Sangria Luxe Lounge

By Andrea Aker
Special for Metromix

The Valley's latest high-end club, Sangria Luxe Lounge, caters to an upscale, mature crowd in Glendale.

General manager Tom Cerino says the martini-sipping lounge, by the folks who launched the trendy hotspot e4 (now Afterlife) in Old Town Scottsdale, is the first of its kind to hit the West Valley.

"We are service-driven, which will be a different experience on this side of town. We wanted to bring a little Scottsdale without the pretension," he said.

The custom cocktails, table service and strict dress code are a far cry from the casual bar scene.

Located in the Citadelle Shopping Plaza on 59th Avenue and Utopia Road, Sangria Luxe Lounge was among the first tenants at the complex, which is partially filled with chic boutiques, salons, massage studios and restaurants.

Amid lush purple, maroon and gold fabrics and glimmering chandeliers, bartenders serve a bevy of hand-crafted cocktails along two 35- and 20-foot granite-top bars.

Hors d'oeuvres and hand-rolled cigars on the patio enhance the upscale look and feel.

The lounge features 10 signature cocktails, each about $10, such as the Guavalicious, a blend of Cruzan Guava Rum, green grapes, lime juice and simple syrup, and the Pretty in Pink Mojito, with Cruzan Black Cherry Rum, lime juice, mint and raspberries.

Of course, there's the Sangria Luxe, a spin on the classic sangria with strawberries, lemons, oranges and cinnamon sticks swimming in Spanish red wine, Courvoisier VS, Citronge, orange juice and lemon-lime soda.

Cerino says the club appeals to an older demographic, those who sip martinis in cocktail dresses rather than chug beer in T-shirts. As such, bottle service starts at $200.

"There's nothing on the west side of town that is similar to this," said Cerino. "We felt that the area needed something more like this."

See more: West Valley bars, Glendale bars, Lounge bars