MamaJuana Lounge & Restaurant offers vibrant nightlife, dining

When MamaJuana Lounge — named for a traditional Dominican Republic drink with rum, red wine, and honey — first opened in 2017, it was a BYOB club. Over the years, owner Esmailin Peña has expanded his passion project to include a restaurant, patio, and full bar.

Peña first came to Lebanon from the Dominican Republic in 2006 and built a reputation as a DJ working in Harrisburg and Allentown. He soon began to flip properties, eventually saving enough money to purchase 39 N. 9th St., previously a social club, in 2016.

“I’m coming from a poor family; we came from the Dominican Republic, we don’t have nothing, so when we came here, we see United States as an opportunity,” said Peña. “So, when I came here in 2006, I came hungry.”

He spent the next year customizing the interior, doing almost all of the construction work (save for flooring) himself before opening the lounge.

Since then, he has renovated three times, including the addition of a patio in 2023, an idea which Peña formed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

MamaJuana’s core menu pulls heavily from Dominican and Puerto Rican cuisine, with dishes like mofonguitos, pescado relleno, and fajitas.

“As a Latino, we take seriously all the details,” said Peña of the carefully plated meals.

The restaurant’s offerings also include a sushi chef and menu, which combines sushi presentation with traditional Dominican flavors, such as plantains, avocados, and signature sauces.

While the restaurant is open until 10 p.m. Wednesday through Monday, the nightclub is open 9:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday through Sunday. Peña said he is always looking for entertainers to perform on weekends, from DJs to reggae bands.

Right now, Peña is working on improvements to MamaJuana’s basement, including the construction of bowling alleys. Eventually, he also hopes to set up an Airbnb upstairs and establish a brunch buffet.

“Every step is big for me, because I move forward,” said Peña. “Every move that I make, I feel proud, because especially now, a lot of businesses close down and I survive.”

He has also bought the adjacent building and hopes to connect it to MamaJuana through the patio, possibly moving the restaurant into a separate building from the nightclub to create a more family-friendly atmosphere.

Peña explained that he wants to serve his community, whether by offering advice to others starting up their own businesses, donating food to first responders during the pandemic, or lending space to community events.

“I’m open to any event for the community to use my space for free,” said Peña, noting he has hosted mayoral events in the past. “If I have to donate any food or whatever to support my community, I’m always open to do it.”