A new restaurant underneath The Maxxen? Say less.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe, located at 132 S. Garner St., opened its doors on October 17. The restaurant features 20 smoothie flavors, smoothie bowls, and an assortment of other foods such as flatbreads, wraps, quesadillas, and salads.

Many of our staffers were thrilled the chain made its way to Happy Valley and decided to give it a try.

Keeley Lamm: Açaí Berry Boost Smoothie

The long-anticipated downtown State College Tropical Smoothie location and experience are fairly average. It’s tucked away in a funky corner under The Maxxen, and the location doesn’t support a long line or many in-store customers.

There’s definitely a grab-and-go feel to the store, but it felt pretty overwhelming just waiting for a smoothie because of the cramped nature. I ordered my go-to Tropical Smoothie smoothie — the açaí berry boost — and it was great. It’s an expensive smoothie in State College but beats K2 Roots and Shake Smart in price for the most part.

Jamie Lynch: Mango Magic Smoothie

I walked into Tropical Smoothie Cafe looking for a refreshing drink on a relatively warm fall day. The Mango Magic smoothie immediately caught my eye as a beverage consisting of pineapple, greek yogurt, and, of course, mango. Unfortunately, it had been a long morning, and I accidentally asked the woman working the counter for the “Mango Maniac.” She kindly corrected me. When my smoothie was ready after a brief wait, I was immediately shocked at the large portion size. While I did pay over $7 for the drink, at least I was getting more bang for my buck than expected. Plus, they accepted Lion Cash, which was an added bonus.

The flavors were exceptional. It tasted like I was sitting on the beach enjoying a frozen concoction, and while I don’t even want to surmise how much sugar was in it, the smoothie undoubtedly brightened up my day. I didn’t choose to add any protein or nut butters this time, but I will certainly try those in the future. I’ll definitely be back.

Ryan Smith: Sunrise Sunset Smoothie & Chicken Quesadilla

Growing up with a Tropical Smoothie located 10 minutes from my house, you could probably tell I was elated that one opened just one block away from me! I love Tropical Smoothie — always have, and always will. I may be a little bit biased, but I simply don’t care.

Tropical Smoothie is my favorite chain of food anywhere. There is nothing like a Sunrise Sunset on a hot summer day paired with one of their chicken quesadillas. It got a 10/10 from me. It hasn’t even been open for a week and I’ve been three times. It might be hurting my bank account, but it is so worth it. 

Thank you to whoever put a Tropical Smoothie location in State College. You are a true hero.

Ally Eaton: Detox Island Green

Overall, I wasn’t super impressed. Before I left for college last year, a Tropical Smoothie somehow made its way to rural York County and I had the opportunity to try it in my hometown. I recall my smoothie tasting like it was full of sugar, and the price for a frozen cup of sugar just wasn’t worth it to me. I have to say, the same applies here.

I hit up Tropical Smoothie with my friend Ryan after running the THON 5K race, looking for a nice, refreshing refuel. I opted for the Detox Island Green smoothie since it was naturally sweetened, and I couldn’t pass up a good green smoothie. The worker at the cash register also instructed me to add protein, and since I have a hard time saying no, I obliged. After a hefty wait, I received my smoothie and wasn’t thrilled. It wasn’t bad and didn’t have that overly sweet flavor that I disliked on previous trips, but it wasn’t anything exceptional.

I know this will upset a lot of die-hard Tropical Smoothie fans, but for now, I’m going to stick to making my smoothies at home.

Michael Siroty: Buffalo Chicken Wrap & Bahama Mama Smoothie

I purposely came into this place hungry, and I’m happy I did. I’ve been to Tropical Smoothie Cafes around my hometown a few times and have enjoyed it every time, so I was excited one was coming to State College.

I got a buffalo chicken wrap and the Bahama Mama smoothie, which is my go-to order if I’m getting food and a smoothie. The buffalo chicken was a little spicier than I expected, but the toasted wrap was fantastic, and the smoothie cooled my mouth down and tasted so good. Plus, I’m not sure if there was some sort of combo deal, or if I simply got undercharged, but my order should’ve been a couple of bucks more expensive than it was, so I was even happier. It had been a bit of a rough day, but a trip here with Kyra and Evan cheered me up real quick. 9/10. I’ll be back.

Kyra Birmingham: Detox Island Green Smoothie

I’m a little more judgmental of smoothie places because I make my own every day. I can’t say I love what I got from Tropical Smoothie, but it has potential. I got the Detox Island Green and liked it, but I am a banana hater so I should’ve just gotten it without that. Overall, it was better than expected.