Omar's Uptown — Restaurant in Jonesboro

Omar’s has long been our go-to spot for special occasions, renowned for its upscale ambiance and excellent cuisine. Unfortunately, our recent experience fell far short of expectations.

We specifically chose Omar’s for their Monday prix fixe menu, which is a great way to enjoy their offerings at a more accessible price. When I made the reservation, I was assured that the prix fixe menu was available every Monday, but upon arrival, we were informed that it wouldn’t be offered throughout December. This was both frustrating and surprising, as no communication, neither during the reservation process nor via their social media, had mentioned this change. Despite this setback, we decided to stay, trusting that the food would make up for the inconvenience.

Our server, Seth, was the saving grace of the evening. He was incredibly attentive and empathetic, doing his best to address our concerns and create a positive experience. Unfortunately, the issues didn’t stop there. While waiting for our entrees, we noticed that our table was swarming with gnats, which we kept trying to swat away. As if that wasn’t bad enough, just before our food arrived, my mother-in-law felt something crawling on her neck, a large bug! This was not only unsettling but completely unacceptable for an establishment of Omar’s caliber.

To their credit, the food was absolutely delicious, and Seth’s service was impeccable. However, the combination of the prix fixe menu mishap and the unsanitary conditions with the bugs left us deeply disappointed and embarrassed. Omar’s has always been a special place for us, but this experience has us questioning whether we’ll return. An upscale restaurant should uphold higher standards, and sadly, this time,...

This is my second time at Omar's, and it was a better experience than the last (though the first experience was also pretty great)! We started off with two drinks, a Paloma and the Heatmiser. The Paloma was incredibly refreshing, and thankfully not as sweet as I thought it was going to be. The Heatmiser was pleasantly spicy, and almost tasted like licorice treat. I ordered a second Paloma and my boyfriend got a Martini, which was a lot stronger and stout than expected. We ordered two appetizers, the Tuna Tartare and the Spinach Dip(which we also ordered last time). The Tuna Tartare was the best out of the two. I was nervous to have a bread cracker with what's basically the ingredients of sushi, however the cracker was a replacement for sushi rice, so they paired well together. It was also a good refreshing and light appetizer before a heavy meal. I ordered the Filet Au Poivre and my boyfriend had the Veal Picatta. In my opinion, the Veal Picatta was very acidic for my taste, but my boyfriend saw the appeal and loved it. It was extremely filling, and at some points the Veal itself was tough, but it didn't detract from its overall taste. The Filet basically melted in your mouth, as the meat was soft and tender, as a Filet should be. The twice baked potato was the best side dish here, in my opinion. The top has a good crust and below is soft potato goodness. The buttered asparagus is exactly how buttered asparagus should be: soft, easy to chew, and salty. Overall, our meal was 10/10. Can't wait...

I really wanted to give this restaurant glowing reviews. I am a former Region 8'er (name given to people that live in the KAIT-TV Channel 8 viewing area) that now lives in the DC Metro Area and visited this establishment for dinner on a recent trip home.

The GOOD: Service was decent. It's what I would expect from "fine-dining" in Jonesboro Arkansas. I ordered Old Fashioned mixed drinks and they tasted great. Atmosphere was fine. Not spectacular, but decent.

The MEH: I wouldn't classify these things as bad, but definitely could have been better. We ordered the steamed mussels as an appetizer. Several of them were encased in ice when I received my order. Costco/Sam's Club Mussels that were warmed up. It's Jonesboro....not Rhode Island or Maine, so my expectations weren't high in the first place, but this was disappointing.

Ordered the Red Fish for the dinner entree. It was OK. Seasoning was mediocre and it was overcooked. Several others in our party ordered the sirloin, pecan crusted salmon, flatbread philly steak and they enjoyed their meals.

I like what they are trying to do in Jonesboro to shake off the stigma of fine-dining in Arkansas, but they need to clean up some attention to detail to compare to fine dining you'd receive in Washington DC, Philly, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston or Atlanta.

Northeast Arkansas residents deserve to know what a fine-dining experience is. Omar's has some work to do to...