J&S Italian Villa — Restaurant in Hot Springs

I'm a little late posting this, but I CANNOT let another day pass without writing a rave review and sharing our experience at J&S Italian Villa Restaurant in Hot Springs! I don't even know where to begin because it was all so perfect! A couple weekends ago, my husband and I went to Hot Springs for a little anniversary getaway and came across this Italian restaurant on Yelp and decided to give it a try. Let me just say that we are foodies, finding the best place to eat is kind of a sport to us. So I don't take it lightly when I say that this is hands down overall our favorite restaurant we've ever been to. Our server Cindy was PHENOMENAL!! She was so sweet, funny and went above and beyond to cater to our every want, even had special sauces and things made for us that weren't on the menu just because we mentioned it. She took the time to talk to us and you can tell she just has a big heart for people. It's amazing how much we got to know each other in such a short period of time. The owners were absolutely PRECIOUS, and you can tell they are so passionate about what they do and strive for nothing but excellence. We talked to them several times over the TWO nights we visited. YEP! We cancelled our reservations for dinner at another restaurant the next night because we were so blown away by not only the impeccable, personal service but the FOOD. OMG, the food...everything we ate just got better and better. The care, attention and creativity of the chef is art...but not the tiny kind that leaves you hungry. We had tons of leftovers! Cindy recommended the tiramisu for dessert, and y'all, hands down the best dessert I've ever put in my mouth. I can't even put into words...my husband doesn't even like tiramisu, and he was in love at first bite. Cindy brought out the pastry chef Zeke because we had to tell him how much we enjoyed everything. He was so kind and humble and just listening to him talk about his passion was really something special - he's incredibly talented. Even the hostesses, bartenders, live musicians were amazing. It's rare to see the level of attention to detail, service, and food that J&S has, but it makes sense because they are intentional about cultivating that culture. We will be making the 2.5 hour trip occasionally just to go eat there...probably 2 nights in a row again. Kudos to the owners and...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ J&S Italian Villa

Five stars, without hesitation! This was our first visit to J&S Italian Villa, and from the moment we walked in, we were treated to a dining experience that exceeded all expectations.

We started with the large charcuterie board, and it was honestly one of the best I’ve ever had. It came loaded with a wide selection of fresh meats, cheeses, fruits, and breads — everything was flavorful, well-balanced, and beautifully presented. Every bite was a treat, and it set the tone for the rest of the evening.

I ordered the lobster, which was cooked to perfection and incredibly rich and flavorful. My lemon drop martini was equally impressive — smooth, balanced, and just the right amount of tart. My two friends ordered the salmon, lobster pasta, and both the white and red sangrias — all of which they raved about. My husband went with the medium rare lamb chops, and they were top notch — tender, juicy, and perfectly seasoned.

Our children enjoyed their own meals of chicken Alfredo and steak, and even they couldn’t stop talking about how good everything tasted. We all left completely full and so satisfied.

What really stood out beyond the food was the service. Our waitress was fantastic — attentive, friendly, and made us feel truly welcome. Partway through our meal, a gentleman who we believe was either the owner, manager, or head chef came out to check on our table. He genuinely cared about our experience and wanted to make sure everything was to our liking — and it absolutely was.

The whole evening felt like art — both for the taste buds and the eyes. Beautiful presentation, incredible flavors, and such a warm atmosphere.

We’re already planning to come back before our trip is over, just to experience this level of food and hospitality again. J&S Italian Villa is a gem, and we’re so glad...

What a disappointment! Honey and I decided to patronize this restaurant based of the reviews. We won't do this again.

So, let me start with the positive. The restaurant is conveniently located off Central Avenue, Hot Springs, AR. And, there's with plenty of free parking. It has covered outdoor seating and the bar is located next too it. The inside was tastefully decorated and inviting.

We both ordered salads: Strawberry spinach for me, house for honey. My salad was very fresh and good. So much for the positive.

Honey's house salad was warm and appeared to have sat unrefrigerated for some time. For an entrée, he ordered the special of the day, the "Tour of Italy." It was supposed to be 5 "stuffed raviolis" of different varieties. On presentation, it looked like someone had gotten sick. Pushing through that, the raviolis were so flat, there was little to no stuffing in them. You couldn't distinguish between the ravioli flavors. They all tasted the same - pasta dough covered in sauce.

I ordered the Giambotta - Chicken breast, Italian sausage, potatoes, peppers, onions and mushrooms. First, this couldn't been a whole chicken breast. It appeared to have been filleted several time. It was extremely over cooked and tough. There were only a 3 pieces a sausage (not even a whole sausage). I thought I was getting roasted new potatoes but instead I received steak fries. And as expensive as this meal was, there were almost no vegetables on the dish.

What was even more distasteful was the dish was floating in some type of juice/broth. I don't mind paying money for a good meal. But based on quality and serving size, $22.00 for honey's and $24.00 for my meal was ridiculous.

We won't be returning...