Wonderful, clean, pet friendly beautiful resort that sits on the edge of the white river. This resort is family owned and you feel the family friendliness from each of their staff members. The restaurant serves incredible meals, and Rick, the executive chef, makes rounds throughout the evening checking with each table on their experience. Try the panned seared fresh trout or the salmon....both were great! read more

If you find yourself in the vicinity of this restaurant, I highly suggest you stop in for a bite to eat. Never a disappointment from my perspective. Try the Trout Poppers, worth every penny, my absolute favorite appetizer!! read more

I don't like to fish and am a city girl that was dragged here by my boyfriend. We were here for two nights, March 30 to April 2. We stayed in a two bedroom cottage on the river. We were told it was recently remodeled. Whoever picked the decor should look for another profession. I guess they were going for an outdoorsy feel but instead it seems like a cross between what was trendy in the 80s and your grandmother's house. The bar is small and full of smoke. Restaurant food is good. Mussels are awesome. Drinks and food are reasonably priced despite what others said, or maybe I am just used to Philly prices. I did have a beer-margarita for the first time which was a Corona upside down in a margarita and loved it. I think the rooms were a bit pricey for the time of year and how simple the rooms were. The living room area in the cottage had an older big TV rather than a flat screen. No TVs in the bedrooms. And don't think about taking a shower for more than 10 minutes because the water got chilly fast. I guess the cottages don't have a big water heater. I went hiking on both trails. On the trail by the water, there were maybe 2 other people that I saw during the entire walk. On the trail behind the peacocks and turkeys, I did the entire trail and did not see one person. The peacocks and turkeys were my favorite thing about Gastons. I was told that it gets busier in the summer and we were there during a slow time. It does not feel like a resort and I don't think they should refer to themselves as a resort. There is no work out room or spa. There is an outdoor pool but it was closed since it is only April. It would be great if this place had some outdoor dining or outdoor bar area. Employees were very nice. I may like this place if I could learn to relax and not be on the go all the time. My boyfriend thinks this place is amazing, but I just don't get it, probably because I am a city girl. read more

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It is sad to me that this place isn't as good as it could be. I've heard great things about Gaston's past... but they just don't meet good standards now. We stayed in a two bedroom cabin. It had internet access which struck me as odd because the cabin was outdated and looked like they were trying to make it rustic. The cabin was overpriced for what it was. The dining room is a whole different kind of beast. The service and staff are AWFUL. The prices are HIGH, and the food is obviously frozen trucked in food. If they were serving something amazing or at least preparing the frozen food well, then I would appreciate this place a little more. The decor is cool, and the view is awesome, but if you can't make good food you might as well not charge out the nose. read more

My family (pets included) stay here at least once a year. Here's what I think: -our cabin always comes with unlimited firewood--a perk my wife loves on cold nights -we go to this area to be outside (fish mostly) so the condition of the cabins is less important than access to pristine fishing and the beautiful outdoors -the food is always mediocre at best, so we typically eat in restaurants in Mountain Home -the staff have always been accommodating and friendly -chartreuse power nuggets (2 of them) on a small trout hook, with a small sinker, will catch you more trout than you can imagine--we always debarb the hooks so we don't kill the fish -the grounds of the resort are fun to explore and walk the dogs--deer and wildlife abound -the cabins are a bit pricy, but with all of the things listed above, we have no heartburn paying the price -my son loves catching vs. fishing, so he always enjoys this trip -the bar is nice, bartender is a great guy, but the smoke will permeate every fiber of clothing and most likely shave months, if not years, from your life -they will clean all of the fish you catch if you bring them to the dock, another great perk -a pair of eagles are in the same tree every time we go, that's cool to me Bottom line for us: cabins are average, food is below average, but access to the grounds and fishing spots is priceless. We love it. read more

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This restaurant is much improved from past years. Food is getting better and so is the service. It's pricey but the view of the White River from the dining room is the real reason you go here. So I recommend going in daylight hours so you can fully appreciate the ambiance. The Sunday brunch is nice, could use a few more entrees and attractive desserts for the money. But it feels like an upscale special occasion restaurant here and that's unusual in this area of greasy spoon diners with sticky menus and generic pancake syrup on the tables. Also check out the gift shop right next door. Really cute gifts and cards, again, pricey but nice. read more

