Citrus
Lounge – A Champagne
Bar
Story by Lanaya Wade
Owners: Tony Pham
Located in a busy strip mall
on 146th and Center in Omaha, NE Citrus Lounge’s appearance
from the sidewalk leaves one open for a pleasant surprise upon
entering. Developed with the five senses
in mind, Citrus Lounge immediately impresses and relaxes.
The concept
of a champagne bar was one owner Tony Pham, admittedly, stole from the East
Coast and, seeing there was a market in the Midwest, decided to bring it here.
“Girls love em,” Pham said, referring to the Champagne Cocktails
(a mixed drink with Champagne and liqueurs) Citrus is known
for.
Owners: Tony Pham
When Pham borrowed the idea
of a Champagne Bar, though, he also brought a few ideas of
his own. The one thing Citrus is noticeably
lacking is a VIP section. This was intentional.
“Everybody who walks in here is treated the same way, which is exceptional,” Pham
said.
There is no need for VIP. With wait staff and bartenders who
seem like they’re actually happy to be at work and an environment
designed to tease the senses (not to mention delicious drinks), it’s
easy to get to feeling exceptional.
Citrus’ plan
to tease the senses mostly hits and barely misses. The
modern decor (think white, very angular couches, exposed ceilings,
bright, crisp colors on the walls) combined with the wall-sized
photography of truly gorgeous people make Citrus visually pleasing.
For touch, soft couches, cool champagne glasses, and a fountain
filled with citrus fruit, glasses and smooth rocks serve well.
The sense of smell is satisfied with their unusual scent system.
Management can set Citrus to smell like anything from Citrus Fruit
to Evergreens to Pumpkin Pie. The smoke-free atmosphere makes
this all the more noticeable and pleasant.
For taste, Citrus is in a league of their own. They carry several
delightfully delicious champagne drinks. They’re also
one of the few places in the Midwest that can obtain Cristal. For
those who aren’t ballin, though, there’s a full
bar, too, and drink specials throughout the week.
The sounds is where Citrus finally falls flat. Most nights,
until around 9 p.m. they play Sirius radio and after that play the
owner’s own iPod play list. The only good part about
this, though, is that the sound system is kept pretty low. There’s
no need to shout or really focus on the alternative and pop
music coming from the sound system: it is a lounge after all,
not a club.
Soon, though, Citrus will be moving more in that direction. Wednesday
nights Citrus will be employing an in-house DJ and rearranging
the furniture to create a larger dance area.
This, however, does not help out for those who like to see
and be seen – their
busiest night is Friday.
And for those concerned with being seen, keep in mind there
is an “unofficial” dress
code. The two main rules are “No hats.” and “Don’t
be sloppy.” Though Pham says there are exceptions to
every rule. If the hat goes with the outfit, he said, you can
wear it. It was unclear if this applied to fitted caps
on the heads of young African American men, but a good sign
was the fitted cap positioned firmly on the head of Pham.
Honestly, though, young African American men aren’t likely
to be found at Citrus Lounge. Citrus’ intentional
catering to those aged 25 and older and its location may contribute
to the homogeneity of its patrons; homogeneity referring to
mostly Caucasian and business professional clientele.
All in all, though, despite its lack of diversity and meager sounds,
Citrus is an excellent spot to relax, look gorgeous, and leave tipped
off upscale, tasty Champagne cocktails.
