For many American watering holes, food is an afterthought. The mindset says throw something — anything — into the deep fryer and serve it with a pint.

Meehan's Public House in Vinings avoids the trap. As part of the 101 Concepts restaurant roster, its menu isn't simply designed to coat the stomach for alcohol consumption. Pub food essentials, Irish standards and a few international flavors belly up to the bar with thoughtful execution and don't leave you with a grease-infused hangover.

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PUBBY VIBE

The Irish pub theme begins before you walk inside. The front door's distressed paint job looks more Epcot than Old World, but you get the idea. Inside, the warmth of the walls — sponge-painted yellow and golden brown — almost demand relaxation. Customers do just that at the sprawling bar, where they catch sports on the surrounding TVs or feed money into a jukebox that downloads music from the Internet. Diners occupy a gaggle of high-top tables and cozy booths, while others choose to feast outside on Meehan's patio.

NOT-SO-PUBBY MENU

Of course, you can't have a pub menu without the usual suspects. Buffalo wings, nachos, chicken tenders. But Meehan's shakes it up beginning with appetizers, from seared ahi tuna to crab Rangoon. The 101 crab and shrimp cakes are luscious thick discs that blend exterior crunchiness with interior richness. Although the lobster taquitos could use more stuffing, the warm drizzle of roasted poblano queso accents the minced shellfish.

Potato chips aren't the most creative menu addition, but Meehan's puts a spin on it with its homemade salt and vinegar chips. Crisp, salty, disfigured and liberally doused with vinegar, they come to the table in a brown bag complete with oil and vinegar stains. The fun and informal presentation is sure to be a hit with kids. And Meehan's amiable staff was happy to triple-bag ours to go.

BIG GAME

Meehan's does the same balancing act with its sandwiches and entrees. The sun-dried tomato turkey burger shares billing with cheesesteak. The Meehan's Burger forgoes the traditional bun and packs a sizable patty with bacon, lettuce, tomato and cheddar in between an English muffin. The mound stays together with help from a thick, jumbo toothpick spear.

The proverbial fish and chips show up, although the fish batter could use a little more flavor. Finger-size fries and a serving of homemade slaw come on the side. The latter, featuring shredded strips of veggies, has a pleasant zing that straddles a comfortable line between sweet and sour.

The shepherd's pie features chopped beef and veggies surrounding a hefty glob of mashed potatoes. It's a simple meat and starch affair without any sort of zest to amp up things.

Next time, a serving of 101's fried chicken or its trademark meatloaf may prove more exciting.

LAST CALL

A handful of desserts close Meehan's menu. It borrows sister restaurant Soho's bread pudding recipe, a chocolate brownie-like dish with caramel and vanilla ice cream. And the pub aura makes its way into the three-hour apple cake with its Irish whiskey caramel topping.

And finally, if the Vinings location isn't convenient for you, Meehan's Public House also has establishments in Sandy Springs, Alpharetta and Brookhaven.

Have you eaten at Meehan's Public House? Tell us about your experience at northside@ajc.com.

CAPSULE: The Vinings location of Meehan?s Public House avoids the bar food trap. As part of the 101 Concepts restaurant roster, the pub?s menu isn?t simply designed to coat the stomach for alcohol consumption. Pub food essentials, Irish standards and a few international flavors belly up to the bar with thoughtful execution but without causing a grease-infused hangover. Of course, you can?t have a pub menu without the usual suspects. Buffalo wings, nachos, chicken tenders, ?natch. But Meehan?s shakes it up beginning with appetizers, from seared ahi tuna and crab Rangoon to lobster taquitos and crab and shrimp cakes. Meehan?s does the same balancing act with its sandwiches and entrees. Its house burger overflows with contents and cheesy warmth. The proverbial fish and chips show up, although its batter could use a little more flavor. The shepherd?s pie features chopped beef and veggies surrounding a hefty glob of mashed potatoes. A handful of desserts close Meehan?s menu, including a three-hour apple cake with Irish whiskey caramel topping.