We live only a short drive from Hot Springs, Arkansas and love to visit regularly to enjoy the town, the National Park, the lakes, and most of all, the great restaurants.
Hot Springs has been a tourist town for centuries. The thermal hot springs have always attracted a lot of attention.
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It is also a surprisingly “foodie” town. There are many delicious restaurants in Hot Springs, Arkansas!
We only recommend places that we have actually tried and enjoyed so if your favorite is not on the list it might be because we haven’t been there yet. Let us know which Hot Springs restaurants you think that we are missing!
Here are a few of our favorites!
Delicious Restaurants in Hot Springs, Arkansas
Rolando’s Restaurante
Rolando’s is right downtown and has a gorgeous patio. If the weather is good you will absolutely want to sit outside. It is definitely our favorite patio in Hot Springs!
Rolando himself is from Ecuador and the food at his restaurant is Latin American. The service is always so friendly and the food is unique and delicious.
My personal favorite dish is the Quesadillas de Chivo. This is a goat cheese enchilada. SO good. I know goat cheese isn’t for everyone, but don’t worry. You can’t go wrong with any of their dishes.
They also have really good drinks, the mojito I had at Rolando’s was particularly amazing!
You might be interested in learning about the best places to have a drink in Hot Springs!
Ohio Club
Looking for a side of history with your meal? The Ohio Club is the place for you. It happens to be the oldest bar in Arkansas! It opened in 1905 as a bar and casino and was a favorite of the notorious gangsters who frequented Hot Springs.
Yep, people like Al Capone, Bugsy Segel, Bugs Moran, and Lucky Luciano used to hang out at The Ohio Club. In fact, during prohibition the bar began operating as a speakeasy and never shut down.
These days the bar and restaurant does not have gambling although you will be able to experience its past through the interesting decor. In addition, the downstairs bar is a work of art, the drinks are perfection and the food is delicious.
They are known for having a great Reuben and we agree that it is one of the best. Also try the fried green beans. So yummy!
You will find live music here on certain nights so be sure and check the calendar.
We have a post with even more information about the history of Hot Springs.
The Pancake Shop
If you want a hearty breakfast then The Pancake Shop is the place to go. There might be a line during the busy summer months. It’s worth it!
Of course you’ll have a pancake if you go here but I have to mention that the omelets are also very good!
I’ll let you in on a secret. There are two pancake places in town and they are very near one another. Both are really good, but…in our opinion…this one is slightly better.
Luna Bella
This is a smaller restaurant and you will probably want to make reservations. They have a fun martini menu and a good wine list. The bread that they serve is made fresh daily and is oh so good.
I have been to Italy a few times and one of my favorite Italian dishes is arancini. I thought the arancini appetizer at Luna Bella was as good as any I’ve ever had in Italy! I also love the shrimp and shrimp risotto.
It is fairly pricy but you can’t go wrong at this restaurant.
Superior Bathhouse Brewery
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The Superior Bathhouse Brewery is such a fun place. You really must go here when you are in town – especially if you like beer!
This happens to be the first brewery in a US National Park and also the first brewery in the WORLD to use thermal spring water as their main ingredient.
It is always fun to taste a variety of beers at a good brewery. You can get a flight to sample 4 beers or take a beer bath and sample all 18 beers that they have on tap!
The food is really good at the Superior Bathhouse as well. Get a soft pretzel to go with your beer.
It is such a pleasant experience to sit at one of their windows enjoying a meal and a beer and watching the world go by.
Cafe 1217
Cafe 1217 is a great little lunch place and a wonderful change of pace from heavy foods. Everything at Cafe 1217 is super fresh and delicious. All of their items are made from scratch with the best ingredients.
This is an upbeat, fun, and casual Hot Springs restaurant with friendly service. You can also get take out if you are looking for something to go.
Delucas Pizza
Delucas Pizzeria is one of those places that people tend to feel really, really strongly about one way or another. I happen to fall into the “love it” camp. I really, really love the pizza here.
As in, I think it might just be the best pizza in Arkansas.
Why does it taste so good? I think it is because the crust is mixed up fresh every day and cooked in a super hot oven. It has a gorgeous crunch and flavor. Then they use all excellent ingredients for their toppings and sauce and…my mouth is watering just thinking about it!
One thing that you do need to know. DeLucas has gotten a lot of national attention lately and they tend to be VERY busy. When they run out of pizza dough for the day they are out of pizza.
