I suppose going modern/fancy was inevitable:

Reminds me of literally every new restaurant/bar in SF. Glad to have it back though.

socaliganbear;842538779 said:

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I suppose going modern/fancy was inevitable:

Reminds me of literally every new restaurant/bar in SF. Glad to have it back though.

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It reminds me of the Google cafeteria in SF, minus the view. Awful for a campus pub.

It looks like the bar/cafe inside the Whole Foods in the Design District in the city.

Agree, it look very corporate and generic.

Thumbs down. Maybe there are other areas that will make up for the generic-ass area captured in the photo.

wow that looks so bougie

Well what did you expect, for it to look like the dives that are quickly disappearing around here? There's always Kips.

Such the complainers.

Strykur;842538796 said:

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Well what did you expect, for it to look like the dives that are quickly disappearing around here? There's always Kips.

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Gentrification strikes again?

needs a lot more blue and gold. no memorabilla either?

Will there be homeless panhandlers and street urchins in close proximity? I think that will more than make up for the sanitized feel and give it some Berkeley zest at the same time.

socaliganbear;842538804 said:

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Gentrification strikes again?

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Damn yuppies ruin everything, man.

Strykur;842538796 said:

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Well what did you expect, for it to look like the dives that are quickly disappearing around here? There's always Kips.

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yes.. More like the old Bear's Lair. Traditional atmosphere..

Pappy's came in and built a new college bar that looks like a college bar.

I wouldn't feel comfortable throwing up there at all :cry:

Wait, is the new Bear's Lair actually a JUICE bar??? The pieces fit imo...

socaliganbear;842538816 said:

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Pappy's came in and built a new college bar that looks like a college bar.

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No wonder I like that place.

so sterile and boring..

gobears725;842538808 said:

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needs a lot more blue and gold.

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Those green chairs look pre-puked.

Hahaha, you guys are killing me, mainly because CAL CAN NOT HAVE NICE THINGS...and you guys are so obviously classic Berkeley snobs who like the old, the cool and the funky.

Okay, I agree it looks like a "tilt up and throw crap inside" project...but that's how things are done and obviously they weren't going to drop coin on something that could change up in 10 years. It is interesting to see how trends or current idea affect the design. The old BL's looked like a stand alone drive up restaurant per the trend of the day.

liverflukes;842538818 said:

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i wouldn't feel comfortable throwing up there at all :cry:

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+1 lol

beelzebear;842538873 said:

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Hahaha, you guys are killing me, mainly because CAL CAN NOT HAVE NICE THINGS...and you guys are so obviously classic Berkeley snobs who like the old, the cool and the funky.

Okay, I agree it looks like a "tilt up and throw crap inside" project...but that's how things are done and obviously they weren't going to drop coin on something that could change up in 10 years. It is interesting to see how trends or current idea affect the design. The old BL's looked like a stand alone drive up restaurant per the trend of the day.

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are you kidding?

students & new grads probably don't want to do Beat the Clock at a sterile "modern" cafe with square 4-seater tables. that design looks like it was taken out of a sh*tty Euro catalogue at a furniture store you'd find in Palo Alto.

how that equates to wanting "cool" and "funky" i have no idea.

beelzebear;842538873 said:

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Okay, I agree it looks like a "tilt up and throw crap inside" project...but that's how things are done and obviously they weren't going to drop coin on something that could change up in 10 years. It is interesting to see how trends or current idea affect the design. The old BL's looked like a stand alone drive up restaurant per the trend of the day.

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yes, that's Cal's problem, isn't it? penny wise, pound foolish?

beeasyed;842538937 said:

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are you kidding?

students & new grads probably don't want to do Beat the Clock at a sterile "modern" cafe with square 4-seater tables. that design looks like it was taken out of a sh*tty Euro catalogue at a furniture store you'd find in Palo Alto.

how that equates to wanting "cool" and "funky" i have no idea.



yes, that's Cal's problem, isn't it? penny wise, pound foolish?

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I'm not in construction, but it seems it would be pretty tough to build a sufficiently dive-y bar in a brand new building. Give the New Bear's Lair 10 years and it'll have enough beer spills and puke stains to make you happy again.

My question: Will they still sell beers by the quart? And can we still get Go Beers shirts?

grandmastapoop;842538942 said:

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I'm not in construction, but it seems it would be pretty tough to build a sufficiently dive-y bar in a brand new building. Give the New Bear's Lair 10 years and it'll have enough beer spills and puke stains to make you happy again.

My question: Will they still sell beers by the quart? And can we still get Go Beers shirts?

