The State

Great food and great service!!!
Great location too!

Besides the beer and a fun atmosphere, the food is delicious. I love their hamburgers and their brussel sprouts. 4 stars because every once in a while the service is slow/​inconsistent. This is a regular spot for us and I would definitely recommend it to friends.

The best of all worlds: great cocktails, delicious menu, and excellent service. We started with the poutine, which felt like a meal itself! Fried brussel sprouts were on point, as was the pesto chicken sandwich. We tried different cocktails (the Basil Bourbon Lemonade, Bloody Mary, and Capone Cocktail) and each was top-​notch. Juan was an excellent server — friendly and constantly checking to see how we liked our selections. It won’t be our last visit!

Awesome food with reasonable price. We needed to wait but they can call you once you give them your number. They use some system on iPad to register waiting people.
We waited for 25 min. After ordering, drinks came fairly quickly, and food came maybe 8 min later. Fast enough. Servers were nice as well.
All the dishes we tried was very delicious! It’s a bit dim inside, and hard to read the menu; but I liked it once we started eating and talking.
We got some salad, Poutine, and New York steak.
Everything was savory! Love this place:)

Everything we’ve had here has been awesome. Today we had the street tacos and bruschetta, can’t go wrong.

Great place to bring a friend or visiting family for lunch.
We have been here many times for food and for drinks, both are great! The prices are a little high. The atmosphere is fun and rustic.
There is seating outside with overhead heaters.
Service is on point!

This was an amazing surprise. The fried Brussels sprouts are the best vegetable dish I’ve ever had and the bruschetta was also fabulous. Fun atmosphere in a college town-​noisy but fun. Great service too. We’ll definitely be back!

Very cute place and nice drink menu. I think this would be a good place to chill and sip on something to drink but we came for food and it was very disappointing. I was so hungry so I ordered a bunch of stuff.
Poutine Fries– meat was tender and good. Too much sauce and cheese chunks too large.
Caesar Salad– pretty disgusting. I just picked at it.
Fish & Chips– fries were gross. The fish was perfectly cooked and battered.
Brussels Sprouts– these were pretty tasty.
My gf also got a steak salad and truffle burger and it was mediocre. Nothing to rave about.
Service was so-​so. Didnt constantly check up on us or offer refills. Gave us a to go box and never brought the check. We had to ask the hostess and it took forever to get delivered to us.
It was expensive too for just basic ass meals. Nothing that has me wanting to really go back for.
Left a little disappointed and slightly hungry.

It’s The State. Seriously, what’s not to love? Awesome staff, fantastic beer & whiskey options and they make a Bourbon (Kentucky) Mule that’s to die for. Gets crowded on the weekends, especially being smack dab in the middle of downtown, but if you get there a bit early, put your name in & they’ll text you when your tables ready. Even during peak Saturday night times, I’ve never waited longer than a half hour. Highly recommend ANY of their burgers and don’t even get me started on the Poutine, holy mother of god it’s awesome. Seriously, stop in, eat, drink and be merry af.

I’m here now enjoying a drink alone and I love see the atmosphere. The music is so relaxing and clam, it is the weekly therapy I needed. Had a delicious whiskey, they have a giant variety. Even includes our own local Redlands whiskey. Pretty cool. Haven’t been brave enough to try the adventurous food, but I hear it is yummy. Good job guys, your staff is awesome!

They need more gastropubs like these outside of DTLA.
FOOD:
Dinner–
The State Burger was okay. Nothing special, with the burger patty being a little overcooked.
The Truffle Burger was better. Strong mushroom, aioli taste with plenty of cheese to help make the burger extra juicy. The price for this burger was a little up there though.
The Poutine was pretty good. It had all the essentials of a good poutine, especially the crisp fries.
Brunch–
The Chicken & Waffles was great! The peaches and candied almonds gave it a unique and delicious flavor. The portion of this dish is pretty large.
The have a great drink selection! They have a wide variety of craft beer. They also have an extensive whiskey menu that is worth exploring.
AMBIANCE:
Energetic spot, great for socializing with friends. It’s a little dark and loud, typical of your gastropub atmosphere.
SERVICE:
Our server for dinner was great. he was extra helpful and gave excellent whiskey recommendations. Our server for brunch was a little bit awkward. it seemed like he was new at serving and wasn’t very knowledgeable about the menu. For both visits, the food took a while to be served.
TIPS:
I’d rather come for brunch. It’s less busy than a weekend night, and the food is better. Go for the Chicken & Waffles!

