I’m sitting in a tiny 32-seat Tiki bar in the quiet East Bay suburb of Orinda, with a boozy grog in my hand and a 3D figure of the “Creature From the Black Lagoon” looming over my head.
The Tiki-and-movie theme here at the Boo Loo Lounge is totally intentional — even the menu is written in the style of a screenplay — and curated to honor its neighbor: The bar is adjacent to the Orinda Theatre, an 84-year-old art deco theater in the town square.
Obviously, that grog is in a to-go cup for those interested in catching a flick. Orinda Theatre owner Derek Zemrak opened the lounge in late 2023 in the location of his former wine bar. It is the 19,500-population town’s only 21-and-over bar. The next-closest one is the Roundup Saloon in Lafayette…