Kickback Neighborhood Tavern

Kickback Neighborhood Tavern occupies the space on West Forest Hill Boulevard that longtime Wellington residents will remember as Backstreet’s Neighborhood Bar and Grill. The location closed under that name and reopened as Kickback, keeping the same neighborhood tavern concept but refreshing the menu and the look of the place. The address and phone number carried over from the old business, which is common when a local operator takes over a space rather than a national chain moving in, and it means the tavern has kept its regulars while introducing itself to newer residents under the new name.

The kitchen describes its food as elevated comfort food, which is a fair description of a menu built around burgers, wings, sandwiches, and other pub staples done with a bit more care than a standard sports bar. The bar side leans into cold craft beer and hand crafted cocktails rather than just a generic well selection, and the tavern runs happy hour and weekend specials that give regulars a reason to stop in on a schedule. Live music on weekends adds another layer, turning the space into more of a hangout than a straightforward dinner stop.

Outdoor seating and a pet friendly policy make Kickback a natural fit for Wellington, where a large share of the population owns horses or dogs and appreciates a patio where a leash is not a problem. The tavern’s hours run late by Wellington standards, with Friday and Saturday service until eleven, which puts it among the later closing options along the Forest Hill corridor. The kitchen closes an hour before the bar, so late arrivals can still get a drink even after food service winds down.

Because it sits on West Forest Hill Boulevard, Kickback is easy to reach from most of the village, whether coming from the neighborhoods near Wellington Green Mall or from the equestrian areas further south and west. It functions as a true neighborhood bar in a town that does not have a traditional downtown strip, giving locals a consistent, walk-in-friendly option for a casual dinner, a few beers after work, or a weekend afternoon with live music. The tavern is locally operated rather than part of a multi-state chain, which keeps the menu and events calendar responsive to what the Wellington community actually wants.

Parking is straightforward in the plaza, and the tavern draws a mix of after-work regulars, families in for an early dinner, and a later bar crowd once the weekend live music gets going. Menu items skew toward shareable plates and classic pub fare, the kind of food that works whether a table is settling in for a full meal or just grabbing a bite alongside a couple of drafts. Reviewers on sites like Yelp have pointed to the tavern’s craft beer rotation and its willingness to keep the kitchen open later than most of its Forest Hill Boulevard neighbors as reasons it has held onto steady foot traffic since taking over the space. For a village where restaurant options tend to close early, Kickback fills a real gap for anyone who wants a casual, later evening out close to home.