Photography by Aaron Patton, Doug Stremel
Kansas is crafting a hip and rebellious identity, one martini glass at a time
Mixologists all over the state are shaking up inventive batches of spirit infusions in hip speakeasy-style lounges. But these lounges are more than a product of today’s passing trends—they’re rooted in history.
Kansas’ rocky relationship with alcohol began in 1881 when the state passed a ban that lasted 54 years, outlasting both the ratification and the repeal of the 18th Amendment. The state’s “dry” crusade led to many rebellious Kansans opening speakeasies, where they secretly sold alcohol in dimly lit spaces hidden behind unmarked doors.
Today’s craft cocktail movement channels that rebellious spirit as bartenders put their own spin on iconic drinks, ranging from the ultra-trendy and beloved classics to even spirit-free libations. Experimenting with unusual ingredients to create fresh recipes that can be found in every region of the state, these contemporary lounges aren’t just serving drinks—they’re curating experiences.
Credit: Doug Stremel
John Brown’s Underground
Lawrence | 7 East Seventh Street | 785.840.8800
Let’s begin in downtown Lawrence, where the neighborhood-style basement bar John Brown’s Underground pays homage to the city’s abolitionist history. Recently named a James Beard Award semifinalist for Outstanding Bar, John Brown’s is creating a sensation with its conceptual approach to cocktails. According to general manager Dante Colombo, their team of bartenders collaborates every five to six months to create a totally new themed cocktail menu. Drinks are carefully formulated, but their creative vision extends to serving glasses, special garnishes and even the type of ice that will best hold up in each libation. They create printed and bound menus complete with original artwork and explanations of their unique concoctions.
The bar’s logo, a resting chair once used by John Brown, was a logical theme for their cocktail menu “Pull Up a Chair.” After selecting several iconic chair designs, the team created drinks to complement each one. The classic Eames chair served as inspiration for the cocktail Reclining in the Age of Loneliness, a brooding take on a Manhattan.
Their “A Day in the Park” menu featured Afters, a drink infused with apple brandy and served in a teacup on a vintage tray, accompanied by handcrafted biscotti and a candy cigarette. Their “2024 Yearbook” menu, designed to resemble a high school yearbook, featured popular drinks the bar has served over the last 10 years. Colombo acknowledges that a few tried-and-true drinks always appear on their menu, including their version of an Old Fashioned, which uses bonded bourbon, Barbados rum and American brandy.
They’ve perfected make-ahead batching methods that allow bartenders to quickly serve cocktails like their popular Let Me Be Clear, a clarified jungle bird that requires a day of preparation to turn fresh pineapples into a clarified syrup that is then mixed with multiple rums and chilled in the freezer.
Although the staff enjoys pushing boundaries when it comes to cocktails, their ultimate goal is to provide friendly service. Off-duty bartenders rotate as servers, so patrons can always expect top-notch service.
Featured Recipe: John Brown’s “The Devil, in Spanish”
Credit: Aaron Patton
Dockum Speakeasy
Wichita | 104 South Broadway | 316.719.7119
Chances are Dockum Speakeasy has an elixir for whatever ails you. Located in the lower level of the Ambassador Hotel in Wichita, it’s named after the historic Dockum Drugstore that once operated in the space now occupied by the hotel’s Siena Tuscan Steakhouse.
During Prohibition, pharmacies would often double as covert liquor suppliers, legally prescribing “medicine” to patrons. Leaning into that aesthetic, Dockum “pharmacists” stir up a variety of handcrafted “remedies,” measuring fruit purées, infused spirits, simple syrups and fresh citrus juices into cocktails. Expect signature favorites like the High C Dose (orange-infused vodka) or the Gingerly Lightning Bee (a mixture of house-infused ginger gin, honey simple syrup and a dash of cayenne).
With the rising popularity of no- and low-alcohol options, Dockum also offers a lineup of “preventatives”—alcohol-free and low-ABV (alcohol by volume) drinks made with the same care and creativity as any other cocktail on the menu. Options like the refreshing Antidote (made with cucumber syrup and fresh lime juice) and the creamy, lightly boozy Drugstore Cowboy (made with espresso concentrate, vanilla cream and black walnut bitters) ensure that every guest has something to sip on without compromise.
Adding to the speakeasy’s mystique, guests knock on a solid wooden door where they are greeted by a doorman before stepping into a dimly lit space. It is anchored by a dramatic wood bar and exposed brick walls, and a vintage vault stands as a nod to the building’s banking history. (Prior to being the Ambassador Hotel or Dockum Drug Store, the building was home to Union National Bank.) Even its name is rooted in history, paying homage to the 1958 Dockum Drugstore Sit-In, a student-led civil rights protest that inspired a nationwide demonstration for racial equality.
Featured Recipes: The Antidote & Drugstore Cowboy
The Underground Saloon
Ellinwood | 1 North Main Street | 620.639.6915
The spirit of early speakeasies is fully embodied in The Underground Saloon, located in the tunnels below The Historic Wolf Hotel and Event Center in Ellinwood. German Protestant immigrants who settled the town in the late 1800s dug these tunnels to create more space for businesses. In 2013, current owner Chris McCord bought the hotel to bring it back to life. He restored the tunnels and even created a hidden cocktail lounge.
