Phyrst Bar

Came here for my brothers 21^st bday. My brothers girlfriend, my sister, and my boyfriend came here around 11pm and it was very crowded. A garage type band was playing which was interesting… felt like I was in a teenagers dirty basement party. We found a high top table and were on our second round of beer. We were all talking with each other at our little table, not bothering anyone when two bouncers ask my boyfriend to leave. My boyfriends eyes get really tired when he drinks and he closes them at times. He was very much so coherent and not overly intoxicated, simply sitting and talking. He doesn’t put up a fight at all because he’s a good guy, but they decide to walk him out like he’s a child. I’m not a regular here at all, just visiting my brother, and wouldn’t have planned on coming back anyway, but having someone from my group get kicked out for no reason sealed the deal on never coming back again.

If you are 21, hit this place up. Are you 22? Cool, you should go here too. The day you walk across the stage and collect your college diploma should probably be the last day you go to this bar. Phyrst is your quintessential college dive bar. Small confining space, guys wearing super tight tshirts showing off the one condom that has been in their wallet since 11^th grade, girls wearing high heels and little else, bouncers with muscles as big as your head, cheap booze, loud live music, one working toilet in the bathroom, sticky wet floor… you get the idea. Within the first 5 minutes, I slipped and completely wiped out flat on my back on the floor. Grown ups, enter at your own risk. College kids, live it up.

Do not go to this bar! I was visiting my friend on his 21^st birthday and thought that this bar was a good place to visit. As we were minding our own business and one of the bouncers came up to us and said that if we don’t leave that he is going to «snap our necks». The most unprofessional bar I’ve ever been to in my life. Not worth any money at all. Go to any other bar on campus and I’m sure they will treat you with much more hospitality.

Your typical college bar. Usually pretty crackin and no need to dress up.
Try to get in early so you dont have to wait in the fat ass line.
Dont remember how drinks are cuz i usually buy a crapton but i dont think theyre very expensive. Good place to go rage and get rowdy tho, which is probably the most important aspect of any bar.

If I could live at the Phyrst, I would. In fact, majority of my friends joked that I did. The Phyrst is my favorite bar in the world. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW ANYONE HATES THIS PLACE.
I love the dingy wood tables and the basement feel. Their happy hour is the best deal ever. $ 3 beer pitchers and $ 3 car bombs? How can you beat that?! Ugh and the tray of fries, or should I say MOUNTAIN of fries is so ridiculously cheap.
Always an incredibly fun time with great friends. The only thing I ask they change is the bathroom situation. Nothing is worse than waiting in that line, and not trying to hit people with the door. WORST.
I graduated in May, but every time I visit I look forward to going to the Phyrst as soon as I get there. What a place. Phyrst. Forever.

Tables are super cheap, ceilings are dirty and seems unsanitary. Went after a game. $ 6 pitchers of Yuengling. «Eye candy» is more like young ladies who look like they are 13. Bartender is hot. Wouldn’t go back unless I’m with that group.

A few friends and I went to this establishment looking to have a good time and maybe get a little tipsy for my buddy’s 23^rd birthday. While there, not only were we neglected by our waitress but when we asked for a drink it took over 45 minutes for her to come back with our drinks. It seemed almost as if we were second class to everyone else in the establishment. Not only was the waitress rude but she made it seem like it was our fault for ordering drinks at the table. Not to mention the women working were wearing minimal clothing and seemed to be flirting with my father in front of my mother. The man singing at the bar wouldn’t listen to our song requests but yet listened to everyone else’s. I’ve been to this place numerous times and it’s the same thing every time. I would think twice about going to this establishment. Lots of other better bars in the area :)

I saw the bartender pour an unused shot back into the bottle. I know it’s a crappy, college, dive bar, but that’s disgusting. When confronted she said «it was only one shot.» Worst thing I’ve ever seen done in person, and it was done in front of the entire bar like there was nothing wrong with that.

Table Wars. Noah and Dominic for life. Trash Cans and Purple Gatorades are some uncommon gems that only true Phryst goers know.
Sometimes they’ve kicked out myself or friends because of «visible intoxication» when we clearly had just arrived and they were clearing out to get more people in and pay more cover. I respect the game, but when you always wonder if you’re magically going to be kicked out. It’s annoying.

TERRIBLE experience. A group of 8 grown adults went here before a concert. There was a sober African American man standing outside in line being told that he wasn’t allowed in because he was «too intoxicated;» upon entry we discovered that the bar was filled with white frat boys and barely clothed drunk sorority girls.
I used the ladies room and it was tiny and filthy with no toilet paper and a USED TAMPON on the floor. Gross.
This is not the bar it used to be. Do not waste your money on this sexist, racist, filthy cess pool pretending to be a bar.

Wats wrong with this place!
Don’t buy anything online especially a gift card. I didnt recieve my items! I have contacted them several times. The management promises me someone will contact me every time I call and they never do. I emailed with no responses! And when I called they got me confused with another women who didn’t get her gift cards!!! Beware!

Unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to see inside the bar and experience the service because we were denied entry on the spot.
After a round of drinks at Local whiskey, we were denied entry to Phyrst by a smug twit for a doorman. A line was forming inside the bar, and while we don’t know exactly what the reason was for denying entry, we were told that we were «too intoxicated» and that we should try to come back tomorrow.
Needless to say, this bar is NOT RECOMMENDED, and we will not be returning tomorrow, or anytime ever.
This bar is owned by the same individual/​company that owns Local whiskey. By virtue of our terrible experience, I also do not recommend Local whiskey.

