Heading to North Little Rock for a training conference. Looking for dining suggestions, any decent gun shops and of course cigar stores. What about liquor stores? Do you have state agencies or regular retail outlets.


Thanks

Excellent BBQ at Whole Hog in North Little Rock. Several gun shops, Fort Thompson (Excellent selection) Arkansas Armory (indoor range On site), Dons Weaponry (indoor range on site), Academy and Gander Mountain as well.

I buy my hootch at Little Rock Air Force Base (I live in a dry county). But locally, it is retail.

If you have time, drop me an email. Possible meet-up while you're in town. Guided tour of LRAFB from a retired Army guy.

I live and work in Little Rock, so I am not a huge help with dining suggestions or specific liqour stores. Liquor stores are privately run. North Little Rock is mostly centered around McCain Blvd and Hwy 67. You will find many of the popular chain restaurants in that area. In the Argenta area on the north side of the Arkansas River, there are several local restaurants and bars - this is where much of the nightlife is centered in NLR these days.

As for guns stores, there are four main stores in NLR:. Fort Thompson, Arkansas Armory, Dons Weaponry and Gander Mountain. Fort Thompson is probably the best all around of the bunch as far as actual stores- really good new selection, slim used selection, reasonable prices. Dons Weaponry is kind of an old school gun stores- you never know what you will find, but I've always found d them to be a little crochety. Dons has a range in the basement t. Arkansas Armory has a range that I have never used and the one time I went there, the selection was slim. Gander is Gander.

If you want a steak, there is Riverfront Steakhouse in NLR and Sonny Williams in the River Market District of LR.

I am zero help on cigars.

Let me know if you have other questions and I will do my best to assist.

Brad, when are you going to be in LR?

Whole Hog is good. If you venture across the river Local Luna and the Red Door are pretty good.

I think it was the Arkansas Armory I shot at the last time I was there. Modest range but some nice folks.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by mark_a:
Brad, when are you going to be in LR?

Next weekend. Coming for TacCon. Have a full schedule for that. Local, non chain dining places are always high on places to check out.

DARC is on the extreme east of NLR. I've been there for an Appleseed before and it is a top rate facility.

I will ask some of my NLR coworkers about some good ideas for after your training day.

I wish we had know about the Taccon. I would have signed up for it.

quote:

Originally posted by sasquatch28:
DARC is on the extreme east of NLR. I've been there for an Appleseed before and it is a top rate facility.

I will ask some of my NLR coworkers about some good ideas for after your training day.

I wish we had know about the Taccon. I would have signed up for it.

Shoot Tom Givens an e-mail. There may be some slots due to cancellations. Especially since you are local as travel plans on short notice are difficult for most of us.

Maybe visit the William Jefferson Clinton Presidential Library?

If you do, wear a MAGA hat.

YOu guys firm up your trip? You make the reservation for hte return trip here? Shoot me an email and I'll get us a reservation for dinner. From last I talked to him, I think my brother is interesting in joining us all for dinner too.

Let me know the time table, and I'll try to narrow down a good place to eat tomorrow.

quote:

Originally posted by Appliance Brad:

quote:

Originally posted by sasquatch28:
DARC is on the extreme east of NLR. I've been there for an Appleseed before and it is a top rate facility.

I will ask some of my NLR coworkers about some good ideas for after your training day.

I wish we had know about the Taccon. I would have signed up for it.

Shoot Tom Givens an e-mail. There may be some slots due to cancellations. Especially since you are local as travel plans on short notice are difficult for most of us.

I would like to, but at this point I've got plans with the family. Ya'll have fun and enjoy the experience.

Read a little about DARC if you get a chance. It's an interesting place.

For Liquor in NLR Springhill Wine and Spirits and the Old Mill wine and Spirits are the ones I know of and frequent. Springhill will have a little bit better selection as it is a considerably bigger store.

