The food used to be much better under previous owners. Lines at the door and delicious food was the reason.

We followed the signs off I-40. At first we were concerned with it being a couple of miles off the Interstate and we were hauling a trailer, but on day 4 of our cross country trip, we were tired of the chains. This place did not disappoint! We wanted to try all of the meats, but alas, with little physical activity we opted to split the Rivertowne salad with pulled pork and the Brisket Sandwich with sweet potato fries. Not only was the hospitality (our server was Missy) excellent and very southern, but the food was very tasty! We both opted to put the mild barbecue sauce on the sandwich, but the meat was flavorful without it. And if you want a healthy salad to taste great, just add pulled pork! When we pass through Ozark again, we know that we'll head off the highway again to get to Rivertowne Barbecue. I believe all their meat is smoked on site. read more

I recently read a review on this place in Arkansas Wild magazine so I was looking forward to trying it when driving from Fayetteville to Little Rock. I ordered the brisket dinner with onion rings and fried okra. It took about 20 minutes for the food to come out but it wasn't long after the restaurant opened so I took that into consideration. The fried okra and onion rings came out hot and fresh. The chopped brisket was warm but not hot. After all of the reviews, I was a little disappointed in the brisket. It was tender, smoky, but it could have used more flavor. I don't like to sauce my bbq - I like flavorful bites minus the sauce. If you're a "saucer" , I can see how you would find it pretty good. I did try the sauce and I liked it. It was 11:45 AM on a Sunday morning and I had two more hours to drive so I didn't order a beer but I did look at the offerings. Pretty much standard domestic - no micro brews - in bottled variety of Bud, Bud Light, Miller Lite, Michelob Ultra, and Coors Lite. Overall, the service was pretty good other than the initial delay. The waitress was timely and attentive. I'd like to say this was a solid 4 star experience but I would call it a 3.5 if I could. Certainly not a bad experience but not the mouth watering one I was hoping for. read more

This was absolutely the BEST BBQ I have ever eaten. The meat was SO tender. They have AMAZING sauce, that they make right there. My husband ordered the nachos, which were HUGE and covered with meat. It was enough for two. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich, which was tender and delicious! I can't say enough about the sauce, I wanted to bring some home, which they do sell, but we were traveling and it would not have kept. The only regret I have is that they were closed for supper on Sunday. We would have eaten there a second night!! read more

Rivertowne BBQ - These are the nachos!! We'd already eaten a bit before I thought to take a picture. They were HUGE - Barbeque Near Me - Ozark, Arkansas

Where's The Smoke? Well, if I was judging solely on the appearance of the restaurant on the outside and in, and the atmosphere, friendly waitstaff, this with be a Grand Slam. Unfortunately, Where's The Smoke? We were in there just after the lunch rush today a there were a few people in there eating. Our waitress said the lunch business was pretty busy today considering how much rain Ozark was getting today. I tried the sliced brisket sandwich with potato chips, Lays were good, two others that were with me had the pulled pork sandwich with potato salad. Not much flavor, almost as if it had all been cooked in the oven, disappointed. Like I said earlier, "the waitstaff was great." And we loved the look of the restaurant, just didn't like the bbq. I'll go wherever to get good food, especially bbq and have gone to many places across the country to do so. I'm from Ft Smith, and they even had several things about Ft Smith inside the restaurant even though its about 35 miles away, but sorry Ozark, looks like Booneville has gotcha beat again. Only this time it's with bbq. read more

It's okay. Prices are a bit steep. Cute little place with the nostalgic items around.

After visiting Kings River Falls with the family we were all starving and even though it was like 6pm most restaurants around were closed. We stopped here and being Mexican we felt weird and out of place. Staff was very nice but food was not good. We tried the pulled pork sandwich, baked potato, kids burger and sliced brisket. 2 stars because waitress was nice. read more

What an exciting find in the town of Ozark! With it being a pretty small town, I wasn't sure what to expect in regard to the restaurant options. My brother recommended this place as a friend of his raved about it. Yelp also raved about it. Sooooo as you can probably assume, I was excited to check it out! We started out with an appetizer of fried green tomatoes. A bit heavy (in my opinion) on the fried side - but still delicious. I only needed one of those babies to be satisfied. For my main meal, I had their pork sandwich (you can order without a bun) and sweet potato fries. So good! On the table they had mild and hot barbecue options. Let's talk about the service here -- fantastic. Our waitress was very kind and offered up her own menu recommendations. The restaurant itself had a very small town feel, so everything was quite quaint and cozy. A warm fuzzies kind of restaurant, if you will. And there's a large pig by the front door. Perfect for photo ops. read more

