Cheers Bistro at the DoubleTree

Cheers Bistro is a full-service American bistro located inside the DoubleTree by Hilton at 701 Penn Street in downtown Reading, Pennsylvania. The restaurant operates as the hotel's primary dining room and bar, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner to hotel guests and to the general public. It sits at the corner of Penn Street and North 7th Street, directly across from the Santander Arena and a short walk from the Santander Performing Arts Center, the Reading Public Museum district and the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts.

The menu is built around recognizable American food prepared with some attention to detail rather than novelty: seafood entrees, steaks and short ribs, burgers and pressed sandwiches, large composed salads, soups made in house, appetizers meant for sharing and a rotating dessert list. Portions tend toward the generous side, and the kitchen keeps lighter options on the menu alongside the heavier comfort dishes. A separate bar menu covers small plates and quick bites for guests who want something less formal, and food service continues later into the evening than much of downtown Reading, which makes the bistro a practical option after a concert, a game or a late arrival at the hotel.

Buffets and Daily Service

One of the defining features of the operation is its buffet service. A breakfast buffet runs each morning and includes hot items, cold items, baked goods and a cooked-to-order station, along with coffee, tea and juice. A lunch buffet is offered on weekdays and typically includes soups, a salad bar, prepared salads, a deli selection and assembled sandwiches. Buffet service suits the hotel's business travelers and conference attendees, who often need to eat quickly before a session, but it is equally open to walk-in diners from the surrounding business district and county offices.

Guests who prefer table service can order from the regular menu at any meal. Brunch is available as well, and the dessert menu is treated as a standalone offering, with a steady flow of guests who stop in for coffee and something sweet without ordering a full meal. The coffee program draws regular comment from guests, and the restaurant serves both brewed coffee and espresso-style drinks.

The Bar

Cheers Bistro maintains a full bar on site with a cocktail list that includes house-created specialty drinks alongside standards. Bartenders develop seasonal and signature drinks, and the menu changes periodically. Beer selection includes domestic, imported and regional craft options, reflecting the strong brewing presence in Berks County and the surrounding region. The wine list covers a reasonable spread of varietals by the glass and by the bottle, suitable for both a casual drink and a dinner pairing.

The bar area functions somewhat separately from the dining room, with its own seating and a more sociable feel. It is a common gathering point on event nights, when arena crowds fill the block, and it also serves solo diners and hotel guests looking for a seat and a meal without a full restaurant experience.

Location, Parking and Event Nights

The restaurant's position across Penn Street from the Santander Arena shapes much of its business. On nights when the arena hosts a Reading Royals hockey game, a concert or a touring show, the bistro fills with ticket holders eating before the doors open. The DoubleTree complex includes an attached parking garage with on-site parking available to restaurant patrons, a meaningful advantage in a downtown where street parking is limited during events. The garage entrance and the hotel are connected, so diners can park, eat and walk to the arena without moving their vehicle.

The restaurant is wheelchair accessible throughout, including the entrance, seating area, restrooms and parking facilities. High chairs are available for families with young children.

Groups, Conferences and Special Occasions

Because the bistro is attached to a conference hotel, it handles large parties regularly. Business groups, reunions, holiday luncheons, club meetings and post-event gatherings are a routine part of the schedule, and the staff are accustomed to coordinating service for sizable tables. Reservations are accepted and are recommended for dinner, particularly on arena event nights and during busy conference periods, when the dining room can turn over quickly.

The restaurant also participates in community and arts programming from time to time, including occasional tableside performances by student performers from the local college theatre program. These appearances add an element that most hotel dining rooms do not have and have become a point of interest for guests who encounter them. Birthday and anniversary celebrations are accommodated as well.

Atmosphere

The dining room is contemporary and comfortable rather than formal. Seating is cushioned, lighting is moderate, and noise levels generally remain manageable even when the room is busy, which makes it workable for conversation over dinner or for a working lunch. Cleanliness is maintained to hotel standards. Dress is casual, and no particular code applies. Solo diners are common at both the bar and in the dining room, and the restaurant draws a mix of hotel guests, out-of-town visitors, downtown workers and Berks County residents coming in for an evening out.

Practical Information

• Address: 701 Penn St, Reading, PA 19601
• Phone: +1 484-577-8633
• Meals served: breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner and dessert, with late-night food available
• Service options: dine-in and takeout
• Reservations: accepted, and recommended for dinner
• Payment: credit cards accepted
• Parking: on-site garage parking at the hotel
• Accessibility: wheelchair accessible entrance, seating, restrooms and parking
• Bar: full bar on site with beer, wine, cocktails and non-alcoholic options
• Family facilities: high chairs available

Service Area

Cheers Bistro serves the City of Reading and the wider Berks County area, including West Reading, Wyomissing, Shillington, Exeter Township, Muhlenberg Township and Sinking Spring. Its downtown position also makes it convenient for travelers passing through on US 422 and Route 61, and for visitors staying at the DoubleTree for conferences, weddings and events held in the hotel's meeting and banquet spaces.

For reservations, large party arrangements or current buffet and menu details, call the restaurant directly at +1 484-577-8633.