Closest bar to my house and I still hate coming here. That I can walk two blocks and be there, yet choose to skip on most every occasion, is a testament to the poor quality of food and service. Even if drinks, appetizers, and entrees were a tier or two lower on the $$$ scale I'd still probably pass. Well, cancel that. I'll go anywhere for $1 drafts. But literally it would take one dollar pints of beer for me to recommend Desert Edge.
Review Source:This place always seems to underwhelm me. We were there on St Patty's Day and it was surprisingly empty. Which honestly, is totally fine with me. I don't need packed venues to have a good time especially since I went to eat with like 6 people as is. The service is typically sub-par. Two times ago I waited 25 minutes for my check? This time no order was taken for 20 minutes? I would say maybe it was just this one specific server but it's been three times with three different servers. You may ask why I keep coming back and it's because one friend is always wanting to meet there. So I'm forced I tell you! FORCED! The food is average, not good or bad, just typical. Trolley Square, in my opinion is a chill location however it's mostly empty and dead at this point so there's not a huge amount of foot traffic helping people find the restaurants here. So you have to walk through what looks like a post-war, empty mall before you get to your eating/drinking destination which is never an uplifting thing. And they don't even have Restoration Hardware there anymore with beds for me to pass out on after drinking too heavily at Desert Edge.
Review Source:I've been eating at Desert Edge for YEARS....back when it was The Puc. Â We still call it The Pub!
Winners: Monday & Friday pasta of the day! I've been eating them both for 25+ years! Â Delicious!!!!
Nachos - awesome!
French Onion Soup = the BEST!
Any sand which =!AMAZING! You won't be disappointed!
Great beers offered too!!
Love sitting outside on the patio too!
My boyfriend really likes this place (the Sandwiches, beer, and French onion soup in particular. I am less of a fan but it's okay. Â I am not a beer drinker (or soda fan, I hate carbonation) but they have basic mixed drinks available too (cape cods, greyhounds, etc). Prices aren't bad ($8-10 range), portion sizes are great, food is relatively healthy (not grubby) but nothing to write home about. However, service is messy and confusing as mentioned in other reviews, and servers are not that inviting. I've gotten incorrect side dishes twice before. and checking out is a hassle when there with a group of friends (everything is on one bill so if some leave early it's honor system that they paid for their stuff- an issue for large groups there to drink and not everyone is a close friend). there are multiple checkout counters and they are not always manned. When someone does show up they may send you to the other register). Ive tried studying here a few times in the early afternoon, but their free wifi is impossible to connect to (even with the password). Nice atmosphere. We like the parking at Trolley Square vs. other downtown bars, but don't come here that often anymore bc it can be a hassle inside.
Review Source:I was roaming around the near empty Trolley Square mall looking for lunch. Â I don't drink beer, but I figured I would give this place a try. Â It has a crunchy, organic, brew pub feel to it, which was nice as I really did not want to eat at an overly sanitized chain restaurant. Â
It was very busy when I arrived and I grabbed a seat at the bar. Â I ordered a cheeseburger with a salad. Â The burger was pretty good, as was the salad - and the food came out relatively fast. Â The service was good as well. Â The bartender was very friendly and was chatting up the regulars at the bar, but not at the expense of randoms like me. Â If you are in Trolley Square and need some food or a beer, head on back to the creepy, deserted part, opposite Whole Foods and you will find Desert Edge.
This place is alright overall. Â The food isn't anything spectacular, but it isn't terrible either. Â I've had their chicken caeser salad and mozzarella sandwich, both of which were pretty good, but nothing great.
I feel the same about their beers. Â They don't really have anything original about them that "wow" you.
This place is an okay spot for grabbing a bite and having a drink if you're at Trolley Square, but I don't think I'd go out of way to stop by.
I've been here twice now and I'm somewhere between a ok and a fan, but I'll bump them up to a four star because there in my neighborhood and I really want to like them.
