Salt Lake After Hours

Salt Lake City’s bar scene bristles with thoughtfully curated live music, chef-driven food, skilled mixologists, and plenty of open-air patios for taking in sweeping views of the nearby Wasatch Mountains. While far from exhaustive, the following is a handful of bars, pubs and taverns that have helped establish Salt Lake as a top-shelf destination. Since you’ve been gone, there are an abundance of hot, new nightspots to keep you busy after dark.

Craft Cocktails

Floor-to-ceiling shelves of booze pinpoint how seriously mixology is considered at White Horse Spirits & Kitchen (325 Main St). Simply give the barkeep at Water Witch (163 W. 900 South) a hint at what you’re in the mood for, and they’ll mix you up something fabulous, guaranteed. Seasonal and locally sourced ingredients are the rule at Alibi Bar & Place (369 S. Main St), a winner of Salt Lake Magazine’s 2021 Cocktail Contest. Within walking distance from the Salt Palace, Seabird Bar & Vinyl Room (The Gateway, 7 S. Rio Grande St) exudes a uniquely stylish vibe. Mortar & Pestle (152 E. 200 South), tucked into the edgy Edison Street alleyway, makes everything on its cocktail menu with house-made syrups and locally sourced booze and bitters. As one of the first bars to open in Utah as Prohibition ended in 1933, Bar X (155 E. 200 South) is now owned and operated by “Modern Family” star and Salt Lake Resident, Ty Burrell. Modest upgrades haven’t taken away from its speakeasy feel and authenticity. Sophisticated but not stuffy and creative but never pretentious best describes Post Office Place (16 W. Market St). For a huge selection of wines, visit Casot (1508 S. 1500 East) celebrates small artisan producers, organic and biodynamic wines, natural wines and indigenous grape varietals from around the world in an intimate neighborhood setting.

Bar Bites

Though the Copper Common (111 E. Broadway) is known for its oysters, each of the small plates served there runs large on both creativity and substance. The Pearl (900 S. 200 West) delivers mouthwatering Vietnamese-inspired street food and cocktails. Crowd-pleasing pub favorites with a Cajun spin and a beer list spanning more than 350 brews is what’s in store at The Bayou (645 S. State St). Tucked into SLC’s charming 9th and 9th neighborhood is the mod, yet friendly East Liberty Tap House (850 E. 900 South), where all the dishes—from the large plates to small—burst with flavor. Garlic burgers and cold suds draw devoted skiers, climbers, bikers, and hikers to The Cotton Bottom (2820 E. 6200 South), located near the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon.

Patios

Situated in the heart of downtown SLC, the leafy, brick patio at Ivy & Varley (55 W. 100 South) is a cool and sophisticated oasis for cocktails or dinner. Out on the deck at Purgatory (62 E. 700 South), you’ll be treated to eye-catching murals and creative sippers that are as appealing to the eyes as they are to the palate. Affordable drinks, glowing firepits and a bustling Sugar House locale attract a broad crowd to Campfire Lounge’s (837 E. 2100 South) dog-friendly patio. Within Level Crossing Brewery Company’s (2496 S. West Temple) tented patio, you’ll find wood-fired pizza, ahead-of-the-curve beers, and plenty of casual good times. The crowds are always lively, the beer always flowing and the mood always celebratory up on the roof at Piper Down Public House (1492 S. State St).

Copper Common

Sophisticated bar & restaurant featuring natural wines, craft cocktails, local beers, and offering refined New…

Live Music 

Both bands and individual musicians play nightly amid a moody, steampunk vibe at Lake Effect (155 W. 200 South). Be sure to also check out Rabbit Hole, Lake Effect’s basement venue, hosting jazz jams on Wednesday nights.) Over at Gracie’s (326 W. South Temple), live tunes set the mood on an umbrella-decked rooftop patio overlooking all of downtown. Located in the shadow of north Salt Lake’s refineries is the gritty Garage on Beck (1199 Beck St) where bands rock the house both inside and out, accompanied by cold drinks and tasty comfort food. Near the mouth of the Big and Little Cottonwood Canyon is the pleasantly divey Hog Wallow Pub (3200 E. Big Cottonwood Canyon Rd) where music is booked most nights of the week. SLC also boasts a diverse lineup of intimate concert venues including The State Room (638 S. State St), Commonwealth Room (195 E. 2100 South), Urban Lounge (241 S. 500 East), The Depot (131 N. 400 West), Soundwell (149 W. 200 South), Metro Music Hall (615 W. 100 South), The Complex (536 W. 100 South) and Kilby Court (748 W. Kilby Court).

Lake Effect

Lake Effect is not your average bar Featuring the largest liquor selection in the state, gorgeous interiors, a…

Gracie's

Gracie's is a Gastropub in the heart of Salt Lake City that offers a unique dining experience in a fun and…

Hog Wallow Pub

Secluded in pine trees, The Hog Wallow Pub is located kitty-corner to the historic Old Mill ruin at the base…

Place-making Entertainment

Pull on your kicks and head to the Westerner Dance Hall, Bar & Grill (3360 S. Redwood Rd), offering free line-dancing lessons most evenings on Utah’s largest dance floor. Nostalgia reigns supreme at Quarters Arcade Bar (5 E. 400 South and 1045 E. 2100 South) where you can play classic pinball and video games while sipping a cold one. In addition to dueling piano performances on the weekends, Tavernacle Social Club (50 W. Broadway) hosts open mic nights, country jams and a Drag Sunday Brunch. The beach-themed Why Kiki Bar (69 W. 100 South) unabashedly focuses on fun by way of tiki mug cocktails and off-the-hook events like drag shows, Taco Techno Tuesday, and Bitch Bingo Wednesday.