This review is primarily for the restaurant. I've never stayed in any of the cabins or rooms, although the property is very nice and is relaxing. A few of my friends have been married on the grounds. It's a popular place. The restaurant overlooks the White River. There are lot of antiques providing decoration for the rooms. I would categorize it as semi-formal. By that I mean it's certainly not fast food, and it's certainly not your neighborhood diner or cafe. It's more upscale than that, but not what I'd consider "Fine Dining" either. The food is quite good. There's a salad bar set up in a flat bottom river boat. There's also a full bar. They have a weekend brunch that's very popular. I would consider prices to be fairly reasonable for a nice evening out, but too pricey for weekly appearances. Overall, I like Gaston's, but there's other places I like a little better. read more

If you like to catch your own trout and then pay out the nose for a restaurant to overcook it this is the place for you. I don't know who rated them #1 for Trout Fishing, but I'm wondering if whomever declared that did so after stumbling upon a cache of moonshine out in the woods. I flat out don't like this place. From the attitude to the decor to the service to the people who can't even prepare a trout properly, Gaston's is a place best avoided. You may have a better experience than I did, but I have no intention of ever going back. It may be scenic here, but scenic doesn't overcome the fact that the overall experience sucks. read more

The restaurant has nice views, good food, ok service - depending on who you get, but is a little pricey. The resort - cute, but could be kept up better, and not one cabin that is reserved for no pets for those with allergies. Witnessed a drug deal between employees and someone who apparently came for that purpose. Kind of sketchy. Not sure I'll be going back. read more

We came in the middle of the week in the first of October. We arrived Tuesday hardly anyone staying in any of the cabins. Other guest started to pick up mid day Wednesday. The fishing is amazing. We did not rent a boat. We waited and fished from the shore. You will catch as many fish as you want. The cabins are nice. We stayed in a 2 bedroom one bath. One queen bed and two doubles. Obviously you aren't staying here for 5 star rooms and you should know that before you expect that. Full kitchen is available and fireplace. Every cabin has a small bqq put outside. Flat screen TVs w 70 some channels. You can watch all of the sports you want. As for the restaurant, me personally I travel for a living and I thought it was a little over priced.15-20 dollars for an entree. We had ate enough trout so I had the fish and chips. Very very good. Would get it again. Some family friends come down here every year in February and I will be joining them. If you want to catch trout you HAVE to come to Gastons. read more

We ate there last night. There where 3 people in our party. There was a table of about 10 obnoxious drunk guys sitting next to us. The waiter focused ENTIRELY on them because they were spending a fortune on alcohol so we went COMPLETELY unnoticed. I waited for 30 minutes for the check which never came. So I got up went to the front desk and waited another 20 minutes for the host to get with the waiter to get my check. That's right it took me as long to pay my tab as it did for the 3 of us to eat ! LOL I wouldn't go back to that restaurant if they gave it to me for free. Normally I NEVER complain about restaurants because I actually own a restaurant in Texas. So I totally get the restaurant ins and outs and inner workings. THIS WAS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE &INEXCUSABLE !!! If the staff working at that restaurant worked at my restaurant they would be looking for a new job today. It's not like they were crowded. LOL NEVER again ! Not me and not my money. read more

Very uncomfortable beds, mattress is old and hard as a rock. Inadequate WiFi. I could not get a pic to upload to Facebook, and could not get any work stuff done while staying there (checking email, social media stuff). We stopped in to the restaurant for a dessert and the hostess wouldn't seat us and had no knowledge of the dessert menu. Luckily a server stepped in and helped. The key lime pie ended up being amazing! Beautiful river views from the room. Not a terrible place, but old and dated with poor internet access. read more

Probably was a nice place some time ago - but run down and food was very expensive. We ended up going to grocery store. The worse part of Gaston's was the price of the cottages. I paid more at Gaston's than I did for Ritz Carlson New York City. Need to refine their pricing before I will return. read more

