Squatters Pub - Airport

yemenmocha

Arizona

4.28/5  rDev +16.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$

For an airport place, this is great. Cask and/or nitro on tap sometimes, many of the regular beers, and pretty much the same menu food items are available (though not all of them, such as the Reuben, which I missed). For airport pricing they're very reasonable too, and makes an excellent stop before boarding your plane (or perhaps just after arriving, to get some of that watery 3.2% beer into you before heading out).

Sometimes this place can be busy and hard to get a table. Service is usually fairly prompt, and they'll ID anyone who isn't elderly it seems.

11-21-2010 04:15:02 | More by yemenmocha

Dithyramb

Maryland

4.22/5  rDev +14.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5 | $

When one thinks of airport bars, one naturally imagines a prefab place with too much lighting, lots of Bud on tap, and chromosomally challenged personnel manning the taps. Yes, there are exceptions to the rule. I’ve had fine beer served just right in Bangkok, Edinburgh, and now SLC. I came 2 ½ hours early for my flight so that I could swing by and check it out. Plus, I could beat the afternoon rush.

Located in Terminal one, halfway through gate C, you finally find a real, well-stocked brew pub in an airport (take that, fake BWI Fells Point Brew Pub). It doesn’t have the exposed wood, the brewing tanks, and the big building that the Squatter’s location downtown has. However, they were playing rock (Radiohead and Velvet Underground) instead of the dance crap jamming at the other location. Where the other location had a glorious view of PF Changs, you get a kick ass view of the mountain range from your window seat here. Plus, everything else was just better. The rest of the interior had a modern industrial feel, with everything painted pretty dark with some metal highlights. The one wall had large pictures of the beer labels with short descriptions of the regular brews.

They had nine taps, with lagers, ales, porter, and stout on tap. They had the Polygamy porter on nitro. Also on tap was Coors, and I think there were a few limited options in bottle form. I don't think they let you take sixers of the IPA from this location.

Service was friendly, fast, and spot on. They constantly roamed around, knew the beer, and kept things moving. If only the other location had these folks...

Had some of the better airport food that I’ve had in a loooong time. The kitchen could be seen through a small window. Food appeared to be freshly made (according to their literature, the food is organic and uses local vendors, too). They had breakfast options available all day, along with sandwiches, pizzas, salads and wraps. We paired the weak wheat with a buffalo mozz sandwich and the porter with a hefty wrap. Darn tasty. A welcome meal before my 4 hour flight stocked only with SW nuts and cookies.

Go early, beat the crowds through security, and enjoy some tasty food and beer before your plane leaves Salt Lake City.

04-29-2005 15:18:23 | More by Dithyramb

bigkingken

Virginia

4.2/5  rDev +14.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 3 | food: 3 | $$$

Is it true that your expectations have a high impact on your final impressions? If so, it could help explain why I liked a brewpub in an airport so much. After having visited - and been thoroughly disappointed by - the Rock Bottom in Minneapolis's airport, I was skeptical coming in. But read on to find out what the Squatters in Salt Lake's airport is better than most of the brewpubs I've visited.

It's an airport. There isn't much room. Squatters makes good use of what they have, however, and were completely jammed packed when I visited. The restaurant is a giant U, or more like a [ if you want to get technical. Tables fill the ends of the brackets, a long bar fills the straightaway with small two-tops filling the back wall of said straightaway. Several plasma screen televisions can be seen from any seat.

It's dim, lively and decked out with Squatters posters and awards. Actually, if you sit where you can't see the airport or the airplanes out the window, you can easily forget you're in an airport.

All of their food is prepped at their location downtown and assembled at the airport. So of course it's not quite as good quality as an actual restaurant. But they do fairly well for what they have to work with.

I ordered a burger topped with mushrooms and onions sautéed in garlic and bourbon and topped with cheddar. The onions weren't sautéed long enough to brown, and I didn't get any bourbon flavor. The burger patties were ala McDonalds, though they could have still come from fresh beef more recently than a Mickey D's. The bun is made by Squatters with spent grain, and is absolutely fantastic.

Overall, the burger was much better than fast food, but not anywhere close to a properly grilled piece of beef. They had no fries, chips and salsa came with the dish.

However, the cheesecake they make downtown and ship to the airport is absolutely fantastic. It fit my cheesecake preferences perfectly; light and fluffy, sweet, rich and slightly lemony in a graham cracker crust. Very, very well done.

They offered seven beers on tap and one bottled (their IPA) along with two brews from their sister pub, Wastach. Maybe I ordered the wrong beers from my trip downtown a year ago (there were at least 12 to choose from!) but these seven Squatters beers are absolutely superb.

The golden was a perfectly balanced and drinkable beer well-suited for newbies. The pilsner had a strong German accent, I could easily have been drinking Beck's. The Hefe was good too. But my favorites were the Full Suspension Pale Ale, Organic Amber Ale and Captain Bastard's Oatmeal Stout. The Pale and Stout were simply excellent examples of their styles. The pale was hoppy enough to notice, but not enough to discourage even newbies. The stout was rich and complex with a heavy mouth feel, everything I want from an oatmeal stout. The real surprise was the organic amber, which had a clean, crisp start with a finish reminiscent of a nut brown, though not quite as strong or as thick.

I sat at the bar since the place was full, and watched a bartender named Mike work is magic. I have no idea how this guy got a bartending job in an airport. He should be in downtown New York. The man set a blistering pace, never spilling anything, and getting every single order correct and done in a timely manner while still servicing several of us at the bar. He was a miracle worker. If anybody is starting an upscale bar within 100 miles of Salt Lake City, find out who this guy is and hire him quick.

