Cocktails in Salt Lake City: Have you tried Bar X?

Bar X’s storied past as a divey beer bar is well known to residents of Salt Lake City, especially alumni of the University of Utah.  Bar X was one of the first bars to open in Salt Lake City after the end of prohibition (remember: Repeal Day, December 5, 1933, when the great state of Utah became the 36^th state to ratify the 21^st Amendment, thus repealing prohibition.)  Bar X closed its doors last July and reopened in January with a newly remodeled interior and, more importantly, a craft cocktail menu.  There’s still plenty of dive atmosphere (like sticky floors), beer, and wine, but the quality of the drinks has improved appreciably from Bar X’s beer bar heritage.

On a recent visit, my party sampled the following cocktails: Sazerac, Blood and Sand, Pimm’s Cup, and Gin Gin Mule.  Seth, our bartender, knew his business: what to shake and what to stir, how to pare a lemon twist, and all our cocktails were excellent.  We didn’t have time to try the Boston Sour, Corpse Reviver No.2, Dark and Stormy, El Diablo, Moscow Mule, Old Fashioned, or Cuba Libre, but we will one of these days.  A look at the bottles racked up behind the bar (from Maker’s 46 ® to Leblon Cachaça®, High West® Rye and beyond) sends a message that this is a serious cocktail bar that can mix almost any drink you would like to have.