Located in the heart of State College is where you'll find Cafe 210 West. It's conveniently located right across the street from Penn State, so prepare yourselves to be bombarded with undergrads galore. This place is your typical college bar. Beer pong? Check. $2.75 20oz of Coors? Check. Pitchers of long island? Check! They even have the authentic college feel to it. Sticky floors and plastic cups. As much as I don't like drinking around college kids, I can't knock on these prices. With a $20 bill, you can walk away with a decent amount of alcohol. If you do come early enough, there are plenty of seats for you to hang out with you friends. Any later, and you're stuck crowd surfing to the bar and back. Here, they also have an outside area for all you smokers and further inside is where they tend to have live bands perform. Pretty good I suppose. This place takes me back to my days as an undergrad where I would love to pound pints of cheap beer and have shots of Bacardi Superior. I love it, but I don't know how much I love it at age 27.
(3)
Mark R.
Terrible place to see a band play! Went to see Cabinet, a local band that just so happened to playing where I was working. Paid my tab and 10 minutes later I was being kicked out?! WTF?! Cabinet played a great show and nothing against them, but this venue is messed up! I will never pay to enter your venue again and I hope others will see this and feel the same way. TERRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!
(1)
Megan K.
The Cafe is a great place to hang out if you can get a seat outside, inside, it about the same as any other bar. If you go, order the Skillet Fries, they make it worth the trip.
(3)
Sara U.
CHEAP! And I don't mean cheap like the date I had where the excuse of "I only have a 20 dollar bill and didn't realize this steak house would cost more than that" or "You like beer? Cheap date! Why don't we just buy some at the store and go back to my apartment over my grandma's garage?" NO! So the $2 cover (because of a band) threw us off at first. I do not even get charged for covers in NYC! Oh I was mad. I stared down the money taker as I thrusted my crumpled left over $2 in her face and tapped my foot impatiently. When did my mood change??? $3 for a large beer? YAY! $5 for shots? YAY! I had a lot of beer. I had a lot of shots. I had to be up early to do a group presentation in my grad school class. I got 3 hours of sleep. It was worth it. THE END!
(4)
Danny B.
Well, it turns out that I've been here many more times since the visit which prompted my original review. This is not my favourite place to go at night. It's OK. However, it's a bit overcrowded, with high cover charge and only mediocre drink specials, most of which do not apply on football-game weekends. The entertainment at night is good sometimes. I much prefer the Cafe for eating outside on the front patio during the appropriate season. Some of the food specials are quite good. There are half-priced appetizers during happy hours, and there are five-dollar "High Noon" lunch specials on weekdays (11:30 - 2). I especially like the chicken parmesan sandwiches and the chili cheese fries; I do not like the nachos (too salty) or the wraps (just bland). Service is OK, on average.
(4)
Dave H.
I've been to Cafe 210 several times for random reasons. Last time I visited, I realized I didn't pay cover, and I told the bouncer on my way out. He said to not worry. (I guess I dropped enough at the bar, but I paid the few bucks anyway.) Apparently there's a restaurant past the front patio and bar, but I've never seen it for myself. Patrons are pretty friendly, with a few folks dancing, but most usually sit, especially at the front patio. (After a few shots of tequila, sitting isn't the worst idea.) It gets crowded, but I've never had issues getting a bartender's attention. Bartenders haven't always been the friendliest, not sure what's up with that? But hey, your mileage may vary. Cafe 210 isn't worth waiting in line for, but it isn't a bad stop if you're hitting multiple bars.
(3)
Erin R.
Cafe is a State College bar landmark that no respectable bar tour would be without. Their food and alcohol is cheap and they have seating areas out front and in the back that are great on nice days. The reason I won't give it a better rating is that the main reason for liking Cafe (the outdoor seating) isn't really a function of anything the owners do, other than the fact that they wisely bought a place that had room for outdoor seating. Cafe has no appeal to me in the winter time. The inside is unremarkable and the service is almost always sub-par. I've also had friends get kicked out for very weird reasons, like one friend whose shoe had unfortunately broken while she was out. They deemed that to mean she was too drunk, but actually her shoe just broke. It happens. And I had another acquaintance who was kicked out after someone picked a fight with her, because according to Cafe "Both parties in a dispute must be escorted out." It's a great place when the weather's nice, but most places in State College have good drink specials, so if it's raining/cold, I'd go somewhere else.
(3)
Chrissy C.
Long Beach iced tea and a chicken caesar salad. Repeat the tea until you have jelly legs. You're welcome. ...Come here early on nice days. People skip class once April rolls around to sit here and drink tea all day. Live bands are night are pretty solid too.
(4)
Travis M.
Try the skillet fries and wash it down with a cafe tea
(5)
Sanjay P.
The four stars is just for memory and nostalgia - the experience this time around when I went back with my wife was not that great but, while a student at Penn State, this was a regular haunt. Its great for the poor college student with its happy hour specials. Great patio in front and back. Basically just a great place for the college student to get some cheap drinks!
(4)
Karen P.
Bouncers were horrible. Not sure why but we were not allowed : in the bar tonight. Bouncer was a little power hungry. DO NOT go this bar. Idiots!f
(1)
Alex L.
Definitely go during Happy Hour! $2 Long Island Ice Teas are definitely worth it! Sometimes there is a cover of $2-$3 dollars especially when there is a band playing. Definitely can improve on the seating indoors when it is cold. They definitely need more seats in Cafe, as a lot of people normally stand. When it is warm, there is a patio/outdoor seating and it is normally crowded instantly
Pub grub at it's finest. Love the patio. It's pretty much a college dive bar with live music or karaoke. It's usually a good time.
(3)
Ryan O.
Best place in town to grab a table and have some drinks outside on a nice day. Good drink specials, live music inside and two outdoor seating areas. The front is ideal for people watching and waiving down old friends strolling down College Ave on game weekend. The back outdoor seating area is more secluded but a great option for dinner and drinks.
(5)
Dana R.
I haven't finished making the rounds yet, but so far Cafe is definitely my favorite bar in State College. The outdoor seating is great when the weather is nice and I am a big fan of the flavored cafe tea pitchers. I also love that this bar every Friday is host to My Hero Zero, a band that MAKES the party. My friends and I split an order of their skillet fries which were delicious but easily devoured in minutes. The service is sub par but the prices are great, cheap beer, reasonably priced teas, and a lot of space to hang out with friends!
(5)
Jennifer W.
A great place to grab a bite to eat and enjoy some drinks. Two words, SKILLET FRIES. They do not disappoint. Wash it down with a Cafe Long Island Ice Tea and you are set. If its nice out, they have a front and back deck which makes for a great experience. I love State College and never visit without one or two visits to Cafe
(5)
Ashleigh C.
Maybe it was the weather, maybe it was because I was only 2 weeks into being 21, maybe it was the fact that my drinks were being paid for, maybe it was the peach long island iced tea. Whatever it was, I loved it! :]
(4)
Mike A.
I can never really get enough of this place, especially when the weather's nice and the patio/deck are open. The food is delicious, the drinks are delicious, and stuff is cheap. Skillet Fries and Teas FTW.
(5)
Casey W.
#NAME?
(3)
Ayush K.
Cafe has somewhat become a Friday afternoon, after-class, go-to place for my friends and I. If you get in early enough (a little before 5), you won't have to pay cover and the happy hour starts at 6. The service can be iffy at times but the outside seating and a somewhat shack-like atmosphere makes it a no-brainer. Skillet fries are great appetizers to go with your cafe tea, and if you're feeling it, you could even stick around for a good band or two. I personally prefer the outside seating at the back only because it provides a decent volume of music while at the same time leaving room for conversation to fill in. Buy your first drink at the bar and then sit down; it can take the server 30 min to get to your table.
(4)
Danny S.
I miss this place. Great place to go when the weather is warm on a Friday afternoon and just have lunch and a few drinks outside. I'm not too fond of coming here during the night hours, but I think this place is perfect for the afternoon/evening hours to just hang out with your friends. The food is okay, nothing special, but I usually just order whatever food special they have that day.
(4)
Paige D.
I wavered between 2 and 3 stars, and am going with 3 for benefit of the doubt. We went pretty early (6:30) on a Saturday for dinner. We had to pay cover just to eat, which was frustrating, because the band barely started by the time we had left at 8. It wasn't terribly busy, but our waitress seemed very frazzled. She forgot my beer, and then gave me the wrong one on top of it. I asked her what the "Pennsylvania Craft Beer" was, and she told me it was like Yuengling... but it was the Lancaster Milk Stout. Little bit different :) It took us probably about 30 minutes to even get our food order in. Previous posters are right: generally, the booze is pretty cheap. And hey, the food is decent-- I liked that they had jalapeno cheddar wraps, so I wrapped my buffalo wrap in that... but let's be honest, it still wasn't spicy. I can dream, right? I keep hoping... I'm sure it will be more towards the 3 stars I gave it come summer when it's warm out, but right now I'm ambivalent towards it.
(3)
Natalie D.
This was probably my favorite of the places I went to during my visit. I agree with Jackie V. - avoid the place like the plague on Friday during football season (it was packed so we didn't even attempt), and that the service is slow. The beer I ordered was in a huge Go Lions! cup, and the food was a pretty big portion, at least for me. We sat on the patio on a gorgeous night and watched everyone going by. It was pretty relaxing, and very cheap. It was also very spacious and the back yard looked pretty fun, even though we didn't get out there. They too are extremely strict with carding, and studied my ID for what seemed like ages, passing it between three people at the door! But once we got in it was a good time.
(4)
Jackie V.
Four stars might seem a little inflated for the Cafe, but what can I say? I'm a total sucker for patios. Let's just call this 3.5. I've been here in the hot weather, the cold weather, during the day, during "happy hour" (which, may I add, begins at 10pm), and after work. I've never really had a bad experience (note: in order to prevent said bad experience, I do avoid the Cafe during Senior Week, Arts Fest, and warm Fridays during football season). Obviously the Cafe's best feature is the patio, but I suppose I could say the same thing about my backyard. There are always drink specials, they will make vegan food as needed, and the bill is always less than I think it will be. The biggest drawback is the service. No matter what day it is (including 2pm on a random Tuesday in the early non-patio going spring), service is always s.l.o.w. Typically I don't mind, however, since I don't go if I'm in a rush, but if you're looking for something speedy, this place isn't it. With all that said, as much as I like patios, there's no way I'd wait in line or pay a cover to get in. Do you feel the same way? Get here before 9pm on weekends and snag some prime time seating for free ;)
(4)
Brian B.
I actually decided to come during the daylight hours for a change and to be honest it changed my impression of 210 a lot. That's not to say it still doesn't become a cesspool of drunk nouveau frat types come happy hour, but a daylight lunch experience is a nice changeup. Got a pint of Victory summer pils, their "Clem's" burger (uses their BBQ sauce among other things), and a side order of beer battered fries. Fries are close to Otto's, but not quite the same. The burger was a tad pricey ($8.50) but it was extremely delicious. Service was meh but didn't really mind since it was such a nice day out. In the least amount of words, there's a reason as soon as people turn 21 around here that they come for lunch, perch themselves at an outdoor table with a Long Island and the daily special and watch State College go by.
(3)
Jimmy K.
Cafe 210 is a staple of State College. As soon as the weather warms up in the Spring, there really isn't a better place to spend your Friday afternoons. Sipping on teas with your friends on the patio? What could be better? Food is pretty decent too. I'd really recommend the Chicken Parm Grinder, as well as the fries. Nothing goes better with some Teas, than skillet fries. Cafe has become the go-to place on Wednesdays too, now that they have Go-Go Gadjet performing every week.
(4)
Chris M.
Alright folks, Cafe 210 is definitely worth your time. This place is among one of the most visited bars in the Penn State community. It really captures the atmosphere of what going out in a large college community is like. Also the music is usually good and they have special events like pong tournaments. That's the good part of Cafe 210. The downside that stops this from being a 4 or 5 star review is the combination of prices for their drinks and their cover charges. While their house made teas usually go on sale, other drinks are pricey (but this is common in this market). Also their cover can be pretty high during certain weekends. If you are looking for a place to grab a drink and watch State College pass on by, hit up Cafe 210.
(3)
tiffanie l.
So I will admit, service isn't always great. But you can't beat the prices or the atmosphere. It screams college and it is an awesome place to go whenever. One of the best bars at state college to just chill at.
(4)
Sandy M.
"The Cafe" as it's known locally is part bar, part restaurant, but a lot of people don't get beyond its front patio seating. That's just fine, since the front patio is by far the biggest draw and the only way you're really getting the true Cafe 210 experience. Most entrees and appetizers on their menu will leave you full and satisfied, but I think they do the best job on their sandwiches (especially the "Godfather"). Their lunch specials and their Nachos Grande were always my favorites, and they have a really good salsa. They do have a lot of food specials daily (check out their website for these and entertainment schedules, as well as their full menu). The seating is a bit crowded and if you're outside, you can choose only from large or small round tables with plastic patio chairs, so don't expect to get *too* comfortable. The real reason to come here, though, is to sit out front, drink a Long Island Iced Tea, and watch the people walking and driving up and down College Avenue! Who needs a band?! Inside, the restaurant has an elevated seating area in the front and a few tables at entrance-level. In the back, a long, fully-stocked bar leads to a large room with a few additional tables and the stage for musical acts. Weekly performances by local bands and musicians usually begin around 10 p.m. The back patio is accessible through this back room and features more outdoor tables and picnic tables, but it's not as exciting as the front patio, and definitely not as clean. For its nightlife, the Cafe usually offers nightly beer and mixed drink specials. The crowd is varied and depends on what kind of entertainment is featured that night.
(3)
Melissa K.
We went here on a Tuesday night, arriving around 7. At that time the front was fairly empty, but when we left an hour and a half later it was full. We ordered three pitchers of Miller Lite for $4.75 each. A bargain considering a month ago I paid $12 for a pitcher of Bud Light in LA. The waitress must have forgotten about the third one because it took awhile to get to us. The food--save your money. $6.75 for a raw veggie wrap and over seasoned tortilla chips.
(2)
Janet F.
The service tends to be slow here, but I love the patio during warm months and I love the wings here! There are many places to feast on wings in State College and these are some of the best. They've also got an excellent strawberry spinach salad which is wonderfully tasty when you want to get away from the grease and fattiness of the diets of most college students.
(4)
Steve W.
I like their happy hour specials and outdoor seating in the summer.
(4)
Mike R.
Great atmosphere. Get a seat outside if it's nice but don't get the suicide wings if you are busy the next day!! Good if you like college-party atmosphere. Can be smoky outside at times. Sometimes there are live music. Not the best service.
(4)
Rachel L.
Cafe 210 is the place you walk by when you're under 21 and just think "I can't wait till I'm 21 and can sit outside at Cafe!" and let me tell you, its a wonderful thing when you first can! After graduating, I've learned to appreciate the $6 teas and bacardi pitchers and the group bonding around the tiny tables. Minus 1 star because it's not nearly as nice when you're inside, and the food is OK. State Patty's was fun here; they served green beer and had a good band. I'd rather spend my afternoons here than evenings, but can be a good place to start out the night!
(4)
Brian B.
Fairly mild mannered bouncers (except on crazy nights of course, and the occasional deutsche bag), fun and mostly energetic waitresses, bartender friendliness can be hit or miss (it does get crowded and insane), and the long island ice teas are phenomenal... kind of their signature happy hour thing! Without fear of hurting their business, I would stay away from it on football weekends...its just too crowded!!. Oh, and by the way the food is really good!
(4)
H.S. G.
Ah Cafe 210. My lasting impression of you will always be the evening my friends and I were enjoying a drink or two on your back patio only to have a beer dumped on us by some a**hole standing on the landing above us. When we reported said dbag to the staff we found ourselves being escorted out of the establishment because "both parties of any type of confrontation must be deported from the premises." Smart move making us leave out the back and the other guy from the front....like we couldn't have run around to the other side of the street to kick his ass. Lucky for you my friends achieved our revenge by pissing on the side of your building : ) Cheers cafe 210! Getting to the facts: wait staff always seemed 100% rude : the northface/greek life types who wanted a cool job but never learned those ever so important customer service skills. Get off your high horse. You work at a bar.
(1)
Andy S.
This was the place to go if you wanted to sit outside and drink incredibly strong Long Island Iced Tea...no other reason to be here...none at all. Decent place to start the evening but then hit the road once it fills up.
(2)
Jessica R.
