I've been coming here a bit now for the Saturday Blues Jam Session they offer…read more It is very laid back, very personal and not crowded. Music is 8 - 12 I believe... They don't have table service (or at least the few times I've been there) we just ordered from the bar. Very nice atmosphere and friendly bartender. I really enjoy the live music and laid-backness this venue has to offer. Side note, it is attached to the Aviator Hotel

The food gets 5 stars. The service gets 1. Their "barista services" get 2 stars…read more The breakfast I ordered two days in a row was delicious. The first day it came with toast and ketchup and jelly. The second day, I only got the main event, reindeer sausage scrambled with eggs and served with crispy, savory home fries. The menu described the food differently, but it was so tasty that I didn't care. The girls at the counter are a mess, some more than others. They are polite and kind, but I really prefer proficiency (I guess it's a NY thing). The only quick experience was ordering a coffee Saturday night, it was made very well, very quickly, and it was from a third person I hadn't seen. Previously, I'd waited 15 minutes for a hot chocolate, and the second time I ordered one it was made with water, and remade with half a cup of milk, for which I was still charged full price for. Obviously, if you're staying in the hotel it's attached too, you pretty much have this and the vending machines, so you're not going to have many options...but they could do a little more. The space is clean and ample and again, everyone is quite kind but focused on their phones, getting over meth addictions, and maybe one girl has her stuff together. And whoever's in the kitchen makes good food, but isn't consistent on what goes on the plate.

Interesting little place that is ALWAYS busy. It seems they are always short staffed so service is…read moreenough to get drinks, food, and tab. But... if you have someone to converse with it's not to bad! The food was alright, nothing to write home to but it works when it's late at night. The inside decore is aviation centered and as I was told it's an old "pilot's bar". But the stickers will give you plenty to look at while you wait for a place to sit, or your server.

Food was so top notch versus my expectations. Get the halibut n chips! Clams equals yum. You…read morehafta wait n fight for a seat here for a reason. Very busy yet fully taken care of and welcomed. Semi awkward waiting for a seat but also part of the character of this bar. Plenty of friendly locals and visitors chatting it up with me as I sat alone. Walked outa there stuffed n happy at 11 pm and it still looked like 4pm outside. Never forget experience fo me.

S Lounge is a bit of a surprise. It's attached to the most notorious and shady motel in town (bum…read morebum BUUUUM!!!! Travel Inn). At the bequest of a friend, we bopped around town and this was one of his requisite stops. When I realized where we were, I shuddered. Truly, the Travel Inn makes motels in the 3rd world look luxurious. I was not optimisitic about the bar. I was surprised that the S Lounge is a moderatley pleasant dive bar/concert hall. The bar has a smallish stage and dance floor for live music events. There's a cover charge, so that keeps the rif-raf that abound in the neighborhood out. The crowd was mostly goofy but well behaved college kids. Drinks were okay, snacks were okay, the bar was clean enough. Although I REALLY wanted to complain (because did I mention how horrible and ashamed the Travel Inn should be of itself? It's a scourge to humanity!) but I really couldn't. I'd go back if the right band was playing. We happened in on a women's empowerment fundraiser thingie, so it was mostly angry lesbians singing badly. But it was a novel experience and we enjoyed ourselves well enough. I'm going to have to revisit this place to see how it stacks up over time. Check it out. Post a review. I'm really interested to know what other people's experiences will be.

This place is a dive bar, but if you like dive bars, it's a pretty solid one. I've been there…read moreprobably a dozen times for shows, and consistently enjoyed the venue. It's relatively clean, staff is pretty friendly, and the drinks are reasonably priced. They've had some pretty interesting shows there, and a good crowd usually turns out. While it is in an area of town frequented by some pretty shady characters, the people I've encountered in the bar have mostly been regular non-shady Anchorage folks.

Williwaw Social feels like the physical embodiment of "all style, no substance." Walking in, I was…read moregenuinely impressed. It's a gorgeous venue in the heart of downtown Anchorage, sitting in the middle of so many memories for my brother and me. We were back in Alaska after so many years and wanted one last night out before leaving the state again, so we thought this place would be perfect for a final hurrah. At first, it felt refreshing to see something new instead of the usual old Anchorage staples like Koot's. Rough around the edges, sure, but at least there you can usually get acknowledged by a bartender without having to perform an interpretive dance for attention. That excitement evaporated the second we went to order drinks near the stage. My brother stood in line waiting to buy us drinks, only to be repeatedly ignored while the bartender served people who walked up after. Not once. Multiple times. He tried politely flagging someone down like a confused NPC in a video game with broken programming, and still nothing. The cherry on top? The same bartender who refused to serve him had absolutely no issue continuing to serve two girls who were visibly beyond drunk, stumbling around, nearly falling over, and spilling their shots all over the bar like a deleted scene from a low budget reality show. Watching that happen immediately after being ignored was honestly mind blowing. Not only was it rude and unprofessional, it felt wildly irresponsible. Overserving people who can barely stand is not "good vibes nightlife," it's a liability waiting to happen and something that should genuinely be looked into. What makes it even more frustrating is that both my brother and I work in the service industry. He's a restaurant manager and I'm a cook, so we fully understand how stressful and chaotic these environments can get. We know what it's like to be slammed, exhausted, and juggling multiple people at once. This wasn't that. This was just flat out dismissive and uncalled for. We finally gave up and went to the food side, where the service was actually fantastic. The bartender over there treated us like human beings, so we tipped well because competence deserves recognition these days. Honestly, the only reason I'm giving this place two stars instead of one is because of the service on the food side. Without them, this would have easily been a one star experience. And that's what makes this place so frustrating. Williwaw has so much potential. It's the kind of venue Anchorage desperately needs. Lively, modern, full of energy, in a location that could genuinely become iconic. But the rude, dismissive service drags it down like combat boots in wet cement. A beautiful bar staffed with the customer service equivalent of an eye roll. What a shame.

