Cafe 1217 - A Fresh Break from the Road Trip Diet What a relief to stumble into Cafe 1217 after days of heading southwest on a steady rotation of BBQ, grits, and beans. Delicious, yes... but the body eventually starts asking for a vegetable and a reset. The space itself matches that feeling. Simply decorated, with bright murals, clean lines, and a cheerful, easygoing vibe that feels light the moment you walk in. My husband gave me full ordering authority, which is always a bold move. I went straight into tapas mode because everything on the menu looked too good to choose just one. We ended up with a spread: chicken pot pie (which quickly abandoned any "small plate" intentions), field greens and baby spinach, a shrimp and crawfish cake, and one of each of Rosy's authentic hand-rolled tamales. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and satisfying without that heavy, road-trip food fatigue. The mint lemonade was refreshing and delicious, a little on the sweet side, but it worked. Service, while perfectly fine, could benefit from a warmer welcome and a bit more guidance, especially for first-timers trying to navigate such an inviting menu. A little extra friendliness up front would go a long way here. Our only real regret? Not saving room for dessert. They looked very tempting, and we'll be thinking about that missed opportunity. If you're on the road and craving something lighter without sacrificing flavor, this spot is a welcome pause. read more

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Yummy Possum Pie. Just wished the crust was less crumbly and messy to eat. Staff was friendly and the other food smelled yummy as you walk in. read more

Cafe 1217 - New American Near Me - Hot Springs, Arkansas

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Another gem recommended by Yelp. I had the oriental chicken salad and it was exceptional. My husband had the teriyaki chicken panini with house made chips. Yummy. To finish it off we had a chocolate chunk cookie which was so butter tasting with lots of chocolate chunks. The dining room was cutely decorated and welcoming. The staff was plentiful and helped immediately. I would highly recommend Cafe 1217. read more

Cafe 1217 - I was half way done and remembered to take a photo. Super yummy Oriental Chicken salad. - New American Near Me - Hot Springs, Arkansas

So many options - and everything looks great starting with the outside which has some really great flower pots and arrangements growing outside of the restaurant. Inside things look great too with dishes clearly visible in the large, glass display cooling cases. The food is outstanding and the portions are large with friendly, helpful service and a method to move the large crowd sizes through quickly and with ease/good organization. Think back yard summer picnic with friends meets catered summer luncheon at a local diner and that pretty much sums up the feel! read more

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We decided to check this out based on the positive reviews. I had the Key Lime salad and my wife had the Napa chicken salad plus fruit. Both were quite tasty. I'm a carrot cake connoisseur and they zoomed to my all-time #1. Lots of other great bakery items as well. Cafe 1217 is now added to our gotta go places when in Hot Springs! read more

This place is darling and the staff are very helpful & friendly. It's too bad that the food isn't as good. I paid $18 for the thinnest smashed bagel sandwich I've ever seen with a side of broccoli salad that had ZERO flavor. I was really looking forward to this and was sorely disappointed. read more

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The food was so good- gluten free bread is available. Portions were a good size and the chips were delicious (maybe homemade?) Very kid friendly, casual place! read more

Such a fun cafe with so many options! Their drink station with flavored water, teas, and lemonades was a great treat! read more

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We held a double bday celebration here. Service was very good. Good variety of sandwiches and sides. Drinks are good as well. Definitely hit up bakery case! Will be back soon! read more

These reviews sold me. Looking for something beyond burger? Here it is. Great assortment of salads. Sandwiches and wraps (Mahi-mahi sandwiches and fish taco wrap, specifically) were ample. Chips are fabulous! The ladies working were friendly and helpful with special requests. read more

Great offering of healthy items in a friendly environment! Fast friendly service. Nice relaxing space.

Great health food spot in Hot Springs! Stopped here with my family while in town looking for a healthy lunch. Many great options. The loaded chicken potato salad was great! So was the green bean casserole and crawfish and shrimp boudin. I highly recommend as a lunch spot; great food! read more

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We stopped here for lunch after touring the Gardens and it was the perfect spot. They have such a fresh selection. We were seated and served quick, it was and delicious, and clean. The dessert selection was large and we grabbed a few things to Take back to our cabin for later that was great. read more

This place has great food and service. When I have time in Hot Springs always make a visit.