The front patio of the Cafe is the best place to sit outside for drinks in State College and the first part of the place to fill up in nice weather. The inside isn't bad either and I like the back patio when you want things a little quiter. The place is famous (or infamous, depending on how many you've had) for their Long Island Iced Teas. They have your normal domestic beers on tap and serve the typical bar food like wings, nachos, quesadillas. Last week when I was there I really enjoyed their chicken quesadilla. They've also got good nachos and wraps. The staff has never been the friendliest or most competent, but nothing out of the ordinary for a college bar. Depending on when you go, this can be a good place to chill or be filled with frat boys/sorostitutes. Luckily, you'll be able to tell just by what crowd is out front.
(3)
Stacy M.
This place is sticky. That's the predominant thing that stuck out with me. The waitstaff at 4pm on a Saturday is nice.
(2)
Gina C.
The food was fast and tastes good. I would try the buffalo chicken dip- and if you go on Thursdays the 32 oz pitchers of (any flavor)alcoholic tea drinks for $4 and the wraps are all a dollar off. In the summer the outside porch is perfect for a drink on the patio, but make sure you're not stuck at a table next to another table of smokers.
(4)
Felicity C.
Have only been here a couple times every time service is slow and waiting time is long. The food I feel like is very hit or miss cuz it's so different stuff you either like it or you don't wasn't super impressed from what people where saying.
(3)
Amanda L.
worst service i have ever received in my entire life BUT the 4 stars are saved by basically everything else. Great drinks, great atmosphere. It's always the first place that comes to mind on a really nice day if my friends and I want a few drinks (or pitchers...) Not sure why the service is as bad as it is though...It's honestly unbearable. Being distracted by friends and the fun of being outside makes it a little easier to tolerate. But it's harder and harder to watch my tip go in my careless waitress's pocket every single time I go. On the 1st day of 55 Days of Cafe, the waitress took my $20 to pay for my $6 bill and never returned. Once i FINALLY flagged her down she replied "Oh I forgot". I understand it was busy that day, but it was no where near busy enough to forget to bring me $14 worth of change.
(4)
Jessica B.
Well, I just don't know how to rate Cafe 210. When I was 18, I was a dishwasher here. I would have rated them a 1. Luckily for them, I didn't really know what sexual harassment and wage theft was back then. When I quit, they threatened to not pay me for the last week I worked, but unbeknownst to them, I had already picked up and cashed the check. Suckers. This would have been '87ish, I have no idea if they are under new ownership now. When I was older, it was a good place to hear bands and get drinks, so more of a 3? And now, as a returning townie, we came back and sat outside, feeling old and eating DELICIOUS PORK NACHOS. So good. So traif. So not on my diet. I would imagine it would be fun to see a good band here, but the students hanging out were more of the sorority girl/dude bro type. The smoking on the patio thing is totally weird. Illegal in my home state and not something I'm used to. We had a nice, cute waitress and I felt like telling her, "It Gets Better!"
(3)
Anna M.
Cafe 210 had a decent ambiance, very typical of a college bar. The food was nothing to write home about but the drink specials were a great deal! I enjoyed eating on the patio except for all of the other people around me smoking Overall, I had a great night out with my friends and would recommend cafe 210 for a casual night out!
(3)
Alaina H.
I've never liked cafe, mainly because it always reminded me of a middle school dance, but tonight it went above and beyond the douchebaggery debauchery that was normal for a Saturday night and sucked ass extra hard. blah blah blah I don't care, everyone who works there is obviously mad about their own lame lives fight me, wire rims
(1)
Meghan M.
If its a beautiful day in Happy Valley and you're over 21, you should be at Cafe. With two outdoor patios, sit and people watch on College Ave while sipping a liquor pitcher, or, head out back and enjoy beers with friends. Like other reviews, the 4 stars are garnered by the ambiance and bar deals because the service is beat. Don't expect to see your server often, and if you do order food, it tends to take a while. You may want to even consider grabbing drinks from the bar and then moving outside.
(4)
Rachel K.
I came here for my friend's graduation celebration. This is your absolutely quintessential PSU bar to the core! Everyone's favorite cover band (My Hero Zero) was playing so there was a small cover fee. I think it was only $2. The place was crawling with students, ridiculously drunk, all sweating it out on the dance floor. Classic. Remember, a night here is not complete until you order a pitcher. Warning: they are potently strong and dirt cheap, so watch yourself. If you don't want to rock out and dance by the stage--we did--there are tons of tables and bar space, plus a patio when it's nice out. The employees can be pretty gruff but I'm sure they deal with a lot so I overlooked that in the end. Overall, a fun time to relive the undergraduate days. Also, if you're looking to make a few bad decisions with a stranger, this would be a good place to start.
(4)
Jay D.
We went to Cafe 210 West while visiting my girlfriend's brother at State College. It was a relatively cool summer afternoon, so we sat outside on the patio. We sat near the street, and it was relatively quiet for being on the main drag. The menu was well-priced, and there was a rotating specials list. The drink special today was $3.50 Blue Moon Drafts, which we ordered. Bar Service was quick. The food arrived in a timely fashion, and I ordered the Buffalo Chicken Salad. The greens in the salad were a little old, but the chicken was cooked well. Service was a little slow. We liked that they provided a pitcher of water, but our Waitress had a lot of tables, so it was a little difficult for her to personalize the experience for us.
(3)
Jared J.
The quintessential State College Bar. Listen guys go here for the outdoor seating when the weather gets nice. Just perfect for people watching and day drinking. Cafe 210 West has amazing happy hour specials, a lot of space to move around and not feel cramped, as well as appropriate service for a bar of this caliber. I can recall shots girls here almost all the time so feel free to check it out in the evening for some free shots.
I loved coming here for lunch when I was in State College. I would come for their burger basket specials with a pitcher. With the outdoor seating, this was the perfect place for relaxing and day drinking.
(4)
Zach Z.
Best bar in State College. The teas are to die for.
(5)
Greg W.
Pushy college kid bouncer gave me crap about bringing in a plastic bag from CVS during the middle of the day. Relax kid. Inside the drinks were fairly cheap but not crazy cheap like a lot of other bars around. Service was fine from the clearly inexperienced bartender, she was trying though so it was all good. Odd crowd during the day and the place could use a makeover. Meh really was the way to describe it!
(2)
Michael M.
The Food: (average) I ordered the Cafe Classic Special, which is half of their Godfather specially sandwich - and a choice of soup or salad. Right off the bat, the flavors were wonderful and the meat cooked exactly to my liking. The chili (soup) that came with the meal was also very hearty and perfectly balanced between cheese and beans. Atmosphere: (average) Often, you will find this place busting at the seems with large parties, sport fanatics, and PSU football game aftermath. For some reason, it was unusually empty on this Friday afternoon. It decor is kind of boring, nothing remarkable. The commonplace picture of Joe Pa, a few TVs, and a bar. The most notable feature is its outdoor seating, probably the largest on College Avenue (seating close to 50 people, I would imagine.) Price: (above average) For the Cafe Classic Special, it cost me $8, which is for half a sandwich and soup. Appropriate in my opinion. It should be noted they have $5 lunch special, so that deserves some props. Service: (average) Service was average in terms of courtesy and knowledge of menu, nothing remarkable.
(3)
Cody P.
We went to Cafe 210 West last night for my girlfriends birthday. It was the first time I had ever been there and it will be the last. It was me, my girlfriend, her sister and a friend. We had eaten hardly anything throughout the day and we were throughly famished when we got there. There was a cover charge to get in, even though we were only there for food and drinks. After we sat down, it took about 10 minutes for a waitress to get to us. We started with water and it came back to us promptly, along with some STALE chips with some salsa to start with, but she wanted to know if we were ready to order already. We were ready to order drinks but we didn't all know what we were eating yet. My girlfriend (the birthday girl) asked the waitress that if she didn't like her drink, could she exchange it for something else, to which the waitress says "Not really, because it comes out of my pay." That is one of the most unprofessional things I've ever heard a waitress say. It all went downhill from there. After that, we waited for about another 15 minutes for her to come back with our drinks. The waitress said that she would be right back to take our order after she dropped off our drinks. Well...she never came back...not even once. We sat there for well over a half hour. We couldn't even drink our drinks because none of us had eaten anything that day. Me and my girlfriend went to find the manager so we could get some service, and he was apologetic and told us that he would get our waitress over to us right away so we could order. We sat there for about another 15 minutes with NO service at all, our waitress never showed up after we had already talked to the manager, so I assume that he did nothing. After this, we had enough and we went to find the manager to tell him that we were leaving. He told us that our waitress was busy and we just need to wait. We were there for over an hour and never even got to order our food. We still had to pay for the drinks that none of us had even gotten to drink and for the stale chips that we did eat, only because we were all starving. It should have been gratis after our awful experience. I will never eat there again. Thank you Cafe 210 West for ruining my girlfriends birthday.
(1)
Scott B.
If you want good service where your server is up on checking if you need more drinks don't come here!!! Terrible service by untrained staff that could care less about customer satisfaction.
(1)
Mike F.
Good lunch nice outdoor patio drinks good fireball powerful. Free soda refills. Burger and pulled pork special were very good. Music wasn't too loud inside. The men's room was definitely a college setup. Service was attentive and good. Would come back
(4)
Nick V.
CAUTION: totally safe to go for lunch, but I'm sure it turns into a crazy college bar for dinner. Good quick food. Our waiter was a little slow and forgot to ask us if we wanted anything to drink. Little on the dirty side, but the buffalo chicken wrap I got made it worth it. The food presentation was nice and it was definitely fresh.
(4)
Janis W.
Cafe 210 West is a nice option on a summer day as you can take advantage of their outdoor patio. I like it because there is plenty of shade so you don't get sunburned while you eat. This trip though the outdoor patio was full, so we ate inside. They have a nice selection of sandwiches, I got a chicken wrap, kids got hamburgers, and it all came out quickly and tasted great! My only complaint is that the wrap came with tortilla chips and salsa as the side, and the salsa came in these really little cups. I guess it wouldn't have been bad except that the salsa was super chunky so one scoop in and the cup was empty - if it had been smoother I'm sure it would have lasted longer. Will do this stop again!
(4)
Tom I.
Good food had the Philly sandwich with the terrific French fries, and of course good beer! Outdoor seating was nice but a chilly evening brought us inside!
(4)
Rob C.
For late-night dining, it's a decent choice depending on who's playing. They'll always have a special going. The service staff are nice for the times I've been there. I would suggest bringing friends to this place as it has an atmosphere for reconnecting. When you're inside though, tables may be hard to come by. On nights they have live music, it does get a bit loud. To me, this is what people would refer to as the typical college bar.
(3)
Thom Y.
Food is very bad! Drinks and cocktails are not much! The outdoor area is this place's only advantage!
(2)
Todd W.
If I could give a restaurant 0 stars I would. I'm sitting here as I write and there is nothing positive about this place. They won't let us play any drinking games, such as thumper, stating that PA law says that it's illegal. Which it's not, I looked it up. The buffalo quesadilla is simply a tortilla wrapped around cooked chicken, hot sauce, and shredded cheese. A picture is attached. It's not even cooked. Don't ever go here.
(1)
Nate S.
Cafe is a blast during the warm months, but is really nothing special when it's cold outside. I'm a fan of craft beer, and Cafe seems to consistently carry only one or two craft beers at a time, changing them every so often. They have decent food and drink specials, but nothing extraordinary. That being said, I'm sure I'll be returning as soon as the weather gets warm.
(3)
J'dinkalage M.
I LOVE the pitcher specials. Miami Beach is the best. That's the only reason why I go there. The service is hands down the worst in all of state college. Waitresses will disappear for 20 minutes at a time. Tables will go un-bused throughout the night. They always seem to have too many bouncers standing at the door and not enough wait staff filling orders promptly.
(2)
Michelle C.
I've ended up here a couple times while in the area for work conferences. There is nothing special about the place other than the simple fact that you can sit outside on a nice day and get $4.50 - $5 pitchers of beer and some cheap eats. Hanging out and eavesdropping on all the college kids around the patio fills me with nostalgia for my own college days mixed with relief that I'm past all that drama!
(3)
Eric K.
This place is my go to favorite when it's nice out. Oh sure there's others that do the outdoor thing (Gman, the deli, etc) but NONE do it quite like this place. Service is prompt even when busy, the menu COULD be better and I'm not a "bar guy" so i can't really tell you about the night life here, or I'd have probably 5 starred it.
(4)
Camilo B.
Servers are decently hot, food is great during happy hour. Everyone gets LIT's for 2.50 but I suggest a Miami beach..... Tastes better and I think has more alcohol. Drinking atmosphere is awesome. Definitely a nice place to come ham on a budget.
(4)
Speecy Spicy M.
Good Outdoor seating( best place in SC when its nice outside) Location Pretty good Happy Hour Tuesday wings are excellent Lots of seating College hangout Bad Most of the food-it is not very price worthy you're overpaying for so-so food Not a lot of alcohol in the drinks Everyone likes the teas but I think they taste like strong lemon mix Ugly Cover every night of the week...like wtf- I came to eat dinner with some friends and all got charged $3 because it was after 9 and it wasn't even busy $2 nachos- they're the worst - soggy just turrrbl
(3)
Del S.
Its good when they have drink specials. Not a personal favorite of their food. I heard the owner isnt very pleasant though and there have only been a few complications with service.
(3)
Andrew P.
Great drink specials, good cheap bar food, and the patio all make Cafe one of my favorite spots in State College. I come here pretty regularly. They have a predictable schedule of specials every weekday (excluding event weekends), that make it easy to plan for. Looking for something to eat on a Wednesday? $3.50 pulled pork sandwiches. Hungry on a Monday? Burger and fries. Looking to get drunk on something sweet? Long island iced tea pitchers, every day. 1/2 price drinks and appetizers for most Happy Hours is another plus. This is the sort of place you can get a good buzz without spending a lot of money, and everyone needs a place like that. The food is actually pretty good. Most of it is just normal bar food. Fairly standard wings, burgers, fries, and chicken fingers...But their cheesesteaks are really good! These are real Philly Style steaks, made with chip steak and cheez whiz, served on an Amoroso roll with or without onions. Probably the best cheesesteak in town. As a weekday lunch special, you can get a cheesesteak and fries for $5. Honestly, I think I'm here for that lunch special more often than I come to party. Just sidle up to the bar, order a cheesesteak and a beer, and get out for less than $10. Even with all that, the patio is the best feature of the place. As Winter turns to Spring, and the semester starts to wind down, you begin to see more and more people grabbing tables outside to enjoy the good weather. It's a perfect place to sit and people watch on a warm Saturday evening, or enjoy lunch on a Summer afternoon. The patio can get a bit crowded, but that's the price you pay, I guess.
(4)
Sean O.
So much to love about Cafe 210 West. 1) It's not a dingy basement bar 2) They have live music all the time 3) If you don't feel like being drowned out by the music, there's other places to go and sit. 4) You can sit outside on a nice day, or on a rainy one. In short, for live music, good drinks (and drink specials) and decent food. There aren't really better places than Cafe 210. It's that simple.
(4)
Josh G.
Cheap, slutty pitchers. Abort, abort, abort. Now! Last line inside joke.
(4)
Susie R.
This is a great place to grab some drinks with friends. You will definitely want to go during happy hour because they have amazing specials! It's really nice because they have outdoor seating, so on nice nights you can chill outside, which is really great for when you want to have a conversation because inside can get really loud. This is a really popular bar so be prepared for a crowd. This was my favorite place to go during the summer because it is much less crowded, or you can get there earlier to avoid waiting in line. There are always food and drink specials so you can go there and grab some food and hang with friends or you can party and dance with the band. You should definitely check Cafe out. It is one of my favorite bars to go to in downtown State College.
(4)
Jen M.
Great place for students and the younger crowd. Outside seating is definitely the best part in warmer weather. Good Specials, too! Food is average. Nothing super special, but not a bad hang out by any means!
(4)
Andy S.
This was the place to go if you wanted to sit outside and drink incredibly strong Long Island Iced Tea...no other reason to be here...none at all. Decent place to start the evening but then hit the road once it fills up.
(2)
Dave H.
I've been to Cafe 210 several times for random reasons. Last time I visited, I realized I didn't pay cover, and I told the bouncer on my way out. He said to not worry. (I guess I dropped enough at the bar, but I paid the few bucks anyway.) Apparently there's a restaurant past the front patio and bar, but I've never seen it for myself. Patrons are pretty friendly, with a few folks dancing, but most usually sit, especially at the front patio. (After a few shots of tequila, sitting isn't the worst idea.) It gets crowded, but I've never had issues getting a bartender's attention. Bartenders haven't always been the friendliest, not sure what's up with that? But hey, your mileage may vary. Cafe 210 isn't worth waiting in line for, but it isn't a bad stop if you're hitting multiple bars.
(3)
Erin R.
