Dining and Entertainment

Restaurants

Can we let you in on a little secret? Little Rock is one of the South’s top destinations for incredible food. But you don’t have to take our word for it, Little Rock has been named a Top 5 Hottest Foodie City by Forbes Travel Guide, a Top Food City in the South, and the list goes on and on. Why? Because in Little Rock, we’ve got it all; from award-winning locally-owned restaurants to some of the biggest restaurant names in the country, the hardest part about dining around here is picking where to go first. Need some ideas on where to get started? We’ve got you covered:

• 42 Bar + Table at the Clinton Presidential Center is one of the city’s most interesting and unique restaurants. The menu features local favorites and internationally-inspired dishes and a few of President Clinton’s personal favorites. The kitchen even grows it’s own produce and herbs on the grounds of the Presidential Library.
• Three Fold Noodles and Dumpling Co. is dishing up authentic Chinese cuisine. Stop in and enjoy a bowl of noodles or an order of dumplings (the three folds used to seal the dumplings is the inspiration of the restaurant’s name), both come in varying degrees of heat. Can’t pick just one? Get a bit of both.
• Petite & Keet is one of the city’s most posh special occasion restaurants. Their menu always features new and exciting offerings that pair perfectly with the specialty drinks and cocktails from the full-bar.
• The Fold is a botanas (small plates, normally served as an appetizer) restaurant and bar in a former gas and service station in the city’s Riverdale neighborhood. Drop in and enjoy a rotating menu that features fresh flavorful options like street corn dip, papaya and avocado salad, and an assortment of tacos, burritos, tortas and tamales. The menu says it all — locally produced, thoughtfully prepared.
• Star of India is a Little Rock staple and a member of the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame. For almost 30 years, Chef/Owner Sami Lal has been serving some of the city’s best North Indian lamb, beef, chicken, Halaal goat and vegetarian dishes.

The Loony Bin Comedy Club, located in the Breckenridge Plaza on Rodney Parham, brings in acts from all over the country.  It has played host to famous comedians such as Dave Attell, Jeff Foxworthy, and Bobcat Goldthwaite.  With plenty of seating and a delicious, reasonably priced menu, the Loony Bin is the place to go for a light-hearted evening with talented performers.

Live music is always a great idea when planning a night on the town. There are several venues in downtown that offer good beer, good music, and good bar food.  Here are a few ideas to get started:

• Sticky Fingerz Rock ‘N’ Roll Chicken Shack, located on Commerce Street, is loved for its hand-rolled fried chicken fingers and famous bands on the marquee.  Patrons who come on the night of a Razorbacks game get to watch all the action on all the televisions inside.
• Enjoy live music at Willie D’s Piano Bar. Tips in the jar keep the requests coming; dinner is served nightly and drinks are served throughout the performance.  Oh, and the audience is expected to sing along; those who do often find themselves under a spotlight.
• The Rev Room is within walking distance of its sister venue, Stickyz, and books everyone from Henry Rollins to Lainey Wilson to The Wailers. Whatever your musical tastes, you can bet they’ve got someone on the books that’s right up your alley.
• If you’re looking for the kind of spot that draws the locals, look no farther than White Water Tavern. A Little Rock institution, WWT brings in some of the top local and regional talent each weekend as well as karaoke night. You might even sit in on a live-album recording.

• • The Flying Saucer is a bar on President Clinton Avenue famous for its sheer variety of bottled beer in stock.  Choose from over 100 different bottled beers from around the world or opt for one of the local brews on tap.  Monday night is known as Pint Night; a pint of brew from the tap only costs $2.50.  Live music is featured at least two nights per week.
  • Grumpy’s is a popular sports bar in West Little Rock on Green Mountain Drive.  It features live music from local artists several nights per week.  And with a projection screen, a well-stocked bar, and comfortable lounge chairs, Grumpy’s is one of the best places in town to sit back and watch the game.
  • Zack’s Place is the original sports bar in Little Rock. Since 1988 locals have enjoyed the spacious bar, dartboards, pool tables and bar food staples.
  • If you’re on the hunt for a classic Irish Pub, head to Third Street and grab a stool at Dugan’s Pub. Owner Don Dugan began looking into his Irish heritage and felt a deep connection to the culture and heritage of Ireland, inspiring his dream of owning and operating a pub all his own. Wanting to watch the game? Dugan’s is the spot to watch every Premier League game.

The Little Rock area is home to many theaters, but these stand out among them:

• Little Rock’s only theater with an IMAX screen, the AMC Chenal 9 is the perfect place to watch adrenaline-fueled action movies, fright-filled horror flicks and during the summer, $5 family features in their AMC Signature Recliners. Need a little refreshment? Drop by MacGuffins Bar and pick up a beer or glass of wine.
• United Artists Breckenridge Village is a more established theater complex in West Little Rock on Rodney Parham.  It has curved screens to display the current top 12 Hollywood movies. The theater has reserved seating.
• Riverdale 10 Cinema features luxury recliners, beer and wine, and a blend of art-house cinema and the latest Hollywood blockbusters.
• Movie Tavern offers a robust theater dining service with chef-driven menus and a variety of beverage options from mixed drinks to craft beer.
• CALS Ron Robinson Theater is operated by the Central Arkansas Library System and features themed movie nights like Terror Tuesdays, Throwback Thursdays and Family Movie Fridays. The RRT is also home to the Arkansas Sounds Concert Series, featuring some of the biggest names in Arkansas Music.