I ordered the Black & Blue Shrimp salad to go. I was not disappointed! It was a very generous portion! Everyone was friendly from the person who took my order over the phone to the person who checked me out. I can't ever pass up key lime pie. The filling was decadent but the crust was a tad bland. I would try it again! read more

We stopped for lunch while in Hot Springs. They had so many choices for sandwiches, salads and soup and they all sounded so appetizing. The bakery case had so many appealing options. It was heaven! My husband and I each got the Rueben sandwich. It was so delicious with thick slices of corned beef and good helping of sauerkraut on marbled rye bread. It was a good size sandwich so I saved the other half to savor for the next day's lunch. Actually, I wanted to save some appetite for the carrot cake. Yes! Service was quick and the place just had the perfect ambience for a lunch date. read more

Just went for the possum pie but it was worth it. I would have liked to go back for lunch but not enough time on our visit to HS. Menu was eclectic and quite a variety. Oh and the possum pie was delish... read more

When I walked in, they had an assortment of food in their display and made to order food in the back. My wife really enjoyed her glazed salmon and wild rice. I got the diablo shrimp salad on the recommendation of the server. Terrific choice. Slightly spiced shrimp over greens served with a buttermilk dressing. The combination and freshness of all the ingredients was very tasty. Clean, friendly and quick service. You order at the counter and grab a table. Then they call your name to get the food. read more

Cafe 1217 - Salmon with wild rice and salad - New American Near Me - Hot Springs, Arkansas

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Excellent food, service, and atmosphere. Great homemade food and got very busy when we stopped by to eat. We were very happy with all of our meals. read more

My experience WAS terrible. But from everyone around me- it was an off day. But what made me change my mind was the other day playing with my phone I found a voicemail that went to a folder I had never seen. That voice mail was from the owner ON that day attempting to make things right with me. THAT makes me realize that I jumped on the yelp train too fast. I am sorry I judged you on an off day. I will be returning very soon!! Thank you read more

Incredible food! Fast service. Unique items on the menu. So many take home options. Friendly staff...Love this place!

What a delightful deli cafe! All their deli case salads are made from scratch. And my egg salad tasted so fresh. And I can see why their tomato soup is a signature dish. The staff is very welcoming to newcomers helping us understand their take on a deli cafe concept. You place your order at the deli case, then get in line at the cashier, find somewhere to sit, and they call your name to collect your order from the deli case. There is no outside seating but thankfully the indoor seating is still comfortably spaced apart as this place was popular on the weekday afternoon we were there. There is a private parking lot in the shopping plaza but was quite full. It's not located too far a drive from downtown Hot Springs. We were very pleased with our lunch. read more

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Visiting Hot Springs, we decided to try this place based on the Yelp reviews...and boy am I glad we did! Been eating on the road for a few days, so I really, really wanted a nice, big, fresh salad. This is their version of a chicken caesar salad...it's like a mountain of crunchy greens with protein. The dressing was perfect (served on the side) and not overwhelming. When I told our server I really wanted something with a lot of greens in it, she just told the chef, "Put a lot of extra greens on the caesar!"...Love it! read more

Cafe 1217 - Chicken caesar salad...dressing on the side. - New American Near Me - Hot Springs, Arkansas

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This cafe is one of my favorites when I come to town! Love the case of fresh dishes of entree's, sides and decadent desserts! The menu changes monthly so it's always nice to have a different variety each time I visit. I love the Southwest Salad 1/2 and 1/2, with the Mexican wrap. Delicious and so fresh! My favorite dessert are the Lemon Bars, just the right amount of Lemon and thickness of crust.. This is a nice place for lunch with the girls or business, with a nice cafe ambiance, or ordering on the go the service is always prompt and ready when you arrive:) read more

My Mom, Sister and I, enjoyed this little café. Food was pretty delicious and the atmosphere was quaint. They were busy, so service was straight to the point. A little on the pricey side, but we'll most likely be back. read more

We LOVE LOVE LOVE this place! We were only in town from Baton Rouge for a few days and we are there twice. If we only had more time. It's not located in a trendy area but well worth the effort. We had the Greek Salad, summer chicken salad crossaint sandwich, fish taco wrap, 1217 Egg salad sandwich w/ Ginger Juice or Mint Lemonade to drink. All were fantastic! Excellent service as well. Almost forgot, a slice of Key lime pie was a perfect ending. read more

