What a pleasant bar to happen upon! We literally picked this place because they stayed open late and still had food and now we're considering making another trip to revisit this bar. Located inside of the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Asheville, follow the signs to the elevators, you can't miss it! Now, we were greeted with a stellar decor! We had just missed Harry Potter Trivia but the bartender informed us that the decor was for their fall theme and we should definitely return when they switch over to their holiday overlay. All of the staff were friendly, we even learned that there mixologist doesn't drink but these were by far some of the best drinks we've ever had, definitely in our top five; which speaks to the mixologist's dedication to crafting really good drinks. They committed to the Harry Potter themed night and curated the menu with names relevant to the franchise. I had a Butterbeer and this drink tasted like the best parts of a vanilla butterscotch but wasn't overly sweet. It rivaled a butterbeer at the theme parks but bar-worthy. I also tried the Unicorn Blood drink, layered with hints of vanilla and blueberry my only gripe is that I should have ordered two! We ordered the Shrimp Wands appetizer and I appreciated a grilled versus fried shrimp appetizer, this was a fine starter. The Bayou Shrimp Po Boy was very good and the white bbq sauce was perfect on the sandwich . The shrimp on this sandwich are also grilled shrimp versus fried. The seasoned fries that came with this dish were great and the side a ranch to dip them in was a must! The Marsala Moonlight Chicken was a surprising find on a bar menu. A chicken breast with root vegetables, served with mashed potatoes and Marsala sauce! The chicken was a little tough and dry so the sauce helped save this dish. The root vegetables were good but needed to be cooked a little longer to make them well roasted but tender but this was still a really good dish. The outdoor seating area had a fire pit and heating posts outside to help with the chilly weather. Overall, this was a really great bar in downtown Asheville that I will definitely be visiting again soon! read more

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Drinks are fantastic!! The drink menu is so fun and Creative. Food was a tad pricy but tasty. Very creative menu. Fun, hip vibe. The male bartender was more interested in the female patrons than us-- which is shame on him. We are usually big tippers. read more

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I rated overall 4 because we sat at the bar and the service was very slow and below par. It was busy and I felt like I was bothering the bartenders bc they had to wait on me. But 5 star for the Christmas decor and drink menu. We also enjoyed the live couple doing Christmas music too. read more

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Weather was nice so we decided to stop in for after dinner drinks and to watch the sunset. The drinks were good and the views were even better. Service was great. Definitely recommend checking out. read more

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We went for drinks and to watch the sunset. They had a tiki popup menu and the drinks were delicious. The outdoor seating area was so nice and the sunset was beautiful with the mountains in the background. read more

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This rooftop bar is nice! A great patio with beautiful skyline views of the blue ridge mountains and downtown. Sunset is gorgeous from here and it can get super busy. They have plenty of bar space, high top tables and board games and a shuffleboard table as well as two super comfy leather couches to watch sports. They also had some great mocktails on the menu and some decent food items though the selection is smaller. read more

Pillar Rooftop Bar - A cute idea - an old cig machine converted to sell small pocket custom art. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

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Stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn for our wedding weekend and had a great time at Pillar on Saturday night! We were planning on just stopping by for a drink (hotel guests get vouchers for a free Prosecco) and then going bar-hopping, but we ended up staying for hours. They were decorated for Halloween, had a themed menu and a DJ for a Saturday night dance party. The wine and cocktails are a bit pricey and the service at the bar was a little slow, but the bartenders were super nice and somehow stayed energetic and positive, even when they were overrun at the bar. Overall, a wonderful end to our wedding weekend in Asheville! read more

Good view and nice place with good music, but the food is not good for the most part. It was so bad that we left most of it uneaten. We should have known not to eat at a hotel restaurant. read more

Came here with my wife to celebrate bout a few weeks ago. Service was slow and the restaurant was dirty, food was mighty disappointing for the price. My eyeballs bout fell out from looking at the bill. But the sunset view was spectacular! read more

Good food and drinks and what a wonderful place to watch the sunset over the mountains, Great staff very accommodating to large groups

This review marks my second time at the Pillar Bar and the Hilton Garden Inn. Both visits were satisfying. The Pillar Bar is a bar and lounge, great for late-night chill and watching sports on the TVs. I want to thank my server, Ali, for taking good care of me on each visit. Two gold stars. The outdoor seating area was closed during my visits due to cold weather. There are limited food options, but plenty of drink options. You're steps away from downtown Asheville; go find something good to eat. Come back to wind down over a drink before you retire to your hotel room. read more

