The Best Speakeasy in Salt Lake City: Inside Bodega & The Rest's Hidden World

Walk past 331 South Main Street on any given evening and you'll see what looks like a tiny, unassuming corner bar—the kind of place where locals duck in for cheap beer and maybe a game of pinball. Shelves lined with Pop-Tarts and Net Hairspray. Vintage Playboy covers papering the counter. Nothing to write home about.

But here's the thing about Bodega: it's not what it seems.

"Don't be fooled when you walk up!" one visitor writes. "This unassuming little 'Bodega' is so much more than what meets the eye on the surface." Tell the bartender you're looking for "the rest," and if you've got a reservation, they'll unlock a steel fire door and lead you down a flight of stairs into old brick walls that seem to descend forever. Through one final unmarked door, and suddenly—you're somewhere else entirely.

Welcome to The Rest, the speakeasy in Salt Lake City that's been one of downtown's best-kept secrets since it opened. And honestly? That's exactly how owner Sara Lund wants it.

A Subterranean Escape Beneath Main Street's Surface

If Ernest Hemingway designed a bar in downtown Salt Lake City, it would look a lot like The Rest.

The basement space is all dark wood, flickering candlelight, and taxidermy—a white mountain goat presiding over one corner, hunting lodge trophies mounted on brick walls that have probably stood since the building's earliest days. Vintage photographs line the walls alongside artwork that feels lifted from another era. The ceilings stretch impossibly high for a basement, and vinyl records spin all night long, filling the room with everything from classic jazz to contemporary cuts.

"The atmosphere is intimate and cozy, perfect for a night out with friends or a date," one regular explains. "The speakeasy vibe is on point—downstairs, dark, and full of character."

This isn't your typical downtown Salt Lake City speakeasy trying to recreate 1920s New York. The Rest feels more like a literary salon—the kind of place where writers and artists would gather in Paris between the wars. "It reminded us of something out of Hemingway," another couple notes. And they're not wrong. There's even an absinthe fountain service, complete with the traditional sugar cube drip that Van Gogh himself would have recognized.

The dual-venue concept is brilliant in its simplicity. Bodega upstairs keeps things accessible—$5 beers, shots, a few tables, pinball in the back. It's a neighborhood tavern, the kind of spot where you can drop in without ceremony. But ask about "the restroom" (wink wink), and if you've made a reservation or the bartender takes a liking to you, you're granted passage to something completely different below.

"It's really two places in one," a reviewer perfectly summarizes. "The street level is a small little fun bar. Once you know the secret code you can head downstairs to one of the most unique bar and restaurants that I have experienced."

Chef Ryan Santos and the Beer Can Chicken Everyone's Talking About

Under the leadership of executive chef Ryan Santos, The Rest has built a reputation that extends far beyond its cocktail program. This is a place where the food actually matches the atmosphere—elevated New American cuisine with enough creativity to surprise you and enough comfort to make you feel at home.

But let's talk about the dish that's become legendary: the honey-glazed beer can chicken.

"For goodness' sake, if you like meat, get the Beer Can Chicken," writes one SLUG Magazine reviewer. "It is one of the best simple pleasures served in this town, offering a hearty serving of sublime feeling."

Here's how it works: Order it when you sit down (it takes 40-60 minutes to cook), then watch as your server brings out the whole bird for presentation—wings outstretched, perched sassily on its beer can, glazed and glistening. Then it disappears back to the kitchen, where it's carved and boned and returned with warm fingerling potato salad, grilled asparagus, and wild mushrooms in a sauce that somehow pulls the whole thing together.

"This chicken was amazingly moist," another diner raves. "Juicy, juicy meat with fat-flavorful skin... It was cooked to perfection and came with potatoes, asparagus and mushroom in a fabulous sauce."

At $35, it's sized for two people—though more than one review admits to someone eating the whole thing themselves. The presentation alone is worth it. One guest calls it "a show in itself and a no-brainer for the active foodie."

But the menu goes deeper. Recent reviews highlight executive chef Daniel Moreland's impact on the seasonal offerings. "The new Executive Chef at the Rest has just changed the food scene in Salt Lake for the better," one excited diner writes. "Every dish, from the appetizers to the entrees, was phenomenal."

The charcuterie board gets consistent praise—"beautifully arranged selection of meats and cheeses bursting with flavor; perfect for sharing." The pork shoulder is "flavorful and tender," and the New York strip steak appears frequently in rave reviews. Even smaller plates surprise: "The grilled cucumber was surprisingly good," notes one visitor.

And then there are the beignets—warm, pillowy, dusted with powdered sugar and served with fruit compote and crème anglaise. "An irresistible delight," according to one review, "and the offer one can't refuse."

The bartenders at The Rest aren't just mixing drinks—they're practicing what the menu calls "cocktail alchemy."

"The cocktails are top-notch, with creative and delicious mixes," writes one Tripadvisor reviewer. "If you're looking for a cool, unique place with fantastic drinks and an unforgettable vibe, Bodega The Rest is the place to go."