So the first time I went there I ordered the crab cake salad, bummer, crab cakes were dry small and lacking crab, salad was also dry and lacking a dressing. Â No butter with my bread. Â Will never order the crab cakes in any form again. Â However my husbands Grilled Salmon sandwich was fantastic, cooked to perfection, great bread, excellent pasta salad, only downside is they serve chips instead of fries. Â I had an excellent Prickly Cactus cocktail drink, pepper vodka and some other stuff very tasty. Â My husband loves their beer. Â Overall service was fast and efficient with a knowledgable wait staff, however we never saw the same person more than once, a little disorientating.
Just went there again tonight with my in-laws and it was fantastic. Â I had the roast beef with au jous, very tasty with a slight spicy kick and a Patron Silver Margharita. Â The bartender here is doing an excellent job. Â The rest of the family all enjoyed their meals, service was great. Â
We will definitely be back as it is three blocks from our house.
It's been way too long since last time I came here. This use to be my I can't decide place to eat every time. Wide variety of options on the menu, along with some really damn good micro brews they brew themselves. I always enjoy ordering there sandwich combo plate. It's a half sandwich or full with your choice of green salad, house pasta, daily pasta, fruit or my favorite French onion soup. It's costs a bit more for the soup but it's worth it. And you can never go wrong with the house pasta salad either. They even offer a pretty decent chile verde burrito on the menu. I love the outdoor seating option when weather permits. The service is awesome and the staff is always nice. I will definitely come back for more.
Review Source:How have I missed this place!?
So damn good. Don't know beer very well, but the grub was solid... Way Solid.
Had fresh spring rolls, or something like them, and was very pleased with the chef's take on this viet/thai classic. Tons of veggies stuffed in the fresh wrap with an interesting dressing style peanut sauce/vinaigrette.
Had the salmon salad with a cold hef.
Damn! this was good grub.
Eat here. Drink here.
Everything here is A-OK. Â The beer is good, not great. Â The food is good, not great. Â The service (on Father's Day) was good, approaching great, and the multiple options for atmosphere -- on the patio, in the bar, in a more "restaurant" area -- are all really nice.
The big disappointment is the food. Â We ordered nachos, and we got a beautiful plate of cheese and chips. Â And even though that's delicious, we were almost immediately thinking of ways to improve it -- less globs of guac, more fresh veggies (there were maybe 5 tiny dices of tomatoes), or beans, or anything. Â The salsa, advertised as "muy caliente," wasn't really. Â And it needed salt.
I ordered french onion soup and the Greek pasta salad of the day. Â The cheese on top of the soup was awesome; the rest of it just fell flat. Â Maybe that's because I had awesome french onion at Gracie's five days before. Â I dunno. Â The pasta salad was made with what appeared to be homemade noodles (nice), but they were long -- fettuccine-style. Â Maybe I'm weird, but cold pasta salads should be made with dense, compact noodles, like rotini, or rotelle, or even penne. Â Slurping up cold long noodles just didn't seem right. Â While the greek-style sauce was unoffensive, it was also uninspired. Meh.
Similarly, the wife's "goat cheese" quesadilla was a bit of a let down. Â She was expecting a fresh dish, with a little goat cheese, and lots of beans and veggies. Â What she got was a standard, very melty, Mexican quesadilla, with just a hint of goat cheese swimming in the cheese. Â Not bad, but very different from what she was expecting.
I guess the takeaway here is that Desert Edge does great things with mass quantities of cheese, and their beer is better than anything mass produced (though I'd rate it lower than Red Rock, Squatters, Wasatch, and Uinta). Â Even though the food is less than stellar, it's in a good location, nothing's offensive, and we'll probably be back.
What a great experience! My friend and I sat at the bar and were having trouble making a decision on a beer. Â The bartender suggested we do a sampling of all of the beer. They definitely have a solid variety of beers. We ordered the nachos, and they have certainly earned their fame. Right on. I have seldom had nachos better than what I would make at home.