Made a reservation for dinner to insure we got a good table. When we arrived, there was no record of our reservation. I advised the hostess that I made a reservation 3 days in advance. The hostess was rude to my wife when asked if we could have a window table. The food was luke warm at best. The best thing going that night was the view. Very disappointed, we had higher expectations. read more

Meet friends for the brunch buffet on Sunday. Friendly staff who made us feel welcome! The buffet was extensive and had enough choices available that no one should leave hungry. There were several egg choice, catfish, potatoes, and meat on the hot line. The chilled salad section is presented in a boat hull which adds to the quirky ambiance of the restaurant. The dessert section was a little weak with just a few selections of pie and some plain cheesecake with fruit topping. Would have loved to see a fruit cobbler and a cake choice. The staff was attentive to our table and to the line. Any spilled food was cleaned away immediately and the serving utensils replaced when needed. read more

First class food, accommodations and people plus best flippin trout fishing in the world. White River and Gaston's Resort killer combo and you can bring your pets, sweet! read more

Was recommended by my boss. This place is absolutely amazing. Our server Elizabeth was hands down the best server I've ever had. Did an amazing job explaining what they offer and specials. We both got the steak and lobster tail. It was my first time having a lobster tail and I'm so glad I chose it. We will definitely be going back again and again. Good job Gaston's!!! read more

Go for the view not the food. Made a reservation a few hours prior and requested window view, we were told they would try. We arrived at 7 pm and there were only two tables there. We were seated at the window where there were many tables. Not sure if they were expecting a mad rush and that we wouldn't have a window seat? It was a Tuesday. Started with trout appetizer that I was only able to take one bite of- do not recommend. THe waitress (very nice) took off our bill and told manager, manager never visible nor came to check on us. Salad bar wasn't filled, asked someone for more tomatoes to be brought out. When I asked him for an extra plate to separate my dressing he told me to ask my waitress. Husbands fish dinner with special topping came out luke warm . I had the fried shrimp dinner and it was ok. We did enjoy the view and the hummingbird feeders at each window active with visiting hummingbirds. People at the resort were warm and friendly, the cottages so cute. The river views were amazing. Maybe we just ordered the wrong thing. We would definitely give it another try. read more

My wife and I had a great day at Gaston's. We flew in. The airstrip was great. We stayed in cabin 4. Great view and comfortable. The restaurant was wonderful. The staff were friendly and helpful. read more

Worse place ever. So outdated and old and too expensive. Air conditioner window unit sucked. Tv wasn't connected. No cable. They brought us a fan. Liked to have burned up. Place smells like an old basement. Did I fail to say this was a bad choice for our fishing trip? read more

Beautiful views and nice decor, that's all I can say nice about this place. Food wasn't very good. My husband had trout, you would think it would have been fresh but it wasn't. I had chicken fried chicken, it was frozen and came with instant mashed potatoes. Will not return. read more

Wonderful food. There is so much memorabilia inside this place you can't see it all. Not only that but the view of the river will take your breath away. Wait staff was friendly, knowledgeable & hustled. Great place for a nice dinner. read more

I've been here a few times and I've never been disappointed. The food is excellent and servers are great. The view is one of the best around. I love watching all the hummingbirds right outside the windows. And you must go see the peacocks and the aviary they have at this place. read more

We spent Wed thru Saturday this past week at Gastons and it was wonderful! The cabin was very nice, it was a warm week for early March; so, we didn't build a fire in the fireplace, but it still amazes me that not only do they provide firewood in a rack right outside your cabin, they also provide small cedar kindling to use to start a fire. That is the level of attention to detail they deliver in accommodations, fishing and the restaurant. We fished with a guide two days and the fishing was excellent. The guide was top-flight. He gave us colorful info about the river and its history, the fishing strategies he uses for different times of year, and the different types of live bait he prefers. The restaurant service and food quality are excellent. We had the pan seared trout, half rack of ribs, and fried catfish as entrées. For lunch the various sandwiches are the best in the state. The salad bar is first class, and for breakfast its all you can eat sausage, bacon and everything else you could imagine. They cook omelets to order. A special story about the desserts. All the desserts are home made and are out of this world delicious. But the Key Lime Pie is on a different level. This is the chef's custom recipe after he drove down to the Florida Keys and sampled every Key Lime Pie he could find. You haven't lived until you try this dessert - if you don't order anything else - it is a must have. The staff is first class too. From the front desk to the fishing dock to the restaurant to housekeeping. Everyone has a smile on their face and is happy to help you with whatever you need. The grounds are immaculate and there is obvious pride in being on the staff at this resort. This is where the Four Seasons should send its staff to learn how to be a 5 star resort. read more

