Jackson Hole Nightlife
Active Nightlife For Jackson Hole Real Estate Owners
A century ago, Jackson Hole nightlife revolved around the Clubhouse. Built in 1896 on Center Street, the Clubhouse was the place to gather for dances, a game of cards and gossip. Folks from as far north as Moran and as far south as Hoback used to travel by horse and wagon or sleigh for a night of socializing.
While Jackson Hole's Clubhouse days were full of wild times and revelry, the citizenry of the entire Jackson Hole valley numbered in the dozens at that time. Today, with a population that can swell to 50,000 during the summer, and with several million visitors passing through each year, Teton County requires a wider array of options.
Whether a hard day on the slopes calls for a mellow night or you are determined to brush up on your western swing amidst a sea of cowboys, Jackson Hole has something to fit the bill: fine dining, eateries with live entertainment, watering holes full of character and characters, and clubs brimming with hot music and boogying dancers.
On Teton Village Road (Wyoming Highway 390), Calico Italian Restaurant has a large outdoor deck, the perfect place to enjoy a cocktail and a meal on a summer evening. A bit further down the Village Road is Teton Pines. The country club atmosphere is relaxed enough that khakis satisfy the dress code patrons of the bar or dining room, and many locals and Jackson Hole real estate owners drop by especially for the live music to be found there. Guitarist Judd Grossman, pianist Keith Phillips and the Westside Jazz Trio are a few of the performers who have played regularly at the Pines over the years.
Bridging the gap between bar and restaurant is the Mangy Moose. Long a familiar façade in Teton Village, the Moose has both a full-service restaurant and a bar. Dine on a buffalo burger or fresh salmon, then head across the hall to hear favorite local acts or well-known bands such as Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Blues Traveler, Maceo Parker, Fishbone, Stanley Jordan, Arlo Guthrie, and G. Love and Special Sauce.
The Snake River Brewing Company offers pints of its award-winning beers (brewed on premises), gourmet pizzas and calzones, pastas and sandwiches in an energetic, smoke-free environment. Snake River’s three trademark beers are its Zonker Stout, Snake River Lager and Snake River Pale Ale, but the pub has over 20 brews in its repertoire, usually with seven or eight on tap. Informal tours of the brewing facility are offered Monday through Friday at 3:00 p.m.
Another venue of Jackson Hole nightlife reeling with local color is the Virginian Saloon on West Broadway, decked out with rustic western memorabilia. Settle down with a cocktail next to the fireplace, or turn it up with live music, pool tables, a game room, and the largest barroom big screen TV in Jackson. The clear winner for a billiards-and-beers experience, however, is the Rancher Spirits and Billiards on the south side of the Town Square, home to eight full-size, pay-by-the-hour tables and two coin-operated tables. The Log Cabin Saloon on North Cache, across from the Jackson Hole and Greater Yellowstone Visitor’s Center, is a favorite among Jackson Hole's young people, with two floors of pool and foosball tables.
Sidewinders Tavern not only serves up the meanest sandwiches in town, it also often features comedy on its menu. Psycho cowboy crooner Kip Attaway got his start in the entertainment business doing what he calls “serious country music,” but these days he prefers making people laugh. During holiday weekends, Attaway can be found at Sidewinders, as can many other national, regional and local musical acts.
If you’re in the mood for live country music, The Million Dollar Cowboy Bar is the place to be. It’s Jackson’s most famous evening destination because of its saddle bar stools and illustrious history that can be traced back to the late 1930s. On the west side of the Town Square, The Cowboy hosts country-western bands throughout the entire year. During the summer, experienced hoofers offer lessons in western swing, so you can join the authentic and not-so-authentic Westerners out on the dance floor.
The Silver Dollar Bar and Grill’s claim to fame is the 2,032 uncirculated 1921 silver dollars embedded in its bar. Located in the Wort Hotel, the Silver Dollar was a popular spot to gamble well into the 1950s. Today, the Silver Dollar has live entertainment several nights a week, including Jackson Hole’s Ragtime Reverend Lynn Wright.
Seven miles west of Jackson in downtown Wilson is the Stagecoach Bar. The “Coach” draws a diverse crowd with its pool tables, inexpensive drinks and unassuming atmosphere. Every Sunday night, The Stagecoach Band plays its blend of country, bluegrass and pop music to which the Jackson Hole brand of western swing was invented. Nothing short of a local legend, The Stagecoach Band celebrates its 33rd season this year; band members have changed through the years, but the dancers and onlookers don’t seem to mind. Other acts bring rock, reggae and bluegrass to the Coach’s tiny stage.
Snow King Resort’s The Lounge hosts bands playing rock, funk and reggae throughout the year. The Snow King Center is home to the weekly Jackson Hole Hootenanny, where local and traveling musicians sign up for 10-minute spots on the stage. The Center’s ice rink regularly hosts big-name musicians such as Los Lobos, Widespread Panic and John Hiatt, and during the winter serves as the home ice for the Jackson Hole Moose hockey team.
Other options include the small, smoke-free room at Dornan’s Spur Bar in Moose, where acoustic artists such as Chuck Pyle, Mike Dowling, Patty Larkin and our own Phil Round, Matt Flinner and Ben Winship have performed. The Granary, located at Spring Creek Resort atop East Gros Ventre Butte, hosts jazz pianists Keith and Pam Phillips on the weekends and is home to a million-dollar view of the Tetons.
For more information about Jackson Hole's nightlife, pick up a free copy of Stepping Out, Jackson Hole's weekly entertainment guide published every Wednesday by the Jackson Hole News & Guide. //