Stopped in for a late lunch while on the way from Eureka Spring to visit Mount Bethel winery. We picked it on it's Yelp reviews and that it was gluten free besides the buns. There was a 10 minuet or so wait to be shown to a table. I ordered the bbq nachos. If I hadn't had them at a place in upstate New York, I would have never know how good they were even though they seemed like an odd nacho flavor. I got the shredded pork and I was good and quite large, my husband helped me finish them after his hamburger. read more

Two things you need to know before reading this review: 1) I live in Austin / central TX, an area known for its BBQ 2) I'm not a big BBQ freak, like some who live in this part of the world If you're in the Ozark area, Rivertowne is not to be missed. The pork I had here may have been the best BBQ I've had. Of any kind. Ever. It didn't even need the sauce but the sauce options were yummy. What else did I like about Rivertowne? The owners - they were both there and were super sweet and gracious. The service - Our server was kind with a good sense of humor. The buzz - Our uncle, who suggested the restaurant, told us it might be difficult to get a table as it's very popular. We had no trouble getting a table right before closing on a Thursday night, but the restaurant was definitely buzzing with content customers. We loved to see that on a road trip where we saw so many dying small towns and small town establishments.... Cleanliness - The restaurant seemed very clean and fresh to me. The rest of my food was good but I ate too much pork to experience much of it. Our host ate every rib on his plate and my husband was very happy. read more

finger licken bbq and slabbed on all forms of meat. I had the smoked bbq cat fish and it was very good, two fillets was more than enough to satisfy my belly and the side of sweet potato fries were interesting. They were very sweet! They had sugar sprinkled on them and came with a side of sweet syrup dipping sauce. The service was very friendly and fast and the crowd was entertaining. I came during Bikers, Blues and BBQ weekend so, this awesome bbq place in open to all. There was plenty of seating to accomodate large crowds and it looks like the recently renovated part of the restaurant to accomodate for even more people! read more

This has always been one of our favorite places to eat, but since it has changed hands we have been very disappointed. Prices have gone up substantially while the quality of the food has gone down. The ribs were tough, and they don't even put prices for drinks on the menu. They are extremely high! As if that weren't enough, the wait time for our food was very, very long and for the first time some in our party went away hungry. We won't be back! read more

Probably the best ribs I have ever had in a long time. The portions are great, the baked beans had some pork in them and the potato salad is unique with olives. The staff was very friendly and down to earth, what you expect in a southern river town. Must stop here if traveling down I-40. read more

Rivertowne BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Ozark, Arkansas

This was just a short distance from I-40 but well worth it! The staff was friendly, service was quick and the food was great! I love the down to earth atmosphere, I hope it's always this good! read more

Rivertowne BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Ozark, Arkansas

Wow, what a blast! I stopped in this place after a trip to the family farm. The food was great and the people were really friendly. It's got your Ozark flavor but is a little on the cleaner and more polished side. It's a fun pit-stop in your drive down 1-40 or the pig trail. Be prepared for a wait on Saturday and Sunday. read more

Got the special rib platter for two. My only complaint is that they didn't warn us to save room for the included cobbler. They told us it was included, but they didn't warn us how incredible it would be. So I ate all the ribs I could and didn't have any room for the cobbler. (They packaged it to take home). Fried okra and their spiced beans were great included side dishes. Didn't have very good service, but the ribs were absolutely great. Will eat there every time I ride the Pig Trail (which by the way was beautiful). Make sure you visit Post Winery and skip Wiederkehr Wine Cellars read more

Friendly staff who serve good food. The BBQ is excellent with a few surprises thrown in. Try a "half salad" and enjoy a large chef salad with your choice of meat. If you're really wanting a treat, find "Bean Slop" on the menu. A heaping bowl of beans layered over rice, meat, and who knows what else. It's my personal favorite. read more

