Our first time .. we started at the bar, Our table wasn't ready. Brian Our bartender first seemed attentive. No! Forgot Our drink order. Then never asked for a refill!! We had to remind hostess we were waiting for our table .. oh yes thanks for coming over .. what??? David Our waiter .. ugh .. not good. Appetizers came after our main meal???? Shrimp n grits, cold. 6 .. yes 6 sweet potatoe fries ($14) what??? .. such a disappointment.. do not waste your time .. go closer downtown read more

The service was great and the food amazing ! Beautiful restaurant! I totally recommend it!

My first visit was this past weekend, and I'm glad I went. Excellent indoor & outdoor seating & decor, food taste & presentation was great (salmon dish as an entree and special blueberry/lemon shortcake for dessert), and the menu included options you can't get just anywhere (as well as having Gluten Free options). Waitress seemed less experienced; she did well, but was a bit quick to want to clear the plates, before I was done, multiple times (not enough of an impact on the experience to deduct from my 5 star review, though). read more

Food was mediocre at best. Calamari and fried green tomato appetizers were 70% breading, making them very heavy and flavorless. Grilled asparagus was more like powdery charcoal. Meat was not cooked to order; both the hamburger and steak were cooked well done not medium as requested. The brisket was mostly fat, served in an enormous bun in a tiny bowl on a large board, making it awkward to eat in addition to not very satisfying. Ambiance is nice and waitstaff was very good. read more

We had lunch here and got the bacon and egg Bloody Mary's for drink. They did not disappoint! I had a lovely marscapone ravioli with veggies and vodka sauce and he had the gumbo with crawfish. Everything was delicious. A great addition to State College read more

4 for the food, 3 for service and overall experience. Came here as part of a group from work (company paid). This place has an identity crisis. It claims to be a Southern Kitchen but in addition to pulled pork and grits, they serve naan and French onion soup. Kind of confusing. Ambiance seems cozy and upscale, until you notice the multiple flat screen TVs. Nice fireplace but not fond of the high top seating. Service was ok but not stellar. Kind of slow and seemed inexperienced. Cocktail menu weighted heavily toward whiskey and bourbon. Deviled eggs, shrimp, and Gouda pimento dip apps were all tasty but if I were paying I'd skip because they are pricy for what you get. As my entree I chose the filet mignon with blue cheese crumbles. Replaced potatoes with the corn and garlic risotto. Steak was cooked properly (ordered and served medium rare) and seasoned well. Risotto was tender, creamy, and delicious. Asparagus was fire roasted with a tasty char. Even if it was on my dime I'd say it's worth the price. Had the mud pie for dessert which was scrumptious. Verdict: I'd go back. read more

Gigi's Southern Table - Filet mignon with blue cheese crumbles. Steak was cooked properly (ordered and served medium rare) and seasoned well. - New American Near Me - State College, Pennsylvania

Made reservations. Seemed like a nice place. Staff was very friendly. Food tasted great. Portions are extremely small. Very expensive. Dinner for 4 drinking water was $125. read more

I had dinner over the weekend at Gigis. I was disappointed the last time that I went, but it was mostly about the biscuits being hard and cold, and one of my favorite side dishes (baked corn custard) no longer on the menu. This time, however, it was all about poor service. We were served our first, second and third courses nearly on top of one another, so that the entrees would have been cold had we waited to eat them in the correct order. There were "runners" coming into the dining room with trays of food who had no idea to which table the food was to be served. Honest to god, I suppose they were just waiting for the right customers to wave their arms. A member of my party ordered the gumbo, only to be told that they were out.....but the table next to us ordered the gumbo and got it. The food was delicious and I was very happy with the meal, but the service was incompetent. Had I been with out of town guests, I would have been embarrassed. read more

First time, really enjoyed the menu and sitting outside on a summer evening. I had a pork chop with pasta salad and a renegade Manhattan. Service was wonderful, even up the hill out back. Can't wait to go back and enjoy the fire pit on the porch. read more

The crab cakes were amazing. Lots of crab and not too much breading. I also liked the deviled eggs.

