Four new Utah bars awarded licenses at July’s DABS meeting

After kicking off with a warm welcome to new DABS chair Tara Thue (taking over from Juliette Tennert), the majority of July’s DABS meeting was dominated by results of a yearly audit of the organization – and the subsequent discussion of the findings. From there the meeting progressed expeditiously, with the following new bars and restaurants awarded licensing:

Bar licenses

Thirteen bar licenses were available in the state of Utah coming into the July meeting. Four bars were ready to open and given swift approval:

• Citizens, Salt Lake City
• Number 36, Springville
• Finca Pintxos Bar, Salt Lake City
• The White House (O’ Shucks), Park City

One more license will come in August meaning ten will be ready come next month. Waiting the wings, nine more businesses with the following projected opening dates:

• Last Call Sports Bar & Grill, Springville, August
• Bout Time Pub & Grub, Tooele, August
• El Moab Hotel, Moab, August
• Aker Restaurant and Lounge, Salt Lake City, September
• Neptune’s Palace, Salt Lake City, October
• Marquis, Park City, November
• Thieves Guild Cidery, Salt Lake City, January 2024
• Repeal, Salt Lake City, January 2024
• Bout Time Pub & Grub, Saratoga Springs, February 2024

Full service restaurants (liquor, wine, beer)

Thirty one full service licenses were available in the state’s inventory, with five restaurants walking away minted to pour all three types of alcohol.

• La Costa Mexican Restaurant, American Fork
• Taqueria Martini, Salt Lake City
• Vintage Restaurant Bar & Grill, Heber City
• Cafe Sabor, Cedar City
• Lulu’s Hot Oven, South Jordan, July

Meanwhile Taco Taco (Salt Lake City) was granted approval for the change of their ownership. Coming up ahead three more businesses are on the waitlist for those remaining twenty six licenses:

• Root’d Cafe, Riverton, August
• Piko Mexican Grill, Salt Lake City, September
• STK Steakhouse, Salt Lake City, September

Limited service (wine, beer)

Just one limited service license application this month, and duly granted:

• Soul Ramen & Noodles Bar, St. George

Governor appoints new chair to the Alcoholic Beverage Services Commission

Speaking of new commission chair Tara Thue – here’s the full release from the department on her appointment:

. . .

Governor Spencer Cox appoints Tara Thue as chair of the Utah Alcoholic Beverage Services (ABS) Commission. Thue, who has served on the board since 2021, holds her first ABS Commission meeting as chair on July 21, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.

“Commissioner Thue has been a dedicated member of the Alcoholic Beverage Services Commission for two years and I know she will step into this leadership role with continued commitment to the state of Utah,” said Governor Spencer Cox.

Thue is pleased to continue serving Utahns as chair of the ABS Commission and looks forward to implementing more education and training opportunities for commissioners. 

“I’m grateful for the chance to serve as chair of this commission. As commissioners, we are responsible for ensuring public safety and alcohol policies are followed, while also supporting Utah businesses and event organizers that are foundational to our state’s economy,” said Thue. “To help perform these duties more effectively, I’m excited to prioritize more opportunities for hands-on learning about department practices that impact those we serve.”

Tara Thue is currently working for AT&T as president of the mountain west states for external and legislative affairs. Prior to this position, she served in the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development (now named the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity), creating the state’s broadband office and advising the governor’s office on communications related policy issues. Thue has bachelor’s degrees from Utah State University in political science and economics. She lives in Salt Lake City with her husband Matt Thue, their two young children, and their blind dog.  

Thue replaces Commissioner Juliette Tennert as chair who just completed her one-year term and will continue serving as a member of the commission. Thue previously served as vice-chair of the ABS Commission. The new vice-chair will be determined by commission vote at the upcoming commission meeting.

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Stuart Melling

Hi, I’m Stuart, nice to meet you!  I’m the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic SLC.  I’m a multiple-award winning journalist and have written in myopic detail about the Salt Lake City  dining scene for the better part of seventeen years.

I’ve worked extensively with multiple local publications from Visit Salt Lake to Salt Lake Magazine, not least helped to consult on national TV.   Pause those credits, yep, that’s me! I’m also a former restaurant critic of more than five years, working for the Salt Lake Tribune.    I’m largely fueled by a critical obsession with rice, alliteration and the use of big words I don’t understand.   What they’re saying about me: “Not inaccurate”, “I thought he was older”, “I don’t share his feelings”.

Want to know more? This is why I am the way I am.