The beer, food, and ambiance may not have earned them five stars, but the service shot them right up there. Our bartender was amazing. She was so on top of things. We picked her brain on the seasonal beers, and when she didn't have the answer, she went to get the guide book instead of leaving us with a generic answer. She also made fabulous suggestions on hiking, and even surprised us by writing down her suggestions along with directions and restaurant options. Awesome!
Truly with any of their restaurant I don't think you can go wrong. Â I have not sat down to eat in this location for quite a while, but they have excellent service and the menu never fails for nice consistent food.
I have been recently using them quite a bit for their large party platters. Â I have ordered the salads, appetizers and sandich platters and every single time amazing presentation. Â Always ready right on time. Â And best of all where ever I take one of these it is always a hit. Â I would recommend this to anyone who needs a quick item to take to a party or to a company wanting food for a meeting or luncheon.
A fine place to have an after-work drink, but I agree with the camp who says the service is erratic, messy and confusing. Â Had the Hefeweizen, which was decent. Â Had the nachos, which were really, really, really bad. Â It was a plate of Santitos chips with just one corner, roughly 1/5 of the plate, topped with some hardened sharp cheddar that was shiny and room-temperature by the time we got it. Â I need refried beans in my nachos, you know--to marry the chip and the cheese. Â There was no such love in those nachos. Â I'd pop in for a quick drink again but wouldn't linger long.
Review Source:Used to really like this place. Maybe my taste has grown up, because the last time I was in there was less than pleasant.
First when our server finally made an appearance she took our order for an appetizer, brought us the chips and salsa and a check and then was gone. We had to flag down a second server to get anything else.
I got a vegi avacado sandwich on rye. Talk about bland. The dressing for the salad was decent, to bad the greens were wilted. My wife's meal was, as she said, passably decent.
Unfortunately we wont be going back.
My parents took me here for lunch today, as it's been a favorite spot of theirs since they went to the University of Utah.
We sat out on their deck, which is in a great spot and offers a cool view of the Wasatch mountains as you enjoy a cold one and some hearty food.
I had their rye beer, which I chose because it's won them a gold medal. It was a good beer, well-balanced and refreshing. Food-wise, I went for their roast beef french dip, which turned out to be an excellent choice. It features roast beef, swiss, and some chipotle mayo with a nice kick on a crunchy, delicious baguette. Â Very delicious and very filling!
The service is friendly, if a bit spotty. Our server didn't seem to check in much, but she was nice, as was the rest of the staff.
Desert Edge is a good choice for some good food and good beer, in a good spot with a nice deck. Check it out!
I was shopping at Trolley Square recently with my boyfriend's mom and we decided to stop for lunch. She had heard good things about another restaurant, but in our futile search to find it, we stumbled upon the Desert Edge. She reviewed the menu posted at the door and decided it sounded good enough to give up our search.
The decor inside is nicer than you'd expect for a "brewery" or a "pub". We sat upstairs at a small table. The tables weren't super close together, but the atmosphere was cozy, despite the high ceilings and open feeling. Servce was quick. The menu looked great- the salads all sounded really different and really good.
I chose the Warm Vegetable Salad that was served with a three crostinis covered in warm, melted cheese. The salad included tomatoes, green and red peppers, squash and zucchini, all grilled with char marks and topped with parmesan cheese. The dressing that accompanied it was slightly balsamic and tangy. I was a fan!
She chose a smoked turkey salad with cheese tortellini and avocado- she said it was terrific and ate every bite of it! Both salads were huge and served with a big chunk of foccaccia bread. I can't wait to come back and try another huge, amazing salad!
I went here with a large group recently. As everyone walked in, I heard them remark, "Wow, I haven't been here in awhile." I'd been thinking the same thing, which is why I chose it for the gathering.
I'm thinking the reason none of us eat here that much is because it's not particularly memorable. Don't get me wrong, the food is good. You're just not going to remember much about it after you eat it. On this evening, I enjoyed some nachos and a couple of beef enchiladas. They were tasty. I couldn't tell you much more about them. Everyone else felt similarly about their dishes.
