Travelling a lot for work can sometimes do some serious damage to your waistline if you’re not careful. When I travel, I prefer to find restaurants that are local and non-chain establishments. Otto’s Pub in State College fits the bill. As an added bonus, they strive to use as much locally grown product as possible.

Otto’s has a bar area with several TVs, outside seating and two main dining areas. They also brew their own beer, with selections changing seasonally. Parking can be a problem on weekends and Tuesday trivia nights, but Otto’s has agreements with several neighboring businesses for additional free parking.

Otto’s is frequented by the Penn State students, but it is also a very family-friendly establishment. My Dad joined me on a recent visit and the menu was so extensive that we had difficulty deciding what to order. I went with the Drunken Chicken while my Dad opted for a Grilled Ribeye. The entree serving sizes were generous, however the soup sizes run small. My Dad ordered a bowl of the soup of the day and it was served in a very small cup. We were assured that was in fact the “bowl” size. While the food and the beer were excellent, the service was sub-par. I suspect that was due to our particular server, and not the whole establishment.

Otto’s is a place that I will visit again, I just hope I’m not met with the same inattentive and slow service as I was on my first visit. Many locals that I talked to spoke very highly of the place. Decent beer is difficult to find in Central PA (Budweiser doesn’t count!) and Otto’s brewers really know what they’re doing.

The kitchen is open on Sunday-Wednesday: 11AM – 10PM, Thursday-Saturday: 11AM-11PM, the bar closes at different times depending on business, so call 814-867-6886 for current information.