When the Lodge, an Oakland dive bar known for its friendly neighborhood vibe and cozy hunting lodge decor, reopened April 17 after a monthslong closure, its new owners didn’t make announcements beyond telling some friends.
But word quickly spread through the neighborhood. At one point, the bar at 3758 Piedmont Ave. was packed, co-owner Kris Gordon said. “There was a lady who drove by and yelled at the top of her lungs, ‘Oh, my God, the Lodge is open, f— yeah! ’” he said.
The Lodge had been a mainstay for almost 10 years when its previous owner, Alexeis Filipello, closed it in January, citing financial struggles. Then two members of the East Bay bar scene, Gordon, a bartender at Lucky 13 in Alameda, and Chris Cashin, the owner of Boathouse in Alameda, put in a successful bid to take it over — in part by promising not to change the soul of the place, including its taxidermy-rich, wood-paneled interior.
While the bar looks almost exactly the same, the new owners are making schedule and food changes in a bid to make it more accessible, Gordon said. The Lodge, which previously opened at 4 p.m., now operates daily from noon to midnight; in coming weeks, it will open at 10 a.m., or 9 a.m. on weekends during football season.
The bar’s food previously came from popups such as Fowl + Fare and Rice Cracker but is now made in house. The menu includes a chopped salad with goat cheese, a grilled cheese sandwich with brie and garlic confit and a breakfast sandwich called the Eggbert in homage to Egbert Souse’s, the bar’s name under previous ownership. The owners also plan to add a short brunch menu during football season. The Lodge will still host occasional popups, and Gordon plans to unveil a secret food menu on Instagram. There will be a soup of the day, starting with vegetarian chili, and a new kids menu will be served until 8 p.m., when the bar will convert to 21-and-over.
“We want to be family friendly,” Gordon said, noting that Piedmont Avenue Elementary School is nearby, as well as Kaiser Permanente across the street. “We also want to be a place where (hospitality) industry people can duck into.”
Given the high cost of living in the Bay Area, Gordon plans to offer a family special of four burgers and large fries for $20. “Our goal is to be very cost effective to the consumer. I personally can’t stand how everyone wants to charge $20 to $25 for a burger,” he said.
Gordon and Cashin will soon bring back the Lodge’s popular hot toddy and are also adding more nonalcoholic beer and other drinks, including a daily nonalcoholic slushie as well as one with booze.
Gordon said Filipello helped a lot with the reopening, even putting in a stint bartending over the weekend. “I can’t say enough about how awesome she’s been and what a great bar she built,” he said. “She built a great community.”