Thursday, September 21, 2017

Former 120 Tavern to Reopen as Hoyle's This Fall

A new restaurant called Hoyle's Kitchen + Bar is to open next month in Marietta.  The restaurant, located at 1440 Roswell Road, not far from The Big Chicken, will be familiar to some as having most recently been known as the 120 Tavern & Music Hall.  
The 120 Tavern opened in 2012 and closed this past January.  Before the 120, the space operated as Sidelines Sports Bar & Grill.  The freestanding, approximately 15,000 square foot building first operated as an A&P grocery store.  A&P, of course, is long gone from Atlanta and nearly extinct as a company.

Restaurant industry veteran David Smedlund was brought on by owners and cousins Sam and Joe Ivey to be the restaurant's general manager.  Smedlund, a Brookhaven resident and Atlanta local, most recently helped manage Jefe's Tacos & Tequila in TOWN Brookhaven, but has opened or helped managed about a dozen restaurants in Atlanta over the years.  Smedlund has held managerial jobs at Nan Thai Fine Dining, BLT Steak, Aqua Blue and nearly all of the now defunct Here to Serve Restaurants concepts.


Smedlund describes Hoyle's as a "sports bar with a twist," adding that it will share some elements and offerings with Westside hotspot Ormsby's.  

'The idea of Hoyle's was born decades ago with our ancestor, Hoyle Ivey – a politician, rabble rouser, and founder of the first farm to storefront experiences here in Georgia. His spirit for good times and great food inspired his namesake kitchen and bar. This is Hoyle's."

George Hoyle Ivey, the late grandfather of Sam and Joe, owned the A&P property for many years.  Mr. Ivey was a real estate developer after World War II and left his mark on facilities such as local hospitals and Air Force bases.  Mr. Ivey was also one of the founders of the Fulton County Chamber of Commerce and was a MARTA board member for over two decades.  Mr. Ivey passed away in early 2014 at the age of 92.

The restaurant's logo includes "Established 1833" which is meant to  refer to Mr. Ivey being a sixth generation descendant of Hardy Ivy, who was reportedly the first permanent settler of Atlanta in 1833.  

Hoyle's overall theme is "Sports, Games + Good Times."   The restaurant will feature bocce ball and pool tables with a separate game room in the back and a putting green on the expanded front patio. 
The 120 Tavern when it was in business last fall
Hoyle's will be helmed by Gwinnett county native Zach Starr, who was most recently Executive Chef at Savannah's The Ordinary Pub.   Among the offerings on the southern inspired, inventive, yet approachable menu, will be house-made tater tots and a quality burger, made from locally sourced ingredients.  

Hoyle's will reportedly feature about 20 draft beers, including Marietta's own Treehorn Cider.  There will be also be two wines on tap.  

Smedlund tells me the restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner seven days a week with lunch entrees expected to be $10 and under, and dinner entrees in the high teens to low $20 range.  There are also plans to offer a "late night menu"
from 10pm until midnight.

Only about 9,000 square feet of the building is currently being used for the restaurant with the remaining 6,000 square feet expected to be a new private/banquet dining venue next year.  

Given the restaurant's location between East Cobb and the Marietta Square and not far from I-75, Cobb Parkway and SunTrust Park, the owners are hopeful that their elevated bar menu will appeal to a wide variety of diners.  Although nearby business Harry's Farmers Market is closing on October 5th, a new 11 theater Studio Movie Grill, with nearly 1,300 seats, is expected to open adjacent to Harry's in November.  

Smedlund tells ToNeTo Atlanta that the goal is to have Hoyle's open October 22, the same night the Falcons will face off with the Patriots in New England. 

Are you excited for the opening of another local restaurant option in Marietta?  Does the idea of house-made tater tots excite you?  What other upscale bar food would you like to see on the menu at Hoyle's?

Please share your thoughts below 

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm wondering which night will be Bingo night based on the picture. Certainly think a lot of cosmetic renovations need to be done to the building to make it a more attractive contemporary setting. As it stands now, looks seedy and run down.

Anonymous said...

100% Remodel and Rebranding, including the parking lot. Stop by and check it out :-)

Anonymous said...

It does need a lot of work to succeed more as a restaurant. No way the area will support those prices for dinner. Too many staples in the vicinity that are cheaper.

The place reeks like the inside of an old coors can. First Darwins and now 120 - the end of 1/2 decent live music between the big chicken and Roswell. And no, The Wing is not a music venue. They should hve turned it into a new Charley McGruders!

Anonymous said...

Place has closed from sidelines to reopen as 120, once the hype was gone after a few months it was the same ghost town. They tried to remodel it to no avail, same shit hole different look. With the same owners as 120 Tavern this place only has its time before its plagued with the same crap.

Anonymous said...

I have lived in this area for 30 years.Location sucks. Bad move for the Hoyles people. This neighborhood has lost it's businesses to Ethnic hair shops, seedy eateries and a multicultural atmosphere that has a Buford highway vibe. The last 2 times I went into the Bank of America next door, I stood in line and watched drug dealers shovel thousands of dollars of cash into their accounts. This is what that area has become. I have since changed banks. I give Hoyles less than a year.

Anonymous said...

I would agree with another. Location is not great. The biggest prob is there is no EASY access to 75. Thats what killed 120 Tavern. BUT, 120 was a partial music venue and the bands fans not having that direct access to 75, is part of the reason fans didnt bother. If ME,, I would had opened the venue closer to the loops access to 75, north or south, or south, being closer to Suntrust. I would agree, if Hoyles doesnt have OUTSTANDING service with good prices, it wont last long.

Anonymous said...

They are building on and off ramps from I-75 right there it will definitely help. Problem is the demographics there have changed so much. It reminds me of Wild Bills over in Gwinnett County. Great venue for years then the hood changed and they had to close up now it's Atlanta Coliseum doing mainly Hispanic live acts. I bet if Hoyle's would re-brand to "Hoyle's Bachata and Salsa Dance club and Kitchen" they would pack the house.

Anonymous said...

Marietta will probably be gentrifying this area in the near future.

Anonymous said...

The food is incredible! We've been twice for lunch and once for dinner. Save room for dessert--this chef really knows what he's doing!

The bar staff couldn't be friendlier, too. Lots to do--can't wait to watch football games there this fall...

Spread the word--this family-owned restaurant is what this area needs!

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