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New laws make getting a drink in Utah easy. Whether you are in one of our award-winning brew pubs, in one of our hotel lobby bars, in a nightclub listening to live music, or even on a Sunday, alcohol is easily available for our visitors of legal drinking age.
As of July 1, 2009, the quirky private club membership requirement for entry into bars, nightclubs and some restaurants has been removed. Bars and Night Clubs in Utah are no longer required to charge membership fees or ask patrons to fill out applications before they can enter the establishment to buy a drink or dine.
Perceptions are hard to change; we recognize there are things about our Liquor Laws that need a bit of explanation. So what follows is a brief overview of some of the Liquor Laws and how they work.
When talking about Utah liquor laws we find much of the confusion comes from the terms we use to define the type of liquor licenses held by the various businesses that serve liquor. For instance, in Utah there are three primary types of liquor licenses: Tavern, Restaurant and Private Club.
Tavern Licenses - These establishments have a license that allows them to serve beer to their patrons of legal drinking age. These establishments are traditionally pool halls and taverns. Yes, Utah has pool halls and taverns, you can check out our member listings for information on where you find some uniquely-brewed Utah beers at our local taverns.
Restaurant Liquor License - A restaurant with a liquor license (including hotel restaurants) can serve alcohol to patrons of legal drinking age who are dining in the establishment. Utah restaurants offer a wide array of alcoholic beverages 7 days a week. Throughout Salt Lake, patrons will find Wine Spectator award-winning restaurants, gold medal-winning brewpubs and a diverse selection of wine and spirits that compliments the incredible food offerings. For a detailed listing of Salt Lake's diverse restaurant community go to our member listings, be prepared to get hungry.
Private Club License - For the most part these businesses function just like restaurants or bars in any other city. But the type of liquor license they have is referred to as a Private Club license, thus the name Private Clubs. There are four classes of "Private Club Licenses." A brief explanation of these licenses will help in understanding some of the historical misperceptions about the term "Private Club."
- Class A License - Social Clubs, such as the Elks Lodges, or VFW clubs (fraternal organizations).
- Class B License - Country Clubs.
- Class C Licenses - Private Dining Club, for establishments commonly referred to as "Restaurants" (intent to dine not necessary).
- Class D License - Private Social Club, for establishments that are commonly referred to as "Bars."
In short, Utah's liquor laws are becoming more normalized and the perceptions about "not being able to get a drink" should no longer be used as a reason for not taking full advantage of all that Utah has to offer. Rest assured however, that we are not looking to "normalize" the Greatest Snow on Earth, nor are we going to try and "normalize" our incredible scenery. Last but not least, we remain committed to our distinctive friendliness and welcoming nature.
