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Modeled after a cabin in the Adirondacks and situated on an off-the-beaten-path Williamsburg corner, Lodge hits nearly all high notes. Sticking with the natural, open-air theme, two sides of the restaurant are thrown open to the sidewalk. Pine shipped in from upstate New York has been carved into paneling and unique carved wooden chairs. The plush lounge section near the bar, where youngsters sip mojitos, limoncello martinis, and low-price beer and single-batch bourbons, has faux antler chandeliers and tables made from tree stumps. Dishes change slightly daily, based on greenmarket offerings. Buttermilk garden salad, beer-battered onion rings, Yukon gold fries, and doughy apple cheddar fitters are slices of the American West. Whole salmon is crispy and flaking away, matched well with a barbecue-style potato. Fried chicken is a model of what fried chicken should be, with thick battered skin and succulent, plentiful meat, offset by bitter kale and garlic mashed potatoes, both drenched in butter. Even if you're stuffed, consider ordering the understated flourless chocolate cake or the moist and compulsively eatable carrot cake. Lodge is worth the hike. — Timothy Cooper

More than a dozen wines are available by the glass, and there's a wide selection of canned American beers. The single-batch bourbons are worth a try.

Reservations
Reservations are only accepted for parties of six or more.

Grilled hanger steak, $15; burger with cheese, $11