Yesterday, a brand new restaurant opened on Allen Street — Sauly Boy’s. Promising “gourmet hot dogs, distinctive burgers, loaded fries, and Stella’s Gelato,” Sauly Boy’s didn’t disappoint our writers.

Patrick Cines

The hamburger menu offers a set of four different types of chargrilled burgers served on a toasted brioche roll. Ranging from the signature Sauly Burger which is your standard lettuce, tomato, and onion burger to even a Mexmix Burger with melted cheddar and guacamole, prices ranged from $6.95 to $8.95. I personally tried the standard Sauly Burger and loved it! It was the perfect size and cooked to perfection.

The hot dog menu offers a wider range of options. Served on a toasted brioche bun, the “Naked Dog” is what you’d expect, then the restaurant offers eight other hot dogs including “The Seaside” with grilled shrimp, melted Muenster cheese, and Cajun sauce, and even an “Aloha Dog” with bacon, fresh pineapple salsa, and teriyaki. Hot dog prices ranged from $2.50 for the “Naked Dog” up to $6.95 for the tricked out Seaside hot dog.

Sauly Boys’ french fries is where it really sets itself apart from other State College restaurants. There are eight different types of french fries which are all hand cut and double fried to golden perfection. If you don’t feel like sharing these golden delights, you can choose to get the “All Mine” size, but if you’re in the sharing mood, you can get the “OK, I’ll Share” (2.5 pounds of fries) size for 3-4 people. The types of loaded fries range from “Plane Jane” fries, to “Breakfast, Anyone?” fries with melted cheddar cheese, bacon, egg, to the “Louisiana Crab Bake” fries with crabmeat, Old Bay sauce, peppers, corn, and Cajun sauce. If you’re not feeling as adventurous, you can still get the plain fries and “Get Saucy” with one of 14 different sauces. The french fry prices ranged from $2.50 for the plain fries in the personal size to $6.95 for the most expensive personal-sized fries.

I tried the regular Plain Jane fries and they were great. They were similar to the fries that you’d find at Five Guys, but crispier and less greasy. The overall presentation was quite similar to what you might find at a Shake Shack in New York City.

Unlike any restaurant in State College, Sauly Boy’s offers twelve different types of gelato and sorbet. Churned in small batches and served with a shortbread biscuit, the flavors range from a lemon basil to gingersnap and even a sangria sorbet. The gingersnap gelato was definitely unique, but it’ll be hard to compete with Kiwi on College Ave. if you’re just coming in for an iced treat.

Overall, Sauly Boy’s is a great addition to the State College community. It’s the perfect restaurant to take your parents if they come up to visit or if you’re just looking for a solid burger or hot dog in State College. The prices might be a bit more than what you find around town, but it’s well worth shelling out a few extra dollars for some quality food.

Gabriela Stevenson

You can never have too much of the classics. God knows downtown State College has plenty of places to get french fries, but I have yet to find my favorite. When my boyfriend and I wanted to go to Sauly Boy’s for a casual, impromptu date night, that’s exactly what we got. Although the atmosphere is way cooler than our local Five Guys, it never felt like we were there for any luxury burgers or hot dogs. The design and decor were simple, sleek, and welcoming.

We decided on a burger, two hot dogs, and a heart attack on a pl– er, I mean, french fries. Even though the fries were “Plain Jane” and had no toppings or sauces, we ordered the larger size, which was a two and a half pound tray of hot, salty french fries. They were pretty good, but I can’t imagine eating that many with extra stuff on top. Even if you’re a party of two, I recommend getting the smaller part unless you’re extra hungry.

The hot dogs were definitely on different points of the delicious spectrum. The first one we ordered came with beer cheese, sauerkraut, and onions. Even though the flavors were good, the beer cheese was weirdly gritty. In addition, the bun was a little thick and the hot dog was so small that it got lost in all the action. On the other hand, “The Pitchfork” dog was drool-worthy. It just tasted like a warm hug. Again, I wanted more hot dog and less bun, but the melted cheddar, perfectly caramelized onions, and crisp dill pickle made up for its shortcomings. Overall, Sauly Boy’s is a great place to eat a twist on some of your favorite foods. It might even be…top dog.

