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    Peanut Barrel

    3.9 (301 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 11:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Peanut Barrel Photos

    PEANUT BARREL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Peanut Barrel

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    Reviews With Photos

    Slawpy Burger
    Ian M.

    Iconic spot in EL. Really great to go with family when back in town. Basics with cool inventions for the menu. People are great. College town with the ability for actual adults vibe.

    Long Island iced tea
    Katy C.

    The Peanut Barrel is an East Lansing institution, and a place that I love visiting whenever I'm back on campus. I have many memories of warm summer nights on the patio, having a shroom burger on wheat with chips and two long islands. The menu is small and the bar is a bit divey (especially the bathroom), but it's homey and the food is good. There's usually a wait for the patio is the weather is nice, but it's worth it. It's definitely a nostalgic place for me and many other Spartans! On our most recent visit, I didn't want a full meal so we went with a grilled cheese sandwich to share. Our server recommended getting both cheeses, which was a good suggestion (and an up charge). The grilled cheese was pretty basic, but very tasty and I'd get it again. There's easy parking behind the building in a paid lot, or street parking available nearby.

    Mushrooms burger
    Jean L.

    Peanut Barrel is an East Lansing classic and has been around for many decades. I had many visits here in the mid/late 2000s and again in 2016 with a most recent visit of about a month ago. In the past, there were peanut shells all over the floor as part of the décor/ambiance/brand, but no more. My go-to items are the olive burger and the mushroom burger. This time was no different. The only difference was that the olive burger didn't come on rye bread, which was disappointing. Not sure if they ran out or I have to special request when ordering, but I'll remember for the future. With your burgers, you can choose fries or chips for a side. I opted for chips, which were just plain chips from a bag. In the past, I've gotten fries, pretty standard. There are usually lots of events held at the Peanut Barrel from game watches to live music and everything in between. This time around, I came on a Thursday night and it was trivia night with a MC and everything! Great prizes were at stake, but I didn't participate. Paid parking lot in the back that's shared with other shops/restaurants on Grand River. #32/2023

    Pear salad
    Akira D.

    Good food. Too much bleu cheese on my salad, but a great hole in the wall bar. I enjoyed the crowds and the food.

    Cinfull Coffee
    Kaylee L.

    Peanut Barrel has a nice patio with lots of tables that have umbrellas for shade. My friend and I were greeted by the hostess outside and got to choose our table. I ordered the Cinfull Coffee for my drink. It's made with Chila, which has a Cinnamon Toast Crunch flavor. There was lots of whipped cream on top! I would definitely order it again. Their olive burger is my favorite in the area. It doesn't taste too greasy and heavy, and the bun is excellent. I got chips for my side but they also offer fries and potato salad (which my friend enjoyed) as options.

    Burger

    Outside seating area was nice and staff were very kind. Food took almost 45 minutes to come out, but the burgers were good. Burgers come on 3 options of buns (white, whole wheat, or rye.) You do have to pay a little extra for lettuce & tomato or if you want a side other than potato chips.

    Patty Melt
    Ian M.

    I miss so many things about my time in school at State, and Peanut Barrel is certainly one of them. The food and atmosphere are second to none when it comes to college town burger joints. The inside often has live music, which is always a hit. They also have three dart boards that get lots of traffic on the weekends. The food here is unreal, you can't go wrong. The burgers are definitely the star of the show. I have always been a fan of the patty melt. There is patio seating outside, which is nice on sunny days. Our server Adam was attentive and took care of us very well. We'll definitely ask to sit in his section next time. Careful we the long islands, they'll catch up to you!

    Alison B.

    Pretty solid food. Typical bar atmosphere with friendly service. Only disappointed with lack of peanut items on the menu and lack to peanut puns

    Olive Burger
    Amanda M.

    It is shocking and embarrassing that I have never been to the Peanut Barrel before. We sat on the patio and truly enjoyed the ambiance of campus while on the patio. The Long Islands are legit. I had the olive burger and the chili. Both were fantastic. I enjoyed this burger way more than Crunchys. The chili was also great for a chilly fall day on the patio. There was one server for the entire patio and he truly did his best and was kind. I will be coming back to try more of the menu and for another Long Island!

    Beer

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    4 days ago

    Overcooked, dry, under-seasoned burger Rushed indifferent service. Small menu. Must be for the college crowd. Won't return.

