The Peanut Barrel

For decades this place has been making great burgers and chicken sandwiches. Much easier to get outdoor seating when the students are out of town. Every time I pass through town I stop here. Mild pepper burger with fries. Delicious. And the traditional long island iced tea. Staff very friendly.

​I personally dislike when a burger patty doesn't cover the entire bun, leaving you with nothing but bread for the last bites. While the crispy, burned cheese that fell from the patty may appeal to some, it wasn't for me. ​The waitresses seemed tired and unhappy, which was reflected in the service. We were also told to expect a 30-minute wait for our food, which felt excessively long for a menu consisting of simple burgers, salads, and handhelds. It was probably not their best day.

This place has super basic but super good fries! Two of the burgers pictured are “baby burgers,” they were not so baby, I definitely loved that. Small menu but good food! Lots of up-charges for add-ons, either way, service was great. Had a great time in the sun today!

I had heard about The Peanut Barrel and how it has been a longtime staple in East Lansing and decided to give it a try! The Peanut Barrel is a no-frills type of place with a simple menu that generally delivers what you’d expect. The burger lunch special is a good value and I found it to be pretty satisfying. The restaurant itself is a bit dingy but some might say it has character; it sort of reminds me of what being on campus would have been like 40 years ago. Nonetheless, the service was good, the food was fairly solid, and the price was fair. Just keep in mind that there are a lot of little up charges for things like burger toppings. Sometimes you just need a simple burger and The Peanut Barrel delivers just that!

The burgers, service, and drinks were awesome! Mary went above and beyond to make our experience truly great. Super friendly atmosphere and excellent food—exactly what you’d want in a local favorite. We’ll definitely be back!

The burgers never disappoint—always juicy and flavorful. The fries are perfectly crispy and evenly cooked. The patio atmosphere is relaxed and inviting, right in the heart of Michigan State’s campus. It always brings a wave of nostalgia for alumni, making it a favorite spot to relive college memories over great food. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💚🤍

I informed my MSU grad wife that I'd not been to the Peanut Barrel. That was fixed tonight. Rodeo burger was awesome. We sat at the bar near the kitchen to watch the show. Good vibe, good food, and service was awesome (snappy, saucy bartenders which we love). Only reason food wasn't a 5 is because we like super crispy fries and these were a bit thicker and not as crispy. No fault of the prep- they did fine- just the type of french fry they use.

Fantastic place for a great burger. Plenty of room inside and out. Relaxed atmosphere. Great service. The dark rye buns for the burgers was an unexpected treat. Nice variety of cocktails and beers. Definitely on my list for a return visit.

As an MSU grad, I remember a few weekend evenings at the Peanut Barrel. (smile and a wink.) I visited in early Fall of 2023. And true to the statement, "You cannot go home again" things had changed a bit. And why would I expect them not to change? 1) The place is smaller than I remember - I think that they gave up floor space during the COVID era to maintain some semblance of business. I do NOT fault them for this. I do think that Friday and Saturday night in this college or on game days have to be CRAZY!! 2) The beer list seems to be much smaller - again, I could be wrong. 3) Although I was there at lunchtime on the patio, I didn't see any peanut shells on the floor. Did I miss something by sitting outside? Do you have to ask for them/pay for them now? 4) Although polite and friendly, I wish that our server had been a little more attentive. Perhaps she was overloaded with tables as the school hadn't started yet - staff might have accordingly been "thin." But still... All in all, good alumni memories!

When I heard PB was changing hands, I nearly choked. I was flummoxed at the idea of this downtown staple changing. We lost so many great places like Paul Revere's over the years. Thankfully, the new owner has kept this place intact. The small, but solid menu is still there. The burgers are still hand made (thank-you). The rye buns are still there. The big glasses of beer are still there. Thank-you for not goofing up something so right. .

