Our Story · Spenard Institution
Head in the Clouds, Beer in the Bathtub.
From two college climbers dreaming over microbrews to converting the historic Denali Theater in Spenard into Anchorage's favorite living room.
The Bear Tooth offers a unique experience with both our Grill and Theatrepub under the same Spenard roof.
At the Bear Tooth Grill, enjoy fresh-off-the-grill Alaskan seafood, artisan burgers, and Latin-inspired dishes for daily brunch, lunch, or dinner. Our full bar boasts a wide array of tequila, mezcal, craft beverages, and signature cocktails. We are deeply committed to supporting our community by sourcing high-quality produce and seafood directly from local Alaskan farmers and fisheries.
In the Bear Tooth Theatrepub, experience dining in the dark: enjoy freshly prepared food like burritos, tacos, and famous Moose’s Tooth stone-baked pizzas, along with Broken Tooth Brewing draft beers, wine, and margaritas—all while watching a movie. Our theatre offers 275 seats with tables and private booths on the main floor, plus a separate balcony for all ages.
Head in the Clouds, Beer in the Bathtub
Moose’s Tooth opened for business in June of 1996. The founding fathers of this Anchorage icon were, perhaps, an unlikely duo: a couple of fresh-faced college friends who decided to give up careers in Computer Science and Law respectively. Rod Hancock went from rock-climbing world wanderer to master pizza inventor. And when he wasn’t ski adventuring himself, Matt Jones dove headfirst into his bathtub of homebrew (just kidding... kind of).
Their college days spent scheming and dreaming over pizza and micro-brews in the early heyday of Portland’s craft beer scene instilled them with a brilliant-yet-dangerous thought: We could do this. Along the way, they roped Rod’s brother Warren into the company (the Hancock brothers are still active participants in the businesses to this day). They opened their doors that first night, and the city of Anchorage has pretty much been waiting, beers in hand, for an empty table ever since.
What goes great with pizza & beer? Movies.
Four years after the Moose’s Tooth boom heard ‘round the world, the brothers in business marched forward toward another dream project: a Theatrepub. They found hope in the former Denali Theater, in the heart of Spenard.
After a complete overhaul, the Bear Tooth Theatrepub found new life in providing pizza & beer in a movie theater environment (just like the guys had enjoyed while living in Portland!).
The Theatrepub quickly became a second-run movie hub for Anchorage, as well as the premier place in town to catch relevant documentaries and Art House films. And as an added bonus, the monthly concerts that had once been hosted exclusively outdoors at Moose’s Tooth now had an indoor spot for the long Alaska winters.
Taking Tooth Cuisine to Higher Elevations
In August 2001, the Bear Tooth casually expanded into a swankier side of the culinary world, opening the Bear Tooth Grill in the same building (we know, it’s confusing).
With an emphasis on wild Alaskan ingredients and Southwestern-inspired fare, the Grill takes on a completely different atmosphere from the Theatrepub, but manages to feel like it’s in the same family. Margaritas are a big deal in the Grill, along with award-winning craft cocktails that level up any date night. And brunch is served every day until 3:00 PM!
Broken Tooth Brewing
Broken Tooth Brewing is both the oldest and newest member of the Tooth family. It started out as Denali Brewing when Moose’s Tooth was first opened, then spent its tween years under the name Moose’s Tooth Brewing Company. In 2013, the brewery took its final, permanent name: Broken Tooth Brewing.
The brewery has won 2 Gold and 6 Bronze Medals from the Brewers Association’s Great American Beer Festival (GABF), as well as silver and bronze honors at the prestigious World Beer Cup, continuously crafting beers under head brewer Tyler Jones.
The Birth of First Tap
Historically, on the first Thursday of every month, a special beer was released from Broken Tooth Brewing: we called it First Tap. This occasion was paired with live music from local and national bands, making First Tap one of the most anticipated monthly cultural events in Alaska. While they may not happen every single month these days, our talented in-house artists still create collectible silkscreen posters to commemorate every special show.
Our Mountain Namesakes
For anyone left wondering: the names of our companies came from four iconic granite peaks in the Alaska Range surrounding Denali: Moose's Tooth, Bear Tooth, Eye Tooth, and Broken Tooth. (Fun fact: Co-founder Rod Hancock has actually climbed Moose’s Tooth!).
Our Sister Venues
Moose's Tooth Pub & Pizzeria
Anchorage's world-famous pizzeria and original home of Broken Tooth craft brewing since June 1996.
Broken Tooth Brewing
GABF and World Beer Cup award-winning microbrewery providing fresh draft beer and cans across Anchorage.
Eye Tooth
The newest member of the Tooth family: Detroit and Tavern-style pizza with a huge sunny beer garden on Anchorage's South side.