Pillar Rooftop Bar - Asheville 75 - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

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Stopped by here for Saturday evening drinks before dinner nearby! Honestly, best decision ever - we were worried about parking but called the Hilton to ask if we could park in their deck for Pillar and they said that's what most people do anyway (it's free for at least the first few hours), which was very convenient. We didn't want any alcohol so asked to be surprised with mocktails of the bartender's choice, with just descriptions of what we liked (I said citrus flavors). The mocktails were GORGEOUS and tasted amazing! I loved my lychee-mango mocktail honestly more than any traditional drink I've had (mocktails are also $6 instead of the full price of an alcoholic drink which was so nice). While the rooftop is small, the music was great, views were beautiful especially during sunset, and the energy was positive and infectious. Would definitely come here again! Protips: Call ahead to confirm you can park in the Hilton garage! read more

Fun stop on a rooftop tour I attended. They had a luau theme going and everything was well decorated. Tried a blackberry cocktail that was light and refreshing. I also had a lychee martini which I loved. The charcuterie board was a nice accompaniment to the drinks, and the eggs rolls were very tasty! Service was fun and helpful. Would love to visit when they update to a new theme! read more

Service was good. Unfortunately they do not honor specials. They had a sign that said if you have a google review you get a $10 appetizer. We did just that and when we asked about the appetizer, the bar tender said they had just changed out that promotion and he was going to yell at whoever forgot to take it out and then told us he wouldn't honor it. Ambiance is chill. Music is a bit loud. read more

Came here on a Tuesday late evening since we were staying at the hotel. There were only six or seven other couples/small groups there but the bar was certainly understaffed. Took about twenty minutes after being seated to get our drinks ordered and about the same wait to get our checks after we were ready to leave. We kept standing up and looking around for someone to come by but they were stretched thin. The craft cocktails all looked fantastic. I got the Leaf Season and it was delicious! Bourbon, chai and pumpkin...it was a perfect autumn cocktail. The views are pretty great as well especially sitting in the outdoor area. read more

Pillar Rooftop Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

I would not recommend! The meal was a disappointment. Do not get the salmon and shrimp it's not worth the price! read more

Pillar Rooftop Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

My friend were hoping to find a rooftop spot for food and drinks. Found this spot on yelp and read enough reviews to say let's give it a try. The bar is located on the top of the hotel. All the staff wore a mask and seating was available inside or limited seating outside. The staff were very attentive, mutilple staff members checked on our table and surrounding tables. Southwest Eggrolls had a nice spice to it and the creamy avocado ranch dip paired perfectly with the eggrolls.Spinach Artichoke Dip was amazing. Unfortunately, the dip was served in a very small dish surround by way too many blue chips. I was left was alot of chips and no dip. Cocktails:The Smokey Mt. Old Fashion was strong and delicious.Strawberry Diamond was sweet but the muddled strawberries made it had to drink out of the straw. It was sweet and very tasty. The only view is of the near by park deck. It was kind of disappointing, we were hoping to Parking: Available at the hotel for a rate (not sure the amount) Street parking is also available Cocktails: Smokey Mt. Old Fashion and Strawberry Diamond Appetizers: Southwest Eggrolls & Spinach Artichoke Dip. Overall I would give this place a 4.5. The size of dip was very small. The view is less than desirable. The staff,food, drink were all excellent. read more

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We went up there about 4PM. Excellently crafted cocktails, and the bartenders seem to really enjoy making them. Really nice view, they even post the sunset time on a chalkboard so you know when that will happen. Also had a woman playing classic songs with her violin and some background beats, which was really cool and enjoyable. It had a whole tiki vibe up there. The brussel sprouts are AWESOME and a large portion too. We would go back. read more

Little bit of a mix for this rooftop bar. First of all the views and the decor were great. The drinks were also pretty good and they had some good daily specials. We were staying at the hotel Monday through Friday. On Monday and Tuesday they were falling over themselves with attention. Wednesday was not so good and on Thursday we sat for twenty minutes with no acknowledgment or service. So we left. I do appreciate that it was busy but that just didn't feel good at all. read more

We had a great time. The food was better than normal hotel. Service was above and beyond. Ask for butters. Great sunset view over mts. We will be back read more

Pillar Rooftop Bar - Sunset over Smokey - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

I was in town for work. Nice restaurant on top of the Hilton Garden Inn. Great view on a warm night. All the doors were open and great rooftop bar. The service at the bar was a little slow a Wednesday night. The food menu was limited and the food was average. read more

