Serendipity Martini Bar

I’ve been here twice and have always enjoyed the cocktails and appetizers. Their spin dip is amazing. The bar is shooting for a twenties lounge feel, but I think they fall just short of that. It’s certainly a relaxing environment with couches here and there and lots of tables – would probably be good for a reception. Both times I’ve gone, it’s been very quiet. I would like to go on a night when they have something going on to see how it is.
They have an eclectic collection of martinis with some creative choices here and there. Their version of a cosmo is pretty tasty, and the whiskey cocktails are on point. I would love to come back and try some more. The only reason why this place doesn’t get a higher rating from me is because the service could’ve been much better. You would think that in a place as quiet as this, you would get ignored less. Not the case. We even had a waitress ask us to close our tabs early so she could go home early. We didn’t really care that much – just thought it was odd. We would’ve ordered more drinks from her given the chance.

The martinis are fantastic here and Monday is half price martini night. I’m not sure why the 2 different nights we were in here though it was so empty. On a Friday evening, we were the only patrons there. The bartender and waitress are really nice and welcoming as well.

I liked the ambiance and they do have an extensive menu but the martini I had was waaaayyyy too strong, almost undrinkable. Others with me were hit or miss (one really good and another too strong). And our service was pretty unremarkable. If I’m paying $ 13 for a drink then the service should match and it definitely didn’t. I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt though because I’ve heard better about this place. I’ll try it again but go back for some live music and some specials.

I’m only giving this place four stars because I don’t want it to get too crowded ;) I *love* Serendipity. Monday night is the best time to go because they have half-​price martinis… but it’s also worth an occasional non-​Monday splurge.
For martinis, I recommend the Petite Fleur or the Tropical Sunset (if you want to get WASTED on the cheap, then go for The Professional — it’s almost entirely whiskey). Have also heard good things about the Bellini. Mango martini is yummy, but not very strong.
For those non-​Monday splurges, you really have to try the Winter Cup. Worth it!
For food, try the Fish & Chips. It’s delicious, and goes well with all of the above.
Furthermore, the staff is so laid-​back and friendly. They are attentive when you want something, and leave you alone when you don’t! Wonderful service.
I wish I could give this exactly 4.5 stars, because that is what it deserves.

The first time I went to this bar was last night and I was very impressed! The ambiance and décor of this place is nice, and the service is exceptional. I have been to other martini bars before, and I felt their selection of martini’s was well rounded. I drank a «sex and the city» flavored martini, and it was absolutely delicious. I also really liked how they had an extensive wine selection, and other cocktails were available.
This place has events regularly such as salsa night, and even live entertainment. It definitely is not just a place to drink, so if you’re ever bored on a weekend, this is a great place to come with a group of friends.
I will admit that the crowd here is a bit older, but there are some college students floating around from time to time. I think one thing that may draw in a younger crowd could be a college night type thing, where with a student ID there’d be some specials or entertainment more tailored to a younger student crowd.
Overall this was a great experience and I was very impressed!

It’s hard to find a good drink in this town, truly. In a college town where a typical bar is only a stone’s throw away, we who like our drinks well mixed and our liquor from the higher shelf are often disappointed. Serendipity is a great respite for those who like a quiet atmosphere, good drinks, and cozy seating. I’ve always been pleased with the drinks; there are a couple of out-​of-​the-​ordinary concoctions, but most of the «martinis» (half of which are not, really, but are good) are pretty standard fare. For Bloomington, I find it overpriced for sure; many of my friends have said something along the lines of «NYC-​like prices in a Midwestern town.» The food is ok but terribly overpriced, despite the knowledge that it’s advertised as «tapas.» I’ve gone a couple of times when live music was there, and I hated it. The music was great, but the room is very resonant. My friends and I could barely hear each other shout, and we ended up leaving earlier than desired. Definitely a step in the right direction, but Serendipity needs some tweaking.

Not worth what you pay, but the place has potential. Great for drinks, dinner menu is lacking and bland.

I’ve had or tasted half a dozen of the food items here, and they’ve all been terrific – tasty, sophisticated and well prepared. Can’t speak to the «martinis» (most of which are not actual martinis), but they have some good wine selections. Service is very attentive, and the surroundings are comfortable and attractive.
My guess is that the vibe varies depending on the music. Two of the three times I was here I was lucky enough to catch «Standard Deviation,» a FABULOUS retro/​classic standards combo with a female vocalist named Lauren who really needs to be discovered. Unfortunately, most people weren’t actually listening.

I really like this place. It’s hard to find a bar in a college town in which the bartender has more than your standard Long Island-​in-​a-​pitcher repertoire. The atmosphere, I’ll admit, is a little dry, but if you’re looking for a quiet place to have a really top-​notch mixed drink made by a friendly guy who suggests different types of every liquor to suit your taste, that might be a good thing, and this place will hit the spot.

To any local music lover old enough to have gone to the now-​defunct Second Story during its run, going to Serendipity is akin to walking around inside the corpse of your childhood best friend – and having to pay 3 to 4 times more for a drink than anyone in Southern Indiana should for the privilege. Which would be fine, really, if it were really a swank high-​end martini (and otherwise) bar. But it’s not. They serve Belgian ales in pint glasses, for chrissakes! It doesn’t matter how many martini-​glass sconces, LED light strips and «fancy» plastic bachelorette-​party-​worthy disco bead curtains they put up, I know this isn’t a real martini bar. It’s still a decent performance space, but they barely use it as such. I really don’t see the point and can’t imagine it will be around very long.

This place is fairly new, and it was not around when I was in college. A part of me wishes it had been, but I don’t know if I would have appreciated it as much. My friends and I are in our mid-​20s, and I’m pretty sure everyone else there was 30+. I don’t really mind that, cause at least we weren’t surrounded by fratty douches and sorostitutes.
The drink selection is good… a martini list, and few beers, but good ones, including Duvel and Dogfish Head. The Duvel and Dogfish head were reasonably priced, but the martinis were as expensive as they would be in Chicago. Boo to that! I love going to Indiana and ordering cosmos for $ 4.75. I can buy a $ 11 martini in Chicago anytime!
They also have a dance floor and play a lot of Latin music, which is pretty awesome.