When Jill Cockson opened the Chartreuse Saloon (1627 Oak St., KCMO) in November, she faced a small crisis: Missouri was in the middle of a chartreuse shortage thanks to the supply chain domino effect brought on by the pandemic.
“Leave it to me to open a bar called the Chartreuse Saloon the only month in the history of booze we couldn’t get it,” Cockson laughs.
For the first two weeks, Cockson served the chartreuse swizzle—a tiki-adjacent drink that is herbal, sweet, sour and eminently sippable—with Dolin Genepy des Alpes, a close cousin of green chartreuse (she dubbed it the “genepy swizzle”). An industry veteran with a reputation for detail-driven cocktails—at the saloon, all sodas are made in-house—Cockson now has a chartreuse stash.
As you enjoy your swizzle garnished with a seductive float of Montenegro and a dehydrated lime wheel, take a moment to appreciate the French gothic-meets-Wild West vibe Cockson has diligently curated. Walls are cast in a vivid Granny Smith apple-green, and bleached bovine skulls are interspersed with vintage crystal chandeliers. But it’s the three stately custom-built billiards tables that set the scene.
The Chartreuse Saloon is equal parts upscale bar and trendy pool hall, and opposite the wall with the neon sign, you’ll find posted rules for challenging whoever has the table if you want to take over.
