For years, Charlie’s Restaurant was the spot for a burger after nine holes, a glass of Sonoma chardonnay on the patio or brunch with friends by the lake. Then things went sideways. Under new management, regulars noticed changes they didn’t like — staff walking out, familiar menu items disappearing, service slipping. Members of the Sonoma County Foodies group were blunt. One diner posted that they ate there twice in a week and “both times were awful.” Another complained the wine list had shrunk to “a couple of bottom shelf choices” and said a $17.95 Reuben was “just sad, like the salad.” By spring, the group was full of warnings that “everyone walked out” and “new management was bad and so was the food.”

Charlie’s tried to right the ship with a new menu rollout in May, but the damage was done. By summer, the chatter was mostly disappointment and nostalgia for what the place used to be. The Windsor Golf Club owners made a decision: close the book on Charlie’s and start fresh.

That fresh start now has a name: Jimmy’s Lakeside Café, opening Oct. 1 under local restaurateur Jim Goff.

If you ever grabbed a preflight sushi roll or steak at the Charles M. Schulz—Sonoma County Airport, you’ve already met him. Goff ran the Sky Lounge Steakhouse & Sushi Bar there from 2007 until 2022. What started as a quirky airport restaurant became a 15-year institution, known for mixing comfort food with sushi, steaks and a surprisingly strong wine and beer list. It was the kind of place where a business traveler could order a rib-eye while watching planes taxi past, or locals could make it a casual Friday night spot.

Goff isn’t a chef in the celebrity sense — he came to restaurants by way of construction and aviation — but he’s known for building menus that work for different kinds of eaters. At Sky Lounge that meant everything from Painted Hills beef burgers to specialty rolls like his “Thunder Roll.” At the new Lakeside Café, he says he’ll carry forward the same philosophy: broad appeal, fresh local ingredients and enough polish to keep wine country visitors happy without losing the casual vibe golfers want.

The press release hints at some familiar features: the return of the popular weekend brunch, an expanded menu highlighting Sonoma ingredients and a full calendar of community-friendly events. Expect brunch staples like Benedicts and mimosas, but also seasonal specials that nod to the county’s farms and fisheries. The dinner menu is still under wraps, though if Goff’s past work is a guide, there will be steaks, seafood and at least a few sushi options alongside more approachable pub fare.

Atmosphere matters, too. The lakeside patio has always been the restaurant’s ace, and Goff seems eager to lean into it. “Jimmy’s will celebrate what people have always loved about this space — the views, the hospitality, the connection to golf and wine country,” he said when the lease was announced. That likely means more reasons to linger outside: live music, tastings, maybe even special menus tied to local events.

The Windsor Golf Club dining room isn’t just for golfers. For decades it’s been one of the few spots in town where you could bring out-of-towners and show off a real slice of Sonoma County — water views, wine and casual but competent cooking. When Charlie’s faltered, the void was felt well beyond the fairways. Regulars who once filled the Foodies group with brunch photos were instead warning friends to stay away.

Bringing in Jim Goff is a clear signal that the owners know the space needs credibility. He has a track record of longevity in a tough industry, community roots in Windsor and the reputation of someone who runs a welcoming, family-friendly house. If he can re-create the steady formula that made Sky Lounge work for 15 years, Jimmy’s Lakeside Café has a real shot at winning back both golfers and locals.

Opening day is set for Oct. 1, with grand opening details still to come. In the meantime, the space is getting a refresh — new look, new menu, new energy. What won’t change is the setting: a lakeside patio that still delivers one of the best dining views in north county.

For Sonoma County food lovers, the story here is about redemption. A once-popular restaurant lost its way, and a community noticed. Now a new chapter begins, helmed by someone who knows how to keep a place running and how to keep customers coming back.

This fall, Windsor gets a chance to see if Jimmy’s can bring the lakeside dining room back to life.