Arkansas Brewing Company — Restaurant in Ozark

It is always a delight to find a craft brewery in a small town, because they are often completely unexpected. We were delighted to find that the Arkansas Brewing Company is located in Ozark Arkansas (pop. ~14K). They happened to be open at 11am, which serendipitously happened to be about the time we hit city limits on the 40. So we took the exit.

Somehow I had managed to miss this brewery a year ago when I traveled US 64 end to end, the old federal highway that runs through the middle of town. The brewery is only a couple of blocks to the south.

While ABC had only six house-brewed beers one the menu, I can say that my flight of five was 100% spot on. I sampled the Hillbilly Lager (ABV 4.3%), Makes Me Happy IPA (ABV 6.2%), Sour Red (ABV 5.2%), Drama Queen Imperial Ale (ABV 8.9%), and Wanna Be Stout (ABV 5.7%). Only the Imperial had a high ABV count, but I never tasted the alcohol, a rarity in beers of this potency. And the lager was among the better ones I have tasted in this genre, a flavorful froth that left a pleasant taste in my mouth.

For food my wife chose the Chicken Salad, while I nibbled on a side salad and a basket of waffle fries. The menu is not very conducive to non-meat eaters, so I grazed around the edges. No problem, as that’s my choice.

I couldn’t help but be amused at the older gentleman who sat down at the end of the bar from us, as he was slamming cans of Miller Lites. For the life of me, I don’t understand why anyone would go to a craft brewery to drink mass-produced swill, but then again, maybe ABC served as his local bar. I get that, especially in a small town where there may not be many choices.

The truth is, if I lived here, I’d have a stool with my name on it too. I purchased a growler filled with the Hillbilly Lager as...

HORRIBLE!! I got the buffalo mac and cheese. It came with what looked like one over-cooked chicken strip sliced up and a little buffalo sauce drizzled over it. Menu stated it came with breadsticks but I never got any. My mom ordered the big Monroe burger and the menu stated it came with a spicy mayo, bun was burnt, hard as a rock, and dry when it came out. We asked the lady manager about it and she hatefully stated that it didn't come with mayo but she would get us some. I told her they needed to change the menu then. Waitress was too busy playing on her phone to come check on us regularly so we had to ask another waitress for items. We spoke to a friend about our awful experience on our way out the door and found out the next day one of the owners was sitting next to him. There is no doubt in my mind that he didn't overhear our conversation. And yet he didn't say a word nor attempt to reconsile the situation. Poor food & poor service! Won't waste another dime there and will caution anyone else from...

New to Central Arkansas. Was fully convinced that the people here didn't know how to cook, or serve, or brew a decent beer. This place blew my expectations fully out of the water. I had the Razorback burger. ( not on the menu at the time, shows you the elite knowledge that the waitresses had about their products)Absolutely, best burger I've had in years!! Tried the Death by chocolate(twice!) 8.3% Imperial pastry stout. Absolutely beautifully complex stout! The chocolate, the vanilla and the cinnamon all come together with the coffee of a stout. I wish that this beer was sold everywhere!! Only 2 waitresses/servers/bartenders on duty and about 30 customers not including myself and the many to go orders throughout the night. The waitresses crushed it!! This place will forever be a staple to me after this night. Thank you so much Arkansas brewing Company. I wish you guys much growth for...