Description
While it aims for a chill lounge feel on weeknights, 2 Nine in Naperville is so hot on Saturday nights that crowds wind up cooling their heels at Potter's Place downstairs, while they wait for a chance to head up to the club. The small spot hits capacity at 75 and after that, even knowing the DJ won't get you out of line.
The upscale club has bare brick walls with metal vines snaking across the ceiling and behind the bar, where they hold up bottles of alcohol. The seating areas at 2 Nine are backlit from red panels behind wrought iron, clover-shaped fences.
While it's standing-room only when the club's at capacity, if you're lucky you can squeeze onto one of the wraparound couches with your group of friends or snag one of the fur-covered stools at the bar. Earlier on Saturdays and on weeknights, the after-dinner date crowd favors a set of small tables near the music area, where they can sample some drinks by candlelight and make sure they're looking good by checking themselves out in a giant mirror.
A legitimate all-ages spot, Saturday nights are dominated mainly by 20- to 30-year-olds, but there are a few people 40 and older, especially on weeknights. Even with lines out the door, you won't be turned away for not sporting the latest fashions. In fact, the dress is fairly casual, with most people in jeans and some even wearing T-shirts or sweatshirts. The close quarters make it basically impossible not to meet people, and the crowd seemed friendly and prone to getting flirty rather than offended when you had to squeeze by.
Martinis are the specialty at 2 Nine, with a long list of drinks served in stemless glasses. The best on the menu may well be the pineapple upside-down cake, a deliciously sweet mix of vanilla vodka, grenadine and pineapple juice. There's also a watermelon jolly rancher martini made with watermelon vodka, sour mix and cranberry juice.
The drink menu also includes plenty of wine, beer, single malt Scotch and after-dinner liqueurs. If you're looking to drink for less, the full martini menu is $5 on Wednesdays, Three Olives Vodka drinks are $3 on Thursdays and a featured martini and glass of wine are $5 every Friday and Saturday.
The full menu from Mexican spot Potter's Place is available for ordering at 2 Nine, but people usually either to eat first or just munch on some chips and salsa downstairs while waiting to get in.
The servers are cute and well dressed, but understandably can get a little flustered when the place gets packed.
A DJ starts spinning a mix of chill tunes and hip hop at 10:30 on Saturday, though it's never too loud to talk over. There's no real dance floor; 2 Nine also does live acoustic music, with a band playing original tunes on Thursdays and another performer doing covers every other Wednesday.
If you want to see and be seen without heading into the city, 2 Nine is the place to be. It's a great place to hang out without too much pretension, so long as you're willing to wait a little or come early.
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