This was me a wife's first time ever at this bar and I can honestly say it'll be our last. Besides…read morethe $20 entrance fee and SUPER expensive drinks ($25 for a vodka Red Bull) I was extremely uncomfortable and honestly felt violated when the bouncers came into the bathroom and told me I had to leave while I was peeing. They proceeded to push me towards/out the door and wouldn't tell me why. All they told me was that the bartender had cut me off but I had only purchased two drinks so I was extremely confused. I would understand if I was falling all over the place or making a scene but I wasn't. There were people throwing up in the bathroom and shaking ass on the dance floor yet for some reason me and my wife got thrown out. Save your money and go somewhere else it's not worth paying all that money to get "randomly selected" to get thrown out.

Is there such a thing as the quintessential "Dive Bar?" If so, Koots fits the bill. A dark maze…read moreof fun-filled rooms, a sassy bartendress and a brooding crowd. (Chef's kiss )

This place was very interesting. I spent 4 years of my life in Anchorage before visiting koots. I…read morefeel like Koots is somewhat of an institution to the town so I was definitely curious about the bar. I'm glad I went to check it out, but outside of going there for a show I don't see myself going back. Seriously gave me college bar/frat house basement party vibes. Considering I went to a Big 10 school in the middle of Illinois I'm very well versed in that type of establishment/vibe. It's not exactly the kind of place I want to go to as a 30 something year old. I went there for a burlesque show. Shout out to Pulse Dance Company! The show was amazing and tons of fun. The bar itself I don't think has had any updates since like maybe 1995, and that estimate is probably generous. This bar was probably the place to be when it first opened, but now it's kind of just tired and sad. It could probably be better if they took the time & money to renovate it, but they don't really have an incentive since people go there regardless. Koot's kind of just exists, but considering Anchorage is the biggest metropolitan area Alaska has it's a confusing type of establishment to find here. If you're looking to party though it seems to be the spot!

"True Dive Bar Vibes in Anchorage"…read more October 2023 - Van's Dive Bar really puts the dive in dive bar -- and I mean that in the best (and sometimes worst) way possible. It's small, dark, and a little sketchy, with writing covering nearly every wall and a tiny stage where local bands play -- some decent, some not so much. The drinks are very reasonably priced, and the service is friendly and quick, which goes a long way here. You'll find regulars who clearly know each other, and the atmosphere is exactly what you'd expect from a true neighborhood watering hole. If you're looking for something polished or upscale, this isn't it. But if you want a no-frills local spot in Anchorage with cheap drinks, good service, and a ton of character, Van's Dive Bar is absolutely your place.

Trivia: What brass instrument is unique due to its slide feature?…read more The parking might be the first thing that stumps you. If you don't park in the front, you might wonder, like I did, whether the side of the building is an okay place to park. Then you'll wonder if you should park sideways, angles, or straight on. By then you'll be to the back of the place and down a short hill and trying to figure out where to park or where to turn around. You may even decide to just leave. But don't. Vans is a cozy spot. Due to the hum of the ice machine, and the friendly conversations, you'll not be able to hear any of the street noise so close to the entrance. Five beers on tap, and probably 30-40 cans and bottles in the cooler. Plenty of liquor, though they didn't have any scotch I would want to drink. Maybe four bottles? As advertised, a dive bar. Both in look and smell (which wasn't bad, per se). There was a blue grass group starting to jam a little after I got there. The patron next to me said they were part entertainment, part jam session. Which sounded pretty darn cool to me. Basically everyone in the place was there to hang and/or play. I was asked if I was a musician. Not since high school. When I played it was the answer to the trivia question.

We were staying at a hotel near by and walked by many evenings and decided to give this place a try…read morelast night. Well we sat at a table for over 20 minutes being totally ignored by the numerous waitstaff who were too busy talking to each other. After several attempts to get their attention we left! Do better!

