Bar Review - More Beer than Bricks at The Brick Store

Genre: Decatur townie hangout

Where to?: The Decatur Square

The Scene: Orginally a store for bricks and other building supplies, appropriately, one wall is a large expanse of exposed brickwork. Exterior-style accents abound inside: heavy wood is the prominent furnishing and streetlamp-style luminaries accent the front booths. Feminine touches include a few floral arrangements and paper-shaded lamps. Atlanta artists’ work hangs on the walls.

The focus of the room is the bar centered at the back. Atmospheric lighting is adequate but soft. There are no TVs, no obnoxious signs, and the music is easy to converse over.

Above the bar is a loft more suitable for hiding from the crowd than gazing down upon it. A dart lane is tucked in the corner upstairs.

The Clientele: Everyone is casually dressed, comfortable but not sloppy. Lots of fleece and jeans or khakis, and not a lot of makeup or trendy hair. Lots of boisterous laughter comes from several tables on this Friday night, and no one is in any kind of hurry.

Drinks: Chalkboards hoisted over the bar proudly herald the newest draught beers and more than 20 single malts. In all, the drinks menu offers 17 draughts in several sizes, more than 60 bottled beers, nine Irish whiskeys, six small-batch bourbons, 15 wines by the glass, several congacs, two ports and — for the truly unique — mead.

Munchies: The food certainly stands up well in terms of taste and appealing presentation. Most items are inspired by the British Empire and generic European cuisine, including fish and chips, baked Brie, Bavarian soft pretzels, roast beef, corned beef and turkey sandwiches, burgers, pastas and salads. Vegetarians (and even vegans) will find many tasty options.

Wallet impact: Whether you are looking for a snack and basic beer for less than $10 with tip, or fine meal accompanied by excellent aged beverages, Brick Store can accommodate ya. Draughts run $7-$9, bottles go from $3-$7. Whiskey and bourbon go for $4.50-$7, with a glass of wine working a similar range. The cognacs and ports go from $5-$7 with mead fitting right in the middle at $6.

“It’s a beautiful day in ...”: This is a place that people come back to again and again, the staff genuinely like one another, the owners know the regulars, the regulars know each other and nobody cares what you wear or what you drink. It’s a neighborhood place that also warmly welcomes those who only wish they lived in the neighborhood. It’s obvious that this is a great place for friends to waste an evening in bonhomie.

Brick Store Pub. Mon. 11 a.m.-1 a.m.; Tues.-Sat. 11 a.m.-2 a.m.; Sun. noon to midnight. 125 E. Court Square in Decatur. 404-687-0990. www.brickstorepub.com