First Look: Kirkyard Public House, Kirkwood

1963 Hosea L. Williams Drive S.E. 404-500-1357, www.kirkyardpub.com.

Kirkyard Public House recently opened in the two-story space on Hosea L. Williams Drive that’s been home to Vinocity, Kirkwood Public House and Kirkwood Bar & Grill. The sports bar from former Taco Mac man Dano Kirk features a tried-and-true formula of draft beer, pub grub and plenty of flat-screen TVs.

The look: Kirkyard has a surprisingly sophisticated atmosphere, thanks to Vinocity owner John Turpin, who moved his wine-driven restaurant from Midtown to the Kirkwood Station location in 2007. The soaring ceilings, dangling lights, and brawny granite-topped bar are all still there. And so is the original Vinocity — "Love, Music, Food" — neon sign, lit up on the wall near the bar.

The scene: On a recent Friday evening, the mood was buoyantly sociable, as classic rock filled the air and hockey beamed in on jumbo HD TVs. The mostly millennial crowd primed for the weekend included neighbor Justin Fox, of Fox Bros. BBQ, who sipped a Bud tallboy and shared tortilla chips and spicy cheese dip with friends at the bar.

The food: The menu takes a few pages from the Taco Mac playbook, with "old school hot wings" ($9), tacos ($3-$10), burgers ($8-$13) and sandwiches ($8-$10). But several items are clearly updated for current tastes. Heather's "Make It Paleo" burger ($13) is a half-pound of Brasstown grass-fed beef with bacon and guacamole, served on a lettuce leaf with a side of sauteed kale vegetable blend. The A.E.B.L.T. ($9) is thick-cut nitrate-free bacon, lettuce and tomato, with avocado and a fried egg on toasted rye.

The drinks: The draft beer list ($5-$7) is mostly local. The first two beers, kolsch and pale ale, from Atlanta's newest brewery, Eventide, were already on the list, along with offerings from Jekyll, Monday Night, Red Hare, Sweetwater, Terrapin and Wild Heaven. The wine list features at least two dozen, mostly American offerings by the glass ($6.50-$9.50) and bottle ($29.25-$42.75).

The extras: Desserts ($5) from Viciously Delicious bakery include the likes of white chocolate chip cheesecake and jumbo red velvet cupcakes. There's a kids menu ($5) that includes milk, juice or a soft drink and a side. Look for brunch served 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.