Player's Retreat
Best Neighborhood Bar in Raleigh · NC
The PR, Raleigh's clubhouse since 1951
The Players' Retreat has poured drinks near NC State since 1951, a wood-paneled tavern the regulars call 'the PR.' Beyond the burgers and cheese fries, it's a serious drinking institution — over a hundred wines by the glass and one of the South's deepest single-malt scotch selections.
Billed as one of the oldest continuously operating taverns between Washington and Atlanta, the PR is a Raleigh classic where students, professors, and lifers have shared the same booths for over seventy years.
Customers said it first.
A Centurion Award verifies the public record that’s already there. Read the reviews yourself on the platforms below.
Public-record snapshot as of July 2026. Live ratings are always current on each platform.
Why this business cleared the bar.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record. Founding cohort: evaluated in 2026 on public evidence available then, labeled 2025. Selection follows the published criteria; Player's Retreat met them on that evidence. The business can claim the listing or ask us to remove it.
- ✓Years in operation. Operating in Raleigh since 1951 — 74 years of continuous business.
- ✓Sustained online presence. An established local institution with a consistent public footprint — listings, coverage, and word of mouth in Raleigh.
- ✓Established customer track record. A deep public track record: Raleigh has kept Player's Retreat busy for 74 years.
- ✓Liked by customers and the community. Genuinely beloved by Raleigh regulars and visitors alike — a bona fide community favorite.
- ✓Recognition in the local community. Named best neighborhood bar in Raleigh for 2025 for seven decades as the watering hole where NC State and the whole city meet.
The specific data behind this award, and the exact thresholds, stay internal so the standard can’t be gamed. Read the methodology.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. Own this business? Claim the listing to manage it, or ask us to remove it.
Award record
2025 Centurion Award
Best Neighborhood Bar in Raleigh Raleigh, NC · Awarded under the 2025 evaluationVisit Player's Retreat
The details, verified.
Clean, checkable facts about Player's Retreat.
- Legal / trading name
- Player's Retreat
- Category
- Bar
- Founded
- 1951, Raleigh, NC
- Location
- Raleigh, NC
- Centurion Award
- Best Neighborhood Bar in Raleigh — 2025
- Record last verified
- July 2026
A signal you can check.
This is a dated award record published by The Centurion Awards after reviewing public evidence for Player's Retreat against the 2025 criteria for its market and category. The business did not have to apply for this page to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. The criteria are public. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. If an award stops holding up, we may revoke it. For anything current, like hours or bookings, go straight to the business itself.
Frequently asked questions.
What is Player's Retreat?
Open since 1951 near NC State, the PR is Raleigh's beloved tavern with a surprisingly deep whiskey list.
Is Player's Retreat award-winning?
Yes — Player's Retreat is the 2025 Centurion Award winner for Best Neighborhood Bar in Raleigh, a verified, criteria-based award. Named best neighborhood bar in Raleigh for 2025 for seven decades as the watering hole where NC State and the whole city meet.
Where is Player's Retreat?
Player's Retreat is in Raleigh, NC.
Run a business like this one?
If you’ve put in the years, you may already qualify. Evaluation is free, private, and never for sale.