Kilmac’s brings a new spot for cocktails and 12-inch pies to West Davis

For Pubsmith — the hospitality group behind Dallas institutions like The Old Monk, Spider Murphy’s and The Skellig — Kilmac’s represents a dramatic, three-years-in-the-making pivot. Rather than replicating another European tavern with endless beer taps and brass footrests, co-owners Feargal McKinney and Charles Reis, alongside general manager Cameron Westmoreland, have created something far more intimate.

“For us, it doesn’t feel crazy different than other places that we have done, but it was certainly the most creative process we’ve had in a long time,” Reis says. “It was a lot of firsts. Our first time pushing cocktails this far, having things like egg whites on the menu, smoking drinks and doing pizza.”

The origin of Kilmac’s is tied directly to the history of West Davis Street itself. While Pubsmith was in the middle of building out Old Monk Oak Cliff next door, the adjacent space became available. When the team stepped inside to take a look, they instantly recognized its built-in character.

The building previously belonged to the late Ron Patterson, a beloved neighborhood personality who utilized the property as his personal sanctuary.

“When we first walked the space, he had it set up as his man cave,” Reis recalls. “He had a pool table, a ping pong table, a big projection TV, a bar in the corner and art deco pieces hanging from the walls and the ceiling. But the biggest thing we heard from neighbors was how Ron would roll up the garage door, sit inside with a drink and invite anyone walking by to come in, smoke a cigar and have a drink with him.”

Retaining that welcoming neighborhood spirit became a core pillar of the design process. The team kept the original cinder blocks and overhead garage door intact, layering in rich wood paneling, warm sconces, central tin ceilings and a low-slung leather couch.

They even preserved the original residential footprint in an unexpected way: Kilmac’s bustling kitchen is built directly inside what used to be Ron Patterson’s bedroom. His grandson has since visited the bar several times, sharing family stories and watching his grandfather’s memory live on in a space built for the neighborhood.

Kilmac’s is designed to offer two distinct, complementary experiences in one space. Inside, the energy is intentionally moody and cloistered. The lighting is kept low, candlelight flickers across small tables, and the central bar serves as the room’s visual centerpiece. It feels like an urban hideaway built for late-night conversations.

Stepping through to the patio, the mood opens up dramatically into a sprawling outdoor oasis designed to double the venue’s capacity.

“In here, it’s a dark bar with candles where you can hide away from the world for a bit,” Reis explains. “Then you transition outside, to a casual West Texas or Hill Country feel — crushed granite, fire pits, a massive live oak tree and cedar fencing. Because it’s tucked behind a stone wall, it has a secret garden feel.”

Adding to that outdoor charm is a restored 1960s vintage Airstream trailer, fully outfitted as a secondary bar to serve guests spending their evenings under the stars.

Pubsmith relied on the expertise of Cameron Westmoreland, an industry veteran with a background at mixology heavyweights like Parliament and Clover Club.

Westmoreland approaches drink creation through a culinary lens, drawing inspiration from unexpected flavor pairings.

“I base everything on food,” he notes. For example, the Santa Muerte ($17) was based on a dish with peach, serrano hot honey and fresh lemon.

Another example, the lemon-poppy sour ($16) came about after he found a lemon poppyseed scone at a coffee shop.

“I instantly thought: that’s a cocktail,” Westmoreland says.

The Smoked Guinness Old Fashioned ($17) is a clever homage to Pubsmith’s pub roots. The team reduces Guinness down with sugar to create a rich, caramelized simple syrup loaded with malted barley notes, serving as the sweet anchor for a smoked whiskey build.

The Freezer Martini ($17), the recipe was born after Reis took a whirlwind 24-hour trip to Brooklyn for a martini convention. Built on an overproof Scottish gin infused in-house with post-distillation saffron, the drink is softened with a custom vermouth blend and finished with lemon oil to brighten it up.

To complement the drink menu, Kilmac’s tapped pizza master Lee Hunsinger (formerly of Cane Rosso and Zoli’s) to consult on a dedicated 12-inch pie program. Built around quality ingredients, the pizza menu features house-made vodka sauce, Calabrian chiles, candied house-pickled jalapeños and Italian sausage directly from Jimmy’s Food Store, the East Dallas institution.

“We ran multiple blind taste tests against a bunch of different sausage suppliers,” Reis says. “Jimmy’s won out easily every single time. Beyond the quality, we’ve always had a great relationship with those guys.”

When asked for the ultimate Kilmac’s cocktail and food pairing, Westmoreland recommends: pair the spicy, rich Drunken Pepperoni ($19) with the mezcal-laden Santa Muerte ($17), or match the Prosciutto ($22) with the Nouveau Carré ($17).

For Pubsmith, opening Kilmac’s following the debut of Old Monk Oak Cliff next door was a massive undertaking. Yet, it underscores the group’s commitment to evolving alongside Dallas’s dining public while respecting the heritage of the neighborhoods they join.

Kilmac’s, 814 W. Davis St., 469.677.0075