At the stroke of 10.30 every night, B Cuisine and Cocktails converts into “B Switch”; the lounge becomes a discotheque in part. Bartenders break into a jig and open the dance floor to the crowd

It’s no exaggeration then that the city’s party animals might soon have a problem of plenty as a slew of nightclubs and premium bar lounges open doors despite the continuance of the pandemic and the latest Omicron variant panic. While Toy Room will launch on December 15, Vandal-Bar & Lounge, housed on the ground floor of Meluha, The Fern at Hiranandani Gardens Powai, opens today. The latter hopes to draw the elite partygoer, aged 30+. “We were ready in February 2020, and initially, the customer was the international traveller. They made up 70 per cent of the occupants at the Fern. Now, with international travel affected, we are eyeing the working professional and corporate. There are enough and more options for Gen Z,” says Punish B Sharma, VP Operations. The imposing chandelier with hundreds of lights light up an L shaped bar. On a higher level is the DJ console, fitted with the state-of-the-art music system. The speakers are suspended from chains from a high ceiling.

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Prasuk Jain, director and founder of The Game Palacio, believes that the time is ripe to put experimental concepts to test. 

Game Palacio in Bandra tips a hat to Brooklyn Bowl , a swanky and multifaceted attraction in Las Vegas, Nevada

The Game Palacio on Waterfield Road in Bandra has four eclectic alter-egos—nightclub, diner, bowling alley, and retro arcade zone. The concept tips a hat to Brooklyn Bowl, a multifaceted attraction in Las Vegas, Nevada, which is an 80,000-square feet venue accommodating a mélange of attractions and entertainment options, ranging from bowling, live music to fine dining and gaming. “The entertainment scene in Mumbai is no longer a strictly ‘night’ scene. It’s now governed by what more you can offer. Entrepreneurs are looking for ways to give visitors a more wholesome, fulfilling experience. It’s the reason why more players are trying their hand at the hospitality business for the first time,” he says. 

According to Jain, there’s a revenge-revellery that’s being witnessed across the world. “The silver lining to the travel restrictions is that people are being compelled to explore the local scene, and this can benefit domestic brands.”

Punish B Sharma, Ashish Begwani and Prasuk Jain

Shetty says it’s also the right time to look beyond Bandra and Lower Parel as entertainment and leisure  hubs. “In 2012, when we started Baroke in Grant Road, the first few weeks were extremely slow. But as people experienced it, they were willing to come back.” Shetty’s goal is to turn Nana Chowk, a neighbourhood  known for its affordable bhaji gali and mom-and-pop food stores, into a party district. 

12 AM
Hour when all F&B establishments in Mumbai must shutter, according to the state COVID guidelines