Good News/Bad News: Lake Chalet

Oakland: No other restaurant in Oakland—not even Commis—has generated as much early buzz on that side of the Bay as the massive Lake Chalet. The frenzy can be chalked up to a variety of reasons—a historic location, established restaurateurs, sheer magnitude, et al.—but as many have pointed out, neither the Beach Chalet nor Park Chalet is known for its food. So, now that the Trupellis have a month in Oakland under their belts, it's time to check out the early buzz from the lakeside eatery:

The Good News: "The service seemed a little overwhelmed, because the restaurant was packed last night, outside and in, but the servers were all very friendly. There is a really long bar inside the restaurant that looked like a nice place to get a drink, and it was also pretty full, with a nice range of people." [Chowhound]

The Bad News: "The décor makes the place feel like an upscale corporate hotel ... nothing we tried made us long to return, and we were not heartened by the dessert menu's cluelessness." [Meredith Brody]

Good News, Bar Edition: "The bartenders are super friendly, and the general vibe is great. I will definitely be back. It kinda feels like you're on vacation. Imagine if Margaritaville was actually cool and had normal Oakland patrons and was a totally different establishment." [Yelp]

The "OMG! So Fabulous!" News: "Folks, I love this place ... Just wait until the outdoor dock opens for dinner. Someone should bring Britney Spears in her bikini!" [SFGate]

Mediocre Food News: "Had dinner at the new Lake Chalet restaurant in #Oakland on Sunday. Ambiance: A+ View: A+ Food: C- Great drink spot, food not so much." [Twitter]

Same Thing Happens to Bauer: "I complained about my portion size, and I kid you not, the waitress pinched me and held on for an awkward lingering minute." [Yelp]

Well This Seems Convenient: "Another note: parking around there is a hassle, and the restaurant does have valet, which is only $5 (which isn't bad considering that Oakland now charges for metered parking until 8pm, so if you got there at 6, the valet would be only a dollar more than the metered rate), and you can add the valet charge to your bill, which makes that a little easier." [Chowhound]

Neighborhood Controversy Still Simmering: "Like it or not, the Lake Chalet is a hit right now. It doesn’t mean that the bigger issues and the history behind the decision should be dismissed ... We can say move on already but the history seethes beneath the surface and will affect the way some people feel about the restaurant. There are several Oaklands in this city." [Oakland Trib]
· Complete Coverage of Lake Chalet [~ESF~]

Further thoughts on the matter? To the comments you go.