At a media preview in mid-September, a nearby resident walked into 1520 S. Wabash Ave. and found the Miles Davis portrait still on the wall. The resident told Block Club that they and their partner were thrilled to see the room reopen, and that the space felt "both spacious and intimate."

The room is now Martini Lounge. For about 20 years it was M Lounge, run by Reginald and MaryAnn Marsh. Former Chicago Bear Israel Idonije took over ownership last fall, and he quietly opened the new bar the week before Block Club's September 18 report. It is the South Loop's newest bar, and most of what makes it work came from the bar that was already there.

What Stayed at 1520 S. Wabash

Idonije kept more than the portrait. He invited a few former M Lounge DJs back for Friday sets, and he told Block Club he has seen a number of former M Lounge regulars come through to show support.

"The M Lounge is a neighborhood staple. Twenty years it had been here, so to now reopen the space, it's exciting," he said.

The new parts are the drinks and the design. Luke DeYoung runs the beverage program. He was previously beverage director at Oliver's, the South Loop speakeasy, and at Buttercup. His menu has 12 martinis split into Classic Martinis and Disco Martinis. One is the Porn Star at $21, made with vanilla vodka, passion fruit, chai, lime and prosecco. The cocktail list also covers daiquiris and margaritas, plus a Bronx at $17 made with pineapple gin, a vermouth blend and orange.

AGN Design handled the buildout. Roughly 100 soft, circular light fixtures cover the ceiling, and the seating is plush green chairs and zebra-print seats under low light. Idonije said part of the look comes from a London bar he visited years ago.

There is no kitchen. Snacks are chips and dip for $10 and olives and nuts for $12, and Idonije has said he would like to add popcorn. Martini Lounge is open 5 p.m. to 2 a.m., Thursday through Sunday.

One Owner, Three Rooms, Staggered Clocks

The missing kitchen and the late start make more sense once you look at what surrounds the bar. Martini Lounge is the newest part of Idonije's Pangea Restaurant Group. The group also runs Buttercup at 75 E. 16th St. and The Staley at 1736 S. Michigan Ave. All three are within a few blocks of each other around 16th Street, and their posted hours barely overlap.

Buttercup bills itself as "café by light, amaro at night." Mornings are espresso and matcha. Evenings are cocktails built around what the café calls one of the largest amaro collections in the country. The Staley opens in the afternoon with big screens and pub food. In January, The TRiiBE described it as a family-friendly sports bar that had become a top spot for Bears fans, with Idonije often there on game days during the 2025 season. Martini Lounge covers the latest hours: Thursday through Sunday, until 2 a.m.

The group has also opened EGG BUNNi, a breakfast sandwich spot, and Idonije runs RSTR, a boutique health and wellness club in the South Loop. In January he told The TRiiBE that in the 2000s and early 2010s there were "limited options for South Loopers to network, hang out, people watch and have a sexy date night experience." Taken together, the hours in the table show what the group has built around 16th Street since then.

The Room That Didn't Stay

Not every concept has stayed. Signature Steak at 1312 S. Wabash Ave., Idonije's first restaurant, closed for good in February 2026, about a year after it was rebranded. No replacement for that space has been reported.

Seven months later, the group's next opening went into a room with two decades of local history. It kept that room's art, its DJs and much of its name. The one bar Pangea built from scratch on Wabash has closed. The one it reopened is filling up with M Lounge regulars.

Still on the Way

Some projects are still in progress. In January, The TRiiBE reported that three more Pangea concepts were planned for 2026. Martini Lounge is now open. As of Block Club's September 18 report, here is where the rest stand:

• Happy's Classic Ice Cream, 69 E. 16th St. The TRiiBE described it as a small ice cream parlor for South Loop families and said in January that the team was aiming for summer. In September, Block Club still listed it as in progress, with no new date. Its address puts it on the same block as Buttercup.
• A Japanese cocktail bar. The TRiiBE named it Bar Dimi and reported Fabio Viviani as a partner. No address or opening date has been published.
• Hudson House, 2222 S. Michigan Ave. The former Hudson Motor Building on Motor Row is becoming a 154-room boutique hotel expected to join Hilton's Curio Collection, with a restaurant and event space. The TRiiBE reported a 2027 opening. Stephen Gillanders, Idonije's chef partner at Signature Steak, The Staley and EGG BUNNi, is also involved.

If Happy's opens as planned, 16th Street will have an ice cream counter a few doors from an amaro bar. Idonije has also said he wants to launch an events calendar on Martini Lounge's website, which would be the easiest place to check what the Wabash room has planned.

An October Saturday Around 16th Street

Because the hours don't overlap much, one Saturday can cover all three rooms. The South Loop Farmers Market at Printers Row Park, 632 S. Dearborn St., runs Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and its season ends October 31. Buttercup opens at 8 a.m. for espresso, and on Saturdays it stays open until 1 a.m. The Staley opens at noon on weekends. Martini Lounge opens at 5 p.m.

Halloween falls on a Saturday this year and will be busier. The 5th Annual South Loop Halloween Bar Crawl runs noon to 8 p.m. on October 31. Organizers expect more than 1,000 people, costumes are required, and all guests must be 21 or older. Check-in, participating venues and assigned routes will be announced about 48 hours ahead, and the separately ticketed afterparty is at a location still listed as TBA. The farmers market's last Saturday of the season is the same morning.

The crawl's route has not been announced, so it isn't yet known which bars will be on it. Martini Lounge's posted hours have it open that evening from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.

When a 20-year-old room reopens, the details people remember tend to carry the most weight. Our team pays the same close attention to the buildings and blocks around 16th Street. If you'd like to talk about how the changes along South Wabash and South Michigan affect your own corner of the South Loop, Gillman Group is glad to help. Let's Connect.