43 Best American Restaurants in Hot Springs

“We recently stopped by this adorable mom-and-pop diner and overall had a very enjoyable experience. If you’re looking for a cozy local spot with a hometown feel, this is definitely worth checking out.

One thing I really appreciated was that they serve both breakfast and lunch all day. It’s always nice when you don’t have to rush to make breakfast hours, and they have a surprisingly good variety of English muffin flavors to choose from. The menu offers plenty of options, and the prices are very reasonable, especially considering how much food you get.

As someone with a meat allergy, dining out can sometimes be stressful, but our waitress was very helpful in navigating the menu and identifying items that were cooked separately from other meats. I really appreciated her willingness to answer questions and help me find safe options. For anyone with similar dietary concerns, I was able to safely enjoy the waffles, eggs, biscuits and gravy, and English muffins.

The atmosphere is charming and welcoming, but one thing to be aware of is that the dining area can feel very crowded when they’re busy. During peak times, there was barely enough room to move between tables, and it became a little difficult to get through the restaurant comfortably.

Our waitress was friendly, but it was obvious she was overwhelmed by how busy the restaurant was. Unfortunately, several items and add-ons we ordered never made it to the table, and the add-ons for our to-go waffle were forgotten as well. When we asked to place a to-go order, it felt like it was an inconvenience, which was disappointing. While I understand that busy shifts can be stressful, there was never any acknowledgment of the missing items. The service wasn’t terrible, but it was definitely the weakest part of an otherwise enjoyable visit.

Despite a few hiccups, we left satisfied. The food was good, the prices were fair, and the small-town diner atmosphere made for an enjoyable visit. The kindness of the staff and their willingness to accommodate my allergy made a big difference. With a little more help during busy times, this place could easily be a five-star experience. We’ll definitely be back and would still recommend it to anyone looking for a friendly local diner serving breakfast and lunch all day.“

“I ate there today and it was amazing! I had a catfish dinner, fried okra, and fried green tomatoes. My best friend and I enjoyed our food very much! Everything was amazing, standouts were the coleslaw because most places can not get it right…well Walkers did!!! Also the fried green tomatoes were amazing!!! I have no complaints about my meal and will be returning often! Thank you so much!!!“

“I have a thing that when I’m on vacation, I want to eat at a place that is special to that place. Purple Cow did not disappoint. Delicious food and AMAZING milk shakes. Friendly staff and speedy service was a huge plus too.“

“I have loved this place since the 1950s. They have the best malts in the country. It’s also one of the few places you can get a veggie burger. That really tastes great. My son says the cheese burgers are perfect.“

“Splendid sandwiches where every ingredient is fresh and as it should be. Besides the tasty meat, good buttery cheese, crisp veggies, fresh bread, what stood out is the honey mustard dressing and crispy onions. Nice touches that made for a delicious bite.“

“Came here asking for prime rib and they absolutely delivered, not only that but they have a dynamite chicken sandwich. The prime rib was a perfect medium rare and the chicken was crispy with amazing sauce. Perfect stop in Hot Springs Arkansas!“

“Food and drinks are fabulous, ambience is great, service is always friendly!! One of my favorite brunch places.“

“My husband and I had dinner for our anniversary here. We loved it ! Our waitress was extremely friendly and personable. I had the almond crusted trout it was absolutely delicious. The ambiance was nice it felt upscale. We enjoyed ourselves and would definitely return if we visit Hot Springs again.“

“We had lunch there today. It was pretty quiet but the service and food were good. I had the Hawaiian Chicken (will order again) and hubby had the Chef Salad (he would get it again also) The sweet tea was really good. If I was rating it: Atmosphere 9/10 Cleanliness 8/10 Food 9.5/10 Service 8/10 Overall 8.5/10 We will be back!“

“Best pizza ever! Delicious, def will not be the last!“

“Best food East and West of the Missisippi river.“

“Chicken tenders are soooo good and fresh. Love this place but they need to work on the outside. If you didn't know better you would think they were out of business. Weeds all around. When I recommend this place they always say "didn't that place close". Fix up the outside and make it appealable.“

“I got cream cheese French toast. SO GOOD. Seated fast ordered. Waitress refilled coffee & very prompt when taking are order.
Waited a little while not bad. Food was hot.good portion. Bacon & eggs were very good Husband got homemade biscuits & gravy with diced potatoes. Everything was good. Very good service.“

“Amanda was awesome, coffee never got low or cool. Didn't rush us was friendly the whole time. one of the best waitress.“

“First we arrived at Fisherman’s Wharf, got in quite fast. Very friendly staff we sat and ate dinner with lalo around 6:30. Didn’t get serviced until 6:45, when he came to the table is was very unprofessional and uncomfortable. Overall he did a great job and we got our food quickly, but every time he would approach the table he would have an attitude. The catfish was great, and my husband enjoyed the grouper oscar. 4.3/5* overall“

“Last night we brought some friends for dinner. Walked in about 7:45 pm with no idea that closing time was 8:00 pm. Amber and the crew treated us great and the meal was excellent. They had to stay over for us and took great care of us. Thanks“

“Nikki was a great waitress. The food was amazing!“

“I can't believe there are only 14 reviews. Bubba's is the bomb for catfish. I live in MO but when in Hot Springs for a week, we are eating there AT LEAST twice. Its been a few years but next month we are there. Can't wait. And def get the tarter sauce. Its the best!“

