Walked in on an uncrowded evening. The bar was 3/4 full, a couple of tables outside had customers, but none of the tables inside had customers. At most, there were 15 people there. We took a table close to the bar. The waitress walked past several times without acknowledging us. The bartenders (2 of them) made eye contact, but just stood around anyway. After 15 minutes...we left. Not a single employee said a word to us the entire time we were there. Cool concept, loved the decor, which is why I gave two stars instead of one. Oh, except the awkwardly posed mannequin above the bar...is it supposed to be a pinup pose? In a WWII-themed bar, I'd expect to see Bettie Paige-esque stuff, not whatever is happening above the bar. I'll go back after someone tells me the service got better. read more

My favorite Montgomery bar. Favorite. As in, I found solace at the bottom of several glasses here. I was a regular for about a week before I had to leave town. Favorite. Sit at the bar. Watch Top Gun without the sound. Tip your bartenders. You're welcome. read more

This bar was a welcomed surprise after leaving the loud, crowded, and dark Alley Bar. The ambiance was really nice, with plenty of space to fit about twenty to thirty of us all in one location. And, it was quiet enough that we could actually carry on conversations with the people we had been struggling all night to get to speak with at previous bars. It seemed that the rest of our party shared these sentiments. And, if you are wanting to go back and forth from a relaxed atmosphere to a louder more crowded bar, just go through the back door for a quick route back to Alley Bar. read more

It's a bar, it's in downtown Montgomery, and it has an aviation/fighter pilot theme. Because there isn't anything to do in Montgomery, it's crowded. It's not as douchey as Alley Bar and there is no cover, so it's more crowded on weekends. Crowd runs mixed military and townies, but despite the theme isn't at all overrun with aviators. I don't know what the holdup with getting drinks is, but it can take ten minutes to get a beer. I would echo the other reviewer who was disappointed with receiving his cocktails in a red solo cup or some other mix-and-match glass. Good help must be hard to find in Montgomery because the bartenders are woefully outclassed. I saw one guy take several drink orders from people who were waiting for a long time, walk over to the other end of the bar, and then come back and say "sorry I forgot what you all wanted." You can forget about table service, but if you manage to get someone to come to take your initial order, you won't see anyone come by for the rest of the night. There are lots (lots) of model airplanes and other flyboy memorabilia all over the place. Some of the decor is visually pretty cool...if you're a history buff and not too drunk, take a minute to check out the back rooms as well. It's a shame the service is so crappy. TVs behind the bar show WWII or other aviation themed movies. Because it's new and not Alley Bar, it's getting a lot of traffic. The service is pretty bad, but I guess it works for Montgomery. This place is apparently owned by the same guy who owns Alley Bar and Sand Bar, so if you don't like either of those, you unfortunately can't feel any more superior for patronizing this place either. Two stars mostly because it's new and relatively clean and shiny. read more

Aviator Bar - Bars Near Me - Montgomery, Alabama

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MAYDAY!! Someone needs to turn this place around. Cool decor cannot make up for poor service. We went on a Friday night - the place was empty but the service was still subpar. Also, the drinks were overpriced - $9 for an IPA that we literally could buy at the Alley for $5! FYSA they are owned by the same people and connected so a 100 extra steps saved us $4. read more

The live music and jenga makes this place. The beer draft menu needs to be bigger and the staff needs to drop the attitude. They have way too much attitude for the low level of service they provide. I waited nearly 10 min for a beer in an empty bar, then the schmuck gave me attitude. Wont be back. read more

This is such a unique bar themed in military aviation. From the authentic cockpit seat to the sandbags lining sitting area, this bar looks like a WWII era base bar. There is memorabilia everywhere and model planes covering the ceiling. You will feel like you took a step back in time and will enjoy the history as much as the bar itself. This will be a definite stop whenever I'm in town. read more

I was here at the end of October 2014 In town for a business function ( Montgomery is our home office.) been here twice this week and it's only Wednesday. Good bartenders and they seemed have some good drink and or beer specials. Another plus is the location. Easy, short walk from the major hotels in downtown Montgomery. read more

Went here with a group of friends and immediately loved the atmosphere! It's so relaxed and the theme is awesome. With that being said,it was so overcrowded that it took an hour to get our drinks. After that it took more time to get refills since there seemed to only be one waitress walking around the bar getting orders. read more

