In a freshly renovated storefront, Matt McKinney and his head chef Don Franklin secretly whip up new and delicious dishes for his most recent business venture, The Draft Room Sports Bar & Grill, opening this coming April next to Lepomas Pizza at 6855 Highway 16 Suite 300. Each Monday since November of last year, McKinney has asked locals to swing by and taste test his mouth-watering recipes: unique wing sauces, authentic phillies, and smash burgers. One customer commented on Facebook back in July that they wanted to make reservations for the grand opening night.
Even being the founder and owner of Senoia Smokehouse, a wildly successful restaurant in downtown Senoia famous for their juicy BBQ, McKinney wants to dazzle his guests with brand new entrees and experiences that will have them planning their next visit before the bill is set on the table. Most of the twenty-eight beers on the menu will feature Georgia’s own breweries, a detail McKinney prides himself in showcasing in addition to his hometown’s spotlight dish.
“I’m from Philly, so we’ll have philly cheese steak. We’ll have stuff from Chicago and L.A. – I’m trying to represent food from all over the place,” McKinney explained. “And the food will match who’s playing. Fish tacos if San Diego is playing, etc. I’m a big foodie, and I like to try new food from around the world.”
The restaurant will serve their house-made meals right at the bar so sports fans don’t have to miss a single second of their game. Plus, there will be plenty of other activities guests can enjoy during their visit: pool tables, outdoor jenga, beer pong, and a game of “guessing the pennies” where customers guess how many coppers fill the countertop growler at the end of the day for a prize.
“I noticed there was a need for a sports bar in the area,” he observed. “And I wanted to center everything around sports in America; but, of course, we’ll be representing Atlanta and its teams pretty heavily!”
McKinney looks to highlight local high school football games as well as college and professional football, and he’s working on partnering with East Coweta High School to do just that. However, the wait for final inspections has been grueling – The Draft Room has been ready for months for the Department of Health to swing by and give them the green light. Residents of the new housing developments across the street have also stopped by to ask when they can experience The Draft Room. Thankfully, McKinney shares that the day is near and he’ll be holding a grand opening the first week of April, just in time for spring break.
Follow the excitement on the Senoia Smokehouse’s Facebook page for more details and official opening date and restaurant hours. The cooking and community are sure to be as bewitching as the anticipation!
