It took two years of living in Raleigh, but I finally experienced the PR. Well, once I finally found a parking spot up the street. I'm just thankful I did not have to parallel park! So I took one of the few seats left at the bar on a Tuesday night, and this really feels like the local neighborhood hang where people know each other. People of all kinds can feel welcome in there. They have drink specials every night, and I took advantage of several High Lifes. It was almost like I was living in the midwest again. I started with garlic parmesan wings. The menu said 6, but I got 8, all drums, which I had no problem with at all! Bleu cheese or ranch are added for free. One of the bigger wings had a little bit of pink though, that's not great. Then I had a Usinger's brat with peppers, onions on a toasted roll with a side of spicy mustard. Just 9 bucks. For my side, I got super thick onion rings with some horseradish sauce. Well worth the extra $2.75! The bartenders kept my water glass full. Even though the bar was quite packed, they seemed to do a very good job of keeping everything organized. It's a fun vibe for sure! read more

Great place to catch a game & have a solid meal! All of their apps are delicious, esp the fried pickles & wings. I got their new smashburger and it's now one of my favorites in the area. Very cool dive bar feel in there, but great service and quality food. read more

The Players Retreat - smashburger - Sports Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Food was great. We got the Caesar salad and the salmon burger. Our waiter was super nice, too. I do have one major complaint though. The amount of fruit flies and gnats in the place were appalling. We sat at the back booth near the kitchen and I killed at least ten with my hands and they were never ending. Not sure if I'll go back just because of that. read more

I LOVE The Players Retreat! It's such a historic icon of Raleigh. Their burgers are BOMB, but I really like their spaghetti with chili and cheese. It's such a delicious comfort food to me! They have great beers on draft, the staff is friendly, and it's a great place to watch a game. Highly recommend! read more

The Players Retreat - Sports Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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This is a great sports bar and p a short walk away from the bell tower. There is free parking across and slightly up the street right off the Oberlin/Pullen/Groveland Circle. There is outside seating on the sidewalk along Oberlin between Hillsborough and the circle. Great Sports bar menu. I love their hamburgers and corn beef Reuben sandwich. They will substitute salads for fries to keep us all healthy. The staff is always great. They make your experience very nice. I will be back again. read more

The Players Retreat - Outside area - Sports Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Good place on Hillsborough street near NC State. This is a classic little base and digger place in Raleigh. Casual vibes and a friendly staff. Basic bar fair but done well. The burgers are the way to go. Although I had the discuss chicken sandwich today and it was bomb. read more

First time here, one of the best burgers I've ever had! Delicious! The sausage dip is delicious - I make a similar one at home, called crack dip. Our server, Lily, was friendly and right on top of things. The ambiance is very cool - so nostalgic. Parking is close by and the lot fills up fast! Outdoor seating available, too. read more

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Onion rings and wings were great. Server was great as well. And a nice place to watch a game.

Good food for a college bar/ restaurant. All the plates we had were good. Onion rings were awesome.

Very very average. Maybe the standards have fallen a bit in recent years? We live nearby and eat here when friends insist on eating here. We order the Jalapeño poppers and the sausage dip. Burgers are ok. Potato skins are ok. Chicken sandwich is ok. Beer on tap is perhaps my favorite part of visiting The "PR" Service is normally very good. It can get very busy but the staff have always been on point during our visits. PR is a classic old-school long-bar local haunt with a nice healthy amount of grunge. No ferns or brass in sight. Just a typical college bar and grill. read more

30 years ago I ate here often withe engineering buddies. Always got the Gabby burger. But then I moved away. It's not often I remember food from 30 years ago, but this place is special, a staple for locals around NC State. My daughter is now moving here. The menu is much the same and I took my daughter here to introduce her. We sat outside, what a pleasant evening. The food was great and the service was too. I'll come here every time I visit. My daughter loved it too. read more

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What a great place to have a casual meal and a cold beer! I would call this a Beer Bar with a lot of character! Growing up in the 60's and 70's in Pittsburgh we all had a Beer Can collection! Well here the tradition continues on, I found my go to Iron City Steel Beer Can on the wall. I'm sure you will find your... go to as well. Walk around and look at the aquariums and everything else on the walls. I got a draft to start off with and it was nice and cold! For appetizers we got the Sampler, with Chicken Fingers, jalapeños Poppers, wings and ribs. The ribs, fell right off the bone... very good! I got a Cheeseburger with Onion Rings. Very good! Our waiter was awesome and always checked up on us. Now the feel good part.... The owner stopped by a couple of time to chat with us and he made us feel special! read more

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Saturday, January 24, 2026 As usual, the food was great, fresh, and perfectly cooked. The best part of our experience was the server, Miranda! She was was extremely professional, courteous, and a joy. She made our made a memorable experience. JL​ read more

