The Lake Chalet: A Tormenting Love-Hate Relationship

No one was more excited than I was when I got a call from a San Francisco friend to inform me that the owners of the fabulous Beach Chalet would be opening an Oakland restaurant along side the beautiful Lake Merritt. After more research I discovered that the Lake Chalet was sure to be the greatest addition to Oakland since the 1989 Oakland Athletics team (Ahhh…Glory Days). I was even more elated the day (Last Summer) I was taking a leisurely stroll around the lake to see that the Chalet was open for business. Immediately, I contacted every one of my usual dining companions to ask if they were free for dinner (it was a Friday morning and the menu advertised some sort of Crab Special—and you know I can’t pass up a special!). Once I rounded up a few participants, I skipped through the open doors of the bright and well decorated restaurant, hardly containing my glee and kvelling at the outdoor seating right on the lake, and asked to make a reservation for eight.

**Quick Side Note: There is no quality outdoor seating in Oakland. I really don’t know what the deal is. I search and search for great happy hours with outdoor patios, and they are hard to come by. I am so obsessed with finding a place, that I literally considered opening my own restaurant, and even found the perfect location for my masterpiece. I even had my real-estate agent sister inquire about the desired property. It didn’t work out, and now my dream restaurant is a AAA office…Blasphemy!

Anyway, I was not greeted with the same cheerfulness that I’m sure I exuded. No, just the opposite. I was halted by the frantic stress of an early twenties hostess who laughed awkwardly at my confident reservation request, bursting my bubble with her snide retort, “Eight? We can barely seat parties of two?” I wasn’t sure if she meant that they were booked, or that they actually didn’t have the ability to seat larger parties, but my eagerness to try this culinary palace brushed off her snarky attitude. I continued my inquiries, assuming I’d try again next week. Innocently I asked, “So what is the deal with the Crab Fridays and Taco Tuesdays?” The frantic hostess stared at me blankly, and said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I knew I wasn’t crazy; I had read it somewhere…Oh yes, I remember, On-line and again on the printed menu posted right outside in a fancy glass case. So, I took the liberty to educate her, to which she guessed they hadn’t started these specials yet.

Annoyed with the false advertising, I left sans reservation. I didn’t experience Lake Chalet until my birthday, when Red and I splurged on mediocre, overpriced food (and weren’t aloud to sit outside because it was closed). Devastated at the waste of the most perfect restaurant location in Oakland, I gave up on Lake Chalet…but others did not. Here is the course of my experiences then after. 1) I was convinced to go to Taco Tuesday one day when it had begun, and the result was two greasy tacos, one which I was charged full price because either you only get one for $2.50 or because I ordered past the happy hour time. Either way, not impressed (I hear they worked out the kinks, but there are better places for tacos and margaritas). 2) I joined a friend for happy hour, and we ordered beers. Upon getting our bill, we were charged regular prices, only to find out that we were at the wrong bar for happy hour prices (our bad, I guess, for not being specific enough with the bar tender and blindly trusting the website). 3) The food is seriously overpriced and mediocre.

But then it all changed. While researching more Happy Hours on-line, Lake Chalet popped up again. I tried to avoid it, but I had recently met one of their bar tenders at a party, who said things have gotten better and that it was worth trying happy hour again. I was pleasantly surprised to see a 3-6-9 deal being advertised. The details: From 3-6 and 9-Close there is happy hour food and drink specials. Select food (but a great selection) and drinks are all either $3, $6, or $9, including a $9 burger which is actually not bad. One Wednesday this summer, when my buddy Kate was in town from NY for a wedding, I convinced her and Dre to give it a try with me (actually the three of us had dinner plans, but a simple phone call suggesting a 3:00 dinner and cocktails was all the coaxing needed, and the plans changed). I was delighted that we got a table right on the dock, and enjoyed $3 beers and again, decent food (but much more palatable when paying $3-6 rather than $15-20). Things were looking up at the Lake Chalet. The next experience was when I rallied a small group on a Saturday evening to try the 9-Close happy hour. The lights of the lake were spectacular, and the nighttime setting had almost a Seattle vibe. We enjoyed the great value and gorgeous outdoor ambiance, complete with well placed heat lamps. It also didn’t hurt when a waiter brought out a hummus platter “on the house” for no real reason (I’m a sucker for free food)! I asked what days the 3-6-9 specials happened, and another waitress excitedly announced that it was offered EVERY DAY! Everyday? Including Sunday? Comfortable and enjoyable, I had finally fell in love with the Lake Chalet. Yet, it was of course, too good to be true…
Fast forward a month later, when I suggested we hit up the 3-6-9 at around 10:00pm on a Tuesday night after seeing free comedy at the Layover (16th and Franklin, every Tuesday…Fabulous). I called the Lake Chalet, just to confirm the nightly happy hour special, as I am not quick to trust one friendly waitress, nor the web advertising, as I have been spurned before, only to find out that they close at 9:30.

So, the last laugh was on me…nightly happy hour for about 30 minutes on weeknights!

To sum it up: 1) Inconsistent service 2) Overpriced mediocre food 3) Great from 3-6, or on Saturday nights from 9-close 4) Always call first, don’t trust the website, and be clear to your server that you want the happy hour…just in case you are in the wrong wing of the restaurant.

Good Luck!