Outstanding food and service. My wife and I were visiting Hot Springs for a vacation and when looking for a lunch spot I found Cafe 1217. Not knowing the area, but seeing that it had great reviews, we took at shot and went to Cafe 1217. I had some of the homemade tamales and my wife chose a half sandwich with a salad. We shared a piece of coconut cream pie with caramel on top. The whole experience was tremendous. I'd highlight recommend this jewel for a good meal if you are in Hot Springs! read more

This was our favorite experience of the trip. They're good was amazing. The service terrific. The drinks! (Wife had ginger apple juice, I had mint lemonade) the drinks were spectacular! Their menu changes every month, but wow it was great. I had half of a pear and salmon salad and half of a teriyaki chicken panini. The salad was good, but that panini was delicious. The wife ordered a full s salad of shrimp and blue cheese. Wow that knocked my socks off. Better than I expected by far. We also grabbed the chefs choice Brussel sprouts in general tso sauce (yum!!) and a carrot cake cookie (double yum!!). My only complaint... is that they aren't open on Sunday so we couldn't go back the next day to try even more yummy stuff. Next trip cafe 1217 is our focus, then the bathhouse if we have time. read more

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Food was good but a bit pricey. Service wasn't great. This was not an ideal place to work. They don't have wifi and very limited options for coffee. The possum pie was tasty. read more

Cafe 1217 - Possum pie - New American Near Me - Hot Springs, Arkansas

Great food, very nice atmosphere. Completely unique combinations of food and teas. We really enjoyed it.

We arrived on a Saturday to a closed restaurant with no note on the door. We were disappointed. The owner reached out to let me know they closed to allow their employees time with family. Great for them!! My suggestion is to update yelp with hours and put a sign on the door so your patrons are aware. We were from out of state so we were not followers of any social media marketing. read more

The food is just perfect. The best club sandwich and Greek salad. When traveling it can be hit or miss but you won't regret coming here! Home cooked taste, super friendly service and the desserts are fantastic as well. read more

Cafe 1217 - Homemade chips, club sandwich and Greek salad for the win! - New American Near Me - Hot Springs, Arkansas

We ate here twice while visiting hot springs. It was the best meal we had. Wonderful gourmet sandwiches and salad. Highly recommend especially if you need gluten free. I was able to have a sandwhich in gluten free bread that didn't taste like cardboard! read more

Oh my heavens! Loved my meal here. I'd gone my first day to a restaurant in the bathhouse row area because of all the reviews. I'd seen reviews of Cafe 1217 but because it was slightly out of the tourist area, not as many reviews. It is a true gem. My dirty martini salad (I think that was the name) tomato soup, and carrot cake were all top notch. I'd recommend this place to anyone! read more

Cafe 1217 - Dirty martini salad and tomato soup - New American Near Me - Hot Springs, Arkansas

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The service is prerry fast with extremely nice people, I had the Three mushroom hamburger, which was so good I forgot to take a picture of it before eating. The place is really cute and quiet, also pretty family friendly. read more

Ok, I get it this place is not on bathhouse row. But you need to give it a try. My wife had the salmon with a side of wild rice mint honey concoction that was very good. I had the meatloaf, same wild rice thing and broccel sprouts which also was very good. This is an order at the counter joint, but don't be intimidated. The staff will walk you through the process and give you a taste of something if you're not sure. They also offer wine and bottle beer. The desserts looked incredible, but I was too full to eat anything else. They are not open late, so plan ahead and give this place a try. I think you will be glad you did. read more

Cafe 1217 - Extra seating behind the curtain. - New American Near Me - Hot Springs, Arkansas

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This was our one spot to visit while traveling to Hot Springs for a few days. The restaurant inside was super cute, and I had high hopes because the menu looked like it would be made mostly from scratch. I ordered the stacked Cobb salad, not realizing it would come out cold and compacted (not really traditional Cobb salad). I'm sure a lot of people love it, especially if you like more of the rich mayo taste, but I wasn't a fan. They were really nice though about it. Offered to exchange what I had for the other Cobb salad on the menu, which was a Southwest Cobb. That was super overpriced for such a basic salad. Overall disappointed. read more

Cafe 1217 - Cool vibe! - New American Near Me - Hot Springs, Arkansas

Great little lunch & dessert cafe Be specific when asking questions regarding food & especially dessert & when it was made!

The only restaurant in Hot Springs that my wife and I consenting go back to. Cafe 1217 never disappoints.

The chicken pot pie was delicious. Cute little cafe in hot springs. Great spot for lunch.