Peanut Barrel is an East Lansing classic and has been around for many decades. I had many visits here in the mid/late 2000s and again in 2016 with a most recent visit of about a month ago. In the past, there were peanut shells all over the floor as part of the décor/ambiance/brand, but no more. My go-to items are the olive burger and the mushroom burger. This time was no different. The only difference was that the olive burger didn't come on rye bread, which was disappointing. Not sure if they ran out or I have to special request when ordering, but I'll remember for the future. With your burgers, you can choose fries or chips for a side. I opted for chips, which were just plain chips from a bag. In the past, I've gotten fries, pretty standard. There are usually lots of events held at the Peanut Barrel from game watches to live music and everything in between. This time around, I came on a Thursday night and it was trivia night with a MC and everything! Great prizes were at stake, but I didn't participate. Paid parking lot in the back that's shared with other shops/restaurants on Grand River. #32/2023

I miss so many things about my time in school at State, and Peanut Barrel is certainly one of them. The food and atmosphere are second to none when it comes to college town burger joints. The inside often has live music, which is always a hit. They also have three dart boards that get lots of traffic on the weekends. The food here is unreal, you can't go wrong. The burgers are definitely the star of the show. I have always been a fan of the patty melt. There is patio seating outside, which is nice on sunny days. Our server Adam was attentive and took care of us very well. We'll definitely ask to sit in his section next time. Careful we the long islands, they'll catch up to you!

Walking distance from town! And amazingly close to MSU campus! very good burgers! Love the ambiance very comfortable

Peanut Barrel has a nice patio with lots of tables that have umbrellas for shade. My friend and I were greeted by the hostess outside and got to choose our table. I ordered the Cinfull Coffee for my drink. It's made with Chila, which has a Cinnamon Toast Crunch flavor. There was lots of whipped cream on top! I would definitely order it again. Their olive burger is my favorite in the area. It doesn't taste too greasy and heavy, and the bun is excellent. I got chips for my side but they also offer fries and potato salad (which my friend enjoyed) as options.

My son and I were in town to visit MSU and all the local students said this was the place to try! A local staple for MSU students, the Peanut Barrel is located just across the street from campus. With options to dine inside or outside, the Peanut Barrel offers that young-student vibe that I was looking for to sell my son on MSU. I had the grilled chicken sandwich and found it to be quite tasty. However, they do have some other options that are beyond simple bar food. Service was...good. Not overly-friendly, but efficient.

LONG ISLAND ICE TEAS!!! It's a college town so they only give you two. Because adults can't hold their liquor. Yep, facts. Patio on a nice day - worth the wait

Perfect spot for drinks, apps or dinner. A staple in EL. Worth a visit if you haven't been before

Fun location with great indoor and outdoor seating, good menu and service with a nice beverage selection. Good for socializing and meeting friends.

Went back after 25 years.... Still outstanding! Goodness the beers come fast , outdoor seating, and my o my the burgers might even be bigger now. Always one of my favorite places. Still a must! If it's been awhile, or if you've never been, get to the peanut barrel asap.

Great bar and food!!! Good times... better reviews To come........soon.

My husband and I visited on a Wednesday night and had a great experience! It was a fun atmosphere without being too loud. We both had cheeseburgers with fries and a Michigan Mule. Everything was SO delicious and fresh. All of the staff were super friendly and attentive. Honestly, we did not have high hopes for this place as it's a bar across from a college campus, but we were pleasantly surprised!! Will definitely return next time we are in town.

It is shocking and embarrassing that I have never been to the Peanut Barrel before. We sat on the patio and truly enjoyed the ambiance of campus while on the patio. The Long Islands are legit. I had the olive burger and the chili. Both were fantastic. I enjoyed this burger way more than Crunchys. The chili was also great for a chilly fall day on the patio. There was one server for the entire patio and he truly did his best and was kind. I will be coming back to try more of the menu and for another Long Island!

This is the only restaurant I've been to that won't allow you to exchange an item. This is moreso frustrating because we came to get burgers and they instead gave us a sandwich. The manager was the one to say they wouldn't be willing to do so. This is the stingiest restaurant with TERRIBLE customer service. go to Red Robins instead they at least have been customer service

in for dinner last night (Friday) after a MSU event. Not very crowded and were seated quickly. Live music with an acoustic guitar player was an added bonus. Most of us had burgers and my wiStoppedfe had to try a Long Island (very good). The food was served fast and hot. I was surprised that the $9 to $12 burgers had an extra charge for lettuce and tomato. The burgers were good but the patty was a little small for the bun. Fries were OK and the wife's chili fries were OK. If it wasn't for the good tasting burgers, this would only get a 3 star for being average. I would consider eating here again but wouldn't mind trying the many other eateries in the area.

