Cocktail Bar
Unclaimed profileJade Monkey Cocktail Lounge
Madison, WI · $$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
The drink list runs wide: named signatures like Indigo Empress, Cheeky Lychee, and Capone sit alongside classics, champagne cocktails, specialty shots, and THC drinks made with Artet Cannabis Aperitif. Mojitos, billed as the house specialty, come in eight variations built on Blue Chair Bay rum, fresh lime, fresh mint, and sugar. A dedicated mocktail section lists nine drinks, and a Beer Safari program tracks 10, 20, or all 30 beers.
- What should I order?
- Start with a mojito — Blue Chair Bay rum, fresh lime, fresh mint, and sugar muddled, with variations including strawberry, pomegranate, mango, and elderflower. Indigo Empress, made with Empress Indigo gin, grapefruit juice, tonic, and sour and served up at 9, is the cleanest signature pour on the list.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- Groups who want a long, reasonably priced list rather than a narrow one, including non-drinkers who get nine mocktails and non-alcoholic beer instead of a single token option.
- When should I go?
- A round of mojitos or a first pass at the Beer Safari works as an early-evening start; the cocktail of the month gives a reason to return as the list rotates.
- What should I expect to spend?
- Cocktails are modestly priced: mojitos at 8, martinis at 10, signatures at 9 to 10, shots at 5, ice cream drinks at 12. Wine by the glass runs 6 to 8.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- Eighteen years of operation, a sister bar in The Atomic Koi, and a menu that pairs its own mojito variations with THC cocktails and a nine-drink mocktail section.
Beverage categories
We only score what a venue sets out to do. Categories a venue doesn't attempt are left unscored rather than penalized.
Cocktails
A broad menu covering signature creations, martinis, mojitos, tropical drinks, classics, iced teas, champagne cocktails, specialty shots, and THC cocktails. Named signatures such as Indigo Empress, Cheeky Lychee, Capone, and Miss Heather's Chocolate Coke carry the list, with eight mojito variations built on Blue Chair Bay rum.
Menu strengths
- — Named signatures span gin, vodka, and rye builds, including Indigo Empress, Cheeky Lychee, and Capone.
- — Eight mojito variations, all built on Blue Chair Bay rum with fresh lime, fresh mint, and sugar.
- — Classics include Old Fashioned, Negroni, Side Car, Tom Collins, Harvey Wallbanger, Mint Julep, Pimm's Cup, and Aperol Spritz.
Standout selections
- — Indigo Empress: Empress Indigo gin, grapefruit juice, tonic, and sour, served up at 9.
- — Capone: Templeton rye whiskey, red vermouth, and orange bitters, served rocks at 10.
- — Original Mojito: Blue Chair Bay rum with fresh lime, fresh mint, and sugar muddled, at 8.
- — Miss Heather's Chocolate Coke: Tito's vodka, chocolate liqueur, and coke in a jumbo snifter at 8.
Pricing: Mojitos 8; martinis 10; signatures 9-10; shots 5; ice cream drinks 12; iced teas, champagne cocktails, and THC cocktails 8
Wine
A modest by-the-glass list: reds include shiraz, red zinfandel, cabernet, and malbec; whites include chardonnay, riesling, sauvignon blanc, and pinot grigio; champagne is also listed. Enough to cover a table's basic preferences, nothing beyond that.
Menu strengths
- — By-the-glass coverage across red, white, and champagne.; Red and white options each span four grape varieties.
Standout selections
- — Shiraz by the glass at 7.; Champagne by the glass at 6.
Pricing: Shiraz 7; cabernet 8; chardonnay 8; champagne 6
Beer
Domestic, import, craft, seltzer, and non-alcoholic categories are all represented. Craft names include 3 Sheeps Fresh Coast Pale Ale, Central Waters Mud Puppy Porter, Good City Pils Pilsner, New Glarus Moon Man Pale Ale, and Stone Delicious IPA. The Beer Safari program tracks 10, 20, or all 30 beers.
Menu strengths
- — Craft, domestic, import, seltzer, and non-alcoholic categories all appear on the list.
- — Five named craft beers with Wisconsin and regional representation.
- — Beer Safari rewards at 10 beers, 20 beers, and all 30.
Standout selections
- — Central Waters Mud Puppy Porter.; New Glarus Moon Man Pale Ale.
Pricing: Guinness, Stella Artois, and PBR each listed at 16
Nonalcoholic
A dedicated mocktail section lists nine drinks: Nojito, Ginger Spritz, Mockalada, Strawberry Lemonade, Sweet Tart, Tart Teddy, Sweet Suzie, Crazy Eddie, and Minty Mindy. Non-alcoholic beer includes Athletic Brewing Run Wild IPA and Free Wave Hazy IPA, Heineken N/A, and Lakefront Dark N/A, alongside Sprecher Rootbeer, Red Bull, and Liquid Death water.
Menu strengths
- — Nine named mocktails in their own section rather than a token listing.
- — Four non-alcoholic beers, including two Athletic Brewing options.
- — Sprecher Rootbeer, Red Bull, Red Bull Sugar Free, Liquid Death Water, and Liquid Death Peach Water round out the list.
Standout selections
- — Nojito: the house mojito with no rum, served in a tub.
- — Mockalada: creme of coconut and pineapple, blended, served in a tulip.
Spirits
A spirits list organized by vodka, gin, rum, whiskey, bourbon, scotch, tequila, and liqueurs. Scotch reaches Macallan 12, Oban 14, Talisker 10, Balvenie 12, and Johnnie Walker Black; tequila includes La Gritona and Hornitos; gin covers Empress Indigo, Empress Rose, Hendricks, Malfy, and Tanqueray.
Menu strengths
- — Eight spirit categories organized on the list.; Scotch reaches Macallan 12, Oban 14, and Talisker 10.
- — Gin includes Empress Indigo, Empress Rose, Malfy Limone, Malfy Rosa, and Hendricks.
- — Rum spans Appleton Estate, Mount Gay Eclipse, Myers's Dark, and Pyrat XO Reserve.
Standout selections
- — Macallan 12 scotch.; Oban 14 scotch.; La Gritona tequila.
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