Bear’s Lair in Berkeley, a campus hangout for UC Berkeley students from 1962 to 2012, is reopening as Bear’s Lair Tavern, a new bar and grill under the guidance of Oakland chef Reign Free and pioneering San Francisco chef David Lawrence.

The 2012 closure of the pub caused much chagrin for Cal students past and present, so the return should turn some heads around campus. The space is currently going through a redesign, with the ultimate plan for the place to open sometime in September, Free said.

“It’s definitely a big opportunity for me,” she said. “I think the school is just listening to what the students want.”

Free once operated a Caribbean-Southern restaurant in Oakland called Kuwa, but is more known in Oakland for her catering business. She has worked with the school in the past catering various events.

However, she felt she would need a little bit of assistance to complete the new project, so she turned to a familiar face — David Lawrence.

Free has been friends with Lawrence for years. Seeing that he closed his flagship fine-dining restaurant in the Fillmore, 1300 on Fillmore, recently, she said she felt it would be a good idea to get Lawrence involved in something new, and in a different city. (Lawrence also recently closed his barbecue restaurant Black Bark in the Fillmore.)

“I told him I needed some help. Both David and his wife Monetta are invested in making this place successful,” Free said.

While the final menu is still being tweaked and tested, Free said there’s going to be familiar pub fare like burgers and wings but also more unique options like black eyed pea hummus and the impossible burger. And Lawrence will serve the same chicken recipe he did at 1300.

Brunch will be in the mix at a later date, Free said, and folks can expect dishes like stuffed French toast and shrimp and grits.

In terms of layout, Free said she plans to have a beer garden at the restaurant with 20 rotating beers, ciders and kombucha on tap. The interior will feature more communal tables. Proceeds from the business to help support UC Berkeley student organizations and programs.

As much as Free’s new Bear’s Lair Tavern is an ode to the campus’ past, it’s also a chance for the Oakland chef to expand her brand into Berkeley, while also giving one of San Francisco’s most recognizable chefs a chance to test the waters of a different market.

“We’re giving the campus what the students are asking for,” she said. “Like I said, this is a big opportunity.”

Bear’s Lair Tavern: 2465 Bancroft Way

Justin Phillips is s San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jphillips@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JustMrPhillips B