The Lodge, the taxidermy-studded, wood-paneled dive on Piedmont Avenue, went dark at the end of January, leaving a hole in the neighborhood's late-night scene and regulars wondering if the cabinlike room was gone for good. This week, new owners stepped in and say the bar is coming back with only light changes and some new daytime-friendly programming.
The bar closed last Saturday, and owner Alexeis Filipello announced that Chris Cashin and Kris Gordon will take over the space. The partners say they plan minimal interior work, adding banquettes for more seating, while introducing an in-house food menu and opening for lunch with “healthy-style” daytime offerings. Nights will return to a kid-free policy after about 8 p.m., and they hope to reopen in March or April while keeping as much of the Lodge staff as possible, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
“We were the ones who were going to keep it closest to what it's been,” Cashin told the San Francisco Chronicle. Filipello said she was relieved the buyers “showed up at the eleventh hour” and welcomed their promise to “do all the things I couldn't do.”
Small Changes, Same Lodge Vibe
The Lodge has often hosted kitchen pop-ups, most notably Fowl + Fare during its early run, which became a key part of the bar’s identity. Local outlets have flagged the Lodge’s closure as part of a late-2025 wave of East Bay restaurant and bar shutdowns tied to post-pandemic traffic and changing drinking habits, as noted by Eater SF. New ownership appears aimed at preserving the room’s late-night character while adding a quieter daytime life for families and neighborhood customers.
When To Expect The Comeback
Cashin and Gordon say they aim for a March or April reopening, with only light renovations and a focus on preserving the Lodge’s community vibe. For now, neighborhood regulars will be watching to see whether the new version keeps the bar’s late-night soul while adding lunchtime and pop-up possibilities during the day.
