Lowdown: Luna Lounge in Nyack

(Credit: Max Foxman)

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Instead of just going to a bar where everybody knows your name, what about heading to a lounge where you can get away from crazy crowds and get cozy with that special someone?

Luna Lounge, just off Nyack’s Main Street, is that kind of hangout for both locals and regulars who flock there in droves. The lounge section allows for plenty of privacy.

Luna’s owner, Scott Picariello, started in the bar business when he was just 17. The lounge reflects his experience with a homemade, hand-crafted bar top, a fully stocked wine rack and liquor that's exclusively top-shelf.

Vibe: Luna's exterior is a bit bare, so it blends with the surrounding residential buildings and shops that close right around the time the bar is opening. But once inside, it's easy to see the way Luna exudes the perfect balance of class, charm and a sense of home. It's alive with an active crowd, lots of smiles and — at around 2 or 3 a.m. — any number of bartenders who use the lounge for their own personal happy hour.

Bar manager Megan Bell, who's been known to use a Tide pen to help customers remove the occasional stain left by a spilled espresso martini, is familiar with many of the regulars. “I probably even have all of their phone numbers,” she says.

Never too quiet, Luna steadily attracts new clientele, who sometimes move outside for a quick smoke in the courtyard and often cluster in small groups. Frequent visitors, who keep the place packed, let off steam while remaining polite. If Luna's staff members don't already know about your life, they “will know you by the time you leave your first night here,” Bell says.

Perhaps that’s what brings back patrons like Kushal. He had his first drink at a bar in the same location years ago, but now drives 30 miles from Weehawken, N.J., because of his friends and the bar's vibe. “I have the means to go to other places, but I like coming here.”

Have in hand: The bar’s specialty is an espresso martini, whose recipe is highly guarded, and, according to regulars, far better than anything comparable from here to Florida. In addition, no mixed drink is classless, because the liquor at Luna is exclusively top-shelf. In addition, Luna serves drink specials almost every night after midnight. And Bell does her part to pair food with your beverage: she makes dinner on Thursday nights from 7 to 11 p.m.

Entertainment: Weekly events range from Wednesday’s ladies’ night — replete with a trashy chick flick, bad ‘80s music and Bell's good home cooking — to Monday's football night, stocked with homemade chili. Previous special events have included the Pink Party, when customers dressed up in the color and a dollar from the cost of every drink was donated to a breast cancer charity.

Acoustic acts appear on the Luna's stage by the bar. Weekends feature performances from John Smith, Ryan & Ryan and others.

When musicians aren't performing live, patrons seeking prerecorded tunes can control the soundtrack from the lounge’s computer, but when Luna's bartenders recognize an arriving customer, sometimes they'll change the music accordingly. Anything from heavy metal to meringue can be heard at any given time.

Luna also entertains simply by serving patrons regardless of the date on the calendar. The bar is open 365 (or 366) days a year.

Want a look inside? Check out All Access: Luna Lounge in Nyack

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