Good eats (Fayetteville, Russellville, Mena: motel, house, school)

ArkansasSlim · 02-28-2010, 07:09 PM

In my archeology work I usually end up near small communities in AR around lunch time and always take advantage of their offerings. I invite others to post their favorite eating places they have found. I ask though, to limit your postings to small "Mom & Pop cafes" and not "restaurants" or chains. My first one is not from work, but one I was taken to. It is Sandy's Homeplace on east 15th in L.R. It is noisy and crowed, but good. Fat Boys B-B-Q in Caddo Valley is good but not (in my opinion) as good as it was when Sam Hays had it as The Pig Pit. In Rosston is a cafe and convenience store with great hamburgers. It's the only business in town. In Norman is Melba's and they have great pie and the other food is also great. Friday evenings are for cat fish and the place is full and people lined up for carry-out. Mt Ida had Mt Ida Cafe and the chicken fried steak is hard to beat. Delight has Mom's Diner and Pinkey's. They both are good but for some reason we usually end up at Mom's. Best sweet tea in AR and with their hamburger, tater tots and fried pie, not much work gets done the rest of the day. Wicks has White House Cafe and it's good. So, if y'all know any good little lunch places I have not yet found, please post.

Capt. Dan · 03-03-2010, 06:53 AM

I think this is the only negative I can think of about Mena. No eats to really get excited about.

Luvvarkansas · 03-03-2010, 10:22 AM

There is a good BBQ place in Ozark, but the name escapes me. It is on the square downtown, behind the courthouse. You can't miss it....there is usually a line out the door.

Just a side note.....there is also a neat antique mall/flea market in a big old white building behind the courthouse, on the road that runs right along the river.

P.S. It's Rivertown BBQ.

ArkansasSlim · 03-03-2010, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capt. Dan

I think this is the only negative I can think of about Mena. No eats to really get excited about.

Dan, I'm no longer in town long enough to eat, but a few years ago there was a good "steak house" on the west side of town. Don't know if it's still there. Also, a few years ago, I liked the noon buffet at the motel on the east side of town, on the left if you are eastbound. Since my eating experience in Mena is years out of date I didn't have any suggestions there.

jim9251 · 03-03-2010, 07:35 PM

Mama Dean's on School Street HWY 71b Fayetteville.

Dr. Foosball · 03-03-2010, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luvvarkansas

There is a good BBQ place in Ozark, but the name escapes me. It is on the square downtown, behind the courthouse. You can't miss it....there is usually a line out the door.

Just a side note.....there is also a neat antique mall/flea market in a big old white building behind the courthouse, on the road that runs right along the river.

P.S. It's Rivertown BBQ.

main (http://www.rivertownebbq.com/main.htm - broken link)

That is an awesome restaurant - and always busy. I went to votech in Ozark ("AVTI," now "ATU-Ozark") in 2002 and I spent many lunches there (always got back late). I almost want to get in my car and drive there right now. Best. BBQ. Ever.

ArkansasSlim · 03-05-2010, 06:44 PM

I had forgotten about this one until I saw it on another Thread; The Shack at Jessieville. Great burgers which appear and taste like they have been fried the old fashion way, fries, milkshakes, etc. etc., but save room for a cone of soft mix ice cream "for the road".

If we are going to that part of the Ouachita National Forest, for some reason we always just happen to pass through Jessieville at lunch time.

Luvvarkansas · 03-08-2010, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArkansasSlim

I had forgotten about this one until I saw it on another Thread; The Shack at Jessieville.

It's pretty around Jessieville. Haven't been there in a long time, though.

Wrong Frank · 03-14-2010, 12:04 PM

Catalpa Cafe, up in northwestern Johnson County. WOWOWWOWOWWO great food, and great people. When my kids were going to college at Tech in Russellville, they and their friends would drive all the way up to Catalpa Cafe. That's how good the food is. I got there one day a couple of weeks ago and they were just taking out of the oven some of their home made pies -- including a mile-high, hot fudge meringue pie that was the best pie I ever ate (and believe me, I have eaten a LOT of pie in my life! lol)

Just down the road from the Catalpa Cafe, there's the General Store in Oark. Also great.

Eagle Rock Cafe, in "Mount Judy" (Mount Judea) , Newton County. Good food and the nicest young couple run the place.

Down in Franklin County, the little community of Cecil, there's a little general store there that is famous for it's Friday catfish and ribeye steak lunches. Get there before 11 in the morning or you will not get a chair, it's so crowded because people come in from all over the place just for that Friday lunch.

Arkansas has got some great cooks in these little "mom and pop" cafe's.

Wrong Frank · 03-14-2010, 12:09 PM

Talking about best barbecue -- Rivertowne in Ozark is kinda greasy now sometimes and the brisket is mostly fat at least the last few times we tried it (sorry but it's true, they lowered their standards after they got famous I guess). Better by several country miles is Mainstreet BBQ over in Charleston (southern Franklin County, on Highway 22). OUTSTANDING!!!!!
plus there's more seating and more parking than Rivertowne.