After taking a seat in the Lodge's simple two-room wood-paneled bar, I found myself staring at the chalkboards, poring over a hundred clever beer names, ignoring the football games playing on the televisions. A bartender noticed the puzzled look on my face and offered a few suggestions. After explaining that I'm far from a beer connoisseur, he asked what I enjoyed in a beer and was back moments later with a pint of oatmeal stout. A few sips later, I was back to watching the games and wondering why more sports bars don't feel like the Lodge. A couple of beers later, I figured out that the Lodge is just a unique neighborhood bar that happens to subscribe to Sunday Ticket. Sports bars be damned.
Now open: Stage 84, an artsy café with a weekend sports habit, at 9118 State Road 84, Davie.
Beachside Grill at the Lauderdale Beachside Hotel, 4660 N. Ocean Drive, Fort Lauderdale.
Revamped: Chocolate Moose Café is now Stage 84. It's at 9118 W. State Road 84, in Plantation.