Solid southern-ish menu that hardly changes. Some items are quite good. Our favorites are the biscuits, salads, onion soup, shrimp&grits, and Gigi's burger. Service is fine and so is the drink selection. I have been really put off by the hostesses. I hate having to deal with them and arrive at my table grumpy. Picnic table seating is pleasant. read more

I've always loved this place. Food is great and no issues there but my service during my last visit was unacceptable. Tyler K. Was my server and he did a very poor job. Did not mention anything about a 9-11 happy hour nor did he mention the catch of the day and specials. He also never checked up on us to see if we needed anything before the meal or during it. Tyler was very impersonal during our service. The place was empty at the time so we were the only table that he had. I wasn't concerned that our food didn't come out that quick as I understand it takes time to make really good fresh food. What I was disappointed in was Tyler's ability to pay attention to detail and do his job to the best of his ability. I had to find out all the information about happy hour from the bartender,Nick. Nick was on top of everything and knew everything about the menu. Needless to say I would have received better service at a Cracker Barrel than what Tyler displayed. read more

Great looking place but when you get down to basics the bar service is sub-par (being generous) and the prices don't reflect the value you get. I love the fact they are trying something different for the area but the execution and cost/benefit is ALWAYS a big miss. If you need a really nice looking place with good food and don't care about service, location or price this is your spot! read more

We tried Gigi's for the first time last night. Our server, Emma, was lovely and we had a great experience. Food was soooo delicious and the ambiance was so quaint and perfect. read more

We sat at the bar, and ordered burgers and a basket of fries. It was basic, but good. Make sure you save room for dessert! We had a Snickers shake that was delicious. read more

Sat at the bar. Counter was dirty. Was given a soiled and tattered beverage menu. Noticed cobwebs and dust on the bar shelves. Absolutely unacceptable for a place described as fine dining! read more

Absolutely terrible experience. Almost 45 minutes before order taken and when drinks finally served they were wrong. All tables surrounding had similar issue. Terrible service. Food not good. Restaurant was not crowded. This is the 3rd time to try over 4 years. Gave a second chance since reviews had been good. The only good experience was a fluke. read more

Nice, relaxing atmosphere- really give that "low country" vibe. We went for lunch and were impressed with the "express lunch" offerings. The fish taco, gumbo and oyster Po-boy slIder combination was a winner. Everything was freshly prepared, perfectly seasoned, and beautifully plated. Also, the house made biscuits with honey compound butter made for a great starter. Staff was friendly and attentive. This place is a winner. Unique and delicious! read more

Gigi's Southern Table - Fish taco (mahi), gumbo, oyster Po-boy slider. "Pick three" express lunch- $14 - New American Near Me - State College, Pennsylvania

Very cool ambiance, especially for a collage town. Eclectic menu with different options. We have been here a number of times. The food is consistently good, not great. That said considering the options, I would still recommend. read more

Pathetic attempt at providing any sort of decent service. As a group of recent college grads/current college students (along with our parents), our ID's were straight up denied and we left before receiving anything but the tap water. I'll never go back. The cool decorations mean nothing when the server and then the manager treated us like we were worthless to them. Thanks for nothing. Unbelievably bad experience. read more

I try to like Gigi's but but their erratic hours make going there a project. Will they be open on Sunday? Eh, maybe. After the PSU football game. Yes but probably closing early. Any other day of the week call ahead. Upscale attitude but rarely an acknowledgement from the staff unless they are dealing directly with you & a gratuity is in play. Food good. Drinks delightful. Decor dreadful. read more

Everything everyone in my party ordered was cooked to perfection and presented beautifully! Our server was attentive despite the temperatures outside of our pod on the patio. That paired with a unique drink menu and an elegant and spirited ambiance will ensure our return. read more

Stopped by on our way home from eastern Pa. to meet relatives. Great place, great food and very friendly staff. Loved the decor and would highly recommend. read more

