I'll get into the details of this specific location, but first the chain... This chain wants be a restaurant, but wants to cater to the fast food market even more. In the end, I'm not really sure what you would call this sort of dining. Perhaps "college campus diner" or "Panera meets Sonic" is a better label for this style of dining? You order at a register like a fast food place, choose your own seating arrangement like a fast food place, but then wait for the server to bring you your food and bring you extras such as condiments like a restaurant. However, you don't tip. So perhaps it's a best of both worlds arrangement? This location... Decent for fast-food. An above-average seating area for fast food, and better than average service for fast food. The cashier, who also ended up bringing our food out to us, was polite and friendly. The tables were fairly well cleaned, and the location as a whole was clean, but the soda fountain service area was a wreck: little garbage can overflowing and lids everywhere. 1.) Japanese Pan Noodles. This is what I ordered. Everything in it was good, all of the veggies were fresh, and the dish was good for fast food standards. A couple drawbacks: the sauce is good and spicy, but a little too strong (too salty from the soy sauce) on a few bites. The noodles are supposed to be "caramelized" just a bit when they cook them. However the line cook must of confused this description for charred. Because about 1/10 of the noodles had thick burn marks on them. I have a feeling the cook doesn't really know how to caramelize anything, so they just let them sit in the pan too long to burn. Still, most the dish was fine. The chicken I added to mine was pretty good. I was impressed that it was real pieces of chicken instead of processed chicken. 2.) Pad Thai. My wife loves pad thai, but she was not so happy with this dish. Unlike mine that had almost too much sauce, hers didn't have enough. The noodles were good, and ingredients fresh, but the dish overall was very bland for her. The shrimp she added was good. 3.) Chicken noodle soup. My wife added this to her dish, and I tried it. It was pretty good, but not that much better than canned soup. The only difference is that the noodles and chicken were not as mushy as canned soup, so this is a little more fresh. Not nearly as good as Panera soups though. Some other notes... the soda fountains are the newer, Coke-owned ones with touchscreens. That's nice to see. Also, they only have a few boots here, so if you're a fan of cozy seats, grab one while you can. There were two booths open when we arrived, and I'm glad I grabbed one with our order number stand before getting our drinks, as the place picked up with more customers soon after. The prices for meat add-ons varies a lot. Chicken is only $2.50, while Shrimp is around $4.
(3)
Nicole S.
I always get the Pad Thai whenever I go to Noodles and it's always delicious. The staff is friendly and there is always plenty of room to sit down. The last time I was there I received the wrong order, but the server quickly fixed their mistake and brought me a new plate.
(4)
M C.
I ordered a regular Pad Thai (~$6). The portion size was fair for the price, but the flavor was bland and the noodles definitely were NOT fresh. It looked like a frozen microwave meal but just with a bunch of bean sprouts added on. Once I picked up a noodle, all the others were stuck to it in a bowl-shaped chunk, so you could tell it probably was reheated from frozen leftovers or something. I probably won't go back to Noodles & Company again.
(1)
Misty F.
Tried delivery from Noodles & Company for the first time tonight...I had BUFF Tuscan Fresca with Grilled Chicken Breast and my husband had the mushroom stroganoff with noodles. We both really enjoyed the food. Inexpensive and flavorful. My BUFF entree substituted fresh spinach for noodles, so it was a healthy, low calorie dinner option. Will definitely order again.
(4)
Cindy L.
This restaurant is supposed to be fast-casual style so with that in mind, the food is going to lack in flavor as far as noodles and pasta go. I don't know if this concept works for pasta and noodle dishes. The wait here wasn't super quick either so it would have been the same at a sit down restaurant where they actually take the time to prepare your pasta/noodle dishes.
(1)
Michael M.
The Food: (Average) There is nothing extraordinary about this food, however the taste is delicious and texture usually great. The noodles, vegetables, and soups are all satisfactory, however all fall short in some way. My favorite dish - and my new usual for lunch - is the Pesto Cavatappi, which has amazing flavors with a modest amount of calories. The Atmosphere: (Average) It is a fairly pleasant lunch environment with a clean dining room and outside lunch area. Although I would not recommend the restaurant for a date, it is not a bad choice for an affordable lunch with the work peeps. The Price: (Excellent) This is the part where Noodles & Company shines. For a decent lunch meal and drink, it is only about $6. Compared to other relatively healthy food options in the area (e.g. Fiddlehead, Starbucks, etc.), it offers the lowest price for a adequate lunch that is only around 400 calories. Also, considering they have the fancy soda machines that allow you choose from many many different flavors of your choice, the drink is worth the price. The Service: (Below Average) The cashiers/waiters/waitresses border between happy and complacent. I never felt like the staff was very personable or remotely concerned about how much I enjoyed the meal. On the other hand, they definitely are not rude either. Overall: Good for a daily lunch of low-ish calorie, good-priced noodles.
