Pangea Lounge

I had read about this place and tried to find it a few times and finally found it. It really doesn’t feel like a speak easy at all, but it is different and has unique drinks. Mine was excellent but the service was really slow. Our food came first after a very long wait and was served without any utensil or napkins and no one seemed to notice, so I had to ask. Maybe it was just an off night, but after reading about it a few times, I think there are other spots downtown that are consistently terrific, so we will likely give our business there.

Ren and company make the best cocktails; rattle off your favorite spirits and flavors and they’ll put a drink in your hand that won’t disappoint. And, don’t miss out on the food choices from MéLange next door or order from The Monkey Business out front and have your sandwich delivered.

Hands down, best cocktails that I’ve had… Ren is by far the best mixologist I have met… even the obnoxious drunk ladies that stumbled in behind us couldn’t prevent a good time! Thank goodness they deal well with craziness. Order the rangoons! Chef Len is awesome

The concept is great, yes a speakeasy. But is in my opinion only popular by default. It’s the only place in Sarasota like it so of course everyone is going to go there.
The drinks are good, really good actually… It alcohol so everyone will find something they like. But I’m big on service and this place is seriously lacking. I thought it was a one off, maybe twice. But this place has been consistently slow and the server never fails to miss something someone ordered.
More than anything, I dislike this place because of the bartender. He is extremely rude and acts like a know it all. I’ve met multiple people in Sarasota who say the same thing.
When you are running a place with terrible service. A friendly attitude to people spending on average $ 10 – 15 a drink goes a long way!
Regardless of this. They have little to no competition being a speakeasy and people will continue to go there. It would be nice to see a positive change to go along with the great drinks.

AHHHHHH, It is a speakeasy. Like, legitimately! When you arrive and your GPS says «You are here» you will be confused. The restaurant you are standing in front of is called Monkey Business. We went in to inquire about where Pangea had moved. The server said we were at Pangea… but it says Monkey Business on the door we tell him… the Lounge is behind me he says mysteriously. Yep, there is a wall behind him and beyond that is a cozy little nook of a bar that has more cocktails than I can comprehend, beer, wine, and bizarre foods like brie butter, pork rind nachos, and manchez trio. The drinks are pricey– running about 10 – 12 bucks a pop, but the vibe is cool, the ambience matches, and you definitely feel like you are «in» when you sit down.
I had the chai martini, a delectable cocktail that is dangerous-​it tastes just like a chai without a trace of alcohol… but oh it is in there. I also ordered the brie butter. Oh my oh my, it is also dangerous– I could eat 10 plates of hat brie butter and the buttery French bread that goes along with it. My companions enjoyed the duck spring rolls and 5 layer dip with pork rinds and were equally ecstatic.
They lose a star for service. Everyone was very nice, but the «oh, we’re a speakeasy and you found us» vibe quickly wears thin when you have to wait 20 minutes for your first drink. One of our party was forgotten entirely, and we finally had to reorder. It was busy, but several servers were around and I don’t think organizing who was actually taking care of which tables was something they had considered. Still, it was an overall delightful experience and I will certainly return.
Insider Note: They have a concoction behind the bar called «Unicorn Taint Tincture.» No, I am not kidding. It is the liquid form of the Szechuan Peppercorn Flower. Ask to try it. Seriously. It is a unique and bizarre experience.

Tucked into the back of Monkey Business, this speakeasy-​like place is truly a hidden gem. The atmosphere is awesome with dark and earthy décor, cozy and intimate tables, and a full bar with skilled bartenders. Every item on the drink menu sounds unique and amazing, you can’t really go wrong because they’re all incredible. The lychee cocktail is light and refreshing, topped with pickled lychee. The yellowjacket has a nice kick and is fun to sip on due to the frothed egg white.
What’s really unique about this place though is the CEREAL cocktails! It’s like an adult version of your favorite breakfast as a kid. I had the Corn Pops which had moonshine added to the milk, and it was perfect to munch on while simultaneously getting a buzz on. The Frosted Flakes are also great, made boozy with white chocolate liquor and vodka.
The staff is really friendly and give great suggestions, you can tell that they are knowledgeable and skilled in making the cool concoctions.
Can’t wait to keep coming back here!

This review is based off of the drinks only. The drinks were amazing. It only took is 20 minutes to find this place since it was a speak easy. The pickled eggs were great.

Not a bad at all! Great drinks, good service. Will go back soon.

The décor cheaply done. You would think a place that serves $ 17. Drinks would invest on some actual decent furniture. The cardboard pressed against the walls with hot glued fabric over it was beyond laughable.
Maybe I have been spoiled growing up in New York City but this place lacks. Aside from the horrendous look of this place the atmosphere was somewhere between school cafeteria and airport. The «back ally» filled with garbage cans or the «sandwich shop» front you can enter in either or lacks serious class.
Drinks are good by why would I go back for drinks with such a lack in atmosphere?
As far as music went again couldn’t hear anything over the lunchroom chatter.
Would I return here? Not if my life depended on it. I would never recommend this place.