“Fantastic dining experience! Dom and JoLee always give top notch service and are super helpful. Quality food + amazing service= you just can’t beat it!“

“My husband purchased my birthday cake from yall. It was wonderful! Best carrot cake.“

“Great venue and atmosphere.“

“The Ohio Club never disappoints. The food is always excellent. Leave room for dessert! The staff are meticulous and personable, and attentive. We came here to Hot Springs on a whim several years ago. This is our fourth time here...we mainly come for the views and to bask in the history that is The Ohio Club!“

“First time to visit this restaurant. We ate the Lou burger. Unbelievably awesome! I have never had such a wonderful burger as this one! The restaurant was super nice as were the employees. I highly recommend and can’t wait to go back for more delicious food.“

“Awesome food!! Excellent service!! From little Rock Arkansas!! Love this place!!“

“They have an incredable family deal that easily feeds 4 to 6 people well and is affordable. They never let you down...unless it's 810pm“

“We arrived close to closing time after a day at the lake. They graciously let us in and served us as if they just opened. The staff were kind, professional and efficient. The food was exceptional, as always. Our group of 6 had a mixture of shrimp, chicken, and fish. Thank you so much for the great food and hospitality!“

“While spending the weekend in Hot Springs on 25 April 2026, this establishment was highly recommended by the young lady working the front desk at the hotel. I explained to her that I wanted a place that has a true “dive bar” feel and she without hesitation recommended Maxine’s and I too would recommend this place. The bartenders Ashley and Celeste were spot on. Very welcoming and never had you waiting for a drink. Speaking of drink, I will admit the coolers were not at full working capacity so the beers were not as cold as one would have expected them to be. Better than room temperature but not cold enough. As for the food? I ask Ashley to surprise me and that she did. The sandwich was absolutely amazing. So the next time that I am in Hot Springs Arkansas, I will be visiting Maxine’s again. I just hope the beer cooler is up to par.“

“Great service, price, and taste.“

“Just had some of the most delicious ribs! Tender and juicy with great seasoning! No sauce required! Great and friendly service!“

“dairy bars dont come any better than this“

“Everyone was very welcoming, they even invited our Dog to come inside. Great hamburger also!“

“I get the parmesan crusted chicken and the half rib rack regularly to go. today, I picked it up and got home and I have to say, this is the BEST chicken that i've had with them for a while. It is top shelf, !!moist!! plenty of sauce and cheese on top. The ribs are also fab.
Whoever the chef was be sure to keep him/her cause.... This was the best chicken i've had in a long time and i've been eating there over 3 years.
🎄 Merry 🎄 Christmas 🎄“

“things are getting alot better. as 1 of the employees here and coming outta bankruptcy. I think we are doing fabulous especially Hayden heaven scarlet and nick. all good managers....“

“We’ve Always Had A Great Experience At Sam’s Pizza Pub. The Food Is Consistently Delicious, The Atmosphere Is Fun And Welcoming, And When You Get One Of Their Attentive Servers, It Really Makes The Visit Shine. No Place Is Perfect Every Time, But This Spot Is A Local Favorite For A Reason—Great Comfort Food, Cold Drinks, And A Laid-Back Vibe That Keeps Us Coming Back. 🍕🍻“

“Billie was our waitress Food was delicious Service excellent“

“Best food ever their biscuits melt in your mouth and they give you your money's worth“

“The service was a little slow but the band was great. We enjoyed that they had a little bit of everything to choose from, band, karaoke, dancing. We didn't stay long but that's because of who we were with, not because of the Big Chill. We'll definitely go again next time we're in town.“

“We had a great experience here! The food was hot and fresh on pickup. The staff was extremely nice and helpful. I had a large to-go order, they even helped me carry it to the car. We had the Papa Burger, Chili Cheese Coney, Chili Cheese fries, corn dog bites, and onion rings. Everything was good quality and tasted great. We would come back here all the time if we lived in town!“

“We came in on our last night in Hotsprings. The service was awesome. The food was awesome. The beer was cold. My kind of place. The gumbo was amazing. I should have got some to take home with me.“

“We really enjoyed our visit to Chili's in Hot Springs. My husband had a burger and fries. I had the Margarita Grilled Chicken off the Guiltless menu, and a spicy Skinny Margarita. Both were so good! The chicken had so much flavor, and the margarita was perfect. I should have taken a picture before I started eating but I was really hungry and forgot. The service was also really good.“

“The rooms were spotless and the staff couldn’t have been friendlier. We visited at Christmas, and the holiday décor was absolutely beautiful!“

“We had a family reunion over the memorial day weekend and rented out one of thier party rooms. Everything from food, to service, to location was stellar! Drinks were great for the adults, and there was a little beach play area for the kids in our party. We were able to see the memorial day fireworks from the beach play area! The staff was friendly and very professional.... I'm running out of buzzwords to express our gratitude for an amazing night. Thank y'all so much!!!“

“Good omelets, decent price. Had to wait for seating for a few minutes as they were busy. Excellent waitress, took care of me when I asked her to see about turning the AC up as I was freezing. Manager jumped right on it. Great, fast service.“