Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railway — Attraction in Eureka Springs

I was reading over all of the negative reviews that people left about this experience. I guess the reviews are accurate. The train does stop and eat while the train is apart. The food isn't five star restaurant quality. However, I feel that for about $50 a person, a train ride and meal with four courses is a really great value! I thought the countryside scenery was really pretty and the servers were all super friendly and the baked Alaska dessert looks like a train with real smoke and a headlight. It's true that the wine selection isn't great. But I mean you're on a train. I guess I wasn't expecting the food to be amazing at the price point that you're paying for both a meal and a train ride. I ordered the rainbow trout almondine and I thought it was really delicious. Again, this isn't a five-star restaurant quality meal, but I thought the experience was really fun and special and unusual. I would say the food was about the quality level I was expecting. Anytime you order off a limited menu for a large group of people, the food is similar to the quality of food you would expect to get from a buffet. I thought they did a pretty good job making the food tasty when they were cooking for such a large group of people on a train. I'm not sure how you could do it much better job. I would love to come back again and I think kids would just love and experience on this train! If they allow children, I would love to bring my niece and nephews sometime in the future. I saw some people complaining that the train didn't leave right on time and that their ride lasted longer than advertised, but I'm not sure why the train ride should be in a rush. I would want the train ride to feel leisurely and to relax and take my time. I saw some people complain that the experience is out of date. I guess I thought that that was the whole point? Trains rides are very old-fashioned. I thought that was part of the charm of the experience? If you want to drive somewhere fast, probably just drive your car somewhere like you do every other day of your life.... I thought this train ride was a charming, interesting, quaint and memorable experience and I hope to come back again. I honestly don't know how they turn a profit serving a four-course meal and providing a train ride all at $50 a person. I noticed some people complain that they didn't like the view because the train goes through someone's backyard and you just see the woods and a creek. I'm not sure what else you would be expecting to see on a train ride? The train isn't going to magically teleport you to Narnia or the Swiss Alps. I mean we're in Arkansas, I'm not sure what else you would be expecting to see other than woods and the creek. Train tracks I think normally do go through people's backyards anywhere in the United States. I can understand being disappointed that the train is stopped for quite a while while you're eating. I did picture the train moving during the entire meal. I guess that isn't really clearly laid out in the description of the train ride. I didn't mind that the train was stopped though because that little easier since the train wasn't bumping around while you try to...

'23/8 1st time patron/review: -- On & visible from main road with well marked sign. Parking in free, large, somewhat sloped lot across street, so be prepared to walk. Also, no obvious crosswalk/light, so be prepared to dart across main road from parking lot. -- Posted sign specifically prohibits any formal photo shoots (wedding, modeling, etc.) on grounds. -- While the actual Dinner and Excursion trains cost money, there is still PLENTY to take in (whether seated or walking) for FREE on the grounds (old trains, misc) and inside (airconditoned, front register worker, lots of old items on walls, plus gift shop with attendant in the back). -- Dinner train: Requires advanced registration/payment ($50/person ticket price includes 2 hour trian ride plus a set 4 course meal--soup, salad, entrée, & dessert plus coffee. Cost does not include tip or wine/champagne...sorry, no open bar/spirits. Note that wine orders as 1 "bottle," but comes as 4 small, individual serve bottle equivalent to 1 bottle menu price). Days of operation/dinner Tues/Wed & Fri/Sat 5:30-7:30p. Arrive around 5p to check in and take in the sights before boarding the train (which requires enough mobility to navigate 5 steep steps both into and out of the train's dining car). Once inside, be prepared for a quaint, charming, slow train ride through the beautiful forest. The soup and salad courses are served while moving, while the dinner (fish, chicken, prime rib options) and dessert (Baked Alaska this trip for all) courses are served while stationary. Then the train returns slowly back to the station. Calm, big band music plays at a low level in the air conditioned cars that seat four to a table. Very doable for hearing impared. Not suited to mobility impared (including wheeled chairs/strollers) or 3X+ patrons due to old-school table/chair design/spacing. Also, no narrator/guide on trip, as dinner conversation at each table is the focus. That said, 2 to 3-max per table is optimum; though larger parties technically could book more tables which could turn into a boisterous trip. Very dedicated, nice, helpful, engaging staff of conductor since 1998 and decade-plus mother/daughter chef/waitress team respectively, plus several others on train rounds out an entertainment throwback to the early 1900's. Restroom available on train (whether moving or not). -- Excursion train: while aboard the Dinner Train, our inquiry was answered that the Excursion train moves much faster and is accompanied by a historic guide speaking during the ride. The cost, availability, etc is unknown to this reviewer. Bottom Line: A must-see/experience for locals & visitors alike! Do seriously consider the Dinner Train for a rusticly romantic anniversary or occasion celebration up to...

Transparent as I can be, I want so desperately to give this less than a one star review. However, the staff and the dining car experience itself deserve better than that.

The kind and courteous servers and t 4.5 stars. The good: It was a nice setting. The dining car was clean, comfortable, relaxing, and perhaps even intimate. There was a beautiful lamp at every table that had a cool “Orient Express” label. The ride was slow and leisurely. It really had our hopes up.

But then the food arrived. We were first served a bland tomato soup that was tepid at best. It gave the impression of Campbell’s soup that had been forgotten in the microwave for an hour. Then you remember it, and try to salvage it by throwing in other stuff.

Next came a hospital grade salad. I want to comment further, yet it was so less that memorable that I can’t quite be sure how much I disliked it.

Our main course is where the evening was completely derailed. As we sat on a wooden bridge overlooking a cozy little creek, the prime rib and chicken Eureka came to the table. It was terrible.

The entrees were served with the same sides.

The vegetable medley was over-steamed. The sauce on top can only be described as cheese gravy, and not the good kind they served in elementary schools in the 90s.

The rice pilaf was cool and contained a meat substance that created an odd texture while adding little to no flavor.

The chicken was dry and drown in something that made me question my life choices up until this point. It resembled that substance at the bottom of a cereal bowl when your kids don’t eat all their breakfast. It wasn’t exactly salty. The amount of grease helped balance out the salt. The dash of paprika helped mask it as something edible.

Then there is the sub-prime rib. Good lord! I remember some terrible ham I had 15 years ago on a fishing trip where I thought I was going to freeze to death. This prime rib was not much better. Not compared to the ham, but compared to freezing to death.

To the staff, I’m sorry. You did your jobs well. You are the reason this is a 2 start review. Food -3, staff +5. The food was...