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The Lounge brings laid-back cool to historic St. Charles
• by Matt Berkley • Photo by Jonathan S. Pollack
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Despite all the happy perks of writing a monthly nightlife review (i.e. the fans and autograph seekers, the ridiculously big paychecks, the constant female adoration, an increased sense of self-worth), there are times when a job like this is painful ... and not because of hangovers. What’s more agonizing is letting slip the secret of a fantastic, under-the-radar bar you’d prefer to keep to yourself and select friends.
The Lounge, a newcomer to the Main Street St. Charles drinking scene, is the brainchild of Justin Donahue. A veteran bartender for more than 10 years, Donahue decided to put his knowledge to use and build a bar he would want to drink at ... which turned out to be his own apartment. After successfully negotiating with the landlord, Donahue spent eight months transforming his old apartment and the attached basement (empty since 1978) into a swanky, back alley hotspot for friends and former clients. Since opening last July, The Lounge (having done no advertising of any kind) has accrued a steady stream of loyal fans.
There’s no obvious sign outside to mark the place other than The Lounge logo on the door of the rear entrance – all that’s missing is a slit on the door that opens to receive a secret password. Inside, the former basement houses a long, granite-topped bar flanked by flatscreen TVs that hover over an impressive selection of spirits. Past the bar is the social antechamber, with walls lit in dark red and dotted with several more mini flatscreens. On most nights, you’ll find Donahue upstairs, slinging drinks from behind the second, smaller bar (located, not surprisingly, in his old kitchen). The adjacent living room, which opens to a deck, is lined with the namesake lounges that wrap around the entire space. The décor is hard to pin down; think 1950s bachelor pad cool with a hint of Asian thrown in. It’s simple and it’s classy.
“What I love about the place is when you walk in, you think you need to order a martini, but you’d be just as comfortable having a bottle of Pabst,” said Donahue. Never one to shy away from an unnecessary drink pairing, I opted to try both. The results were good. The martinis are well-chilled and pleasantly stiff, while the Pabst (along with Miller High Life, if you can stomach it) costs only $1 a bottle. Unfortunately, there’s nothing on draft, but Donahue makes up for it with a fine selection of local microbrew bottles and foreign numbers. There are also $3 well drinks available Monday to Thursday. The drinks are strong and the service is fast.
Nights at The Lounge can start off slow, but by the late hours, the space is crowded with local bar hoppers angling for a space at the bar between the regulars. You’ll find everybody here: thirsty undergrads, chain-smoking intellectuals, highball-pounding manager types, underemployed musicians and prowling cougars, all intermingling. Donahue’s goal from the start was to open a bar where anyone from 21 to 90 could walk in and have a good time; he’s succeeded, though the crowd mostly ranges from about 25 to 35. Weekdays are considerably less packed, making The Lounge a good place to step out of the rain and have a conversation.
When you’re darting back and forth between the bar, chatting it up with the staff or sharing cigarettes and anecdotes with friendly strangers next to you, it’s hard not to have an overwhelming sense that you’re not so much at a bar as a really good house party; this is The Lounge’s effect. Even the music seems like it’s flowing out of someone’s iPod, someone with an affinity for the mid-’90s. I recall a lot of great tracks from Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots streaming out at a nice volume from a hidden set of speakers. Honestly, at times, you half-expect some guy to burst through the door and ask for a hand carrying up a keg of beer.
I hesitate to broadcast The Lounge, only because so much of its appeal lies in the whole anonymity thing. Still, you can only keep good things hidden for so long, and The Lounge is definitely a good thing.
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