GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — A pub in this town of about 7,000 is back in business after a year in the dark. And despite an unfinished menu and new staff, locals have been showing up to revisit the landmark eatery.

The restaurant, called 20 Railroad Street, served food and drinks in Great Bar-rington for nearly 30 years. It’s in the midst of a soft reopening under new owners, brothers Th?ng and Huy Hu?nh, who said they hope to formally open the restaurant some time early this month.

'"We haven’t really opened yet,"' said Huy Hu?nh as he watched people fill the pub’s entrance during lunch one day last week.

That hasn’t stopped locals from checking out the revamped restaurant though, according to Hu?nh, who added that since they opened the doors in late September, people have been coming in. The restaurant has been so busy, in fact, it had to close one night when all the food was gone.

The previous owner, Paul Dickenson, abruptly closed the restaurant in September 2007, citing a lack of staff. The Hu?nh brothers purchased the business in May for $120,000.

Since then, the Hu?nhs have made minor changes to update the restaurant’s decor, including fresh paint, carpeting, tables and paintings from local artists.

But while the brothers are better known for their other eatery — the Dragon Restaurant, which serves Vietnamese fare in Pittsfield, Mass., to the north — don’t expect too many changes at 20 Railroad Street.

'"I always wanted to have a pub. It’s always been my dream,"' said Hu?nh, who visited the establishment several times before it closed and admired its atmosphere, including the ornate mahogany bar and exposed brick walls.

Hu?nh said he and his brother, who were both trained at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., jumped at the opportunity to buy the restaurant because it offered a chance to branch out to a different style of food in a new town. Their other brother, Hung Hu?nh, also is in the restaurant business, known across the country as the winner of Top Chef, the Bravo television reality show.

But as guests refamiliarize themselves with the Great Barrington institution, they should expect some growing pains.

'"Right now it’s a learning stage,"' Hu?nh said. '"We don’t know where we’re going to end up."'

Currently, the restaurant offers only appetizers and lunch items. Hu?nh said they want to tweak those before adding anything else.

'"We’re trying to take care of one thing before we move on to another,"' he said, noting that other, traditional items like steak and pasta on the way.

While the menu will be a work in progress in the coming weeks, he hopes locals will come anyway, getting a feel for what the restaurant will eventually be when the menu and staff are settled.

'"I just want to have people come check it out,"' Hu?nh said. '"We hope (the owners and staff) can build together and have this be long term."'