The prices are fine, the service is okay (though ours was probably overwhelmed by the size of our group and thus seemed kind of rude). I had to go into work, so I couldn't have any wine, but the list had some good ones. I don't drink beer, but the beer drinkers approved of their selection.
So Desert Edge. It's there. It's pretty good. I'll probably come back in a year or two.
For not being a Desert Edge Fanatic, I sure do frequent this place a ton. Over the course of a couple dozen visits, I've learned exactly what to order and what to stay away from.
The Pub definitely shines with their appetizers, I have yet to find a place with better Nachos. If you're not a fan of nachos the black bean and goat cheese quesadilla is pretty damn tasty as well.
One thing I've noticed they don't excel in is their hot entrees that are usually listed as specials. They really should stick with sandwiches and finger foods, as I've never had anything even decent from their special menu. Always creative dishes with sad, sad execution.
The Pub is a pub. Â I'm sitting here reading the Felper (that's Fellow Yelper, I know, cute right?) reviews on the right and I'm seeing...
Historic Looking... Uh, like, rully, the building's been there since like 1919 or before then even. Â No, its old, like your grandma old.
Nothing Special.... It's a Pub, been around almost as long as the building has, or your grandma, which ever is younger. Â
Official drinking bar... Â Too bad another Felper skipped out on the beer, cause next to the food, its good, really good beer. Â They don't win national awards here for brewing PBR or BL. Â
I worked for this place where we had lunch at the Pub almost once every week for years. Â I never grow tired of the crab cake salad. Â Just spicy enough to be washed down with some beer. Â Beer? Â Why would you get beer here? Â
Oh yea, it's a brew pub... Â Like in a really old historic looking building. Â Oh and I just checked, been around since 1973, as old as your grandma!
EDIT: Â Just remembered I noticed that they have a lever espresso machine by the cash register. Â it was late so I didn't have a shot, but it looked promising. Â Will have to go back and try some time.
Official 21st Birthday Desination #2: Desert Edge
This wasn't really on my list of preferred destinations to celebrate my new found legal drinking age, but somehow I found myself here anyways. Â I can't say I was really expecting anything too spectacular, and I don't think there really was. Â They have a huge selection of beers, what with being a Brewery and all. Being that I'm a relatively new drinker, I still haven't acquired a taste for beer yet. Â Not to mention, I came here around 11:30 PM on a Tuesday, so it wasn't too happening.
They didn't quite have a full bar, so I ended up ordering a margarita and a cosmo, yep, I like my girly drinks. Â Both of the drinks were so so, I think after I acquire a better taste for beer I'll give this place another try. Â I also had an order of nachos. Â Okay, I was not ready for the HUGE amount of nachos that came out, but I was fairly pleased with the outcome. Â I love it when nachos come with guacamole, salsa, AND sour cream, its kind of the holy trinity of tex-mex toppings, and should always be included with nachos.
I came with a large group of friends, had a good time, and that's what really matters. Â But I will probably go elsewhere next time I'm drinking, I got lost three times trying to find where Desert Edge was, and that was when I was on foot, a sober one at that.
I think this was the best Brewpub in SLC, although Squatters is nice too.
My favorites about Desert Edge:
- Nice tall ceilings give an open and airy feel inside, as located in the cool historic looking Trolley Square Building.
- Patio seating for the nice days.
- A healthy twist on pub food that was delicious!! (no gut-bomb fried items here.. see more the likes of grilled salads and sandwiches served with light potato chips and side salads) Very flavorful food!
- Really good beer served in pints or Steins at a reasonable price!
- Latter Days Stout for the win!
- Fair prices. Final bill was amazing for all that you get here.
- Service, A-ok, not super friendly but efficient! We had like 3 servers, I guess everyone works all tables?
I recommended a stop to Trolley Square!
PS: The Whole Foods located next door had amazing people watching too. haha!
