Big Dean's Hot Chicken

This was our first visit, and we will definitely return! We were not greeted upon arrival, so we opted to order from self-serve kiosks. We had to get the lone employee's attention to request cups for fountain drinks. The location was clean and well-maintained, but the music was uncomfortably loud. The food was served very hot and fresh, and our order was mostly accurate (they switched my plain fries with my husband's cheese fries). The chicken was markedly moist and easily identifiable as real meat. The breading was light and flavorful on the tenders I ordered, and it was not excessively greasy. The bbq sauce served with the tenders was very good. My husband had a buffalo chicken sandwich that was evenly sauced and tasty. Overall, this was an enjoyable visit, and we look forward to trying additional menu items.

This is the best chicken I’ve ever tasted. Crispy, Nashville hot is a good choice for spiciness- good kick but manageable. The crinkle cut fries have a dusting of something that gives it a good flavor/ kick as well. Ranch has a dil flavor to it, the bbq has a kick, and the secret sauce is to die for! Tastes like Mac sauce. Will be coming back again.

First time here, and we LOVED it. Would highly recommend. The food was delicious, and was cooked all fresh to order. The sauces are amazing, we did a Tennessee sunshine bbq and it had a bit of a tang. The honey mustard was the best and so good I could drink it! Nailed it out of the park!

overall good experience. Solid fried chicken, but greasier than expected. Could be drained better. Meals were ready fast. Nashville was a bit milder than expected. Fries are SO good. Best crispy waffle fries I've had anywhere in PA. The interior is decorated nicely. The employees are friendly and helpful in explaining the menu options. Sauces are tasty too. Not the best option for spicy fried chicken, but if you're in the area it's a reasonable choice. The signature sauce was a highlight.

Just went for my fourth time and honestly this chicken sandwich is one of the best I've ever had. The chicken is so moist, but with a crunchy breading. You can select your spice level, so you can actually get tasty, spicy food in State College. This is definitely the best chicken sandwich in State College.

It’s Friday, meaning they’re supposed to close at 10pm as per Google, their website and the door. My husband goes to get us food at 8:50 and the lady tells him that they’re closing in 9 minutes and can’t make food. Ok, if he came in at 9:50 very understandable….but no where does it say they close at 9 on a Friday!! I’m just pregnant and upset because food doesn’t usually sound good but I was really looking forward to eating there. I’ll prob delete this but I’m just pregnant, hungry and now very disappointed. Nothing wrong with the food though

This place is amazing, best crispy chicken sandwich I have ever eaten! I want to eat it everyday, clearly not a wise health choice, so it will be an awesome treat once in a while. If you haven't tried Big Dean's YOU NEED TO ASAP. I had the Nashville heat level and it was perfect.

Delicious food! A bit pricey, but definitely worth a try. The chicken was seasoned well and was crispy. I recommend the coleslaw.

This sandwich helps me sleep at night. When you have no friends, no pets and no family to keep you company on a Saturday night.. this sandwich will. It is PHENOMENAL. On why try to dredge your own chicken when you can dive down here and get the best. Not just in State College but everywhere I've EVER had a fried chicken sandwich. Thank you Big Dean's!!!!

Service was a bit lacking. the menu is a little confusing. They ask too many questions about your order. Let the customer ask if they want changes. I was asked about each ingredient and how I wanted it prepared. it's nice To be able to customize but after the 5th question it got a little old. The chicken tasted good, very spicy even with the mild option. Cooked well but VERY greasy. It was to the point where you get a stomach ache pretty quick. Fries were lacking. Obviously the frozen out of the bag special. Maybe fry the chicken less and the fries more? Place has good potential but will need to step up its game to compete with the other chicken restaurants in town.

If all you want is chicken and fries, then I would try it. The chicken is moist on the inside and very crispy on the outside. The crinkle cut fries could have use some more time frying though. The Mac and cheese lacked taste and substance. It was more like macaroni with a very loose cheese like sauce on it. It lacked seasoning in my opinion. The Cole slaw was a good attempt at a vinegar slaw, but missed the mark.

It was my first time trying this place. Because it was going to close soon, we decided to just order for pickup. The place looks nice and had tables good for small and big groups. The staff is also nice. My boyfriend and I ordered the big daddy and the go to meal. The tenders in the go to box tasted fine but the tenders in the big daddy had a bitter taste and the color was a little on the darker side so I don't know if it was a little overcooked or it's supposed to taste like that. Good thing I chose bbq sauce. When I dip it in bbq sauce, I don't taste the bitterness. I was also disappointed with the toast, didn't taste good by itself.

Inferno was pretty spicy. Wish they had fountain drinks. Fries were very good. Not that busy, but a little wait still.

