It came to us almost by magic, really, like the best things often do… Months ago I received a quiet little text from a good friend about a possible vacancy and opportunity and after much hesitation (on my part) and negotiation that seemingly, spontaneously spawned into a whirlwind of cleaning and readying to open after being closed for nearly 6 months… We turned the old Jake’s on the Lake at the Lake Arrowhead Marina into the new Dogwood Dockside Bar & Grill!
I’ve shared a little bit on Instagram in this post and in my stories, but have been waiting for our signs to go up before actually sharing here. Last weekend they all finally arrived and Chad installed them and VOILA! it finally feels legit now.
We opened on June 4th (2022) and have been busy ever since! Chad runs the daily business there physically with our fantastic cooks and I run the behind the scenes business as well as the graphic/digital design and social media, like I do for Dogwood Tavern.
The location is the perfect place to stop and eat after or during a day out on the boat but you can also drive/park and walk down and eat as well. We have a large patio full of tables with umbrellas and (hopefully next year a little outdoor bar seating area) or you can grab food to-go.
Though it is a private lake, you don’t have to be an ALA member to access it, though some parking above is for ALA members only, there is generally plenty of street parking unless it’s a holiday.
We offer much of the same menu and food items as we do at Dogwood Tavern, but otherwise kept our menu easy and boat friendly since most of our customers do arrive by boat. We’ve got our great burgers, sandwiches and wraps as well as salads and vegetarian options and our fresh hand-cut fries and handmade chips and salsa… YUM!
We’ve got taps for beer already installed and planning future wine cocktails and adult and kid-friendly slushies as well but are currently just waiting on our beer/wine liquor license to be able to serve. We rushed to get open by summer figuring it was better than not opening. So far it’s been worth it but I’m looking forward to when we’re fully operational because it truly does add to the community.
The weathered exterior will get a facelift and paint job in the near future
We’re busiest on Saturday and Sundays between noon and 2pm which means sometimes the wait for orders gets a little long (our apologies) but usually it’s no longer than 15-20 minute wait.
Since it’s a seasonal business, we’re not quite sure how long we’ll stay open during the year just yet… we’re testing the waters this year, so to speak. We are currently open Thursday-Monday about noon to 5pm and closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The summer season ends in October and all boats pretty much exit the lake at the same time to prepare for winter BUT people can still park on the street and walk down to eat. However, I can’t imagine how busy it will be during the winter season and snow days, especially. This is our sort of trial year/season, to see how it all works out, but we’re doing well so far and people seem to love it.
I’ve always said the area of Lake Arrowhead by the Marina and McKay park and the Hospital should be an whole new destination location for locals and visitors. There are so many houses and businesses on this side of the mountain that don’t have the resources available like those who live closer to the village and/or Blue Jay. It’s not that it’s THAT far of a drive, but there is a ton of open land on this side and it’s beautiful and has so much potential to be another “village” or destination for vacationers. Hopefully we can be the start of that trend.
Fun News!
If you watched The Terminal List on Prime, in the season finale you’ll see us in the background! They filmed much of this episode in my favorite house in Lake Arrowhead on Robin Hood Lane and here (shown below) at the Marina (though our sign wasn’t up yet!). If you haven’t watched the show, it’s pretty good, but if nothing else, just watch the final episode for all this Lake Arrowhead goodness and be sure to stop by if you’re in the area!
Follow us on Instagram! @dogwood_dockside and @dogwood_tavern
Happy Summer, Lovecats!
* Find all my Dogwood Posts here
