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\u2019t make announcements beyond telling some friends.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But word quickly spread through the neighborhood. At one point, the bar at 3758 Piedmont Ave. was packed, co-owner Kris Gordon said. \u201cThere was a lady who drove by and yelled at the top of her lungs, \u2018Oh, my God, the Lodge is open, f\u2014 yeah! \u2019\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The Lodge had been a mainstay for almost 10 years when its previous owner, Alexeis Filipello, closed it in January<\/a>, 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<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 in part by promising not to change the soul of the place, including its taxidermy-rich, wood-paneled interior.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n 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\u00a0p.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.\u00a0<\/p>\n The bar\u2019s food previously came from popups such as Fowl + Fare<\/a> 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\u2019s, the bar\u2019s 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<\/a>. 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.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to be family friendly,\u201d Gordon said, noting that Piedmont Avenue Elementary School is nearby, as well as Kaiser Permanente across the street. \u201cWe also want to be a place where (hospitality) industry people can duck into.\u201d<\/p>\n 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. \u201cOur goal is to be very cost effective to the consumer. I personally can\u2019t stand how everyone wants to charge $20 to $25 for a burger,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Gordon and Cashin will soon bring back the Lodge\u2019s popular hot toddy and are also adding more nonalcoholic beer and other drinks, including a daily nonalcoholic slushie as well as one with booze.\u00a0<\/p>\n Gordon said Filipello helped a lot with the reopening, even putting in a stint bartending over the weekend. \u201cI can\u2019t say enough about how awesome she\u2019s been and what a great bar she built,\u201d he said. \u201cShe built a great community.\u201d<\/p>\n