I spent 5 hours in Alaska Airlines' first class. There were no lie-flat seats or other frills, but it was pretty great.

Shortly after boarding, I settled into 1C, which was right behind the bulkhead.

My reclining seat, which had about 41 inches between it and the one in front of it, was very comfortable and had plenty of legroom.

I'm 6-foot-2 and was able to comfortably cross my legs in my seat, which is just over 20 inches wide.

It had the standard center armrest with an extendable drink shelf and USB and power outlets in the front. The tray table was on my right armrest, but I missed having a storage pouch in front of me.

This 737 had the bulkhead tapestry pattern commonly associated with older planes.

The top and bottom rows of the design have always reminded me of a 1980s computer lab. It looks dated, but I like that I instantly know what airline I'm on when I wake up during my flight.

There was no drink service while on the ground. About 25 minutes into the flight, an attendant came by to take our drink and dinner orders.

Moments later, I was sipping a complimentary Sierra Nevada Summerfest lager and snacking on a warm snack mix of pretzel twists, almonds, and cashews. It was a tasty surprise.

First-class dinners are usually served on real plates, but a crew member apologized and told me they'd run out and had to put my meal on a foil tray. It made no difference to me.

I ordered the Tillamook cheeseburger entrée. The burger was hot, and the portion size was good. It came with chips, a roll, and a salad and tasted like it was from my favorite roadside burger joint.

The meal ended with a fantastic berry cheesecake.

An hour later, a flight attendant brought around another tray of snacks. I passed on the Kind bars, turkey jerky, Chex mix, and cookie and chose my favorite: Lesser Evil popcorn.

I snacked and relaxed in my comfy seat until the flight landed.

Alaska Airline's first class doesn't offer silky pajamas or lie-flat seats, but it provided me with a comfortable seat, tasty food and drinks, and excellent service that made my short flight plenty enjoyable.

My first-class upgrade was free, but it can cost about $230 more than economy on this route — and I think it would've been worth paying for.

I look forward to flying in Alaska's first class again.