Gaston's restaurant is in a beautiful location on the banks of the icy cold, clear running waters of the White River just below the Bull Shoals Lake dam. The restaurant has a warm, welcoming feel and is tastefully decorated in river and Ozarks nostalgia. Unfortunately, the good part ends there. We are sadly short of good places to eat out here in the remote North Arkansas Ozarks with most of the area's tourist energy being focused on fishermen. Because of this situation and Gaston's beautiful location and "feel", I have on numerous occasions taken visitors there to eat. I have, without fail, been embarrassed by the quality of the food. We've tried full meals and simple sandwiches and snacks with the same poor result. At best the fare is little better than you would find at a second rate diner. I won't be taking anyone I care about there any more and it's really a shame. The place has so much potential. read more

Gaston's White River Resort - Gaston's Restaurant - Resorts Near Me - Lakeview, Arkansas

Our family has been visiting Gaston's for 20+ years. Our last visit was very disappointing. The service and staff were horrible. Every single person in our group had complaints about their meal. A medium rare steak came back well done. The waitress took back the entire plate, including the sides, and returned with a new plate with steak only. Not only was the new steak not cooked medium rare, but the steak was awful- it was tough and had bad flavor. The salad bar- which used to have an excellent variety of toppings- was bare. Not only was there a poor selection, but, it is now an additional cost when you buy an entree. To top it all off, the waitress billed our table wrong and we had to wait for the manager to fix the bill. I would honestly be surprised if Gaston's is still in business a few years from now. It makes me really sad as it has been a favorite of mine for years. read more

The best trout fishing I've ever experienced. Comfortable river front cabins, great staff and fishing guides, good restaurant with a stunning view of White River that has clean clear water. Great stress free place to retreat to when you just need to get away from the hustle and bustle of a World gone mad. read more

Ambiance is really nice, with large windows overlooking the river. The restaurant is casual, which is great for family fishing trips! HOWEVER, the food is pretty mediocre at best, and overpriced. My mother's salmon linguini dish was the worst thing I've ever tasted from a restaurant. She had two bites of it, and it was not removed from our bill. Ribeye steaks were overcooked, tough, and seasoned very little. Salad bar variety was good. read more

This place was near where we are camping at Bull Shoals Lake White River State Park. It's part of a resort. The restaurant decor had got to be seen! Boat motors and bicycles hanging from the ceiling! We both had the fried trout and it was great! Service was great too! Will definitely come back when we camp again at the park. read more

This is one of our favorite places. Gaston's has great cabins on the White River. You can get up early and fish and then there are many things for the kids to do (Swimming Pool, Nature Trails, Bird Sanctuary, Geocaching, Free Museam, Dam Tours, Lake Tours, etc.) We have been going every summer for about 5 years and the entire family loves it. read more

We drove here from Mountain Home for dinner. The food was mediocre at best, as was the service.

Until I went to the restaurant at Gastons, I didn't think there was anyplace in Arkansas that you could pay 12 bucks for a club sandwich and wait 45 minutes for it to arrive at my table. read more

This place has been here for years.The food is okay but way over priced,I think people go here for it has a pleasant atmosphere and has a view of the White River.They have a bar but it is super tiny.The resort rooms are very expensive for what you are getting.They have tennis courts and a small pool also a hiking trail.Overall it is kind of tranquil place.Worth checking out but not spectacular. read more

We stayed in one of the cabins....it was clean but very dark paneling and since they'd had recent flooding, there was no phone and no internet. We ate in the restaurant, but was very disappointed. We both had the trout almondine. The trout was was over cooked. My mixed vegetables were mushy. For a $32.00 entree, we were very disappointed. read more

Wonderful food! I have only been there once but I really enjoyed the view and the food. The burger I had was excellent! It's a little pricey but you get what you pay for. read more

I ate here twice while fishing the white river. Food is good quality and service as well. I had the trout , of course, with seafood sauce which was excellent. I will come back here on my next trip to the white river. read more

This place has a river view, good service and great food! Got the ribs and ate them all. Everyone in our group loved the food and the view.