The Phyrst was my favorite bar as a student but after visiting last night and not having been for a number of years I will never return again. My friends and I were kicked out for no apparent reason and completely mistreated by the bouncers who were apparently on some sort of power trip. If you’re an alum, it’s not the same bar you used to attend as a student. Stay away!

The phryst is the worst bar at Penn state.

Live music, dank beer smell, raging aggressive bros… what more could you want in a college town.
Hey undergrads… this is where you go when you turn 21… Hands down!
The atmosphere is dark and dingy and they are very unlikely to kick you out if you get too drunk, not here to recap on stories.
Best time to go… 4 – 8 on Fridays before the crowd sinks in. Not recommended late night as it will be a fight to get to the bar, and you will get spilled on.
Cheap, scantly clothed bar tenders, and college stench.

I don’t know why people love the Phyrst, I went here a multitude of times during my years at Penn State. There is almost always a cover, even during break weeks there would be a cover.
Every time I went the bartenders would ignore you, it would take forever to get a drink, the floor seemed like someone dumped carpet glue on it, the bathroom is something that seemed like an afterthought and if you are over 5’5″ you are going to have to tilt your head to walk in. They have bad cover bands such as My Hero Zero come in and jack up the cover charge.

If a 0 star rating existed, this would be the business to deserve it. From the part owner (Mike) to the bouncers, this place is an unprofessional and disgusting cesspool managed by individuals who must have barely finished high school.
If the management were competent this place would be fantastic, but unfortunately the environment is «It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia» minus the humor. Incredibly disrespectful, abusive of «authority», no sense of customer satisfaction, and completely inequitable, this is a dump that should be AVOIDED AT ALL COSTS.

I recently visited State College to check out the Homecoming game & hang out with family I have attending Penn State. After the game, we came to Phyrst to grab a few beers before the night was over.
Full disclosure — my job is related to the service industry, & I have extensive experience working in restaurants & nightlife. I also realize that a college bar is not a place to go for anything other than a «good ol’ time», which is what we were after.
Those things said, this place exploits the fact that it’s in a college town & treats it’s patrons like garbage.
Our experience started with an hour-​long wait to get inside. Since it was homecoming weekend, this was probably something that couldn’t have been avoided. This was followed by a cover charge & an environment that is best described as «catering to the lowest common denominator frat bro». Speaking from personal experience, this can be a lot of fun within the right context. Additionally, if you like tired-​looking waitresses all wearing trashy, cleavage-​bearing attire (I’ll go ahead and assume this is required by the management), and you like your cover bands to play Smash Mouth’s greatest hits, this is probably the place for you.
So we got a few pitchers of beer, sat down, & were generally enjoying ourselves when a bouncer approached me and said that I had to leave because I was too drunk. When I asked him what he was asking about, he said he was sorry but I was slurring my words & that I had to leave immediately. I found it strange that he knew I was slurring my words considering I was using my phone when he approached me, but I guess he was clairvoyant or something.
I then asked to speak with a manager to find out what was going on, where I was then escorted outside & told that there was no way I could get back inside. When I asked what I was doing that would be grounds for throwing me out of the bar 15mins after I arrived, paid a cover, & bought several pitchers of beer, I was told by the manager that «there was no way he could know what the bouncer’s reason was, but that I had to leave». Even though I was clearly not intoxicated or slurring my words, the manager admitted that he «honestly did not give a f**k», and that the issue was completely out of his control.
So what conclusion can I draw? The line was crazy, there was a cover charge for everyone, & most people’s first action when arriving in a bar is to buy a drink. I believe that the management wanted to cycle in new people to pick up those initial charges throughout the night, & then once the line thinned out they would let people stay to get drunk. I even said this to the manager, to which he replied, «That would be bad business».
Personally, I think throwing people out of your who just waited an hour to get inside your rathole bar for doing nothing other than sitting down & talking to other people in their party worse business. But hey, what do I know?
Save your time & trouble, go ANYWHERE else in State College.

Love/​hate relationship (more love) with the phyrst. Some of my best times at PSU were at the phyrst! Amazing bands, tons of fun, nice doorman, trashcans and beer pitchers, 21sts. But they also have kicked me out more than any bar in state college. (Yes even more than the gaff) sometimes I’ve deserved it but others I was literally sober, waited in long lines and paid cover.
The waitresses/​bartenders are nice most of the time and the service is pretty quick! Some of them def need to get diff outfits tho…

The Phyrst is one of the most iconic State College bars around and definitely worth checking out if you are in town.
I don’t love that every server and bartender is an attractive, big-​busted girl forced to wear a cut-​up t-​shirt as part of her uniform, but I might be in the minority with that argument.
If you randomly stumble into the Phyrst, chances are that you will get to see a great band, as I have never been disappointed with a show I’ve seen there. They definitely get the best State College bands to perform there. They have an amazing happy hour from 7 – 9 where you can get pitchers of Yuengling for $ 3. Yes, that was PITCHERS and yes, that was $ 3! They also have two pool tables in the back room. It gets pretty packed on the weekends, but it’s usually a good time!
One of my favorite disgusting late-​night food binges in State College is an Ernie’s cheese-​steak, which is right upstairs. You can order and bring it down or just order it from one of the servers. Get it covered in cheese whiz and onions and I guarantee you will not regret it. Well, you might regret it, but you’ll enjoy it!!!