Cafe is a State College bar landmark that no respectable bar tour would be without. Their food and alcohol is cheap and they have seating areas out front and in the back that are great on nice days. The reason I won't give it a better rating is that the main reason for liking Cafe (the outdoor seating) isn't really a function of anything the owners do, other than the fact that they wisely bought a place that had room for outdoor seating. Cafe has no appeal to me in the winter time. The inside is unremarkable and the service is almost always sub-par. I've also had friends get kicked out for very weird reasons, like one friend whose shoe had unfortunately broken while she was out. They deemed that to mean she was too drunk, but actually her shoe just broke. It happens. And I had another acquaintance who was kicked out after someone picked a fight with her, because according to Cafe "Both parties in a dispute must be escorted out." It's a great place when the weather's nice, but most places in State College have good drink specials, so if it's raining/cold, I'd go somewhere else.
Pub grub at it's finest. Love the patio. It's pretty much a college dive bar with live music or karaoke. It's usually a good time.
(3)
Ryan O.
Best place in town to grab a table and have some drinks outside on a nice day. Good drink specials, live music inside and two outdoor seating areas. The front is ideal for people watching and waiving down old friends strolling down College Ave on game weekend. The back outdoor seating area is more secluded but a great option for dinner and drinks.
(5)
Rob C.
For late-night dining, it's a decent choice depending on who's playing. They'll always have a special going. The service staff are nice for the times I've been there. I would suggest bringing friends to this place as it has an atmosphere for reconnecting. When you're inside though, tables may be hard to come by. On nights they have live music, it does get a bit loud. To me, this is what people would refer to as the typical college bar.
(3)
Thom Y.
Food is very bad! Drinks and cocktails are not much! The outdoor area is this place's only advantage!
(2)
Nick V.
CAUTION: totally safe to go for lunch, but I'm sure it turns into a crazy college bar for dinner. Good quick food. Our waiter was a little slow and forgot to ask us if we wanted anything to drink. Little on the dirty side, but the buffalo chicken wrap I got made it worth it. The food presentation was nice and it was definitely fresh.
(4)
Janis W.
Cafe 210 West is a nice option on a summer day as you can take advantage of their outdoor patio. I like it because there is plenty of shade so you don't get sunburned while you eat. This trip though the outdoor patio was full, so we ate inside. They have a nice selection of sandwiches, I got a chicken wrap, kids got hamburgers, and it all came out quickly and tasted great! My only complaint is that the wrap came with tortilla chips and salsa as the side, and the salsa came in these really little cups. I guess it wouldn't have been bad except that the salsa was super chunky so one scoop in and the cup was empty - if it had been smoother I'm sure it would have lasted longer. Will do this stop again!
(4)
Tom I.
Good food had the Philly sandwich with the terrific French fries, and of course good beer! Outdoor seating was nice but a chilly evening brought us inside!
(4)
Todd W.
If I could give a restaurant 0 stars I would. I'm sitting here as I write and there is nothing positive about this place. They won't let us play any drinking games, such as thumper, stating that PA law says that it's illegal. Which it's not, I looked it up. The buffalo quesadilla is simply a tortilla wrapped around cooked chicken, hot sauce, and shredded cheese. A picture is attached. It's not even cooked. Don't ever go here.
(1)
Nate S.
Cafe is a blast during the warm months, but is really nothing special when it's cold outside. I'm a fan of craft beer, and Cafe seems to consistently carry only one or two craft beers at a time, changing them every so often. They have decent food and drink specials, but nothing extraordinary. That being said, I'm sure I'll be returning as soon as the weather gets warm.
(3)
Cindy L.
I loved coming here for lunch when I was in State College. I would come for their burger basket specials with a pitcher. With the outdoor seating, this was the perfect place for relaxing and day drinking.
(4)
Zach Z.
Best bar in State College. The teas are to die for.
(5)
Greg W.
Pushy college kid bouncer gave me crap about bringing in a plastic bag from CVS during the middle of the day. Relax kid. Inside the drinks were fairly cheap but not crazy cheap like a lot of other bars around. Service was fine from the clearly inexperienced bartender, she was trying though so it was all good. Odd crowd during the day and the place could use a makeover. Meh really was the way to describe it!
(2)
Amanda L.
worst service i have ever received in my entire life BUT the 4 stars are saved by basically everything else. Great drinks, great atmosphere. It's always the first place that comes to mind on a really nice day if my friends and I want a few drinks (or pitchers...) Not sure why the service is as bad as it is though...It's honestly unbearable. Being distracted by friends and the fun of being outside makes it a little easier to tolerate. But it's harder and harder to watch my tip go in my careless waitress's pocket every single time I go. On the 1st day of 55 Days of Cafe, the waitress took my $20 to pay for my $6 bill and never returned. Once i FINALLY flagged her down she replied "Oh I forgot". I understand it was busy that day, but it was no where near busy enough to forget to bring me $14 worth of change.
(4)
Jessica B.
Well, I just don't know how to rate Cafe 210. When I was 18, I was a dishwasher here. I would have rated them a 1. Luckily for them, I didn't really know what sexual harassment and wage theft was back then. When I quit, they threatened to not pay me for the last week I worked, but unbeknownst to them, I had already picked up and cashed the check. Suckers. This would have been '87ish, I have no idea if they are under new ownership now. When I was older, it was a good place to hear bands and get drinks, so more of a 3? And now, as a returning townie, we came back and sat outside, feeling old and eating DELICIOUS PORK NACHOS. So good. So traif. So not on my diet. I would imagine it would be fun to see a good band here, but the students hanging out were more of the sorority girl/dude bro type. The smoking on the patio thing is totally weird. Illegal in my home state and not something I'm used to. We had a nice, cute waitress and I felt like telling her, "It Gets Better!"
(3)
Anna M.
Cafe 210 had a decent ambiance, very typical of a college bar. The food was nothing to write home about but the drink specials were a great deal! I enjoyed eating on the patio except for all of the other people around me smoking Overall, I had a great night out with my friends and would recommend cafe 210 for a casual night out!
(3)
Alaina H.
I've never liked cafe, mainly because it always reminded me of a middle school dance, but tonight it went above and beyond the douchebaggery debauchery that was normal for a Saturday night and sucked ass extra hard. blah blah blah I don't care, everyone who works there is obviously mad about their own lame lives fight me, wire rims
(1)
Stacy M.
This place is sticky. That's the predominant thing that stuck out with me. The waitstaff at 4pm on a Saturday is nice.
(2)
Meghan M.
If its a beautiful day in Happy Valley and you're over 21, you should be at Cafe. With two outdoor patios, sit and people watch on College Ave while sipping a liquor pitcher, or, head out back and enjoy beers with friends. Like other reviews, the 4 stars are garnered by the ambiance and bar deals because the service is beat. Don't expect to see your server often, and if you do order food, it tends to take a while. You may want to even consider grabbing drinks from the bar and then moving outside.
(4)
Gina C.
The food was fast and tastes good. I would try the buffalo chicken dip- and if you go on Thursdays the 32 oz pitchers of (any flavor)alcoholic tea drinks for $4 and the wraps are all a dollar off. In the summer the outside porch is perfect for a drink on the patio, but make sure you're not stuck at a table next to another table of smokers.
(4)
Rachel K.
I came here for my friend's graduation celebration. This is your absolutely quintessential PSU bar to the core! Everyone's favorite cover band (My Hero Zero) was playing so there was a small cover fee. I think it was only $2. The place was crawling with students, ridiculously drunk, all sweating it out on the dance floor. Classic. Remember, a night here is not complete until you order a pitcher. Warning: they are potently strong and dirt cheap, so watch yourself. If you don't want to rock out and dance by the stage--we did--there are tons of tables and bar space, plus a patio when it's nice out. The employees can be pretty gruff but I'm sure they deal with a lot so I overlooked that in the end. Overall, a fun time to relive the undergraduate days. Also, if you're looking to make a few bad decisions with a stranger, this would be a good place to start.
(4)
Jay D.
We went to Cafe 210 West while visiting my girlfriend's brother at State College. It was a relatively cool summer afternoon, so we sat outside on the patio. We sat near the street, and it was relatively quiet for being on the main drag. The menu was well-priced, and there was a rotating specials list. The drink special today was $3.50 Blue Moon Drafts, which we ordered. Bar Service was quick. The food arrived in a timely fashion, and I ordered the Buffalo Chicken Salad. The greens in the salad were a little old, but the chicken was cooked well. Service was a little slow. We liked that they provided a pitcher of water, but our Waitress had a lot of tables, so it was a little difficult for her to personalize the experience for us.
(3)
Jared J.
The quintessential State College Bar. Listen guys go here for the outdoor seating when the weather gets nice. Just perfect for people watching and day drinking. Cafe 210 West has amazing happy hour specials, a lot of space to move around and not feel cramped, as well as appropriate service for a bar of this caliber. I can recall shots girls here almost all the time so feel free to check it out in the evening for some free shots.
If you want good service where your server is up on checking if you need more drinks don't come here!!! Terrible service by untrained staff that could care less about customer satisfaction.
(1)
Mike F.
Good lunch nice outdoor patio drinks good fireball powerful. Free soda refills. Burger and pulled pork special were very good. Music wasn't too loud inside. The men's room was definitely a college setup. Service was attentive and good. Would come back
(4)
Michael M.
The Food: (average) I ordered the Cafe Classic Special, which is half of their Godfather specially sandwich - and a choice of soup or salad. Right off the bat, the flavors were wonderful and the meat cooked exactly to my liking. The chili (soup) that came with the meal was also very hearty and perfectly balanced between cheese and beans. Atmosphere: (average) Often, you will find this place busting at the seems with large parties, sport fanatics, and PSU football game aftermath. For some reason, it was unusually empty on this Friday afternoon. It decor is kind of boring, nothing remarkable. The commonplace picture of Joe Pa, a few TVs, and a bar. The most notable feature is its outdoor seating, probably the largest on College Avenue (seating close to 50 people, I would imagine.) Price: (above average) For the Cafe Classic Special, it cost me $8, which is for half a sandwich and soup. Appropriate in my opinion. It should be noted they have $5 lunch special, so that deserves some props. Service: (average) Service was average in terms of courtesy and knowledge of menu, nothing remarkable.
(3)
Felicity C.
Have only been here a couple times every time service is slow and waiting time is long. The food I feel like is very hit or miss cuz it's so different stuff you either like it or you don't wasn't super impressed from what people where saying.
(3)
Eric K.
This place is my go to favorite when it's nice out. Oh sure there's others that do the outdoor thing (Gman, the deli, etc) but NONE do it quite like this place. Service is prompt even when busy, the menu COULD be better and I'm not a "bar guy" so i can't really tell you about the night life here, or I'd have probably 5 starred it.
(4)
Del S.
Its good when they have drink specials. Not a personal favorite of their food. I heard the owner isnt very pleasant though and there have only been a few complications with service.
(3)
Cody P.
We went to Cafe 210 West last night for my girlfriends birthday. It was the first time I had ever been there and it will be the last. It was me, my girlfriend, her sister and a friend. We had eaten hardly anything throughout the day and we were throughly famished when we got there. There was a cover charge to get in, even though we were only there for food and drinks. After we sat down, it took about 10 minutes for a waitress to get to us. We started with water and it came back to us promptly, along with some STALE chips with some salsa to start with, but she wanted to know if we were ready to order already. We were ready to order drinks but we didn't all know what we were eating yet. My girlfriend (the birthday girl) asked the waitress that if she didn't like her drink, could she exchange it for something else, to which the waitress says "Not really, because it comes out of my pay." That is one of the most unprofessional things I've ever heard a waitress say. It all went downhill from there. After that, we waited for about another 15 minutes for her to come back with our drinks. The waitress said that she would be right back to take our order after she dropped off our drinks. Well...she never came back...not even once. We sat there for well over a half hour. We couldn't even drink our drinks because none of us had eaten anything that day. Me and my girlfriend went to find the manager so we could get some service, and he was apologetic and told us that he would get our waitress over to us right away so we could order. We sat there for about another 15 minutes with NO service at all, our waitress never showed up after we had already talked to the manager, so I assume that he did nothing. After this, we had enough and we went to find the manager to tell him that we were leaving. He told us that our waitress was busy and we just need to wait. We were there for over an hour and never even got to order our food. We still had to pay for the drinks that none of us had even gotten to drink and for the stale chips that we did eat, only because we were all starving. It should have been gratis after our awful experience. I will never eat there again. Thank you Cafe 210 West for ruining my girlfriends birthday.
(1)
J'dinkalage M.
I LOVE the pitcher specials. Miami Beach is the best. That's the only reason why I go there. The service is hands down the worst in all of state college. Waitresses will disappear for 20 minutes at a time. Tables will go un-bused throughout the night. They always seem to have too many bouncers standing at the door and not enough wait staff filling orders promptly.
(2)
Camilo B.
Servers are decently hot, food is great during happy hour. Everyone gets LIT's for 2.50 but I suggest a Miami beach..... Tastes better and I think has more alcohol. Drinking atmosphere is awesome. Definitely a nice place to come ham on a budget.
(4)
Speecy Spicy M.
Good Outdoor seating( best place in SC when its nice outside) Location Pretty good Happy Hour Tuesday wings are excellent Lots of seating College hangout Bad Most of the food-it is not very price worthy you're overpaying for so-so food Not a lot of alcohol in the drinks Everyone likes the teas but I think they taste like strong lemon mix Ugly Cover every night of the week...like wtf- I came to eat dinner with some friends and all got charged $3 because it was after 9 and it wasn't even busy $2 nachos- they're the worst - soggy just turrrbl
(3)
Andrew P.
Great drink specials, good cheap bar food, and the patio all make Cafe one of my favorite spots in State College. I come here pretty regularly. They have a predictable schedule of specials every weekday (excluding event weekends), that make it easy to plan for. Looking for something to eat on a Wednesday? $3.50 pulled pork sandwiches. Hungry on a Monday? Burger and fries. Looking to get drunk on something sweet? Long island iced tea pitchers, every day. 1/2 price drinks and appetizers for most Happy Hours is another plus. This is the sort of place you can get a good buzz without spending a lot of money, and everyone needs a place like that. The food is actually pretty good. Most of it is just normal bar food. Fairly standard wings, burgers, fries, and chicken fingers...But their cheesesteaks are really good! These are real Philly Style steaks, made with chip steak and cheez whiz, served on an Amoroso roll with or without onions. Probably the best cheesesteak in town. As a weekday lunch special, you can get a cheesesteak and fries for $5. Honestly, I think I'm here for that lunch special more often than I come to party. Just sidle up to the bar, order a cheesesteak and a beer, and get out for less than $10. Even with all that, the patio is the best feature of the place. As Winter turns to Spring, and the semester starts to wind down, you begin to see more and more people grabbing tables outside to enjoy the good weather. It's a perfect place to sit and people watch on a warm Saturday evening, or enjoy lunch on a Summer afternoon. The patio can get a bit crowded, but that's the price you pay, I guess.
(4)
Sean O.
So much to love about Cafe 210 West. 1) It's not a dingy basement bar 2) They have live music all the time 3) If you don't feel like being drowned out by the music, there's other places to go and sit. 4) You can sit outside on a nice day, or on a rainy one. In short, for live music, good drinks (and drink specials) and decent food. There aren't really better places than Cafe 210. It's that simple.
(4)
Susie R.
This is a great place to grab some drinks with friends. You will definitely want to go during happy hour because they have amazing specials! It's really nice because they have outdoor seating, so on nice nights you can chill outside, which is really great for when you want to have a conversation because inside can get really loud. This is a really popular bar so be prepared for a crowd. This was my favorite place to go during the summer because it is much less crowded, or you can get there earlier to avoid waiting in line. There are always food and drink specials so you can go there and grab some food and hang with friends or you can party and dance with the band. You should definitely check Cafe out. It is one of my favorite bars to go to in downtown State College.
(4)
Chrissy C.
Long Beach iced tea and a chicken caesar salad. Repeat the tea until you have jelly legs. You're welcome. ...Come here early on nice days. People skip class once April rolls around to sit here and drink tea all day. Live bands are night are pretty solid too.
(4)
Travis M.
Try the skillet fries and wash it down with a cafe tea
(5)
Michael W.
