Another Texan chiming in. I live in Houston; our liquor laws are as liberal as allowed in the state.
Except for the Heights–a neighborhood just North of Downtown. The Heights was annexed early in the last century, retaining the right to remain Dry. So, within the boundaries of the Old Heights, no beer, wine or liquor may be sold–in stores or in restaurants.
The area’s getting popular with people who like an older, close-in neighborhood. There is now one “fine dining” restaurant in the Heights–Shade. They started a “club” so their customers may buy wine, beer or mixed drinks. (This is the old dodge used before liquor by the drink was legal in Texas–unless forbidden by local laws.) www.shadeheights.com/shadeclub.html
A few other fairly OK places in the Old Heights allow BYOB but none have gone to the trouble to form “clubs”–dealing with the Liquor Control Board is a pain. Numerous places have spring up just outside the “border.” A few quite fine, indeed, plus others that offer, say, pretty good Tex Mex & very good margaritas.
Opening any restaurant is a gamble. BYOB will attract customers but cut off a source of income. A “fine dining” place that allows no alcohol probably needs a non-drinking customer base. I’m sure that many restaurant patrons in Salt Lake City don’t drink, anyway. (Or not in public!)
Are there enough immigrants in the area to support a restaurant offering upscale mid-eastern cuisine? Or people like me–who like a glass of wine with pasta or a margarita with a fish taco, but are happy to drink tea with Indian or Chinese food. (A Pakistani co-worker explained that most Houston Indian restaurants served Northern food that was much like Pakistani food. There was one “authentic” Pakistani place, but it didn’t serve alcohol. So he preferred the Indian places, as he was known to drink the occasional beer.)