Bar Nohm — Restaurant in Salt Lake City

TL;DR: Vibes- ☑️ Delicious food- ☑️ Awesome drinks- ☑️ Order everything, bring some friends.

LONG VERSION: Bar Nohm is best described as an izakaya-style bar, the cornerstone of Tokyo's communal dining and drinking culture. While the term 'Izakaya', which translates to 'Stay-Drink-Place', covers a wide range of places, they're basically where everyone heads after work till late at night, and they always serve food. What sets Bar Nohm apart, is how they honor this tradition while also putting their own spin on it with an ever-evolving menu of inventive dishes, a contemporary cocktail list, and an elevated atmosphere.

STAFF: No surprise given the bona fides of the minds behind it, Nohm managed to attract some of the finest talent in SLC. Clif, the GM, leads an ensemble cast of food and beverage virtuosos. You're in good hands.

DRINKS: The beverage selection hits the mark spot-on. Under the curation of bar manager Fred, the cocktail list is both concise and balanced. Classics are executed with flair and precision, and original cocktails on offer vary from inventive and off-beat to familiar and comforting. Not in the mood for fancy dranks? Stick with their perfect highballs and Sapporo pours, which, let's be honest, are what God wants you to drink at an izakaya anyway.

FOOD: Chef David is one of a handful of local chefs who are truly doing something exciting and different. His attention to detail is apparent in every dish, and his background in cooking all over the world informs a menu that features an unexpected breadth of influences and flavors. My personal highlight reel so far: house oysters, buckwheat dumpling, kimchi rice, duck wrap, and duh, yakitori. But my favorite thing about Nohm? It can be anything you need it to be. Got a resy somewhere else for dinner? Stop by Nohm for warm-up bites and bevs. Want to do a full meal? Pre-game next door at Water Witch or around the corner at The Pearl, then spend two blessedly gluttonous hours eating the entire menu at Nohm. Already had dinner elsewhere? Stop by Nohm for a nightcap. Scoop give you one too many weird cocktails at the Witch and now you're feeling a lil drunchy? Steady the ship by wheeling over to Nohm for some late night sustenance.

VIBE: A thoughful overhaul of the former Meditrina space has resulted in a great flow and a welcoming, warm energy. The art is quirky and charming. Amazingly, Nohm effortlessly bridges the gap between a cozy date spot and a laid-back hangout. Come here with close friends, work friends, out-of-town friends, and food nerd friends. Hell, bring your mom. She'll love the crispy chicken.

VERDICT: Nohm has confidently earned a spot on my must-visit list in SLC. Check it out, then add...

Updated 7/12: already made a second visit to Nohm this friends. Amongst our group we had at least one order of everything on the menu and yet again had a great experience. Additional photos added.

Wow. Where do I even begin. I wandered in on a Sunday evening, on a whim. I had no knowledge of this place prior to picking it out on a map based on where it was located relative to me. If I had to summarize it in one sentence - Utah does not deserve a place like Bar Nohm.

From the moment we walked in, the vibe immediately pulled me in. The music playlist complemented the setting perfectly, a mix of lofi hip hop and old school rap. We were welcomed in by extremely friendly staff who also matched the environment.

I didn’t realize Nohm was Korean themed until I was here and having lived in Korea for some time I was intrigued to try it all out. We essentially ordered one of everything off of the food menu and every single dish was excellent and well thought out. Favorites included the Szechuan noodles (yes, I’m aware this is not necessarily Korean) which were mixed with a bit of skirt steak, the wings which were in a gochujang based sauce, the Japanese snapper and the pork belly which was in some sort of tempura batter. Every single bite was savored.

The drinks were also extremely well made and the cocktail menu, itself, was so fun to look through as they had a sketch of what each drink looked like - an added touch I absolutely love to see in bars - as well as a funny phrase within the descriptions.

One qualm I consistently have with home grown Utah food establishments is that they have a tendency to try too hard. The decor is overdone, every dish is covered in unnecessary sprouts that add no value to them and they overall just give me the feel of trying to do too much. Bar Nohm is a rare exception to that rule and it was so refreshing. It’s not just food, it’s a whole experience. I have no problem saying I’ve found a new favorite and I cannot wait to come back...

My wife and I love dining out in Salt Lake City, and over the years, the restaurant scene has really blossomed. Whenever friends ask us for our favorite spot, we both immediately say, "Bar Nohm." Bar Nohm is the epitome of hip dining, offering delicious, explorative cocktails alongside incredible cuisine. A huge bonus for us is that my partner has celiac disease, and Bar Nohm is almost entirely gluten-free without even advertising it. That's a flex!

The menu at Bar Nohm is full of standout dishes. The spicy curry dip and soft shell crab are absolutely incredible. The wagyu beef from their separate grill menu is another must-try—smoky, tender, campfire-forward, yet juicy and tender. The kimchi rice is also amazing. The panisse (chickpea fries) and the sauce you dip it in are a recurring daydream of mine.

When it comes to cocktails, you can’t go wrong with the Liquid Marble, and my partner swears by the Perilla Sky. You can tell the staff is invested in the cocktails and food by the way they talk about it.

The waitstaff, with the exception of one waiter we’ve had (hence the 4/5 stars for that), are witty, friendly, and knowledgeable. Kudos to the chef for what appears to be stellar leadership as you can tell the staff is really invested in the food and drinks (they even help create the different cocktails!) That’s good leadership. No wonder it’s been nominated for the James Beard award. It has my vote. Well done David Chon!

Bar Nohm, please bring back the gluten-free crispy chicken. It’s cruel to introduce such a incredibly delicious dish only to take it away from those of us with gluten allergies. I’m mad at you for being so good. Also, menus can be hard to find so either go full QR...