Nicole S.
Yelp
You gotta stop at the Ohio Club when you're in Hot Springs. It's the oldest bar in Arkansas, and has been a Spa City hot spot for more than 100 years. It opened in 1905 as a bar and casino, and was frequented by mobsters like Al Capone, Bugsy Segel and Lucky Luciano, as well as many Major League baseball players. It's a place to get a drink, a bite to eat, and soak in the history of the area.
Thursday through Monday, you can come here to hear live music upstairs. The location can't be beat -- Ohio Club is located right across the street from Bathhouse Row. When you step inside, you're greeted by a massive vintage bar that is 15 feet high and 24 feet wide, with hand-carved horse heads. Horse heads! Mobsters! You can't make this up.
This restaurant was a finalist for the 2023 Arkansas Food Hall of Fame. Most of their menu is burgers, so you will probably want to get a burger, which seems to be their specialty. I got the Waygu Burger, which is a whiskey-infused patty with barbecue sauce, an onion ring, cheese, mayo, onion, lettuce and tomato. It is huge and hard to eat without getting all sloppy. Honestly, I couldn't tell the difference between a Waygu burger and a regular burger, because of all the stuff on the burger. But maybe my palate is not as refined as others' palates.
Our table ordered a few of the appetizers to share, so I got to taste the fried pickles and fried okra, as well as the funnel fries with dipping sauce. Again, my palate is probably not accustomed to fried foods, because the fried pickles and fried okra kind of tasted the same: battered and fried! The funnel fries were fun and a nice ending to the meal, especially because they came with caramel and chocolate dipping sauce. One order is definitely enough to share.
Our table had a great time sitting in the upstairs dining room and enjoying our food. But I think the Ohio Club really shines with its bar, so I'd come back for a drink and an appetizer.