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OWNER ERNIE FRANCHELL likes to call Padriac's "casual dining." And the look and feel of this popular neighborhood spot, in a Vinings strip center, is certainly more pub than restaurant. But chef Glenn Orton's menu is as ambitious as many fine dining restaurants.

IRISH VININGS: Say it "Pad-Rick's, like the Irish do. The sign out front is bright Kelly green, but inside they don't push the Celtic decorating envelope too much. Dark wood paneling, gas lights and enough space between the dining and bar areas give the place a welcoming, clubby feel. But it can be crowded all the way to the patio at night. Dinner, served after 5 p.m. and ranging from $18-$28.50, features steaks, seafood and specials. There are also small plates and sharers covering a fairly wide array of offerings. The lunch/bar menu has more sandwiches and snacks, including wings and burgers. Hefty lobster nachos, made with chunks of claw meat, black beans, melted cheese and pico de gallo, is a crowd pleaser that's available anytime.

Kimberly Smith/Staff (ENLARGE)
Ooo la la! With 10-ounce steaks served with Yukon gold mashed potatoes, saying this is casual dining is an understatement.
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HIT & MISS: We really liked the stir-fry salad — warm strips of zucchini, squash and peppers over mixed greens, tossed with sesame-soy vinaigrette and topped with crispy wonton strips. A seasonal tomato and goat cheese salad was less successful, with ice-cold slices of under-ripe beefsteak tomatoes topped with tangy goat cheese that had been blended with yellow squash puree, giving it a strange, bright yellow color.

One of our favorite dishes is called "crazy grits" — a wild concoction of crayfish bits, duck confit and red pepper mixed into creamy, cheesy garlicky grits. What's not to like? It comes under pecan-crusted cod. And while the fish was fresh and flaky, the breading was soggy and added nothing to the flavor. We also liked steak filet, which was butter tender and cooked to order with a warm pink center. But oddly, it came floating on a sea of gooey mac-n-cheese, surrounded by huge beer-battered shrimp that were much too much.

39 TAPS ON THE WALL: Padriac's features a full bar and fairly large wine list. But beer is the thing here. Look for 39 taps on the wall, with a good selection of American craft brews and imports, and about 60 more beers by the bottle. A Sweetwater summer beer dinner included five courses for $35 with pairings.