The Lodge

My friend and I wanted a «girls night out» but wanted to stay close to home so we opted for The Lodge to get our drink on. Upon arrival (7:00pm), we waited by the door to be seated but then found out it was seat yourself which was kind of cool because you can choose your own seat.
One of the managers greeted us and let us know about some of the events that they offer and the specials, and was really pleasant and nice. This was a very nice touch, and made us feel welcome.
There was only one waitress on that evening, but the waitress was pretty efficient. I ordered a basket of fries and a couple of coolers, my friend ordered a chicken wrap which came with fries. Food was good for what we had ordered, and prices were not bad. Under 5 bucks for the fries and under 12 for the wrap meal. Coolers were 7 dollars which are normal price, but I always cringe having to pay 7 bucks for a cooler.
We stayed until 11ish expecting it to get busy, but it stayed pretty dead. The music was pumping (the dj played some pretty good music) and the lights were flashing, but the restaurant/​bar was pretty empty. You know when you want to dance, but you don’t want to be the only ones on the dance floor?
This place has a lot of potential to make it a great party spot, but was lacking on the night that we went.
On a side note, The lodge seems like a great place for large groups, and is a great option for lunch or dinner.

So, this used to be the location of Grace O’Malley’s West (aka Gracie’s) until a few months ago when shockingly, the closed up shop. I was sad about it — it was the one bar I hung out at when I was younger and I had great memories here. One of the great things about the new spot is that they kept some of Gracie’s touches — the iron gate at the entrance, the basic layout and the live music stage.
The Lodge’s entrance is lovely — a big, bright sign makes it easy to find and the front of the building is immaculate. It definitely looks like a place you’d want to pop into while walking by. The inside is dimly lit (or at least it is after 8 p.m.) with beautiful lighting fixtures. The décor is a bit quirky, and I love it. There’s antlers on the wall to tie in with the lodge theme, but then they have creepy old black and white portraits on the walls. So fun!
I sampled some of their food which was surprisingly delicious. While they do have pub fare (hamburgers, wings, poutine) they also have food that’s unexpected. I had some delicious salmon tacos and split the calamari with my lovely friend. It was all amazing. The calamari was plump and delicious and the tacos were wonderful. Our server was efficient, sweet as pie and attentive. My dinner partner had the open face steak sandwich which she loved. The prices were also phenomenal.
Go here. Enjoy, and repeat.