Eric Stevens

Just about any guy who grew up in a blue collar town like Buffalo, NY, wants to open a bar when he is old enough. Few have an opportunity to realize this dream. Fewer still get to keep their house in the process.

Eric’s restaurant story began after 13 years of successfully raising funds. He helped house the homeless and help disadvantaged children in Indianapolis and spent many years helping local students afford college through the Access program in Hampton Roads and making sure uninsured children received care at CHKD.

Eric joined his business partner and restaurant veteran Karl Dornemann in 2002 to open Bardo Edibles + Elixirs. Since 2008, the team has opened three more successful restaurants: Still - Worldly Eclectic Tapas in Olde Towne Portsmouth, The Public House in Norfolk and Gosport Tavern in Olde Towne Portsmouth.

In addition to overseeing daily operations, Eric focuses on long-term strategic planning, new ventures, corporate governance and vendor relationships.

Karl Dornemann

From his humble beginnings serving ice cream to screaming kids, Karl has now been in the restaurant business for 29 years.

Endowed with the ability of his father, an Episcopal priest, to give sermons in front of a crowded room, Karl has been entertaining patrons for a very long time.

Karl moved to Hampton Roads to open the Tap House in Ghent and later went on, with help from Chef Peter Pittman, to open Crackers in 1997. Both restaurants are respected Norfolk institutions where Karl’s design and concepts remain popular 16 years later.

With the addition of two partners at Crackers, Karl opened Empire in downtown Norfolk. After its second full year of operation, Karl was bought out and started a new company with Eric Stevens to open Bardo in 2002.

Since 2008, the team has collaborated and opened three more successful restaurants: Still - Worldly Eclectic Tapas in Olde Towne Portsmouth, The Public House in Norfolk and Gosport Tavern in Olde Towne Portsmouth.

Karl thinks he knows it all. And when it comes to wine, spirits and beer, he may actually be right. Many a bar customer or server has asked an innocent question about scotch or bourbon only to find themselves so deep into minutia that they finish their drink just to end the conversation.

Karl has created a number of popular drinks that patrons frequently request. He often hosts wine, whisky, whiskey and beer-tasting dinners throughout the mid-Atlantic. Karl was even asked to taste-test four different Glenmorangie scotches in order to determine which new Glenmorangie would be imported to Virginia. If you have ever had the cask proof 15- year Glenmorangie, be sure to say, "Thank you!"

In addition to daily operations, Karl focuses on the front of the house profit center and designs all bar programs and training. He also oversees the company’s wine, liquor and beer program as well as cocktail menus. Karl is also a certified craft distiller and is, along with Eric, forming a craft distillery called RD Wilhelm which will produce Virginia made Bourbon and Rye.