Southern Valley 

Southern Valley
For those old enough to remember, the south end of the valley was once a wasteland for anyone looking for an after-work brew. Thankfully, those days are long gone.

35.0 Canyon Inn
When your apres-ski plans don’t include a Chardonnay and a pot of fondue, head down Big Cottonwood Canyon to the Canyon Inn for homemade pizza and a cold pint. College Night and Ski Industry Night always pack a large crowd, and you can certainly enjoy your evening outside on the patio by the firepit, basking in the sunset-lit peaks of the Wasatch. 3700 E. Fort Union Blvd., Cottonwood Heights, 801-943-6969

35.3 The Fox Hole
As one would expect, The Fox Hole attracts many looking for a draught after work. It’s conveniently located on Redwood Road in a strip mall next to stores and draws what seems to be the “commuter” crowd. And that crowd likes to stay awhile and play; all of the pool tables at The Fox Hole are regularly occupied. 7078 S. Redwood Road, West Jordan, 801-566-4653, FoxHolePub.com

35.9 Club 90
While other bars can come and go in the blink of an eye, Club 90 has quietly hid in Sandy since 1979—quietly, that is, until you go inside, where a huge remodeled game room sits apart from a large karaoke staging area perfect for bachelorette parties, birthday parties or any other huge gathering you can imagine. NFL game day gets even louder as Club 90 hosts the Steel City Mafia for every Pittsburgh game. And just to show you how serious this bar takes customer service, the table front-and-center on NFL Sunday is reserved for Cleveland Browns fans only. 9065 S. 150 West, Sandy, 801-566-3254, Club90SLC.com

36.5 Maggie McGee’s
Feel like drinkin’ and singin’ but don’t know who has karaoke tonight? Never fear, Maggie McGee’s is here! Karaoke is featured seven nights a week in one corner of the joint, with plenty of pool tables in the opposite corner, well out of earshot of the would-be crooners. If you feel hungry after belting out a few Neil Diamond tunes, order the Mad Maggie Sandwich–just make sure you have one of their cold pints at hand. 6253 S. Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, 801-273-9899, MaggieMcGees.com

37.5 The Highlander
While you won’t find any pasties in this reformed strip club, you may run into the Haunted Highlander’s ghost—sightings of the apparition have been confirmed by a good portion of this neighborhood bar’s staff. So stay awhile and crank out some karaoke any night of the week on the killer state-of-the-art speaker system—and we dare you to stay late and enjoy a cold one in a secluded part of this cozy bar. 6194 Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, 801-277-8251, HighlanderUtah.com

37.6 Cheers to You (Midvale)
Cheers To You has expanded its cheapest-drinks empire to the south end of the Valley. It is keeping the cheap drinks real—even realer—down in Midvale with the cheapest draft beer around. With prices like these, the spot is destined to garner the same loyal local clientele as the downtown version. If you don’t feel like a brew, ask for the Ricky Special, but put on your big-boy pants first. 7642 S. State, Midvale, 801-566-0871, CheersToYouMidvale.com

38.1 The Porcupine
Sitting pretty at the base of Big Cottonwood Canyon, this restaurant has been a staple for both valley regulars and apres-ski crowds, but there’s plenty of room to settle in at the bar. Pair that cold beer—it proudly proclaims 24 draft options from local and national brands—with a terrific salad, sandwich, pizza or pasta entree. And be sure to leave room for the legendary chocolate porcupine. 3698 E. Fort Union Blvd., Salt Lake City, 801-942-5555, PorcupinePub.com

38.4 Cotton Bottom Inn
A garlic burger, a brew and a killer view—that’s the way to spend a summer night tucked among the trees. In weather better suited for indoor activities—or just because you’d like to shoot a game of pool or catch a game on TV—you can always hang out in the cozy bar area. Cotton Bottom is a homey neighborhood pub with all the flavors of a great grill. 2820 E. 6200 South, Holladay, 801-273-9830

38.6 Fox Hole II
Somewhere between a full-service restaurant and a family-friendly sports grill lies the spacious Fox Hole II. Order off the considerable menu or just grab some chips and salsa (but yes, you must order food) and watch a local sports team on one of the several TVs located around the restaurant. Happy, friendly staff and a sizable patio round out the experience. 8657 S. Highland Drive, Sandy, 801-733-9472, FoxHole2.com

38.9 Club Allure
If you’ve just finished watching a Real match and all of a sudden feel like dancing, head right over to Club Allure and cut a rug on the largest light-up dance floor in the West (and that’s west of the Mississippi, not just west of State Street). You can get all Saturday Night Fever inside the club, or you can go outside to the huge patio and enjoy some summer barbecue. Express your inner John Travolta even further and compete in a sandcastle-building contest. 8925 S. 255 West, Sandy, 801-255-2078, AllureSLC.com

39.6 Tradewinds Lounge
A small joint next to an auto-body shop on State Street, Tradewinds is home base for a host of older regulars. Pool and cheap beer seem to be the draws for this establishment. This is no hiply ironic “dive bar” but a true dive, to be frequented only by certified bar spelunkers. 8000 S. State, Midvale, 801-562-1775

40.6 Donkey Tails Cantina
Guadalahonky’s Mexican restaurant in Draper has an adjoining bar—it’s Donkey Tails, where Guadalahonky’s full menu, including a killer chile verde burrito, is available. The atmosphere is a little bit sports bar and a little bit neighborhood lounge, and patrons tend to watch sports on the bar’s two big flat-screen TVs. There’s local music by one-man-band Matt Calder on Thursdays, and you can take your eats outside to the fenced-in patio, replete with a firepit and foliage sufficient to obscure Draper’s urban sprawl. 136 E. 12300 South, Draper, 801-571-8134, Guadalahonkys.com

40.7 Oscar’s Social Club
So your ping-pong table has fallen victim to some “excessive water damage.” You can still head over to Oscar’s, where they offer free legitimate ping-pong. Oscar’s also offers killer DJs on the weekends, with DJ Erockalypse spinning on Fridays and DJ Latu taking his turns on Saturdays. 8136 S. State, Midvale, 877-218-2235, OscarsUtah.com

43.2 Three Alarm Saloon
Some bars claim to have flair bartenders, but these guys take the cake. Any bartender can pour a draft. Most bartenders can layer a mudslide. The skilled can juggle all the makings of a Long Island. But breathe fire? Only at the Three Alarm, where you can play cards seven nights a week and hear Clint Black and White Zombie back-to-back by the karaoke singers and not think anything of it. 7273 S. State, Midvale, 801-562-5252

46.4 Lazy Dog Saloon
It used to be that 12800-ish South and Redwood Road represented the beginning of the sticks. That’s a good place for a bar like the Lazy Dog, which feels like a roadhouse in that very area of Anytown. But despite being surrounded by sprawl, the Lazy Dog maintained its identity as a country/classic rock-soundtracked little hideaway that, if you’re not lookin’ for it, you’ll miss. And it’s impressive that, on random visits a year apart, the place was crankin’ ZZ Top both times. You may have found a home. 12755 S. Redwood Road, Riverton, 801-302-5584

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