See inside SLO County hotel’s new restaurant — from ‘airplane hangar’ to cozy lounge
An intimate restaurant and bar has been newly renovated in San Luis Obispo County, now serving cocktails made from house gin distilled on site.
The landmark Carlton Hotel in Atascadero underwent a three-year revitalization effort as it joined the Marriot Tribute portfolio, with its restaurant, bar and lounge following in its footsteps.
The Mabel Lounge inside The Carlton Hotel held its soft opening on May 13, with its distillery expected to come online shortly.
“We’ve created Mabel as a space for our community to bring them back inside The Carlton and get a chance to enjoy the space with friends,” General Manager Rodnee Stillwell told The Tribune. “We have a really fun little lounge area for everybody to enjoy and just try to breathe some life into the building again.”
The restaurant used to be as large as an “airplane hangar,” according to Aaron Graves, the founder of management company Everlygrove, which runs The Carlton. With its renovation, the restaurant’s size is now down to a much more cozy and atmospheric 2,425 square feet.
“It just felt too vacuous and too large,” Graves told The Tribune. “Now the lounge is about half the size it used to be, which is absolutely what it needed to make it feel warmer and more intimate — cozy — and that is the vibe we’re going for.”
Mabel Lounge gives a nod to the Arcadian Guild theme that was originally designed for The Carlton in 1928. It’s name is a tribute to Mabel Lewis, the wife of Atascadero founder E.G. Lewis.
The Mabel Lounge’s bar is a dark blue with floral accents found all throughout the restaurant and hanging lights. Green and white wallpaper in the dining room with plants bring color to the wooden tables, chairs and burgundy booths.
“It’s really punctuating that we’re nodding to the history of the town, that this has been a staple in the Atascadero community for a century now, and we want to see it endure into the future,” Graves said.
Mabel Lounge’s future includes a grand opening ceremony on June 4, where The Carlton and its restaurant celebrate the opening of both establishments after their renovations. Live music, food and drinks will be in attendance during the celebrations.
What’s on the menu at newly renovated restaurant and bar?
Similar to its cozy and intimate ambiance, Mabel Lounge’s menu has small bites and entrees like harissa-honey grilled chicken skewers; a Central Coast chopped salad with marinated vegetables; Colony Garden flatbread with fontina and dressed arugula; and a dessert selection of tortes, cakes and ice cream.
Mabel Lounge’s drinks include wines by the glass, beer and cocktails like the ever-popular Sunshine Spritz and the Carlton gin and tonic and a classic espresso martini. Gin-based cocktails feature The Carlton Hotel’s small batch gin, which comes from the hotel’s distillery set to open in the next few weeks.
The restaurant and bar’s price range starts at $9 for Back Porch Bakery Levain bread with whipped butter to $34 for the seafarer’s roasted salmon.
For more information
The Mabel Lounge at 6005 El Camino Real is open every day from 5 to 8 p.m., with hours expected to expand after its grand opening.
For more information about the restaurant, bar and lounge, visit its website at carltonca.com/dining.