Great burgers! Terrible chili cheese fries! Lukewarm, fries are too fat, tomatoes...the chili doesn't smother the fries. I suggest that they go to Dan's Coney Island on Pennsylvania Ave and take notes on how to make chili cheese fries.

I drove 75 miles from Detroit to get their famed Olive Burger and was told that they were"out of olive sauce"! HOW do they run out of their Signature dish? The dish that they have shown on TV shows like "Under the Radar MI"? There's literally a Target store 100 feet down the street....how hard would it be to grab some more olives & mayonnaise? Just lazy.

The Peanut Barrel serves one of the best Olive Burger in Lansing! This is also my favorite patio to sip a beer on, with a great location right across the street from MSU campus.

This was the first bar that I have ever been to in East Lansing 6 years ago. It is now one of my go-to places near MSU and one of my familiar visits as well. It is on a busy street with plenty of paid parking in available areas. I have had plenty of beers and cocktails as well as shots and surprisingly the first spot ever where I tried a pickle back, not only that but my first white Russian, took me long enough right? The staff here are great and friendly. It's not a huge restaurant but they do have bar seating, regular seating as well as outside seating. Here, they go hard in the bar food with greasy burgers, huge wieners, but they do have salads available. They're meaty and hearty with a touch of home. So, if you're coming in hungry, you're going to leave full. Fancier than a whole in the wall, it has good beer prices with a laid-back atmosphere and if you're a local or even attend MSU, you most likely have already tried this place.

Our favorite burger and beer spot in East Lansing. Service is friendly, burgers are juicy and interesting topping options, and the fries and crunchy and hot.

I've been coming here for 35 years. Same order... Olive burger on rye with Swiss cheese and fries. It never disappoints (unless I order something other than the olive burger and then I sit there wishing I had). Good food. Friendly atmosphere.

Inside is cozy- good atmosphere, live music was cool! Food was solid, but a little pricey. Blonde waitress my group had an attitude issue; sassy, rolled eyes, clearly didn't want to serve us and was generally blatantly disrespectful. If visiting for a game I wouldn't recommend.

Curly haired lady hostess was so incredibly rude to my family for no reason I had to laugh in her face. I will never go back.

Back on campus, love this place for lunch. Cheeseburgers are great. Service was fast and friendly. Snowing so we had to eat inside, which was a bit of a bummer as the patio is a great place to take in the Michigan State campus!

A Grand River staple, was back in EL for the first time in a few years and wanted to build a base before tailgating - I figured a couple long islands were the perfect way to start. It was exactly the same as I remember!

Oh, the nostalgia! Grabbed one of the best Olive Burgers in town and a Long Island at the Peanut Barrel and got all of the feels like I was back in college. It's not fancy and the food is a bit on the pricey side, but sitting on the patio drinking a Long Island across from MSU's beautiful campus... priceless!

This is one of my favorite East Lansing places to eat! It has a really fun atmosphere and a really nice outdoor patio area. Not to mention the food is amazing! I highly recommend a Long Island!!

Your typical college bar that serves decent burgers and chicken sandwiches. Nothing more, nothing less. Chili cheese fries are terrible. Fries are soggy and oil has not been changed in long time. Chili is basically cumin flavored beans with some meat. Nothing more than a college bar.

The outdoor seating at the peanut barrel is awesome. The service is always good. Depending on what day you go the wait to sit outside can be a bit long. The drinks are super good and they have great deals during happy hour. The food is also good.

