The Copper Onion

Great, great food. I love the steaks and the chicken dishes. It has a hippster downtown feeling to it. The service was fantastic. I will be coming back here to years to come

I still don’t get it… I decided to try it yet again, but the food is nothing to write home about. The service is a little short (and in my opinion rushed), and the place itself is crowded and noisy.
The carbonara missed completely, the meatloaf had good flavor, but was heavy and not up to my standards… Heck, they didn’t even bring us bread… I really wanted it to be good… It just missed, again.
Sorry, but when you stack this place up against a few of the other top rated restaurants in SLC, it just doesn’t make my top ten list. Heck, it wouldn’t even make my top twenty five list…
Food 2 stars
Service 2 stars
Atmosphere 2 stars

I’ve been here for dinner and brunch, both were excellent. The only downside is that they have so few tables (although in the summer, the outdoor patio probably doubles their capacity). Hint: If the wait is long, grab a drink next door at Copper Commons.
For brunch, the meatloaf skillet is excellent. For dinner, the stroganoff was delish!

This review is for the Copper Onion Sunday brunch. Wow! Too Much! Far Out! Far In! It was fantastique!
After finding about 5 other places near our place booked and unable to seat us, (we’re new to SLC & had no idea how popular brunch is), we lucked into a two top at the CO. Service was fun, informative, and warm and we perused the extensive menu with week-​end smiles. Somehow, no matter how many items are on the menu, my wife and I choose the same item and invariably, I capitulate and take my second choice. Not this time! We both picked, and get this, the biscuit covered with barbecue brisket, fried eggs, hash browns, and sauce. Line up those ambulances and call the Cholesterol Hot Line!
My arteries may have suffered, but my taste buds rejoiced! It was unbelievable. Both of us left nothing on our plates. We joined the clean plate club. It took about ten minutes to stand, and another ten as we waddled out of there. However, we left the Copper Onion happy, satisfied and choosing between a nap and a long walk. The nap won.

Don’t come alone. If you’re by yourself they put you at a bar facing a wall like you were being punished at elementary school. Haven’t eaten yet. Still deciding if I want to stay.

Came for dinner on a Sunday eve and the place was packed but luckily we were able to get a seat about 15min after arriving at the counter. Reservations are available and the restaurant isn’t that large, so I’d highly recommend making them. They have a large drink menu offering specialty cocktails, beer and wine. We decided to try the risotta dumplings as a starter which were good. The dish provided the cheese aspect we were hoping for, not too heavy, doughy and warm with a slightly sweet lemon sauce. comes with 4 dumplings so a pretty small appetizer so you may need to order extra if you have a large party. I opted for the Wagyu Beef Stroganoff, their most popular dish and my friend had the lamb riblets. We also ordered a side of the beets ($ 5 for one side). The waguy beef was very tender and well-​seasoned. The noodles initially were a little undercooked but as they sat a bit longer, they were the right consistency. The dish also includes mushrooms, which I LOVE, but they were WAY too salty for my taste. Overall though, the dish was very good and I’d definitely recommend it if you’re interested in pasta. The riblets were good. My friend noted they were just slightly gamey, which isn’t his preference. It was pretty minimal so overall it was good but the lamb was also a bit overdone for his personal liking. The beets were fine but comparatively to several other beet dishes/​salads I’ve had, this was very basic. Since it was my friend’s b-​day we opted to try the special carrot cake dessert and the maple spice homemade icecream. The carrot cake was exceptional! Innovative and delicious, still resembling traditional carrot cake but definitely modernized. It almost looks like a muffin but the outside has a slight crisp but the inside is nice and warm and moist. I was most impressed with the frosting which represents cream cheese but is not nearly as heavy or dense, definitely much more smooth and sophisticated but still providing that texture and flavor you want in frosting with carrot cake. The icecream was also very good. This restaurant is located next to a theater so I believe there might be a parking structure but we just parked on the street, which was easy to find. Pricing is very standard to most farm-​to-​table restaurants. Overall, nice ambiance, very rustic and simple with some nice food offerings.

