Crow's Nest Opens in Former Gilligan's Site

The neighborhood tavern at 912 1st Ave NW in Cedar Rapids replaces Gilligan's Pub N Grub in the same building.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Openings & Closings

Brick two-story corner tavern facade at dusk with a dark wooden door and warm light glowing through the front windows. — The Crow's Nest opened Halloween night as a neighborhood tavern at 912 1st Ave NW in Cedar Rapids, replacing Gilligan's Pub N Grub. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

The Crow's Nest opened as a neighborhood tavern at 912 1st Ave NW in Cedar Rapids, taking over the building formerly occupied by Gilligan's Pub N Grub. The bar held soft openings beginning October 25 before its official grand opening on Halloween night.

Why it matters

The opening fills a vacated restaurant and bar space on 1st Avenue NW, bringing a new neighborhood tavern to a Cedar Rapids corridor after Gilligan's closed. The owners say the renovated venue will offer food options alongside its bar service.

The bar's first NFL Sunday featured bucket specials and a $10 taco bar at 912 1st Ave NW. No comparable pricing for the former Gilligan's Pub N Grub was available, and the bar's full menu and hours have not been published.

The players

The Crow's Nest

A neighborhood tavern at 912 1st Ave NW in Cedar Rapids that opened in the former Gilligan's Pub N Grub building.

Gilligan's Pub N Grub

The Cedar Rapids pub previously located at the same 1st Avenue building before closing earlier this year.

The details

The Crow's Nest is a neighborhood tavern located in the former Gilligan's Pub N Grub building. The owners renovated the interior and exterior, added new signage, and painted over the Gilligan's Island mural, promising new stools, bathroom updates, new "funky glassware" and "quirky crow decor."

Early September: A Facebook page for The Crow's Nest appeared.
October 25: Soft openings began.
October 31: Official grand opening with karaoke and a costume contest.
November 1: First NFL Sunday with bucket specials and a $10 taco bar.

Local Turnover

The Crow's Nest takes over the 912 1st Ave NW building directly after Gilligan's Pub N Grub closed earlier this year, continuing the building's use as a bar. The renovation reuses the existing structure rather than leaving the space vacant.

Cedar Rapids diners now have a new neighborhood tavern on 1st Avenue NW offering bar service and promised food options. Customers can check the bar's social media for menu and hours as they are announced.

The takeaway

Watch for the bar's menu and hours to be announced if you plan to visit the new 1st Avenue NW tavern. Renovated spaces like this one often change hands quickly, so following local openings can help you catch new places early.