Open on Friday and Saturday nights, the saloon is accessible only through the hotel’s back alley door and down a steep set of stairs. Stepping over the saloon’s threshold, patrons enter a cozy room framed with original limestone walls, complete with cement floors that have been epoxy-stained to look like wood. A large fireplace and vintage-inspired chairs and tables add to the welcoming allure, but the custom-built bar is the focal point.
It’s not uncommon for locals and out-of-towners to belly up to the bar to indulge in various types of “giggle water” (a slang term for alcohol during Prohibition). The saloon offers the classic Sidecar (traditionally made with cognac, orange liqueur and lemon juice) and Bee’s Knee (a mixture of gin, lemon juice and honey syrup). Their signature drink, Sally’s Hard Cherry Limeade, is laced with vodka and affectionately named after Miss Sally, the mannequin who has greeted hotel guests for more than 50 years. Another crowd pleaser is their Moscow Mule—it’s the perfect mix of vodka, lime juice and ginger beer that creates just the right amount of fizz and a strong, spicy burst of flavor.
Special events, including comedy and magic acts, murder mystery dinners, musical groups, and after-hours ghost tours, help keep the saloon open for business in this small central Kansas town.
Featured Recipe: The Underground Saloon Sidecar
Do-It-Yourself Cocktails
Topeka | 301 Southeast 45th Street | 785.506.8811
Joining the cocktail craze, 785 Beer Company in Topeka is experimenting with cocktail classes. “It all started as a celebration of National Cocktail Day, an annual event that is celebrated on March 24th,” says owner Ashley Loewen. Offered as a fun and interactive way to learn the art of cocktail preparation, their monthly cocktail classes provide insight into techniques and flavor profiles.
Hip and Trendy Cocktail Lounges
Fat Matt’s Vortex
Kansas City | 411 North Sixth Street | 913.296.7142
Kansas City buzzes with an assortment of cocktail lounges and mixologists, but Fat Matt’s Vortex is one of the oldest bars in the city—it opened in 1934. Located in the historic Strawberry Hill neighborhood, it is likened to an Irish pub where regulars gather in a friendly, homey, living room-like environment.
In the evenings, patrons come out in droves, says bartender Christine Mackey. “It is lively, fun-loving and loud … A place that is very inclusive, opening its door to all,” she adds. Part of its charm may be the lore surrounding this quirky space. This drugstore-turned-funeral-home (there’s still a crematory in the basement!) is said to be one of the most haunted dives in the city.
Another draw is their infamous grog shot, a signature blend that uses a Captain Morgan rum base. Instructions are provided with the drink: “Take a swig, swish it around in your mouth, swallow and then inhale to enjoy the full bouquet of flavors and aromas.” This “almost cocktail” has sweet overtones—patrons have picked up flavors of circus peanuts (the peanut-shaped marshmallow candy), cotton candy, bananas and cinnamon, but it is a proprietary blend that the bar is careful not to share.
Fat Matt’s is a welcoming place where strangers become fast friends, offering a memorable experience for your money. “We are careful to keep prices reasonable,” Mackey says.
The Elephant Bistro & Bar
Hoxie | 732 Main Street | 785.677.3977
Promoted as “something out of the ordinary,” the Elephant Bistro & Bar has put Hoxie on the map, transforming one of the town’s oldest buildings into a welcoming culinary and cocktail destination. Guests can enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail at the bar or pair their meal with a compatible cocktail. Popular entrées such as the Wagyu meatloaf or a dry-aged ribeye pair well with a bourbon-based classic like their Old Fashioned or Peach Bourbon Arnold Palmer. Or, savor the truffle risotto bowl while sipping a stylish herb-infused spritzer or an out-of-the-ordinary Italian margarita. The food—most of which is locally sourced—is as delicious as it is eclectic, and the drink menu is a match for any classy urban cocktail lounge.
Rackets Tap House
Abilene | 303 North Broadway Street | 785.470.6315
Rackets Tap House has become a hub for nighttime activity in downtown Abilene. In addition to providing Kansas beers and wines via self-service taps, the bar also offers nonalcoholic beverages and cocktails. Diverse groups gather in its renovated historic building with a large outdoor porch. Special events include date nights, trivia, music bingo, dog-friendly mixers and boozy book swaps.
A crowd-favorite event is their Cocktail Showdown, an evening where guests can choose flights featuring variations of popular cocktails. “It’s a chance for people to branch out and for us to put our spin on a classic,” says co-owner Lydia Witt. “In the process, we also find new drinks to add to our cocktail menu.” The tap house is constantly evolving and looking for fun ways to bring people together in a social setting.
Black Bison Pub
Syracuse | 122 Main Street | 620.384.6348
Folks in Syracuse can enjoy pub fare, cocktails and time with friends at the Black Bison Pub. This hidden gem tucked away in the southwestern part of Kansas shakes things up with liquid assets that include a blackberry margarita and their Cowboy Vacation, a cocktail made with tequila, peach schnapps, Malibu rum, orange and pineapple juice and margarita mix. Another frothy favorite is the Apple Bomb, which combines Crown Royal apple whiskey with pineapple and cranberry juice.
Market Bar
Yates Center
The Market Bar in Yates Center offers a unique delivery system for cocktails in Southeast Kansas. Party organizers can choose either mobile or satellite bar service. “We do weddings, pop-up events, holiday parties and festivals and are willing to work with clients to customize their drink menus,” says owner Rachelle Galemore. They craft classic drinks with fresh-squeezed juices, adding their own creative twist—the Market Marg is their version of a margarita, while the Market Fizz is their take on a paloma.