What a super, friendly, cozy restaurant! I'm a frequent…read morevisitor to Anchorage, and I have enjoyed at least 2 meals at Bernie's: one in the summer when their trees and plants were in leaf, and we could eat outside, and once when visiting right around Christmas time when we ate indoors around a cozy, round table. We all enjoyed excellent, tasty food; I especially liked the light lunch I had: an order of gyoza and a cup of tomato bisque soup. Yum!

The food was good, but very unhappy with the service. We were informed that our food order would…read moretake 45 minutes to an hour. That's why we ordered a starter as well. However, we got our food earlier than the starter, and they didn't want to accommodate us with either taking back or even giving a discount. Don't order a starter unless you want to treat it as another entree! Trying to be reasonable but just don't feel like we got the service and assistance we paid for (it's not McDonald's after all)

Great food and hospitable service! They were able to accommodate our large party at a moment's…read morenotice. The standout dishes were the steamed clams, halibut fish and chips, bacon brussel sprouts, and crab roll! Our server Grant was very personable and attentive plus the food/drinks came out quickly. We were very pleasantly surprised with how good everything tasted. The server was also able to provide great recommendations for local draughts. I personally loved the mango cider, and tigers blood was another popular one for our party. Remember to save room for dessert because the whisky bread pudding is phenomenal. We will definitely return on future trips to Anchorage. Thank you for an amazing experience!

The Alaska Center for Performing Arts is an Anchorage downtown gem ! It was part of the Project…read more80's effort to create a world class performing arts venue in Anchorage. I attended a performance put on by Arctic entries. It was wonderful . The Alaska Center for the performing arts is beautifully designed. The staff was incredibly welcoming and helpful. They made sure that all guests were comfortable and had everything they needed. The acoustics in the theater are outstanding. The seating is comfortable and offers great views from every angle , making it very easy to fully enjoy the performance . As I said earlier the show was spectacular featuring talented local residents who clearly put their hearts and souls into their seven minutes they had on stage to share their story . The atmosphere was warm, and the audience was certainly engaged from the start to finish. I highly recommend the Alaska Center for the performing arts to anyone looking for a memorable and high-quality cultural experience. Whether you're a local Alaskan or a visitor to Anchorage, this venue offers a wonderful opportunity to enjoy world class performances and a stunning setting.

As a Valentines Gift to my parents we went to opening night to SIX - The Musical. The broadway show…read moreis based in the Tudor era and the performers are singing original songs inspired by pop artists. Knowing nothing about the musical, I gathered it is based the following, "From Tudor Queens to Pop Icons, the SIX wives of Henry VIII take the microphone to reclaim their identities out of the shadow of their infamous spouse - remixing five hundred years of historical heartbreak into a Euphoric Celebration of 21st century girl power! This new original musical is the global sensation that everyone is losing their head over!" It was a very interesting, fast pace, audience participation and entertaining musical. It is nice to see a Broadway performance in Anchorage. Tickets ranged from $49 and up. Seats near the stage were over $150 while we opted for the Mezzanine seats @ $49. As you can see from the Mezzanie picture, we had wonderful seats. Overall: 4 stars for the Musical, the friendly staff, comfortable seats. The theater itself is beautifully decorated. Only CON is CenterTix doesn't have a Military Discount for all shows. It only has "special" dates for different associations. They say they do, but couldn't find any.

ANNIE AN ABSOLUTE FUN NIGHT!!!!…read more Last night I went to opening night for the musical ANNIE. There was so much laughter in the theater, along with pure enjoyment of the performance on stage. Opening night was full. The audience enjoyed every bit as did I. Sure it was community theater but much better than a night of TV or movie theater. Everyone who enjoys being entertained should make the effort to go. Not enough of Anchorage remembers what a gift we have in the PAC. It was built with oil money that rolled in during the late 80's. The PAC and the shows that are produced there are great gifts to our city. I cannot say enough about the young and experienced talent in this show. The artists that designed the sets used their talented skills to the highest level. They do so much with so little resources. The chorus talent was highly trained. They did not miss a beat. The amazing and talented Annie (a remarkable 13 year old) projected her voice right to us in the very back row. She led the production flawlessly while maintaining her A level grades. Please take the time and enjoy this show. You will get lost in the enjoyment of the play as time flies by and you emerge thoroughly relaxed, in a great mood and highly entertained.

I learned something. Something others should be made aware of…read more The Alaska performing arts has three separate theaters. If you're running late (like we were the last time) and you go in the main doors, you may find yourself being ushered in toward another set of doors adding to the already sinking feeling of being behind. A couple points to note: There are three theaters. The Sydney Laurence, the Atwood, and the Discovery theater. On several (but not all) doors there a list of what plays are where. The main doors lead to the Atwood. A side door around the side of the theater on 6th Avenue leads to the Laurence and Discovery theaters. Since I have now seen performances in all three theaters, I feel confident with all the remaining shows I plan to see. Just hope this helps everyone else.