(3)
Andres L.
So I got another free bowl coupon in my email and had it for lunch today. Same thing but with parmesan crusted chicken. It wasn't as good as the steak. Also there was a slight mis-taste in my dish. Like somebody drizzled lemon juice on it. Maybe it was too much white wine. I also noticed a lot of appealing dishes today while I was staring at the menu.
(4)
Guy F.
Got BBQ pork Mac and side tomato bisque soup. Noodles were ok I guess. The shredded cheese on top was not all melted and the pork pieces were not hot I would say they were warm.. The soup was hot and ok but salty. Everything was very salty. Service was ok but I would say there are definitely better, cheaper, and possibly even faster options around town.
(2)
Nittany Vegetarian A.
Have been to this place 3 times. I give them 4 stars for choices in vegetarian food. The food is ordered at the counter and they give you a number which you put on the table and somebody brings in the food you have ordered. The sad thing, every single time, the food is warm to cold. Mac and cheese that is not piping hot is not tasty. The Thai dishes are lukewarm. I will not go here again. I prefer to go to Cozy Thai or Panera.
(2)
Rose W.
My favorite place to eat in State College. I have probably been here 50x and I've loved it every time. They have free wifi so its a great place to grab food alone and do some work. They're always super fast & friendly! The Penne Rosa is delicious and the Med Salad has an amazing spicy dressing! Best Tomato Basil in State College. Tip: Get the smalls, they're big enough to feed you if you add on a side salad or soup for only a dollar. You won't spend more than ~5 bucks and you'll be satisfied.
(5)
Michael W.
Apparently this place is a chain establishment. If so, then I really am perplexed on how this place is still in business. Noodles and company serves up soup, salad, and various types of noodles. From pad thai to spaghetti, you really have a wide spectrum on what you can order. As far as the layout goes, it is very fast food-esque in the sense that you do order up front. The difference is that they actually bring the food to your table. If you're on the hungrier side, then you can opt for a combo, which includes a bowl of noodles and a side of soup for around $10. I decided to order some beef stroganoff and a tomato bisque on the side. Now before I get into the specifics of each dish, this place is pretty gross overall. The tomato bisque wasn't horrible, but it tasted right out of the can. Put some parsley and some pepper on a bowl of Campbells soup and you pretty much have the same thing. Now as far as the pasta goes, it was just pretty flat out disgusting. The meat in my pasta did not look nor even taste remotely close to how meat should. It literally looked like dry brown cardboard, and tastes pretty similar to cardboard as well. The sauce was just doughy and if you gave me a box of Hamburger Helper, I probably could make something that tastes better. Luckily this place is located in a college town, because 18 year old kids probably won't even know the difference. Overall, Noodles & Company is relatively overpriced for what you get. Save your $10 because I'd rather eat bread and water than come back to Noodles & Company.
(1)
Peng X.
The Truffle Mac used to be the bomb but they don't make that anymore. I tried the BBQ Pork Mac and it was so bad that I couldn't finish it. This Noodle Co used to be great but I feel the quality has gone down during my last visit.
(2)
Lorena E.
Underrated, decent food. But not the best food I've had around here. My first visit was after a vigorous hardcore workout. So I was starving, everything tasted amazing and I ate far more than usual. I thought very highly of this place! Gave it a second try. This time it wasn't post workout. I got a more realistic taste of the food. It works in a pinch but overall, it's just meh. If you want Asian food, go to an Asian restaurant. If you want Italian, go to an Italian place. Get the real deal. It costs the same, but tastes better. Noodles and co is basically fast food.
(3)
Sean Z.
The food is good, but hair freaks me out. I've been here twice and both times I had hair in my food. I've heard this from others as well. This scares me.
(1)
Kiryu K.
Food took forever to make. When the food finally came, it looked like it only took 30 seconds to slap together. i ordered the Mediterranean Gyro, they used a dried up flat-bread that ripped in 2 pieces when it was folded.
(1)
Michaela R.
I got the Indonesian peanut noodles and it tasted just like a microwavable Asian meal. The vegetables looked gross and soggy and old and the bean sprouts on it were not fresh at all and everything was cold. Not coming back.
(1)
Rob P.
