicken and fries, then I would try it. The chicken is moist on the inside and very crispy on the outside. The crinkle cut fries could have use some more time frying though. The Mac and cheese lacked taste and substance. It was more like macaroni with a very loose cheese like sauce on it. It lacked seasoning in my opinion. The Cole slaw was a good attempt at a vinegar slaw, but missed the mark. read more

My son chose Big Deal's for lunch. I went in with low expectations and left a believer. I was absolutely blown away by how delicious their chicken strips were. We both ordered the Go-To, mild. He had their house sauce and I had the honey mustard. These were probably the best chicken strips I have ever had in my life. So why only 4 stars? I also had the fries, which could have been a little more done, and the cole slaw, which was like naked cabbage with a little dill added. The value for what we received was great. Four huge strips for $10, plus a side, and a slice of texas toast was a little more than I could finish. The chicken made up for it though. I will definitely be going back next time I am up at PSU. read more

It was my first time trying this place. Because it was going to close soon, we decided to just order for pickup. The place looks nice and had tables good for small and big groups. The staff is also nice. My boyfriend and I ordered the big daddy and the go to meal. The tenders in the go to box tasted fine but the tenders in the big daddy had a bitter taste and the color was a little on the darker side so I don't know if it was a little overcooked or it's supposed to taste like that. Good thing I chose bbq sauce. When I dip it in bbq sauce, I don't taste the bitterness. I was also disappointed with the toast, didn't taste good by itself. read more

Wow! What a great surprise! Ordered pickup online and it was ready on time, hot, and DELICIOUS!!!! I ordered the Nashville Hot Sandwich meal (includes waffle fries) and 1 sauce. Ordered the other 4 sauces ala carte ($0.49 each). Wow wow wow! One of the best sandwiches I've had in a LOOOOOONG time!!! Delicious and absorbent bun, a HUGE piece of chicken, nice and spicy, a few pickles, and the perfect amount of slaw. The fries were fine but the sauces were all delicious. Pickup orders are in a heated cabinet along the right wall. No waiting. Online ordering didn't include drink options so I didn't opt for anything but they had good looking lemonade in a dispenser. I'll definitely be back!!! read more

I'm a huge big deans fan and their new chicken sandwiches are awesome. Always nice to order or chill inside. Welcoming atmosphere.

I hate to say it...but this breaded chicken beats chick-fil-a hands down. The breaded chicken sandwich is awesome and super crispy! I got the traditional chicken, and it's actually a little spicy so I'm happy I didn't get the spicer chicken. Also the chicken is huge so definitely make sure you're hungry! read more

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Overall, good water. You can get a free cup of water from the machine (pictured) with as much ice as you want for the ideal beverage temperature of your choice. It's an entire machine JUST dedicated to water and ice! Amazing. Alternatively, you can buy a bottle of water. Having options is great! The cups could have been bigger, however. read more

Big Dean’s Hot Chicken - Water - Waffles Near Me - State College, Pennsylvania

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Not bad! Visited this place recently on a whim with dim sum closed and we were pleasantly surprised. Wonderful customer service from all the workers who are eager to help and good reliable food. If you're tired of chic fil a, it is a Sunday and you want chicken, you want to eat hot chicken, and or you want some place you can roll from class this is your place. The sauces are worth paying to try. The fries I was thought were ok and we tried a variety of the hot chicken and thought the medium was the best. If you've had hot chicken down south this is probably the only place you can kinda get a taste ish. It's not exactly the same but commendable this place exists in the middle of the state of Pennsylvania. read more

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I was very excited to try this place out when it first opened since all my friends were talking about it and especially after watching Big Dean's episode on Chopped!! This sandwich was absolutely massive and delicious but also very messy to eat. A little more expensive than chick fil a and I thought the fries were a little skimpy for the price, but the actual chicken sandwich was so good and the pickles are homemade! We ordered for takeout and it took maybe 10ish minutes for my group to get their order. Would definitely go again! read more

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Giant fried chicken sandwich, can't go wrong. Prices are accurate, go with the honey for the topping read more

Big Dean’s Hot Chicken - Nashville heat is just enough spice - Waffles Near Me - State College, Pennsylvania

Hey Penn State student here, Big Dean's just opened recently and I have to say it's already one of the best places in town to go and their business at times shows that. When I first tried to go with my buddies opening week we got there at 5:30 (they open at 4) and they were sold out of everything. I eventually got in about a week and a half later, and man it was everything I wanted and more. I didn't know what spice level to get so I asked the cashier and she recommend me the most ordered spice level. Once the food came out I could not believe my eyes, it all looked amazing. The waffle fries were seasoned with a special seasoning that was perfect, the Texas toast was nice and crispy, and the chicken was the best fried chicken i've ever had, hands down. Even though it was spicy, the chicken was just too addicting to stop eating. My mouth's watering just thinking about it. Do yourself a favor and check out Big Dean's, you won't regret it!! read more