«Ok guys, your secret ingredient for today is.
SALT»
Nothing but salt was all we tasted in our food. So much so that it definitely overshadowed how tasty the dishes were.
We ordered:
–Copper Kitchen Polenta to share 4.0 Stars
–Pasta carbonara 2.5 stars
–Ballard Farm Griddled Pork Chop 3.5 stars
The polenta came first and boy was it amazing. Although, I can understand why it’s a dish made «to share». The polenta was very rich and creamy, but the mushroom fricassee helped cut the richness. The mushrooms were so meaty and quite delicious. The mushroom rous also helped and went very well with the whole dish. The last couple of bites were tough for us though since we had run out of mushrooms and it was just the polenta by itself.
The Pasta carbonara, lover has had before and he loved it. This time however, I got a completely different reaction. The first initial bite/​reaction was YUM… and then I realized, this pasta is under cooked. Hmm. maybe it’s just al dente. Wait… this pasta is REALLY under cooked, I can see the white of the un-​cooked pasta. *sigh. whatever, I don’t want to complain so I kept eating. A couple of more bites later, trying to enjoy the dish, I find the dish getting saltier and saltier. Aaaa! By then, lover and I just kept trying to plow through. It was a smaller dish to begin with so we shut up and kept shoving. 2.5 stars FOR YOU!
The Ballad Farm griddled pork chop with fried polenta was YUMMY! A very good sized pork chop cooked perfectly. Not a dry spot on the meat. We think they brined the entire thing and thats why it was so juicey and tastey. Although after awhile. guess what? SALT. SALTY salt salt. After awhile we ran out of non-​salty things on the dish to counter balance the salt laced dishes, so we were forced to face the salty items left on our plates. A 4 star dish became a 3.5.
Lover didn’t remember this place over salting their dishes this much, but maybe they were a little heavy handed today with the SALT. Boo, I really do like this place too. I MIGHT be back… maybe.
Semi-​Bueno

PLEASE JUST LET ME EAT HERE EVERY DAMN DAY. The chefs here are amazing. I haven’t had a bad meal yet. It’s probably my top 3 places to eat in SLC. This place is great for business dinners, romantic dates, special occasions, or a group of friends. We went for Valentine’s Day and still found parking right on the street.
They also use antibiotic and hormone-​free meat such as Wagyu Snake River Farms Beef, Mary’s Chicken, & Creminelli Charcuterie.
My two favorite entrees:
–wagyu beef stroganoff
–cast iron mary’s chicken kale salad, anchovy croûton, currants, pine nuts, roasted carrots — You won’t find a chicken this good any where else. I usually don’t order chicken out because it’s often too dry, but this is marinated for hours on end and served in the most perfect, majestic way.

I came here for dinner and had to wait 45 min for a table. I tried calling their number multiple times to make a reservation but no one would pick up. Despite that the food was actually quite good. The pork belly appetizer was crisp and delicious. For my entrée, I chose the wagyu beef stromboli and it was very rich and creamy. The portion wasn’t too big but it was still very very good. Overall solid food.

I love places like this! Creative menu, clean, feels very organic. They make their bread and sauces and pretty much everything «in house», which I love.
We started with the Shishito peppers. So yummy! Just the right starter size for 2 people.
My husband had the burger and he thought it was really good. It tasted a little too gamey for me but I think that’s because my husband ordered it under cooked. I wouldn’t ever order the burger having tasted it now but a lot of people recommend it, so try it for yourself to decide.
I had the Shepard’s Hill Goat Cheese Salad. SO DELICIOUS. It was creatively put together and tasted amazing. It was just right in every aspect. Light but lots of flavor and as creamy as you wanted it, since you cut the cheese yourself. Oops, I don’t mean to imply that I «cut the cheese» but I did, literally.
Over all I loved the atmosphere, the bread was Really really good and made in house. I asked if I could buy a loaf but I couldn’t :(.
The hostesses weren’t super nice but we were seated right away. The waitress was kind and helpful, wish I could remember her name.

