Gate 12 Bar And Grill – What To Enjoy At The Best Airport Restaurants

People are not buying food when coming to airport restaurants like Gate 12 Bar And Grill. If they wanted to buy food, they could go to the grocery store and cook at home. It would be much cheaper, which is for sure. Rather, we pay for something unique. Patrons at Gate 12 Bar And Grill or such can experience a dream of any aircraft fan: watch airplanes of various kinds come and go on airport runways and taxiways while enjoying their favorite meals.

Take a closer look to see what is worth going for these wonderful restaurants!

Gate 12 Bar And Grill

Gate 12 Bar And Grill is not only an airport bar and grill at plain sight for commercial purposes. The restaurant also merges the owner’s love for food and flights. Mindfully, this College Station restaurant reveals its mantra right on its homepage: “Come by to enjoy great food as well as an amazing view of the planes taking off and landing in a relaxed atmosphere”

Though being born in a family whose members are pilots, Cody Whitten, the restaurant owner, is not one himself. He took lessons from the past, but it seems that he was destined to try hands at another venture. Having the family genes running in his veins, Cody was quickly in tune with “old Ags” at the beginning of 2019. As for many, they have always been dreaming of a restaurant next to Easterwood Airport. The idea for an airport restaurant, thus, was gradually formed into reality since then.

In December 2020, Gate 12 Bar And Grill officially went live. 

“It’s really cool for an aviation enthusiast to come out here and see this”, he said to The Eagles while gesturing toward aircraft on the move. Also, according to this aircraft fan, he ensures that customers inside the dining areas can hear the sounds of roaring engines.

First watch college station
Gate 12 Bar And Grill and Cody Whitten – Source: Gate12barandgrill

Below is some information for your reference:

  • Restaurant: Gate 12 Bar And Grill
  • Location: 1770 George Bush Dr. W, College Station, Texas, 77845-4761
  • Contact: +1 979-775-9925
  • Cuisines: American, Steakhouse, Bar, Seafood, Grill, Pub
  • Features: Reservations
  • Hours of operation: Mon-Thurs: 11am-9pm, Fri-Sat: 11am-10pm, Sun: 11am-8pm.
  • Happy hours: Mon-Sat: 3pm-6pm, Sun: all day.

What To Enjoy At Gate 12 Bar And Grill?

Coming to Gate 12 Bar And Grill, you can visit the historical marker commemorating Jesse Lawrence Easterwood, a namesake of Easterwood Airport. For your information, he was one of the first American pilots to enter World War I, and a former of A&M. Therefore, if you decide to enjoy your time at the first college station, don’t miss the chance to visit this monument. 

Airport bar and grill
Watch various airplanes come and go – Source: Gate12barandgrill

Gate 12 Bar And Grill also features the love for aviation through its decoration. The ceiling of the restaurant is impressively embedded with a four-bladed propeller. Besides serving as an A&M wind tunnel prop, the prop was part of the four propellers on the Enola Gay B-29 bomber. Just if you want to know more, B-29 was the first aircraft to drop an atomic bomb in Japan.

Gate 12 Bar And Grill
Embedded in the ceiling is a four-bladed propeller – Source: Youtube

If you are looking for a private dining area, Gate 12 Bar And Grill always has something for you. “The Hangar,” with about 40 seats and sliding doors that look like those of an aircraft hangar, will be an ideal location. Additionally, the dining area closest to the airport’s taxiways is worth a try. It is designed and furnished as a long and relatively narrow runway, making a chilling atmosphere for aviation enthusiasts. 

Gate 12 bar and grill private dining area
The Hangar at Gate12 Bar And Grill – Source: Twitter

Gate 12 Bar And Grill menu has plenty going for. David James is the executive chef who has satisfied many tourists coming to the restaurant. The jalapeño poppers, the chicken fried, and the sweet potato fries with cinnamon butter are just some highlights to name. As far as we are concerned, Cody Whitten, the airport bar and grill owner, is gracious and often comes by to welcome customers.

BJ’s Bar And Grill

Besides Gate 12 Bar And Grill, BJ’s Bar And Grill is a nice recommendation. Here is some information about the restaurant.