Glad I I gave this place a try. However they were super busy on NYE and couldn't keep up. We did encounter some issues but management was understanding so they'll receive a wonderful review. First of all the pictures from the rooftop are beautiful overlooking the city. Some people thought that I'd gone to NYC for the holiday. Since I ate here for NYE, there was complimentary champagne for an imaginary ball drop. 15 sec before 8pm there was a very enthusiastic crowd shouting a countdown. When we got to one most people yelled happy new year, I yelled happy 8 o clock. Either way I enjoyed the countdown and complimentary champagne. The wait was about 25 mins. But once seated outside on the balcony, there was a fire pit for warmth and two other fire patio torches. We ordered drinks and appetizers. I tried the Rooftop Sunset (TEQUILA - MEZCAL - HIBSCUS TEA - LIME ) the hibiscus tea was added on the outside of the glass and some type of syrup kept it clinging on. Either way it was aromatic and very tasty. Little small for the price but still, a very well craftered drink. The southwest egg rolls were well seasoned and fried crispy. They were packed with chicken, black beans, and salsa. Very filling. There was a an avocado ranch for dipping and that made them even more tasty. The dip was cool and creamy and tasted a bit cheesy so it paired well with the appetizer. My entree was Salmon Florentine and my girlfriend ordered the NY strip steak. My dish was delicious! I ordered mashed potatoes and sweet carrots, but once the plate was delivered incorrectly they informed me that the kitchen was out of carrots so they just added Brussels sprouts. At first I was upset but then once I tasted them I was fine with the substitution. The Brussels sprouts are generously topped with bacon and sautéed perfectly. The salmon had a nice crisp and slight crunch to the outside and a juicy plump mouthfeel. My girlfriends steak came out after my plate, and ended up having to go back to the kitchen. She ate it later that night As we packed it to go. Unfortunately we were unable to eat dinner together. Management handled the complaint very well and so we also ordered dessert which was an amazing red velvet cakes. Despite the issues, id return. We were told that they were not used to being a restaurant but decided to open as one for NYE. We understood, they'd get another visit from me, but not on another holiday. read more

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Great ambience! Bartenders are great and they have some very fun games available! We had a great time! So many laughs!!

Very quiet rooftop bar in Asheville. Limited view of the mountains, but being on top of the buildings downtown is it's own reward. It is Tiki themed with the appropriate drinks. Of course i had to have one. Lots of pineapple, RUM and other stuff. Did I say RUM? As we were out there at about 5:00 pm it was quiet. As we got closer to dinnertime, people starting coming by. Being outdoors, its never going to be too loud. It was a bit windy, but that's the beauty of being outdoors at a bar! People were very friendly, staff was spectacularly attentive. All in all, a great place to hang out and have a few drinks. We didn't eat anything up there. After all, there are some pretty spectacular restaurants in Asheville that we have yet to review!! Id go back.. You should too! read more

This place has such great potential; hopefully at some point it will get some management so it can live up to expectations. Stopped by here on a Friday night before sunset to enjoy the views and they are indeed beautiful. The space is nice and the music was great. Trying to get service from anyone was another story. Although it wasn't that crowded and there were plenty of staff around, they did an excellent job of avoiding eye contact with guests and certainly could not be troubled to proactively welcome anyone verbally. Upon finally getting someone to stop by, we put in an order for drinks. I will say our server was very friendly and talkative once we broke the ice. One drink was served very quickly but it took another 10 minutes for the second drink to come out. Again, it was not very crowded so not sure what the delay was. I finished my drink and would have loved another one. However, even though someone cleared my empty glass, nobody who walked by our table (including our server) seemed to think to ask if we wanted another round. When we finally flagged our server down, again, we had friendly service but we made the mistake of asking what the meat and cheese plate contained and that was a lot of trouble. She said she didn't know since it was new and that is fair, so she said she'd check. When our drinks came, we asked if she had any additional information and she said that she did not because she completely forgot. Now, during this time I watched six people come into the bar, stand around looking for someone because there was no instruction to wait to be seated or to seat yourself. Some of the walked the length of the room, outside on the terrace and back before abandoning their quest. To me, that is just money left on the table! There were numerous empty tables not generating any revenue and there were people who wanted to give the bar money in return for food and drink but nobody who worked there seemed to recognize that. Why isn't anyone managing this great space and training these folks? Back to the meat and cheese plate, we got that and it had pepperoni and prosciutto , with two cheeses. It's as fine though there was barely any of the ham. Again, when we talked to the staff they were very nice but they seem to have no interest and want to take no initiative in greeting guests, offering menus or generating revenue for the establishment. It would be so simple to do some training and make this place a happening spot. Until then, it will probably remain a dead place on a Friday night, albeit with a great view. I can't recommend this joint. read more

