When high school pals Jason Freiman, Peter Gogarty and Nick Podesta met for cocktails one night, they got to talking about the pretentiousness of Chicago's nightlife scene. Fed up with velvet ropes, sassy bouncers and just-for-show lines, the guys decided it was time to open their own joint, the late-night lounge Lumen.

Here, seating doesn't come with a hefty price tag (unlike many lounges, where patrons can only sit down if they pony up $200 for bottle service). The wait staff delivers high-end perks without the upscale attitude, and even the decor is friendly—eco-friendly, that is. Bamboo, a highly sustainable resource, accents and low-voltage lighting outfit the 5,000-square-foot space. Bartenders mix drinks with fresh ingredients like just-squeezed orange juice, organic garnishes and ice cubes made of filtered water. Try the Snow Queen martini ($9), with organic vodka, muddled fresh organic cucumber and ginger and a squeeze of lemon juice.

DJs make frequent cameos at the lounge, spinning everything from up-tempo to sultry lounge beats, and the sound system can also remotely access DJs from around the world—so you could be at Lumen listening to the same set as a crowd in Ibiza. Fashion shows take place on a series of super-low tables (under-lit and only about 10 inches off the ground) that double as catwalks. An ever-rotating wall of art near the bathrooms rounds out the artsy ambiance.

But the real soul of the place, the owners say, is the pixilated LED light system that hangs from the ceiling and changes color to react to music and movement. “The lights gel to the crowd, and they can create any mood,” Freiman explains.

Centerstage Reviewer: Jennifer Berg