Located in Cottonwood Heights just down from the historic Old Mill on Big Cottonwood Canyon Road is The Hog Wallow Pub, a smokehouse-style establishment and one of the local places to hear live music.

“We are eclectic, our clientele and regulars come from all over. It becomes a very personal experience and bands like to play here because they like the connection they have with the audience,” said owner Scott Baker. “The small venue allows for a very intimate experience with local talent.” 

“People and bands contact us, and we get so many submissions. The music jam could be rock, funk, blue grass, country, reggae or even heavy metal,” Baker said.

The Hog Wallow was originally established in 1947 as a watering hole and was named the Branding Iron. It has gone through several iterations and names until it was purchased by Keith Biesinger who in 1996 named it The Hog Wallow Pub.

Baker said, “It was a bunk house for the mill and then a hot dog stand and then a bar and then lots of bars. It was DJ’s beer garden then closed for a year.”

The Hog Wallow is nestled in a residential neighborhood and Baker added, “Some neighbors love us and some don’t like us.

“We have two different personalities, summer and winter. Summer is busy due to the patio and in the winter we get the après ski crowd.”

The November schedule is already lined up with some popular acts like Triggers and Slips, Dark Chikin, River Spell, Stonefed, Superbubble, Jon O Radio, Acoustic Country Ramble and many more.

The Pour will be playing on Saturday, Nov. 18. “They like to play here. We never sellout but it depends on the time of year like ski season. It is more bar time during the winter and everyone is inside with lots of high energy,” Baker said. 

“The clientele has been described as so local with the canyon folks, neighborhood and people ages from 21 to 70 and up and still going strong,” Baker said and added, “We want to be diverse.” 

In October, The Hog Wallow featured talents like, Three on the Tree, Meander Cat, Jon O Radio, Dylan Roe and a Monster Bash with the Pickpockets and on Halloween the Disco Chickens.

For aspiring musicians who are not in a band there is open jam night every Monday and free pool every Tuesday.

A variety of food is on the menu and some of the more popular items are the pulled pork sandwich, the Cuban, the macho nachos and the burgers.

There are many beverages available from beers on tap to bottle. There are spirits, wines and even some fun shots like the Horny Hog.

The Hog Wallow Pub is open from 2 p.m.-1 a.m. Monday and Tuesdays and all other days from noon until 1 a.m. with live music five nights a week. λ