Skiing, snowboarding and bobsledding might be the last activities you would ever associate with Oklahoma. But who said you need a specific geographical elevation to enjoy some post-slope vibes?
Whoever wants to be that downer definitely isn’t employed by The Jones Assembly, 901 W. Sheridan Ave., one of OKC’s most versatile music venues and restaurants. While The Jones offers exceptional concert and dining experiences year-round, its team refuses to accept February’s historically slow business. Instead, they take a note from Inception and build an entire restaurant in their restaurant: TJ Après.
Named to evoke the feeling of a warm and welcoming lodge after a long day on a mountain, TJ Après transforms The Jones’ patio into a snowy, festive and even nostalgic spectacle.
Heartland Alps
This year marks the extended pop-up’s third trip down the gondola. For Scott Marsh, a partner and the director of operations at The Jones, the avalanche that is TJ Après shows no signs of slowing down.
“It’s an intensive, awesome pop-up that’s great for us in February,” Marsh said. “This is usually a quiet month in the restaurant industry. Yet we get to drive traffic in a fun way and give people a place to go. It’s just good, clean fun.”
Of course, Oklahoma isn’t exactly known for snow-covered mountains and ample ski resorts. We’re no strangers to the occasional blizzard, but we’ll probably never see Chloe Kim train here.
So how did Marsh and his team settle on an idea that seems so far removed from the city that hosts it? From his perspective, it hits closer to home than you might think.
“One of the big inspirations for TJ Après was the fond times Oklahomans share,” Marsh said. “A lot of people who grew up here went to Colorado, New Mexico or Utah for a family vacation or winter break. Brian Bogert, one of the owners, had just come back from a ski trip in Europe. He thought we could recreate a traditional mountain lodge here in The Jones.”
And they definitely could. In 2018, a year after The Jones opened, Marsh’s team started to build what would set the venue apart from any other in the city. Its fully enclosed heated patio allows them to comfortably expand the space for live music, more restaurant and everything in between.
Quickly, the stand-out accommodation went from a cool perk to a sandbox — or a “snowbox,” rather — for the Jones crew to explore and experiment.
“There’s a lot of places that just couldn’t do this,” Marsh said. “Our patio sparked a lot of creativity and let us really imagine how to utilize our space. We’ve got fold-out walls that we can close and curtain, so you can’t even see into the patio. And that’s what lets us bring people into an entirely different experience. It’s a fully immersive event that’s more than just being at a restaurant.”
With the stage set and the general idea established courtesy of Bogert’s unintentional working vacation, all The Jones had to do was bring it to life. That’s no easy task, sure. Though it helped that the team didn’t have to reach terribly far either.
“The world already exists, so we’re not creating anything new per se,” Marsh said. “We’re just bringing that world to a place with a much lower elevation. We took a lot of inspiration from our favorite ’90s and 2000s ski movies like Ski School, Aspen Extreme and Out Cold. We got to be a little tongue in cheek with drink names, our ‘lift tickets’ and basically everything. It was just really fun to do.”
Perhaps most importantly, Marsh gave the idea time to breathe. He knew it couldn’t — and shouldn’t — be rushed. Instead, they spent nearly a year building upon the idea after Bogert introduced it. What emerged was a concept that struck gold basically out the gate.
Fresh snow
A thick veil separates TJ Après from The Jones proper. What you’ll find once you step through is nearly unrecognizable to even the venue’s most faithful. In one corner, you’ll find a collection of deer and moose heads illuminated by a blue neon glow. To the left of those you can catch a photo op inside a yellow, enclosed gondola. Look across the dining area, and you’ll likely catch four friends downing a shotski or couple sharing a 44 oz espresso martini.
Pelts and ornate rugs cover the ground and bring authenticity to the pop-up. Looping on nearly every wall is a montage of classic skiing footage that feels cozy and familiar. Look up, and you’ll catch one of several mannequins taking the lift. And inevitably, you’ll notice the artificial snow adding a sublime touch to the entire experience.
Return guests will notice some familiar installations, but TJ Après doesn’t stagnate. Every year, Marsh looks for opportunities to change and refine what makes the concept so special.
“At The Jones, we always aim to hone in on things and recreate them,” Marsh said. “It’d be really easy to just rinse and repeat every year. But that’s not who we are. We love giving things a little twist. We’ll add different items and play with the environment to ultimately try and make it better. That commitment in and of itself keeps us and TJ Après fresh.”
Even so, it’s not just the Jones crew that keeps the heart of TJ Après pumping. After all, what would a ski-themed pop-up look like if no one ever dressed the part? Goggles, insulated overalls and puffy down jackets aren’t required, but the excitement from those who do dress the part is undeniably infectious.
“That’s the best part of it,” Marsh said. “People decked out in ski outfits. It just makes it so much more fun. Every night our team is asking, ‘Who has the best ski gear?’ And when our team is having fun with our guests, it makes our already great hospitality and service even better.”