Located in the heart of State College is where you'll find Cafe 210 West. It's conveniently located right across the street from Penn State, so prepare yourselves to be bombarded with undergrads galore. This place is your typical college bar. Beer pong? Check. $2.75 20oz of Coors? Check. Pitchers of long island? Check! They even have the authentic college feel to it. Sticky floors and plastic cups. As much as I don't like drinking around college kids, I can't knock on these prices. With a $20 bill, you can walk away with a decent amount of alcohol. If you do come early enough, there are plenty of seats for you to hang out with you friends. Any later, and you're stuck crowd surfing to the bar and back. Here, they also have an outside area for all you smokers and further inside is where they tend to have live bands perform. Pretty good I suppose. This place takes me back to my days as an undergrad where I would love to pound pints of cheap beer and have shots of Bacardi Superior. I love it, but I don't know how much I love it at age 27.
(3)
Mark R.
Terrible place to see a band play! Went to see Cabinet, a local band that just so happened to playing where I was working. Paid my tab and 10 minutes later I was being kicked out?! WTF?! Cabinet played a great show and nothing against them, but this venue is messed up! I will never pay to enter your venue again and I hope others will see this and feel the same way. TERRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!
(1)
Megan K.
The Cafe is a great place to hang out if you can get a seat outside, inside, it about the same as any other bar. If you go, order the Skillet Fries, they make it worth the trip.
(3)
Sara U.
CHEAP! And I don't mean cheap like the date I had where the excuse of "I only have a 20 dollar bill and didn't realize this steak house would cost more than that" or "You like beer? Cheap date! Why don't we just buy some at the store and go back to my apartment over my grandma's garage?" NO! So the $2 cover (because of a band) threw us off at first. I do not even get charged for covers in NYC! Oh I was mad. I stared down the money taker as I thrusted my crumpled left over $2 in her face and tapped my foot impatiently. When did my mood change??? $3 for a large beer? YAY! $5 for shots? YAY! I had a lot of beer. I had a lot of shots. I had to be up early to do a group presentation in my grad school class. I got 3 hours of sleep. It was worth it. THE END!
(4)
Danny B.
Well, it turns out that I've been here many more times since the visit which prompted my original review. This is not my favourite place to go at night. It's OK. However, it's a bit overcrowded, with high cover charge and only mediocre drink specials, most of which do not apply on football-game weekends. The entertainment at night is good sometimes. I much prefer the Cafe for eating outside on the front patio during the appropriate season. Some of the food specials are quite good. There are half-priced appetizers during happy hours, and there are five-dollar "High Noon" lunch specials on weekdays (11:30 - 2). I especially like the chicken parmesan sandwiches and the chili cheese fries; I do not like the nachos (too salty) or the wraps (just bland). Service is OK, on average.
(4)
Sanjay P.
The four stars is just for memory and nostalgia - the experience this time around when I went back with my wife was not that great but, while a student at Penn State, this was a regular haunt. Its great for the poor college student with its happy hour specials. Great patio in front and back. Basically just a great place for the college student to get some cheap drinks!
(4)
Karen P.
Bouncers were horrible. Not sure why but we were not allowed : in the bar tonight. Bouncer was a little power hungry. DO NOT go this bar. Idiots!f
(1)
Alex L.
Definitely go during Happy Hour! $2 Long Island Ice Teas are definitely worth it! Sometimes there is a cover of $2-$3 dollars especially when there is a band playing. Definitely can improve on the seating indoors when it is cold. They definitely need more seats in Cafe, as a lot of people normally stand. When it is warm, there is a patio/outdoor seating and it is normally crowded instantly
(4)
Mike R.
Great atmosphere. Get a seat outside if it's nice but don't get the suicide wings if you are busy the next day!! Good if you like college-party atmosphere. Can be smoky outside at times. Sometimes there are live music. Not the best service.
(4)
Rachel L.
Cafe 210 is the place you walk by when you're under 21 and just think "I can't wait till I'm 21 and can sit outside at Cafe!" and let me tell you, its a wonderful thing when you first can! After graduating, I've learned to appreciate the $6 teas and bacardi pitchers and the group bonding around the tiny tables. Minus 1 star because it's not nearly as nice when you're inside, and the food is OK. State Patty's was fun here; they served green beer and had a good band. I'd rather spend my afternoons here than evenings, but can be a good place to start out the night!
(4)
Brian B.
Fairly mild mannered bouncers (except on crazy nights of course, and the occasional deutsche bag), fun and mostly energetic waitresses, bartender friendliness can be hit or miss (it does get crowded and insane), and the long island ice teas are phenomenal... kind of their signature happy hour thing! Without fear of hurting their business, I would stay away from it on football weekends...its just too crowded!!. Oh, and by the way the food is really good!
(4)
H.S. G.
Ah Cafe 210. My lasting impression of you will always be the evening my friends and I were enjoying a drink or two on your back patio only to have a beer dumped on us by some a**hole standing on the landing above us. When we reported said dbag to the staff we found ourselves being escorted out of the establishment because "both parties of any type of confrontation must be deported from the premises." Smart move making us leave out the back and the other guy from the front....like we couldn't have run around to the other side of the street to kick his ass. Lucky for you my friends achieved our revenge by pissing on the side of your building : ) Cheers cafe 210! Getting to the facts: wait staff always seemed 100% rude : the northface/greek life types who wanted a cool job but never learned those ever so important customer service skills. Get off your high horse. You work at a bar.
(1)
Jessica R.
The front patio of the Cafe is the best place to sit outside for drinks in State College and the first part of the place to fill up in nice weather. The inside isn't bad either and I like the back patio when you want things a little quiter. The place is famous (or infamous, depending on how many you've had) for their Long Island Iced Teas. They have your normal domestic beers on tap and serve the typical bar food like wings, nachos, quesadillas. Last week when I was there I really enjoyed their chicken quesadilla. They've also got good nachos and wraps. The staff has never been the friendliest or most competent, but nothing out of the ordinary for a college bar. Depending on when you go, this can be a good place to chill or be filled with frat boys/sorostitutes. Luckily, you'll be able to tell just by what crowd is out front.
(3)
Dana R.
I haven't finished making the rounds yet, but so far Cafe is definitely my favorite bar in State College. The outdoor seating is great when the weather is nice and I am a big fan of the flavored cafe tea pitchers. I also love that this bar every Friday is host to My Hero Zero, a band that MAKES the party. My friends and I split an order of their skillet fries which were delicious but easily devoured in minutes. The service is sub par but the prices are great, cheap beer, reasonably priced teas, and a lot of space to hang out with friends!
(5)
Jennifer W.
A great place to grab a bite to eat and enjoy some drinks. Two words, SKILLET FRIES. They do not disappoint. Wash it down with a Cafe Long Island Ice Tea and you are set. If its nice out, they have a front and back deck which makes for a great experience. I love State College and never visit without one or two visits to Cafe
(5)
Ashleigh C.
Maybe it was the weather, maybe it was because I was only 2 weeks into being 21, maybe it was the fact that my drinks were being paid for, maybe it was the peach long island iced tea. Whatever it was, I loved it! :]
(4)
Mike A.
I can never really get enough of this place, especially when the weather's nice and the patio/deck are open. The food is delicious, the drinks are delicious, and stuff is cheap. Skillet Fries and Teas FTW.
(5)
Casey W.
#NAME?
(3)
Ayush K.
Cafe has somewhat become a Friday afternoon, after-class, go-to place for my friends and I. If you get in early enough (a little before 5), you won't have to pay cover and the happy hour starts at 6. The service can be iffy at times but the outside seating and a somewhat shack-like atmosphere makes it a no-brainer. Skillet fries are great appetizers to go with your cafe tea, and if you're feeling it, you could even stick around for a good band or two. I personally prefer the outside seating at the back only because it provides a decent volume of music while at the same time leaving room for conversation to fill in. Buy your first drink at the bar and then sit down; it can take the server 30 min to get to your table.
(4)
Danny S.
I miss this place. Great place to go when the weather is warm on a Friday afternoon and just have lunch and a few drinks outside. I'm not too fond of coming here during the night hours, but I think this place is perfect for the afternoon/evening hours to just hang out with your friends. The food is okay, nothing special, but I usually just order whatever food special they have that day.
(4)
Paige D.
I wavered between 2 and 3 stars, and am going with 3 for benefit of the doubt. We went pretty early (6:30) on a Saturday for dinner. We had to pay cover just to eat, which was frustrating, because the band barely started by the time we had left at 8. It wasn't terribly busy, but our waitress seemed very frazzled. She forgot my beer, and then gave me the wrong one on top of it. I asked her what the "Pennsylvania Craft Beer" was, and she told me it was like Yuengling... but it was the Lancaster Milk Stout. Little bit different :) It took us probably about 30 minutes to even get our food order in. Previous posters are right: generally, the booze is pretty cheap. And hey, the food is decent-- I liked that they had jalapeno cheddar wraps, so I wrapped my buffalo wrap in that... but let's be honest, it still wasn't spicy. I can dream, right? I keep hoping... I'm sure it will be more towards the 3 stars I gave it come summer when it's warm out, but right now I'm ambivalent towards it.
(3)
Natalie D.
This was probably my favorite of the places I went to during my visit. I agree with Jackie V. - avoid the place like the plague on Friday during football season (it was packed so we didn't even attempt), and that the service is slow. The beer I ordered was in a huge Go Lions! cup, and the food was a pretty big portion, at least for me. We sat on the patio on a gorgeous night and watched everyone going by. It was pretty relaxing, and very cheap. It was also very spacious and the back yard looked pretty fun, even though we didn't get out there. They too are extremely strict with carding, and studied my ID for what seemed like ages, passing it between three people at the door! But once we got in it was a good time.
(4)
Jackie V.
Four stars might seem a little inflated for the Cafe, but what can I say? I'm a total sucker for patios. Let's just call this 3.5. I've been here in the hot weather, the cold weather, during the day, during "happy hour" (which, may I add, begins at 10pm), and after work. I've never really had a bad experience (note: in order to prevent said bad experience, I do avoid the Cafe during Senior Week, Arts Fest, and warm Fridays during football season). Obviously the Cafe's best feature is the patio, but I suppose I could say the same thing about my backyard. There are always drink specials, they will make vegan food as needed, and the bill is always less than I think it will be. The biggest drawback is the service. No matter what day it is (including 2pm on a random Tuesday in the early non-patio going spring), service is always s.l.o.w. Typically I don't mind, however, since I don't go if I'm in a rush, but if you're looking for something speedy, this place isn't it. With all that said, as much as I like patios, there's no way I'd wait in line or pay a cover to get in. Do you feel the same way? Get here before 9pm on weekends and snag some prime time seating for free ;)
(4)
Brian B.
I actually decided to come during the daylight hours for a change and to be honest it changed my impression of 210 a lot. That's not to say it still doesn't become a cesspool of drunk nouveau frat types come happy hour, but a daylight lunch experience is a nice changeup. Got a pint of Victory summer pils, their "Clem's" burger (uses their BBQ sauce among other things), and a side order of beer battered fries. Fries are close to Otto's, but not quite the same. The burger was a tad pricey ($8.50) but it was extremely delicious. Service was meh but didn't really mind since it was such a nice day out. In the least amount of words, there's a reason as soon as people turn 21 around here that they come for lunch, perch themselves at an outdoor table with a Long Island and the daily special and watch State College go by.
(3)
Jimmy K.
Cafe 210 is a staple of State College. As soon as the weather warms up in the Spring, there really isn't a better place to spend your Friday afternoons. Sipping on teas with your friends on the patio? What could be better? Food is pretty decent too. I'd really recommend the Chicken Parm Grinder, as well as the fries. Nothing goes better with some Teas, than skillet fries. Cafe has become the go-to place on Wednesdays too, now that they have Go-Go Gadjet performing every week.
(4)
Chris M.
Alright folks, Cafe 210 is definitely worth your time. This place is among one of the most visited bars in the Penn State community. It really captures the atmosphere of what going out in a large college community is like. Also the music is usually good and they have special events like pong tournaments. That's the good part of Cafe 210. The downside that stops this from being a 4 or 5 star review is the combination of prices for their drinks and their cover charges. While their house made teas usually go on sale, other drinks are pricey (but this is common in this market). Also their cover can be pretty high during certain weekends. If you are looking for a place to grab a drink and watch State College pass on by, hit up Cafe 210.
(3)
tiffanie l.
So I will admit, service isn't always great. But you can't beat the prices or the atmosphere. It screams college and it is an awesome place to go whenever. One of the best bars at state college to just chill at.
(4)
Josh G.
Cheap, slutty pitchers. Abort, abort, abort. Now! Last line inside joke.
(4)
Michelle C.
I've ended up here a couple times while in the area for work conferences. There is nothing special about the place other than the simple fact that you can sit outside on a nice day and get $4.50 - $5 pitchers of beer and some cheap eats. Hanging out and eavesdropping on all the college kids around the patio fills me with nostalgia for my own college days mixed with relief that I'm past all that drama!
(3)
Sandy M.
"The Cafe" as it's known locally is part bar, part restaurant, but a lot of people don't get beyond its front patio seating. That's just fine, since the front patio is by far the biggest draw and the only way you're really getting the true Cafe 210 experience. Most entrees and appetizers on their menu will leave you full and satisfied, but I think they do the best job on their sandwiches (especially the "Godfather"). Their lunch specials and their Nachos Grande were always my favorites, and they have a really good salsa. They do have a lot of food specials daily (check out their website for these and entertainment schedules, as well as their full menu). The seating is a bit crowded and if you're outside, you can choose only from large or small round tables with plastic patio chairs, so don't expect to get *too* comfortable. The real reason to come here, though, is to sit out front, drink a Long Island Iced Tea, and watch the people walking and driving up and down College Avenue! Who needs a band?! Inside, the restaurant has an elevated seating area in the front and a few tables at entrance-level. In the back, a long, fully-stocked bar leads to a large room with a few additional tables and the stage for musical acts. Weekly performances by local bands and musicians usually begin around 10 p.m. The back patio is accessible through this back room and features more outdoor tables and picnic tables, but it's not as exciting as the front patio, and definitely not as clean. For its nightlife, the Cafe usually offers nightly beer and mixed drink specials. The crowd is varied and depends on what kind of entertainment is featured that night.
(3)
Melissa K.
We went here on a Tuesday night, arriving around 7. At that time the front was fairly empty, but when we left an hour and a half later it was full. We ordered three pitchers of Miller Lite for $4.75 each. A bargain considering a month ago I paid $12 for a pitcher of Bud Light in LA. The waitress must have forgotten about the third one because it took awhile to get to us. The food--save your money. $6.75 for a raw veggie wrap and over seasoned tortilla chips.
(2)
Janet F.
The service tends to be slow here, but I love the patio during warm months and I love the wings here! There are many places to feast on wings in State College and these are some of the best. They've also got an excellent strawberry spinach salad which is wonderfully tasty when you want to get away from the grease and fattiness of the diets of most college students.
(4)
Steve W.
I like their happy hour specials and outdoor seating in the summer.
(4)
Jen M.
Great place for students and the younger crowd. Outside seating is definitely the best part in warmer weather. Good Specials, too! Food is average. Nothing super special, but not a bad hang out by any means!
(4)
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Address :210 W College Ave
State College, PA, 16801
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Music : DJ, Live, Juke Box Good For Dancing : Yes Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes
Michael W.
Located in the heart of State College is where you'll find Cafe 210 West. It's conveniently located right across the street from Penn State, so prepare yourselves to be bombarded with undergrads galore. This place is your typical college bar. Beer pong? Check. $2.75 20oz of Coors? Check. Pitchers of long island? Check! They even have the authentic college feel to it. Sticky floors and plastic cups. As much as I don't like drinking around college kids, I can't knock on these prices. With a $20 bill, you can walk away with a decent amount of alcohol. If you do come early enough, there are plenty of seats for you to hang out with you friends. Any later, and you're stuck crowd surfing to the bar and back. Here, they also have an outside area for all you smokers and further inside is where they tend to have live bands perform. Pretty good I suppose. This place takes me back to my days as an undergrad where I would love to pound pints of cheap beer and have shots of Bacardi Superior. I love it, but I don't know how much I love it at age 27.
(3)Mark R.
Terrible place to see a band play! Went to see Cabinet, a local band that just so happened to playing where I was working. Paid my tab and 10 minutes later I was being kicked out?! WTF?! Cabinet played a great show and nothing against them, but this venue is messed up! I will never pay to enter your venue again and I hope others will see this and feel the same way. TERRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!
(1)Megan K.
The Cafe is a great place to hang out if you can get a seat outside, inside, it about the same as any other bar. If you go, order the Skillet Fries, they make it worth the trip.
(3)Sara U.