Been there twice on New Years eve, really liked the place a lot. I had a Mojito, an Old Fashioned Rum and a Mai Tai. All Cocktails were cheap for what I’m used to pay at other bars for worse quality. I was especially delighted about their rum selection, great that they have the Diplomatico rum! Keep up the good work!

This is a favorite spot to go to when we want a private intimate setting… somewhat of a speakeasy as you have to walk behind the sandwich shop storefront’s counter to enter. (Or you can enter through the back alley) I can’t even begin to express how yummy the creative and exotix cocktails are! Be careful, they sneak up on you!

I’ve been to this place twice in the past 2 months and I would give 5 stars for the experience but when are they going to fix the AC?! Both times it’s been ridiculously hot and there’s almost no air circulating, they had buckets in the middle of the floor to catch leaking water last night. Why would they be open if they had a roof leak in the middle of the bar? I really enjoyed the crafted drinks and the atmosphere other than the temperature.

Interesting spot, behind a sandwich place. Service was friendly but slow. I understand the cocktails are hand crafted, so the wait was understood. They have good cocktail options, pretty innovative in general, but the execution of the drinks still needs some work. I’m putting this in context of other cities, but for Sarasota it’s way above what’s being done. Hence the reason why this is a 4 versus a 3.

«What is this ‘hip’ bar in Sarasota you are talking about?» That was my reaction when my friend linked me to Pangea’s website to have a look in anticipation of a recent visit I made to the area. Touting itself as a kind of «speakeasy bar,» it definitely seemed to be worth a try, and it turns out that it was.
For starters, Pangea is a speakeasy in that it is in the rear of an as-​of-​yet unnamed/​unidentified sandwich shop, so you walk in and keep going and it’s behind a curtain. OK, now that you’ve found it — the bar itself! Hmm… Points for originality, especially in the Sarasota-​sphere of eating and drinking, where the run on Early Bird Specials is what keeps places open. Pangea is catering a younger, hipper audience here, and it mostly works. The space itself is kind of weird and illuminated in this blue-​ish light that gives it the effect of being underwater (or as my friend said «A prom limo…»). There are banquettes all along the sides, so lots of places to sit, and a bar area in the back as well (there’s a rear exit here out into a semi-​sketch alley that doubles as the smoking spot for patrons).
Surprisingly, Pangea wins the most points for its drinks — They are really good! The menu is not excessively long, but curated, presented coherently and the mixology in play works wonderfully. I had a Corpse Reviver #2 cocktail which was simply excellent. My friend had a drink called Purple Drank which was basically some kind of faux ghetto grape concoction, but also a delight. My second drink was a Salty Dog which was less exciting, but still good. Pangea’s drinks are reasonably priced for what you get, so overall I think this is a win.
My only complaint here is that the service on the night we stopped in was very, very slow. At least 30 minutes transpired between us ordering and receiving our drinks. If they can straighten that out (or even if they can’t), Pangea is a good bet for a few great drinks and fun place to while away a night in Sarasota.

I’m not gonna lie… By having a business you get one star from me. The second star is because it’s got a cool entrance and honestly the Server was very knowledgable about not only their featured drinks but also all their whiskey (for which they have a good selection).
Here is the thing. After talking with the server, and noting that they didn’t have the best sounding manhattan on the menu… She convinced me to get another one and told me it would be the cost of the whiskey I picked. I thought… Well sweet! Picked my manhattan with the bitters and vermouth she recommended. I only had one (thank goodness) and my drink came out to be $ 17 dollars. $ 17 freaking dollars for a mid level bourbon manhattan. I’m sorry, but being charged 2 bucks for bitters and 3 for vermouth? That is ridiculous. If I was told that was going to be my price I wouldn’t have gotten anything there. My manhattan shouldn’t have cost more than 11.50 like I was told to begin with.
Bottom line, cool room. But go in, look, and leave. I should also mention that although the server was knowledgable… She took for freaking ever.

