Strong pours at RDM’s Avalon Aeropub come with a catch
At Roberts Field, Avalon Aeropub sits past security by the main gates and has a reputation for cocktails that are “tasty and strong,” including mixed drinks that can hit harder than you expect before a 6:00 flight. TripAdvisor ranks it #30 of 119 in Redmond under American/Bar with a $$–$$$ price range, so think mid-priced sit-down, not grab-and-go.
Published hours say breakfast runs 05:30–10:00 and lunch/dinner 10:00–18:00, but multiple 2024 TripAdvisor reviews describe doors staying closed until 09:00 even when flyers arrive for a 6:00 a.m. departure expecting a 5:00 opening. One reviewer reports staff explicitly tying closing time to the last San Francisco departure, so late-bank or delayed flights can end up with no food or bar service despite what Google and airport pages list.
Menu coverage hits the basics for an American bar in a small regional: breakfast plates in the morning, then burgers, sandwiches, and bar snacks for lunch and dinner, with vegetarian and vegan options called out on TripAdvisor as a step up from the single snack kiosk many regionals offer. Expect prices in the mid-teens for mains at this $$ spot, meaning a burger and one drink can easily land north of $25 with tip.
Food quality pulls “average airport food” in several reviews, so regular RDM flyers say they mainly post up for a strong mixed drink or two and just add fries, wings, or a quick sandwich when the place is actually open. Portions read standard, not huge, and you’re paying more for being post-security at RDM than for anything you’d drive into Redmond for on purpose.
Watch out for: relying on those 05:30 breakfast hours, especially before a 6:00 a.m. departure, and counting on the kitchen to stay open past the last big-bank flight like SFO. If you care about a real meal, eat in town or bring food, then treat Avalon as a bonus bar stop only when you can physically see the lights on and the bartender pouring.
One practical tip: if your flight is in that mid-morning to mid-afternoon bank, walk to the gate area 30–40 minutes early, check that Avalon’s doors are open, and order your drink and food in the same visit so you’re not stuck when they close as soon as a departure pushes.