CHEAP! And I don't mean cheap like the date I had where the excuse of "I only have a 20 dollar bill and didn't realize this steak house would cost more than that" or "You like beer? Cheap date! Why don't we just buy some at the store and go back to my apartment over my grandma's garage?" NO! So the $2 cover (because of a band) threw us off at first. I do not even get charged for covers in NYC! Oh I was mad. I stared down the money taker as I thrusted my crumpled left over $2 in her face and tapped my foot impatiently. When did my mood change??? $3 for a large beer? YAY! $5 for shots? YAY! I had a lot of beer. I had a lot of shots. I had to be up early to do a group presentation in my grad school class. I got 3 hours of sleep. It was worth it. THE END!
(4)Danny B.
Well, it turns out that I've been here many more times since the visit which prompted my original review. This is not my favourite place to go at night. It's OK. However, it's a bit overcrowded, with high cover charge and only mediocre drink specials, most of which do not apply on football-game weekends. The entertainment at night is good sometimes. I much prefer the Cafe for eating outside on the front patio during the appropriate season. Some of the food specials are quite good. There are half-priced appetizers during happy hours, and there are five-dollar "High Noon" lunch specials on weekdays (11:30 - 2). I especially like the chicken parmesan sandwiches and the chili cheese fries; I do not like the nachos (too salty) or the wraps (just bland). Service is OK, on average.
(4)Dave H.
I've been to Cafe 210 several times for random reasons. Last time I visited, I realized I didn't pay cover, and I told the bouncer on my way out. He said to not worry. (I guess I dropped enough at the bar, but I paid the few bucks anyway.) Apparently there's a restaurant past the front patio and bar, but I've never seen it for myself. Patrons are pretty friendly, with a few folks dancing, but most usually sit, especially at the front patio. (After a few shots of tequila, sitting isn't the worst idea.) It gets crowded, but I've never had issues getting a bartender's attention. Bartenders haven't always been the friendliest, not sure what's up with that? But hey, your mileage may vary. Cafe 210 isn't worth waiting in line for, but it isn't a bad stop if you're hitting multiple bars.
(3)Erin R.
Cafe is a State College bar landmark that no respectable bar tour would be without. Their food and alcohol is cheap and they have seating areas out front and in the back that are great on nice days. The reason I won't give it a better rating is that the main reason for liking Cafe (the outdoor seating) isn't really a function of anything the owners do, other than the fact that they wisely bought a place that had room for outdoor seating. Cafe has no appeal to me in the winter time. The inside is unremarkable and the service is almost always sub-par. I've also had friends get kicked out for very weird reasons, like one friend whose shoe had unfortunately broken while she was out. They deemed that to mean she was too drunk, but actually her shoe just broke. It happens. And I had another acquaintance who was kicked out after someone picked a fight with her, because according to Cafe "Both parties in a dispute must be escorted out." It's a great place when the weather's nice, but most places in State College have good drink specials, so if it's raining/cold, I'd go somewhere else.
(3)Chrissy C.
Long Beach iced tea and a chicken caesar salad. Repeat the tea until you have jelly legs. You're welcome. ...Come here early on nice days. People skip class once April rolls around to sit here and drink tea all day. Live bands are night are pretty solid too.
(4)Travis M.
Try the skillet fries and wash it down with a cafe tea
(5)Sanjay P.
The four stars is just for memory and nostalgia - the experience this time around when I went back with my wife was not that great but, while a student at Penn State, this was a regular haunt. Its great for the poor college student with its happy hour specials. Great patio in front and back. Basically just a great place for the college student to get some cheap drinks!
(4)Karen P.
Bouncers were horrible. Not sure why but we were not allowed : in the bar tonight. Bouncer was a little power hungry. DO NOT go this bar. Idiots!f
(1)Alex L.
Definitely go during Happy Hour! $2 Long Island Ice Teas are definitely worth it! Sometimes there is a cover of $2-$3 dollars especially when there is a band playing. Definitely can improve on the seating indoors when it is cold. They definitely need more seats in Cafe, as a lot of people normally stand. When it is warm, there is a patio/outdoor seating and it is normally crowded instantly
(4)Jenna C.
I was in town for a recruiting event for work which involved doing some on-campus presentations and interviews at Penn State. I ventured to Café 210 West with a group of young coworkers...it is a typical college dive with big crowds and live music. I didn't notice any beer pong or other games going on while I was there. A plus - the huge back deck with ample outdoor seating. A con - I waited in line for almost 45 minutes before being able to get in, and this was on a Wednesday night at the end of September. Drinks are relatively cheap (I stuck with my go-to vodka soda), and the crowd was pleasant. Bathrooms weren't too offensive. The location is great, right in the heart of downtown, and it was walking distance from my hotel. All in all, a so-so experience. However, I've never been to any other bars in State College, so I don't have a local basis for comparison - but I have been to plenty of bars in other parts of the country!
(3)Cindy D.
Pub grub at it's finest. Love the patio. It's pretty much a college dive bar with live music or karaoke. It's usually a good time.
(3)Ryan O.
Best place in town to grab a table and have some drinks outside on a nice day. Good drink specials, live music inside and two outdoor seating areas. The front is ideal for people watching and waiving down old friends strolling down College Ave on game weekend. The back outdoor seating area is more secluded but a great option for dinner and drinks.
(5)Dana R.
I haven't finished making the rounds yet, but so far Cafe is definitely my favorite bar in State College. The outdoor seating is great when the weather is nice and I am a big fan of the flavored cafe tea pitchers. I also love that this bar every Friday is host to My Hero Zero, a band that MAKES the party. My friends and I split an order of their skillet fries which were delicious but easily devoured in minutes. The service is sub par but the prices are great, cheap beer, reasonably priced teas, and a lot of space to hang out with friends!
(5)Jennifer W.
A great place to grab a bite to eat and enjoy some drinks. Two words, SKILLET FRIES. They do not disappoint. Wash it down with a Cafe Long Island Ice Tea and you are set. If its nice out, they have a front and back deck which makes for a great experience. I love State College and never visit without one or two visits to Cafe
(5)Ashleigh C.
Maybe it was the weather, maybe it was because I was only 2 weeks into being 21, maybe it was the fact that my drinks were being paid for, maybe it was the peach long island iced tea. Whatever it was, I loved it! :]
(4)Mike A.
I can never really get enough of this place, especially when the weather's nice and the patio/deck are open. The food is delicious, the drinks are delicious, and stuff is cheap. Skillet Fries and Teas FTW.
(5)Casey W.
#NAME?
(3)Ayush K.
Cafe has somewhat become a Friday afternoon, after-class, go-to place for my friends and I. If you get in early enough (a little before 5), you won't have to pay cover and the happy hour starts at 6. The service can be iffy at times but the outside seating and a somewhat shack-like atmosphere makes it a no-brainer. Skillet fries are great appetizers to go with your cafe tea, and if you're feeling it, you could even stick around for a good band or two. I personally prefer the outside seating at the back only because it provides a decent volume of music while at the same time leaving room for conversation to fill in. Buy your first drink at the bar and then sit down; it can take the server 30 min to get to your table.
(4)Danny S.
I miss this place. Great place to go when the weather is warm on a Friday afternoon and just have lunch and a few drinks outside. I'm not too fond of coming here during the night hours, but I think this place is perfect for the afternoon/evening hours to just hang out with your friends. The food is okay, nothing special, but I usually just order whatever food special they have that day.
(4)Paige D.
I wavered between 2 and 3 stars, and am going with 3 for benefit of the doubt. We went pretty early (6:30) on a Saturday for dinner. We had to pay cover just to eat, which was frustrating, because the band barely started by the time we had left at 8. It wasn't terribly busy, but our waitress seemed very frazzled. She forgot my beer, and then gave me the wrong one on top of it. I asked her what the "Pennsylvania Craft Beer" was, and she told me it was like Yuengling... but it was the Lancaster Milk Stout. Little bit different :) It took us probably about 30 minutes to even get our food order in. Previous posters are right: generally, the booze is pretty cheap. And hey, the food is decent-- I liked that they had jalapeno cheddar wraps, so I wrapped my buffalo wrap in that... but let's be honest, it still wasn't spicy. I can dream, right? I keep hoping... I'm sure it will be more towards the 3 stars I gave it come summer when it's warm out, but right now I'm ambivalent towards it.
(3)Natalie D.
This was probably my favorite of the places I went to during my visit. I agree with Jackie V. - avoid the place like the plague on Friday during football season (it was packed so we didn't even attempt), and that the service is slow. The beer I ordered was in a huge Go Lions! cup, and the food was a pretty big portion, at least for me. We sat on the patio on a gorgeous night and watched everyone going by. It was pretty relaxing, and very cheap. It was also very spacious and the back yard looked pretty fun, even though we didn't get out there. They too are extremely strict with carding, and studied my ID for what seemed like ages, passing it between three people at the door! But once we got in it was a good time.
(4)Jackie V.
Four stars might seem a little inflated for the Cafe, but what can I say? I'm a total sucker for patios. Let's just call this 3.5. I've been here in the hot weather, the cold weather, during the day, during "happy hour" (which, may I add, begins at 10pm), and after work. I've never really had a bad experience (note: in order to prevent said bad experience, I do avoid the Cafe during Senior Week, Arts Fest, and warm Fridays during football season). Obviously the Cafe's best feature is the patio, but I suppose I could say the same thing about my backyard. There are always drink specials, they will make vegan food as needed, and the bill is always less than I think it will be. The biggest drawback is the service. No matter what day it is (including 2pm on a random Tuesday in the early non-patio going spring), service is always s.l.o.w. Typically I don't mind, however, since I don't go if I'm in a rush, but if you're looking for something speedy, this place isn't it. With all that said, as much as I like patios, there's no way I'd wait in line or pay a cover to get in. Do you feel the same way? Get here before 9pm on weekends and snag some prime time seating for free ;)
(4)Brian B.
I actually decided to come during the daylight hours for a change and to be honest it changed my impression of 210 a lot. That's not to say it still doesn't become a cesspool of drunk nouveau frat types come happy hour, but a daylight lunch experience is a nice changeup. Got a pint of Victory summer pils, their "Clem's" burger (uses their BBQ sauce among other things), and a side order of beer battered fries. Fries are close to Otto's, but not quite the same. The burger was a tad pricey ($8.50) but it was extremely delicious. Service was meh but didn't really mind since it was such a nice day out. In the least amount of words, there's a reason as soon as people turn 21 around here that they come for lunch, perch themselves at an outdoor table with a Long Island and the daily special and watch State College go by.
(3)Jimmy K.
Cafe 210 is a staple of State College. As soon as the weather warms up in the Spring, there really isn't a better place to spend your Friday afternoons. Sipping on teas with your friends on the patio? What could be better? Food is pretty decent too. I'd really recommend the Chicken Parm Grinder, as well as the fries. Nothing goes better with some Teas, than skillet fries. Cafe has become the go-to place on Wednesdays too, now that they have Go-Go Gadjet performing every week.
(4)Chris M.
Alright folks, Cafe 210 is definitely worth your time. This place is among one of the most visited bars in the Penn State community. It really captures the atmosphere of what going out in a large college community is like. Also the music is usually good and they have special events like pong tournaments. That's the good part of Cafe 210. The downside that stops this from being a 4 or 5 star review is the combination of prices for their drinks and their cover charges. While their house made teas usually go on sale, other drinks are pricey (but this is common in this market). Also their cover can be pretty high during certain weekends. If you are looking for a place to grab a drink and watch State College pass on by, hit up Cafe 210.
(3)tiffanie l.
So I will admit, service isn't always great. But you can't beat the prices or the atmosphere. It screams college and it is an awesome place to go whenever. One of the best bars at state college to just chill at.
(4)Sandy M.
"The Cafe" as it's known locally is part bar, part restaurant, but a lot of people don't get beyond its front patio seating. That's just fine, since the front patio is by far the biggest draw and the only way you're really getting the true Cafe 210 experience. Most entrees and appetizers on their menu will leave you full and satisfied, but I think they do the best job on their sandwiches (especially the "Godfather"). Their lunch specials and their Nachos Grande were always my favorites, and they have a really good salsa. They do have a lot of food specials daily (check out their website for these and entertainment schedules, as well as their full menu). The seating is a bit crowded and if you're outside, you can choose only from large or small round tables with plastic patio chairs, so don't expect to get *too* comfortable. The real reason to come here, though, is to sit out front, drink a Long Island Iced Tea, and watch the people walking and driving up and down College Avenue! Who needs a band?! Inside, the restaurant has an elevated seating area in the front and a few tables at entrance-level. In the back, a long, fully-stocked bar leads to a large room with a few additional tables and the stage for musical acts. Weekly performances by local bands and musicians usually begin around 10 p.m. The back patio is accessible through this back room and features more outdoor tables and picnic tables, but it's not as exciting as the front patio, and definitely not as clean. For its nightlife, the Cafe usually offers nightly beer and mixed drink specials. The crowd is varied and depends on what kind of entertainment is featured that night.
(3)Melissa K.
We went here on a Tuesday night, arriving around 7. At that time the front was fairly empty, but when we left an hour and a half later it was full. We ordered three pitchers of Miller Lite for $4.75 each. A bargain considering a month ago I paid $12 for a pitcher of Bud Light in LA. The waitress must have forgotten about the third one because it took awhile to get to us. The food--save your money. $6.75 for a raw veggie wrap and over seasoned tortilla chips.
(2)Janet F.
The service tends to be slow here, but I love the patio during warm months and I love the wings here! There are many places to feast on wings in State College and these are some of the best. They've also got an excellent strawberry spinach salad which is wonderfully tasty when you want to get away from the grease and fattiness of the diets of most college students.
(4)Steve W.
I like their happy hour specials and outdoor seating in the summer.
(4)Mike R.
Great atmosphere. Get a seat outside if it's nice but don't get the suicide wings if you are busy the next day!! Good if you like college-party atmosphere. Can be smoky outside at times. Sometimes there are live music. Not the best service.
(4)Rachel L.
Cafe 210 is the place you walk by when you're under 21 and just think "I can't wait till I'm 21 and can sit outside at Cafe!" and let me tell you, its a wonderful thing when you first can! After graduating, I've learned to appreciate the $6 teas and bacardi pitchers and the group bonding around the tiny tables. Minus 1 star because it's not nearly as nice when you're inside, and the food is OK. State Patty's was fun here; they served green beer and had a good band. I'd rather spend my afternoons here than evenings, but can be a good place to start out the night!
(4)Brian B.
Fairly mild mannered bouncers (except on crazy nights of course, and the occasional deutsche bag), fun and mostly energetic waitresses, bartender friendliness can be hit or miss (it does get crowded and insane), and the long island ice teas are phenomenal... kind of their signature happy hour thing! Without fear of hurting their business, I would stay away from it on football weekends...its just too crowded!!. Oh, and by the way the food is really good!
(4)H.S. G.
Ah Cafe 210. My lasting impression of you will always be the evening my friends and I were enjoying a drink or two on your back patio only to have a beer dumped on us by some a**hole standing on the landing above us. When we reported said dbag to the staff we found ourselves being escorted out of the establishment because "both parties of any type of confrontation must be deported from the premises." Smart move making us leave out the back and the other guy from the front....like we couldn't have run around to the other side of the street to kick his ass. Lucky for you my friends achieved our revenge by pissing on the side of your building : ) Cheers cafe 210! Getting to the facts: wait staff always seemed 100% rude : the northface/greek life types who wanted a cool job but never learned those ever so important customer service skills. Get off your high horse. You work at a bar.
(1)Andy S.
This was the place to go if you wanted to sit outside and drink incredibly strong Long Island Iced Tea...no other reason to be here...none at all. Decent place to start the evening but then hit the road once it fills up.
(2)Jessica R.
The front patio of the Cafe is the best place to sit outside for drinks in State College and the first part of the place to fill up in nice weather. The inside isn't bad either and I like the back patio when you want things a little quiter. The place is famous (or infamous, depending on how many you've had) for their Long Island Iced Teas. They have your normal domestic beers on tap and serve the typical bar food like wings, nachos, quesadillas. Last week when I was there I really enjoyed their chicken quesadilla. They've also got good nachos and wraps. The staff has never been the friendliest or most competent, but nothing out of the ordinary for a college bar. Depending on when you go, this can be a good place to chill or be filled with frat boys/sorostitutes. Luckily, you'll be able to tell just by what crowd is out front.
(3)Stacy M.
This place is sticky. That's the predominant thing that stuck out with me. The waitstaff at 4pm on a Saturday is nice.
(2)Gina C.
The food was fast and tastes good. I would try the buffalo chicken dip- and if you go on Thursdays the 32 oz pitchers of (any flavor)alcoholic tea drinks for $4 and the wraps are all a dollar off. In the summer the outside porch is perfect for a drink on the patio, but make sure you're not stuck at a table next to another table of smokers.
(4)Felicity C.
