Barrel 21 Distillery and Dining — Restaurant in Patton Township

We became regulars at Barrel 21 earlier this year when we learned about their happy hour (seriously the best happy hour in State College). Every time we came in we were warmly greeted and always had great customer service with wonderful food/drinks. Their weekly specials are always so good and I truly have FOMO every weekend I'm not able to make it in and try them. We ended up talking to the manager about booking an annual event we host with them and were really excited when we were able to work with them on it. A few weeks ago we hosted our huge private event with over 100 people and they knocked it out of the park in every way. First, we had kosher restrictions for the drink menu and while most people here (understandably) have no idea what that entails, their bartenders spent time researching kosher products and mixers and created the most amazing cocktail menu for our event. It was so unbelievably thoughtful because usually for this event I have to research what alcohol they have and create a menu myself. Second, the food was amazing!! We had bruschetta, chicken skewers and egg rolls and gourmet cheeses and more, all of it was fantastic. Third, the venue is gorgeous. We barely brought any decorations because the restaurant is just aesthetically pleasing on it's own. Finally, the customer service was the best I've ever had in state college. The manager, Charles, was an absolute delight to work with and was a gem from day one. He understood our goal and coordinated the most amazing event around it. The restaurant was perfectly staffed, no one ever waited in line and food tables were never empty. All the employees were so delightful and provided amazing customer service. Our party guests are still telling us weeks later how much fun they had, we are so grateful. Definitely hit up Barrel 21 for dinner (their weekly specials are amazing) but also keep them in mind for any events you might have, they...

Decor was cute, and we had high hopes considering the hostess touted "this is the best restaurant in State College" upon seating us. Ordered the Brie which tasted fine, but did not come as listed on menu (missing candied pecans and served with wheat crackers rather than water crackers). Friend ordered a Cesar salad. MUCH to his dismay, it appeared and was unrecognizable as being a salad. I guess they were trying for a posh presentation by "deconstructing" the salad (6 leaves of romaine lined on a plate rather than cut or chopped). But my friend was actually disgusted and unpleasantly surprised by the presentation and would never have ordered it, had it been representated properly on the menu. Ordered a glass of Pinot Grigio (did not specify brand). Taste of the wine was disappointing and bitter. I could barely finish the 5 oz glass. And was especially surprised to find upon the completion of the meal that the waitress brought the most expensive PG they had on the menu. Ordered the Scallops which were cooked perfectly, but seasoned poorly/not at all. Says served over sourdough bread, which was absent from the meal, and was full of raw red onion which is not mentioned on the menu. Spent over $50 at the restaurant for my meal alone. Firmly believe the money would have been better saved....

I have enjoyed a nice dinner at Barrel 21, with a very good steak sandwich and a delicious fall-themed cocktail. However, we tried Barrel 21's Sunday brunch buffet and we can't stop talking about how GOOD it was. From the cheesy eggs to the crispy bacon, the savory options left nothing to be desired. However, the sweets are incredible. The strawberry french toast was the best french toast I've ever experienced. While golden on the outside, the inside was moist and sweet, and dense with a texture similar to kugel. The blackberry cheesecake was fluffy, creamy, and flavor-packed. The lemon bars were not too tart and super creamy. If I wasn't so full I would have tried the bagels, they looked crusty and amazing. There is also a selection of soup, salad, antipasto, fruit, fruit parfait, pastries, cannoli, and other hot breakfast items. Excellent orange juice and coffee. Perhaps next time, we will be more adventurous and try the mimosas ($5) or the bloody mary bar. I should also mention that our server was just the right amount of attentive. If it wasn't $18 per person (which is a great price considering the quality of food), we'd be there every...