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The views were amazing! The bathroom was very clean and they provided women products. The food was amazing and the drinks were too! I will definitely be going back! read more

Pillar Rooftop Bar - The view from the patio! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

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Super fun atmosphere, especially for the holidays. Lots of decorations and festive atmosphere. Music was good, with some dancing. Great drinks. read more

Pillar Rooftop Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

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I love this bar!! They have amazing danceable music on the weekends starting at 6-you can see which bands on their events page. I am in charge of the Asheville social dance meetup group and we go most Saturdays. I love the 60s-80s music and love that they play from 6-9 so I can make my beddybye time. others love the early start because they can still make it to events that start at 8 or 9. Outdoor space to view sunset or sit by the fire. My favorite thing is how they celebrate holidays-decorating to the nines. and they have fun themed drinks. read more

Pillar Rooftop Bar - Christmas - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

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I absolutely love Pillar Rooftop Bar! As a local I was really excited to recently find this gorgeous spot downtown Asheville. It is located on the top floor of the Hilton Garden Inn on Charlotte St. and College St. and is just a couple minute walk to the heart of downtown. The entire hotel is beautiful with colorful modern art and bright lighting. The Rooftop bar is really large and spacious. There is a large indoor area with bar seating and tables. There is artwork on the walls and an Art machine that you put money in and it gives you a piece of local artwork! So cool and unique! The outdoor area is definitely the heart of this place and is absolutely gorgeous. There is a bunch of different types of seating such as couches, sofa chairs and hightop tables and chairs overlooking the Asheville sky line. Sometimes they have servers on staff who will bring you menus and take your order regardless of where you sit and sometimes you have to order at the bar. When I arrived yesterday, there was a large sign right be the entrance that said 'no servers today, order at the bar.' I really appreciated that so that there was no confusion. The drinks that I've tried have been really great-strong and made with TLC. They are a bit on the expensive side, but hey, it's at a Hilton on a rooftop so it's to be expected. I love this beautiful bar and am looking forward to bringing out-of-town visitors here soon. read more

A lot of Hilton's hotels offer a great rooftop bar. This one had an amazing view of downtown Asheville. The inside and the patio were very spacious. Came during the COVID era, and the staff were respectful with wearing masks and social distancing. Appreciated the bartenders service. read more

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The rooftop area is small and cramped. Nice view of the mountains if you can overlook the buildings and parking lot. If you go here, I only recommend it for a drink and the band, do NOT stay for dinner and avoid the draft cocktails. Mine was watered down, no buzz, and OVERPRICED. Our messy appetizer arrived, no napkins. Our burgers FINALLY arrived swimming in grease and residue and were almost inedible. Honestly, took the bun off, ate the meat, left everything else on the plate. We would have complained to the seemingly stressed staff, but we just wanted OUT of there. People around us were having a drink and then leaving...this rooftop bar simply is NOT the #1 rooftop...no way! We will NOT be back. Also, took a while to be acknowledged by staff and everything we ordered took a bit of time to arrive. Felt bad for my husband being we were celebrating his birthday. read more

Meh. The view and staff were nice and the burger was good, but everything else . We ordered drinks, which eventually came, 2 were supposed to have boba pearls but didn't. We ordered an app, with bacon on the side came out with no bacon on the side. Asked for more water, never came, had to ask someone else and eventually got more. Waited for 10 minutes after finishing our app for someone to take our order. In the meantime we wanted to order another drink, no one came and asked if we needed anything. So, no more drinks. When the food finally came out, the chicken in the soul bowl was VERY burnt, the rice was cold as were the cauliflower tacos. We asked for our bill and boxes. 8 minutes later we had to ask someone else, 5 minutes after that we went to the bar to get boxes and drinks ourselves :/ read more

