With its green painted facade, pleasant interior and plasma TVs, Irish pub and restaurant Waxy O'Connors opened its doors for business Thursday, Dec. 9, at 94 Hartwell Ave. in Lexington.

The hope is to bring an Irish pub atmosphere to an area where such an establishment is rare, while providing patrons with more legroom – and room to throw darts – than  they might find at pubs in the Boston area.

The chain, owned by Mark Rohleder, started off as a smaller pub but quickly grew into something more elaborate, which in practical terms means "working more on the restaurant side of it, focusing on the food as well," said Gordon Hyde, who was supervising yesterday's pub opening.

Waxy's will host live music and karaoke, and offers pool tables and dart boards. A function room upstairs with its own bar can accommodate 110 people. The pub will serve lunch and dinner, and brunch on the weekends, according to Hyde, who worked at Waxy O'Connors in Foxborough before coming to Lexington.

"The concept works," said Hyde. "Its a very social environment. You couple that with good food and good drink..." and it makes for an environment people want to be around, he said.

Hyde said the Lexington location was chosen because the area lacks such an Irish pub. Even in Boston, he said, space is tight, so in Lexington "we're hitting on all cylinders," Hyde said.

Catering will be offered in the future, but for now the managers are focused on in-house meals, drinks and functions. Besides Lexington and Foxborough, there are Waxy locations in Texas and Florida. Another pub is in the works in Keene, N.H.

Read more about Waxy O'Connors in an article posted on Lexington Patch in August.