I hadn’t intended to try out Kickback Jack’s so soon after it made its debut (scarcely a week in business), but weirdness with my schedule made it convenient for me to fast-track this new Alcoa eatery franchise to the top of my list. Based in Greensboro, North Carolina, Kickback Jack’s has some 20 locations concentrated in that state as well as a few in Virginia and Tennessee. The Grub Spouse and I found the eatery at the newish Downtown Alcoa development, not far from McGhee Tyson Airport.
Despite arriving to find a packed parking lot, we were immediately seated. The single, wide-open dining area is quite large, with a sports-tavern feel highlighted by a central bar area and no shortage of TV screens for viewing sporting events of all kinds. I hear tell that Kickback Jack’s locations also offer cornhole for guest recreation, although I can’t vouch for this particular site.
The Spouse and I settled into our seats and began figuring out what was what with the menu. The fare is in keeping with the atmosphere, offering a pub-grub selection that covers a lot of familiar bases. Appetizers include boneless wings, nachos, bacon cheese fries, fried pickles and Firecracker Shrimp. However, I insisted on trying the Philly cheesesteak egg rolls ($11.29).
Other menu categories showcase salads, wings, burgers, sandwiches and wraps, flatbreads and steaks as well as entrees such as a chicken tender platter, a seafood platter and several pasta dishes.
The Spouse went for the fish and chips ($12.99), which comes with fries and cole slaw by default. I ordered the barbecue baby back ribs ($19.99), and I picked the baked beans and a Caesar salad ($1.90 upcharge) as my two sides. Among the other available side options are green beans, mac and cheese, and mashed potatoes.
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I ordered an IPA from the bar, one that happened to be $3 off (on special). However, it tasted like soap to me — literally, soap. I brought this to the attention of my server, who told me it was store policy not to refund alcohol purchases. When I politely stated my dissatisfaction with that policy and explained how my beer was not drinkable, she handed the matter over to a nearby team leader. The team leader heard me out as well and wound up bringing me another brand of IPA, and she also honored the original $3 discount. While I still think that particular alcohol policy is BS, I do feel that both the server and the team leader handled the situation professionally and to my satisfaction. (By the way, no soapy taste in beer No. 2.)
Back to the food. The Philly cheesesteak egg rolls were fabulous, both as is and with the accompanying ranch dipping sauce. Next came the main dishes. The fish and chips were respectable, as were the sides of fries and coleslaw. However, the ribs were the undisputed weak link in the whole meal. On the plus side, my plate arrived with three partial racks of ribs, each with five to six bones. But the meat on each bone was scant and of not particularly good quality. They reminded me of Calhoun’s ribs (which so many people seem to love but, in my opinion, are average at best). But back on the positive side, the baked beans were really good, as was the Caesar salad, which boasted a well-made dressing.
For dessert, we shared a brownie sundae, which was made with two scoops of vanilla ice cream ($7.49). Nothing remarkable here, but then again, it’s not easy to find fault with even a middle-of-the-road brownie with ice cream.
As I mentioned, we received good service overall, both from our assigned server as well as from the team as a whole, which was diligent about removing dirty dishes and silver from our table and performing tasks like delivering to-go boxes (we needed several).
For a restaurant that had been open for only about a week, Kickback Jack’s seemed to be firing on all cylinders. While the food isn’t breaking any new ground, it’s certainly in keeping with the overall theme and atmosphere. Also, the prices were reasonable, and the service was on point.
Kickback Jack’s
Food: 3.75
Service: 4.25
Atmosphere: 3.75
Overall: 4
Address: 1139 Franck St., Alcoa
Phone: 865-273-5710
Full bar service
Hours: 11 a.m. to midnight Mondays through Sundays
This new downtown-Alcoa sports bar and restaurant is a lively gathering spot for televised sports and satisfying pub grub.
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