Lounge on 20, going on 3 years old, is making a few big changes to its menu and its interior, including two new chefs, an indoor fireplace and the addition of a banquet-style dining room.

Owner Ali Mackani said the official reopening is scheduled for May 1.

“Many of our customers kept asking for a dining room, and we had the room, so we utilized it,” Mackani said.

The largest overhaul of the renovation is the dining room, which will feature several banquet-style tables and chandelier lighting.

Mackani said there will be no true separation between the lounge area, which will feature couches and an indoor fireplace, and the dining area. Furniture will be the only barrier, he said.

The bar will have a charcoal grey backdrop with an olive green ceiling to create a more “warm and friendly” atmosphere, he said.

“Before, every wall in the restaurant was white,” he added.

The fireplace will be installed in front of the bar, with four flat-screen TVs (two in the lounge area and two in the back dining room) featuring graphic art.

Pajo Bruich is Lounge on 20’s new executive chef. The 31-year-old self-taught chef owns “The Private Table,” which specializes in high-end private dinners, and “Pajo’s Boutique Catering,” which serves high-end functions. The Lincoln resident called the new menu he has created “very progressive.”

Bruich will bring many aspects of molecular gastronomy to Lounge on 20. Molecular gastronomy is a style of cooking that replicates classic dishes with modern, scientific styles of cooking to create smaller, but still filling and fantastic foods, Bruich said.

“The experience will be brand-new, and it is not necessarily about getting dressed up; we want customers to leave thinking that was an amazing meal in a unique space,” Bruich said.

Dinner entrees will be somewhere between $18 and $24, while appetizers will run around $6 to $10, depending on specials.

All the dinner items are à la carte, and future menu items will feature wine and dinner specials, Mackani said.

He also said that there will be a separate lounge and dinner menu.

Elaine Baker, a local pastry chef, will also be joining Lounge on 20, and she will tackle the desserts.

Baker said that some of the dessert menu ideas took her beyond her comfort zone, with a focus on stylish presentation and taste.

But she added, “Customers should expect a sense of adventure with the menu while still expecting good taste.”

Mackani said, “The addition of Baker gives the Lounge on 20 something unique and different,” adding that he is excited to pair beautiful desserts with beautiful food.

The grand reopening will be May 1. The lounge and bar will not be open during renovation.

Lounge on 20 is located at 1050 20th St.