Overall, Noodles adequate. When entering you place your order at the counter. Conveniently, they have a menu board in the entry way that describes all of the dishes so you know what to order when you get to the register. After you order, you get your drinks (they have one of those nifty computerized Coke machines that you can choose from probably a hundred different kinds of soda/lemonade/tea) and then sit down. Your food is then brought you. We went there for lunch. My wife ordered the Japanese Pan Noodles with a small order of garlic bread and I ordered the Whole Grain Tuscan Linguine with Parmesan Chicken. Each of us chose the small plate, which was plenty for lunchtime. The food was fresh and delivered to our table fast. The chicken, while it tasted okay, was extremely flat. Overall, the food was a step up over fast food, but a step down when compared to other chains that have a similar feel (i.e. Panera). I would go back again as the food was okay, the price was right, and they were fast.
(3)
David S.
I've been there a couple of times before. The place is clean and well organized, if it's nice outside then they have the sits outside open which is nice. You order up front, get a number which you place on your table of your choice and they will bring the food to you when ready. It's nice. I usually order the steak stroganoff which is always pretty good. Their typical meal/combo comes with a small soup on the side. The Tomato Basil Bisque I ordered a few times was very good. I highly recommend you try it. I think their chicken noodle soup is also slightly better than that of Panera Bread. Overall I've never had much issue with the food. It's not the greatest, but it's certainly a nice place to eat lunch with a bunch of friends. If you order a drink you get a cup and you fill it in their soda fountain. Their soda fountain is not your typical soda fountain! Their have this really nice computerized coke machine that offers quite literally 100s of different types of drinks - coke with any combination, sprite with any combination, tea, etc... It's pretty cool. One last thing I should note is that sometimes during lunch during school days it might be a little slow with all the students in there. It's not a biggie but something to consider. Overall it's a nice place with nice people, good food. Try it.
(4)
Kevin C.
A friend gave me a coupon for a free noodle dish/bowl of soup, so I decided to give this place a try. It turned out to be a great dining experience. I ordered the Chicken Noodle Soup, which has slices of chicken breast with celery, carrots, onions, and egg noodles. It was really delicious and well-balanced; the chicken was cooked nicely, the soup was seasoned perfectly with just the right amount of pepper, and the texture of the wavy egg noodles went well with the rest of the dish. The service I received was friendly and prompt; after placing my order, it only took a minute or so before someone brought it to my table. The dining environment seemed pretty comfortable as well. I'll definitely be visiting again.
(5)
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
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Address :244 W College Ave
State College, PA, 16801
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : No Caters : No
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
John S.
I'll get into the details of this specific location, but first the chain... This chain wants be a restaurant, but wants to cater to the fast food market even more. In the end, I'm not really sure what you would call this sort of dining. Perhaps "college campus diner" or "Panera meets Sonic" is a better label for this style of dining? You order at a register like a fast food place, choose your own seating arrangement like a fast food place, but then wait for the server to bring you your food and bring you extras such as condiments like a restaurant. However, you don't tip. So perhaps it's a best of both worlds arrangement? This location... Decent for fast-food. An above-average seating area for fast food, and better than average service for fast food. The cashier, who also ended up bringing our food out to us, was polite and friendly. The tables were fairly well cleaned, and the location as a whole was clean, but the soda fountain service area was a wreck: little garbage can overflowing and lids everywhere. 1.) Japanese Pan Noodles. This is what I ordered. Everything in it was good, all of the veggies were fresh, and the dish was good for fast food standards. A couple drawbacks: the sauce is good and spicy, but a little too strong (too salty from the soy sauce) on a few bites. The noodles are supposed to be "caramelized" just a bit when they cook them. However the line cook must of confused this description for charred. Because about 1/10 of the noodles had thick burn marks on them. I have a feeling the cook doesn't really know how to caramelize anything, so they just let them sit in the pan too long to burn. Still, most the dish was fine. The chicken I added to mine was pretty good. I was impressed that it was real pieces of chicken instead of processed chicken. 2.) Pad Thai. My wife loves pad thai, but she was not so happy with this dish. Unlike mine that had almost too much sauce, hers didn't have enough. The noodles were good, and ingredients fresh, but the dish overall was very bland for her. The shrimp she added was good. 3.) Chicken noodle soup. My wife added this to her dish, and I tried it. It was pretty good, but not that much better than canned soup. The only difference is that the noodles and chicken were not as mushy as canned soup, so this is a little more fresh. Not nearly as good as Panera soups though. Some other notes... the soda fountains are the newer, Coke-owned ones with touchscreens. That's nice to see. Also, they only have a few boots here, so if you're a fan of cozy seats, grab one while you can. There were two booths open when we arrived, and I'm glad I grabbed one with our order number stand before getting our drinks, as the place picked up with more customers soon after. The prices for meat add-ons varies a lot. Chicken is only $2.50, while Shrimp is around $4.
