If there is one thing you will quickly learn about Salt Lake City is that there is certainly no shortage of bars. You will find everything from dive bars to neighborhood pubs to exciting dance clubs. However, if you are new to the area, you probably don’t want to do the legwork to determine which places you are sure to have a good time at and which ones you should just stay clear of. As you make friends you will start to learn where the party is on any given night, and where the best happy hour specials are to hit after work.
This list will get you started.
The Garage
Although a little off the beaten path, The Garage is a favorite venue by locals looking to avoid the bars constantly flooded by tourists. The building looks like an old roadhouse, and there is a nice outside patio area where you will likely spend a lot of time. In the evening, there are outdoor lights, heat lamps and fire pits to keep you warm, and every day has a different theme for food and drink specials. The food gets an honorable mention, and they even offer brunch on the weekends.
Dick n’ Dixie’s
This is a trendy little dive bar that attracts a young professional crowd, especially for happy hour. It is a little nicer than what you would expect when you think of dive bars, but the drink prices are really affordable. The bartenders are great and there is music, and pool tables; you really don’t need anything else. Don’t come hungry though; you won’t find any food here.
The Red Door
This swanky martini bar would have no problem fitting in somewhere like New York City or Los Angeles. The décor is hip with soft couches, high tables, vaulted ceilings, and red lighting, and there is always a DJ or live music playing at night. The martini menu is ridiculous, and you will want to eventually try all of them, despite their heavy prices. Popular favorites include the Dirty Girl Scout, Antifreeze, Pumpkin Pie, and Strawberry Basil. They don’t serve food either, but there is a restaurant next door that has a lot of small bites on the menu, and they deliver. Just ask the bartender for a menu.
Green Pig Pub
The upstairs patio is where you want to be on a warm summer night, but be warned, it does get crowded very fast. The food is fantastic, drinks are affordable, and the staff is friendly. There are a ton of televisions throughout to watch the game on and there is usually live music on the weekends. They even have The Trivia Factory there every week, which is always a good time.
The Tabernacle Social Club
There are two dueling piano bars in Salt Lake City, but most will say that this is the best one. This place is a ton of fun and pianists get everyone involved. The dueling pianos don’t happen every night though so make sure you contact them to find out the schedule. If you love karaoke, you will want to go on Sundays; the crowd is diverse and everyone has a really good time.
