INDULGE: Libation
DEEP COVER
Take the drinks down under in these subterranean bars.
Chicago: The Underground
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find the subterranean hideout whose location had previously only been revealed on a need-to-know basis. After a month of secret gatherings, The Underground officially opened in February, yet the entrance remains unmarked. Once you descend the darkened stairway, you are in a space with wall-sized backlit world maps and a sleek, steel-on-black industrial décor that is Alias meets the Bat Cave. The two bars are stocked with a top shelf selection of bottles and boast a number of house specials, including The Rockit Bomb Pop, a liquid version of the childhood treat fuel-injected with two flavors of Bacardi and Blue Curaçao, and the Heat Seeker Martini, trimmed with jalapeño-stuffed olives. The best position for spying on the diverse crowd of downtown up-and-comers is from the alcove directly below the glass-enclosed DJ booth. If you dance up an appetite, the rations include mini Kobe “sliders,” chocolate-dipped pretzels and the ultimate survival standby—toasted strawberry Pop-Tarts with chocolate dipping sauce. Using the Underground’s website is the best way to make it onto the “list.” While online, click to a collection of hilarious videos hyping the club.
–Vanessa Scott James
The Underground. 56 West Illinois Avenue. 312.644.7600.
theundergroundchicago.com
Atlanta: SugarHill
Remember when a party actually meant having a good time? Housed in the historic Underground Atlanta, SugarHill brings back memories of the best jams. Since September, this place has been mixing the old with the new. New York DJ Red Alert and Atlanta’s own DJ Nabs, known for his Old School Sundays, are just two of the hip-hop greats who have rocked the spot. And what’s a great party without the perfect cocktail? The aptly named SugarHill is like a Long Island Iced Tea, but sweeter with a touch of Midori and a splash of pineapple juice. And then there are the great weekly joints. Tuesday nights feature The Jam, hosted by the eclectic, funky and soulful songstress Joi. For the music connoisseur, Saturday’s Volume has become a destination. From rare sessions with top DJs to performances by artists such as Amel Larrieux and Me’Shell Ndegéocello, “Volume embodies its name,” says partner Richard Dunn. “It’s about all things sound.” SugarHill certainly lives up to its historic Harlem namesake and promises a good time for the new school set that’s still in love with the old.
—Ronda Racha Penrice
SugarHill. 50 Upper Alabama Road. 404.658.0068. sugarhillatl.com
New York: Katra
Saunter into this Moroccan lair and discover North Africa in lower Manhattan. Exotic fabrics, low couches and silk pillows define the feel of this multi-level haven. From the glass encased, VIP area with fiery red sofas that sits above the candlelit main room, awaken your palate with a sampling of lamb tagine served in a Moroccan stew of carrots and golden raisins. Or try a bowl of tangy, almond-crusted chicken wings in a chili sauce, complemented with a pomegranate martini. After your meal, take a trip down to the cellar bar where custom leather chairs dot the space and hand-woven rugs from the Atlas Mountains cover the walls. Unwind with a toke of scented, non-tobacco herbs from an Egyptian hookah pipe and bask in feeling transported beyond New York’s borders.
—Tonia Shakespeare
Katra. 217 Bowery Street. 212.473.3113. katranyc.com
Washington, DC: Fly Lounge
Chuck Koch, a local DJ and airplane pilot, toyed with the idea of opening a bar for years. As he spun tunes around the city at clubs like State of the Union and Dream (under the memorable moniker “Dirty Hands”), it dawned on Koch to mix his two loves: flying and DJing. Soon thereafter, Fly Lounge was born with the help of business partner Richard Eidman. The lounge is a replica of the interior of a Lear jet, complete with faux windows where clouds seem to breeze by, flight attendants milling around in short, tight dresses and tables designed to look like F-15 airplane engines. At this Dupont Circle spot, however, flying the friendly skies means going six feet under. The 2,000 square foot lounge, which holds only 150 people at a time, is located underground. To be guaranteed a seat among the see-and-be-seen crowd, you have to make reservations for one of the ten velvet-roped tables for bottle service (starting at $100 per person). Still, when the music starts pumping, Dirty Hands himself has been known to jump on the turntables, spinning whatever gets this high energy crowd moving. Think of it as a very expensive but well-stocked basement party on wings.
—Ericka Blount Danois
Fly Lounge. 1802 Jefferson Place, NW. 202.828.4433. flyloungedc.com