My son chose Big Deal's for lunch. I went in with low expectations and left a believer. I was absolutely blown away by how delicious their chicken strips were. We both ordered the Go-To, mild. He had their house sauce and I had the honey mustard. These were probably the best chicken strips I have ever had in my life. So why only 4 stars? I also had the fries, which could have been a little more done, and the cole slaw, which was like naked cabbage with a little dill added. The value for what we received was great. Four huge strips for $10, plus a side, and a slice of texas toast was a little more than I could finish. The chicken made up for it though. I will definitely be going back next time I am up at PSU.

I'm a huge big deans fan and their new chicken sandwiches are awesome. Always nice to order or chill inside. Welcoming atmosphere.

I hate to say it...but this breaded chicken beats chick-fil-a hands down. The breaded chicken sandwich is awesome and super crispy! I got the traditional chicken, and it's actually a little spicy so I'm happy I didn't get the spicer chicken. Also the chicken is huge so definitely make sure you're hungry!

Wow! What a great surprise! Ordered pickup online and it was ready on time, hot, and DELICIOUS!!!! I ordered the Nashville Hot Sandwich meal (includes waffle fries) and 1 sauce. Ordered the other 4 sauces ala carte ($0.49 each). Wow wow wow! One of the best sandwiches I've had in a LOOOOOONG time!!! Delicious and absorbent bun, a HUGE piece of chicken, nice and spicy, a few pickles, and the perfect amount of slaw. The fries were fine but the sauces were all delicious. Pickup orders are in a heated cabinet along the right wall. No waiting. Online ordering didn't include drink options so I didn't opt for anything but they had good looking lemonade in a dispenser. I'll definitely be back!!!

Overall, good water. You can get a free cup of water from the machine (pictured) with as much ice as you want for the ideal beverage temperature of your choice. It's an entire machine JUST dedicated to water and ice! Amazing. Alternatively, you can buy a bottle of water. Having options is great! The cups could have been bigger, however.

Over priced and flavorless chicken If you like heat with no flavor good for you. Parking is not convenient either.

Genuinely the best fried chicken sandwich I have had in a very long time. Huge Pattie's, the Nashville chicken seasoning is the perfect balance of heat and flavor, and their pickles/coleslaw balance out the sandwich well. The storefront is very fun and themed. Workers are always pleasant.

The chicken tenders here are huge and delicious. For a cheap quick stop in State College, this place is a must. The honey Dijon and bbq sauces are spectacular. Fries, toast and slaw are all good, nothing spectacular. This place is definitely good for college students or anyone just wanting some good fried chicken.

We tried Dean's twice and both times had horrible experience. First time they forgot the chicken and failed to tell us they did not have waffle fries. The second time the chicken was dry and again no waffle fries. When I questioned them they said because of the cost of goods. Umm they are both potatoes! They still have yet to refund me as promised by both managers. Wait for Raising Canes!

Not bad! Visited this place recently on a whim with dim sum closed and we were pleasantly surprised. Wonderful customer service from all the workers who are eager to help and good reliable food. If you're tired of chic fil a, it is a Sunday and you want chicken, you want to eat hot chicken, and or you want some place you can roll from class this is your place. The sauces are worth paying to try. The fries I was thought were ok and we tried a variety of the hot chicken and thought the medium was the best. If you've had hot chicken down south this is probably the only place you can kinda get a taste ish. It's not exactly the same but commendable this place exists in the middle of the state of Pennsylvania.

Good place to grab some good hot chicken. Really does remind me of the south. Quick service that got my food out quick. Also had a nice cool southern ambiance. Overall this is a good spot to eat definitely on the list as one of the top places to eat in state college

I was very excited to try this place out when it first opened since all my friends were talking about it and especially after watching Big Dean's episode on Chopped!! This sandwich was absolutely massive and delicious but also very messy to eat. A little more expensive than chick fil a and I thought the fries were a little skimpy for the price, but the actual chicken sandwich was so good and the pickles are homemade! We ordered for takeout and it took maybe 10ish minutes for my group to get their order. Would definitely go again!

Food was good. Service was good. We were the first customers for the day and there were crumbs on the table where we sat. The bathrooms are disgusting. Looks like they haven't been cleaned in weeks. If I get food here in the future it's definitely a to go order.

This place is the real deal. The chicken tenders are gigantic and taste excellent. The sides are nothing to write home about, but you're here for the chicken. You definitely get a bang for your buck. This is way better than the raising canes down the block. Give it a try if you're in the mood for some very yummy chicken tenders.

So unbelievably slow and the fries are a cold soggy mess... don't waste your time or money at this place. Sad because it has great potential.

DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY HERE. Simply put the food is terrible. Despite the texture of the chicken, the taste was purely horrible. For being "Nashville Style" you wouldn't even know they seasoned it. The saving grace of making a trip here is the freshly brewed sweet tea and lemonade, and the fry seasoning. Overall 1/10 DONT RECCOMEND

3.5/5 good variety on the menu, good chicken, nice venue. If you like country music come here. Shaun's Choice.

Giant fried chicken sandwich, can't go wrong. Prices are accurate, go with the honey for the topping

Hey Penn State student here, Big Dean's just opened recently and I have to say it's already one of the best places in town to go and their business at times shows that. When I first tried to go with my buddies opening week we got there at 5:30 (they open at 4) and they were sold out of everything. I eventually got in about a week and a half later, and man it was everything I wanted and more. I didn't know what spice level to get so I asked the cashier and she recommend me the most ordered spice level. Once the food came out I could not believe my eyes, it all looked amazing. The waffle fries were seasoned with a special seasoning that was perfect, the Texas toast was nice and crispy, and the chicken was the best fried chicken i've ever had, hands down. Even though it was spicy, the chicken was just too addicting to stop eating. My mouth's watering just thinking about it. Do yourself a favor and check out Big Dean's, you won't regret it!!

Ridiculously good. Best fried chicken in State College. We got the Perfectly Southern. So moist and flavorful. Even the fries. The Texas toast is a nice side. The ranch is the best I've ever had. Nice portions and VERY hot and fresh. I plan to try their sandwich next time. I recommend the starter for little kids. The sweet tea is the closest to true southern sweet tea this far up north. Lemonade wasn't overly sweet and tasted freshly made. Will definitely be back!!!

Very good Nashville chicken Sammie. Great roll, decent portions. Yummy pickles! I'll go back.

I got the sandwich and it was too greasy for my liking. Fries and tenders were very good though!

Decided to try the Nashville Chicken, was initially quite excited by the large portion, but the chicken was mostly tasteless breading. Fries were bland, and there was barely any coleslaw. The bun was very good.

Better than canes tbh. The sauces are so good and the depth of flavor is crazyyyyy. the pieces of chicken are huge and the prices are so slay.

Better than canes. You also get choice in spice level. Food is consistent and made then and there.

My husband and I went on a lunch date here and we were not disappointed! The chicken is perfectly flavored and cooked. It was so juicy and tender and the buns are paired perfectly with the pickles and slaw. I would come here again and again and recommend giving it a try to anyone.

The chicken was disgusting. When you bit into it grease would literally pour out. The fries were cold. I got sick. Avoid this place!

Thoroughly enjoyed. The homestyle is light on heat. Get the Nashville hot for a perfect kick. Fries and sauces were super tasty too. Will definitely be back.

Waited 45 minutes to get the "Go To" (4 chicken tenders, seasoned waffle fries, coleslaw, Texas toast, and Comeback sauce).... Then they forgot to include the coleslaw.... The Nashville style chicken tenders were coated in a thick breading, and soaked in oil. The breading easily chunked off leaving naked tenders. Although the chicken did have good flavor. The comeback sauce and Tennessee bbq sauce were also tasty. Fries were cold and dry. Better off getting more consistent and timely results from Chick-Fil-A....

Was honestly excited to go eat here but everytime i go there they change up the closing hours. Said theyll be open till 4 so i show up at 2 and its closed no longer interested in going.

Expect an long wait. Also if you're gonna require masks, no problem I get it, but don't have a burly bearded man working the food line and register without a mask. I waited 30 min and watched this guy ... Friendly... but unmasked work every part of the kitchen, line, and register. Otherwise staff friendly and working hard. Chicken meh. A little on the dry side but decent portions.

Lots of breading on the chicken. Fries just taste like day old Chick-Fil-A fries. The Nashville hot sandwich was alright, just too much breading and heat with not as much flavor. Just go to Chick-Fil-A on Atherton.

chicken mad greasy. My chicken sandwich grease lowkey puddled in my tray. Fries were tasty though. They ranch very creamy as well! Big Dean sauce was tangy...a little too tangy. But mix the big dean sauce with the creamy ranch....scrumptious

While the food is ok; they are extremely slow. With almost no customers, I had to wait for more than 20 minutes for them to gather 1 box of "the go to".

Great new spot in town. Definitely recommend the sandwich. I love some spicy food and the hottest (inferno) level hit the spot and gave me that good hurt feeling. Bread, slaw, fries and drink were all quality. Order the Nashville Hot (medium) if you aren't a psycho like me.

Just all round bad service. I really hope the chicken is good. I'll give it another shot