wellington | table
A PLACE TO RELAX AND KICK BACK Kickback Neighborhood Tavern In Wellington Serves Up Great Food And Live Entertainment BY CALLIE SHARKEY
If you’re looking for that comfortable hometown feeling merged with great food and entertainment, Kickback Neighborhood Tavern is the place to be, with its mantra, “Eat Local. Drink Local. Stay Local.” Dan Hooker, general manager and managing partner at Kickback, brings decades of experience in the food and hospitality industry. He was there when Kickback opened last year and has never been happier. “It’s great working here because I never have to apologize for the food. I’ve worked in a lot of restaurants all my life. The food here is great, and we get compliments all the time,” he said.“The staff here is loyal. It’s a small staff, but it is a bunch of great people. It’s a family, and we all work together toward the same goal.” The menu offers elevated tavern fare with a variety of options and delightful new versions on classic comfort foods. Every week, the chalkboard shines with new specials and fun dishes not on the regular menu. “We have something for everyone,” Hooker said.“As far as high end, we have some handcrafted tavern bowls that are really good, like the Korean Sesame Salmon Bowl. Our hamburgers are outstanding, and people love our mahi sandwiches and buffalo mahi fingers.” He said that Kickback is essentially a scratch kitchen, with all the sauces made in house. From mango sweet chili to the Kickback remoulade, homemade flavors are a highlight with each plate.
(Clockwise from top left) The Tavern Burger is served on a brioche bun with all the fixings; Dan’s Key Lime Pie is made from scratch in the kitchen each day; the Buffalo Mahi Fingers is a signature Kickback dish and a crowd favorite; guests can order the Chicken Club Sandwich blackened, grilled or fried; the Firecracker Shrimp is a terrific starter dish tossed with a sweet and spicy sauce; watch out for Kickback’s weekly specials, like Deviled Eggs With Bacon; and the popular Truffle Parmesan Fries are made fresh for each order. wellington the magazine | september 2021 55