good bar to hang out at and a spacious place. my friend had a great time here on her 21st!read more

Went here while attending a conference. The servers were nice the drink prices were just right and…read moreit was just a lot of fun. The food was just pub food but not bad and overall the vibes were vivid

B I G Vibe Small Bar Bit Noisy…read more We stopped in Local Whiskey during our stay in lovely State College PA. Our local friends recommended the sister bar/restaurants (Local Whiskey and Central Reservation) and we were glad they did. We enjoyed delicious craft cocktails professionally made by the bar staff and enjoyed a delicious Strawberry salad. Bar had pos decor with great tile work - we felt like we were in NYC. We had a great happy hour at Local Whiskey because the staff was polite and professional. We did find the decibel level in the bar extreme. My wife's smart watch gave her (a first ever) decibel warning. Unfortunately it was so loud she and I could not have a conversation so we left.

A classic American lunch special that made me feel guilty for paying so little for such a good…read moremeal. Preface: This is only about the burger lunch special. I don't drink alcohol so I can't speak to their bar or other food. 5/5 Food: where to start with the burger- its thick patty has a great crisp outside and medium inside and is graced by nicely cooked bacon, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and a proper amount of sauce. The fries are classic, semi mush-semi crisp fries with coarse grained salt. The meal with a delicious burger that outdoes any other I've had in state college, even those that cost close to $20. Walking out the door, the meal (fries, burger, drink) cost 8.05, and I was happy to leave a larger than 20% tip to make it $10 even. I challenge you to find a better burger in state college, regardless of price. Honestly, my MBA-trained senses obsessed over what their business model might be and I'm hoping that it was providing enough for the owners and staff. 3.5/5 Service: Friendly. It was really busy when we were there and it was a tad slow, but we also had a group that came in at different times. 4/5 Ambiance: nice-ish college bar inside, clean bathrooms. Only complaint is that the booth table was too tall for the chairs, I felt like I would have been better suited to kneel to eat my burger than sit (I had one friend who did kneel to meet the height of the table) Tl;DR Excellent burger; confusingly great value.

Try the Pit Boss Platter and sit on the outside patio to enjoy a great culinary and people watching…read moreexperience. Bree provided us with awesome service and was constantly checking on us. We were super disappointed that they were out of bacon collards and would love to have tried them, but the coleslaw was good. Pet friendly and they offer a pup menu!

We've been to Pickles many times while in State College, but this time we came for barbecue and…read moretrivia which is on Wednesday nights. We loved The Pitt Boss Platter which had a 1/4 brisket, pulled pork, and pulled chicken. Pickles and honey buttered cornbread accompanied the dish. Sides were inexpensive and delicious. I loved the green chili corn pudding, and their mac and cheese was creamy and delicious too. We wound up sharing the plate which we realized was not quite enough for two. We probably should have ordered another side. Service was efficient. Will say, though, the trivia was competitive especially as we were playing against PSU professors. However, it was still a good time. Our only critique was that it took slightly over two hours to play all 7 rounds. It was also difficult to hear and understand the MC in a somewhat loud environment.

I'd never been to Zeno's on a weeknight early before. Very empty and brighter than usual, but still…read morefriendly service and a great beer selection. I wish there had been sour beers when I was in school. I would have had more options. I always liked the vibe at Zeno's and still do.

Amazing drinks, on the pricier side in the area but for a good reason! The cocktails are super…read moregood, we got a Paloma, Pink Starbust, and just regular vodka cran. The service was so kind and the atmosphere is great. We will be back more often!

F A B U L O U S Staff Cocktails and Cuisine…read more Do not miss Central Reservation if you are in State College PA. We had such a great experience our first HH Saturday night we stopped in again Sunday for dinner and drinks. Makalah made our visits so wonderful she gets a shout out Thank You. Makalah, and her fellow bar staff. all made superb handcrafted (took a minute or too and so worth it) cocktails for us each night such as; Sweater Weather bourbon, Mexican Firing Squad tequila, and Sangria. We also enjoyed a excellent crisp Caesar salad with flank steak with our red wine was a great dinner. The staff of Central Reservation was welcoming, professional, and friendly and we appreciated that. Next visit to State College we are dining at Central Reservation for sure. Cheers.