First time eating here tonight. We came based on the reviews and were very impressed. We got here super early and when we walked in we were greeted somewhat coldly by the staff, informing us that they weren’t open yet and that we would be seated at the bar because it was reservation seating only tonight because of Valentines Day. It seemed she was trying to make it sound the least bit appealing to try and get seated there tonight but we were still interested in eating there despite her cold welcome.
We came back 20 minutes before opening to get our name on the list and were again greeted coldly and informed we would only be able to eat at the bar. She took our name and we were promptly seated at 5:00pm when it opened.
Our waiter, Justin was VERY FRIENDLY and attentive and he took our order and got our food out to us in a timely manner. We were seated at the bar right in front of the cooks and were able to watch them busily cooking and concocting. It was fascinating! We got the Lemon Ricotta Dumplings and the reviews were correct — they were FANTASTIC!
I was deliberating between the Stroganoff and the Chefs Special — Lobster Pasta and decided that the stroganoff would always be there so I better try the pasta! I watched the chef make that stroganoff again and again and it looked SO GOOD! But when my Lobster Pasta came out and I tasted it, WOW! I am so glad I ordered the Pasta! I can’t wait to come back and try the stroganoff.
Hubby got the Copper Onion Burger — cooked medium — with fries and it, too, was very good! The bun got a little soggy over time but it still was fantastic!
We can’t wait to come back! I would give the food a solid 5 stars, but considering how we were greeted when we arrived, that’s why I’m giving 4 stars. Get those front end greeters better trained, Copper Onion! If I hadn’t read the reviews about the food, their cold welcome could have very well sent us someplace else!

It’s been a few years since I’ve been in PC, so when my buddy drove me to the SLC airport after a week of awesome skiing, I made sure we stopped at the Copper Onion for a culinary mind-​blowing experience!
I had the nightly special, Wagyu Beef steak (w/​roasted potatoes, tomatoes and an amazing arugula salad) and he had the Duck. Both were outstanding!!!
Service is top notch and the atmosphere is great… Be sure you make a reservation.
Can’t wait to get back!!!

We were in town for the Sundance Film Festival and snowboarding. Food was just okay (overhyped) and service was slow.
Ordered:
— Pork belly appetizer (⁴⁄₅): Three fatty chunks of braised then fried pork belly. Hard to go wrong with pork belly.
— Steak tartare (³⁄₅): While nothing was wrong with this, the tartare lacked flavoring and needed to be packed with more yummy goodness.
— Wagyu beef stroganoff (⁴⁄₅): More of a 3.5 — again nothing wrong with it but nothing to be excited about. The pasta was a bit firmer than expected and would have preferred it to be a slightly stronger seasoning.
— Egyptian cocktail (⁵⁄₅): Light but delicious cocktail. After dinner we went next door to Copper Commons and enjoyed libations there, though we preferred Whiskey Street for drinks overall
Reservations were a pain and why it’s docked a star; when we wanted to change our time from 7.15 pm to 8.30 we were told the earliest they had was 9.30. No problem but we swung by at 8.30 anyways in case they had an opening; if not we would have cocktails next door. We were told that we shouldn’t go next door for drinks since our table would be ready in 5 – 10 minutes, and that we could get a drink inside the restaurant. When we tried to order drinks at the restaurant, we were told that the bartender was too busy taking care of those with tables already. Over 20 minutes later (more than enough time for a drink) our table was finally ready. When we left the restaurant was totally empty — not sure why we were told there were no tables until 9.30 when there was availability definitely before then.
With so many other good restaurants in SLC, this is a skip for us next time we’re in town.

A SOLID 3.5 STARS.
We came here for brunch. It wasn’t full but it was busy. The hostess told us that the only seats available were at the bar even though we see 3 – 4 4 tops that were vacant.
Whatever, that’s fine because I don’t mind watching the cooks do their thing.
The place is clean and the tables aren’t packed too close to each other.
Service is pretty good. Hostess was nice, server was good and manager was engaging. We ordered the huevos rancheros and Turkish eggs. Both were great!
BTW, the cooks were really clean. I could see them clearly using safe food handling practices multiple times.
Would I rather come here or Penny Ann’s? Penny Ann’s, any day!
I think at Penny Ann’s you get better value and better, more genuine service… but, that’s just me, I could be wrong.