Have only been here a couple times every time service is slow and waiting time is long. The food I feel like is very hit or miss cuz it's so different stuff you either like it or you don't wasn't super impressed from what people where saying.
(3)Amanda L.
worst service i have ever received in my entire life BUT the 4 stars are saved by basically everything else. Great drinks, great atmosphere. It's always the first place that comes to mind on a really nice day if my friends and I want a few drinks (or pitchers...) Not sure why the service is as bad as it is though...It's honestly unbearable. Being distracted by friends and the fun of being outside makes it a little easier to tolerate. But it's harder and harder to watch my tip go in my careless waitress's pocket every single time I go. On the 1st day of 55 Days of Cafe, the waitress took my $20 to pay for my $6 bill and never returned. Once i FINALLY flagged her down she replied "Oh I forgot". I understand it was busy that day, but it was no where near busy enough to forget to bring me $14 worth of change.
(4)Jessica B.
Well, I just don't know how to rate Cafe 210. When I was 18, I was a dishwasher here. I would have rated them a 1. Luckily for them, I didn't really know what sexual harassment and wage theft was back then. When I quit, they threatened to not pay me for the last week I worked, but unbeknownst to them, I had already picked up and cashed the check. Suckers. This would have been '87ish, I have no idea if they are under new ownership now. When I was older, it was a good place to hear bands and get drinks, so more of a 3? And now, as a returning townie, we came back and sat outside, feeling old and eating DELICIOUS PORK NACHOS. So good. So traif. So not on my diet. I would imagine it would be fun to see a good band here, but the students hanging out were more of the sorority girl/dude bro type. The smoking on the patio thing is totally weird. Illegal in my home state and not something I'm used to. We had a nice, cute waitress and I felt like telling her, "It Gets Better!"
(3)Anna M.
Cafe 210 had a decent ambiance, very typical of a college bar. The food was nothing to write home about but the drink specials were a great deal! I enjoyed eating on the patio except for all of the other people around me smoking Overall, I had a great night out with my friends and would recommend cafe 210 for a casual night out!
(3)Alaina H.
I've never liked cafe, mainly because it always reminded me of a middle school dance, but tonight it went above and beyond the douchebaggery debauchery that was normal for a Saturday night and sucked ass extra hard. blah blah blah I don't care, everyone who works there is obviously mad about their own lame lives fight me, wire rims
(1)Meghan M.
If its a beautiful day in Happy Valley and you're over 21, you should be at Cafe. With two outdoor patios, sit and people watch on College Ave while sipping a liquor pitcher, or, head out back and enjoy beers with friends. Like other reviews, the 4 stars are garnered by the ambiance and bar deals because the service is beat. Don't expect to see your server often, and if you do order food, it tends to take a while. You may want to even consider grabbing drinks from the bar and then moving outside.
(4)Rachel K.
I came here for my friend's graduation celebration. This is your absolutely quintessential PSU bar to the core! Everyone's favorite cover band (My Hero Zero) was playing so there was a small cover fee. I think it was only $2. The place was crawling with students, ridiculously drunk, all sweating it out on the dance floor. Classic. Remember, a night here is not complete until you order a pitcher. Warning: they are potently strong and dirt cheap, so watch yourself. If you don't want to rock out and dance by the stage--we did--there are tons of tables and bar space, plus a patio when it's nice out. The employees can be pretty gruff but I'm sure they deal with a lot so I overlooked that in the end. Overall, a fun time to relive the undergraduate days. Also, if you're looking to make a few bad decisions with a stranger, this would be a good place to start.
(4)Jay D.
We went to Cafe 210 West while visiting my girlfriend's brother at State College. It was a relatively cool summer afternoon, so we sat outside on the patio. We sat near the street, and it was relatively quiet for being on the main drag. The menu was well-priced, and there was a rotating specials list. The drink special today was $3.50 Blue Moon Drafts, which we ordered. Bar Service was quick. The food arrived in a timely fashion, and I ordered the Buffalo Chicken Salad. The greens in the salad were a little old, but the chicken was cooked well. Service was a little slow. We liked that they provided a pitcher of water, but our Waitress had a lot of tables, so it was a little difficult for her to personalize the experience for us.
(3)Jared J.
The quintessential State College Bar. Listen guys go here for the outdoor seating when the weather gets nice. Just perfect for people watching and day drinking. Cafe 210 West has amazing happy hour specials, a lot of space to move around and not feel cramped, as well as appropriate service for a bar of this caliber. I can recall shots girls here almost all the time so feel free to check it out in the evening for some free shots.
(5)Michelle P.
Café 210 is a must-visit if you want the PSU experience in State College. All of my alumni friends made this recommendation and told me I must try the adults teas. A cover charge almost deterred me and my husband from visiting recently. I balk at most cover charges, especially during happy hour. I feel cover charges should be limited to NYC and Jersey shore night clubs. Why should I pay to sit and have a drink? About to turn around and leave, we asked how much drinks are. When we found out that happy hour teas were only $2.25, we whipped out our wallets to pay the cover quickly. Turned out the cover was only $2. One drink + the cover was still cheaper than what I thought I'd be paying in the first place. In any case, we sat by the front bar and got to listen to a cover band as we sipped our teas. I started with pomegranate and it was okay. Based on the bartender's recommendation, I went with peach for my next round. Good call! If we didn't have a concert to get to, I could have been sucking those babies down all night. Apparently during happy hour the drinks are served in (large) plastic cups, versus the little pitchers they are normally served in. I didn't learn this until I told a friend about the experience. I thought the plastic cup was pretty large and I was getting a good deal. Moral of the story- just go to Café 210 and a few teas. Don't ask questions. Don't doubt it. Just do it.
(3)Cindy L.
I loved coming here for lunch when I was in State College. I would come for their burger basket specials with a pitcher. With the outdoor seating, this was the perfect place for relaxing and day drinking.
(4)Zach Z.
Best bar in State College. The teas are to die for.
(5)Greg W.
Pushy college kid bouncer gave me crap about bringing in a plastic bag from CVS during the middle of the day. Relax kid. Inside the drinks were fairly cheap but not crazy cheap like a lot of other bars around. Service was fine from the clearly inexperienced bartender, she was trying though so it was all good. Odd crowd during the day and the place could use a makeover. Meh really was the way to describe it!
(2)Michael M.
The Food: (average) I ordered the Cafe Classic Special, which is half of their Godfather specially sandwich - and a choice of soup or salad. Right off the bat, the flavors were wonderful and the meat cooked exactly to my liking. The chili (soup) that came with the meal was also very hearty and perfectly balanced between cheese and beans. Atmosphere: (average) Often, you will find this place busting at the seems with large parties, sport fanatics, and PSU football game aftermath. For some reason, it was unusually empty on this Friday afternoon. It decor is kind of boring, nothing remarkable. The commonplace picture of Joe Pa, a few TVs, and a bar. The most notable feature is its outdoor seating, probably the largest on College Avenue (seating close to 50 people, I would imagine.) Price: (above average) For the Cafe Classic Special, it cost me $8, which is for half a sandwich and soup. Appropriate in my opinion. It should be noted they have $5 lunch special, so that deserves some props. Service: (average) Service was average in terms of courtesy and knowledge of menu, nothing remarkable.
(3)Cody P.
We went to Cafe 210 West last night for my girlfriends birthday. It was the first time I had ever been there and it will be the last. It was me, my girlfriend, her sister and a friend. We had eaten hardly anything throughout the day and we were throughly famished when we got there. There was a cover charge to get in, even though we were only there for food and drinks. After we sat down, it took about 10 minutes for a waitress to get to us. We started with water and it came back to us promptly, along with some STALE chips with some salsa to start with, but she wanted to know if we were ready to order already. We were ready to order drinks but we didn't all know what we were eating yet. My girlfriend (the birthday girl) asked the waitress that if she didn't like her drink, could she exchange it for something else, to which the waitress says "Not really, because it comes out of my pay." That is one of the most unprofessional things I've ever heard a waitress say. It all went downhill from there. After that, we waited for about another 15 minutes for her to come back with our drinks. The waitress said that she would be right back to take our order after she dropped off our drinks. Well...she never came back...not even once. We sat there for well over a half hour. We couldn't even drink our drinks because none of us had eaten anything that day. Me and my girlfriend went to find the manager so we could get some service, and he was apologetic and told us that he would get our waitress over to us right away so we could order. We sat there for about another 15 minutes with NO service at all, our waitress never showed up after we had already talked to the manager, so I assume that he did nothing. After this, we had enough and we went to find the manager to tell him that we were leaving. He told us that our waitress was busy and we just need to wait. We were there for over an hour and never even got to order our food. We still had to pay for the drinks that none of us had even gotten to drink and for the stale chips that we did eat, only because we were all starving. It should have been gratis after our awful experience. I will never eat there again. Thank you Cafe 210 West for ruining my girlfriends birthday.
(1)Scott B.
If you want good service where your server is up on checking if you need more drinks don't come here!!! Terrible service by untrained staff that could care less about customer satisfaction.
(1)Mike F.
Good lunch nice outdoor patio drinks good fireball powerful. Free soda refills. Burger and pulled pork special were very good. Music wasn't too loud inside. The men's room was definitely a college setup. Service was attentive and good. Would come back
(4)Nick V.
CAUTION: totally safe to go for lunch, but I'm sure it turns into a crazy college bar for dinner. Good quick food. Our waiter was a little slow and forgot to ask us if we wanted anything to drink. Little on the dirty side, but the buffalo chicken wrap I got made it worth it. The food presentation was nice and it was definitely fresh.
(4)Janis W.
Cafe 210 West is a nice option on a summer day as you can take advantage of their outdoor patio. I like it because there is plenty of shade so you don't get sunburned while you eat. This trip though the outdoor patio was full, so we ate inside. They have a nice selection of sandwiches, I got a chicken wrap, kids got hamburgers, and it all came out quickly and tasted great! My only complaint is that the wrap came with tortilla chips and salsa as the side, and the salsa came in these really little cups. I guess it wouldn't have been bad except that the salsa was super chunky so one scoop in and the cup was empty - if it had been smoother I'm sure it would have lasted longer. Will do this stop again!
(4)Tom I.
Good food had the Philly sandwich with the terrific French fries, and of course good beer! Outdoor seating was nice but a chilly evening brought us inside!
(4)Rob C.
For late-night dining, it's a decent choice depending on who's playing. They'll always have a special going. The service staff are nice for the times I've been there. I would suggest bringing friends to this place as it has an atmosphere for reconnecting. When you're inside though, tables may be hard to come by. On nights they have live music, it does get a bit loud. To me, this is what people would refer to as the typical college bar.
(3)Thom Y.
Food is very bad! Drinks and cocktails are not much! The outdoor area is this place's only advantage!
(2)Todd W.
If I could give a restaurant 0 stars I would. I'm sitting here as I write and there is nothing positive about this place. They won't let us play any drinking games, such as thumper, stating that PA law says that it's illegal. Which it's not, I looked it up. The buffalo quesadilla is simply a tortilla wrapped around cooked chicken, hot sauce, and shredded cheese. A picture is attached. It's not even cooked. Don't ever go here.
(1)Nate S.
Cafe is a blast during the warm months, but is really nothing special when it's cold outside. I'm a fan of craft beer, and Cafe seems to consistently carry only one or two craft beers at a time, changing them every so often. They have decent food and drink specials, but nothing extraordinary. That being said, I'm sure I'll be returning as soon as the weather gets warm.
(3)J'dinkalage M.
I LOVE the pitcher specials. Miami Beach is the best. That's the only reason why I go there. The service is hands down the worst in all of state college. Waitresses will disappear for 20 minutes at a time. Tables will go un-bused throughout the night. They always seem to have too many bouncers standing at the door and not enough wait staff filling orders promptly.
(2)Michelle C.
I've ended up here a couple times while in the area for work conferences. There is nothing special about the place other than the simple fact that you can sit outside on a nice day and get $4.50 - $5 pitchers of beer and some cheap eats. Hanging out and eavesdropping on all the college kids around the patio fills me with nostalgia for my own college days mixed with relief that I'm past all that drama!
(3)Eric K.
This place is my go to favorite when it's nice out. Oh sure there's others that do the outdoor thing (Gman, the deli, etc) but NONE do it quite like this place. Service is prompt even when busy, the menu COULD be better and I'm not a "bar guy" so i can't really tell you about the night life here, or I'd have probably 5 starred it.
(4)Camilo B.
Servers are decently hot, food is great during happy hour. Everyone gets LIT's for 2.50 but I suggest a Miami beach..... Tastes better and I think has more alcohol. Drinking atmosphere is awesome. Definitely a nice place to come ham on a budget.
(4)Speecy Spicy M.
Good Outdoor seating( best place in SC when its nice outside) Location Pretty good Happy Hour Tuesday wings are excellent Lots of seating College hangout Bad Most of the food-it is not very price worthy you're overpaying for so-so food Not a lot of alcohol in the drinks Everyone likes the teas but I think they taste like strong lemon mix Ugly Cover every night of the week...like wtf- I came to eat dinner with some friends and all got charged $3 because it was after 9 and it wasn't even busy $2 nachos- they're the worst - soggy just turrrbl
(3)Del S.
Its good when they have drink specials. Not a personal favorite of their food. I heard the owner isnt very pleasant though and there have only been a few complications with service.
(3)Andrew P.
Great drink specials, good cheap bar food, and the patio all make Cafe one of my favorite spots in State College. I come here pretty regularly. They have a predictable schedule of specials every weekday (excluding event weekends), that make it easy to plan for. Looking for something to eat on a Wednesday? $3.50 pulled pork sandwiches. Hungry on a Monday? Burger and fries. Looking to get drunk on something sweet? Long island iced tea pitchers, every day. 1/2 price drinks and appetizers for most Happy Hours is another plus. This is the sort of place you can get a good buzz without spending a lot of money, and everyone needs a place like that. The food is actually pretty good. Most of it is just normal bar food. Fairly standard wings, burgers, fries, and chicken fingers...But their cheesesteaks are really good! These are real Philly Style steaks, made with chip steak and cheez whiz, served on an Amoroso roll with or without onions. Probably the best cheesesteak in town. As a weekday lunch special, you can get a cheesesteak and fries for $5. Honestly, I think I'm here for that lunch special more often than I come to party. Just sidle up to the bar, order a cheesesteak and a beer, and get out for less than $10. Even with all that, the patio is the best feature of the place. As Winter turns to Spring, and the semester starts to wind down, you begin to see more and more people grabbing tables outside to enjoy the good weather. It's a perfect place to sit and people watch on a warm Saturday evening, or enjoy lunch on a Summer afternoon. The patio can get a bit crowded, but that's the price you pay, I guess.
(4)Sean O.
So much to love about Cafe 210 West. 1) It's not a dingy basement bar 2) They have live music all the time 3) If you don't feel like being drowned out by the music, there's other places to go and sit. 4) You can sit outside on a nice day, or on a rainy one. In short, for live music, good drinks (and drink specials) and decent food. There aren't really better places than Cafe 210. It's that simple.
(4)Josh G.
Cheap, slutty pitchers. Abort, abort, abort. Now! Last line inside joke.
(4)Susie R.
This is a great place to grab some drinks with friends. You will definitely want to go during happy hour because they have amazing specials! It's really nice because they have outdoor seating, so on nice nights you can chill outside, which is really great for when you want to have a conversation because inside can get really loud. This is a really popular bar so be prepared for a crowd. This was my favorite place to go during the summer because it is much less crowded, or you can get there earlier to avoid waiting in line. There are always food and drink specials so you can go there and grab some food and hang with friends or you can party and dance with the band. You should definitely check Cafe out. It is one of my favorite bars to go to in downtown State College.
(4)Jen M.
Great place for students and the younger crowd. Outside seating is definitely the best part in warmer weather. Good Specials, too! Food is average. Nothing super special, but not a bad hang out by any means!
(4)Andy S.
This was the place to go if you wanted to sit outside and drink incredibly strong Long Island Iced Tea...no other reason to be here...none at all. Decent place to start the evening but then hit the road once it fills up.
(2)Dave H.
I've been to Cafe 210 several times for random reasons. Last time I visited, I realized I didn't pay cover, and I told the bouncer on my way out. He said to not worry. (I guess I dropped enough at the bar, but I paid the few bucks anyway.) Apparently there's a restaurant past the front patio and bar, but I've never seen it for myself. Patrons are pretty friendly, with a few folks dancing, but most usually sit, especially at the front patio. (After a few shots of tequila, sitting isn't the worst idea.) It gets crowded, but I've never had issues getting a bartender's attention. Bartenders haven't always been the friendliest, not sure what's up with that? But hey, your mileage may vary. Cafe 210 isn't worth waiting in line for, but it isn't a bad stop if you're hitting multiple bars.
