Double A

DRAWING ROOM This rendering hints at Double A’s double pleasures:exclusivity and tableside service.

WHAT Double A, a new River North lounge
WHEN Aiming for a mid-September opening
WHERE 108 W Kinzie St (312-329-2444)

“I’ve worked with or opened most of the hot lounges in New York,” says Aalexander Julian, managing partner of the soon-to-open lounge Double A, located below the also soon-to-open restaurant Mercadito. This is Julian’s first Chicago venture, but he’s had a hand in opening and overseeing the door at famed Manhattan nightspots Pink Elephant, Cain and, most recently, Tenjune. Julian’s partner in Double A, Alfredo Sandoval, is more familiar with our native landscape, having opened SushiSamba Rio in 2003.

With a capacity of only 65, Julian anticipates a stringent door policy. “We’re looking for the bon vivants, those that appreciate the finer things in Chicago,” he says. “Obviously, not everyone is going to get in, but once you do, you’re going to be catered to.”

They hope scenesters will dig that exclusivity, while foodies will get off on the fancy cocktails. Tableside service is the name of the game here: Servers will mix drinks right in front of you—complete with exotic accoutrements such as grilled pineapple, garam masala syrup, mango and Thai basil. “You’re not going to have a 50-year-old guy behind the bar with a bow tie and a white shirt saying, ‘What can I get you?’ and then leaving you,” Julian explains.

DJs will round out the lounge vibe, providing a diverse musical tapestry including everything from rare mixes of Bob Marley to classic Chicago house. “But the music can only do so much; the drinks can only do so much,” Julian says. “For you to know that Double A’s a keeper, it’s going to come from the people that are in there. Without the people, there’s no party.”

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