Tip — I’d define fly try to make reservations as this place does get busy for dinner (even during a normal week night). Fortunately, they had bars seatings the 2 days I went.
My first visit I had the Wagyu beef stroganoff. It was very flavorful and meat was melt in your mouth. It had mushrooms in the cream like sauce too. The portion size was good, as well.
My second visit I had the pork chop with a sunny side up egg on top. It was paired with 2 fried polenta cakes a top of a salsa roja kind of sauce. The flavors were amazing and the pork chop was juicy!
I’d definitely recommend these dishes and order them again.

The Copper Onion is a great place downtown. It’s a nice European styled-​restaurant that is very casual. I mean, some of the flourishes are somewhat European but they sell a burger there that is delicious. Parking is parking for downtown. Sometimes it can be a 30 minute wait, sometimes you’re able to get in on the spot.
So away from the basics, the burger is delicious. The best part is probably the bun, it’s unique and maybe baked in house? I dunno, but it’s delicious. Very juicy and flavorful.
The beef stroganoff is also a choice that can’t go wrong. Well prepared beef over delicious hearty noodles.

«Too Long; Didn’t Read: Copper Onion Edition» below.
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The Copper Onion is a great addition to a date night before/​after seeing a film next door at Broadway. In fact, that’s been the only time I’ve ever visited. I recently made the executive decision to add The Copper Onion into my date agenda after deciding we were going to see a (science fiction) double feature at Broadway. It’ll start the night off right with a filling and scrumptious bang.
I made a reservation ahead of time, though I thought it unnecessary as we were going out on a Thursday… but once arriving, I deemed it very necessary. As I was waiting for my date to arrive, I heard the hostesses telling walk-​in patrons that their wait would be around 45 minutes. Yes. On a Thursday. Suggestion? Always make a reservation for the Copper Onion. It’s easy to do — I did it online, and it took me no more than a minute or two.
Once seated, we poured over the drink menu. I was in the mood for a spicy little number, so I went with the Triple Threat — AKA what they called me in high school. As soon as we ordered, our server dashed away with the drink menu… which I thought to be slightly weird, as it’s quite often that the drink menu is left on the table… and plus I wanted to peruse it some more. So I asked for it back. But soon after ordering my second drink (a boring ol’ beer) he swiped it away again. I mean, whatever. Maybe he figured us light weights. Maybe he figured other tables needed the added kick more. Maybe he assumed that we were such a fun couple that the drinks were unnecessary. Obnoxious. But whatever. The drinks are pricey, but I was in the mood to have a few… and probably would have done so had we been able to hold onto a menu.
As a starter, we went for the 3 for $ 13 deal of steak fries, Brussels Sprouts and Shishito peppers. All three of which were delectable. My man-​date made the comment that the fries were delicious as a stand alone item, as in… they didn’t need to be dipped in anything. I full heartedly-​agreed — this coming from a crazy ketchup lover. The peppers were spicy and extremely tasty, and we both decided that the Brussels Sprouts were some of the best we’ve had… ever. I’d come back just to eat these items endlessly.
Entrée wise, I needed to try the tempting Vegetable Cassoulet, whereas my companion went with the Steak [classssic meat-​eater move! :3]. I thoroughly enjoyed my dish. I staunchly believe it was overpriced for everything it contained, but it was amazingly delicious. [It tasted like there was some added balsamic to the bean concoction — an instant A+ in my book]. With how quickly his steak went, it seemed to also contain at least a hint of savory tastiness… though I did have to help with some of the additional fry clean-​up on his plate… not that I’m complaining.
For how small and intimate The Copper Onion is, you’d be surprised by how extremely loud it gets. Prepare accordingly. Put grandpa towards the middle, and all loud humans to the outside — they can hold their ground. We were placed in a corner by the window, so we had a little less yelling-​room to work with, but overall, it is a loud little joint.
I won’t lie to you, friends. The Copper Onion IS pricey. But as a special night out it’s perfect. I’m all about the local scene, so being able to hit up a yummy locally owned restaurant, then going next door to a locally funded cinema makes for a perfect Thursday night.
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TL;DR:
You’ve heard about the Copper Onion. You’ve heard it’s delicious, but you’ve also heard it’s pricey. All things are true. But if you go in knowing it, what’s the issue? Though I believe stopping at The Copper Onion before every Broadway film would be ridiculous, I see it as a great 6-​mo or annual venture. If you attempt to get more than one alcoholic drink in a sitting — good luck, the drink menu will be there and then brisked away. Try some of the 3 for $ 13 starters, it may be the best decision you make all night. With so many selections of great entrees, you’re bound to find something you like. The Copper Onion is loud, but intimate, and every table has a mini candle to warm your hands from outside winter-​y hell. While here, don’t be stingy. Enjoy yourself, eat well, and worry about paying those pesky gambling loan sharks back at a later date.

