This article is excerpted from the Utah Eats newsletter, written by Kolbie Peterson, The Salt Lake Tribune’s food and drink reporter. To get the full newsletter in your inbox every Wednesday, become a subscriber by going to sltrib.com/newsletters.

Hello, Eaters!

Christmastime is here, and that means Christmas pop-up bars are here, too.

I visited two Christmas-themed bars in downtown Salt Lake City last weekend, and here I will compare them unscientifically, down to food, drink and vibe.

On Friday, my dining companion and I started our night at A Christmas Parlor at Flanker Kitchen & Sporting Club in The Gateway, and ended at Seasons Drinking at The Ruin, on Main Street. Both pop-ups are in their third year.

At A Christmas Parlor — which you access through a light tunnel off the main bar that leads to a hidden door — the vibe is all about Christmas at its most overstimulating, and it’s fun in small doses. From the Christmas music in the background to the detailed decor, to the Christmas movie clips playing on large screens up on the wall, Christmas is everywhere you look in A Christmas Parlor.

For a drink, I ordered the Flanker’s Egg Snow ($18), made mainly with Maker’s Mark and eggnog, and it tasted like classic spiked eggnog. I also tried The Nut Cracker ($17), which included peanut-butter-flavored Skrewball whiskey and chocolate bitters, and I found it to be rich and creamy.

A Christmas Parlor fell down when it came to the food, though. We ordered the Little Nero’s Pizza ($18) and the Jumbo Holiday Wings ($24), and I thought both items were too pricey for what we got. The pizza, which of course is a cheese pizza, was more of a small flatbread, and it had a strange aftertaste that I think came from the use of garlic oil. And $24 is way too much for six wings that weren’t jumbo at all, even if the spicy and sweet glaze on them was good.

We then moved on to Seasons Drinking at The Ruin, at 59 S. Main St. — you can read more about this pop-up in my story — and the vibe couldn’t have been more different.

The Ruin was decked out — with walls covered in Christmas lights, wreaths and hundreds of bows, plus Christmas trees hanging upside down from the ceiling, and a 12-foot-tall skeleton greeting patrons near the door — but comparatively, it wasn’t over-the-top or kitschy. Instead, the vibe was really cozy and sleek, with low lighting and a welcome lack of Christmas music.

Every seat was full, though; we only just snagged a table as a group was leaving. At A Christmas Parlor, you need a reservation to get in, so you’re guaranteed a seat.

The drinks were delicious and really high quality. I ordered a tiki drink called the Le-Grog James ($18), made with overproof rum, citrus, sarsaparilla and vanilla-infused Angostura bitters, then garnished with mint and an orchid. The bartenders put on a show when they lit it on fire, the sparks flying toward the ceiling.

To munch on, we ordered the potato and queso croquetas ($10 for three), and they were so good. Made with mashed potatoes and creamy cheese, then fried, these decadent croquetas were perfect, drizzled in a tangy sherry aioli.

I’d say picking between these two pop-ups comes down to the experience you want to have. If you want to feel like you’re in Christmas Disneyland, go to A Christmas Parlor. If you’re wanting something more toned down, head to Seasons Drinking. Both will get you in the holiday spirit.

Live deliciously,

Kolbie

P.S. There’s a third Christmas pop-up bar happening downtown right now: Miracle on First, at Ivy and Varley, at 55 W. 100 South. It’s been going on worldwide for 10 years.

Food News

Openings:

• Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen is now open in City Creek Center, at 50 S. Main St. in downtown Salt Lake City, according to a customer service representative at the shopping center.

• On Saturday, fast-casual pizza restaurant Slice House by Tony Gemignani was scheduled to hold a grand opening celebration for its new location in Foothill Village at 1332 Foothill Drive, Salt Lake City. The day’s events, which start at 11 a.m., will include an appearance from Gemignani and the chance for the first 50 paying customers to enter a raffle to win free pizza for a year, a news release said.

• Specialty soda chain Fiiz Drinks is scheduled to hold a grand opening on Saturday for its new location in Cedar Hills, at 10066 N. 4700 West, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., according to a news release. Attendees will get a free 16-ounce or 24-ounce drink, the release said.

Closings:

• Utah County-based food truck Burger Pioneers has closed due to health reasons, according to a Facebook post. “We want to thank everyone that has supported our business for the past two years,” the post said. Burger Pioneers was known for its burgers made with organic grass-fed beef that it served out of a food truck resembling a covered wagon.

Booze (and Drink!) News

• Through Feb. 28, shoppers at Utah’s state-run liquor stores will now find donation boxes, each supporting a different local charity, a news release said. With the donation of coats, canned goods, pet food and more, customers can help organizations (see a full list at ABS.utah.gov) that support people and animals across the state.

• Last week, Spencer’s for Steaks & Chops (in the Hilton Salt Lake City Center at 255 S. West Temple) launched a new cocktail series called “Let It Snow!”, a news release said. The four new drinks are the Mistletoe (a holiday margarita with cinnamon and cranberry), Cookies for Santa (a martini blend with Christmas cookie flavor), Fireside Stories (a mule made with High West Campfire Whiskey) and Lump of Coal (made with Fireball whiskey and cinnamon). Spencer’s also just welcomed a new executive chef, Jared Maish, who has been a part of the restaurant’s back-of-house team for 2½ years, the release said.