(3)Nicole S.
I always get the Pad Thai whenever I go to Noodles and it's always delicious. The staff is friendly and there is always plenty of room to sit down. The last time I was there I received the wrong order, but the server quickly fixed their mistake and brought me a new plate.
(4)M C.
I ordered a regular Pad Thai (~$6). The portion size was fair for the price, but the flavor was bland and the noodles definitely were NOT fresh. It looked like a frozen microwave meal but just with a bunch of bean sprouts added on. Once I picked up a noodle, all the others were stuck to it in a bowl-shaped chunk, so you could tell it probably was reheated from frozen leftovers or something. I probably won't go back to Noodles & Company again.
(1)Misty F.
Tried delivery from Noodles & Company for the first time tonight...I had BUFF Tuscan Fresca with Grilled Chicken Breast and my husband had the mushroom stroganoff with noodles. We both really enjoyed the food. Inexpensive and flavorful. My BUFF entree substituted fresh spinach for noodles, so it was a healthy, low calorie dinner option. Will definitely order again.
(4)Cindy L.
This restaurant is supposed to be fast-casual style so with that in mind, the food is going to lack in flavor as far as noodles and pasta go. I don't know if this concept works for pasta and noodle dishes. The wait here wasn't super quick either so it would have been the same at a sit down restaurant where they actually take the time to prepare your pasta/noodle dishes.
(1)Michael M.
The Food: (Average) There is nothing extraordinary about this food, however the taste is delicious and texture usually great. The noodles, vegetables, and soups are all satisfactory, however all fall short in some way. My favorite dish - and my new usual for lunch - is the Pesto Cavatappi, which has amazing flavors with a modest amount of calories. The Atmosphere: (Average) It is a fairly pleasant lunch environment with a clean dining room and outside lunch area. Although I would not recommend the restaurant for a date, it is not a bad choice for an affordable lunch with the work peeps. The Price: (Excellent) This is the part where Noodles & Company shines. For a decent lunch meal and drink, it is only about $6. Compared to other relatively healthy food options in the area (e.g. Fiddlehead, Starbucks, etc.), it offers the lowest price for a adequate lunch that is only around 400 calories. Also, considering they have the fancy soda machines that allow you choose from many many different flavors of your choice, the drink is worth the price. The Service: (Below Average) The cashiers/waiters/waitresses border between happy and complacent. I never felt like the staff was very personable or remotely concerned about how much I enjoyed the meal. On the other hand, they definitely are not rude either. Overall: Good for a daily lunch of low-ish calorie, good-priced noodles.
(3)Andres L.
So I got another free bowl coupon in my email and had it for lunch today. Same thing but with parmesan crusted chicken. It wasn't as good as the steak. Also there was a slight mis-taste in my dish. Like somebody drizzled lemon juice on it. Maybe it was too much white wine. I also noticed a lot of appealing dishes today while I was staring at the menu.
(4)Guy F.
Got BBQ pork Mac and side tomato bisque soup. Noodles were ok I guess. The shredded cheese on top was not all melted and the pork pieces were not hot I would say they were warm.. The soup was hot and ok but salty. Everything was very salty. Service was ok but I would say there are definitely better, cheaper, and possibly even faster options around town.
(2)Nittany Vegetarian A.
Have been to this place 3 times. I give them 4 stars for choices in vegetarian food. The food is ordered at the counter and they give you a number which you put on the table and somebody brings in the food you have ordered. The sad thing, every single time, the food is warm to cold. Mac and cheese that is not piping hot is not tasty. The Thai dishes are lukewarm. I will not go here again. I prefer to go to Cozy Thai or Panera.
(2)Rose W.
My favorite place to eat in State College. I have probably been here 50x and I've loved it every time. They have free wifi so its a great place to grab food alone and do some work. They're always super fast & friendly! The Penne Rosa is delicious and the Med Salad has an amazing spicy dressing! Best Tomato Basil in State College. Tip: Get the smalls, they're big enough to feed you if you add on a side salad or soup for only a dollar. You won't spend more than ~5 bucks and you'll be satisfied.
(5)Michael W.