Very pleasantly surprised with the food and ambience at Gigi's Southern Kitchen for lunch. Upscale southern and Cajun food. I had the Express lunch, which is 3 items on the special menu for $13. I went with the NE Clam Chowder, a brisket slider, and a shrimp taco. The chowder was the best I've ever had. I could have eaten a tub of it. Very clean, good balance of broth to cream, and tons of clams. The shrimp tacos were spicy and had a nice, large shrimp. The brisket slider was just ok, the roll seemed to overwhelm the meat a bit. I will definitely go back. read more

Gigi's Southern Table - Express Lunch: shrimp taco, brisket slider, clam chowder - New American Near Me - State College, Pennsylvania

In town for graduation & host was so nice to accommodate our early arrival. Loved the ambiance...sat in the lounge VIP area--such a great vibe. Every dish was EXCELLENT! Fried green tomato bruschetta was amazing! Ribeye was cooked perfect! Shrimp & grits...yum! Pork chop was to die for! White, tender, seasoned & cooked perfectly! Best pork chop on the planet!! That was definitely the winner dish! Cocktails were so yummy Sparkling Cosmo & Bohemian Pear our favs...THANKS to our waitress Hanna for her recommendations & great service. Will definitely be back. read more

Wonderful experience! The food was a delicious and fresh! The service was terrific (thanks Destiny)! The atmosphere was warm and homey! We loved Gigi's and can't wait to go back during our next visit to Penn State! read more

Great food and lots of gluten free options. One of the better restaurants in state college

My boyfriend goes to Penn State and every time I visit we try to go to different places. We decided on Gigi's for dinner. It was a cute place. I ordered a cup of French onion soup which was a beautiful presentation. We also got oysters and we both got a steak. The sweet potato fries we got as a side were delicious! The only reason I'm giving it 4 stars is because our service wasn't very great. We waited for awhile for our waitress to even get our drink order (they weren't busy at all) and when we told her it was our first time there and we had a few questions; she didn't seem to know anything about the happy hour specials and when asked about drinks, she didn't seem to know that either. The food was however very tasty. Verdict: We would go back! read more

Gigi's Southern Table - New American Near Me - State College, Pennsylvania

I saw one comment about the service being wildly different and sometimes totally unacceptable the first time we went there my wife ordered Irish coffee after dinner and it was cold this time we went there with friends and we got our cocktails with our soup and our salad and our main dish it was absolutely stupid how the service put everything on our table at one time however the food was really good everybody thought the food was good in our group read more

Slow service, inconsistent and weak drinks, cold biscuits, fishy salmon, and avocado was AWFUL (must have been frozen). For the money, some of the worst value in state college. The servers were trying and quite nice, but the overall experience was trash read more

Me and my girlfriend made reservations for NYE dinner. The atmosphere throughout the night was terrific, you could almost forget you were at a restaurant. For starters, we ordered the fried green tomatoes stack, basket of biscuits and pimento dip, all of these appetizers were delicious! When it came to our entrees, we were a little disappointed. I ordered the Prime Rib and my girlfriend ordered the Filet Mignon, both seemed to be under seasoned and a little on the plain side. For dessert, we ordered the Mississippi Mud Pie, probably the best one I've had yet. Overall it was a great experience, just disappointed to spend $50 each on an ordinary Prime Rib and Steak. read more

Gigi's Southern Table - New American Near Me - State College, Pennsylvania

Love this place. Decor is welcoming and warm, staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and the food is remarkable read more

Gigi's Southern Table - New American Near Me - State College, Pennsylvania

At its best, Gigi's is a good restaurant. There are plenty of options and the food is tasty and fresh. Gigi's struggles a bit with consistency; the same dish can often change quality-wise between visits in a significant way. I think that the interior if the restaurant looks excellent and it feels very warm. The service is good and the food is solid. I think it's definitely worth a try. read more

Have been to GiGi's several times. Today was lunch. Mahi Mahi Taco's were delicious. Sweet potato fries cooked to perfection. Did not have one today, but they make a great Martini with blue cheese stuffed olives. Nice Atmosphere this time of year with comfortable seating & a cozy fireplace. read more