Got takeout here two nights in a row. The potato salad, okra, and baked beans are all very good. The combo included brisket, ribs and pulled pork. All above average...the pulled pork is very fine, prefer it a little more clumpy. Prefer the hot bbq sauce over the mild. Good value for the money. read more

Rounding up from a 2.5. Perspective- this is decent bbq restaurant for a small town, but it is "average" overall. My husband had the prime rib special and it was good. I had the brisket and it was ok. I typically love the side-dishes when I have BBQ and they have a good selection. I would rate the okra as excellent, the baked beans average (tastes like what I would make at home), and the potato salad - meh - (it had black olives in it - ick), TX toast - meh - made with oil, not butter. The menu has a good selection. I felt like it was average, but, fairly expensive food. ($40 for dinner for 2 people - no drinks). read more

We were traveling from Colorado to Florida and stopped at this little gem while searching for a place to eat. I'm so glad we did! Wonderful staff, atmosphere and food!! The BBQ was delicious!! i would definitely recommend this place to everyone. read more

Rivertowne BBQ - Waiting area inside, cool bench - Barbeque Near Me - Ozark, Arkansas

Passing through on a pig trail ride and was pleasantly surprised with great brisket sandwich and onion rings. Perfect lunch and break during a ride. read more

Really nice BBQ joint. Food and service were both great. We tried the pulled chicken and the smoked salmon salad and enjoyed them both. The place has a nice vibe too! Corrugated still and knotty pine thruoit read more

Overall not bad BBQ, but nothing special for a region that has plenty of standout BBQ. The best item we had was the pulled pork (very tender, smoky but not overly so). The brisket wasn't much... Tasted like chuck roast honestly. It was tender, but had no real smoke ring or 'cue flavor to it. Ribs were tough- I wouldn't order them. The sides were what impressed me the most. Really tasty skin-on fries, thick, sweet baked beans (gigantic portion!) really tangy coleslaw which balanced the sweetness of the sauce really well, and sweet potato fries that tasted like dessert! Really friendly and fast service... The folks here definitely made us feel like we were walking into a home kitchen. I probably won't be back due to the numerous options in Fort Smith/Russellville, but if I did return, I'd stick solely to the pulled pork and fries/beans as sides. read more

My husband had the beef brisket with a side of coleslaw. He LOVED the brisket and the coleslaw was not his favorite but he happily finished his plate with a big smile on his face their bbq sauces delicious a perfect 10 combination between the hot and mild read more

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Loved the pulled pork sandwiches! The sweet potato fries were recommended and I'm glad we tried them. The brown sugar dipping sauce was a great addition to the fries! read more

Delicious. Huge portions. I can eat well and I could not finish my meal. The slop with rice, beans, sausage and cheese is fantastic. Pulled pork was great. Amazing dessert menu- banana pudding with vanilla wafers- OMG!!! read more

Rivertowne BBQ - Banana pudding with vanilla wafers. - Barbeque Near Me - Ozark, Arkansas

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I had a to go order for catering , was supposed to be ready at 12:00pm. I arrived at 10 til 12 and was told finishing up the order. 40 minutes later after talking to Manager and telling her we were about to leave and cancel order they finally brought it to the front. Had several people there waiting on to go orders also, they were still waiting when I left. I will not go back to this restaurant. read more

Stopped here while visiting and passing through to Alma and picked up dinner. The nachos were fantastic and we enjoyed both the bbq salad and pork plate that we shared. Fantastic Mac and cheese as well! Great option for eating in or takeout. Service was fantastic! read more

Great portion sizes and very clean. The decor is really neat on the inside. The Brisket was really good and so was the pulled pork. The ribs were not all that to be desired and the BBQ sauce had a weird taste to it. I would go back if I was in town but wouldn't go out of the way to eat here. read more

Rivertowne BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Ozark, Arkansas

Excellent barbeque, generous portions, fair price - a tough combination to beat! Having eaten here several times, my only complaint was it tends to be a bit noisy. Then again, I have *never* found a barbeque place that wasn't noisy. read more

We had a great lunch. The possum dumplins and fried green tomatoes were fantastic starters. The experience was wonderful from the hostess to the server to the cook to the cleanliness of everything. Our server was fantastic. Very personable, helpful and fast. Came back to check on us regularly and checked us out quickly. read more