The bars in downtown Montgomery confuse me. Most of them seem geared toward the convention crowds at the expense of the unfortunate locals. I've been to Aviator twice, and both times the service was spotty at best, clueless at worst. Both times the bar was basically empty, unless you count the mannequins that are inexplicably on the wall. The draft selection was unimpressive - my preference would be less mead (yes, the medieval honey ale) and more Alabama beers. Skip it. You're infinitely better off at Leroy or the Tipping Point. read more

Straight dishonest bartender tried to overcharge me for a drink I was about to pay cash for. Instead paid with credit card to get a real receipt and it was actually less than what she asked for in cash. Neat atmosphere but... first time ..last time. read more

The aviator bar is well decorated inside! It is a very cool location! If you are a military aviator or have interest in military aviation this place is for you! Administratively there DirecTV or cable was having issues the night we were there and one of their televisions was not working. Overall we enjoyed the experience. read more

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First thing we noticed was that there were no menus. At all. And the lighting is very dim. I asked for a whiskey list and the bartender gestured at the wall. Unfortunately, I could only make out about half the bottles. And who knew what price they'd be? To top it off, it was hard to catch the attention of anyone behind the bar, and once we did, the service was unfriendly. Not recommended. read more

Excellent interior theme. Unique vibe and aesthetically pleasing. Where it falls short is service. I sat at a sparsely populated bar, and, like the others, waited to be offered a drink by the bartender. We watched the bar tender read texts and eat her food before tending to our orders. Glasses sat empty for a while while the phone got the attention. The staff seem uninterested in having people in the bar. read more

This is a great concept it just needs to be where the fly boys are! I like the vibe .... there is no reason for girls to come here bless you want to meet cute guys. read more

Loved everything about this bar. Bartenders were friendly and attentive. The place was setup so cool and added what every downtown needs. Good music and connection to the Alley. I will be coming back! read more

Mixed drinks were not made well and the "Makers Mark" WAS not actually Makers Mark. Tasted completely off. We also had an issue with the bill and when we went to ask the bar tender about it she proceeded to tell us that we shouldn't be drinking if we didn't have the money to pay for it... I will not be returning and I suggest you save your money for somewhere else. read more

I don't often give low ratings, but I'm hopeful that this will prompt the manager to remove the Nazi swastikas and picture of Hitler. I get that it's history, and both sides are shown, but when you're walking into a place in the South and wondering if there are allies there, the memorabilia makes you question this right away. read more

Flew in from California and 11 pm found me hot and thirsty. A block from my hotel I found the Aviator. It was nice and cool inside. I ordered my Vodka/tonic and can say for $8 I went away happy. If you want attention then go somewhere else. If you want a dark corner to nurse a drink then you have arrived. Would have possibly had a second drink but the bar tender was busy visiting locals at the other end of the bar and never came back to my end. I was never asked what kink of vodka I wanted (missed up-sell opportunity?) and my drink came in a plastic cup, at least ample tonic and not some skinny glass that leaves you wanting. Nice decor. read more

Awesome decor. A fun place to sit back and a few drinks. A must stop if you are downtown.

