Originally published in Ski Utah magazine (2014–15 edition), the Utah ski industry association’s annual visitor guide. By Jeremy Pugh.
Once the sun has gone down on another fantastic day playing on The Greatest Snow on Earth, it is time to shed the boots and outerwear and gear up to head into the night. From resort bars to thumping clubs; dives to swanky spots; quiet little boîtes to raucous places for the big game, we have you covered. So kick off those ski boots, shed those performance layers and get yourself ready for a night out on the town.
Salt Lake City
Utah’s urban center is also its nightlife center. Find the watering hole that suits your taste.
Whiskey Street: A library of liquor. The state’s most extensive library of liquor, focusing on, yes, whiskey. It’s a quiet little boîte in late afternoon where business folk wind down, transforming after dinner into a thumping night spot to see and be seen. The food is good, too—try the short rib and grilled cheese. Local tip: you can get high-point ciders and wine on tap here in large pours. 323 S. Main St., SLC, whiskeystreet.com, (801) 433-1371
Copper Common: Look, Ma! No TVs! An excellent raw bar featuring freshly flown-in oysters. Copper Common is the brainchild of Salt Lake restaurateur Ryan Lowder, who also owns the acclaimed Copper Onion on the same block. It’s a cozy, dimly lit spot with an eclectic menu of drinks and small plates, and Lowder thoughtfully left out the giant day-glo televisions. This is a bar for conversation and mingling. 111 E. 300 South, SLC, coppercommon.com, (801) 355-0543
The Red Door: So you say you want a revolution? The giant Che mural and revolution-plotting light set the tone at one of Salt Lake’s most intimate drinking establishments. Dim, candlelit, sophisticated and elegant—a cozy hideaway that feels like somewhere else. 57 W. 200 South, SLC, behindthereddoor.com, (801) 363-6030
Beer Bar: Hoist a glass. A contemporary twist on a traditional German beer hall, Beer Bar is currently the king of beer selection in Salt Lake, with a 150-strong selection of impossible-to-find-in-Utah bottles and more than 30 beers on tap. If you’re hungry, they offer a sausage selection from authentic German style to more adventurous combos of reindeer and elk. 161 E. 200 South, SLC, (801) 355-2287
Bar X: Speak easy, sir. Connected to Beer Bar is its sinister sister, Bar X—a former classic Salt Lake dive bar renovated and reinvented by a group of owners that includes Ty Burrell, the actor who plays Phil Dunphy on Modern Family. The speakeasy-esque joint is a popular night spot (DJ starts at 10 p.m.) known for its labor-intensive libations. 155 E. 200 South, SLC, barxsaltlake.com, (801) 355-2287
Squatters: A founding member of the Utah brew club. Squatter’s and its partner Wasatch Brewery are the vanguard of the Utah brewing movement, expanding Utah’s beer palate beyond “both kinds” (Bud and Bud Light) since the 1980s. Local tip: Sundays are home to one of Utah’s best brunches. 147 W. Broadway, SLC, squatters.com, (801) 363-2739
Juniors: Where everybody knows your name. A small bar and a great bar. The friendly staff has worked there since God was a boy, and this comfy little joint is quiet and pleasant in all the ways a bar is supposed to be. Complete with a dare-worthy jar of pickled eggs. 30 E. 300 South, SLC, juniorstavern.com, (801) 322-0318
Bourbon House: Where the kids drink. A basement bar where the just-over-21 set mingles and discovers the ways of the world. A killer game room, frequent karaoke nights and lots of loungy areas to flirt and cavort in. 19 E. 200 South, SLC, bourbonhouseslc.com, (801) 746-1005
Jam in the Marmalade: Where the boys are. Salt Lake’s thriving LGBT scene gets its drink on at Jam, named after the Marmalade neighborhood where it’s located. This is the hot spot for LGBT nightlife in SLC. 751 N. 300 West, SLC, jamslc.com, (801) 382-8567
By the Glass (BTG): Best bet by the glass. Salt Lake’s only true wine bar, located next door to Café Molise. Its wine preservation system allows it to uncork a wide selection of wines at good price points, along with well-curated flights and a small plates menu. 63 W. 100 South, SLC, btgwinebar.com, (801) 359-2814
The Garage on Beck: Industrial chic meets Swayze-style roadhouse cool. A reclaimed dive bar on the outskirts of town with a filling station aesthetic and an excellent menu that includes the best fried chicken in town and a Utah original, deep-fried funeral potatoes. Live bands play often. 1199 Beck Street, SLC, garageonbeck.com, (801) 521-3904
Park City
Home to Utah’s highest concentration of bars, clubs and taverns, Historic Main Street is the place to be.
