Gun Club bar brings live bands to Geyserville

Not only did Geyserville need a “local watering hole,” but it needed to be one “created for everyone from farmer to field hand to city folk,” according to Dino Bugica, who took over the building next door to his Diavola Pizzeria and opened the Geyserville Gun Club and Lounge in the historic Odd Fellows Building.

In naming it Bugica paid tribute to Geyserville history.

“Way back when, a bunch of the good ol boys like Harry Bosworth and Dick Dilworth, had a shooting range in the basement,” Bugica said. “They would shoot guns and drink whiskey and beer. There were still gun racks in the basement when I took over the space. It’s a part of Geyserville history.”

Bosworth, 80, who grew up in Geyserville, said the California State Guard, as it was called then, originally used the building during World War II.

“They put steel plates on the walls down in the basement and turned it into a small-bore range and used it as place to shoot .22 rifles and pistols,” he said. “It was ideal for practice shooting because there were no windows.”

But now, every Saturday night the bar has free live music. The bands are nationally touring, West Coast and local.

“Whoever is in the area and we think is high-energy and a good dance band,” said Kasey Drady, who is in charge of “booking the bands and the muscle.”

“We are looking to bring a crowd in every Saturday night,” said Drady, who has been bartending since the day of his 21st birthday. “We book all types of music. We’ve had acoustic, crazy Irish punk, rap, blues, jazz and anything else that has high energy and great musicians. We’ve had every form of dancing imaginable on that dance floor.”

The bar will occasionally have live music on Friday night if a band is in the area and that is the night they are available. They also host special events such as a Bourbon and Burlesque Night where bourbon was tasted, and two burlesque dancers did three different acts.

The only comments that Bugica has heard about the name is that there is not a single gun on display as part of the décor.

The long, narrow room is exposed brick with reclaimed walnut and black oak woodwork, bar and tables. It is a beautiful, yet rustic room that glows with subdued lighting. The bands set up at the farthest end of the room with tables relocated to make a small dance area in front of the musicians. The music they book is chosen to be danceable so there is dancing in the walkway between the bar and tables as well.

A stunning hand-blown glass antler chandelier is the first piece of art that greets patrons. In addition to a rotating piece loaned from area artists, the bar has art that Bugica likes. A big poster of Sophia Loren is his ideal “of the most beautiful woman ever.” The rest are those he “Feels good waking up in the morning to,” including a chopping block painting with a large knife, cut vegetables and a toy-like bunny that band booker Drady says is a window “into the sick mind of Dino Bugica.”

There are also large, and one gigantic, stuffed animal heads on the walls. All three of them donated. Two by men whose wives wouldn’t let them hang them in their own homes according to Bugica.

“Things just show up here organically,” Bugica said of the Elk. “That one showed up in a huge packing crate.”

The head with the most personal meaning for Bugica is the one in the restroom. A neighbor who he was close to as a child shot the mule deer. He was very special family friend Bugica went hunting with as a boy.

When the neighbor died young, Bugica’s brother wanted the deer. Then The Gun Club and Lounge opened, and his brother thought it belonged at the bar. All of the heads speak to Bugica’s beliefs about hunting.

“From start to finish, you should use the whole animal,” he said. “You don’t throw anything away.”

In addition to a full bar, a selection of seasonally changing cocktails is always on the menu. Each created by Adam Welch, the bar manager. Welch comes to the Gun Club with bartending experience from Press, Barndiva, Cyrus and the Goose and the Gander.

“We strive to make them simple and refreshing with local ingredients,” Welch said. “None of the featured cocktails uses the same liquor. We always have a super classic Italian Negroni cocktail on tap.”

The Thai Fighter with Old Forester 100, gum syrup, housemade black Thai tea, Fernet Branca, allspice dram and sweetened condensed milk won a Bay Area cocktail competition. Taking second at another competition was The Shogun featuring Charbay Green Tea Vodka, fennel seed liqueur, egg white, coconut, lime and sake. New is the Kimono Dropper, a cocktail of cucumber-infused vodka, satsuma mandarin liqueur, shochu, yuza, lemon, sesame and soda.

A large selection of sake and shoghu made from sweet potato, barley and rice are served. There is a wide selection of craft beers by the bottle and on tap, Asian beers and a wine selection by bottle and glass that includes local, California and international selections.

Although they share a kitchen, the food from Diavola is not served in the Gun Club.

“My fetish cooking is on the menu,” Bugica said. “It has a lot of my Japanese, Chinese, Asian dishes. It’s a smaller, super seasonal menu.”

The bar bites menu includes: Miso Ribeye Skewers of sticky rice, Fresno chili, green onions, olive oil and lemon for $12; Korean Tacos of marinated beef, pork and shrimp, kimchi, white cheddar, cilantro, sesame and kewpie mayo for $8; Cochinita Pibil, a citrus marinated pork shoulder and fried oyster served with salsa and fresh tortillas for $18, The Geyserville Gun Club Tijuana Dog combining bacon, jalapeno and fried onion, pickled pineapple and cheddar, pico de gallo and secret sauce for $12 and the General Tso or Spicy Chinese Chicken Wings for $12.

Changing daily are featured Sliders of the Day, Crudo and a Ramen Bowl in addition to nightly Blue Plate Specials. The Impossible Burger is served with caramelized onions, pickles, a secret sauce and French fries for $18. There is a Macro Bowl with pickled greens, pumpkin seeds, Quinoa, green onions, bean sprouts and mustard seeds for $14.

“Geyserville now has night and day fun,” Bugica said. “A full night life. It’s a cozy escape.”