Where can I go drinking in Salt Lake City?

In My Humble Opinion
1

Actually, I’ll be in Layton in a couple weeks for a few days. I’m flying in on a Sat. afternoon and will have free time until Monday morning. I figure since I’ll be alone I’ll go have a few drinks on Sat. night, but I’ve heard bars are non-existent in this mormon rich area of the country. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Also, what would be a good way to kill a few hours on Sunday. I know there’s an airforce base nearby and I wouldnt mind watching fighter jets flying around. Any good place to watch them? A short hike would be nice, too. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

2

Even if there are no “bars,” you can usually find ways and places to drink in Utah.

In many parts of Utah, even if standard bars and saloons are illegal, liquor sales and drinking are often allowed at “social clubs.” In practice, this means that many hotels have thinly-disguised bars doing business as “clubs”( wink wink, nudge nudge).

So, there’s a decent chance that if you stay at a major hotel, you can join its “club” for a small fee, and drink all you want while you’re there.

3

Actually Salt Lake City has some very respectable brewpubs which have won gold medals at international beer competitions. Try the Red Rock Brewery or others listed here. I have been to Red Rock, and the food and beer rank very high on my list. They do abide by the 3.2% max alcohol by weight restriction, but they taste just fine. No “club membership” or winking needed.

4

A “Bar” in Utah is a place that is open to the public, but only serves beer.

To get a mixed drink, you have to go to a “Private Club”, or to a restaurant with a liquor license, which are fairly common.

If you do go to a restaurant, you do have to order a meal to get a drink, you can’t just order drinks.

To get in a private club you have to be the guest of a member or buy a membership, which are usually available for two weeks for between $5 and $10, or a yearly membership which is usually $15 to $20.

Once you’re a member of a private club, you can come and go as much as you like, and get any kind of drink, as well as a fair selection of beers (at most clubs), and many have kitchens so you can order sandwiches, pizza, etc. Same have a fair selection of entrees. Contrary to popular belief, there are enough of both bars and private clubs to get anyone a drink who wants one.

I’m not a real bar person, but I do know of one private club in Layton called “Bogeys”. It’s a fairly new place, and has live music, dancing, video games, pool, etc. I’ve only been there during the day, but I’m told it gets pretty lively at night.

Try this link:

http://utah.citysearch.com/search?sorted=&type=grid&context=bars_nightlife&flavor_id=5&miles=10

for some bars and clubs in and around Layton.

And since Layton is only about 20 minutes north of Salt Lake, there are bunches of bars, restaurants, and private clubs in SLC you can get to pretty easily. Citysearch can help you find a bunch of those as well.

Hill Air Force Base is nearby, and they used to have public tours once in while, but I couldn’t tell you what the current situation is. My guess is a tour of one would not be allowed, so that may not be in the cards for you.

My brother’s backyard is a great place to watch the jets, but the security there is very tight! :slight_smile:

However, I’ll bet that the desk clerk at your hotel, or the wait-staff at a local bar or restaurant could tell you where to go to see some sights.

Ugly

5

There are a ton of what everyone else calls bars in SLC. You will have to pay what everyone else calls a cover charge to get in. In SLC these things are called “Private Clubs” and “Memberships.” (Unless you a a guest at a hotel, in which case your membership to their “club” is included in your room)

But there is one on nearly every street corner.

6

If you don’t get a tour of Hill AFB, you can try Hill Aerospace Museum as an alternative. I’ve only driven past it & never gone in myself, so I can’t tell you what it’s like.

As for short hikes, Antelope Island State Park is nearby and quite nice. Otherwise you can head east/southeast out of SLC and go up the canyons (Big Cottonwood and Little Cottonwood), where plenty of trails exist.

Or spend a day at Park City.

7

Thanks for the input, everyone. Bogey’s seems to be my kind of place. I’m sure I’ll stop in for a couple brews the night of Nov. 30th, if anyone wants to join me. I’ll be shorter guy at the bar who looks a little like Jack Black.

Thanks again,
Van

8

The Great Salt Lake comes to mind.

9

And Van while you are here be sure to check out a State Liquor Store!

And buy something please… the Child Nutrition Program, school lunch and breakfast, in Utah is funded by proceeds from the liquor stores…
Feed a child get ripped tonight!:smiley:

I am so goin to hell for THAT remark!

10

www.Digitalcity.com search engine has a huge list of Salt Lake City and nearby metro area bars and descriptions of what they are all about

Here is a list of 196 bars in the SLC meto area ( I guess a Jack Mormon’s got to find a drink someplace)

Here are just the A’s

and each one has a short review

11

Actually Van contrary to popular rumor Utah has a LOT of non-mormons in it. And a lot of Mormons like to go out and socialize whether or not they drink alcohol. I have spent time in bars with my friends just hangin out nursing a VERY expensive Coke dis Cat isnt LDS either

Van, if you are interested Ogden is 15 minutes north of Layton, we have a VERY good train museum here. We also have the Eccles Dinosaur Park. The museum is just opening so its a bit sparse but the grounds of the park is a really fun way to spend and afternoon.

There is also the Egyptian Theater here. It is a beautiful Art Deco theater. I am not sure what is going on there right now, but Citysearch could tell you.

If you like bookstores, the Bookshelf in downtown Ogden is the BEST! Two floors of books and the greatest people to just shoot da chit with.

I am usually hangin around bored… or hangin around the chain bookstores trying to divert their customer to the indies
:smiley: Drop me a line if ya come this far north and want a guide…

12

Dammit… that first paragraph should have been to astro not Van. My apologies for being a nit and not proofreading.