By Bob Townsend

For the AJC

Let’s be honest, at Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery, the signature dish isn’t on the menu. Like Hooters before it, the most prominent feature of this Celtic theme sports pub chain is the uniform of its servers — described in detail on the Tilted Kilt franchise Web site as “knee high socks and short, sexy plaid kilts with matching plaid halter tops under white camp shirts tantalizingly tied to show off the midriff.”

The original Tilted Kilt Pub opened inside the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas in 2003. That one’s closed now. But the franchise has been expanding across the country, with three newly opened Atlanta locations — Kennesaw, Cumberland and Johns Creek — and several more coming soon.

Looking good

The Tilted Kilt motto, “A cold beer never looked so good,” is on display at the Kennesaw pub, situated just off the busy intersection of I-75 and Barrett Parkway.

When a couple of beer buddies showed up for lunch recently, the place was packed with groups of guys, glancing at sports shows on big-screen TVs and absently gnawing on chicken wings and burgers while keeping an eye on the passing parade of plaid.

Asked about the Tilted Kilt interview process, one sprightly server didn’t miss a beat. “I had to audition in the costume,” she answered with an ironic curtsy. She wasn’t quite so sure what local beers were on tap.

Tilted grub

The sprawling menu features variations on the usual pub grub, including fish and chips and shepherd’s pie, along with the sorts of appetizers and big salads you’d find at nearby chains, such as Chili’s.

After recoiling from a misdelivered “One Shot Johnny,” pepperoni, sausage and bacon pizza, the vegetarian beer buddy declared his build your own, with peppers and mushrooms, “As good as DiGiorno.” The carnivore beer buddy tied into his “Big Arse Blue” burger, mumbling, “Pretty good.” But he really liked the topping of crispy shoestring onions and equally crispy fries.

The server touted the “Fat Bastard’s” meatloaf sandwich. It’s a big slab of spicy ground beef, slathered with sugary Guinness BBQ sauce, served open-faced on a soft hoagie roll with a side of mashed potatoes. Entree offerings include pan-seared Gaelic Chicken breasts, with mushrooms, onions and Irish whiskey cream sauce, and a chef’s choice steak of the day.

Drink on

As it turns out, Tilted Kilt Kennesaw has Sweetwater 420 on draft, and Sweetwater IPA and Red Brick Blonde in the bottle, along with Guinness, Bass and all the light American lagers you could wish for. There are also plenty of bombers and specialty cocktails.

Dining out

Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery, Kennesaw, 780 Cobb Place Blvd., 678-213-5458

Signature dish: Tilted kilts

Entree prices: $8-11

Hours: 10:30 a.m.-2 a.m. Mondays-Saturdays; 10:30 a.m.-midnight Sundays. Late-night menu after 11 p.m.

Reservations: For parties of 20 or more.

Credit cards: Yes

Online: www.tiltedkilt.com