Once or twice, in the hundreds of visits that I have had here, I may have had a 4 on service or food. Â But if so, I don't recall those occasions.
I'm a true regular here, as it's a block and a half away. Â Some suspect that I have an addiction to the Thursday pasta (chicken nicoise), but that's not true at all. Â I will quit next week.
The best brew pub in Salt Lake City.
Known for the daily pasta salads and hot pastas, Desert Edge serves high-end fare including sandwiches with a side of fresh fruit, pasta or salad; some tasty Mexican items such as burritos and enchiladas; and delicious grilled salads. For sandwich lovers, it is definitely worth the $1.50 upgrade charge to substitute either the pasta salad of the day or the French onion soup--they have perfected this cheesy, pub-style concoction like no other restaurant in Utah.
For refreshment, try the silver medal-winning Latter Days Stout (nitrogen tap) or the gold medal Happy Valley Hefeweisen which are both always on tap.
Desserts come from Red Butte Café's bakery (also owned by The Pub Group which owns Martine as well) and are amazingly delicious.
Stumbled upon this place while looking for the Hard Rock Cafe. Â The HRC is apparently no longer in SLC and that was a good thing on this night cause the food and beer at the Desert Edge were much better and cost less.
I had the beef enchiladas, and the Happy Valley Hefewiezen and both were excellent. Â Will definitely look for this place again if I'm ever back in SLC.
I have been visiting The Pub for years and it is another one of those places that I am not sure why I have never reviewed it. Â If you are familiar with Red Butte, Stella and Martine, then you probably know they share a common ownership and common menus with Red Butte and Stella. Â
With a rotating menu of pasta salads, great selection of unique foods and a creative list of daily specials I can almost always find something I want to eat here. Â I find most of the pasta salads to be quite good, I love the appetizers and find myself craving the nachos. Â
The selection of hand crafted beers changes often and rotates through the seasons with special blends. I am usually a porter guy, but I love them all here. Â My favorites here are the porters and the hefs. Â
The pub is one of at least five places you can currently eat at in Trolley Square and the one I am most likely to chose to eat at.
With the "hanging on to life by its finger nails" condition, I would not have guessed that Trolley Square had any restaurants still open. When a friend recommended we eat at a place called Desert Edge Brewery, then, I was surprised. I did, however, enjoy it.
We were seated immediately, shown menus, and the waitress was prompt to return to take our orders, though her mood seemed a little irritable. (But I guess even waitresses are allowed a bad day, right?) I ordered the bacon burger, and it was good pick. The bun was freshly baked, and the burger tasted like it had been cut off the flank of a cow out back just a few hours ago. Â The bacon was crispy, and the lettuce was the fresh good stuff, not that ice berg junk that you get at Wendy's. Â
My only real gripe about the meal--which was served quickly and with a side salad--was that the diet coke I ordered came in a glass that was short and more ice than it was drink. Â I felt like I'd take one sip, and then it was whisked away to be refilled. But at least it was quickly refilled.
I'll go again, soon. Â And though I like the burger, I'll probably try something else, just for kicks.
Armed with the Fodor's Utah Guide that I received as a birthday gift before moving here, my mother selected this spot for lunch during her time in town with me. Â The food was quite good, as the book promised. Â I had the Asian Salmon salad and found that its various ingredients, from the snow peas and crunchy wonton flakes to the peanut-plum dressing, were everything I wanted in my life at that moment.
The rest of my experience there was no so enjoyable. Â I asked for a pint of the cask-conditioned Nut Brown and our waitress requested my ID. Upon seeing that it was from another state, she said that she needed to go scan it and would be right back. Â We never saw her again.
About ten minutes later, a different server came over with my license, some water and the beer I had ordered (which I found to be very bland) and took our food order. Â When he came back with our food, he also gave us the check, thus absolving himself of any further responsibility for our table. Â We had to go to the bar to pay. Â In everyone's defense, we were there in the 3:00pm lull between lunch and dinner ... but isn't that when servers actually have time to be attentive? Â A disjointed and somewhat unfriendly dining experience.