Elissa Hill

When I first heard that a new loaded fries joint was coming to State College, I was excited to say the least. I’ve traveled far and wide to eat french fries, but no loaded fries ever seem to compare to those from my local fair at home. Even so, you can’t go wrong with ranch, bacon, and cheese, and that’s exactly what I expected from Sauly Boy’s. After visiting the restaurant on its opening day, I was pleasantly surprised.

The loaded fry options at Sauly Boy’s include not only your standard bacon and cheese combinations but also a number of other topping combos that are sure to become fan favorites. I went for the “Louisiana Crab Bake” fries and they did not disappoint. If you like Old Bay seasoning and seafood, then you’ll certainly like these fries. The Cajun sauce and the restaurant’s signature Sauly Sauce provided a light complement to the twice-fried hand-cut potatoes. If you hear someone comparing this place to Five Guys, please tell them they’re nothing but dead wrong.

Although it was a chilly day, I decided to finish off my meal at Sauly Boys by trying Stella’s Gelato. Believe me when I say I’m a frozen treat (read: ice cream and the like) connoisseur, and this was incredible. I knew immediately that I would order the espresso flavor, but the woman behind the counter (who I think could’ve been Stella?) insisted that I try some other flavors as well. Espresso was my first pick and was predictably tasty, but I was also impressed by the lemon basil and fresh mint flavors. If you like fresh herbs in any capacity, you should at least try one of them. You’ll be surprised by how good they are!

Ultimately, I consider Sauly Boy’s probably my favorite downtown french fry destination already — not too greasy, not too crispy, and not too soggy. The Creamery holds a special place in my heart, but that’s not to say you won’t find me in Sauly Boy’s this year when I’m craving a lighter sort of sweet treat. The restaurant has a welcoming, family vibe and is a great addition to downtown State College.

Joe Whitman

When you enter Sauly Boy’s, you’re welcomed by smiling faces and a modern dinner feel. Sauly’s has only a handful of items on the menu, but with very imaginative flavors and combinations, there’s something for everyone. I ordered a Sauly Burger and Sauly Fries. The first thing I noticed when I got my burger was this: Someone in the kitchen really knows how to do buns. The bun was nice and soft like a pillow, but after receiving a nice buttering and being grilled to a crisp perfection, it was more like heaven. Getting inside the buns is what really got me excited, though. Although the Sauly burger doesn’t have any crazy condiments like some of the others on the menu, it made up for that in flavor and was cooked to a juicy tenderness.

Aside from my burger, the loaded fries served by the platter are no joke. What really sets the fries I got apart is the use of REAL CRISPY BACON. Yes I know, REAL AND CRISPY, what could possibly be better? The fries are fresh cut and served with Sauly’s signature sauce, which is pretty tasty itself.

One of the things that seems a little out of place in a burger joint is the huge sorbet freezer displaying an abundance of in-house made flavors. The woman who makes them might force you to try a few different flavors before you order, but trust me when I say they are out of this world.

Let it be known that I consider myself quite the lemonade critic, and anyone who’s visited a fair knows nothing compares to the lemonade served there. That being said, I’m glad to say Sauly has some of the best lemonade I’ve ever had the pleasure of drinking. If nothing else, I would walk from my dorm in south in State College winter to Sauly’s just for some lemonade.

The only downside to Sauly’s is it may be a little pricey for the average college student to go there every day for lunch. My date and I ordered one burger, two personal sized fries, two drinks, and a small sorbet that came out to be around $32. If she ordered a burger too, we would be looking at a little over $40 after leaving a tip. While they definitely have some cheaper options on the menu, if you are looking for gourmet burgers and fries, you are going to pay for it. It’s absolutely worth it if you’re really craving it.