IN FRANCHISE CONCEPT WORLD, Joey's Seafood & Grill is stuck somewhere between Captain D's and Red Lobster. And with full service, a full bar and a made-to-order, mid-priced menu, Joey's appears more like a neighborhood place than a chain. But its new McDonough location (the first in Georgia for this Canadian company), in a strip center near I-85, is sort of far from Atlanta.

NAUTICAL SUBURBAN: The basic build-out features high ceilings with open duct work. A tank at the entrance holds tropical fish. The cozy bar area, which doubles as a take-away counter, is of the faux fishing shack motif, with a tin roof and nautical knickknacks. Ocean-blue walls and photographs of fishing boats finish the look. A semi-open kitchen in the back is stainless-steel bright, and friendly, efficient servers are quick to grab orders from the counter.

JOHNNY CRAWFORD/AJC (ENLARGE)
The savory fish and chips along with the sauce sampler and hearty mug of beer are a fine catch at Joey's.
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SEAFOOD & MORE: The seafood menu features ocean fish, crab, scallops, shrimp and the like, all touted to be "made fresh" and cooked by a variety of methods, including charbroiled, poached, blackened and sautéed. The menu claims that Joey's "famous" fish and chips are "the very best you've ever had." Not bad is more like it. You can choose from pollock, haddock or halibut. And the thick, tempura-style batter is nicely fried to a crunchy golden brown. But the halibut we tried, while firm and flaky-white, was a bit watery and without the characteristic mildly sweet taste. The seasoned fries are crispy and abundant. Always a New England favorite, the lobster roll was a welcome sight on the menu. And it did taste like the summertime treat — claw meat mixed with mayo and lemon juice.

SAUCE IT UP: Strange as it seems, the best thing we tried at Joey's was the 99 cent sauce sampler — which included very good lime mustard, tarragon aioli, rémoulade and cocktail sauces, as well as a very fresh salsa cruda. Along with tartar sauce on the table, they all helped brighten the fish and chips, and the rémoulade and tarragon aioli were great for dipping with the lobster roll.

TO WASH IT DOWN: Joey's has a short list of domestic beer and wine. And the cocktail bar is a unique bonus for chain restaurants of this type.