WAYNE — Yard House, a growing restaurant chain popular for its eclectic menu and wide range of draft beers, will open at Willowbrook Mall.

The 10,885-square-foot restaurant, opening on the ground floor of the mall's northwest wing, under Dave & Buster's, will be one of 36 eateries there when it taps its kegs later this year.

Yard House won approval by the Planning Board last week to make improvements to the space, making it the third full-service restaurant after Buffalo Wild Wings and P.F. Chang's to recently gain a foothold at the mall.

Meagan Mills, a spokeswoman for Darden Restaurants Inc., a Florida-based operator of casual- and fine-dining chains, including Yard House, would not give specifics about the opening.

But Mayor Christopher Vergano, a board member, said a Yard House representative advised local planners at the hearing of the restaurant's intention to open in the fall.

The restaurant's approved plan includes a 370-square-foot mezzanine, where 110 kegs will be stored — on top of 66 more on the ground floor — at 37 degrees.

Yard House will have seats for 364 patrons, including 31 at its bar. The space where it will be was carved out at the mall when the Sears department store downsized to make way for Dave & Buster's, which opened last year.

The restaurant also will have a 483-square-foot patio, for al fresco dining.

Yard House boasts the "world's largest selection" of beers on tap, as well as more than 100 menu items.

From balanced and malty to refreshing and crisp, Yard House's variety of domestic and imported beer is for true lager lovers. The restaurant pours six of its own house beers, including Belgian Golden, India Pale Ale and Pilsner.

The menu at Yard House features small plates, under "snacks," and entrées in seafood, steak and street tacos categories, among many others. Vegan options are available.

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Under "house favorites," patrons can find several chicken dishes. Nashville Hot Chicken, served with pickles and sweet potato pancakes, is one of them.

Yard House, founded in 1996, has one restaurant in New Jersey, at Moorestown Mall. Its nearest location to Wayne is at Palisades Center, a mall in West Nyack, New York.

The chain, which was purchased by Darden in 2012, has almost 80 restaurants in the nation, mostly west of the Mississippi River.

Darden, the largest full-service restaurant company in the world, also owns Bahama Breeze, LongHorn Steakhouse, Olive Garden and four other chains.

Email: devencentis@northjersey.com