Orange 13: New Vegas-Style Restaurant and Lounge Opens in Lemont

A long-awaited upscale restaurant and lounge will open Wednesday evening in Lemont's Derby Plaza.

Orange 13, 14196 McCarthy Road, will serve fusion cuisine from all over the world in a Las Vegas-inspired lounge environment. The restaurant opens at 4 p.m. Wednesday after months of preparation, owners said.

Patch spoke with co-owner Christopher Dabek about why he and his business partners are so excited to bring this club vibe to Lemont.

PATCH: What inspired you about the Vegas experience that you wanted to bring to Orange 13?

DABEK: In Vegas, it’s the five-star restaurants inspired by live entertainment, and concerts that take your breath away. We also love the Vegas atmosphere, and they way they cater to you. It’s that level of service and the luxury feeling that we are trying to bring here. The experience in Vegas is second to none and makes you want to keep coming back regardless of the distance.  

PATCH: What type of food will you serve?

DABEK: Our chef, Christopher Czupta, worked at various high-end restaurants in the city and is bringing that experience and his great ideas to Orange 13. He has created a fusion menu that complements every nation’s cuisine. We’ll have everything from Moroccan to Spanish to Thai.

We’re trying to maximize our patrons’ exposure to different foods.

Some of our appetizers will include ceviche served in bridge-style glassware with dehydrated cucumbers for chips, flatbreads, lobster bisque and salads. One of my favorites is Guac This Way—an appetizer with a nod to Aerosmith. We’ll also have a meat and cheese platter that’s perfect for our wine connoisseurs. For entrees, we have ahi tuna, pork chops, lamb, pasta, chicken and filet mignon. And we’ll serve a variety of dessert shooters.

Our food is fresh, healthy and creatively presented. There’s no deep fryer here and you won’t see anything breaded on the menu. We feature fresh herbs and spices, and foods bursting with flavors. We will be the healthiest restaurant in town.

We also have an extensive wine list from every region in the world and fresh martinis, including our Orange 13 Signature Martini.

PATCH: What can customers expect from Orange 13?

DABEK: They’ll get an ultimate experience and a unique flavor for each individual. We provide an oasis for adults—a place to relax and unwind, and enjoy our immense wine list, as well as healthy cuisine. 

PATCH: What kind of entertainment will you feature?

DABEK: We’d like to provide entertainment that intertwines blues, Latin and jazz music. We hope to have live bands a few times each month. Patrons can expect to hear easy listening, smooth music from 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. We plan to have the live bands a little bit later, which should bring out the Travolta in everybody.

PATCH: So there will be dancing?

DABEK: We’ll have an unofficial 10-by-10 dance floor lit up after 9:30 p.m., but if our customers really feel like dancing, they’ll dance wherever they are. We want them to enjoy the music wherever they may be. Dancing brings joy and happiness, and we want this to be a place to look forward to in tough economic times.

PATCH: Why did you choose Lemont to locate your business?

DABEK: Lemont needs exposure like this. We have a lot of great events here and six golf courses around us that need great representation in town.

I live in Lockport, and a lot of my friends and those of the other owners (Tom and Anna Waligora and Dan and Beata Wroblewski) are Lemonters. So we know there is a need everywhere for something like this here, and I think the location corresponds great to what we’re doing. 

PATCH: Do you expect customers coming from outside of Lemont as well?

DABEK: Yes, I think Orange 13 will be a destination and a focal point. There is nothing like this around and it’s basking in ambiance that’s unprecedented. We know from our vendors and patrons who are occasionally popping in that there are a lot of people who are waiting to savor the flavors and check us out.

PATCH: Is Orange 13 for families as well?

DABEK: We are a 21-and-over club because we really want to be an oasis for adults. Even though we all have families, we know that parents need to take some time for themselves sometimes too.

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Orange 13 is open Wednesday through Saturday from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., Sundays 2 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., Mondays 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., and closed on Tuesdays.

For more information, visit www.o13lounge.com.