First look: Scene Ultra Lounge

Scene Ultra Lounge is located on Walnut Street, Downtown, between Nicholson's and Righteous Room. (Credit: David Sorcher | Special to Metromix)

I might be the first to write this: Walnut is the coolest street downtown. In a one-block stretch, it has the Contemporary Arts Center, the Aronoff Center for the Arts, Nada, Nicholson's, Righteous Room, Trattoria Roma ...

And now Scene Ultra Lounge, a new DJ hothouse between Nicholson's and Righteous Room. My drinking buddy, Isaac, and I chilled at the bar, trying heavy beer, wine and gooey appetizers during its long happy hour, 4-8 p.m. Drinks are half price and snacks are $4.95.

The look: Swanky, sexy, posh, awesome - Scene is definitely something (and I can't escape those words). Walking in, you might take up a bar top, or settle at the bar and get a quick order from the chic bartenders slinging hard liquor and bottled beer.

I recommend a seat at the bar and not because of the eye candy. It's 35-feet long and several spots have strips of what reminds me of hockey ice. That is, we rested our ales on these icy strips and they stayed cold. Genius!

Scene has plenty of standing room, though, as a DJ-infused lounge should. But I think the real sexiness of Scene comes from the tea lights, electronica tunes and plush couches, which no doubt work well for VIP parties.

My second recommendation is simple: The lounge needs to ditch the TVs above the bar, unless it ditches the sports programming and throws in a Daft Punk or Darude DVD.

The crowd: I walked in and froze. Darn, I didn't wear my dress boots or a button-down. Next time, I'll ditch the heavy coat and winter cap so I can blend in with well-dressed patrons.

They were lively during our happy hour visit; a group of 20 (or so) was pre-gaming before boarding a charter bus heading to Louisville. Scene was sponsoring a trip to local DJ Fuse's competition in a battle. "It was only, like, $30 (for the ride)," one guy explained, munching on spinach-artichoke dip and sucking down the last drops of a Bud Light. "You going?"

The crowd was tamer when the group took off, and no one was dancing. I suspect the movers and shakers show up when DJs electrify the weekend.

The drinks: The cinnamon flair of Rivertown's Winter Ale wowed Isaac, and I loved the smooth, Granny Smith apple taste of Crispin, a bottled cider. Scene has Shiner Bock and Rivertown's Helles Lager, too, and martinis hinting at Key lime pie and raspberry.

It also has a small wine list, from which I later picked a glass of Turnbull Old Bull, a blackberry-tinged red. Isaac had a Bluegrass Brewing Company Nut Brown Ale.

The grub: The small menu appeals more to snackers than diners. Still, it's worth noting. We munched on the wild chili cream cheese jalapeno poppers and mac 'n' cheese bites. The bites were basically battered, melt-in-your-mouth cheese, but I dug the poppers more, and I almost ordered hummus and pita. Almost.

The verdict: Go. Dress up. Dance. Try the poppers. I mentioned dancing, right? The lounge already has a strong cast of local and regional DJs, so you can expect wild parties from the likes of DJ Identity and DJ Fuse, regulars at Mount Adams Pavilion and Suite at BlackFinn.