If the Aviator Bar was the last establishment on the face of the earth to serve alcoholic beverages, I would not go there. Here is why... I do not live here, but in the last month I have spent a significant amount of money on friends and myself at this establishment because I was told by a member of the mayor's office this was one of many establishments in the Montgomery area to go to simply because it welcomed the military. This is a standard brief given to Air Force officers on day 1 of a 60 day stint in the area by either the mayor or his second hand man, because of all things...they want their PER DIEM (quote, un-quote). Okay, I can somewhat buy that. So after a few times of visiting here during the last month, I decided to order alcohol here as opposed to beer, specifically Captain Morgans, Diet Coke and lime. After spending good money and tipping the server for the second time tonight for a "Captain Morgans, Diet Coke and lime," and it not tasting quite like Captain Morgans, I asked the server if I ordered said drink what I would receive and she said, "Captain Morgans, Diet Coke and lime." Unbeknownst to her I had asked the bartender after the second drink if they served Morgans and he said no, I then asked her if she was sure, and she said "yes." I then told her that was funny, because they don't stock Morgans, and it was at that point she changed her song and dance to, yes we don't serve Morgans, we serve Calypso. Well guess what...Calypso is not Morgans, and if I ask for a beverage a bar doesn't serve, I fully expect the server to tell me they don't serve that particular brand. It was at that point I told the server I didn't appreciate her being a liar, and that somehow was translated to the bouncers that I called her a "B#^%H." Next thing I know, I am surrounded by no fewer than five "so called" bouncers who asked me to leave. Despite knowing I was in the right, I left, but not without asking to speak to the manager outside. My request was met, and after explaining the situation to the manager, he asked me what it was I wanted in order to make things right...I told him I wished for my two drinks to be refunded. Once again the bouncers intervened and suggested a refund was out of the question, because it was me who was in the wrong for causing a scene by calling the female server a "B*^%H." Rather than continue to stand my ground, I kindly hopped in a cab and left, since I could tell at that point I was in a lose-lose situation. My advice to any member of the armed forces is to avoid this establishment at all cost, especially if you are here attending a leadership course at Maxwell. Secondly, if you do decide to go, I darn sure would not order from or tip the female server who sports a tatted up arm sleeve, nor would I order from the so called manager with the handlebar mustache. Additionally, you need to realize the bouncers will round up like a pack of wolves to ensure you leave the bar without a reasonable compromise if an issue were to arise. While this establishment might apeal to the military member, especially Air Force, and to take it a step further, the aviator...it is not in the least bit military friendly. My understanding is the the owner of the Aviator Bar (Mike Watson, a so called modern pioneer of turning downtown Montgomery into a local attraction) is in cahoots with the mayor of Montgomery, thus the reason this place is plugged to Air Force officers when they arrive here. Regardless, my words of advice to Mike Watson and/or the management is to simply be up front with the customer when they order a drink. If you don't have a particular beverage, be open about it. Chances are I would have accepted the Calypso, and if not I would have ordered something else. No need to deceive the customer or lie about it. You will get much more "per diem" out of us temporarily assigned military folk otherwise. So in summary, I would highly discourage anyone from stepping foot into this bar. It is sad, because it really has an excellent ambiance and likely potential. Update: Mike Watson is not only the owner of the Aviator Bar, but also the Sand Bar and Alley Bar (and if you for whatever reason are in the market for an architect, 2WR). I wouldn't expect anything more than the service I experienced at the Aviator Bar than I would at these other (dare I say fine) establishments. Bottom Line, if you are military...avoid these places and take your per diem to Biloxi, New Orleans, Destin or Hotlanta. read more

Loved the atmosphere and selection, the bartenders are very nice but there was only one "waitress" there and she seemed more interested in talking, eating the popcorn and just clearing tables than assisting anyone in getting a drink. I give Kudos to the venue and the bartenders, but if your service is poor you have lost me as a customer. read more

This was a huge disappointment! The pictures of the WW2 planes and memorabilia were beautiful but that was the end of it right there. No music, you would have thought they would be playing music from that time period. But the worst was yet to come. We sat down and even though there was only one person at the bar and three people working we were ignored. No one came to take our order. After a long wait my husband went to the bar to see if we needed to order there. He was told yes, they don't come to the tables. Too bad management hasn't taken the time to post this information so those people that are visiting the area know the drill. We felt it was extremely rude of the staff to not take the time to let us know. They did not have other customers at the time. We will unfortunately never return to such an unwelcome environment. read more

Be careful what you buy, they are not consistent with the glasses they serve cocktails in, one minute you get a red solo cup,they next you get a very small scotch glass. The bar staff needs better training. On the weekends it can get packed, o expect to push and shove your way through....if you want a table,get there early. read more

I like planes and flying, so while in Montgomery I stopped by this place for a drink. Not bad, but a little down on the service side. As I walked around looking at stuff, I came across a picture of a guy I new in the service, (he was a total jack-ass a really bad example of what an officer in the military should be), but there he was in a picture hanging proudly on their wall. It might be wrong, but I figured if they put a picture of someone like that on their wall, well they are not the place for me. They have some great stuff in there, but a far as a place to hang out and relax, not for me. read more

Had a rude management encounter. He also got in his vehicle with what appeared to be a cup of beer and based on my encounter, had already had several. Drink responsibly and don't be an a$$! read more

While I appreciate the decor and the environment in terms of memorabilia, that's where it stopped. The service is terrible. You literally have to force someone to wait on you and then they act completely annoyed. The best part of the experience is when we left and went around the corner to the Tap Room. read more