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    2 years ago

    Walking distance from town! And amazingly close to MSU campus! very good burgers! Love the ambiance very comfortable

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    Ask the Community - Peanut Barrel

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    Jolly Pumpkin Cafe & Brewery

    Jolly Pumpkin Cafe & Brewery

    3.7
    (66 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    I haven't been to a Jolly Pumpkin in years, and when I saw it was near the hotel I was staying at,…read moreI knew I had to go back to see if it was as good as I remember it. I was with some friends and old coworkers when dining here, so I wasn't dining alone today. I was surprised there wasn't more people here since it was happy hour, but such is life. I ended up getting a hamburger with truffle fries as an upgrade since it sounded tasty. The burger was fantastic, though I wish it was a bit bigger. Truffle fries were good and it came with a really tasty dipping sauce. Our server was good but she did disappear for a while and when she did come back, we all asked for additional beverages. The place is clean with plenty of seating inside and I'm sure outdoor seating when the weather gets nicer. I'm not a huge drinker so I know they have a good beer selection, but didn't order since I wasn't really feeling it. Overall a great experience with a great menu, would return in the future.

    I've been to other Jolly Pumpkin locations and this East Lansing spot is very similar. The space is…read morequite large with an upper seating area as well. Nate and I stopped in for a quick drink and a snack while in town and were seated right away in the bar area. I think they are pretty well known for their pizza, but we just went with an order of the buffalo chicken dip, which was bubbling hot and a large portion (we had plenty of leftovers). It was quite salty, but I guess that's to be expected. The chips were fresh and crispy and I liked that they give you some crostini as well. The drink prices were wild -- I got a large (maybe 20 oz) seltzer for $3!! I couldn't believe it. Service was friendly, basketball games were on the TVs, and I liked our visit. I think we'll be back next time we're in town.

    Photos
    Jolly Pumpkin
    Jolly Pumpkin
    Candied Brussel Sprouts
    Candied Brussel Sprouts
    Jolly Pumpkin Cafe & Brewery

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    Ellison Brewery & Spirits

    Ellison Brewery & Spirits

    3.9
    (104 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$

    Such a great find! We were unsure at first because there is no signage but we followed the visuals…read moreof fermentation vessels and the arrows on doors to find the entrance in the alley! We felt like we were in o.n East Lansing's best kept secret. The dining area is so cozy and fun. 5 stars on the vibe! We came on trivia night but had no problem finding seats at the bar. Our bartender, Stevie, was welcoming, knowledgeable and attentive. We ordered the special -- 2 beers, pretzel and a pizza for $30. The beer cheese and pretzel were delicious! The beers were delicious -- my husband loved the hazy and I loved the Red Ale. We will definitely be back and look forward to trying the burgers and craft cocktails! There's so much for everyone on the menu. Highly recommend!

    It was a challenge to find, but we found it. There were just a few spots for parking. I assume…read morethere is street parking nearby. My husband chose the Crescent Fresh IPA. It was good. I am a dark beer person, so that is what I look for when ordering. They had a Tiramisu Stout and I chose that. Tiramisu, I'm thinking pastry, espresso along with the maltiness of a stout but I did not get that. There was no coffee and it had a bitter finish that lingered. The beertender was willing to swap me out for their Amber. It was a better choice and to style. The space itself was nice, plenty of seating and a good view of the brew equipment.

    Photos
    The bar is in the brewhouse
    The bar is in the brewhouse
    Dollar wings on Sunday! Stout bbq and hot buffalo. Delicious
    Dollar wings on Sunday! Stout bbq and hot buffalo. Delicious
    Ellison Brewery & Spirits

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    Harper's Restaurant & Brewpub

    Harper's Restaurant & Brewpub

    1.9
    (216 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    I have never experienced anything like this in my life, and I am absolutely disgusted by how this…read moresituation was handled. I was standing at the bar near the entrance with my friends when I suddenly felt something wet hit my hand. I looked over in complete disbelief and realized a guy next to me was so intoxicated that he was literally urinating at the bar. I had just been peed on. Naturally, I yelled for security and demanded they remove him immediately. They did escort him out, but what happened next was even more unbelievable. The guy happened to be friends with one of the employees, and instead of treating me like the victim, security accused me of trying to start a fight because I was understandably furious after being urinated on. A few minutes later, they kicked me out too. Once outside, I saw the same guy talking with several of the bouncers. That's when I heard one of them say, "You have to stop getting kicked out for pissing in the bar." Hearing that made it sound like this wasn't even the first time this had happened. Being urinated on inside a bar is one of the most disgusting experiences I've ever had, but what made it even worse was the staff's response. Instead of looking out for the customer who had just been peed on, they removed me as well. Management seriously needs to reevaluate who they're hiring and how situations like this are handled. I will never be coming back.

    I'm sure this is a cool place to get wicked drunk at night. But avoid at all costs for food…read more Like why bother adding food... or even opening on an off night. In the top 5 worst meals of my life and I already set the bar extremely low walking in to it that night. Service was atrocious. I had to walk up to the bar to get more beer and there was literally two other tables of customers that night. The beer was cold. So that's the only highlight.

    Photos
    Dance floor
    Dance floor
    Tequila soda
    Tequila soda
    Courtesy Harper's website

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    Courtesy Harper's website

    Peanut Barrel - burgers - Updated August 2026

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