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

I LOVE their drinkssss!! Great atmosphere as well! Lots of places to sit, and they have food!read more

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.

We had a great afternoon at Central Reservation. We were able to sit at the bar with all the garage…read moredoors open, and it was so much fun people watching! We just had drinks and appetizers but the bartenders were friendly and helpful throughout our time. The hummus and veggies were perfect and we loved the decor of the restaurant...especially the backs of the bar chairs...gotta love Miss Piggy!

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.

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

Horrible. 2 men sitting at the bar saying they were going to punch each other. I tried to diffuse…read morethe situation. Bartender assumed I was the troublemaker. I get kicked out. Very poor way of handling the situation. I certainly think I was discriminated against! 2 idiots getting ready to punch each other and I get kicked out. Horrible management. You better be a friend of the bartender or your be discriminated against!!!

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!

Disappointing. I kid you not, the bacon in the burger they served me was as hard as steel. I…read moredon't expect perfect food when I go out but it needs to be better than this. Lots of beers on tap.

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!

Friday before a big game... we stopped in for a drink around lunch. Sat at the bar... sat...sat…read more.. sat ...others showed up, we all sat waiting to be served. They only had one bar tender, making the drinks for those at the tables and those sitting at the bar! Andy did the best he could, but Management did not have his back. There was a waitress trying to fetch bottles and other things for him. Andy did make a a great Margarita! With that being said, we will not be coming back until Management fixes their issues.

Triplet's was very busy, but service still seemed excessively slow even when standing at the bar…read more They had a lounge area outside where we were able to sit and relax with our drinks. No waitress there, but we went to the bar for drinks. The bar was very loud and had a fairly decent selection of beer. Even a delicious sour beer for me. They also have a full bar.