No Name Saloon: Let the wild rumpus begin. On a busy weekend in Park City, No Name is the thumping heart of the Main Street nightlife. It’s famous for its buffalo burgers, and upstairs you’ll find a raucous rooftop bar filled with parka-sporting revelers. 447 Main St., PC, nonamesaloon.net, (435) 649-6667
O’Shucks: Where the locals throw down. This long, narrow bar in the middle of Main Street is a local favorite (read: cheaper beer), known for peanut shells on the floor. 427 Main St., PC, oshucks-ahhsushi.com, (435) 645-3999
Rock & Reilly’s Irish Pub: Sobriety is a treatable ailment. A nice twist on the over-done speakeasy theme, with a decidedly anti-temperance theme and post-prohibition era design. 27 Main St., PC, rnrpub.com, (435) 655-2926
Downstairs: Yeah, that’s the name, cause it is. Located at the corner of Main and Heber Avenue, the rope line is a good place to spot celebrities during the Sundance Film Festival. Once you navigate the bouncers, you descend into a subterranean lair that most nights features EDM stars imported from around the globe. 625 Main St., PC, downstairspc.com, (435) 615-7200
Park City Live: Wait for the drop. This is where you get your dance on. Park City Live is the biggest stage on Main Street and brings in EDM darlings throughout the ski season with a dash of reggae and rock thrown into the mix, complete with table service. 427 Main Street, PC, parkcitylive.net, (435) 214-7111
High West Distillery: Ski-in/ski-out whiskey. High West blazed a Utah trail by opening its distillery in 2008. Located below Park City’s town lift, the distillery is in a rough-hewn saloon with a bar and restaurant to pair with its growing line of whiskey distillations. Local tip: High West has a package store where you can purchase its whiskeys on Sunday, when Utah State Liquor Stores are closed. 703 Park Ave, PC, highwest.com, (435) 649-8300
Get Out on the O-Town
Ogden got its start as the main railroad hub for the state of Utah. But in that era, it was also known for its brothels, bars and lawless revelry. Gangster Al Capone once famously commented that Ogden was too rough a town for him. And while a lot’s changed as Ogden has become a home to international outdoor companies like Salomon and Scott, remnants of the rowdy past remain for you to explore after a day at Powder Mountain, Nordic Valley or Snowbasin. Most of the action is centered on historic 25th Street where you’ll find our faves: Roosters Brewery (253 E. 2500 South, Ogden, roostersbrewingco.com, 801-627-6171), The Lighthouse (130 E 2500 South, Ogden, 801-392-3901) and The City Club (264 E. 2500 South, thecityclubonline.net, Ogden, 801-392-4447), home to an impressive and strange collection of Beatles memorabilia.
The Myth of 3.2
Visitors to Utah find the state’s lower alcohol beer, so-called “3.2 beer” an easy target but there’s more than meets the bloodstream when it comes to “Utah Beer.”
Here’s a little myth busting. First off, forget the number. Forget 3.2. The rest of the world measures its alcohol percentage in volume. Here, for arcane reasons, we measure it by weight. We won’t go into the actual math, but 3.2 percent equates to 4 percent by volume. So, yeah, Utah beer contains less alcohol. But how much less? A can of Utah beer contains 4 percent by volume while an average can of mass-produced beer elsewhere contains 5 percent alcohol, merely a one percent difference. Sure, it’s easy to see that 3.2 number and think, “Well my Budweiser back home says its 5.5 percent. That’s, like, twice as strong.” But that Budweiser back home is measured by volume, remember? And really, if you’re drinking any so-called “light beer” you’re drinking 3.2 beer. (The “light” is a semantic sleight of hand by beer marketeers to imply it has less calories, but light beer has less alcohol, too.)
