About Us

Welcome to Back Alley Bar & Grill, tucked into the heart of historic downtown Fullerton. Since opening its doors in 1999, this two-sided venue has become a local landmark where hearty food, good drinks, live music and unforgettable nights come together.

Our Beginning

The story starts with Sandy Kates—visionary, community-builder, and longtime Fullerton favorite—who opened Back Alley in 1999.

OC Weekly+1

Sandy had a simple but bold goal: create a comfortable, unpretentious place where people could eat well, hear great music, and connect with others. Under his stewardship, Back Alley quickly became one of the only downtown venues offering 21-plus live shows and an open-door policy for local bands.

The Present Day

The story starts with Sandy Kates—visionary, community-builder, and longtime Fullerton favorite—who opened Back Alley in 1999. OC Weekly+1 Sandy had a simple but bold goal: create a comfortable, unpretentious place where people could eat well, hear great music, and connect with others. Under his stewardship, Back Alley quickly became one of the only downtown venues offering 21-plus live shows and an open-door policy for local bands.

What We Offer

A two-sided venue: indoor & outdoor bars, dining areas, pool tables, dance floors, digital jukeboxes and sound + lighting systems built to fuel the fun.

A full-service kitchen serving up local favorites like tacos, burgers, appetizers and our all-day breakfast burrito—everything crafted in-house using fresh ingredients.

Nightly entertainment: from live bands and DJs to the big game on screen—there’s always something happening.

Private-event flexibility: From birthdays to bachelor/bachelorette nights or corporate gatherings, we’ve got rooms available for rent for your big celebration.

Our Mission

At Back Alley, our mission is simple: create a welcoming place for good people to have a good time. We believe in great food, lively music, authentic connections and the feel of a local hangout where everyone’s welcome. Whether you're a regular or a first-timer, come on in—pull up a stool, shoot some pool, taste our kitchen’s best and stay for the night.

Thank you for being part of our story.

Here's to many more nights of fun, flavor and community at

Back Alley.

This is definitely a hidden gem in downtown Fullerton! Great spot for some live music, drinks and food! Bartender was so nice and friendly. We tried the Steak sandwich which was sooo delicious! Thinly sliced steak, lettuce, tomato and garlic aioli Mayo. The fries were also good, cooked to perfection.
There is indoor and outdoor patio seating available. Give them a try!

Kathy C. - Yelp

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Proudly Serving Fullerton

For Over 2 Decades!

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