Martini, Black Cod and Oysters off the chart good. Fantastic service. Central Resv even smells…read moredelicious!

The Phyrst will always hold a special place in my heart. I grew up in State College, went to Penn…read moreState, and was lucky enough to bartend here back in the mid-'80s. These days I live in California, but every time I'm back home, I make it a point to stop in for a drink and a trip down memory lane. I met up with a few of my high school buddies on a Wednesday night while the students were away, so it wasn't packed but that actually made for a more relaxed night. The staff was upbeat and welcoming, and you could just tell everyone behind the bar was having a good time. There was a live acoustic band playing (though I didn't catch the name), which added a great vibe to the evening. The Phyrst is known for its nightly live music. The bar has been completely renovated since my time working there, and I have to say, the new layout is a huge improvement. It flows better and definitely handles a crowd more comfortably on busy nights. I even had the chance to chat with some of the bartenders and share a few stories from my time behind the bar. It's crazy how much has changed and how much has stayed the same. The Phyrst remains one of the most iconic bars in State College and has been a go-to spot for generations of Penn Staters. Whether you're a student, alum, or just passing through, it's a must-visit.

First and last bar in our trip to State College. We arrived Friday and our group was already…read morewaiting for us at Phyrst. Great beers, a restaurant downstairs, superb ambiance and plenty of room.

Ellen is Chumleys personified! Fabulous bartender, welcoming committee and all around GREAT…read moreAmbassador for State College. A must if you're visiting Penn State!!

Great cocktails & very friendly vibe. I felt very welcomed by everyone there, including the other…read morepatrons!

Overall not a bad first visit. We were seated immediately on a Thursday before graduation weekend…read moreso that was a plus. Very clean inside and loved the open layout with many table types. Our server Jonah was very attentive and even had others asking if we were good during our visit. Food overall was ok. The house made chips were great! Burger was tasty but needed something else (tomato/lettuce maybe?). The pretzel appetizer was huge and that was very tasty. Overall I'd def come back and try something else!

The hostess up front with a pink shirt on first home game 2026 was probably one of the rudest…read morepeople we ever encountered. First time on campus, met people her from all over, calm family of five meeting friends and there were one tables all around them and she refused to seat us anywhere near them, we simply asked why or if we could wait and she threatened us. I'm dumbfounded right now with how mean and unprofessional she was truly. We are both corporate professionals with 3 kids and she was OUT OF LINE. Do NOT give them business

Came over with a family and friends showing us the spots they used to frequent during their student…read moredays. Entered Doggies and we were taken aback by the huge outdoor space with a built-in pizza joint. Best about the place is that they allow dogs in the patio. Just awesome. Besides the outdoor space, they also have a covered outside area that suited many in our group as the sun was beating on us. The staff was quite nice and provided several large dog bowls with ice water for the pups For the non-furry lines, the beer flowed outside and inside quite well. And their counterpart to Long Island Ice Tea was superb. Everyone also ended up eating pizzas at different times. Service was superb. We were glad we weren't there during the school year, however.... I can just imagine how crowded that space can be.

In the warmer weather, my daughter who's a student loves Doggies's. They have a fun outdoor area…read morewhere you can order pizza and snacks as well play corn hole. There are also some tables out there as well as barrels to put your drink on. For drinks, you have to go inside. It's a festive atmosphere before a football game with a good mix of students and parents. Let's go PSU!

Food, service and ambiance were spot on!! There were six of us and none of us had issues with food…read moretemperature! I highly recommend Nittany Lion Inn to anyone looking for dining excellence!

I thought we were being punked but no--the 2 worst bartenders are working at this bar. Connie and…read moreAndy are far from the dynamic duo. Practically nonverbal, would not make eye contact and the bar was far from busy. Ridiculous.