I eat here every year on Mothers Day and maybe 2-3 during the year. I keep asking myself why I go back. Don't get me wrong the atmosphere is nice and the food isn't horrible but it's not great either. Service is a real hit or miss and the Sunday brunch isn't fresh !! This place has potential but the kitchen could use some serious help !! read more

If you like to fish it doesn't get much better on the river. The guides are knowledgable but pricey and gastons gets to you on boat rental rates but location, location, location. Now for the rest of the story.....The restaurant overlooks the river and has really cool stuff decorating the dining room but thats the best part of it. The food is short of terrible! It's such a shame that ownership doesn't seem to pay attention to this. They simply can't or don't care. I hate piling on but the dining staff isn't properly trained on basic service (which I don't blame on the wait staff) and the food quality is cheap! I love the whole idea of Gaston's but they really need help! BUT, if you catch the place when they have a guest chef then the the ambiance of the place and the food match you will be happy. read more

this feedback is for the restaurant. we had been anticipating a visit to this restaurant & since it was our anniversary, we drove down. we live in AR so thought it would be a great way to celebrate. WE WERE SO WRONG; IT WAS A TOTAL LETDOWN!!! SEVERAL REASONS NEVER TO EAT HERE: (1) three rude (1 male & 2 females) kids at the cash register when you walk in. they definitely feel empowered to say anything they want. (2) we asked why they are requiring masks when it's no longer a requirement in AR. the male acted like we were from outer space and said it was a law which my husband replied, not it's not. MY husband pulled up the mandates for AR & asked when the mask mandate was going to stop to which the male replied very rudely, until the pandemic ends. i have a cane so a bit of a slow walker but that didn't matter to the boy as he sped several feet in front of us & became a bigger ass every step as he led us to our table. his body language said it all & gave us a sarcastic enjoy your meal & almost ran from our table. if it wasn't a Sunday & not so late, we would have walked out right there. there were only two other tables in the restaurant & they had all been served so we figured we'd get our meal pretty quickly. our server was sweet & tried very hard to make our meal nice. well, i am lactose intolerant & ordered broiled trout, broccoli & baked potato. well done with no butter or sauces. We were told there would be no butter on my meal at all. my husband ordered an appetizer that took about 20 minutes, which for an empty restaurant seemed a bit odd. but stuff can happen. so we sat & sat & sat & sat (45 minutes) without a word from anyone about our meals. it was us & our water & soda with a couple humming birds whizzing around outside. finally our waitress came over apologizing and said all my food had butter on it & the broccoli had been replaced with green beans & it had butter on it too! really??? so she said 6 minutes which was really 15 MORE minutes to top off our meal wait. no manager came over to apologize for their obvious oversight & dereliction of their cooks not being able to follow the order that was given to them & make an obvious meal. it was deafening the quiet in this place by now & we tried to make the best of our situation. once our food finally arrived, my husbands was cold with salty potato & very buttery green beans. mine was at least cooked but the fish was bland & the green beans & potato were so salty, i was parched after tasting them. we didn't say anything else about our food because the day was spoiled having walked into Gaston's restaurant. since we were so hungry, we choked down about 1/2 our fish each & got two boxes for the rest. for a place that advertised getting great food, they fail at customer service, food preparation & follow thru. if it weren't for our server's sweet personality, we would have left our food at the table. as far as price, they are VERY overpriced in what they offer. they obviously penny pinch because unlike every other restaurant we've been to in AR, there was no bread or anything freely given to us while we waited for our meal. pass this place over & go to a place that will give a great atmosphere & meal service. read more