Came here last night for some drinks and food with a big group which ended up being 12 – 15 people. Our server was amazing (forgot his name!) He didn’t mess up anything and was very knowledgable. One of the people in my party didn’t like the Mac n cheese so he was quick to exchange it for a burger with no issues. I had the rogue 7 iPa beer and it was bomb.
I had to street tacos. Nothing like TJ tacos but these were just as amazing. Presentation was on point and the braised beef was moist and tasted amazing. I’ll def come back.
This place was packed but it was a Friday night so That’s expected.
⁵⁄₅

I absolutely loved this place from start to finish. The only negative feedback I have is that our waiter wasn’t very attentive but they were very busy and the food more than made up for it.
We started with a couple of drinks. They have a large specialty drink menu as well as beer and wine. I ordered a basil bourbon lemonade and my boyfriend ordered an old fashioned. He really likes his drink but I loved mine. It was so refreshing and delicious and I NEVER drink bourbon.
We then ordered two appetizers as we decided to splurge a little. We ordered the poutine and the Mac n cheese with bacon. The poutine was incredible. Its essentially fries smothered in gravy, cheese curds and braised short ribs. It was honestly one of the best dishes I’ve ever had. The gravy was so well seasoned and the short rib meat was to die for. The Mac n cheese was delicious too but not like the poutine. The sauce was rich and also well seasoned.
For the main course we both had the truffle burger with onion rings. The onion rings were made with a tempura batter and once again, well seasoned! (I hate bland food! But also don’t like it overseasoned.) those were so freakin good! At this point I’m sold and then I bite into this truffle mushroom cheesy goodness. The meat was so tender and it was perfect medium rare like I asked for. It just melts in your mouth and its apparent through every bite that it’s worth every penny.
All in all this place is awesome, knows how to season and prepare great food and serve a well crafted cocktail.

I felt out of place here as a yuppie among college students, but damn does this place have the best whiskey sour I’ve ever had. Atmosphere was great and it’s definitely poppin’.
Would’ve given this place five stars but they were «having technical difficulties» and orders weren’t bring processed so we didn’t get our drinks until 30 – 40 minutes later (I finished my Poutine before I could drink – something I ordered at the same time). Not cool.

Great eclectic menu as far as drinks and food go! The caprese appetizer was amazing,(topped with burrata) and the short rib poutine was absolutely incredible. The sauce was flavorful, the protein was tender and the fries were fresh, crisp and had great texture. Best poutine I’ve ever had! The mac n cheese fell short, like really short; lacked maybe flavor and needdd a pun h more of cheese. However, the grilled cheese sandwhich was flying high on the gooey-​ness of the cheese and the sweet, savory chewy-​ness of the bread! The customer service was above par and overall a great restaurant with esthetics and layout. I dont come out to redlands, pretty much ever, and this is easily going to be one of my favorite places. Also, if you’re looking to quench your thirst with something that has pizzaz, tartness, and sweet? Try the bourbon basil lemonade… it’s incredible; I had 3 of them!

Location: Downtown Redlands
Ambience: Very chill and relaxed, great place for lunch or dinner.
Food: After 2 visits, I would say the food is very good here. The first time I had a few appetizers (get the Poutine!) and a burger. The second visit, I had tacos (…should have got a burger). For the price, I think this restaurant offers a sound value with decent options.
Servers: Excellent wait staff.
Overall: 4-​stars, great location and a cool gastropub that fits well in Redlands. I definitely recommend this place and would come back again.

I didn’t dislike anything here; I just didn’t love anything. The descriptions of the dishes were more interesting than the taste of the dishes. They weren’t bad, just more lackluster than you would expect from their presentation. Also, the portions were tiny, but the prices were big.
The central location is a pro and a con; it makes it convenient but crowded. I liked the ambience, and that there was ample outdoor seating. Although, there was the very distinct odor of mildewed bar rags on all the surfaces that was pretty hard to ignore, and it was a little louder and darker than I felt completely comfortable (but that’s just personal preference).
I would come back here to try it for drinks, but not dinner again.

This place was the one place in Redlands I’d Unilocaled, photo reviewed, and bookmarked as a must try on our stop in Redlands. It did not disappoint. From the food to the beer to the service. We loved this place and if you’re a foodie, a craft beer lover, or a fan of non-​chain food establishments, you’ll be glad you stopped by.
The place was packed when we arrived. Put our names in and after a little wait, we got a table near the back. Our waiter was a nice guy who checked on us frequently and bent over backwards to make sure we had a great night. Draft beer is 5 – 7 for either a pint or a 12-​ounce pour depending on the ABV. The price is pretty good, no matter where you’re at. Whoever is in charge of the beer does a good job. The tap list is pretty solid. We had been drinking IPA all day at the neighboring breweries so it was St. Archer blondes for dinner. 5 bucks a pint. Nice.
Whiskey BBQ burger was an easy decision. Cooked to a nice medium rare. Topped with an onion ring. Just to make sure we had our fried onion fix, we added a side instead of fries for a dollar more. Before this burger walked into our lives, we ordered the poutine. French fry cheesy gravy goodness. Topped with a little chive and consumed in under 10 seconds. Not a norm on most menus but i’m glad they serve it at The State. Awesome.
Nothing bad to say about this place. We’ll be back next time we’re in the area for another long weekend of brewery visits.

