"Absolutely delicious bbq and locally owned spot. The secret sauce truly is worth the $10 and to be stored in a bank vault.

I enjoyed the daily special, dry rub rack of ribs and my companion enjoyed the combo plate, a little taste of everything.

We really loved the French fries and the tamale as very interesting!

Southern hospitality, cold sweet tea and so much more."

J Cee

"McClard's is a Hot Springs fixture, a favorite of Bill Clinton from his years growing up in Hot Springs. He had McClard's barbecue flown to him in the White House while he was president.

The restaurant itself is akin to a diner, with rows of booths in a long room that features counter service as well, with stools to sit on. Seating is first-come, first-served, and places to sit can be scarce during peak hours of business.

The barbecue, which, to my taste buds has not been quite so good on recent visits as it has been in the past, features a not-too-sweet tomato-based sauce that McClard's sells in bottles both on site and in local grocery stores. You can choose beef or pork, either chopped or sliced, and, in typical Arkansas fashion, if you order a sandwich, it will come topped with cole slaw unless you ask for that to be omitted.

McClard's also offers hot tamale plates, an Arkansas thing with roots in the Delta region of Arkansas and Mississippi. The beans served as a side dish with these plates are not sweet, and that's very much to my palate. They're robustly seasoned with cumin and have a light tomato sauce with, I think, some ground beef cooked in it. The cole slaw is also not overly sweet, in welcome contrast to what you'll find now in most Arkansas eateries. The fries are made from whole Idaho potatoes and are tasty.

You don't come to McClard's for atmosphere unless atmosphere means lots of noise, rather uncomfortable booth seating, and rubbing shoulders with locals devoted to McClard's or to tourists who have heard it's a spot to visit in Hot Springs. You come for the barbecue.

My favorite plate is the rib plate with fries, with beans and slaw ordered as additional side dishes. But be forewarned: that plate is enormous and one person can scarcely eat it all at one sitting, unless she or he has a gargantan appetite.

Wait staff are almost always very nice, and they deserve credit for remaining patient while waiting on large numbers of people every day in a less than restful setting."

William Lindsey

"The best BBQ in Arkansas. I am shocked that this place doesn't have a higher rating. When you look at McClard's BBQ from the outside, you know you're in for a treat when you see the classic, old-style restaurant. The inside reflects that, too. I ordered a plate of ribs with fries on the side. McClard's does it a little differently though, and I get why. When my food arrived, my fries were stacked on top of the ribs. Why? Honestly, I am not sure, what I am sure though is that the flavor of the ribs were on the fries, even though the fries were seasoned themselves, making them ten times more delicious than what I was expecting the fries to be. The ribs themselves, though, was life changing. The meat was practically falling off the bone when I picked it up, which to me is a great sign for good BBQ. The seasoning and smokiness of the rib was absolutely phenomenal. I wish I could describe it to you, but you'll just have to try it for yourself!"

Christina Smith