Lou Canellis checked out two new nightclubs in the city -- Jet
Vodka Lounge and the Victor Hotel.
Jet
Vodka Lounge is Chicago's only vodka bar. Inside they have over 130
types of premium vodka from all over the world! It's all about flying high at Jet Vodka Lounge, the city's newest addition to the Weed Street District, complete with first class table service from your personal flight attendant.
"We do table service where as you can see, a tray comes out filled with crushed ice, your bottles of vodka, your bottles of water, your mixers and things like that so you can enjoy sitting down and serving yourself," said Brett Rubin.
The club offers a bottle of vodka with a dead scorpion in it.
"One of my waitresses ate one and I've seen a few customers eat them," said Brett.
The all-ice shot glasses and the vodka test tube sampler run between $15 and $25. It's not just about the vodka, though. After reviewing Jet's extensive drink menu, you'll be traveling the globe in no time via wall-to-wall projection video screens, deep beats and mood lighting.
"We wanted to incorporate different vodkas, different countries and the theme of travel to exotic destinations, so while it was inspired by a jet, the whole theme is really just travel and exotic, different places and different vodkas from different places," said Brett.
The Victor Hotel is a night club with an older clientele. After a short hiatus from the business, Jerry Kleiner who co-owns Marche, Opera,
and Gioco) has turned the Victor Hotel sign back on. It was previously located in Shelter - his mega-club back in the 90's. And while Kleiner hasn't forgotten his old Shelter fans, they by no means have forgotten him.
"I'd get customers calling me, "Jerry where do we go after work? You don't have Shelter any longer." I go, Look, I'm out of the night club business. I'm not getting in there." I have kids, 11 and 9 now, so it's uh, I got out of that thing. Thousands of letters over the years, "Jerry, we need somewhere to go," so here we are today, Victor Hotel, the old sign that I had at the entrance of Shelter. This is a new modern version, the Victor Hotel, where Shelter was a dark, underground industrial nightclub, this is like the lobby lounge," said Jerry.
In true Jerry Kleiner fashion, Victor Hotel isn't your normal run of the mill night club. This West Loop lounge was renovated from an old freezer building, though you'd never guess it. Inside the 8,000 sqare-foot lounge you'll find comfortable mod-furniture, stylish contemporary art along with a few freezer doors.
"This night club, I think has a little bit more sophistication because of the amazing interior, obviously what Jerry Kleiner does. Every place that he designs has such an amazing personality," said Lance.
Aimed at thirty-somethings and beyond, Victor Hotel opens at 6
p.m. and maintains a quieter environment to achieve its lounge-like
feel, while offering visitors a selection of appetizers, which are
perfect for before or after dinner.
I'm really glad I did this. It took a lot of years to get me back into this but I also want a place to go to so I filled kind of a void for myself, and there really wasn't much out there for guys our age," said Jerry.
For more information:
Jet Vodka Lounge
1551 North Sheffield Avenue
Chicago, IL 60602
(312) 730-4395
www.gojetgo.com
Victor Hotel
311 North Sangamon Street
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 733-6900