08-28-2009 23:08:30 | More by bigkingken

bradybeer

California

4.15/5  rDev +12.8%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

My last business trip of the year and I was able to visit this pub-albeit for only 20 minutes. I was not disappointed with the beer or the location.

Doesn’t look like much from the outside-you could almost walk past it. However, once you enter the pub you realize how large the bar area is-and with one of the best back drops (mountains) of any pub.

They had about 10 of their house beers on tap plus an IPA in a bottle.

I tried the Polygamy Porter and the 2004 Amber-both of which were acceptable-especially given the restrictions on ABV.

I didn’t have time to eat-so I can’t say the food was good-but in looking at the menu the prices were moderate for an airport.

Service was very quick and efficient.

I wish I had more time to sample some more brews and the food-if I am every in SLC airport I will make this a stop.

11-18-2005 19:04:15 | More by bradybeer

Yetiman420

Ohio

3.93/5  rDev +6.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | $$

A brewpub in an airport in Utah with a nice view of the nearby mountain range? Not a bad thing in my book. In fact, Salt Lake City has the good fortune of having two brewpubs in it's airport within an eight minute walk of each other (Wasach being the other, lesser one).

Plenty of room for an airport bar. If it appears crowded, walk to the back for the connecting, backbone bar where I've usually had luck finding a seat during busy times.

They offer their standard beers on tap (I believe all 3.2%), the key here is to ask for the bottles IPA which comes in at 6% and will provide a bit more bang for the buck.

03-29-2009 00:33:21 | More by Yetiman420

Durge

Connecticut

3.9/5  rDev +6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5 | $$$

This is a fair sized place for an airport brewpub and it has a decent atmosphere and a fair bar seating arrangement. There were eight of their brews on tap including one nitro (Cheshire Cream Ale today) and one Wasatch brew (their coop partner brewer, Ploygamy Porter), and one Coors Light flowing along with a few bottled goodies including the popular Squatter's IPA at 6.0 ABV. Service was very quick and friendly. The food was fine, pub grub. Airport prices but great to see such a beer friendly place at an airport. Thank you beer gods! As airport pubs go, this should rate higher than what I've given it. It's the best I've come across for sure, but compared to all kinds of beer joints, it's just a solid choice. Either way, stop by when you can!

08-04-2008 05:00:23 | More by Durge

1099

Texas

3.9/5  rDev +6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 3 | food: 3 | $$

Came into Salt Lake from Las Vegas on Delta, and saw this. At first I was kind of leary about going there because I remember Utah's beer laws can be a little strange (3.2 vs normal). But, I wanted a beer, so I said why not!

The first beer I ordered was a Vienna Lager on tap. Not bad at all! I enjoyed it very much. (I'll review it in more depth under the actual beer heading to keep things together).

I also had the munchies and decided to order a burger and fries. They were both ok, just about average. They went well with the lager.

Finally, as a closer, I ordered a pint of Captain Bastards Oatmeal Stout. WOW! It was much better than I expected; dare I say even close in taste and every other category to Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout!

If you ever pass through the Salt Lake airport, make the time to visit this place. You wont be disappointed.

09-29-2010 06:06:56 | More by 1099

isualum12

Idaho

3.83/5  rDev +4.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.5 | $$

In town from Boise and I had try it. We stopped by for one beer. The bar was packed so we stood at the rail. Walked over to the bar to order....You can see the tanks for the brewery behind the bar.

It was confusing if all of the beers on tap were theirs or if any were from another local brewery. I think they were all of thiers..

I have had their Provo Girl and poligimany porter before and both are good. I have also have had their full sup. pale before which is a high quality beer.

Watched food go by that looked good. The Nacho's looked huge.

they did have a little gift section with pints, shirts and hats. the pints had a big selection and probably a bigger selection of t-shirts.

04-18-2010 02:21:28 | More by isualum12

theboozecruise

Louisiana

3.68/5  rDev 0%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 2.5 | $$

Stopped in for a three-hour layover on the way to Las Vegas... I'm on a mission to try 365 new beers in 2011 so this was a good place to grab lunch and try some new beers.

It's got a decent atmosphere for an airport bar, and a really good selection as well. I tried the Amber, Polygamy Porter, American Wheat Hefeweizen, and the Fifth Element Saison. The Amber and Porter were average, but I really enjoyed the Hefe and the Saison really impressed me as well.

The food was okay... the 'artichoke dip' appetizer was nothing more than a frozen container heated up, and I had a chicken sandwich that left a little to be desired.

Not the best place for lunch, but I'm glad I stopped in to get some beers.

01-10-2011 18:28:38 | More by theboozecruise

BillyB

New Jersey

3.6/5  rDev -2.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5 | $$$

I had a stopover in Salt Lake City on my way to Seattle and was happy to find this place in the airport.
The chef is a member of the slow food board so the food was quite impressive for an airport bar. I just had a snack of Spinach and Artichoke dip with ciabatta bread but it was excellent.
The beers were decent as well.
Their Full Suspension Pale ale has won two GABF gold medals in the bitter category. The Hefe is brewed with German Alt-beer yeast and has a subtle citrusy taste. The Provo Girl Pilsner had a large amount of magnum hops and has also taken GABF gold. The chasing tail was a refreshing summer ale. They have 2 beers contract brewed by Wassatch Brewery which were The Polygamy Porter and the Cheshire Cream Ale. These two were the least impressive. The porter was kind of bitter and didn't have much aroma. The Cream ale was just kind of bland. The Evolution Amber was a nice smooth beer and the Captain Bastard Oatmeal Stout had a nice roasty aroma and flavor.
The Squatters IPA came only in a bottle and was decent but my favorite here was the Full Suspension Pale Ale.
This was one of the best airport bars I've ever been to.

09-02-2006 19:27:12 | More by BillyB