My first time here concurred with the ultra crowded market night in downtown Redlands. There was a short wait time and the hostess took my number for a text notification. I only had to wait ten minutes, if that. Flying solo helps sometimes. They sat me at the farthest back table near the kitchen and restrooms, which was fine by me. I had a full-​length view of the place.
Service was excellent! I placed my drink order first (always important). The cocktail menu was diverse, whisky, rye, tequila, mezcal, rum, gin, vodka, and classic options. All hand crafted to boot. My opening round was the Jackie Treehorn, which is composed of mezcal, honey syrup, lemon juice and cayenne pepper on top. Spicy and complex on its own, it went exceptionally well with my entrée selection.
For dinner I selected the Bourbon BBQ Burger (see photo). This Scooby-​Doo sized beauty contained a perfectly cooked medium burger topped with aged cheddar, apple wood bacon, bourbon bbq sauce and two massive perfectly breaded onion rings. Impressive presentation, it was even more impressive with my first bite! Such flavors. All at once smoky, sweet (but not too sweet), and sharp from the aged cheddar. This is why the spicy cocktail was the perfect combination.
Because I was alone, the owner, Billy, asked if he could take the extra chair. I said no problem, but appreciated his concern that it was too forward. Then he offered to buy me a shot of bourbon. I decided on rye, and he chose an excellent number called Black Maple Hill Rye out of Oregon, a $ 16 pour no less. I can only express gratitude at this unexpected touch of class. The rye is amazing, so complex and flavorful. I will look for it and buy a bottle now.
For dessert I selected the Basil Bourbon Lemonade cocktail. It is made with Weller Reserve Bourbon, basil, lemon juice and simple syrup. Very organic tasting and refreshing.
Two cocktails and a burger cost $ 32.12 before the tip.
I am looking forward to the second experience soon. I an definitely bringing friends next time.

NEVER have I been treated in ANY establishment like I have here this evening.
We were a party of four and requested to be seated at a table inside. We left a phone number with a hostess and long after our quoted wait time we received a text message saying a table was ready for us. We approached the hostess at the front who told us our table was not yet ready. Ok. We saw some empty space at a table that was eventually filled by random people walking in from outside. We waited some more before asking an employee to speak to a manager.
The last time we visited here there was a gentlemen walking around in a suit checking on all the patrons. I assumed this was the owner or something and thought this was who we would be speaking with. Well, you know what they say when you assume…
This guy with an eyepatch walks up (who I didn’t realize was even a manager as I had seen him talking with people out front when we first arrived and had seen him sitting down at a table with other patrons) and we explain the situation. He talks to the hostess and returns and says nothing’s available. My wife continues to explain we had already received a text saying a table was ready (which was about 15 – 20 ago at this point, keeping in mind we’ve waited well over an hour now) and that there was an empty table that had been given away. «Oh, I didn’t know that» he said and disappears again. He returns again and tries to give us a table outside. Well, it was cold, it had been drizzling out, and we specifically requested a table inside. So, we decline the outside table. He apologizes and says there’s nothing available then. Now, here’s where this train derails:
As we were getting ready to walk out I pulled out my phone and opened up the Unilocal app to leave a tip regarding the fact we wasted over an hour of our time and were told a table was ready (when, I guess, it wasn’t), and we had witnessed an empty table given away after the fact (which I did post the tip). Well, this guy notices this and starts becoming very hostile towards me. «So, what, your going to Unilocal us?» He demands. «Yeah, ’cause this is ridiculous» I said.
He then walks up to me and literally gets in my face going on about how he can’t ask people to leave and that those people that took the table in question were already in the restaurant since five o’clock (which it certainly didn’t look like it as they were ogling some menus like it was their first time reading them), but irregardless, that’s no reason for anyone, let alone a manager, to step up within inches of a customers face and become hostile.
He went on to say he was doing everything he could by trying to offer a table outside and offer gift cards… Wait, what? He never offered any gift cards– in fact this was the first instance he even brought it up and he never offered to begin which. Before I could even tell this guy to take a step back out of my face he suddenly throws his hands up and says «You know what? Never mind. You have a nice night» and he turns around and storms off. What the heck was that about? That’s how you treat your customers?!
I work in retail. I am a store manager as well. I deal with people on a daily basis. If I ever treated any customer the way I was treated here not only would I be reprimanded but I would probably get fired.
I don’t know if he felt threatened (which I never made any threats– I never announced I would post anything until he confronted me and even then I only replied «yes») or was having a bad or whatever, but there is absolutely no excuse for someone to treat a patron/​customer/​guest like this, especially a manager. A manager is supposed to be a representation of the standards and ethics of a business.
So I walked out. My wife and one of our friends followed. We waited for our other friend outside and he said after I left this manager was complaining about me to associates. Again, no employee, let alone a manager, should bad mouth a guest/​patron/​customer on the floor or in public for others to hear (the same way you shouldn’t discipline an employee in front of others).
It is sorrowfully apparent that The State is mismanaged in the fact they require more training in interacting and dealing with customers. I was not a problem– I was not yelling, I was not threatening, I was not making a scene… the only one who made a scene was the manager.
So, congratulations, because of this example of «customer service» I have updated my previous review and we will not be returning. The State just lost some repeat business.