The Hive — Restaurant in Bentonville

Overdramatized, I feel like a chef’s role is to balance a menu and each plate with both a variety and depth of flavors and textures using their own unique input and honed skill set. Sometimes they do this in a way that makes you understand why the call it the culinary ARTS.

Chef Matthew McClure’s recognitions far exceed my praise on Google but when I say that my first experience here was unforgettable due to his menu and execution of the meal, I truly mean it.

Started with a Black Dahlia which is a bourbon cocktail mixed with a blackberry and red wine reduction, some scotch and bitters. This was a little sweeter than I’d like but I should’ve expected as much with a reduction involved. Good starting drink!

Next was the Chilled Spring Pea Soup balanced with turmeric crème fraiche and chive that was exceptional. The consistency was perfect, flavors subtle but very refreshing and was a fantastic start to the meal. I was a bit nervous due to the redundancy of peas in my meal that I ordered but I’m very glad I chose this. Came out at the same time as some cornbread and sorghum butter that was also very simple but a great palette cleanser/starter.

Lastly, the pièce de résistance at The Hive.

I ordered the Berkshire Hog Chop that sits atop creamed leeks, spring peas, spicy pickled radish and crispy shallots. This cut of pork and the way it’s cooked over open white hickory oak was out of this world. The first bite literally confused me so much that I physically stopped chewing and had to remind myself to keep chewing and enjoying as my brain was trying to analyze the magic that happened. The bed of creamed leeks and peas was subtle but perfect and complimented the pickled radishes PERFECTLY and the micro greens were a great texture add. This dish delivered on flavor and texture variety, complimentary depth of flavors and presentation. Without any shadow of doubt, this was the best piece of pork I’ve ever had in my life. Top 3 single plate of food as well, unbelievable!

Everything I had was edible art and I’m so thankful I stumbled upon this place while in town from out of state! I’d quite literally think about making a 5 hour each-way drive to share this restaurant with my wife. THANK YOU Chef and I cannot wait to try something new next time. Stop hesitating on this place and make the reservation and order in comfort that you’ll enjoy your culinary experience here! Great atmosphere and really unique designs inside. Penguins are a fun touch as well! Cannot recommend this...

I was able to book a reservation for Saturday night on a Friday for 4 adults and a baby. We were promptly sat and taken to a table in the middle of the restaurant, which show cases beautiful art work of a bee hive that stretches across the dining room with bees and various other hidden gems in the art.

Our server was Jenna who was very patient with us as we went over the impressive list of beverages. We ordered a few signature cocktails, a glass of wine and a beer, each absolutely delicious and unique. For a bonus, complimentary fresh cornbread with honey butter was delivered to the table. As our drinks were being prepared we ordered appetizers: chicken liver mouse with onion jelly, baked ricotta, and pork belly with compressed watermelon. I highly recommend each one of these, especially the pork belly. Perfectly seasoned and cooked and the watermelon added not only texture but temperature. The hot pork belly and cold watermelon was an excellent combination.

For dinner we ordered the Beef Rib Eye, Pan Roasted Sockeye Salmon, House-Made Campanelle, and Berkshire Hog Chop. I can’t say this enough, everything was seasoned perfectly and the sides they come with pair with protein to make a cohesively brilliant well thought out dish. We finished up with the Saffron Panna Cotta, and we also received complimentary cotton candy which was an absolutely treat.

During our dining experience our 9 month old son grabbed a glass of wine of the table and spilled it all over himself and the ground. The staff was quick to come out with wet and dry towels to clean up, and they escorted my wife to the restroom so she can change our son. At the time our entrees were delivered, the manager was aware of the wine incident and came over with a cover for her Ribeye keeping it warm and fresh. Jenna, our server, was checking on us throughout our dining experience and was quick to top off our wine, fill our water glasses and make sure we were having the best time we could have, and that we had.

We would absolutely come back for dinner again, in fact, I look forward to the next time I get the privilege to dine...

Food: tldr: I really wanted to enjoy it more, but it’s saltier than the Dead Sea.

App (chicken liver) Of all the foie gras/substitutes I’ve eaten, I’ve never seen a liver spread garnished with salt, let alone the hill of salt I got. Liver and jam is a sweet and savory food usually, so salt is no bueno and superfluous. I enjoyed it, it was good, but it would’ve been better.

Entrees (burger and pan seared trout) You can tell that the quality of the food itself is good, but man is the food aggressively salted. It may just be a Bentonville thing, bc every restaurant I’ve eaten since visiting has an egregious amount of salt. You could always add more salt that is provided on the table, so take it easy. Although still pricey, you do get a greater portion than you would at a Michelin a la carte place for example. However the food is not marginally better in this town just because you pay more.

Dessert (chocolate mousse) Super rich, but very good

Service:

Service here was stellar. not much to say except this is the leading quality here.

Atmosphere:

If this is what bville has to offer for fine dining, then I would say ignorance is bliss if you’ve never fine dined elsewhere. For “Fine Dining” this probably has the worst atmosphere I’ve been in (for my preferences.)

High lumen light is not conducive to a premier dining experience, why’s it so bright in here?? The layout of the restaurant is incredibly off putting, and it gives more of an airport lounge feel. If the floors didn’t make you feel like you were in a warehouse, maybe it’s the fact that the blueprints would be better suited for one rather than a restaurant. The mix of round and square tables make no sense for the feng shui. The round tables lead to a lot of negative space, which makes it a lot less cozy/comfortable. There is 0 separation of tables/seats whether that be with a physical object, or just from laying things out better. I get more privacy in the delancey st McDonald’s in Manhattan than I do here.

If this restaurant is used as an event venue, then I can totally understand the...