Food in North Little Rock these are the places I frequent.
Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe, it is in the mall but has it's own entrance.
Chuy's the Mexican chain restraunt.
El Porton Mexican Restaurant is just up the road and I tend to like it more than Chuy's as it is quieter, the food is just as good and the margaritas tend to be better.
David's Burgers is a local owned burger place similar to a 5 guys except better and they have fresh brewed tea.
Edited to add The Orient Express is also really good, they might have a couple of tables but are more of a carry out. I normally grab my food and go eat by the fountain/public area that is out in the parking lot.

More in the Argenta area of NLR there is Fly Away Brewery that has both good beer and food. Cregeens Irish Pub is a pretty well know spot but I've only been in once and don't have a fully developed opinion of it.

If you venture into the River Market in Little Rock (just across the bridge from Argenta in NLR) the Flying Fish is great, The Red Snapper Veracruz is really hard to beat.
The Flying Saucer has a hundred or so beers on tap and their food is good as well.
They have limited hours (7AM-2:30pm) but At The Corner is what they call a modern take on a diner, the food is great and it isn't uncommon for them have a line out of the building on weekends once the weather gets nice.
Lost 40 brewery is also close and had good food and beer but I find it to be a bit pretension. On a side note, Sonny Williams Steak house is in the River Markets and the best thing about them is their bar selection. The food isn't bad per say but it just isn't worth the price.

Just a little farther into Little Rock (less than 10 min from the River market) The Red Door, Faded Rose and Brave New Restaurant are all very good. The Brave New Restaurant is a little more up scale and is in an office building so it can be confusing to find the first time.

For Cigars the only places I know of are in Little Rock and will be 20 min or so each way from NLR. They are Pipe and Tobacco Shop and West End Cigars. If you venture out to West End Cigars you will be close to Colonial Wine and Spirits which have by far the best selection of liquor in the area.

I commute in most days but have been staying 2-3 nights a week in town and I'll be of any assistance I can.

Failed to mention, Whole Hog Cafe is closed on Sunday, as are Fort Thompson and Arkansas Armory.

quote:

Originally posted by KevinCW:
YOu guys firm up your trip? You make the reservation for hte return trip here? Shoot me an email and I'll get us a reservation for dinner. From last I talked to him, I think my brother is interesting in joining us all for dinner too.

Let me know the time table, and I'll try to narrow down a good place to eat tomorrow.

E-mailed you with details. Looking forward to meeting you both in person.

Thanks for the intel guys. Exactly what I was looking for.
Sureshot, great list of places. Johnny 3eagles, thanks for the follow up on the Sunday closings. Looking forward to our visit.

When we were in Little Rock, the tourism people tried to steer us to the river walk. They said if any bums approached us I should "thump" them. We declined.
From the safety of the interstate, looks like a lot of poverty west of Little Rock.

Oldbil123, don't know what you were looking at "west of Little Rock, but you must have missed the new Bass Pro and the 10 acres of new stores, restaurants, etc, the university of Arkansas new cooking school and the cities of Bryant and Benton.

As far as the "bums" there is the VA Hospital in North Little Rock and the one in Little Rock that the Vets go to as well as a resident domicile for Vets there in North Little Rock. Also an out patient clinic in the Little Rock down town area.

quote:

Originally posted by Appliance Brad:

quote:

Originally posted by mark_a:
Brad, when are you going to be in LR?

Next weekend. Coming for TacCon. Have a full schedule for that. Local, non chain dining places are always high on places to check out.

I figured the timing would be off. I will be in the area but probably head out on Thursday.

Mark

The big damn bridge is pretty cool to go see.

quote:

Originally posted by Appliance Brad:

quote:

Originally posted by KevinCW:
YOu guys firm up your trip? You make the reservation for hte return trip here? Shoot me an email and I'll get us a reservation for dinner. From last I talked to him, I think my brother is interesting in joining us all for dinner too.

Let me know the time table, and I'll try to narrow down a good place to eat tomorrow.

E-mailed you with details. Looking forward to meeting you both in person.

Four of us (some I think are mutual with Brad) are staying at the same place. Let's be sure to shake hands at some point.

quote:

Originally posted by enidpd804:

Four of us (some I think are mutual with Brad) are staying at the same place. Let's be sure to shake hands at some point.

Awesome, see you there.