Viper Alley refocuses menu, performances

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Scott Greenberg

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Updated: November 4, 2011 11:03AM

It didn’t take Scott Greenberg long to figure out he was going in the wrong direction.

Greenberg, owner of Viper Alley in Lincolnshire, opened the facility at the end of March, using a nightclub atmosphere to target 20- to 30-year-olds.

With his experience and background in real estate and hotel development, Greenberg thought he had nailed it with the entertainment venue that also served food.

“I initially hoped to attract 20- to 30-year-olds with a nightclub, the kind of club they would go to in downtown Chicago,” Greenberg said. “But the younger crowd, if they want a nightclub, they will head Downtown. For individuals 35 and up, the allure of going downtown is not as strong.

“Twenty-year-old are happy driving Downtown. Thirty- and 40-year-old do not want the hassle. You can see it in who wants to be here. I book different shows and I see the sellouts, The acts for younger crowds, the people don’t show up. But the acts suited for the 35-plus crowds sell out.

Greenberg learned quickly what the community wants.

So after several months, Greenberg, who also developed and owns the Wit Hotel in Chicago, is shifting the focus of Viper Alley to more of a “Ravinia-type” venue focusing on 35- to 65-year-olds.

He shifted the focus of the entertainment acts, reaching out to major talent agencies, such as ICM and the Agency Group, to book bigger names.

“Now, most agents in the country know us, which gives us a lot more access to acts,” Greenberg said.

But Greenberg, developer of the entire City Park area in Lincolnshire, didn’t stop with just the entertainment. He listened to the more mature audience members he is seeking. He got more comfortable seating and went out and got David Jarvis, an executive chef known on the North Shore for decades. Jarvis’ resume includes running the kitchen for Tramonto’s Restaurant in the Westin Hotel North Shore.

“He has served at some of the best-known restaurants on the North Shore and in Chicago,” Greenberg said. “We have a fantastic menu, steaks, chicken. We will offer fantastic food and will change the food based on the act.”

Jarvis noted he is excited about leading the venue’s dramatic change of going from bar food to a full menu.

“My job is to get things up and running,” Jarvis said. “Getting us from bar-menu dishes to banquet menus. There is not a lot of music early in the week. So that is where we are looking at banquets coming in.”

Jarvis said Viper Alley will soon offer a separate restaurant, not linked to any performance. He said the

full menu will have a lot of variety with not too many dishes.

“You have to walk before you run,’ Jarvis said. “We are going to make sure to handle the restaurant operation properly.”

Jarvis said from his work around country, including Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas and Miami, he has a good feel for what succeeds and what doesn’t work in terms of cuisine.

“You wind up with higher quality standards,” Jarvis said, “You use the best ingredients and you stand out on your own merit. You learn that as subtle nudge brings out flavor.”

Greenberg said the plan is to make Viper Alley an entertainment destination for the northern suburbs.

“Our entertainment focus is to bring back the Chicago of 40 or 50 years ago, kind of what you might have seen in Mr. Kelly’s 40 or 50 years ago. We are offering more of the best of all the things people want - food, seating, more of a nightclub atmosphere with tables that are smaller and more closely together. It is this kind of experience people want.”

This weekend kicks off the revamped facility, with “Three Dog Night” performing Sunday. Future performers include: Elliot Yamin, Sha Na Na, Edwin McCain, The Outlaws, Tracy Lawrence, Elivs impersonator Rick Saucedo, Freddy Jones Band, The Prince Experience. Dave Mason and Bobcat Goldthwait.

Greenberg noted that the venue, which can seat up to 400, for an all-seated show, can be adjusted for the individual shows. He said the set up for Grammy-winner vocalist Steve Tyrell will be different that the seating and even the food for jazz, country and rock ‘n’ roll acts.

“We will be constantly changing our menu to fit acts’ style. We will have a core menu, but various things will adjust,” Greenberg said. “Even the music and lighting will depend on how we set up.”

Greenberg noted that when Viper Alley books an act, it will be determined how the audience will be seated and what other changes will be made.

“We will try to do that as much as we can, We will have original artists, rock, jazz, Broadway, blues, country and comedy,” Greenberg said. “We have a lot of opportunity to serve a lot of different tastes in the market.”

For many shows, it will be the people who arrive early for dinner who get the best seats with the doors opening two hours before the show and dining in the theater. In other scenarios, people having dinner in the separate dining room will be able to cut the line and get the best seats.

Viper Alley will look to draw people from a 15-mile radius. Concert tickets will range from $10 for tribute bands to $100 for big-name acts playing the cozy venue. Food will range from $12 for pizza to $28 for filet mignon.