I’m very conflicted about this place. On the one hand, our bartender Brad fixed me a Peach Old Fashioned with Mezcal and cedar smoke, an off-​menu creation that was complex and quite good. On the other hand, it wasn’t quite complex enough once the smoke dissipated – needed a bite or bit of spice to serve as a bridge between the two flavors.
It’s a nice touch that they serve a cocktail amuse bouche. I can’t remember what we had, but it was gently sweet, vodka-​based and featured black pepper. So good and refreshing that one of my companions ordered it full-​sized. They also offer an interesting variety of tinctures and flavored bitters: cinnnamon, cloves, garam masala and more. Bar food is passable. We had pretzel twists, warm and light, but served with an entirely bland cheese sauce on the side.
However, I’m from Philadelphia, where we have a handful of speakeasies, and each is initmately decorated, with cozy corners, velvet, cushions, curtains. Their false front, a sandwich shop, is cute, and when we were wandering past, lost, someone (probably hired by Pangea) ushered us inside. But behind the black curtain, things don’t look much better than they do out front. It’s cheaply decorated, cheaply furnished with a cold, half-​empty vibe. And that sort of describes the place itself, kind of cold, a half-​effort with lots of potential.

I heard about a speakeasy in SRQ and I thought — no way! This is a go-​to place for most unique drinks in Sarasota. They have a large variety of mixed drinks, but they also have some typical beers for tour less-​than-​adventurous drinking buddy.
You can tell the drinks here are made with tlc. The bartenders are skilled and friendly. They will be glad to help you navigate the menu and help you pick out the best option for you.
It pains me to not be able to give this place 5 stars, because of epic failure of the interior designer, but it doesn’t have the look of a speakeasy. My boyfriend and I have been to speakeasies in NY and ATL and this place seemed more like sci-​fi cartoonish. They need to add some blue velvet fabric on the walls or something to bring in some sophistication to match the sophisticated cocktails.
Also, if you’re looking to get away from the older crowd, then this is the place to go! None of the blue hairs will dare brave the walk to that back alley entrance! Haha

Who knew Sarasota had a speakeasy? I wanted to go to 5 stars, but I’m not because they seem confused. Its supposed to be a speakeasy, with really complex drinks served in a «hidden» location. The front of the shop — on main street — is a sandwich shop. If I recall, the lounge used to extend all the way to the street, but it looks like they changed that. Once we found our way inside, it seems like you can get in through the sandwich shop (because people came in from the front), but the entrance to the speakeasy is through the alley in the back. That confused the heck out of us since we walked to the address on main street, and it wasn’t there. But some research on Unilocal and we found out we had to go around.
Anyway, it is very nice inside, but its a lounge, not a speakeasy. It’s a modern day, modern set-​up lounge with plush couches and a set up like you’d expect. I’ve been to a couple of speakeasies — New York and Atlanta — and they all have the hidden entrance, but the others were set up like you’d expect from a 1920’s speakeasy.
It may sound strange that I would deduct a star from a place I really liked, but if you’re going to be a speakeasy, set yourself up like one. Don’t mix and match styles. I’d probably still give it 5 starts though if it wasn’t for the complete lack of a dress code. I know this is Florida, especially Sarasota, and you’re going to hurt your business if you don’t allow shorts or flip flops. I get it, but I still have a problem with it. Whether you’re a speakeasy, or a modern lounge with just really fancy drinks, a place like this should have a dress code.
Anyway, onto the good stuff — the drinks are fantastic. I couldn’t even tell you what we got, but mine was called a WT something, which stood for white trash, so it was served in a red solo cup with a small piece of a fried bologna sandwich as a garnish. I know — not very speakeasy-​ish — but it made us laugh and the drink was fantastic. The drink menu was filled with complex but delicious looking drinks,
Service was fantastic. The one cocktail server they had knew a lot and was on her game. It was slow, which probably helped, but she was still excellent.
So really, this is a 5 star gin-​joint. I’m just picky.

Sarasota, you are very lucky to have this bar in your city. A place like this would require a 3-​hour minimum wait on weekends in NYC. The drinks are beyond signature cocktails most bars or restaurants feature on their menus. Thought went into each drink to create a unique concoction and flavorful experience.
My very favorite is one with mango ice cubes, sprite and vodka. The most recent menu has a Blue Mule with blueberry ice cubes. I could list the menu, but it’s constantly changing and there’s too many to recall.
The storefront is similar to a speakeasy that serves sandwiches, but go behind the curtain to find the lounge. They have cozy booths and play down tempo music for the most part. A light snacking menu is offered as well.

This place is not just another martini bar! They have boy and girl drinks for everyone. Actually, most of their cocktails are manly in some way, there are only one or two girly drinks that are mild. Think of the drink menu as an international tour of flavors, if you will. Drinks with a spicy Latin kick, curry spiced drinks, and some drinks so strong that just one will put you down for the night. Average price of a beverage is about $ 10, but totally worth it considering you could only handle about two.
The atmosphere is very intimate, with enclosed booths, and your choice to draw the curtain. Dark romantic lighting with moving wave effects will make you feel like you are drinking on the bottom of the ocean floor.
Lan provides the finger foods, so a small snack menu is provided with decent pricing. I recommend the Duck Confit Eggrolls.