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i don't mean they should spend additional money trying to recreate the old Bear's Lair, but I also don't think it's too difficult to build a bar that's warm and inviting for students and large groups. maybe have some Cal-colored or themed elements befitting a Cal on-campus bar. something that doesn't look like will change management in another semester.

what they've created looks more like a bougie cafe that offers $8 pressed juice and sh*tty lattes.

No picnic tables?

WTF?

How, on Thursdays, am I going to sit on a table, in the sun, drinking a 24 ounce beer, while leering at coeds in summer shorts strolling across the plaza combined with chuckling at (a couple of my friends in) the Band practicing marching steps in front of Zellerbach?

No stage for an AJ Kane reunion show?

93gobears;842538951 said:

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No picnic tables?

WTF?

How, on Thursdays, am I going to sit on a table, in the sun, drinking a 24 ounce beer, while leering at coeds in summer shorts strolling across the plaza combined with chuckling at the Band practicing marching steps in front of Zellerbach?

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Oh, man. The words "picnic tables" brings back a flood of memories of the Bear's Lair on late Fridays, with the Daily Cal gang. That scene was so awesome.

They could've spruced it up while making it feel like home for Cal students. The new SAHPC is a pretty good example of how to modernize but display Cal history.

93gobears;842538951 said:

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No picnic tables?

WTF?

How, on Thursdays, am I going to sit on a table, in the sun, drinking a 24 ounce beer, while leering at coeds in summer shorts strolling across the plaza combined with chuckling at the Band practicing marching steps in front of Zellerbach?

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There is a patio. They were not "open" on Saturday, but there were people inside and on the patio so I walked up. It was some sort of private party requiring tickets. Seemed like a very stupid business decision to forego a football gameday's worth of revenue for a private party (and it was not crowded. At all.)

mcdbear;842538961 said:

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No stage for an AJ Kane reunion show?

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He couldn't promise to keep his clothes on.

I like Bears, but only those of the Ursine variety.

socaliganbear;842538779 said:

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I suppose going modern/fancy was inevitable:

Reminds me of literally every new restaurant/bar in SF. Glad to have it back though.

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Question #1: WHERE IS THE BEAR? You remember the Big Bear that was in the Back room of the Bear's Lair. IIRC it was donated by an old Alum.
Or has it gone the way of the Cal Hakka since some students did not like taxidermy.

Question #2: why is the roof of the addition to the Student Union at a conflicting angle with the line of the balcony immediately above the roof. When I first saw it, i thought, "Dam* the architect's ruler slipped as he/she was doing the final drawing."
Thank you Dr. Seuss.

grandmastapoop;842538968 said:

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There is a patio. They were not "open" on Saturday, but there were people inside and on the patio so I walked up. It was some sort of private party requiring tickets. Seemed like a very stupid business decision to forego a football gameday's worth of revenue for a private party (and it was not crowded. At all.)

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Exactly. Typical brain-dead marketing. "Hey there will be 60,000 fans coming by on Saturday. Let's make sure to keep them out.
We would not want to spoil the surprise. Then we will open up the following week when there are maybe 30,000 to 40,000 fans around."

I guess they never heard or never understood: "Strike while the iron is hot".
Their reply. "What are you talking about. Nobody iron's their clothes any more."

beeasyed;842538937 said:

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are you kidding?

students & new grads probably don't want to do Beat the Clock at a sterile "modern" cafe with square 4-seater tables. that design looks like it was taken out of a sh*tty Euro catalogue at a furniture store you'd find in Palo Alto.

how that equates to wanting "cool" and "funky" i have no idea.



yes, that's Cal's problem, isn't it? penny wise, pound foolish?

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No nice stuff for you!

Yes it does look like corporate design and WTF did you expect from a public institution...lots of dark wood and nice details? Okay they're providing that stuff in the high end dorms.

Ever hear the term "high abuse fixtures"? In fact they did pull that stuff from a catalog. Probably from the same company that provided all the old stuff in BL, just updated.

BTW, I was kidding...but seriously what's the alternative? Public institution spec stuff like that.

I don't care what it looks like! How cheap is the beer? :p

beelzebear;842539006 said:

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No nice stuff for you!

Yes it does look like corporate design and WTF did you expect from a public institution...lots of dark wood and nice details? Okay they're providing that stuff in the high end dorms.

Ever hear the term "high abuse fixtures"? In fact they did pull that stuff from a catalog. Probably from the same company that provided all the old stuff in BL, just updated.

BTW, I was kidding...but seriously what's the alternative? Public institution spec stuff like that.

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I'm not asking for high end fixtures and equipment. I'm saying I prefer a more welcoming environment instead of the "modern" look they're going for. I don't think that would cost any more.

but you guys are right: at the end of the day, the only factor that really matters is how cheap the beers are.