Holiday cocktails, 10-foot Yeti: Inside over-the-top pop-up bar in Kansas City
On a cold December night, all I want in Kansas City is a cozy and festive spot. So I brought my friend to try out the Tom’s Town Christmas pop-up bar, called Tinsel Town.
Located a block south of the Kauffman Center streetcar stop, this Crossroads distillery and speakeasy was transformed for the holiday season. Tinsel Town charges a $10 cover per person for a 2-hour reservation, which can be booked online.
My friend and I passed through the main dining room, which was completely transformed into a Christmas wonderland. We passed below numerous strings of lights and a 10-foot-tall yeti on our way to our downstairs table.
The vault area was packed full of Christmas-movie-themed decorations. The leg lamp from “A Christmas Story” illuminated a human-size Grinch in a Chiefs Santa hat, while “The Polar Express” played on a TV. I was tickled by the homage to “The Muppet Christmas Carol,” with cutouts of Kermit and Miss Piggy in Dickensian attire.
The basement was already filled with revelers at 5:30 p.m. on a Thursday. A couple in matching Star Wars Christmas sweaters walked past office workers in nondescript button-ups and friends in coordinating red and white outfits.
I was ready for a drink and, luckily, a bartender was shaking cocktails under a cleverly-located Peanut’s-inspired sign: “Psychiatric help 5 cents. The doctor is in.”
At the recommendation of the server, I ordered Santa’s Cookies ($14), one of 15 alcoholic and three non-alcoholic seasonal drinks on the menu. Made with Irish cream, amaretto and Tom’s Town vodka, the cocktail tasted like an alcoholic coffee creamer.
My friend wanted to turn up the heat on a below-freezing night and got the Angry Elf ($15), described on the menu as “a whiskey sour with a kick of heat.” The house-distilled bourbon was paired with a strawberry habanero syrup. Served in a peppermint-themed mug, the Angry Elf was lightly sweet before the pepper kicked in at the back of the throat.
Tom’s Town has both appetizers and entrees on its menu, and after a busy day of writing, I was hungry for a main dish.
The fried chicken sandwich ($16) was fine. The chicken was topped with hot honey and pickles and served with fries, but it couldn’t stand up to my favorite crispy chicken sandwich at District Biskuits in North Kansas City.
On the other hand, Tom’s Town’s steak and potatoes ($25) stood out. The 8-ounce strip steak was served over purple and pink smashed fingerling potatoes. But my favorite part of the dish was the pepita pesto — the pumpkin seeds added decadence to the classic pesto flavor. I wanted to add the pesto to each bite, and luckily, there was plenty on my plate.
To top off the evening, my friend and I had to try the festive sugar cookies ($4). Decorated with red and green colored sugar, the two cookies had a rich and almost nutty flavor.
Overall, I enjoyed the nostalgic Christmas fun at Tinsel Town. The food and drinks were comparable to other restaurants around Kansas City, and I’ll remember that pepita pesto long after I take down my Christmas tree.
Tom’s Town’s decorations were fun, festive and probably pricey to pull off. So I understand why the distillery charged a cover for the holiday season.
However, I’m the type of cheapskate who’d prefer toned-down decorations over an entrance fee. And with many holiday pop-ups throughout the city, there are plenty of places for me and those who are happy to pay for detailed decorations with their drinks.
But judging by the full tables at the immersive holiday space, plenty of people want the full Tinsel Town experience.
Tom’s Town Tinsel Town
- 1701 Main St., Kansas City
- Make a reservation online
- $10 cover
- Holiday decor on display through Jan. 3