(3)Erin R.
Cafe is a State College bar landmark that no respectable bar tour would be without. Their food and alcohol is cheap and they have seating areas out front and in the back that are great on nice days. The reason I won't give it a better rating is that the main reason for liking Cafe (the outdoor seating) isn't really a function of anything the owners do, other than the fact that they wisely bought a place that had room for outdoor seating. Cafe has no appeal to me in the winter time. The inside is unremarkable and the service is almost always sub-par. I've also had friends get kicked out for very weird reasons, like one friend whose shoe had unfortunately broken while she was out. They deemed that to mean she was too drunk, but actually her shoe just broke. It happens. And I had another acquaintance who was kicked out after someone picked a fight with her, because according to Cafe "Both parties in a dispute must be escorted out." It's a great place when the weather's nice, but most places in State College have good drink specials, so if it's raining/cold, I'd go somewhere else.
(3)Jenna C.
I was in town for a recruiting event for work which involved doing some on-campus presentations and interviews at Penn State. I ventured to Café 210 West with a group of young coworkers...it is a typical college dive with big crowds and live music. I didn't notice any beer pong or other games going on while I was there. A plus - the huge back deck with ample outdoor seating. A con - I waited in line for almost 45 minutes before being able to get in, and this was on a Wednesday night at the end of September. Drinks are relatively cheap (I stuck with my go-to vodka soda), and the crowd was pleasant. Bathrooms weren't too offensive. The location is great, right in the heart of downtown, and it was walking distance from my hotel. All in all, a so-so experience. However, I've never been to any other bars in State College, so I don't have a local basis for comparison - but I have been to plenty of bars in other parts of the country!
(3)Cindy D.
Pub grub at it's finest. Love the patio. It's pretty much a college dive bar with live music or karaoke. It's usually a good time.
(3)Ryan O.
Best place in town to grab a table and have some drinks outside on a nice day. Good drink specials, live music inside and two outdoor seating areas. The front is ideal for people watching and waiving down old friends strolling down College Ave on game weekend. The back outdoor seating area is more secluded but a great option for dinner and drinks.
(5)Rob C.
For late-night dining, it's a decent choice depending on who's playing. They'll always have a special going. The service staff are nice for the times I've been there. I would suggest bringing friends to this place as it has an atmosphere for reconnecting. When you're inside though, tables may be hard to come by. On nights they have live music, it does get a bit loud. To me, this is what people would refer to as the typical college bar.
(3)Thom Y.
Food is very bad! Drinks and cocktails are not much! The outdoor area is this place's only advantage!
(2)Nick V.
CAUTION: totally safe to go for lunch, but I'm sure it turns into a crazy college bar for dinner. Good quick food. Our waiter was a little slow and forgot to ask us if we wanted anything to drink. Little on the dirty side, but the buffalo chicken wrap I got made it worth it. The food presentation was nice and it was definitely fresh.
(4)Janis W.
Cafe 210 West is a nice option on a summer day as you can take advantage of their outdoor patio. I like it because there is plenty of shade so you don't get sunburned while you eat. This trip though the outdoor patio was full, so we ate inside. They have a nice selection of sandwiches, I got a chicken wrap, kids got hamburgers, and it all came out quickly and tasted great! My only complaint is that the wrap came with tortilla chips and salsa as the side, and the salsa came in these really little cups. I guess it wouldn't have been bad except that the salsa was super chunky so one scoop in and the cup was empty - if it had been smoother I'm sure it would have lasted longer. Will do this stop again!
(4)Tom I.
Good food had the Philly sandwich with the terrific French fries, and of course good beer! Outdoor seating was nice but a chilly evening brought us inside!
(4)Todd W.
If I could give a restaurant 0 stars I would. I'm sitting here as I write and there is nothing positive about this place. They won't let us play any drinking games, such as thumper, stating that PA law says that it's illegal. Which it's not, I looked it up. The buffalo quesadilla is simply a tortilla wrapped around cooked chicken, hot sauce, and shredded cheese. A picture is attached. It's not even cooked. Don't ever go here.
(1)Nate S.
Cafe is a blast during the warm months, but is really nothing special when it's cold outside. I'm a fan of craft beer, and Cafe seems to consistently carry only one or two craft beers at a time, changing them every so often. They have decent food and drink specials, but nothing extraordinary. That being said, I'm sure I'll be returning as soon as the weather gets warm.
(3)Cindy L.
I loved coming here for lunch when I was in State College. I would come for their burger basket specials with a pitcher. With the outdoor seating, this was the perfect place for relaxing and day drinking.
(4)Zach Z.
Best bar in State College. The teas are to die for.
(5)Greg W.
Pushy college kid bouncer gave me crap about bringing in a plastic bag from CVS during the middle of the day. Relax kid. Inside the drinks were fairly cheap but not crazy cheap like a lot of other bars around. Service was fine from the clearly inexperienced bartender, she was trying though so it was all good. Odd crowd during the day and the place could use a makeover. Meh really was the way to describe it!
(2)Amanda L.
worst service i have ever received in my entire life BUT the 4 stars are saved by basically everything else. Great drinks, great atmosphere. It's always the first place that comes to mind on a really nice day if my friends and I want a few drinks (or pitchers...) Not sure why the service is as bad as it is though...It's honestly unbearable. Being distracted by friends and the fun of being outside makes it a little easier to tolerate. But it's harder and harder to watch my tip go in my careless waitress's pocket every single time I go. On the 1st day of 55 Days of Cafe, the waitress took my $20 to pay for my $6 bill and never returned. Once i FINALLY flagged her down she replied "Oh I forgot". I understand it was busy that day, but it was no where near busy enough to forget to bring me $14 worth of change.
(4)Jessica B.
Well, I just don't know how to rate Cafe 210. When I was 18, I was a dishwasher here. I would have rated them a 1. Luckily for them, I didn't really know what sexual harassment and wage theft was back then. When I quit, they threatened to not pay me for the last week I worked, but unbeknownst to them, I had already picked up and cashed the check. Suckers. This would have been '87ish, I have no idea if they are under new ownership now. When I was older, it was a good place to hear bands and get drinks, so more of a 3? And now, as a returning townie, we came back and sat outside, feeling old and eating DELICIOUS PORK NACHOS. So good. So traif. So not on my diet. I would imagine it would be fun to see a good band here, but the students hanging out were more of the sorority girl/dude bro type. The smoking on the patio thing is totally weird. Illegal in my home state and not something I'm used to. We had a nice, cute waitress and I felt like telling her, "It Gets Better!"
(3)Anna M.
Cafe 210 had a decent ambiance, very typical of a college bar. The food was nothing to write home about but the drink specials were a great deal! I enjoyed eating on the patio except for all of the other people around me smoking Overall, I had a great night out with my friends and would recommend cafe 210 for a casual night out!
(3)Alaina H.
I've never liked cafe, mainly because it always reminded me of a middle school dance, but tonight it went above and beyond the douchebaggery debauchery that was normal for a Saturday night and sucked ass extra hard. blah blah blah I don't care, everyone who works there is obviously mad about their own lame lives fight me, wire rims
(1)Stacy M.
This place is sticky. That's the predominant thing that stuck out with me. The waitstaff at 4pm on a Saturday is nice.
(2)Meghan M.
If its a beautiful day in Happy Valley and you're over 21, you should be at Cafe. With two outdoor patios, sit and people watch on College Ave while sipping a liquor pitcher, or, head out back and enjoy beers with friends. Like other reviews, the 4 stars are garnered by the ambiance and bar deals because the service is beat. Don't expect to see your server often, and if you do order food, it tends to take a while. You may want to even consider grabbing drinks from the bar and then moving outside.
(4)Gina C.
The food was fast and tastes good. I would try the buffalo chicken dip- and if you go on Thursdays the 32 oz pitchers of (any flavor)alcoholic tea drinks for $4 and the wraps are all a dollar off. In the summer the outside porch is perfect for a drink on the patio, but make sure you're not stuck at a table next to another table of smokers.
(4)Rachel K.
I came here for my friend's graduation celebration. This is your absolutely quintessential PSU bar to the core! Everyone's favorite cover band (My Hero Zero) was playing so there was a small cover fee. I think it was only $2. The place was crawling with students, ridiculously drunk, all sweating it out on the dance floor. Classic. Remember, a night here is not complete until you order a pitcher. Warning: they are potently strong and dirt cheap, so watch yourself. If you don't want to rock out and dance by the stage--we did--there are tons of tables and bar space, plus a patio when it's nice out. The employees can be pretty gruff but I'm sure they deal with a lot so I overlooked that in the end. Overall, a fun time to relive the undergraduate days. Also, if you're looking to make a few bad decisions with a stranger, this would be a good place to start.
(4)Jay D.
We went to Cafe 210 West while visiting my girlfriend's brother at State College. It was a relatively cool summer afternoon, so we sat outside on the patio. We sat near the street, and it was relatively quiet for being on the main drag. The menu was well-priced, and there was a rotating specials list. The drink special today was $3.50 Blue Moon Drafts, which we ordered. Bar Service was quick. The food arrived in a timely fashion, and I ordered the Buffalo Chicken Salad. The greens in the salad were a little old, but the chicken was cooked well. Service was a little slow. We liked that they provided a pitcher of water, but our Waitress had a lot of tables, so it was a little difficult for her to personalize the experience for us.
(3)Jared J.
The quintessential State College Bar. Listen guys go here for the outdoor seating when the weather gets nice. Just perfect for people watching and day drinking. Cafe 210 West has amazing happy hour specials, a lot of space to move around and not feel cramped, as well as appropriate service for a bar of this caliber. I can recall shots girls here almost all the time so feel free to check it out in the evening for some free shots.
(5)Michelle P.
Café 210 is a must-visit if you want the PSU experience in State College. All of my alumni friends made this recommendation and told me I must try the adults teas. A cover charge almost deterred me and my husband from visiting recently. I balk at most cover charges, especially during happy hour. I feel cover charges should be limited to NYC and Jersey shore night clubs. Why should I pay to sit and have a drink? About to turn around and leave, we asked how much drinks are. When we found out that happy hour teas were only $2.25, we whipped out our wallets to pay the cover quickly. Turned out the cover was only $2. One drink + the cover was still cheaper than what I thought I'd be paying in the first place. In any case, we sat by the front bar and got to listen to a cover band as we sipped our teas. I started with pomegranate and it was okay. Based on the bartender's recommendation, I went with peach for my next round. Good call! If we didn't have a concert to get to, I could have been sucking those babies down all night. Apparently during happy hour the drinks are served in (large) plastic cups, versus the little pitchers they are normally served in. I didn't learn this until I told a friend about the experience. I thought the plastic cup was pretty large and I was getting a good deal. Moral of the story- just go to Café 210 and a few teas. Don't ask questions. Don't doubt it. Just do it.
(3)Scott B.
If you want good service where your server is up on checking if you need more drinks don't come here!!! Terrible service by untrained staff that could care less about customer satisfaction.
(1)Mike F.
Good lunch nice outdoor patio drinks good fireball powerful. Free soda refills. Burger and pulled pork special were very good. Music wasn't too loud inside. The men's room was definitely a college setup. Service was attentive and good. Would come back
(4)Michael M.
The Food: (average) I ordered the Cafe Classic Special, which is half of their Godfather specially sandwich - and a choice of soup or salad. Right off the bat, the flavors were wonderful and the meat cooked exactly to my liking. The chili (soup) that came with the meal was also very hearty and perfectly balanced between cheese and beans. Atmosphere: (average) Often, you will find this place busting at the seems with large parties, sport fanatics, and PSU football game aftermath. For some reason, it was unusually empty on this Friday afternoon. It decor is kind of boring, nothing remarkable. The commonplace picture of Joe Pa, a few TVs, and a bar. The most notable feature is its outdoor seating, probably the largest on College Avenue (seating close to 50 people, I would imagine.) Price: (above average) For the Cafe Classic Special, it cost me $8, which is for half a sandwich and soup. Appropriate in my opinion. It should be noted they have $5 lunch special, so that deserves some props. Service: (average) Service was average in terms of courtesy and knowledge of menu, nothing remarkable.
(3)Felicity C.
Have only been here a couple times every time service is slow and waiting time is long. The food I feel like is very hit or miss cuz it's so different stuff you either like it or you don't wasn't super impressed from what people where saying.
(3)Eric K.
This place is my go to favorite when it's nice out. Oh sure there's others that do the outdoor thing (Gman, the deli, etc) but NONE do it quite like this place. Service is prompt even when busy, the menu COULD be better and I'm not a "bar guy" so i can't really tell you about the night life here, or I'd have probably 5 starred it.
(4)Del S.
Its good when they have drink specials. Not a personal favorite of their food. I heard the owner isnt very pleasant though and there have only been a few complications with service.
(3)Cody P.
We went to Cafe 210 West last night for my girlfriends birthday. It was the first time I had ever been there and it will be the last. It was me, my girlfriend, her sister and a friend. We had eaten hardly anything throughout the day and we were throughly famished when we got there. There was a cover charge to get in, even though we were only there for food and drinks. After we sat down, it took about 10 minutes for a waitress to get to us. We started with water and it came back to us promptly, along with some STALE chips with some salsa to start with, but she wanted to know if we were ready to order already. We were ready to order drinks but we didn't all know what we were eating yet. My girlfriend (the birthday girl) asked the waitress that if she didn't like her drink, could she exchange it for something else, to which the waitress says "Not really, because it comes out of my pay." That is one of the most unprofessional things I've ever heard a waitress say. It all went downhill from there. After that, we waited for about another 15 minutes for her to come back with our drinks. The waitress said that she would be right back to take our order after she dropped off our drinks. Well...she never came back...not even once. We sat there for well over a half hour. We couldn't even drink our drinks because none of us had eaten anything that day. Me and my girlfriend went to find the manager so we could get some service, and he was apologetic and told us that he would get our waitress over to us right away so we could order. We sat there for about another 15 minutes with NO service at all, our waitress never showed up after we had already talked to the manager, so I assume that he did nothing. After this, we had enough and we went to find the manager to tell him that we were leaving. He told us that our waitress was busy and we just need to wait. We were there for over an hour and never even got to order our food. We still had to pay for the drinks that none of us had even gotten to drink and for the stale chips that we did eat, only because we were all starving. It should have been gratis after our awful experience. I will never eat there again. Thank you Cafe 210 West for ruining my girlfriends birthday.
(1)J'dinkalage M.
I LOVE the pitcher specials. Miami Beach is the best. That's the only reason why I go there. The service is hands down the worst in all of state college. Waitresses will disappear for 20 minutes at a time. Tables will go un-bused throughout the night. They always seem to have too many bouncers standing at the door and not enough wait staff filling orders promptly.
(2)Camilo B.
Servers are decently hot, food is great during happy hour. Everyone gets LIT's for 2.50 but I suggest a Miami beach..... Tastes better and I think has more alcohol. Drinking atmosphere is awesome. Definitely a nice place to come ham on a budget.
(4)Speecy Spicy M.
Good Outdoor seating( best place in SC when its nice outside) Location Pretty good Happy Hour Tuesday wings are excellent Lots of seating College hangout Bad Most of the food-it is not very price worthy you're overpaying for so-so food Not a lot of alcohol in the drinks Everyone likes the teas but I think they taste like strong lemon mix Ugly Cover every night of the week...like wtf- I came to eat dinner with some friends and all got charged $3 because it was after 9 and it wasn't even busy $2 nachos- they're the worst - soggy just turrrbl
(3)Andrew P.
Great drink specials, good cheap bar food, and the patio all make Cafe one of my favorite spots in State College. I come here pretty regularly. They have a predictable schedule of specials every weekday (excluding event weekends), that make it easy to plan for. Looking for something to eat on a Wednesday? $3.50 pulled pork sandwiches. Hungry on a Monday? Burger and fries. Looking to get drunk on something sweet? Long island iced tea pitchers, every day. 1/2 price drinks and appetizers for most Happy Hours is another plus. This is the sort of place you can get a good buzz without spending a lot of money, and everyone needs a place like that. The food is actually pretty good. Most of it is just normal bar food. Fairly standard wings, burgers, fries, and chicken fingers...But their cheesesteaks are really good! These are real Philly Style steaks, made with chip steak and cheez whiz, served on an Amoroso roll with or without onions. Probably the best cheesesteak in town. As a weekday lunch special, you can get a cheesesteak and fries for $5. Honestly, I think I'm here for that lunch special more often than I come to party. Just sidle up to the bar, order a cheesesteak and a beer, and get out for less than $10. Even with all that, the patio is the best feature of the place. As Winter turns to Spring, and the semester starts to wind down, you begin to see more and more people grabbing tables outside to enjoy the good weather. It's a perfect place to sit and people watch on a warm Saturday evening, or enjoy lunch on a Summer afternoon. The patio can get a bit crowded, but that's the price you pay, I guess.