Been here several times and the food is always good, but the service varies wildly! Sometimes we've had great service, but other times we've waited 10-15 minutes and then had to ask for someone to take our drink orders. During our latest visit, management and staff seemed to be confused and the bar was very slow in making drinks. Their excuse was that, "It's shift change..." I'm sorry, but Customers still expect service during, "shift change". The one bright spot was the manager, Charlotte. She had just came into the restaurant at that moment and quickly and professionally addressed our concerns. If not for her, I would have given fewer stars. read more

My boyfriend and I went for our 1-year anniversary and had a great time. food was delicious, especially the fish tacos. The french onion soup come inside of an onion, which is so fun! The hostess took a picture for us. Also, the waitress was very well versed on the menu, friendly, and helpful. The ambiance was beautiful. After 4 years of going to Penn State i would say Gigi's is my favorite restaurant in State College. read more

Entrees are ok to good....don't order the Jonah Crab Claws. They're dry and flavorless and $6 each! Update: nothing has changed. This time ordered the shrimp cocktail. $4 each. Tough. Tried the French onion soup; very thick and strong without crostini as described. Where are my beloved croutons? Bar has also declined. Used to have a decent bourbon selection. Bartenders lacking the skills and savvy of a fine dining restaurant. I've given this establishment, with a lovely ambiance, a last and final chance. Bye bye, Gigi's. read more

This place is just out of this world. Love the food here, service is great, and the staff are very friendly. Food literally melts in my mouth and I also love the desert here. The Mississippi mud pie is delicious and I recommend giving it a try. If you have not been here yet, you should definitely give this place a try. Hands down the best place if you want to enjoy a nice meal. read more

Atmosphere was nice albeit a bit loud. However, as a Southerner for the first 24 years of my life I can say that Gigi's is definitely posing as a "southern kitchen" and didn't bring much Dixie to their menu. Catfish, hush puppies, fried okra, purple hull peas and collards were all absent. No chicken fried anything or hog Jowel either. Instead, they offered soggy crab cakes as the nightly special that were the texture of baby food and hot "pimento cheese" dip that might have been able to pass for queso at Casa Bonita circa 1987 but definitely didn't come close to the pimento cheese experiences of true southerners. read more

Oh dear, new management and new menu have not improved the astoundingly mediocre GiGi's. I'm not going to go into great detail here, but my friends and I have been going since the place opened and have hoped that it would improve. Last night things did not seem much better. My biggest gripes: Cocktails: this is a place where it's only safe to order beer or wine. Though they offer a plethora of fancy martini-type drinks, they are not well made. Lemon Drop? no, Cosmo:? no. Chilled martini glases? no. bartending with a smile? not last night. Also, a good bartender will check over the bar... catch people's eyes and signal they will be getting back to them. Totally ignoring people until you can manage to "get to them" is not good. Service: slow and servers seem to be expecting something to go wrong. I mean they don't cook it, they just have to serve it. But they get the heat when the food is sub-par. On a busy night, she just seemed a little overwhelmed. Also, I gotta say that GiGi's aspires to a fine-dining or at least up-market bistro feel and I don't think servers should be wearing shorts. Food: mixed... definitely seems to have improved since the place openened. I have had several good dishes here. My house salad and shrimp cocktail were good. I've had the lobster salad - good also. Lobster mac and cheese was nice dish. But my friend ordered a creme brûlée -- it arrived completely liquid under the crisp top. Eew. Lighting: Seriously, how hard is it to work a dimmer switch. If I wanted to eat in a cafeteria, I would go to one. And yet... people go back. My friends and I go back. There are so few "fine dining" choices in this town and it's nice to have another option this end of town. That said, this place doesn't hold a candle to The Alehouse, Zola, Ottos, Gamble Mill in Bellefonte, the High street Pub in Bellefonte, Spats or The Autoport. And yet, given some tweaks, it certainly could. It is such a shame, because the decor, open-space rooms could be the basis for a hit restaurant and happening bar. Ottos has a similar size space and manages great service, food and steady bar service (so does Champs).. it CAN be done folks. I hate to write a review like this...but I'm hoping that the GiGi's "powers that be" read these reviews and work to improve, because you have a lot of patrons who want to like you and support you. read more