Boneyard proves to be enticing dining hangout during Sundance Film Festival
The Mac 'N Cheese Skillet at the Boneyard Saloon and Grill in Park City.
The 6-piece Colossal Yardbird Wings with celery and carrot sticks at the Boneyard Saloon and Grill in Park City.
The Creamy Tomato Basil Soup with half a grilled cheese sandwich at the Boneyard Saloon and Grill in Park City.
The Beer-Battered Onion Rings at the Boneyard Saloon and Grill in Park City.
During the Sundance Film Festival, I’m always on the lookout for new places to eat in Park City, and was very pleased to have serendipitously visited the Boneyard Saloon and Grill this year.
As my scheduling fate would have it, most of the films I had tickets for were either showing at the main Eccles Theatre or The Ray. For those unfamiliar with the festival venue layout, those two theaters are maybe about a half-mile apart from each other on Kearns Boulevard. Obviously there’s shuttles between the theaters, but sometimes, depending on timing, it’s just as easy to walk it and have some quiet time to yourself away from the bustle of the buses.
During one of those walks, I noticed the Boneyard Saloon and Grill, and determined to make it my dining destination between Saturday afternoon movies. The place was really hopping, and you can tell that this is a popular destination, especially among the sports-watching crowd as there were TVs showing games all throughout the dining room.
Backing up just a little, there are actually two main dining rooms. One offshoot to the right as you enter, is called the Wine Dive, where, you guessed it, there are a bevy of wines and spirits offered along with a lighter menu of smaller-bite dishes, pizzas and charcuterie. The main dining room is off to your left. You can pretty much order anything you want from either location, so you should be fine no matter which way you turn.
Few things are more delightful on a wintry day than a bowl of Creamy Tomato Basil Soup, and I immediately ordered that as an appetizer. It came with half of a grilled cheese sandwich for dipping. I have kind of made it my mission to order tomato basil soup wherever I go, and I would rate this one well above average. It hit the spot perfectly.
To round things out, I opted for the Colossal Yardbird Wings — which come in orders of six and 10 pieces. The wings were indeed large, and extremely delicious, especially when dipped in the accompanying house blue cheese dressing.
Things went so swimmingly on Saturday, I also made Boneyard my dining destination on Sunday as well. This was the day former Lakers star Kobe Bryant, his daughter and others were killed in a helicopter crash. I had heard the news on the radio during my drive up Parley’s Canyon, and it was obviously a big topic of conversation on most of the televisions in the restaurant. It’s one of those “where were you when” moments, and I’ll always remember where I was sitting in the restaurant as I watched the news unfold.
This day, I ordered the Beer-Battered Onion Rings as an appetizer and was not disappointed. The rings were light and fluffy, and not lacking for heft. The accompanying fry-style sauce proved the perfect dipping complement.
I branched out a bit with my entree, opting for the Mac ‘N Cheese Skillet. It just looked so intriguing, I had to give it a try. The skillet came with macaroni, white and smoked cheddar cheese, chipotle, charred bread crumbs, Fresno chili and green onion. It was a little more liquidy than I would have expected, and it had a good amount of spicy bite when you got some of the chili. A delicious meal I was glad to have ordered.
There were all kinds of hamburgers, salads and specialty menu items available, but a man can only each so much in two visits. But I would definitely recommend Boneyard for an evening out in Park City, and would look forward to another visit at future festivals.
BONEYARD SALOON AND GRILL
Where: 1251 Kearns Blvd., Park City
Hours: 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily
Info: (435) 649-0911, boneyardsaloon.com