(4)Sean O.
So much to love about Cafe 210 West. 1) It's not a dingy basement bar 2) They have live music all the time 3) If you don't feel like being drowned out by the music, there's other places to go and sit. 4) You can sit outside on a nice day, or on a rainy one. In short, for live music, good drinks (and drink specials) and decent food. There aren't really better places than Cafe 210. It's that simple.
(4)Susie R.
This is a great place to grab some drinks with friends. You will definitely want to go during happy hour because they have amazing specials! It's really nice because they have outdoor seating, so on nice nights you can chill outside, which is really great for when you want to have a conversation because inside can get really loud. This is a really popular bar so be prepared for a crowd. This was my favorite place to go during the summer because it is much less crowded, or you can get there earlier to avoid waiting in line. There are always food and drink specials so you can go there and grab some food and hang with friends or you can party and dance with the band. You should definitely check Cafe out. It is one of my favorite bars to go to in downtown State College.
(4)Chrissy C.
Long Beach iced tea and a chicken caesar salad. Repeat the tea until you have jelly legs. You're welcome. ...Come here early on nice days. People skip class once April rolls around to sit here and drink tea all day. Live bands are night are pretty solid too.
(4)Travis M.
Try the skillet fries and wash it down with a cafe tea
(5)Michael W.
Located in the heart of State College is where you'll find Cafe 210 West. It's conveniently located right across the street from Penn State, so prepare yourselves to be bombarded with undergrads galore. This place is your typical college bar. Beer pong? Check. $2.75 20oz of Coors? Check. Pitchers of long island? Check! They even have the authentic college feel to it. Sticky floors and plastic cups. As much as I don't like drinking around college kids, I can't knock on these prices. With a $20 bill, you can walk away with a decent amount of alcohol. If you do come early enough, there are plenty of seats for you to hang out with you friends. Any later, and you're stuck crowd surfing to the bar and back. Here, they also have an outside area for all you smokers and further inside is where they tend to have live bands perform. Pretty good I suppose. This place takes me back to my days as an undergrad where I would love to pound pints of cheap beer and have shots of Bacardi Superior. I love it, but I don't know how much I love it at age 27.
(3)Mark R.
Terrible place to see a band play! Went to see Cabinet, a local band that just so happened to playing where I was working. Paid my tab and 10 minutes later I was being kicked out?! WTF?! Cabinet played a great show and nothing against them, but this venue is messed up! I will never pay to enter your venue again and I hope others will see this and feel the same way. TERRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!
(1)Megan K.
The Cafe is a great place to hang out if you can get a seat outside, inside, it about the same as any other bar. If you go, order the Skillet Fries, they make it worth the trip.
(3)Sara U.
CHEAP! And I don't mean cheap like the date I had where the excuse of "I only have a 20 dollar bill and didn't realize this steak house would cost more than that" or "You like beer? Cheap date! Why don't we just buy some at the store and go back to my apartment over my grandma's garage?" NO! So the $2 cover (because of a band) threw us off at first. I do not even get charged for covers in NYC! Oh I was mad. I stared down the money taker as I thrusted my crumpled left over $2 in her face and tapped my foot impatiently. When did my mood change??? $3 for a large beer? YAY! $5 for shots? YAY! I had a lot of beer. I had a lot of shots. I had to be up early to do a group presentation in my grad school class. I got 3 hours of sleep. It was worth it. THE END!
(4)Danny B.
Well, it turns out that I've been here many more times since the visit which prompted my original review. This is not my favourite place to go at night. It's OK. However, it's a bit overcrowded, with high cover charge and only mediocre drink specials, most of which do not apply on football-game weekends. The entertainment at night is good sometimes. I much prefer the Cafe for eating outside on the front patio during the appropriate season. Some of the food specials are quite good. There are half-priced appetizers during happy hours, and there are five-dollar "High Noon" lunch specials on weekdays (11:30 - 2). I especially like the chicken parmesan sandwiches and the chili cheese fries; I do not like the nachos (too salty) or the wraps (just bland). Service is OK, on average.
(4)Sanjay P.
The four stars is just for memory and nostalgia - the experience this time around when I went back with my wife was not that great but, while a student at Penn State, this was a regular haunt. Its great for the poor college student with its happy hour specials. Great patio in front and back. Basically just a great place for the college student to get some cheap drinks!
(4)Karen P.
Bouncers were horrible. Not sure why but we were not allowed : in the bar tonight. Bouncer was a little power hungry. DO NOT go this bar. Idiots!f
(1)Alex L.
Definitely go during Happy Hour! $2 Long Island Ice Teas are definitely worth it! Sometimes there is a cover of $2-$3 dollars especially when there is a band playing. Definitely can improve on the seating indoors when it is cold. They definitely need more seats in Cafe, as a lot of people normally stand. When it is warm, there is a patio/outdoor seating and it is normally crowded instantly
(4)Mike R.
Great atmosphere. Get a seat outside if it's nice but don't get the suicide wings if you are busy the next day!! Good if you like college-party atmosphere. Can be smoky outside at times. Sometimes there are live music. Not the best service.
(4)Rachel L.
Cafe 210 is the place you walk by when you're under 21 and just think "I can't wait till I'm 21 and can sit outside at Cafe!" and let me tell you, its a wonderful thing when you first can! After graduating, I've learned to appreciate the $6 teas and bacardi pitchers and the group bonding around the tiny tables. Minus 1 star because it's not nearly as nice when you're inside, and the food is OK. State Patty's was fun here; they served green beer and had a good band. I'd rather spend my afternoons here than evenings, but can be a good place to start out the night!
(4)Brian B.
Fairly mild mannered bouncers (except on crazy nights of course, and the occasional deutsche bag), fun and mostly energetic waitresses, bartender friendliness can be hit or miss (it does get crowded and insane), and the long island ice teas are phenomenal... kind of their signature happy hour thing! Without fear of hurting their business, I would stay away from it on football weekends...its just too crowded!!. Oh, and by the way the food is really good!
(4)H.S. G.
Ah Cafe 210. My lasting impression of you will always be the evening my friends and I were enjoying a drink or two on your back patio only to have a beer dumped on us by some a**hole standing on the landing above us. When we reported said dbag to the staff we found ourselves being escorted out of the establishment because "both parties of any type of confrontation must be deported from the premises." Smart move making us leave out the back and the other guy from the front....like we couldn't have run around to the other side of the street to kick his ass. Lucky for you my friends achieved our revenge by pissing on the side of your building : ) Cheers cafe 210! Getting to the facts: wait staff always seemed 100% rude : the northface/greek life types who wanted a cool job but never learned those ever so important customer service skills. Get off your high horse. You work at a bar.
(1)Jessica R.
The front patio of the Cafe is the best place to sit outside for drinks in State College and the first part of the place to fill up in nice weather. The inside isn't bad either and I like the back patio when you want things a little quiter. The place is famous (or infamous, depending on how many you've had) for their Long Island Iced Teas. They have your normal domestic beers on tap and serve the typical bar food like wings, nachos, quesadillas. Last week when I was there I really enjoyed their chicken quesadilla. They've also got good nachos and wraps. The staff has never been the friendliest or most competent, but nothing out of the ordinary for a college bar. Depending on when you go, this can be a good place to chill or be filled with frat boys/sorostitutes. Luckily, you'll be able to tell just by what crowd is out front.
(3)Dana R.
I haven't finished making the rounds yet, but so far Cafe is definitely my favorite bar in State College. The outdoor seating is great when the weather is nice and I am a big fan of the flavored cafe tea pitchers. I also love that this bar every Friday is host to My Hero Zero, a band that MAKES the party. My friends and I split an order of their skillet fries which were delicious but easily devoured in minutes. The service is sub par but the prices are great, cheap beer, reasonably priced teas, and a lot of space to hang out with friends!
(5)Jennifer W.
A great place to grab a bite to eat and enjoy some drinks. Two words, SKILLET FRIES. They do not disappoint. Wash it down with a Cafe Long Island Ice Tea and you are set. If its nice out, they have a front and back deck which makes for a great experience. I love State College and never visit without one or two visits to Cafe
(5)Ashleigh C.
Maybe it was the weather, maybe it was because I was only 2 weeks into being 21, maybe it was the fact that my drinks were being paid for, maybe it was the peach long island iced tea. Whatever it was, I loved it! :]
(4)Mike A.
I can never really get enough of this place, especially when the weather's nice and the patio/deck are open. The food is delicious, the drinks are delicious, and stuff is cheap. Skillet Fries and Teas FTW.
(5)Casey W.
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(3)Ayush K.
Cafe has somewhat become a Friday afternoon, after-class, go-to place for my friends and I. If you get in early enough (a little before 5), you won't have to pay cover and the happy hour starts at 6. The service can be iffy at times but the outside seating and a somewhat shack-like atmosphere makes it a no-brainer. Skillet fries are great appetizers to go with your cafe tea, and if you're feeling it, you could even stick around for a good band or two. I personally prefer the outside seating at the back only because it provides a decent volume of music while at the same time leaving room for conversation to fill in. Buy your first drink at the bar and then sit down; it can take the server 30 min to get to your table.
(4)Danny S.
I miss this place. Great place to go when the weather is warm on a Friday afternoon and just have lunch and a few drinks outside. I'm not too fond of coming here during the night hours, but I think this place is perfect for the afternoon/evening hours to just hang out with your friends. The food is okay, nothing special, but I usually just order whatever food special they have that day.
(4)Paige D.
I wavered between 2 and 3 stars, and am going with 3 for benefit of the doubt. We went pretty early (6:30) on a Saturday for dinner. We had to pay cover just to eat, which was frustrating, because the band barely started by the time we had left at 8. It wasn't terribly busy, but our waitress seemed very frazzled. She forgot my beer, and then gave me the wrong one on top of it. I asked her what the "Pennsylvania Craft Beer" was, and she told me it was like Yuengling... but it was the Lancaster Milk Stout. Little bit different :) It took us probably about 30 minutes to even get our food order in. Previous posters are right: generally, the booze is pretty cheap. And hey, the food is decent-- I liked that they had jalapeno cheddar wraps, so I wrapped my buffalo wrap in that... but let's be honest, it still wasn't spicy. I can dream, right? I keep hoping... I'm sure it will be more towards the 3 stars I gave it come summer when it's warm out, but right now I'm ambivalent towards it.
(3)Natalie D.
This was probably my favorite of the places I went to during my visit. I agree with Jackie V. - avoid the place like the plague on Friday during football season (it was packed so we didn't even attempt), and that the service is slow. The beer I ordered was in a huge Go Lions! cup, and the food was a pretty big portion, at least for me. We sat on the patio on a gorgeous night and watched everyone going by. It was pretty relaxing, and very cheap. It was also very spacious and the back yard looked pretty fun, even though we didn't get out there. They too are extremely strict with carding, and studied my ID for what seemed like ages, passing it between three people at the door! But once we got in it was a good time.
(4)Jackie V.
Four stars might seem a little inflated for the Cafe, but what can I say? I'm a total sucker for patios. Let's just call this 3.5. I've been here in the hot weather, the cold weather, during the day, during "happy hour" (which, may I add, begins at 10pm), and after work. I've never really had a bad experience (note: in order to prevent said bad experience, I do avoid the Cafe during Senior Week, Arts Fest, and warm Fridays during football season). Obviously the Cafe's best feature is the patio, but I suppose I could say the same thing about my backyard. There are always drink specials, they will make vegan food as needed, and the bill is always less than I think it will be. The biggest drawback is the service. No matter what day it is (including 2pm on a random Tuesday in the early non-patio going spring), service is always s.l.o.w. Typically I don't mind, however, since I don't go if I'm in a rush, but if you're looking for something speedy, this place isn't it. With all that said, as much as I like patios, there's no way I'd wait in line or pay a cover to get in. Do you feel the same way? Get here before 9pm on weekends and snag some prime time seating for free ;)
(4)Brian B.
I actually decided to come during the daylight hours for a change and to be honest it changed my impression of 210 a lot. That's not to say it still doesn't become a cesspool of drunk nouveau frat types come happy hour, but a daylight lunch experience is a nice changeup. Got a pint of Victory summer pils, their "Clem's" burger (uses their BBQ sauce among other things), and a side order of beer battered fries. Fries are close to Otto's, but not quite the same. The burger was a tad pricey ($8.50) but it was extremely delicious. Service was meh but didn't really mind since it was such a nice day out. In the least amount of words, there's a reason as soon as people turn 21 around here that they come for lunch, perch themselves at an outdoor table with a Long Island and the daily special and watch State College go by.
(3)Jimmy K.
Cafe 210 is a staple of State College. As soon as the weather warms up in the Spring, there really isn't a better place to spend your Friday afternoons. Sipping on teas with your friends on the patio? What could be better? Food is pretty decent too. I'd really recommend the Chicken Parm Grinder, as well as the fries. Nothing goes better with some Teas, than skillet fries. Cafe has become the go-to place on Wednesdays too, now that they have Go-Go Gadjet performing every week.
(4)Chris M.
Alright folks, Cafe 210 is definitely worth your time. This place is among one of the most visited bars in the Penn State community. It really captures the atmosphere of what going out in a large college community is like. Also the music is usually good and they have special events like pong tournaments. That's the good part of Cafe 210. The downside that stops this from being a 4 or 5 star review is the combination of prices for their drinks and their cover charges. While their house made teas usually go on sale, other drinks are pricey (but this is common in this market). Also their cover can be pretty high during certain weekends. If you are looking for a place to grab a drink and watch State College pass on by, hit up Cafe 210.
(3)tiffanie l.
So I will admit, service isn't always great. But you can't beat the prices or the atmosphere. It screams college and it is an awesome place to go whenever. One of the best bars at state college to just chill at.
(4)Josh G.
Cheap, slutty pitchers. Abort, abort, abort. Now! Last line inside joke.
(4)Michelle C.
I've ended up here a couple times while in the area for work conferences. There is nothing special about the place other than the simple fact that you can sit outside on a nice day and get $4.50 - $5 pitchers of beer and some cheap eats. Hanging out and eavesdropping on all the college kids around the patio fills me with nostalgia for my own college days mixed with relief that I'm past all that drama!
(3)Sandy M.
"The Cafe" as it's known locally is part bar, part restaurant, but a lot of people don't get beyond its front patio seating. That's just fine, since the front patio is by far the biggest draw and the only way you're really getting the true Cafe 210 experience. Most entrees and appetizers on their menu will leave you full and satisfied, but I think they do the best job on their sandwiches (especially the "Godfather"). Their lunch specials and their Nachos Grande were always my favorites, and they have a really good salsa. They do have a lot of food specials daily (check out their website for these and entertainment schedules, as well as their full menu). The seating is a bit crowded and if you're outside, you can choose only from large or small round tables with plastic patio chairs, so don't expect to get *too* comfortable. The real reason to come here, though, is to sit out front, drink a Long Island Iced Tea, and watch the people walking and driving up and down College Avenue! Who needs a band?! Inside, the restaurant has an elevated seating area in the front and a few tables at entrance-level. In the back, a long, fully-stocked bar leads to a large room with a few additional tables and the stage for musical acts. Weekly performances by local bands and musicians usually begin around 10 p.m. The back patio is accessible through this back room and features more outdoor tables and picnic tables, but it's not as exciting as the front patio, and definitely not as clean. For its nightlife, the Cafe usually offers nightly beer and mixed drink specials. The crowd is varied and depends on what kind of entertainment is featured that night.
(3)Melissa K.
We went here on a Tuesday night, arriving around 7. At that time the front was fairly empty, but when we left an hour and a half later it was full. We ordered three pitchers of Miller Lite for $4.75 each. A bargain considering a month ago I paid $12 for a pitcher of Bud Light in LA. The waitress must have forgotten about the third one because it took awhile to get to us. The food--save your money. $6.75 for a raw veggie wrap and over seasoned tortilla chips.
(2)Janet F.
The service tends to be slow here, but I love the patio during warm months and I love the wings here! There are many places to feast on wings in State College and these are some of the best. They've also got an excellent strawberry spinach salad which is wonderfully tasty when you want to get away from the grease and fattiness of the diets of most college students.
(4)Steve W.
I like their happy hour specials and outdoor seating in the summer.
(4)Jen M.
Great place for students and the younger crowd. Outside seating is definitely the best part in warmer weather. Good Specials, too! Food is average. Nothing super special, but not a bad hang out by any means!
(4)