The Athletic says this Iowa City ‘college bar’ is among best in nation. See its ranking

A longtime favorite sports bar in Iowa City has been called one of the best “college bars” in the United States by The Athletic.

The Airliner in downtown Iowa City ranked No. 1, according to The Athletic, the sports publication of The New York Times. The Airliner is the oldest bar in Iowa City, according to the Iowa City Downtown District.

The list crafted by the Athletic College Football Staff is based on staff voting, providing college students with a resource of places to take visitors. It leans toward dives with history that cater to a wide range of ages and offer more than just cheap beer.

“The point of doing a list of the 10 best college bars is to give the reader a guide of places to check out if he or she ends up in one of these college towns,” the report notes. “It is not to identify the places in those towns that pack in the most college students.”

The Airliner soars to the top of the list

The Airliner, 22 S. Clinton St., opened in 1944, according to its website, and serves drinks, burgers, thin-crust pizza and more.

Started by Joe Rinella in 1944, the bar continues to be a “cozy place to eat and drink for an eclectic crowd,” according to The Athletic.

The spot is the place where Ashton Kutcher was discovered by a modeling agent in 1997. Still, before that, when the University of Iowa was a Navy pre-flight site during World War II, many airmen used to stop by after long days of training.

Best known for its thin-crust pizza, Athletic suggests the famous drink with a secret recipe, “The Hammer,” and the “Stealth Bomber” burger as must-tries on the menu.

What are the top college bars across the country?

• The Airliner, Iowa City, Iowa (University of Iowa)
• The Boot, New Orleans, Louisiana (Tulane University)
• Crunchy’s, East Lansing, Michigan (Michigan State University)
• The Esso Club, Clemson, South Carolina (Clemson University)
• He’s Not Here, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (University of North Carolina)
• Jack and Dan’s, Spokane, Washington (Gonzaga University)
• The Library, Oxford, Mississippi (University of Mississippi)
• Linebacker Lounge, South Bend, Indiana (University of Notre Dame)
• Nick’s English Hut, Bloomington, Indiana (Indiana University)
• Wando’s, Madison, Wisconsin (University of Wisconsin)

Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and education reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at [email protected] or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rishjessica_

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: The Athletic says this Iowa City ‘college bar’ is among best in nation. See its ranking

Reporting by Jessica Rish, Iowa City Press-Citizen / Iowa City Press-Citizen

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