I suspect the idea of upscale dining for John Wilson — the founder of North Lawrence’s Johnny’s Tavern — may have involved extra salt on the bowl of peanuts at the bar. Or if it was an anniversary dinner, or something like that, perhaps some tomato juice in the pitcher of beer. But Wilson’s alter ego — a new west Lawrence restaurant called J. Wilson’s — has a decidedly different take.

J. Wilson’s is in the spot at the southeast corner of Sixth and Wakarusa that previously housed Marisco’s. The same owners and staff that operated Marisco’s continue to operate J. Wilson’s, but there have been changes to the menu and a major makeover to the interior of the building. The restaurant spot was closed for about a month for the remodeling, and opened in the last few days.

“I would call it chic but casual,” owner Nancy Renfro said of the restaurant’s concept. “You can still walk in in shorts and feel comfortable. But we think there are lots of sophisticated features that will make people feel special.”

Renfro, and her husband, Rick, are owners of Johnny’s, thus the nod to Johnny’s founder John Wilson. But you won’t ever confuse the two establishments. J. Wilson’s is not about the burgers, pizza or sports bar atmosphere that have been staples for the Johnny’s franchise.

The menu has words on it such as confit fingerlings, focaccia croutons, and seafood tomato bath. (I may once have had a seafood tomato bath at Johnny’s, but my lawyer advises me to stop the story right there.) J. Wilson’s menu has a host of items that Renfro describes as falling into the category of new American cuisine.

“We get to delve into the finer points of food and drink here,” Renfro said. “I hope that we get to open up the world of dining to younger people in this community. When you live at home, you eat Mom’s food. When you are in college, you eat fast food, and then you get out and you realize there can be a lot more to it.”

Among the chef’s specialties on the menu is a cedar fired trout that is grilled in cedar paper, doused in drawn butter, and served with lemon and herbs. The menu also features three cuts of steak, including a 24-ounce tomahawk, bone-in ribeye. Renfro said that much like Marisco’s, J. Wilson’s will continue to place an emphasis on seafood dishes. That includes a shrimp and grits dish, crab cakes, mussels, and a seafood pan roast that features mussels, crab, cod and other ingredients. The menu also includes several sandwiches, including a mango jerked chicken and a pork belly grilled cheese.

The restaurant continues to have a full cocktail bar, but Renfro said there is an even greater emphasis on wine. The restaurant now has a full-time sommelier, and Renfro estimated that there are about 50 different wines in the restaurant’s collection.

“But the number is not as important as the ones we have chosen,” Renfro said. “We like to buy wines from boutique wineries that get really good scores. We like to find the up-and-comers.”

As for the interior makeover, the restaurant has moved its entrance to the west side of the building, creating a new glass-encased lobby. The dining room continues to feature a lot of the stone work that existed in Marisco’s, but features new lighting, tables and other accessories.

“We had this vision when we started that we were going to try to create a New York supper club type of feel,” Renfro said. “We’re looking to create a lot of low-key elements.”

The Renfros had owned Marisco’s since 2001, and they’ve owned Johnny’s since 1978. Nancy said both she and Rick continue to love the work.

“I love food, I love wine, I love cocktails, I love new beers,” Nancy said. “And I love that I still learn something every day.”