  • Restaurant: BJ’s Bar And Grill
  • Location: W9944 Airport Rd by Highway 54, near the Industrial Park and Casino, Black River Falls, WI 54615.
  • Contact: +1 715-284-4080
  • Cuisines: American, Bar, Pub
  • Meals: Lunch, Dinner, Drinks
  • Features: Seating, Parking Available, Serves Alcohol, Takeout, Wheelchair Accessible, Table Service
  • Hours of operation: Daily 11am-9pm

BJ’s Bar And Grill is a local restaurant established in 2018. With a view to serving local areas, including Hatfield, Warrens, Alma Center, Merrillan, Hixton, this airport bar and grill specializes in homemade cooking. Beer, tap beer, wine, mixed drinks, event space, and bands, karaoke are just something interesting to name. 

BJ’s airport restaurant
BJ’s bar and grill – Source: Facebook

For most customers coming to enjoy their best time at this restaurant, we hardly find any complaints. Almost all the experiences make them patrons of this airport bar and grill. Widely appreciated as an excellent stop-over, the restaurant ticks almost all the right boxes: easy to find, plentiful parking, good waitresses, and really good food, etc. 

The best thing is the bar atmosphere. You can find the bar, the pool table, darts, and shuffleboards in the same place. The lack of a separate dining area will not be a great deal unless you are there with a group and want some quiet and private space. However, long story short, the bar is nice. 

For your next visit, give BJ’s Bar And Grill a shot.  

First Watch College Station

First Watch College Station may not be your first restaurant, but it is the last for some people. According to Tripadvisor, this restaurant has outranked many competitors at the 5th position.

Established in 1983, this Texas restaurant is still a fan-favorite with freshly-prepared creations to order. Their fresh, delicious, and award-winning dishes at the crack of dawn are only made with the best ingredients. Without heat lamps and deep fryers, their breakfast, brunch, and lunch dishes will definitely win your heart. 

First Watch College Station
Have a great daytime cafe at First Watch College Station – Source: Usarestaurants

When coming to First Watch College Station, don’t miss the chance of trying many traditional favorites like salads, omelets, pancakes, and sandwiches, and their signature items like classic BLTE sandwiches and Chickichanga. They also offer “2 for you” lunch, which allows you to get half portions of the most popular soups, salads, and sandwiches in and out. 

Their “Healthier Side” will be a nice option if you are on a healthy diet. The menu features various delicious breakfast, brunch, and lunch dishes, including egg white omelets, fresh fruit crepes, and the signature Super Wrap.

First Watch College Station menu
A meal at First Watch College Station – Source: Ubereats

For your information, the restaurant’s name, “First Watch,” is a nautical term referring to the first shift of the day. With that said, the idea of bringing an amazing ‘first watch college station’ experience at the daytime cafe became the popular mantra of this great restaurant. 

Check out the following information before your reservations.

  • Restaurant: First Watch
  • Location: 4501 S Texas, Ave, Bryan, TX 77802-4303.
  • Contact: +1 979-704-6652
  • Cuisines: American, Cafe, Healthy
  • Meals: Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch
  • Special Diets: Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten-Free Options
  • Features: Takeout, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Free Wifi, Table Service
  • Hours of operation: Daily 7am-2:30pm

The Last Thought

Airport restaurants like Gate 12 Bar And Grill and BJ’s Bar And Grill are no short of excitement. A nice place to watch different kinds of airplanes come and go, a chilling restaurant to enjoy hot and yummy food, and a relaxed, elegant ambiance, etc; what can be more exciting? I think these plain words cannot fully tell you what your experience could be. Try it yourself and return here to tell us what these restaurants have to offer.

Do not miss out on the best breakfasts in Reno and Larchmont wine and cheese.

After over 10 years in the field, I've learned enough about the "business" of travel to pass along some precious insights to other globetrotters. You can call me a seasoned-world traveler or an "off-the-grid" pioneer, as I've actually dabbled in both. Traveling is part of my whole life; thus, I go out of town at least once a month for new getaways. Hopefully, all tips and tactics I've picked up along the way can help anyone as enthusiastic about exploring the globe as I am.