Outside of being a very sleek bar to hang out at with more seating than I think they'll ever need or use, Pillar provided a wonderful spot to relax and unwind on top of our hotel with a good friend in town. The best part of Pillar in my personal opinion (outside of the delicious fresh cocktails) is the art-o-mat machine that can be found near the entrance. It's an old cigarette machine that is converted into a small gift shop of miniature pieces of art and crafts. I bought a pair of animal earrings from the machine... the first time I got dog earrings. I thought those earrings were cute, so I went back and got another pair; the second time I got fox earrings. I clearly had to give those to Gretchen who loves all things foxes (her new married surname). So I went back and got another pair of earrings; this time I got Zebra! I absolutely love them, and have wore them with my black and white shirt a number of times. The art is random and is a surprise each time from most of the artists you choose from. I'm pretty sure it was 5 dollars a go. Not a bad deal at all! Here is a pic of the machine: https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/pillar-rooftop-bar-asheville?select=aPt8-xP75-6eEl9vseCiYg I'd come back! I love that machine... and don't get me wrong... I had 3 gin and tonics. Potentially what fueled my excitement and need to have fun with the machine. read more

Order from the creative craft cocktail list and enjoy it outsode overlooking the mountains and Asheville! This hot spot is an oasis. Indoor and outdoor seating with a beautiful mountain skyline view. The terrace seating outside is mixed including couch groupings, low and high top tables. The live music gives the restaurant and bar a lively feel even though it's on top of the Hilton Garden Inn. Fire pits and heaters round out the ambiance and comfort levels. Niiice! read more

Don't don't don't go here for food. I've had better food at a college cafeteria. Pizza was frozen and heated Ellios style and the grilled cheese was baked dry without any love. Have drinks at sunset and don't be lazy. Go to town for some real food. read more

Beautiful views and a nice place to chill for a bit. Live music was very entertaining and helped set a nice, easy going vibe. Drinks were pricey and on the weak side. Had the steak and blue cheese flatbread which was delicious. Buyer beware- it's loaded with blue cheese! read more

Pillar Rooftop Bar - From of the patio from an inside couch. It was too chilly to sit outside last night. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

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Cool spot but we went in winter so the roof top part was locked. Parking for locals is a little challenging. And if you smoke (which I don't) but just know you have to ride the elevator to the ground floor and go out the main door to do so. The drinks are pricey for what you get and from my experience (which was once) it wasn't such an incredible one. I ordered a cocktail on the menu, and the menu is pretty small, but once ordered I was told they didn't have all the ingredients to make what I ordered so I was asked by the bartender what I was in the mood for. Though they made me a custom cocktail, they charged me the "custom cocktail" price. Seems a little convenient to have a list, then be out of ingredients and poof! a custom cocktail that's a little pricey appears. Either way, not a spot to hang for locals in my book, but I'm sure it flys for those that are from out of town. read more

I like it. It needs a lot of work. I rarely knock service and really the service was fine. However they are severely understaffed. Severely. I feel bad for the bar tenders that are taking all the orders, bringing food, making drinks and keeping track of it all amazingly well. I hope they add staff for the summer boom. This place has a lot of potential. They also really need to work on the food. The brussel sprouts were delicious, I would go back just for those. The deviled eggs not so much, too sweet and seemed dried out, I put smoked tomato ketchup to make them palatable. The collard eggroll filling was delicious, the wrapper not so much, the raviolis were good but not great. I want to try other items on their menu. I saw some pork sliders get carried by that looked delicious. Their drinks are well made with fresh ingredients. I definitely recommend coming for drinks, a view and some brussel sprouts. Anything else I won't vouch for. Hopefully they will be fully staffed this summer. I think that alone would improve this place tremendous. read more

Pillar Rooftop Bar - Raviolis - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

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This new rooftop bar in the Hilton Garden Inn, is so quant. We loved it. The bartender was very assertive. We had the old fashion. All the ingredients were fresh. He took his time to make it right. The bar has a very welcoming ambiance. The rooftop had a fireplace, they also had heating blankets to stay warm. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone coming into town and staying in downtown Asheville. They also have food to order from iron hen. Fresh. Local. Good. If you haven't had their food you're missing out. The food is so fresh, and taste wonderful. Try the coffee fried chicken, or oatmeal for breakfast!! read more

Staff was outstanding, the drinks were perfect and the views were outstanding! They had local beers ready to be drank which I really enjoyed and if something wasn't right they made sure to fix that right away. Food as well was outstanding and prices can't be beat. The staff were very helpful and right there when you needed them. Very relaxing and enjoying evening while watching the sun set. On a side note when parking your vehicle it's best to park on the street, the parking garage is for hotel guest only. Cheers! read more

Pillar Rooftop Bar - Nantahala National Forest/Great Smokey Mountains - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

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