Apparently this place is a chain establishment. If so, then I really am perplexed on how this place is still in business. Noodles and company serves up soup, salad, and various types of noodles. From pad thai to spaghetti, you really have a wide spectrum on what you can order. As far as the layout goes, it is very fast food-esque in the sense that you do order up front. The difference is that they actually bring the food to your table. If you're on the hungrier side, then you can opt for a combo, which includes a bowl of noodles and a side of soup for around $10. I decided to order some beef stroganoff and a tomato bisque on the side. Now before I get into the specifics of each dish, this place is pretty gross overall. The tomato bisque wasn't horrible, but it tasted right out of the can. Put some parsley and some pepper on a bowl of Campbells soup and you pretty much have the same thing. Now as far as the pasta goes, it was just pretty flat out disgusting. The meat in my pasta did not look nor even taste remotely close to how meat should. It literally looked like dry brown cardboard, and tastes pretty similar to cardboard as well. The sauce was just doughy and if you gave me a box of Hamburger Helper, I probably could make something that tastes better. Luckily this place is located in a college town, because 18 year old kids probably won't even know the difference. Overall, Noodles & Company is relatively overpriced for what you get. Save your $10 because I'd rather eat bread and water than come back to Noodles & Company.
(1)Peng X.
The Truffle Mac used to be the bomb but they don't make that anymore. I tried the BBQ Pork Mac and it was so bad that I couldn't finish it. This Noodle Co used to be great but I feel the quality has gone down during my last visit.
(2)Lorena E.
Underrated, decent food. But not the best food I've had around here. My first visit was after a vigorous hardcore workout. So I was starving, everything tasted amazing and I ate far more than usual. I thought very highly of this place! Gave it a second try. This time it wasn't post workout. I got a more realistic taste of the food. It works in a pinch but overall, it's just meh. If you want Asian food, go to an Asian restaurant. If you want Italian, go to an Italian place. Get the real deal. It costs the same, but tastes better. Noodles and co is basically fast food.
(3)Sean Z.
The food is good, but hair freaks me out. I've been here twice and both times I had hair in my food. I've heard this from others as well. This scares me.
(1)Kiryu K.
Food took forever to make. When the food finally came, it looked like it only took 30 seconds to slap together. i ordered the Mediterranean Gyro, they used a dried up flat-bread that ripped in 2 pieces when it was folded.
(1)Michaela R.
I got the Indonesian peanut noodles and it tasted just like a microwavable Asian meal. The vegetables looked gross and soggy and old and the bean sprouts on it were not fresh at all and everything was cold. Not coming back.
(1)Rob P.
Overall, Noodles adequate. When entering you place your order at the counter. Conveniently, they have a menu board in the entry way that describes all of the dishes so you know what to order when you get to the register. After you order, you get your drinks (they have one of those nifty computerized Coke machines that you can choose from probably a hundred different kinds of soda/lemonade/tea) and then sit down. Your food is then brought you. We went there for lunch. My wife ordered the Japanese Pan Noodles with a small order of garlic bread and I ordered the Whole Grain Tuscan Linguine with Parmesan Chicken. Each of us chose the small plate, which was plenty for lunchtime. The food was fresh and delivered to our table fast. The chicken, while it tasted okay, was extremely flat. Overall, the food was a step up over fast food, but a step down when compared to other chains that have a similar feel (i.e. Panera). I would go back again as the food was okay, the price was right, and they were fast.
(3)David S.
I've been there a couple of times before. The place is clean and well organized, if it's nice outside then they have the sits outside open which is nice. You order up front, get a number which you place on your table of your choice and they will bring the food to you when ready. It's nice. I usually order the steak stroganoff which is always pretty good. Their typical meal/combo comes with a small soup on the side. The Tomato Basil Bisque I ordered a few times was very good. I highly recommend you try it. I think their chicken noodle soup is also slightly better than that of Panera Bread. Overall I've never had much issue with the food. It's not the greatest, but it's certainly a nice place to eat lunch with a bunch of friends. If you order a drink you get a cup and you fill it in their soda fountain. Their soda fountain is not your typical soda fountain! Their have this really nice computerized coke machine that offers quite literally 100s of different types of drinks - coke with any combination, sprite with any combination, tea, etc... It's pretty cool. One last thing I should note is that sometimes during lunch during school days it might be a little slow with all the students in there. It's not a biggie but something to consider. Overall it's a nice place with nice people, good food. Try it.
(4)Kevin C.
A friend gave me a coupon for a free noodle dish/bowl of soup, so I decided to give this place a try. It turned out to be a great dining experience. I ordered the Chicken Noodle Soup, which has slices of chicken breast with celery, carrots, onions, and egg noodles. It was really delicious and well-balanced; the chicken was cooked nicely, the soup was seasoned perfectly with just the right amount of pepper, and the texture of the wavy egg noodles went well with the rest of the dish. The service I received was friendly and prompt; after placing my order, it only took a minute or so before someone brought it to my table. The dining environment seemed pretty comfortable as well. I'll definitely be visiting again.
(5)