
Home Residency Cliff's List
Residency
Cliff's List
of Nifty SLC Places to Check Out.
- La-Cai Noodle House
961 S State St
Good for take out. Better for dine-in. Friendly staff. Clean. Number 143 is quite tasty indeed.
- The Bayou
645 S State St
Beer snob? Choose from over two hundred kinds, and they'll even serve it in the proper glass. Try the sweet potato fries. Or don't. Doesn't matter to me.
- Brewvies
677 South 200 West
Some people see movie theaters as a kind of daycare. Others as a place to socialize. And cell phones? Get away from all that nonsense here. Grab a pitcher of beer and and take in a flick on the big screen. The grub is good and theater seats have a counter for your food/beverages. You must be 21 to get in.
- Squatters
147 W Broadway
Brew-pub; one of the largest in SLC. Good beer/food. May have to pay for parking.
- Red Rock Brewing Company
254 S 200W
Wanna drink a home-brew and eat a burger in a pita-pocket, all in a room with exposed brick and wooden beams? This place is probably your best bet. If you're a soda person, they brew their own root beer and cream soda.
- Red Iguana
736 W North Temple
Mexican food. Locals love this place. Looks like a bit of a dive, but there's always a line and Carlos Santana signed the wall for heaven's sake.
- Ruth's Diner
2100 Emigration Canyon
Just go there. You'll like it. Seriously.
- Archibald's
1100 W 7800 S, West Jordan
This is an old mill that serves pretty good pasta. Yeah the mill owner had a dozen wives, big whoop, wanna fight about it? The real draw is the whole compound that has cobblestone walkways, many crafty type shops, and a stream where you can see ducks. And who doesn't like ducks? Did I mention the crafty stuff? Because there is a lot of it there.
- Hog Wallow
3200 Big Cottonwood Cyn Rd
This is a good, low-key bar. The only food you'll get is pizza or nachos - but the pizza is real good. The patio is nice when the weather allows. Named after a famous river rapid on the Green. Bikers are welcome here.
- The DoDo
152 S 400 W
Located by the Gateway Mall (another place to check out), this restaurant is a step above casual but not quite formal. Good food. Take your parents here when they are in town. Or not. You won't hurt my feelings.
- Tiburon
8256 S 700 E, Sandy
Fancy-pants food and table linens without the stuffy atmosphere. Have some elk, drink some of that wine your server recommended and save room for dessert.
- The New Yorker
60 W Market St
Fancy-pants all the way. Dress nice and bring a wad of dough. Can't speak for everyone, and I haven't been there in a while, but I once had the "best steak ever" here.
- The Melting Pot
340 S Main St
Want more fancy-pants but in a fondu setting? Real fun/nice place to eat but spendy if you go all out.
- Cotton Bottom
2820 E 6200 S
Back to reality. Here is a small bar with a few tables and the world's best garlic burger. One of the doors into the place goes through the kitchen. Don't let this stop you. Last time we were there it went like this. Waitress: "Hi! Would you like something to eat?" Us: "Yes . ." Waitress jumping in: "would you like something to drink?" Us: "sure" Waitress: "I'll be right back". A few minutes later we had a pitcher of Coors, and four glasses. Followed a few minutes after that with four garlic burgers. That's just what you come for. Mmm garlic.
- Market Street Grill / Oyster bar
2685 E 6580 S, Midvale
There are a few of these spread though out the valley - you can find the one closest to you. They specialize in fresh fish. This is a real nice place to come. The oyster bar is what an upscale bar should be - lots of stained wood and good martinis.
- Gilgal Garden
750 E 500 S
A SLC oddity that one has to see to believe. A Sphinx with Joseph Smith's face on it? You betcha. After a trip here, you should head a few blocks over to Trolley Square. A shopping area that includes Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, and the Desert Edge Brewery which has a fabulous beer school if you can get in.
- Iggy's
7640 Union Park Ave, Midvale
These are also all over the place. A sports bar with good food that you can bring the family to.
- The Depot
400 W South Temple - www.depotslc.com
A venue that is housed in the old Union Pacific Building. A smaller place so you can get pretty close to the band. There is a bar at one end and the stage at the other. We saw Rollins band there and you could see Henry grimace from our table. If you like Led Zeppelin, No Quarter (tribute band) plays there quite often. If you can, secure a table on the balcony.
- Wasatch Roller Derby
www.wasatchrollerderby.com
Roller-derby in Salt Lake? Darn tootin. The girls play a rough and tumble game and they do it all for charity.
- Fiddler's Elbow
1063 E 2100 S
A great bar tucked away in Sugarhouse. Really good food, sports on big tv's, pool, patio, and lots of windows which makes it a cheery spot for lunch.
- The Tavernacle
201 E 300 S
Not to be confused with the Tabernacle, this bar's big draw is two baby grand pianos and singers that take on song requests like Sexy Back and Sir-Mix-A-Lot as well as traditional favorites like Margaritaville, Piano Man, and Sweet Caroline. Weekends find this establishment packed with happy people singing at the top of their lungs. I stick to beer in this joint.
- Johanna's Kitchen
9725 S State St
Every list like this should include a greasy spoon, so here you go. Hot coffee, country décor, and a biscuits and gravy breakfast. Oh, and scones. I hear the pie is very tasty. Real close to the South Towne Expo Center - so fill up on comfort food and then walk around the boat show or whatever has the expo for the weekend.
- Liberty Park
1100 S 600 E
The "Central Park" of Salt Lake City. Big. Open. 80 acres. Lots of trees. Here you'll find paved trails for walking, biking, roller-skating, etc. Many picnic areas. Volleyball, horseshoes, tennis, swimming, paddle boats, ferris wheel, fountains, historic buildings, and probably a whole lot more. Tracy Aviary is on the premises and for a small fee you can see all kinds of nifty birds. Oh, and there's a large pond on the property that has ducks. Ducks are great. I think there's a classic car club that meets here on Sundays. So bring a frisbee and some comfortable shoes and spend the afternoon. It is probably better than whatever is on TV.
- The Pie
1320 E 200 S
There is pizza and then there is pizza. (this is funnier if you can hear me say it) There are a few locations around the valley but the original by the University of Utah is the one to try even if you have to fight for a table. Grab a slice of this and the cheese will stretch for a mile and mmm boy is it good. It is located under a pharmacy . . . why not? So look for a pharmacy then head downstairs.
- Timpanogos Cave
American Fork Canyon on Highway 92, 10 miles east I-15
Nice way to get into nature with something fun to do at the end of a moderate trail up the mountain. Most likely outdoorsy stuff played a role in coming to Utah, so get out there man.