Speakeasies are of another time, a bygone era of romance, when simply taking a drink could land you in jail. Everything felt dangerous. If you crave a little taste of that mysterious thrill, or are nostalgic for a time gone by, consider shaking up your usual watering hole with one of the following speakeasies in Kansas!
What’s a great speakeasy got to have? A hint of secrecy? Check. A fine selection of gin and tonic? Check. A little bit of danger? Well… how about perceived danger? The roleplay, not-going-to-go-to-jail kind? 324 Speakeasy checks all the boxes and then some.
Stepping into the Historic Wolf Hotel in small-town Ellinwood is like stepping into a time capsule. Go deeper into the building and you’ll find the Underground Saloon/Bar, a “prohibition style speakeasy” run by management. You’ll need a secret password that changes weekly. Find the password on Facebook and tell it to the full costumed doorman, Mr. Westerman, for entrance.
Dockum in Wichita, Kansas is a “Speakeasy-style bar serving exquisite craft cocktails.” They make their bitters and syrups inhouse and promise that their small bites “will cure any ailment.” Established in 1926, current-day Dockum invites visitors to travel to another time and place. Located underneath the Ambassador Hotel Wichita, the drinks take time to create but are well-worth the wait.
According to legend, “Dora Mae cleaned out the basement of Walters’ Plumbing and gave Manhattan” a speakeasy worth writing about. It reopened in 1974 and has been quenching Kansan thirst ever since. They also have trivia every Wednesday and music almost every weekend.