Slurping slopes
TJ Après offers no shortage of exclusive cocktails. In fact, every $15 “lift ticket” to enter comes with a complimentary aprèstif, or basically a hot toddy that leans toward the flavor of a warm apple pie.
While Marsh and his team push to get “super experimental” with their drinks, some TJ Après are too compelling to leave off. Their Hot Tub Time Machine is a perfect example. The fruity and smooth cocktail made with El Jimador Blanco Tequila is a great starter that practically encourages you to make new friends, which is softly alluded to by the goofy plastic drinking buddies that serve as the drink’s garnish.
For another cool and refreshing cocktail, give the Hugo Spritz a try. The tasty mix of St-Germain, Hendrick’s Gin, mint and Topo Chico is the perfect follow-up to a mouthful of pita and fondue or truffle fries. The Mogul Mule is also an intriguing twist on its cousin from Moscow, introducing a bit of spiced cranberry to the classic concoction.
Of course, when the snow machine starts cranking, you might want something a bit warmer. The aprèstif might do the trick, but don’t you really deserve something even a little more substantial? If you fall in love with that flavor, the Mangy Moose is effectively the same drink in larger glass. For a delicious, hot drink from a different corner of the sweet spectrum, try the TJ Après take on the Bombardino. Chocolate, cinnamon and cream make the brandy-based drink easy to sip throughout the night, especially next to a fire.
And if you’re just looking to send it ahead of a high-energy DJ set, well, get the Send It! It’s a frozen vodka, peach and triple sec shot dropped into a Red Bull. You might be up for a while, but if you plan on dancing yourself clean decked out in gear made for sub-zero temperatures, it might be exactly what you need.
Fondue-licious
Yes, the cocktails are very compelling. But they might not be the sole star of the menu.
“I’m especially excited about the food,” Marsh said. “We’ve got a play on French dishes, like a steak frites sandwich that’s absolutely bonkers. We’ve also got this incredible fondue plate that we keep honing in on. This year, we’re using a new cheese from Murray’s that’s out of this world.”
Marsh isn’t just hyperbolizing. That “bonkers” sandwich is the Relais Baguette. It comes loaded with steak cutlets and TJ Après signature truffle fries, all atop a warm baguette from Lee’s Sandwiches. Top it all off with the house beefonnaise sauce, and this heavy dish is high on flavor.
The Black Truffle Fonduta is great for diving into the iconic cheese dip that also pairs well with the Bavarian pretzel. Even so, the Fonduta comes loaded with sourdough cubes, shishitos, fire-roasted dough and sweet apple slices. The fondue pairs great with almost everything, but you can be sure that the pita-esque bread will likely be the first to go.
While the Haute Dog and the Bordelaise Burger are exceptional main courses, the Croque Monsieur Toastie — a ham and Dijon melt on sourdough — emerges as the dark horse of the comfort food. This tangy and hearty sandwich might technically be one of the relatively lighter options on the menu, but it’s nonetheless flavorful and satisfying.
To cap off your meal, don’t forget to try a Bomboloni. The filled Italian doughnut with banana and chocolate ganache brings dinner full circle and pairs especially well with the Bombardino. For larger groups, consider some good ol’ fashioned cookies and eggnog to ensure everyone walks away with something sweet.
DJ Après
On Friday and Saturday nights, TJ Après transforms into a high-energy dance party. On Fridays, DJ LiTEBRiTE brings hard-hitting and electric mashups perfect for the fun-loving environment. On Saturdays, the DJ trio B U M P lights up the lodge with new twists on familiar favorites.
“We love creating a unique and awesome experience that’s different for the DJs, too,” Marsh said. “TJ Après isn’t a club or just another venue. It’s a really structured atmosphere that gets so fluid as the crowd spills in, decked out in bright neon and white fur. There are really all walks of life here, enjoying themselves and appreciating our city. It’s beautiful.”
With incredible DJ sets amplifying TJ Après’ already captivating aura, the weekends offer a powerful reason to keep coming back.
Great shotski
Though this installment of TJ Après has nearly a full month left in the tank, Marsh is already looking toward next year. As far as he can tell, he feels strongly that this pop-up will continue to snowball and possibly even outgrow The Jones.
“We’re always down to get outlandish and push the envelope,” Marsh said. “That’s a testament to what we do. We always want to be fresh. We owe it to our guests.”
From potentially bringing in a bobsled for more immersion or trying to break the record for the longest shotski, no idea is too crazy for TJ Après. Seriously. It’s a ski-themed lodge in the middle of Oklahoma City. The glass ceiling was shattered at inception. As long as people continue to enjoy it, we’ll likely always have a mountainside paradise to look forward to.
“I just love how well the community has responded to this,” said Marsh. “We get to have a blast with it and show people what creative stuff we can do in our city. We’ve been incredibly lucky to have people who are willing to do that with us.”
TJ Après is open until March 1. Tickets are $15 and available at thejonesassembly.com/tjapres.
This article appears in The OG Food Issue 2025.