The craft cocktails here range from expertly executed classics to house creations that shouldn't work but somehow do. The Oaxacan Old Fashioned gets particular praise. One couple describes the absinthe fountain service as "so unique, delicious, and...shall I say, beautiful?"

But the real signature experience is the Blind Pig—a bespoke cocktail where you tell the bartender your preferred spirit and let them surprise you with a completely custom creation. "I told our waitress the kind of things I liked and the bartender made a surprise," one delighted customer writes. "Super cool and loved that they paid attention!"

The whiskey flights are another highlight, customizable and carefully curated. The bar program also includes an extensive mocktail menu, with reviews noting that the non-alcoholic options are "interesting and very pretty as well."

Each drink is served with theater—beautiful glassware, careful garnishes, the kind of attention to detail that makes you slow down and actually taste what you're drinking. And always, always, there's a vinyl record spinning in the background, carefully selected from the collection that fills one wall.

"Great music coming from the vinyl player all evening," one visitor notes. "Such a nice vibe there."

Finding Your Way to Salt Lake City's Hidden Gem

The whole experience of getting into The Rest is part of the appeal. This isn't a place you stumble into by accident.

First, make a reservation. Seriously. The space is small—intimate by design—and weekend nights book up days in advance. Call (801) 532-4042 or book through their website. The reservation policies are strict (no kids, 21+ only, parties more than 15 minutes late may lose their table), but that's all part of maintaining the atmosphere.

When you arrive at 331 South Main Street in downtown Salt Lake City, you'll walk into Bodega first. Don't let the Pop-Tarts and pinball machines throw you off. Find the bartender, tell them you're here for The Rest, and they'll handle the rest (pun intended).

"The gent that greeted us at the front must have sensed our confusion and asked if we were here for the Bodega or 'the rest,'" one couple remembers. "He proceeded to take us down a staircase and through an unmarked door, which opened to a beautiful, lodge-style bar."

That descent down the stairs, through layers of old brick, feels like traveling back in time—or maybe just traveling somewhere outside Salt Lake City entirely. "Once you're seated in the subterranean dining room, you'll feel as if you've left Utah behind," one reviewer notes.

The Rest is open Tuesday through Saturday, with dinner service from 5pm to 10pm (11:30pm on Friday and Saturday). They also offer weekend brunch from 11am to 5pm. The best times to visit? Weekday evenings if you want a quieter, more intimate conversation. Friday and Saturday nights if you want the full speakeasy energy—crowded, lively, buzzing with the kind of good energy that only happens when people feel like they're somewhere special.

There's parking in a public lot on the corner of 400 South and Main Street, or you can find street parking on Main. The Gallivan Center TRAX stop is also nearby if you're taking public transit.

A few insider tips from regular visitors: Order the beer can chicken right when you sit down (it takes up to an hour). Don't skip the cornbread—it's complimentary and might be the best in the city. Ask your server about the seasonal menu items. And if you're feeling adventurous, try the Blind Pig and let the bartenders work their magic.

Why The Rest Matters to Utah's Food Scene

In a state that's still shaking off outdated assumptions about its drinking culture, places like The Rest are proving that Salt Lake City can compete with any metropolitan food scene in the country. This isn't some gimmicky speakeasy trading on Prohibition nostalgia. It's a legitimately excellent restaurant and bar that happens to be hidden in a basement.

Chef Ryan Santos and the team at The Rest are doing something important: they're showing that fine dining in downtown SLC doesn't have to be stuffy or self-serious. You can have taxidermy and vinyl records and cocktails served with a wink, and still deliver food and drinks that stand up to any critical examination.

"The food is not just delicious but also a work of art," one recent reviewer writes. "Such a flavorful, visually appealing, and innovative menu."

The basement location at 331 South Main puts The Rest right in the heart of downtown's evolving food corridor, within walking distance of theaters, hotels, and the Vivint Arena. It's become the spot for date nights, celebrations, corporate dinners in their private Library room, and those nights when you just want to feel like you're somewhere special.

"A speakeasy in SLC? Yes, please!" one out-of-town visitor exclaims. "We came across this gem in a search for top restaurants and bars in downtown and were not at all disappointed."

Is it expensive? Yes. Is there a wait for the signature dishes? Absolutely. Do you have to make a reservation and dress up a bit? You do. But that's all part of what makes The Rest special—it's a place that asks you to slow down, to savor, to step out of your regular routine and into something a little more mysterious.

"I'm a little hesitant to write about this place because it's so great and unknown that I selfishly want to keep it to myself," one early Yelp reviewer confessed. But here's the truth: places like The Rest deserve to be celebrated. They're what make Salt Lake City's food scene worth paying attention to.

So grab a reservation, head down those brick-lined stairs, and let yourself get lost in the basement beneath Bodega. Order the beer can chicken. Try the Blind Pig. Put a vinyl record on the queue. And for a couple of hours, let yourself forget you're in Utah at all.

Bodega & The Rest
331 South Main Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
(801) 532-4042
Open Tuesday-Saturday
Reservations strongly recommended
Instagram: @bodegaslc and @_therest
21+ only

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