Husband and I stopped by there for lunch while house hunting. It was a beautiful day, so we elected to eat outside. I went inside at one point, and the outdoor seating was the prettier option. I would suggest it - weather permitting. It's just a bar on the inside. Saloon-style if that is your thing. There are dart boards, which was cool. The outdoor seating was comfortable. The highlight was the food. We had the chili cheese dog and the house burger and fries. Both were HUGE! Good snappy hot dog. Everything was delicious and the portions were big. The fries were ala carte, which was a drag, but everything does come with chips. It's a cheap meal if you are looking to save money, and the portions keep you fed. The chips were average bagged fries. The fries, while ala carte, were exceptional and worth ordering if you have a few extra bucks. The portion for a side is shareable in my opinion. Since we were house hunting, we did not drink, but they have a full bar, and the mixed drinks sounded awesome. We will return to try those. Doggies are allowed on their patio, and that earns a star on its own. Would recommend. Parking is cheap and a short walk. Food was yummy and satisfying.

I am 55 years old and have never had a more condescending service experience than at this establishment. They set inconsistent policies on serving liquor on game day I was there with my daughters who did not get alcohol they refused to serve me a beer. (I was completely sober) they were unaware that the table adjacent to us was my brother in law who they served in the presence of two minors. We sent an email to the owner who sent a conscending response defending his staff for the irrational Decision and probably racist since I'm a minority.

Peanut Barrel is definitely popular and I've been trying to see what my friends and the other patrons do to tolerate this place. I come here only with friends (I will voice my disdain in hopes we can avoid this place) and it seems every time there's a new person working there who will treat you like garbage. I want to give them the benefit of the doubt that maybe they're having a bad day or something, but this has been happening for 15+ years. It's not coincidental after a decade and a half, it's the culture this place has. The service is flat out bad - and not just because it takes forever to get anyone's attention - but when placing an order, needing silverware, another drink, etc. you're treated as if you're inconveniencing the staff. My most recent experience was with a large group on the patio. Out of nowhere a server came and flat out yelled at us (customers) for...I'm still trying to figure this out. We were good customer; not asking for much, spending money, and behaving. I genuinely want to know what the issue was but, to be honest, any answer that could be given would not be acceptable for this situation. I'd steer clear of PB as there are multiple nicer and more fun restaurants/bars within walking distance.

Only ordered an olive burger but it was amazing. Went with friends and really liked the vibes and atmosphere.

Excellent food, great service! We had burgers and chili cheese fries. Portions are large.

One of the best bar burgers in East Lansing. Love stopping in for a burger and beer and enjoying the nice patio.

I have loved the Peanut Barrel ever since I was a student at MSU many moons ago...it's just a great bar in a great location with great burgers and beer. Boom. The patio is the best in E.L. and it's a family-owned establishment. "Papa Joe" is 77, and his daughter is now taking over, or so I heard. The service is great, prices are low with excellent happy hour and late night specials, and the burgers are so...well...burger-y! The meat is so flavorful and the rye bun they offer is outstanding. So. Good. My only complaint? No homemade ranch. BUT...still my favorite place in East Lansing.

Best restaurant in East Lansing. Hometown relaxed feel. Cold beer, cold strong long islands. Nothing fancy, just a classic American bar with great burgers. Servers share all tables, so you're always well taken care of. Best place to go before or after a game. Check it out!

Great atmosphere, great food, and reasonable prices! Highly recommend it, especially the chili cheese got dog!

We were sat outside after we were not asked where we wanted to be seated. Where we were sat had a hive of bees, and when we asked to move inside the server/ host told us "well it's nature there's bees". RUDE server. The food runner was nice. We did not wait long for our food. BLT sandwich was fine. Chicken shroom sandwich was exceptional. Shroom burger was okay, there was a large piece of patty paper in the burger. Cheeseburger was very average. We never got refills on our waters, and only one refill for our pops.

We've been coming to Peanut Barrel for a few years now and the food has always been very good, good portions. It was always a five star place. Not anymore. The server we had was Chelsy M. and she was very rude. it took her a long time to bring the food and it was cold. Her attention was focused on a table of college hunks. it was hard to get her attention. We ran up a good tab like usual, but this server ruined our dinner. I would not go there if she were working. So now I give it a zero star. I hope they hire servers that are better than she was.