What the hell happened to Players Retreat? Before Covid PR used to be a vibrant bar/grill with a diverse crowd and friendly bartenders/staff that took care of the customers. I'm an NC State fan and live nearby. PR was a place to could go to on game day or during a Holiday when there was nowhere else to go. The bar was rarely empty and you never knew you could be seating next to; a student/faculty, a hippie/biker, Wolfpack fan (or other fan), blue/white collar, old/young, gay/straight, white/black, whatever. Since Covid some of the bartenders/staff seem to be interested in socializing with friends/coworkers more than serving customers. Even worse some of the bartenders/staff seem to only care about monitoring the bar for tips or leftover change. In the past some bartenders have ignored me while I was waiting to be served. They only noticed money in front of me and came over to claim the tip. Then the original bartender thinks I did not leave a tip. Does this have anything to do with the place being emptier that usual or the management team? Over Labor Day weekend I was at the PR and one bartender served me a drink. Another bartender (with a bandana) came over and did not even look at me but tried to take the change. I told her she was good at stealing tips and mentioned this was change for another drink. Suddenly the manager came over to me and told to leave PR and never come back. As I left the staff came over clapping and cheering. As leaving I told the original bartender I had been going to the PR for 20 years. He responded back that I act weird and did not tip. read more

Great local Raleigh establishment that has managed to keep their food quality and vibe consistent throughout the years. Great food and great service no matter when you visit! read more

This place has the one of the best hamburgers in town. They grind their meat in-house so you can order any temperature you want. They also have great salads with in house made croutons. Everything is super fresh and made with care. The service is always on point and attentive. I usually sit at the bar. The ambiance is a basic sports bar with a "Cheers" vibe. read more

The bar has potential, but the experience fell short. Service was slow, drinks weren't great, and the bartender didn't seem engaged. Hoping it improves. The bar tenders are fucking rude and the servers are right there with them. read more

You can feel the history when you walk in the door! Good place for a drink or two while wandering the city.

We came here late at night for a bite to eat with friends in town, and it hit the spot. Great atmosphere with way too many TVs lol, awesome waiter named Matt, and lit hotdog! I got mine with relish, mustard, kraut, and ketchup. My husband got the BLT and loved it. We can't wait to go back! read more

The Players Retreat - Hotdog - Sports Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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I remember reading they had upped their food game. I just had a sad chicken club. Too much break. Chicken was cooked without an ounce of flavor. And very little chicken on the sandwich. Boring fries that probably came from a bag. Bread pudding without topping. Bummer. read more

Went to watch March Madness games. The server was great, and the food was delicious. The TVs outside and nice weather make it a great spot for hanging out and watching sports. read more

My husband put me onto this place! It's downtown Raleigh in a nice secluded area. The few times I've eaten here has been to go but the food hits every time. So far I can vouch for the cheeseburgers, grilled chicken club sandwiches, wings, chicken tenders, pasta salad, fries & onion rings AND the sweet tea! I will say the Buffalo sauce on the wings is extremely underwhelming, it tasted more like mild sauce as I was able to let my 3 year eat the wings because they weren't hot at all. I love hot food! Also, the salad was good but for $7 I expected a lot more salad but other than that, we like this place! Staff is always friendly when we order and pick up our food. They answer the phone and the wait times aren't crazy, I appreciate that! read more

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All I wanted was a drink and a laid back atmosphere and that's what they delivered. First off, they carded me, meaning verified my vaccination status and gave me a button to wear. Much appreciated. They only had one cider so I got the stem hibiscus cider which was not to sweet and not too dry. It was like Goldilocks- just Right! I had 2 while I ate poppers which are bacon wrapped cheese filled jalapeños with ranch dressing for dipping. There was 7 in an order which was an ample portion. The first 6 were mild and tasted great dipped in the dressing. Then I let my guard down and the 7th popper kicked my tail. Hottest jalapeño pepper I remember eating. Needed 2 waters to get my mouth cooled down and still tasted the heat when I belched on my long brisk walk after my PR stop. Good place to grab a drink and relax. Thanks! read more

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players retreat is always busy and it takes forever to get your food i wates 2 and a half hours for a burger and it was not good service was ok bad food everything looks nasty I can taste part of the burger that was from the freezer. Half undercooked half overcooked. 1 star read more

Absolutely amazing food. The service was great and quick. They're open late so great for a late night snack. They have a nice family style restaurant that also has a bar at it. Highly recommend! read more

Stopped by after another heartbreaker loss of the Lady Wolfpack Basketball Team to Boston College tonight. We tried their Reuben on rye with hand cut fries and their Classic club on rye with their hand cut beer batter onion rings and they were both delicious. The perfect comfort foods after watching the Lady Pack loss 8. The Rueben had a perfect balance of sauerkraut, Thousand Island dressing, Swiss cheese and piled high corned beef. The Classic Club had sliced grilled chicken, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and Dukes mayo on Rye. Service was spot on again today and the tavern was filled with NCSU and Carolina Hurricane fans watching the game on one of their 10-15 different TV monitors all on various sports channels. read more

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The PR has just reopened for curbside pickup. We missed you! Easy as pie you pull up, call 1 of 2 numbers, give them your space # & they hustle it out to you. I have really missed my beloved Gabby burger. We also indulged in the sausage dip with Fritos because it is Saturday! They will (just like when you dine in) let you substitute a side. My husband tried the wedge and fell in love. I just went with the garden salad but the herb Vinaigrette adds an incredibly fresh element to the salad. Can't wait to pick up again from the PR! read more

