There are some places in Iowa City that, if you spend enough time downtown, you simply can’t avoid hearing about. Airliner is one of those places. A staple of Iowa City since 1944, Airliner reportedly got its name from the fact that is was gathering place for military men post World War II. Over time, it has become known more for its pizza than anything else thanks to some incredible deals that it has maintained throughout the many decades of its existence ($1 slices on Sundays, half price pizzas on Tuesdays). The popularity of Airliner in Iowa City is reflected in the fact that it’s gotten the attention of media personalities and politicians alike. Dave Portnoy, president of Barstool Sports, reviewed Airliner’s pizza on his popular pizza review YouTube show, and this is the site of the viral sensation known as Ranch Girl, who interrupted a recorded speech by at-the-time presidential candidate Kirsten Gillibrand and announced her intention to get more ranch. It’s one of the few places in town that is always some level of busy no matter what time of day you stop in, and always has a lively environment on Iowa game days. 

Walking into the place, you can tell it’s a college sports bar: wall to wall TVs, Iowa sports memorabilia everywhere, and a bar that immediately grabs your attention and stretches most of the length of the restaurant. The lively environment is still warm and inviting and it never feels crowded during the lunch hour, even though it gets quite busy. Similar to other bars in downtown Iowa City, Airliner has two floors. It doesn’t have a second bar upstairs, but the space keeps the same vibe as the downstairs and it also doubles as a private event space. Now, reading this description, I think you and I can come to the same conclusion: this is a college bar through and through. And this fact is reflected in its whiskey selection. Let’s get into it. 

WHISKEY SELECTION

Variety: Bourbon, Scotch, Irish, Crown

Range: Limited. 13 Bottles. It might have been close to an average selection if it weren’t for the fact that they have almost as many flavored whiskeys as they do unflavored. Any regular bottle they have probably has a flavored alternative. They do have a couple of blended scotches as well as a couple better bourbon selections. All you need to know about their range, though, is that every one of their 13 bottles has at least one back up standing behind it on the bar and every bottle appears twice on the bar, once on the left side and once on the right side. Airliner could have a wider range if they desired, but they know that they are a college bar and stay in that lane, opting for volume instead of variety. 

Price Point: The pours vary in price from $5 up to $8, so nothing will break the bank if you want a pour of whiskey. They have recently added a spirit menu, which gives you a list of all of their whiskies on hand right there along with the on tap beers. The menu doesn’t show prices, but seeing as most patrons would be looking for whiskey to shoot, I don’t think prices are the point with the menu so much as letting the customer know what their options are. 

Wells: Airliner uses Mr. Boston for all of the well liquors, with every well shot going for $3. 

Best Selection: Their best bottles are Johnny Walker Black Label and Makers Mark, which again reflects their college bar status. The best flavored whiskey they have is Crown Blackberry, and it’s very popular from what I was told by the bartender. 

Grade: D+

Overall Thoughts: Airliner is a college town’s college bar and doesn’t try to be anything else. If you’re buying whiskey here it is mostly likely as a part of a mixed drink and otherwise it’s probably as a shot to pair with a beer. But they lean into it, especially considering the flavored whiskey selection, maybe the best I’ve seen in town so far. You’re not going to Airliner to sip on whiskey – you’re going to Airliner to watch the game or have a cold one with the boys. They do go beyond the bare minimum for each variety of whiskey they have, and they’ve tried to cover the bases for whiskey shots if nothing else. I’d recommend Airliner as a core Iowa City bar experience, but not as a place to drink whiskey.