The North Park eatery formerly known as The Old Mill has just come out of the closet! And big time.

Now called the Lumberjack Grille, diners are greeted by an array of flags above the entranceway that represent the leather and bear communities, Pride, plus the United States and Mexico. Its new owner, Mike Rocklin, says his goal is to make the 20-year-old, family-style restaurant more “family oriented” without compromising a homey menu that was firmly established when he purchased the business in October.

“The Old Mill had a more discreet following within the LGBT community,” he says. “But when it came up for sale, I thought it was time to make it an openly gay place.”

Rocklin’s outreach to bear and leather groups, combined with his marketing efforts to lesbians, has already resulted in “fantastic growth” for the restaurant, he says. Additionally, he’s added more gays and lesbians to the payroll while maintaining much of the original kitchen staff.

On the evening of our visit, members of a gay car club had just dispersed after occupying a roomy semi-private dining section in the back. The space also marks the spot for gatherings by the San Diego League of Gentlemen, the Latino Bears and groups from Ringold Alley, to name a few.

Both the menu and booth-filled atmosphere speak to a devoted senior patronage as well; thus the popular-selling Liver and Onions entrée, along with a schedule of affordable daily specials (available to everyone) that includes Corned Beef and Cabbage on Thursdays and a sought-after Yankee Pot Roast on Sundays. An old-fashioned lunch counter, dotted with glass cake servers, adds a nostalgic and folksy feel to the motif.

In a rare case of home-style eating, my companion and I were surprised over the lack of sodium and grease in our food. The thick Split Pea Soup, for example, was extraordinarily good, given the fact that it is usually a magnet for salt and pork fat in most other kitchens. The Onion Rings we ordered were also void of excessive oil — and cooked to perfection.

Our dinner salads were served on larger-than-normal plates, and colorfully designed with red beets, shoestring carrots and some excellent homemade croutons. And a blue cheese dressing that wasn’t watered down!

For our main entrées, my companion opted for a flannel-shirt-type meal – Chicken and Dumplings with sweet corn and a mound of manly mashed potatoes covered with country gravy. The bone-in, skinless chicken was fantastically tender, yielding an endless amount of meat. And here again, the high-salt factor was surprisingly missing.

Perusing the sandwich list, I sprung for the famous North Park Broiler, which was a mainstay during the Old Mill days. And for good reason. The combination of ingredients couldn’t be tastier – two jumbo slices of sourdough bread filled with flame-broiled chicken breast, Ortega chili and pepper-jack cheese. Slather it up with the accompanying Cajun mayo, and you’ll sprout enough hairs on your chest to keep you warm through the winter.

Menu choices abound. And breakfast is becoming a big hit on the weekends, even though it is served all day. Things like Nutty Belgian Waffles, Machaca Scrambles, Omelets and Corned Beef Hash are welcome additions to hearty lunch and dinner fare such as Burgers, Nachos Supreme, Top Sirloin and Grilled Salmon.

Rocklin, who purchased the restaurant immediately after quitting his job as an assistant treasurer for a wireless technology company, says the restaurant will feature an outdoor patio by late February. And the new name, he adds, stems from an article he read about California lumberjacks. “Their camps were known to have the best cooks in the territory as well as good food.”

Certainly, this is the place to come when the world seems too pretentious and you’re craving something a little more brawny than sushi.