Ouachita Bar & Grill (OBG) — Restaurant in Hot Springs

• we are not food critics *

First off, we were a little confused about where the entrance was. We walked through a hang out area to the back door which was actually the front door (I know). We were told that it was open seating. Naturally, we chose a seat outside, the weather was quite nice on this particular august night.

This is where it gets good.

The first person we met was not actually our waiter, but rather a different guy that brought us some pork rinds and informed us that our waiters name is Matt. Then, FINALLY, after about 30 whole seconds, Matt appears.

Matt asked us if this was our first time coming to this establishment to which we responded with a meek and gentle “yes”. Matt was overjoyed. Not only did Matt give us some great suggestions regarding the menu options, we also had a pair of regulars stop by our table having heard this was our first time. This lovely couple gave us the brilliant recommendation of ordering the triple sampler.

The triple sampler is a work of art that God himself crafted. You get 3 different types of meat AND 3 different sides. Choose wisely. Let me steer you in the right direction.

After some thoughtful deliberation with waiter recommendations we tried the smoked chicken, alligator sausage, and brisket. For our sides we chose fries of the waffle variety, mac & cheese, and we went back and forth about potato salad vs fried okra, but Matt told us that was silly and to get the fried orkra. And boy was he right.

2 whole minutes after ordering Matt emerged with two to-go type boxes that I can only describe as the mary poppins bag of all to-go boxes. Upon opening said boxes we saw what we assumed would not be enough food. We were wrong. The more you eat the more food appears until you are perfectly satisfied.

The brisket was tender and immaculate. A wonderful combination. The smoked chicken paired with the house barbecue sauce was delightful. The star of the show, however, was the alligator sausage. My taste buds have never sang so loud. As for the sides, the mac and cheese is pretty good especially paired with the barbecue sauce. The fries, seasoned to perfection. The okra, God’s gift to hot springs. All sides should dipped in the liquid gold that they call dragonfruit ranch. WOW. Amazing.

For dessert we had banana pudding. One order was all we needed because it was massive. Vanilla wafers? We don’t know them. Instead, picture the vanilla Oreo cookies crumbled and sprinkled on top of the phenomenal pudding mixture. The combination of ingredients danced in our mouths as we sighed a heavenly sigh.

Will we be returning? We would be silly not to. This was a delightful experience on an average afternoon. Lives were changed forever.

Thank you Matt, and thank you ouachita bar and grill, for showing us what a dining experience should be. We will be seeing you very soon.

the McFarlands not...

Tonight was my first time going to Ouachita Bar & Grill (OBG). I have to say I'm not a huge bar food and BBQ person. My fiancée has taken me to some bars where the food was not good and the bars were dirty and gross. This bar was so clean and bathrooms cleaned too. Our waitress, Liz, was so kind and amazing. She was so helpful in giving food recommendations. I ordered the Alligator Sausage with baked beans and fried okra. Usually when I have ordered fried okra from other restaurants it is soggy but the breading of the friend okra at OBG was perfect. Also with the fried okra it came with a dragonfruit ranch. Ok so hear me out it was absolutely the best thing ever. The two paired together was instant satisfaction. Chef's kiss definitely delicious. I'm not a huge drinker either but Liz, our waitress, suggested the mocktail recommendations and the bartender made me a non alcoholic bourbon drink which was so good. The owners Tia and her husband were amazing they were interacting with the customers and assisting their staff. My fiancée and I used to work for Disney and the service met Disney standards which we haven't seen in years since we no longer work for them. I highly recommend this place for amazing food and I love that they cater to customers who aren't the biggest drinkers. My fiancée and I were just saying how we wanted to have a local place to call home like Cheers or Friends and I know we just found that tonight. Also we have traveled around the world alot and haven't found a bar just like this with great food, people, staff, live music and all around drinks. Like Cheers, OBG will know our name and it will be like home to us. Run don't walk to OBG next time your in town or if your local definitely check it out. This is my first star review too which I normally don't give out. Can't wait to eat here again. After tonight's dinner I am now a BBQ and bar food fan. Pork rinds...

Extremely Disappointing Experience - Avoid!

My visit to Ouachita Bar & Grill on June 15, 2025, was one of the most frustrating dining experiences I've ever had, and I strongly advise others to steer clear.

We arrived around 6:20 PM and ordered two beers, a sweet tea, the BBQ Pull Pork Meal, and the Brisket Meal with sides of pork rinds, baked beans, and fries, plus banana pudding for dessert. After receiving our drinks and some pork rinds, the actual food never arrived. We waited well over an hour, despite being repeatedly told, "it will be ready soon."

What was truly galling was watching other patrons, who arrived well after us, receive and begin eating their meals while we continued to wait with no explanation or apology from our server, who seemed utterly unconcerned. The restaurant was not particularly busy, making the wait even more inexplicable.

After waiting for over an hour, with our patience completely worn thin, we finally asked for the bill for just the drinks and pork rinds, deciding we couldn't wait any longer. Only then did the server become apologetic, offering excuses about being understaffed or someone passing out, and suddenly claiming our food was ready for us to take to go. This offer was, of course, politely refused.

The blatant disregard for our order, the apparent lack of urgency, and the observation of other tables being served ahead of us left an incredibly sour taste. Despite reading positive reviews online, my firsthand experience revealed a completely different reality. This was our first and last time stepping foot in Ouachita Bar & Grill. I would never recommend this...