Wood Dale lounge offers creative cocktails in a relaxed setting

After being open for two years, Serenity has stayed true to its name. The bar provides a relaxed atmosphere for guests who want to chat over a cocktail. While a few updates are in the works, these are geared toward just expanding on what the bar already does well rather than changing the successful formula.

Motif: A large bar is the centerpiece of Serenity, with tables for four on an elevated area to the side. Lighting comes from hanging red lamps and arcs of light along the orange walls, which create the image of a setting sun. An area near the entrance features exposed brick walls and a small waterfall, and potted plants occupy the corners. Walls are decorated with tranquil scenes such as Asian temples and mountains, along with a series of pictures from a local artist that are available for purchase. Two TVs behind the bar are often tuned to sports and a projector screen is used to show big games or music videos.

Crowd: Serenity mostly caters to 25- to 30-year-olds looking for a place to chill, drink and chat, though you can find younger and older drinkers any given evening. On slower nights, people often come out to play Nintendo Wii games on a projector screen or something from the bar's collection of board games.

Service: The staff is small so the guys working behind the bar also carry drinks to tables and take orders from the kitchen. Despite this, orders come quickly and the bartenders like showing off not only by flipping bottles as they pour but by inventing drinks to suit your taste.

Liquid consumption: The bar boasts a huge selection of alcohol, which bartenders use to make a wide range of fanciful cocktails and martinis. While they currently just have a small list of seasonal drinks that you can consult, a full list is in the works. Of course regulars can always ask for something off the menu. Favorites include the pomegranate green tea martini, which is surprisingly refreshing and smooth considering it is all alcohol, mixing vodka and green tea and pomegranate liqueurs. They also offer new twists on old standards like the appletini with their caramel apple, a mix of green apple vodka and Bailey's caramel that produces a creamy and sweet drink. Martinis run from $7 to $9, though you can get them for $5 on Wednesdays. Other drink specials include $2 domestic beers Fridays and $6 bombs Saturdays.

Food: Start your weekend by saving a little cash with Serenity's free happy hour buffet from 5 to 7 p.m. Fridays. The selection typically follows a theme, so you can have an Italian meal featuring pizza, baked ziti and salad or a cookout with brats and burgers. The regular menu offers standard bar appetizers and pizza, and the kitchen is open until last call. Most popular are the quesadillas, baked in a special oven that makes them crispy instead of greasy. They're served on teardrop-shaped plates with sour cream and a mild, fresh salsa. A new kitchen is in the works and by January the bar hopes to offer more options, including full entrees.

Music: DJs spin a mix of '80s and '90s dance tunes, contemporary hits and requests Friday and Saturday nights. The bar periodically hosts swing dancing, acoustic guitarists and jazz performers on weekdays.

Parking: There's ample free parking in the strip mall parking lot.

Overall: Cocktail lovers are sure to find something to sip and the serenity to savor it.