SPRINGFIELD – The owner of Sky Lounge has whipped up a brand-new concept bar on the west side of town that’s best served stirred, not shaken.
Owner Jeremy Mizeur opened Martinis Lounge at 2349 W. Monroe St. on May 8 with a focus on quality food, contemporary dining and of course, martinis.
“I thought Springfield needed something different with a different vibe,” Owner Jeremy Mizeur said. “From a business standpoint I like to stand out and be unique.”
Born and raised in Springfield, Mizeur went on to say the opportunity jumped at him around one year ago seeing the location near Clothing Mentor and Hawaiian Barbecue, with no other bars in the general area as a place to add more life to the city.
He hopes as he hires more staff to employ some of the best from restaurants which have had to close in the past year.
“We’re definitely creating jobs with it and I know there’s been several restaurants in town closing,” Mizeur said. “I really believe in Springfield so I’m just trying to make it more fun for everybody.”
This will be his second foray into business ownership in the capital city. Mizeur purchased popular west-side bar Sky Lounge in 2023 from Huy Vuong, which serves beer in a unique on-tap at ready style.
Mizeur’s bar at 3254 W. Iles Ave. has over two dozen different types of beer to choose from, and customers at the door receive a white card to swipe and pay by the ounce at the actual tap, providing a chance to try multiple kinds of beers. ]While the Sky Lounge offers a unique experience in the city, Mizeur plans to replicate the experience at Martinis.
“My girls and my manager went up to Chicago and trained in distributor facilities,” Mizeur said. “They brought back a lot of unique recipes and I think that our goal is to have stuff nobody else has.”
What is on the menu?
On the food side, crab cakes, sriracha bourbon shanks with mashed potatoes and truffle parmesan chips are just the first page of the menu, ranging in price between $9 to $22 for the lobster roll, which the owner recommends.
At the bar, guests can pick up classic martinis made with passion fruit and lychee jelly, lemon drops and espresso martinis all for $11.
If customers want to elevate their drinks, the Coconut Collins is a clean twist on the classic drink using lemongrass and coconut, while the smokey old fashion will target refined palettes with a savory twist on the classic cup.
When is the bar open?
The bar will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week.
Claire Grant writes about business, growth and development and other news topics for The State Journal-Register. She can be reached at CLGrant@usatodayco.com; and on X (Formerly known as Twitter): @Claire_Granted
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Martinis Lounge hopes to bring big city drinks to Springfield
Reporting by Claire Grant, Springfield State Journal-Register / State Journal-Register
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