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 destination for centuries. The thermal waters first put the city on the map, but today millions of visitors come each year not only to “take the waters,” but also to explore historic Bathhouse Row, experience Hot Springs National Park, visit Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort, enjoy the beautiful lakes, and discover the natural beauty of the Ouachita Mountains.
The restaurant scene is almost as impressive as the attractions. Whether you’re looking for a romantic dinner, a lakeside seafood restaurant, old-school Arkansas barbecue, a memorable brunch, or one of the best pizzas in the state, you’ll find it in Hot Springs.
Here are a few of our favorites!
Only One Weekend in Hot Springs? Here’s Where we’d Eat!
- Breakfast: The Pancake Shop
- Brunch: Best Cafe & Bar
- Pizza: DeLuca’s
- Patio: Rolando’s
- Drinks and History: Ohio Club
- Date Night: The Vault
- Unique Place to Drink a Beer: Bathhouse Brewery
- Light Lunch: Alexa’s Creperie
- Seafood and Lake View: Fisherman’s Wharf
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!
Best For Breakfast/Brunch:
There are several great breakfast restaurants in Hot Springs! Here are two of our favorites.
The Pancake Shop
If you want are staying downtown and want a hearty breakfast then The Pancake Shop is the place to go. It’s popular so expect a line on the weekends or during the busy summer months. It’s worth it!
Of course you’ll want to 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 just across the street from one another. Both are really good, but…in our opinion…the Pancake Shop is better.
Best Cafe and Bar
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.
Best Pizza
Ahhh, it’s the battle of the pizzas in Hot Springs. There are several really popular places.
Delucas Pizza
Delucas Pizzeria is one of those places that people tend to feel really, really strongly about one way or another. We fall firmly into the “love it” camp. 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.
This is a New York style pizza (the owner is New York Italian.) It is cooked in a super hot wood fired oven which makes a very dark crust. I’ve heard many people say that they think the pizza is burned. To us, that’s flavor, y’all.
DeLuca’s also uses excellent ingredients for their toppings, cheeses, and sauce…my mouth is watering just thinking about it!
One thing that you do need to know. DeLuca’s has gotten a lot of national attention in recent years 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 ahead and reserve your pizza dough!
INSIDER TIP: In addition to pizza they have one of the best burgers around!
SQZBX Pizza
I would say that SQZBX Pizza is a local favorite and it also serves a delicious pizza! This is where you will find a classic hand tossed pizza, NOT the thin, foldable, New York style.
They have very good crust! Their crust is light and airy and has always been cooked to a perfect brown when we’ve visited.
One thing I really like about SQZBX is the variety of toppings. You can do a build your own pizza and get whatever you want on it. They always seem to get the proportion of toppings to cheese to crust to sauce EXACTLY right.
SQZBX also has a brewery onsite! This is a big advantage of this pizza joint.
Service is excellent here as well. The restaurant has a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
Which one will you choose?
Best Patio
Rolando’s Restaurante
Rolando’s is right downtown and has a gorgeous, almost hidden patio. If the weather is good you will absolutely want to sit outside. It is definitely our favorite patio in Hot Springs! Sometimes they have live music on the patio.
Rolando himself is from Ecuador and the food at his restaurant is Latin American. The service is always 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 other 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!
Most Historic
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.
Want to learn more about the crazy history of Hot Springs?
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.
Let us help you plan your trip to Hot Springs!
Best Special Occasion
Luna Bella
Luna Bella is a smaller restaurant so you will probably want to make reservations. They are perfect for a date or special occasion because they have a fun martini menu and a good wine list.
In addition…their bread! It 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.
The Vault
If you are craving a steak then The Vault is the place to go. This happens to be a new favorite for us.
It is located in a renovated 1890’s bank building right in downtown Hot Springs. It has a moody, intimate, romantic vibe with the requisite exposed brick and dim lighting.
My husband and I especially appreciated the menus that glow so that you can actually read them.
I’m going to give you four important words to know when you go to The Vault: Truffle butter yeast rolls. Don’t turn these down. Do be aware that the menu changes seasonally. We have enjoyed all of our meals at The Vault.
Most Fun and Unique
Superior Bathhouse Brewery
The Superior Bathhouse Brewery is such a great place. What makes it unique is that it 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.
You really must go here when you are in town – especially if you like beer!
It is always fun to taste a variety of beers at a good brewery. You can get a flight to sample 4 beers or order a beer bath and get samples of ALL the 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.
Best for Lighter Fare
Cafe 1217
Cafe 1217 is one of our favorites! It 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.
They have great sandwiches and salads, gourmet chicken salad (which I love), and delicious baked goods.
This is a casual Hot Springs restaurant with friendly service. You can also get take out if you are looking for something to go.
Alexa’s Creperie
We ate at Alexa’s Creperie for the first time very recently and, wow, we will be going back again and again! This is a family owned business with a European flair. In fact, the owners used to have a cafe in Belgium!
They serve both sweet and savory crepes as well as Polish pierogies of all kinds, cabbage rolls, and various specials. I HIGHLY recommend this restaurant.
You will love the kind and welcoming atmosphere that perfectly matches the delicious food!
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. This is also the perfect place for vegan and vegetarian diners.
Best for Before the Races
Phil’s Restaurant
Looking for some good ol’ Southern home cooking before you bet on the horses? Phil’s Restaurant should be your choice! They are 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 serve HUGE portions so come hungry. Their breakfast menu even includes the Arkansas favorite, chocolate gravy!
There is a regular lunch and dinner menu as well as daily specials. The service is also always southern-friendly at Phils.
Rocky’s Corner
Yep, I’m going to talk about pizza again. Hot Springs has a surprising number of GREAT pizza places for such a small town!
Rocky’s happens to be located just across the street from the Oaklawn race track. The pizza at Rocky’s is more known for having a Chicago style crust. Don’t worry, it isn’t as thick as a deep dish pizza like the ones we’ve had in Chicago and to me that’s a good thing.
It’s just a nice crispy, chewy, thick crust.
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.
Where to go for Catfish
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 For a Water View
Fisherman’s Wharf
Fisherman’s Wharf Steak and Seafood is one of Lake Hamilton’s favorite waterfront restaurants. It has been around for about 25 years and 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!
Be aware that sometimes there can be a wait. It’s worth it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best restaurant in Hot Springs, Arkansas?
If you’re visiting for the first time, we’d start with Rolando’s, The Vault, or DeLuca’s depending on what you’re craving.
What is the best breakfast in Hot Springs?
The Pancake Shop remains our favorite breakfast restaurant in Hot Springs.
What is the oldest restaurant in Hot Springs?
The Ohio Club is the oldest bar in Arkansas and one of the most historic dining destinations in the city.
Where should I eat near Bathhouse Row?
Rolando’s, Ohio Club, Superior Bathhouse Brewery, The Vault, and The Pancake Shop are all convenient options near downtown.
What restaurant has the best view?
Fisherman’s Wharf offers beautiful views of Lake Hamilton.
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!