Great atmosphere! Great place to drink and watch sports. The waitresses came up to us immediately to get our drink orders and everyone was very friendly. Multiple levels to drink and hang out! read more

Aviator Bar - Bars Near Me - Montgomery, Alabama

Very cool place. We had a great time and Wesley gave a great tour. His pride really shines through the models throughout the place. Love the patriotism. read more

Stopped by this place with some family and friends after a wedding... Very clean and new. I loved the interior decorations and that there was a lot of seating. The bathrooms were SUPER clean (ladies you know how nice that is)! The girl that helped us was very friendly and easy to find. The drinks were good and the prices were GREAT. We all joked that we needed to start driving from Atlanta to here just to drink and hang out on weekends! read more

I was at school at Maxwell and they had told me about this bar. I was afraid it would be full of military and be as lame as the Officer's club on base. That was NOT the case. The decorations are amazing. Of course I'm partial to them being both a pilot and an aviation enthusiast. They did a great job of setting the place up. It does actually seem almost too clean for a bar but it's still pretty new. (about 5 months as of this post). I enjoyed going there for a happy hour. Weekend nights were pretty decent some of the time but it didn't get crowded until about 10-11. We got to know a few of the bartender's by name and all were pretty cool. I love it when they dress in similar to the theme of the restaurant. I've seen several different crowds there, from local business men, college game day fans, locals, Air Force visitors, and the hunters from the Buckmaster's convention. They don't serve food here. I don't think they have the space, but we've brought food in and they didn't seem to mind. The drinks prices are ok. They do always have $2 PBR. The good cocktails aren't cheap, but they are an average price and they are really good. This is my favorite bar in Montgomery. One thing that I thought was weird is they take your credit card to start a tab, and then give it back. I love this since you don't end up leaving your card there. When you close out, you just sign the check. They have TVs and mostly play old war movies, but they have played baseball games and have foot ball games on during the season. They also have several bathrooms, and not just one divey one. read more

Terrrible service. Served us a round and told us to leave 1 min after they served the beer. The staff was rude. Bad atmosphere and over priced. read more

Douchey. Bad service. Shame because the actual concept is pretty cool.

Great bar! Huge support to military. Friendly staff prices aren't bad. Trivia on Tuesdays is legit!

Daytime and early evening the place gets 5 stars. Great customer service, excellent beverage choices and a decor that is awesome for someone who loves plane, military and history. There are a few rooms you choose from. We chose to sit in the front part of the bar. Stayed there for a bit and headed back to our room to get ready for a baseball game. After the game we were going to grab a post game beer there. Once the game was over we walked back over. The crowd and demeanor chanced a 180 degrees. After 9 pm there is a cover charge . Needless to say we didn't go in. read more

It's an okay bar. The layout inside was very cool, I love the pilot theme. The drinks are average at best. One bartender looked me right in the face and didn't serve me. I was waiting for 15 mins and finally another bartender came and took my order. The other bartenders were nice but they are not consistent with drink mixing. Sometimes the drinks are good, sometimes it taste like juice more so than alcohol itself. Other than sloppy service, the bar overall is decent. They sometimes charge $5 on the weekends. Free if u get there before the crowd. And the wrist band you get also gives you free access to the alley bar. Which is nice. So that's two bars for the $5. read more

This place would get 5 stars on the asthetic alone. Great decorations and recognition of the US Military. A lot of really cool historical talking points spread through the huge bar. Big props on the bomb shelter set up. read more

Terrible, went with a group on a Friday night and we were the only people there. Bartender was obviously bothered by our presence. Drinks were extremely over priced, bathroom was disgusting, and the ambience was meh. You couldn't pay me to go back here. read more

This bar has a cool theme. Pretty clean as far as bars go. The bartenders could've been a little better. Drinks weren't overly priced.

First off, there is absolutely NO good reason to pay a cover charge to enter this bar after 9. The bar connects by a long hallway to the Alley Bar, which has a live band most nights. I can see maybe paying a cover charge on the other side, when there is live music. If they had any sense, they would separate the two bars, because there is literally NO reason to pay a cover for the Aviator Bar side. There is no dancing, no live music...nothing but rather pricey drinks. That being said, the drinks that I have tried are good. Order good liquor, because their Evan Williams Green Label was $6!! read more