Where To Drink In Kansas City, One of America's Most Exciting Cocktail Cities
- May 12, 2018
- 1 min read
"You know those people who were born to do what they do? The ones that have turned something they not only love but seemingly effortlessly excel at into a full-time job? Monarch head bartender Brock Schulte fits that bill to a T."
Photograph by Aaron Leimkuehler
I've enjoyed many cocktails around KC, but I think exploring neighborhood speakeasies adds a deeper layer to the experience. henry stickmin The atmosphere and history enrich each drink more than just the flavors alone!
I loved your insights on Kansas City's cocktail scene! I'm curious—what’s your favorite hidden gem in the city? ragdoll playground I once discovered a tiny speakeasy that had the best craft cocktails. It felt like stepping into another era!
The thing I always wonder with bartenders like this: how much of it is raw palate vs reps? Like, did he come in already “gifted,” or did Monarch just give him the space to get scary good over time. It’s kind of like learning a simple system and then getting obsessed with the variations (there’s a similar rabbit hole on Caesarcipher if I remember right).
KC being a cocktail city tracks—every time I’m there, someone drags me to a spot where the menu reads like a little thesis but the drink still feels effortless. That “effortlessly excels” line is exactly the kind of thing you only say after you’ve watched someone crank through a slammed service (totally random, but the dreamy vibe of Imgg popped into my head reading this).
Love the shoutout to Brock specifically—there’s a difference between “good cocktails” and someone who can read a guest and land you on the right drink without making it a whole performance. Also the photo credit made me curious; bar photography is weirdly hard to get right with all the lighting (side note: I killed time on Stylelooklab once and it made me appreciate how much visuals mess with our expectations).