And if you are griping about 3.2 beer, which, again, is really 4 percent beer, you are only talking about beer purchased at a convenience or grocery store. High-point beers are sold in state liquor stores and by breweries direct to the public.
And Utah beer has its charms. First, it makes our local brewers better brewers. Brewing a beer within the confines of the 4 percent restriction takes more finesse and care. The local brew co-op, Squatters and Wasatch, won the Best Mid-sized Brewery Award at the Great American Brew Fest in Colorado.
FAQ: Utah’s Liquor Laws
What is the difference between a restaurant, a bar and a tavern? In Utah there are three licenses an establishment can use to serve alcohol to its patrons. The most common of these is a restaurant license, which is dependent on the sale of food—you have to order food in order to have a drink, though not necessarily right away. The next license is a club license, which in the rest of the world you would think of as a bar license: you can order a drink and drink it, no food required. Finally, a tavern license is pretty rare anymore, but it basically limits a bar to serving only 4 percent beer.
Why no wine at the grocery store? Utah, like many other states, chooses to limit alcohol sales in grocery and convenience stores to, well, low-point beer. Wine, strong beers and liquor are available only in Utah State Liquor Stores. Additionally, bottled and canned beers can be bought directly from many brewers. Epic Brewery, for example, sells only high-point beer and has a package store in downtown SLC. 825 S. State St., SLC, epicbrewing.com, (801) 906-0123
Strong beer on tap? Nope. Only 4 percent beer is served in frothing pitchers and frosty mugs. You can order high-point beers at bars and restaurants in bottles and, of course, at the State Liquor Store.
No free pours? All establishments that serve liquor are required to meter their pours, which are limited to 1.5 ounces.
Why did the door guy scan my ID? As a compromise for removing a really silly law that once required bar patrons to have memberships, the bar industry agreed to step up ID checking and to scan patrons’ driver’s licenses. These scans are kept for two weeks and then deleted, to be used if a patron of that bar were implicated in a drinking related crime, like a DUI. Basically what you need to know is this: in Utah you will be carded. So bring that ID or passport out with you.
Ski-In/Ski-Out Drinking Guide
Utah’s resorts all have the requisite spots for a midday beer, or an after-day glass of medicinally purposed whiskey. Here are our favorites at each:
- Alta: The Sitzmark—the platonic ideal of an après ski bar.
- Snowbird: The Tram Club—beer and a shot $5. Yeah.
- Brighton: Molly Greens—roaring fire and world-famous nachos.
- Solitude: The Library Bar—wingback chairs and Miss Jameson’s Hot Toddy.
- Park City Mtn Resort: Summit House—mid-day beers and a snack at 9,000 feet.
- Sundance: The Owl Bar—Butch and Sundance actually drank at this bar (it was salvaged from a bar in Wyoming).
- Canyons: Lookout Cabin—wine and unrivaled views plus one more end-of-day run down Doc’s.
- Deer Valley: The St. Regis—best hotel bar ever, with a patio you won’t believe. A real “let them eat cake” kind of place.
- Beaver Mountain: The Parking Lot—the locals call themselves the Powder-Day Saints and tailgate at the base. BYOB.
- Powder Mountain: Powder Keg Bar—classic après at the base in eclectic Powder Mountain style.
- Snowbasin: Cinnabar Lounge—try the shot ski beer sampler. Once. You have to drive.
- Nordic Valley: Shooting Star Saloon (in Eden)—Utah’s oldest bar and one of its best burgers, the eponymous Shooting Star Burger.
- Brian Head: Last Chair Saloon—after a day on the mountain, everyone piles into the Last Chair.
- Eagle Point: Canyonside Lodge—proximity to Vegas makes for great live music, esp DJs.