The Players Retreat - Curbside packaging - Sports Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

price false advertising and all around shady adding gratuities that make no sense. manager was a straight up liar when confronted about it

From a Duke man/guy This place is amazing and I like it's history. Food is great too. Enjoy being with my NC State brother(s) enjoying the experience. Keep rolling and being the best! -Gene Lavone Banks Duke Hall of Fame-94' ACC Hall of Fame-2017 read more

The Players Retreat - Gene Banks & Commissioner John Swofford - Sports Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Mediocre food and slow service. Stopped in with a client for lunch and wanted to enjoy lunch but underwhelming was all we experienced. Management requires proof of vaccine be shown to enter the establishment which my client did not have with them so we sat outside. As we sat water and menus were dropped then 10 minutes went by with no additional contacts even though it was slow both inside and outside of the business. Sandwiches were lacking corn beef in my opinion for the price of $12. Seems like it could have potential to serve a decent sandwich and kitchen just was not having an A game! If you at outside you will be swarmed with flies immediately upon food arriving. You have been warned. read more

Love this place! Excellent burgers, ambiance is nostalgic, and the staff is friendly. There is always a tasty special and enough room to seat large parties, indoors or out. Things I always remember; the jalapeño poppers are SPICY (watch out wimps), always ranch with house-made chips, the app sampler isn't worth it (sorry PR!).... Just get the dip for the table!! read more

Proof of vaccine or you get segregated and shunned into a corner... Room smells like urine, not very enjoyable. Used to love this place, shame it's dropped off and the food isn't the quality It was a one time. read more

Waiter lied about the amount of gratuity on bill. Stated it was 15% and actually charged 20%. Would be aware for fraud.

We are in Raleigh for orientation at NC State. We met a wonderful woman who recommended that we come here to eat. She couldn't stress enough how we had to "see" the history. We have been all around Raleigh and have never been treated as disrespectfully as here. First, we did not carry our vaccination cards because nowhere has asked for them in SO long. Secondly, things have changed so much, why would we? Thirdly, even last year in Raleigh, nowhere required anything. So we were denied entrance to the main eating area because we didn't have them. We were put in a very small room with nothing exciting about it. So we got to see NOTHING that would be interesting. There is nowhere close enough to go to eat that my elderly mother could walk to. Nowhere else we visited in Raleigh asked us for anything. Including NC State university! When I asked to speak to a manager/owner I was told you "just missed him". Convenient. Yes they are a private business and can do what they want. But they don't have to be nasty about it. Oh and there are NO official rules regarding Covid anymore. They need to get over themselves. Our last day in Raleigh was ruined by short sighted, nasty people. We'll be coming to Raleigh often in the future, but will never set foot near this place again. Covid is here to stay. Get used to it. read more

The Players Retreat - Mourning room? Seriously?? - Sports Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Average food nothing special Waiter was incompetent I did not know how to use the cash out handheld register that he had to use to correct the mistakes that he made on the bill right Bearish read more

Good food and comfortable atmosphere....food was great and service was solid..... Great place to revisit after so many years away from this area.... read more

A Raleigh institution! I miss Rusty Bob & Tom Hanula but the PR is my favorite bar in Raleigh, hands down! Used to cut class at Broughton and go there to shoot pool. At 1 point in my youth I worked/ ate/ partied & probably even slept there. It may have matured a bit, or maybe just me, but I'll always think of the PR & I'll think of home... read more

I do not recommend this establishment. Would not Meg us in if we didn't show vaccination card

We started going to the PR during the pandemic for the outdoor dining. When the PR is on its game it is quite good, both the service and the food. In fact, the burgers are some of the very best in town. Over the past year or so the food has become very inconsistent. Sometimes it's fantastic for what it is, while other times it's just not good. Today I ordered the hotdog with chili, slaw and onions. The hotdog was good, the bun was stale, the chili was cold, it came with relish instead of slaw, and the onions were just thrown on the plate. The only redeeming feature of the meal is that the fries were hot and crispy. Along with the decline of the food, the service has also become very slow and inattentive. Our server today was friendly and competent at his job, but he wasn't paying us enough attention. When he finally brought us the check, the manager eventually took our payment because the server was nowhere to be seen. If the PR wasn't capable of offering good food and good service, that would be one thing. Frankly, there are plenty of bars offering mediocre food and service at this price point that are also a shorter drive. However, we have been to the PR enough times when the service was excellent and the food was hot, fresh, and delicious to make me know that they are capable of more. I hope the owner is paying attention and corrects this decline. The food and service are definitely two stars, but the overall review gets three stars because the outdoor dining is always a pleasant experience. read more

Lunch on a Saturday. Service was excellent. Fries were hot & crispy. Burgers were totally over rated over pressed rubbery & small. Ordered medium & medium rare. It's a sports bar. Loud with the game on. It's a trip down memory lane for NCSU grads & a big local hangout known for the food, but so not impressed with the burgers. read more