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 record was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record. 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.
The details, verified.
- 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
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.
Every award, on the record.
Each Centurion Award is its own dated annual record, and staying current means clearing the bar again each new year. The verification above is from the latest published award. Open a year for that year’s citation.
2025 Centurion Award
Best Neighborhood Bar in Raleigh Raleigh, NC · Awarded under the 2025 evaluation View the 2025 award →Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again. Selection is by published criteria, never for sale.
Visit Player's Retreat
A signal you can check.
This page is the standing record for Player's Retreat (2025). It was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. For hours, bookings, and live reviews, go straight to the business itself.
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 for free to manage it, correct it, or remove it. If you want the award kit (badge, certificate, and announcement), you pay after you claim. Through December 31, 2026, publishing is $99. The evaluation itself is free. The $99 covers the first year only. Renewals are $199/year. That fee never buys selection.
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.