Highlights
— Rubbery noodles in a daily special (duck stroganoff)
— Unnecessarily crispy «potato crisps»
— Cute décor
— Few restrooms
After being abandoned by our Salt Lake City guide, we came across this place after a few searches. It looked promising enough with its cozy décor and convenient location next to a theater of sorts. The place had a list of daily specials, so it seemed like a reasonable place to start. Let’s break it down then:
Soup du jour (soup of the day): Some kind of mess of curry. I think we would have been better off at an Indian restaurant and ordering a curry on the side and drinking it. Not sure what flavors they were going for but it was all over the place. Maybe it was curry soup, maybe we should have asked.
Potato crisps: These were the sides of someone else’s dish. The «potato» part was pretty misleading since there was hardly any of the poor tuber in there after they left in the deep fryer for so long.
Duck stroganoff: The biggest offense of the day. Weighing in at a whopping $ 16 was a plate full of rubber (being passed off as noodles) sprinkled with duck and sour cream. I have never eaten noodles so poorly cooked. I would say they ruined the dish, but since the overwhelming majority of what came out were noodles, they WERE the dish. Ended up picking out all of the duck and leaving the rest behind. Not much food here and I regret not sending this one back.
Definitely not a recommend and not planning on returning anytime soon.

We came as a party of 3 for a friends birthday dinner. Knowing it gets very busy we came anyways without a reservation around 6. we got seated rather quickly and they had no issues with me bringing in balloons for the birthday girl. our server was Tony and he was very knowledgeable with the menu and was quick to give us suggestions.
For an appetizer we got the Daily Charcuterie Board (14.00) and he even let us substitute one of the meats with a cheese so we had variety. I love charcuterie apps because they are so much fun to share as a table. this was delicious.
I ordered the Lamb Riblets.(22.00) This came with potato and cauliflower salad, caper, red onion, anchovy dressing. The side salad was amazing and had so much flavor. i wish they had given me less lamb and more of this salad evening. It was that good! The lamb got to be a bit too salty half way thru my meal and I ended up just picking at it.
My friend Michelle ordered Duck a l’Orange. (25.00)*braised kohlrabi, glazed confit& breast, burnt orange. I had a taste of her dish and it was very tender and succulent. I wish i had ordered her dish instead.
The birthday girl got Wagyu Beef Stroganoff. (20.00) snakeriver
farms beef, house pappardelle, crème fraiche, chive, mushroom. I thought her dish was overly salted as well. the mushrooms eaten alone were too salty to my liking. she thought so too and pushed them aside.
The ambience here is great and dimly lit. a fun place for group dinners, after work drinks or a date. I definitely will be coming back.

I’ve been here three times and the dishes have been just a tad bit too salty for my tastes.
I highly recommend the bone marrow!
Beef stroganoff is so hearty, and a fantastic comfort food.
The pork chop is delightful with the over easy egg on top.
The lamb chop is so tender and well seasoned.