Genuinely the best fried chicken sandwich I have had in a very long time. Huge Pattie's, the Nashville chicken seasoning is the perfect balance of heat and flavor, and their pickles/coleslaw balance out the sandwich well. The storefront is very fun and themed. Workers are always pleasant. read more

We tried Dean's twice and both times had horrible experience. First time they forgot the chicken and failed to tell us they did not have waffle fries. The second time the chicken was dry and again no waffle fries. When I questioned them they said because of the cost of goods. Umm they are both potatoes! They still have yet to refund me as promised by both managers. Wait for Raising Canes! read more

So unbelievably slow and the fries are a cold soggy mess... don't waste your time or money at this place. Sad because it has great potential. read more

The chicken tenders here are huge and delicious. For a cheap quick stop in State College, this place is a must. The honey Dijon and bbq sauces are spectacular. Fries, toast and slaw are all good, nothing spectacular. This place is definitely good for college students or anyone just wanting some good fried chicken. read more

I got the sandwich and it was too greasy for my liking. Fries and tenders were very good though! read more

Big Dean’s Hot Chicken - a hand holding a sandwich and french fries - Waffles Near Me - State College, Pennsylvania

This place is the real deal. The chicken tenders are gigantic and taste excellent. The sides are nothing to write home about, but you're here for the chicken. You definitely get a bang for your buck. This is way better than the raising canes down the block. Give it a try if you're in the mood for some very yummy chicken tenders. read more

Very good Nashville chicken Sammie. Great roll, decent portions. Yummy pickles! I'll go back.

Over priced and flavorless chicken If you like heat with no flavor good for you. Parking is not convenient either.

Ridiculously good. Best fried chicken in State College. We got the Perfectly Southern. So moist and flavorful. Even the fries. The Texas toast is a nice side. The ranch is the best I've ever had. Nice portions and VERY hot and fresh. I plan to try their sandwich next time. I recommend the starter for little kids. The sweet tea is the closest to true southern sweet tea this far up north. Lemonade wasn't overly sweet and tasted freshly made. Will definitely be back!!! read more

Decided to try the Nashville Chicken, was initially quite excited by the large portion, but the chicken was mostly tasteless breading. Fries were bland, and there was barely any coleslaw. The bun was very good. read more

Good place to grab some good hot chicken. Really does remind me of the south. Quick service that got my food out quick. Also had a nice cool southern ambiance. Overall this is a good spot to eat definitely on the list as one of the top places to eat in state college read more

Food was good. Service was good. We were the first customers for the day and there were crumbs on the table where we sat. The bathrooms are disgusting. Looks like they haven't been cleaned in weeks. If I get food here in the future it's definitely a to go order. read more

3.5/5 good variety on the menu, good chicken, nice venue. If you like country music come here. Shaun's Choice.

My husband and I went on a lunch date here and we were not disappointed! The chicken is perfectly flavored and cooked. It was so juicy and tender and the buns are paired perfectly with the pickles and slaw. I would come here again and again and recommend giving it a try to anyone. read more

DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY HERE. Simply put the food is terrible. Despite the texture of the chicken, the taste was purely horrible. For being "Nashville Style" you wouldn't even know they seasoned it. The saving grace of making a trip here is the freshly brewed sweet tea and lemonade, and the fry seasoning. Overall 1/10 DONT RECCOMEND read more

The chicken was disgusting. When you bit into it grease would literally pour out. The fries were cold. I got sick. Avoid this place!

Better than canes tbh. The sauces are so good and the depth of flavor is crazyyyyy. the pieces of chicken are huge and the prices are so slay. read more

Waited 45 minutes to get the "Go To" (4 chicken tenders, seasoned waffle fries, coleslaw, Texas toast, and Comeback sauce).... Then they forgot to include the coleslaw.... The Nashville style chicken tenders were coated in a thick breading, and soaked in oil. The breading easily chunked off leaving naked tenders. Although the chicken did have good flavor. The comeback sauce and Tennessee bbq sauce were also tasty. Fries were cold and dry. Better off getting more consistent and timely results from Chick-Fil-A.... read more

Thoroughly enjoyed. The homestyle is light on heat. Get the Nashville hot for a perfect kick. Fries and sauces were super tasty too. Will definitely be back. read more

Better than canes. You also get choice in spice level. Food is consistent and made then and there.

Was honestly excited to go eat here but everytime i go there they change up the closing hours. Said theyll be open till 4 so i show up at 2 and its closed no longer interested in going. read more