I really like the ambiance, and they are always playing good music. Â The beer is excellent, in addition to being reasonably priced. Â Pitchers are half-price for University students (when you buy 2 I think), which has always been very nice. Â As for the beer, the Stout is the stand-out, but I have enjoyed almost everything I have had there except a nut-brown ale whose name escapes me. Â In a group, I generally get the Stout and the Hef and it's always a good time! Â
As for food, it can be a little "chick-ish" if you have big-eaters with you (my fiance groans at the prospect of Desert Edge, as he is 6'6" and eats accordingly), but I personally think the salads and the pork sandwich are more than adequate especially when you are drinking beer. Â They serve regular potato chips with the sandwiches, which is a let-down, but my friends and console ourselves with their very-yummy nachos that are enough for 4 or more people to share.
After writing this review, I'm craving it pretty bad, haha!
You only go to Desert Edge for their beer. In particular, their Hefeweizen is my personal favorite.
Great for students from the U as you can get 2 pitchers for the price of one. Make sure you show the servers your student ID card when they come to take your order for the first time. If you miss doing it then, they may refuse to offer you the discount. Learnt it the hard way and it turned out to be one expensive night! They must be having their reasons...
The food is passable. But after all the beer, would you really care? I usually end up having the enchiladas. Their servings of Nachos/Chips and Salsa tend to be quite big. Sometimes, you just don't realize it with all the beer around. And if and when you do, then you may not want to eat anything else for a while!
Service is not the friendliest. But somehow that doesn't bother me much over here. Probably got something to do with the beer...
Desert Edge has been around for many years. Â They make their own beers, and they always offer a selection of seasonal brews that are uniformly delicious. Â The atmosphere is casual and open. Â They do tend to segregate the restaurant for some reasons (drinking vs non-alco, kids vs no kids, etc). Â I don't get that aspect. Â In any case, I much prefer to sit in the back where the booths are--that area has a more intimate/private feel.
The service is pretty good, but it can feel erratic sometimes. Â They follow a co-op system where every server works every table. Â Your order, your drinks, and your food might be served by three different people. Â It always seems to work out. Â I will say that the servers' attitude always seems to be positive. Â
The menu has a mix of apps, burgers and sandwiches, and Mexican food. Â Generally, the food is good not great. Â It reminds me of a friend in college who cooked healthy food whenever she wasn't getting high. Â It has that kind of homey, healthy, hippy feel to it. Â My favorite is probably the French onion soup. Â The soups tend to be quite good. Â Their prices are very reasonable, so you won't feel like you overpaid for nachos you could make at home.
Overall I really like Desert Edge. Â The sum of the parts adds up to something greater with this place. Â It's also a great place to meet friends and grab something light with a few pitchers of beer.
Poopsie and I went on a Saturday evening. It was my choice due to my love affair with Brew Pubs. We weren't too impressed. First of all it does have the issue with weak beers. Not their fault, but it makes it hard for a beer to taste right. Food was unspectacular. I had a chef's salad which was pretty disappointing. It presented well but lacked substance. Just had one today at one of my local deli's and it far outshines the at Desert Edge for a lot less.
Service was kind of haphazard and weird. Once we learned that you don't really have an assigned waitperson, it works OK, just grab the closest one when you need something. It could be a problem to people who don't know and may be too put off to ask.
The place was a bit pricey for the quality and quantities. It was also somewhat messy.
The beer here is excellent! The food is pretty good, especially for lunch, which usually has a large crowd. The snacky food that you can order with beer is not so good. The people who come here are very varied--ranging from punks to college nerds to married couples. Whenever I've been there, there has been no live music--just the stuff piped in overhead.
Where this place really needs improvement is the service. You will only see your waiter two or three times during your visit. The waiter's are usually rushed and somewhat rude, but the main thing is: you just don't see them!
U of U Students: $5 pitchers! Need I say more?
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