Red Moon Martini Lounge

Went here last night for the third time and had a great time. Think lounge with a small dance floor. The martinis are good and there are plenty of alternatives for the non-martini drinkers. The waitress is helpful and pretty quick. Yes, the decor is a bit funky and cheesy, but it's fun.

The one time I was there early in the night it was pretty dead and quiet. The DJ starts around 9pm and the crowds follows in at 10 or 11. The music is then very loud so it's not a good place for conversation anymore. The dance floor is small and can get a bit crowded.

***Here is my main complaint: The DJ. The music he chooses is great but he doesn't mix it well and he plays THE SAME SONGS OVER. We were there from 9:30 - close and we heard about 5 songs repeated. I love dancing and this is where Red Moon loses that last star.

The crowd is somewhat mixed considering the dance-music atmostphere and more ethnically mixed than many suburban spots. Most people appeared to be in their late 20s and 30s but I don't think older people would feel uncomfortable here either. The crowd is smartly dressed with many in the club clothes. Best of all, I found everyone friendly everytime I went and that is rare in dance spot.

Some practical info: Parking is readily available in the garage and Wildfish Sushi and Noodles and Company are just around the corner. The place is a little tricky to find. My advise is the find the parking garage and walk to find it, rather than circling in your car in that are. There has never been a cover charge the times I went. Seating is usual available but come before 10pm to gurantee a spot or reserve a couch for free by calling ahead (I'm not sure what the minimum amount of people is; we had 10). There is a one toilet for the males and one for females so there may be a short wait.

Summary Points

- - -DJ plays same songs

+ crowd
+ music
+ martinis
+ seating
+ atmostphere
+ parking

I saw that this place had mediocre reviews on Yelp, so I was hesitant to try it out. But, I decided to take my chances. Needless to say...I wasn't impressed.

When we walked in, we were the only people besides one other couple. We sat ourselves on one of the red couches. It was semi-comfortable. One of the first things I noticed was the decor - the bar looks cool, and even the moon themed walls were different. But the disco ball and tiny dance floor were a little disappointing (and annoying). The music made me want to punch my brains out, and the ridiculous MTV show that was on the big screen didn't put me in the mood to party. We couldn't wait to leave.

Our server was nice, so that was a plus. The martinis were ok, not the best I've had. They were also $9....which is somewhat normal for a martini...but I've seen better deals. It didn't make me want to drink more. Their food menu is not extensive by any means, so we didn't order food either.

Sorry Red Moon....I think I'd rather have my drinks back here on earth.

Love this place!

Owner is super friendly. Sat at the bar and all the sudden random shots showed up from him. Martini's are HUGE and AMAZING! Most places the martini's are 6-8oz's and bland. They have spent a long time creating and perfecting the huge list of martini's. Sushi is great as well if you go early enough for food. It is primarily a bar so dont go thinking its a huge sushi list or anything. But great for a snack. and their fries...dunno what he does with them but man they are awesome! (but maybe its just the fact that I'm eating them when I'm drunk...dunno!) The DJ's are really good. They'll mix videos from time to time and I always find that cool. Can get crowded because the place is small but for an Arlington Heights bar, its at least not jam packed with old stuffy people (Peggies/Harrys/Piano bar). The bartenders and servers are always friendly and a riot to talk to. Belly up to this bar and you wont be disappointed!