No one really knows how long it took the owners of this new bar, club and restaurant to come up with the name, most likely derived from the historic neighborhood building. What is known is that Little Italy/University Village residents have a new reason to celebrate and a new place to do it. Vintage Lounge is a little piece of the downtown club scene right in their own backyard.

With a vibe both hip and casual, the lounge caters to nearby medical students and UIC students. During the week, the scene is pool tables and bar food, with a focus on burgers and appetizers. On weekends, DJs are booked for a late-night scene that should see droves of college kids stumbling down Taylor instead of terrorizing Loop cabbies.

Vintage Lounge is doing the downtown thing and doing it right: there will be a VIP lounge on the premises, as well as bottle service. The huge space should have about 3000 sq ft of partying, as well as a large outdoor patio.

Average cost: <$10

Centerstage Reviewer: Bill Burman