{"id":280370,"date":"2026-04-22T15:00:27","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T15:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/280370\/"},"modified":"2026-04-22T15:00:27","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T15:00:27","slug":"rescued-from-closure-a-cherished-oakland-bar-finally-reopens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/280370\/","title":{"rendered":"Rescued from closure, a cherished Oakland bar finally reopens"},"content":{"rendered":"

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.<\/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. “There was a lady who drove by and yelled at the top of her lungs, \u2018Oh, my God, the Lodge is open, f- yeah! ‘” 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– in part by promising not to change the soul of the place, including its taxidermy-rich, wood-paneled interior.<\/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.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Lodge on Piedmont Avenue is back with new hours and food menu. (Scott Strazzante\/S.F. Chronicle)<\/p>\n

The bar’s 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’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<\/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

“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.”<\/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. “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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The Lodge’s resurrection is a counter-example to the string of bar closures<\/a> in the East Bay at the end of last year, including Oakland’s Friends and Family<\/a>, the Good Hop and Roses’ Taproom<\/a>. At least one more revival is coming, too: A new queer bar called There\/There<\/a> is due to open in the former Friends and Family space in May.<\/p>\n

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.”<\/p>\n

This article originally published at Rescued from closure, a cherished Oakland bar finally reopens<\/a>.<\/p>\n