Went once wont go again. Food was ok but you get 3 choices so don't go if you aren't feeling a burger. The servers all had open toed shoes on. I get that it's summer and a college town restaurant, but it's still a restaurant and no one wants to see feet while your eating or be given your food by someone who is wearing flip flops. It really grossed me out and I couldn't eat my food. Good service and our waitress was super nice but there needs to be some sort of health code about feet.

We were in East Lansing for the Homecoming weekend, so it is hard to judge the Peanut Barrel based on this experience. The place was packed. That being said, service was slow but we expected that. The place actually looked more clean than I remembered it being years ago when I was a student at MSU. The drinks were fine. We were able to do some good people watching. I will say that we ordered some peanuts and they were rancid. If you are going to call yourself the Peanut Barrel, you need to have fresh peanuts. Overall, this is a good East Lansing staple and I'm glad to see that it has survived over the years.

Staff were all very nice, our food was nice and hot. BUT when someone asks you if there is anything else on the burger you should mention there is a big nasty pickle next to it that is going to make everything taste like it.. I know I sound petty but when you hate the taste of something, you don't want the juice from it on all of your food. I also find it crazy that you have to pay for lettuce and tomato..

We love the PB! Great burgers and sandwiches. Friendly staff. Very welcoming place to hang out.

I've driven past this place more times than I can count. parking is always a little bit of an issue in the downtown East Lansing area. I have to say that I really enjoyed this burger! I got the dark rye bun and it was delicious! given a choice of rye or wheat, I will always choose rye. Not sure why but it was delicious and very memorable. I also had the Swiss cheese because Rye and Swiss go so well. The olive salad was delicious and the beer was cold. We went during the jazz festival and it wasn't too terribly busy. I would definitely come back here again. Great seating outdoors if the weather is nice! Cute napkin Doodles. Definitely can see why this is such a popular East Lansing establishment.

Peanut Barrel used to be my neighborhood hang out when I was in college... 30 years ago. I moved away in 1993 and FINALLY made it back to East Lansing. Covid held me up, but I was finally able to sit inside for a Rodeo burger and a draft Labatt's. 30 years and it's still exactly the same, albeit with fewer tables, social distancing, and all. I even got to say "Hi" to Papa Joe!!! It's like I never left.

I'll be honest. If you went to Michigan State and you did not visit Peanut Barrel at least once, I don't know if you can call yourself a Spartan. You don't even have to sit on the patio, although I would strongly encourage it. I have never had one bad thing on the menu, and I've tried just about everything. Their specialty of course is their burgers, but my personal favorite is their chili. Order the chili with a small order of fries and make your own chili fries. It's a better ratio. Of course the real reason you're there is the long island. There's a limit of two, and I promise you don't need more than that. Many of my fondest college memories came from a long island or two. Between the atmosphere, the staff, the food and the drinks... you can't go wrong at the barrel.

From the first time I ate here nearly 27 years ago, to yesterday's meal, always good!! Great burgers and fun, old-school atmosphere. It is really old-school meets new school!! Old and young alike, all having a great time, laughing, drinking and eating!! The dart board is always in use as well! What is also great- seeing some of the same faces working there as I saw when I was a student at MSU!! It is like a homecoming! Burgers are their claim to fame, and the rodeo burger never disappoints!!! But, come for the food and stay for the fun!! Excellent joint!

First time trying this place out and for a Saturday evening, was glad to see minimal wait time. I'm fully aware of extreme difficulties employers are having finding people to work, which is why I "sucked it up" and accepted and ate my food despite being very uncomfortable with what we witnessed....we were seated in the back near the pickup window and near the hallway...we watched as our waitress tied up a large trash can bag...walked out the back door and came back in...then proceeded past the hand sanitizing station and sink and went straight to the food pickup window where she then picked up food orders and carried them to table beside us......yep ....NO HAND WASHING FROM TAKING OUT THE TRASH.... Even without the COVID precautions this is so nasty and unsanitary ! Maybe employers are cautious about saying anything to staff with the shortages ....but really people.....please remind staff to wash hands after handling the trash cans and taking it outside ....... Otherwise ...if this isn't an issue for you....food was good