ORINDA, CALIFORNIA – John Goyak, the longtime owner of Casa Orinda, died September 5 in Orinda. He was 79.
Goyak spent much of his life at the Western-themed restaurant on Bryant Way, helping preserve a gathering place that has served Orinda since 1932. His family announced his death in an obituary published on Legacy.com. It did not state a cause.
His connection to Casa Orinda began as a teenager. According to the restaurant’s history, he started there as a busboy in 1967. His father, Ivan Goyak, joined founder Jack Snow as a partner the following year and brought John into the kitchen. The Goyak family took full ownership in 1978, and John later bought out his sister’s share to become sole owner.
Casa Orinda was already a local institution when the Goyaks arrived. It began as a roadhouse at the old Orinda Crossroads and grew into a restaurant known for fried chicken, prime rib, Italian dishes, Western decor and generations of loyal customers. Goyak’s approach was to protect what people loved about it while making careful improvements. The restaurant’s history credits him with adding fresh flowers and a small cocktail area while keeping its longstanding character.
In a 2024 interview with SFGATE, Goyak credited the restaurant’s longevity to employees who stayed for years and built relationships with returning diners. The outlet described how he had worked his way through nearly every job at the Casa before taking the helm.
His family remembered him as a generous, candid and widely traveled man whose phone seemed to ring all day. Born November 7, 1946, to Mary and Ivan Goyak, he grew up in El Sobrante and graduated from De Anza High School. He loved visiting Hawaii and Borrego Springs, but Orinda remained his home base. The obituary says he valued the employees who stayed at Casa Orinda for decades and saw the restaurant as a place that brought people together.
Goyak is survived by his niece, Nancy Baglietto; great-nephew Ivan Henry Baglietto; great-niece Isabella Grace Baglietto; and his dog, Paco, according to the obituary.
A memorial gathering will be held Monday, October 12, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Casa Orinda, 20 Bryant Way. The family’s announcement says friends and family are welcome and no RSVP is needed.
