Walk into Megan's Good Grub & Pub and you're bound to talk about the restaurant namesake's ice skates that hang on the wall, her old 45 records or the different salt and pepper shakers on every table that she found at yard sales and flea markets.

Walk out of Megan's and the only thing you'll be talking about is how great Chef Joel Dincher's food is.

Formerly known for his culinary skills in the Brighton Steakhouse at the Sands, The Palm in The Quarter at the Tropicana and his own Moonfish Grill in Cape May, Dincher's playful, creative takes on comfort food are the talk of Atlantic City, where the former Opa Bar & Grille was transformed into the city's first American gastropub.

With plush, comfortable chairs, Boardwalk seating, an attractive bar with plasma TVs that is the pub's centerpiece and an overall kitschy theme centered around the mysterious Megan's world travels, the Pinnacle Atlantic City-owned restaurant is generating a lot of favorable buzz.

So, what the heck is a gastropub?

"In general, it's meant to be a social experience celebrating each other and great food," Dincher says.

The chef has always been known for his interesting takes on cuisine, but his creativity has never been so fun as his menu at Megan's.

"To most chefs, doing classical French or steakhouses is all second nature," Dincher says. "You do it all of the time. But to go in and try to reinvent American classics that have been done a million times to death is difficult. But that's what I like to do. I look at myself like a chameleon; I can write a menu for pretty much any style of restaurant out there. It's one of my strong points."

The menu is separated into Pub Grub, Small Grub and Big Grub sections that are pretty self-explanatory. But Dincher steers diners to sticking to the Small Grub menu, where the social aspect of the gastropub really comes to fruition as customers share plates and converse about the dishes.

"If you want to go out to dinner and not interact with anyone, go to a buffet," Dincher says. "But this place is all about interacting with your guests. The tapas-style plates are great because they make you talk about the food and sample more cuisine instead of just eating one big plate."

Dincher isn't kidding when he says he's turned traditional food upside down. His tomato-parmesan soup ($6) is served with a baby grilled cheese crustini floating on top. Instead of a B.L.T., there's the D.L.T. ($11) with duck confit and a smoky raspberry mayo. Instead of buffalo wings, check out the crispy pork wings ($10) that are baked instead of deep fried and served with a buffalo-Roquefort fondue that will have you licking the bowl. Even the french fries are a conversation piece as they come in a cone-shaped container and are sliced incredibly thin, like potato sticks.

"It's fun because you may have had a million sloppy Joe's, but your mom never made one like this," Dincher says. "Shrimp and grits has also been done a million times, especially in the South, but mine brings a more coastal seafood approach to it with the crayfish and Jersey corn. The D.L.T. is also one of my favorites because we smoked the raspberries to replace the smokiness of the bacon. And the duck provides a whole different flavor combination that just works."

With lines out the door over Fourth of July weekend, it seems Megan's is earning a reputation for creative cuisine in large portions at affordable prices.

"I think our price points are much lower than most in town," Dincher says. "The main goal is to attract local clientele, as well as tourists. Even our alcohol is priced affordable. We don't charge 8 bucks for a beer. And our portions are more than generous. I don't believe in skimpy portions. I like to feed people."

Megan's Good Grub & Pub

WHERE: Indiana Avenue and the Boardwalk, Atlantic City

WHEN: Open 11 a.m. to midnight Sundays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

HOW MUCH: Pub Grub ranges from $2 to $8; Small Grub plates $6 to $16; Big Grub plates $13 to $26; sides $5; desserts $3 to $7; Late Night Pub Grub $2 to $9.

SERVICES: Major credit cards accepted. Liquor license. Disabled access through front door. No kids menu, but ask server for kids offerings. Eat in. Takeout. Catering. No smoking.

MORE INFO: Call 609-289-8950 or go to www.megansgoodgrubandpub.com.

BETWEEN YOU AND ME: Ask one of the bartenders or servers to explain something of Megan's that might pique your interest and you will probably get a different story every time. That's part of the Megan's legend.

Exploring the menu at Megan's

Must-try Small Grub

Megan's Baby Sloppy Joe's ($7) are sliders made with ground American kobe beef and sharp cheddar. The country potato pancakes ($6) are thick, yet crispy and served with cider-apple chutney and cr�me fraiche. The shrimp and grits ($13) will make the grit hater into a grit lover with grilled shrimp, crayfish, roasted corn and sharp cheddar grits and Creole chili oil. The baked "Mac n' Cheese" ($8) is made with rotini pasta, sharp cheddar, parmesan and asiago cheeses, roasted garlic and served with "angry" roasted tomatoes, meaning they have a bite. And the Tartare Duo ($14), left, is worth the trip alone as tuna and salmon are presented separately - Poke style -with grilled pineapple, avocado and a brown sugar soy vinaigrette.

Other Must-try Grub

On the Big Grub menu, the meatloaf ($21) is made with American kobe beef in an Amish stout gravy and served with mashed potatoes and braised baby carrots. The pub burger ($14.50) is a half-pound American kobe burger with house-made pickles, sharp cheddar, bacon-mushroom ragout, garlic aioli and pub fries. The California avocado salad ($13) features baby spinach, avocado, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, quinoa, roasted onion and mixed with a creamy avocado-red wine vinaigrette. And don't leave without trying a signature Megan's Cupcake ($3), right, which vary by day but include a red velvet cupcake with cream cheese icing and the Boston Cr�me with yellow cupcake, vanilla custard and chocolate ganache.