In order to avoid being disappointed you should call and reserve your pizza dough!
In addition to pizza they have one of the best burgers around!
Phil’s Restaurant
Looking for some good ol’ Southern home cooking? Phil’s Restaurant should be your choice! They are just a short drive out of the main downtown located in an old house right across from the main Oaklawn parking lot.
Phil’s makes me feel as if I am going to my grandma’s to eat.
They have an excellent breakfast with HUGE portions so come hungry. The hotcakes are our favorite, but if you are really feeling like a decadent breakfast they even serve an old-time Arkansas favorite, chocolate gravy!
There is a regular lunch and dinner menu as well as daily specials. The service is also always warm and friendly at Phil’s.
McClard’s Barbecue
McClard’s is another of the old-time restaurants in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It was established in 1928 and has a very interesting history that you should check out on their website!
This is a barbecue and tamale place. Both are delicious! Their barbecue is both crusty and tender just the way a good barbecue should be.
If you try what they call a “spread” on the menu you get both barbecue and tamales in the same dish! If you enjoy their sweet and slightly spicy barbecue sauce you can buy it bottled.
Mr. Whiskers
I’m not exaggerating when I say that Mr. Whiskers serves some of the best catfish in the state. The breading is light and not greasy and in just the right proportion. Everything here is fresh and high quality.
The fried shrimp is also excellent and perfectly cooked. Definitely have some of the side dishes. My favorites are the baked beans and coleslaw
They also have pulled pork on the menu and I must say it always looks delicious when I see other people order it…but I can’t go to Mr. Whiskers without getting catfish! Let me know if you have tried the pulled pork!
Best Cafe and Bar
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The name says it all. The Best Cafe and Bar really does have the BEST brunch in town. Seriously. Make the drive from wherever you live to enjoy this food. It’ll be worth it.
Decisions, decisions, should you try the chicken and waffles, eggs benny, or the creme brulee French toast?
Everything we had was so good, but the Creme Brulee French toast was like no French toast I had ever had before. The crunchy creme brulee topping puts it over the top.
If you aren’t feeling like having breakfast food there are also a few lunch items to choose from!
This is one of the restaurants in Hot Springs that you definitely don’t want to miss
Rocky’s Corner
Hot Springs has a surprising number of GREAT pizza places for such a small town!
While DeLuca’s (mentioned above) serves pizza with a thin New York style crust, the pizza at Rocky’s is more known for a thick Chicago style crust. It’s so nice to have an option while you are in town!
Rocky’s also has excellent appetizers, we love the Spinach Artichoke Dip, but everything we have tried here is good. If you are getting a salad you have to try their delicious homemade Italian dressing.
I also LOVE and highly recommend the Italian beef sandwich. So yummy!
Rocky’s also has a fun appetizer and the service has always been excellent.
Fisherman’s Wharf
Fisherman’s Wharf Steak and Seafood is one of the lake goers favorite restaurants in Hot Springs.
It is situated right on Lake Hamilton with great views and tons of covered, open air seating. It is a casual place where you won’t feel odd wearing shorts and flip flops and coming straight from the lake.
The menu is pretty extensive with plenty of shrimp and seafood as well as some steak and chicken options for the non-seafood people. It is a fun place to bring a group.
I recommend the grouper oscar!
Kollective Coffee and Tea
Kollective is a cool coffee shop. They specialize in organic and local products and everything is extremely high quality. They also do more than just coffee.
Their breakfast and lunch options are light, fresh, and delicious. The is also the perfect place for the vegan or vegetarian diner to grab a bite to eat.
Hope you enjoyed this list of some of our favorite restaurants in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
If there is someplace you think we ought to try be sure and let us know in the comments!
Don’s Southern Social
Don’s Southern Social is the latest addition to the Hot Springs dining scene. It opened in August, 2023. Dons Southern Social was started by the owners of Best Cafe and Bar so you know we were super excited to try it.
I went in expecting the food to be good and Dons did not disappoint!
They serve a fresh and sometimes unexpected take on Southern classics. Everything was delicious. I especially loved the deviled egg appetizer and the fried chicken.
Not only is the food good, but the service was perfect and the ambiance top notch. Dons Southern Social has a fun speakeasy vibe. We entered through a bookcase and had to give a password!
You will want to make reservations!
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