Rivertowne BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Ozark, Arkansas

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I had the combo platter with ribs, pulled pork, and brisket with baked beans and potato salad for the sides. The pulled pork was very good mixed with a little of the excellent house made bbq sauce. I felt everything else was pretty mediocre. Nothing I would rush to come back for. A bit disappointed after reading some of the excellent reviews. I may just be spoiled by the unbelievably great Ridgewood brothers bbq in Russellville though. This place just doesn't even compare. read more

Had an issue with them a year ago. I gave them another chance to see if they improved. Was very disappointed. Apparently one cash registers for the other register is for credit cards. It's what I was told.I had to wait 15 minutes to pay out because I had cash because they had somebody making several orders blocking the line and holding people up. By the time I got home my food was soggy because I had to wait so long. This place is lost my business for life and I will never come back and I will discourage everybody from going there to eat read more

Don't hate me, but I'm a vegetarian. However, I had the pleasure of stopping at this adorable, lil' restaurant with my carnivore family and watched them really enjoy their meal. However, the star of the whole experience was our waitress, Tori. Girl, you are one of the best waitresses I've ever run into. Thanks for taking such great care of us and all of you there at Rivertowne BBQ, you just keep on keepin' on! read more

Loaded spud was great. It was loaded with pulled pork and cheese. Potato was fresh and hot. Will stop by when I'm in town again.

I'm going to be on the critical side as I smoke my own meat. Our waitress CJ was awesome! Great customer service here! For the appetizer we had fried green tomatoes which were perfect. Ordered the jumbo brisket sandwich for lunch with slaw on the top...an unusual pairing for me, but ok...anyway...the brisket was very cold, with zero flavor. The smoke ring was non-existent as well as the absence of bark. This brisket was on the tough side, dry, and seriously no flavor. The sauce (which WAS good had a smokier flavor. This tasted like it was smoked in a gas smoker with no wood added. Look I'm not trying to beat y'all up on this but when I spend around 40.00 for a couple of sandwiches I expect to be served top quality BBQ. Oh and at least offer some cheap chips for a side! Jesus! 2.50 for each side??? Wow! Please if you do not have someone tasting your brisket before you serve it, you need to hire someone...or at least fake it and use liquid smoke! read more

Man this is some good Q. Reasonably priced The combo plate is what i get 90% of the time and its great. The pork is perfect, ribs are good, brisket is hard to beat. Staff is always friendly.Place is busy on weekends so show up with time to get a table. I'm not a fan of the coleslaw or Prime rib tho. If your curious the salad is not only huge "nearly an entire head of lettuce" its good to. Wish i could go more often. read more

Saw the big sign on I-40 so looked it up on Yelp. My husband and I shared the combo plate and for two big eaters it was plenty. It came with sliced brisket, pulled pork, and two large meaty ribs. We picked fries and onion rings as our sides, both were hot and tasty even though they were of the frozen variety. Three choices of sauce mild, ( sweet and thick) hot ( sweet thick with a kick at the back of your throats and then a really thin vinegar sauce that may have been their basting sauce which even for a vinegar hater like me, found to be very good. All the meats were tender and juicy but were a little light in the smoke flavor therefore a four star instead of five. Definitely recommend and will visit again. The decor was rustic vintage and I loved it. All staff were very friendly. A great find in a small town off the interstate. read more

We eat at Famous Daves a lot in Calif. We ate at Rivertowne and it blows away Daves. There is Possum on the menu but our waitress said it was gross and if someone orders it you have to go get it your self. She won't serve it. And the Blackberry Cobler is to die for. This has to be the best place to eat for 50 miles. read more

can i saw WOW or what? we were in town visiting family on my first trip to AR. rivertowne was selected as our destination of choice. i like bbq, so why not, right? but wowie. first, the size of the sandwich is ridiculous. much larger than your average bun (and way more food than needs to be eaten). there are 2 kinds of sauce on the table: regular and spicy. the regular is regular ketchup based sauced (no vinegar, yay!) and the spicy is SPICY and delicious. i know some people don't like spicy, but really, you're missing out. because we're from out of town we actually purchased a half gallon of the spicy sauce to take home with us. THAT'S HOW GOOD IT IS. can't wait for my next trip to ozark. read more