At first glance, Rolly’s Tavern on the Square looks like any chic sports lounge around Boston. A horseshoe bar cuts through its heart, while a TV screen can be found wherever the eye wanders. But this Lynn restaurant’s decor is decidedly more personal.

Signs for ski areas like North Conway and Park City dot the walls, because husband-wife owners Rolly Hayes and Wendy Meninno Hayes first met on a blind date at Sunday River. Campaign banners tout Boston Mayor Thomas Menino — a not-so-subtle nod to Wendy’s similar maiden name. The American flag that their son carried in Afghanistan and Iraq is here. Even the dark red walls tell a story. Why red? Because the couple’s first kitchen was that color.

“I remember an interior decorator saying to me, ‘Oh my God, you can’t have a red kitchen, you’ll be like overeating,’” says Wendy, whose family has longtime Lynn ties. “I said, ‘Well, it’s the kitchen, you want people to be eating.’”

The red walls must be working. Judging from its bustling atmosphere on an off night for the Celtics, locals have taken to the restaurant despite Rolly’s looking a bit foreign next to shops that have stood on Broadway for generations. This week marks its seventh anniversary.

And why not? The food is well above average for a bar menu, the vibe is comfortable, and the place keeps expanding, with renovations to create additional seating slated for next month.