Went here for the first time tonight at the recommendation of a neighbor. Started off with the tamale plater as an appetizer. Very tasty. I had the Asian chicken salad. It was ok. My wife had the shrimp pesto. Large portion but lacked in flavor a bit. Our server Elizabeth was pleasant. If possible I would give this 3-1/2 stars. We may try it it one more time. read more

First off, this is not the pizza chain with the same name. I came across this place on a road trip. It is about 3 miles off the freeway but is a gem for the gluten free eater. They have a separate gluten free menu that replicates most of what is on the normal menu. The atmosphere is diner-esque with great service and a pay up front system. There is also an outdoor patio that is quite large. I had the Nutty Bird, which is a turkey sandwich with cream cheese. I also saw others ordering it so it must be popular. I know why..it is because it is so yummy! The cream cheese really does give it a unique taste I have never had before. The chips are gluten free as well and tasted great. Parking is easy and I wish they had one of these where I live. read more

Ehhhh, 3.5. Try the tamales they all say. So I got the cheese ones and shared them since I wasn't that hungry. It came with two moderately sized tamales with cheese sauce. The tamale itself was pretty soft and the cheese sauce on top had a hint of spice but it was nothing that impressed me. read more

It is very clear this restaurant is a favorite of Little Rock, and now that I've been here I can see why. The menu has something to satisfy just about every taste. There's your soup/salad/sandwich section as well as a huge array of pizza and pasta, tossed in with a bit of Mexican. It was verging on overwhelming to look at the menu because I wanted at least 27 different things. My husband and I both settled on the tamales because they were voted the best, are handmade/hand rolled from their own recipe. I chose the vegetarian and hubby had the beef. Both were soooooo good! Oh my. Definitely the best tamales I've ever had. And coming from a place that isn't even marketed as a Mexican restaurant, that's saying something! We did save room for dessert so I had their lemon box pie with walnut crust. It was amazing. The crust really made the difference - made the whole pie if you ask me. Hubby chose the bread pudding with bourbon sauce. Menu says it's "award winning" and he would have to agree - very tasty! Very happy with our meal here. Sadly, Izzy's is 4 hours from our home so we won't be able to come here all that often. But we will be back for sure. I'd like to say I'll try something else on the menu, but I'm afraid it'll most likely be the tamales again. I can't help it; they were that good. read more

A friend and I have been going to Izzy's for a few years. The food is decent if not a bit overpriced. The problem I have with this place is the current manager. I went in today 02/23/2023 with my friend for a late lunch around 2:00 pm. My friend ordered the Pesto Chicken and I had the Lasagna. The chicken was VERY dry and my Lasagna was cool in the middle again like it wasn't microwaved long enough. Both dishes come with your choice of white or wheat "rolls". The "rolls" that come with the dishes are hard as rocks 90% of the time. In the past we have asked if we could substitute a piece of toast in lieu of the "rolls" and were told we could but there would be an additional charge for doing so. I'm not sure why substituting one type of bread with another would, or should, cost more but we opted not to get the toast at the "additional charge". We have voiced our opinions about the "rolls" in the past and even had the wait person bring out new ones. Today, my friend opted to not even get the rolls with his lunch because of the past experiences. I told the waitress I would have the white "rolls" as long as they were fresh. (I prefer wheat bread but with the white "rolls" you may get lucky and get one that isn't hard as a rock). At checkout, the person at the register asked how everything was and I replied "everything was fine except for the "rolls"". Her canned answer was, "did you let your waiter know?" I told her that their rolls are always pitiful. About that time the "manager" showed up behind her and she half smart-assed said they didn't like the rolls. His VERY smart-assed answer was "one in one hundred" as if he couldn't care less about it. I said you can't tell me that more people aren't complaining about these rolls. He laughed and said "maybe one in one hundred". I said I expect more when I'm paying $50.00 for lunch. He basically laughed and was laughing as I exited the door. This is the same "manager" that was a smart-ass the last time my friend said something about how bad the "rolls" were. It's taken a while but after todays experience, I can honestly say that I will not be going back to Izzy's. They state that their food is made daily but I've been told by previous waiters that the "rolls" are brought in frozen. The lasagna has been cool in the middle more than once as if it didn't stay in the microwave long enough. Their salmon is tasteless, and their chicken is dry a lot of the time. Their mediocre food is no longer worth my hard earned money and I sure as hell won't support a place that has a "manager" that thinks the customer is the problem. The managers ego has not only cost this place two long time customers and their families but has also cost his staff in the way of tips, not to mention the business bottom line. To the owners: Good luck keeping customers with this guy at the helm. I realize he's been with you since he's been bussing tables but you may want to take a hard look and reconsider your choices in management. To other customers: If you enjoy the food, great. If you get food that is sub-par and you say nothing about it and continue to pay for it, it's your own fault that you're settling for "mediocrity at best". read more

The tamales with chili make my heart happy. Love all the gluten free options as well.

Recently visited Izzy's with friends. We tried s wide variety of items off the menu and we were all very pleased!! Even had a dessert that was delicious! The service was very good!! We have eaten at Izzy's several times over the past few years and have always been pleased!! Quality food and good service make for a very enjoyable experience!! read more

Excellent service even though I misread the closing time and called my order in at closing time! They had my food ready to go and it was hot and delicious ! read more

Im so glad Izzy's offers so many great vegan options! I love their tamales and potatoes. So well seasoned and such a great local eat!

I try to eat at Izzy's every time I'm in Little Rock. The garlic butter that comes with the bread is amazing, and the Alfredo pasta (with shell noodles, because the kids are right: shell noodles are the best) is to die for. I don't know how they make Alfredo taste so good, because it's not what I would normally go for, but the way Izzy's makes it is the best. Also, the decor is just fun and encourages Eye-Spy as an easy way to pass the time, which is good because the wait time between when you order and when you get your food is a little long. read more

Great food, lots of options. I was able to eat as a vegetarian and my husband could still lorded what he wanted. They had vegan and gluten free options as well. They also had the option to get freshly brewed tea which. I thought was nice. read more

My first experience at Izzys was at a group gathering for lunch on Monday. My first impression was the immediate harshness of mask requirements and the protected seating. This was helpful last year but it's time to return to normal. I did notice there was mostly older customers so that might have diverging to do with it but everyone can and should be vaccinated in that age group. The service was good but not very friendly. The food was ok. Very basic choices that you would expect at a diner. Their specialty is tamales which my friend had and said were good. I'll go back when they loosen their mask and social distancing. We all agreed on this. It's just too strict and unnecessary if you believe in vaccines. read more

First time to Izzy's and I loved it. Dine in!!! Clean and tidy and Covid ready! The patio was adorable from the inside looking out at all the lovely flowers!!! The service was excellent and I had a wonderful BLT sandwich with sweet potato fries! I look forward to going again and trying one of their desserts!!! read more

I agree that the food is really good but just like others have posted they use these high pitched vacuum cleaners and you can't hear others at your table while they are doing this read more

I've been a huge fan of Izzy's for years, and the tamales and chili are to die for. The service is consistent, and the waitstaff are typically quite attentive. I've been here several times with large groups, and in spite of not having a private dining room, they did a good job of fitting us in. Unfortunately, during my last couple of visits, I was charged full price for soft drink refills, which drove up the overall cost of the check significantly for a table of three. It didn't occur to me to complain at the time, but I later confirmed that free refills were listed on the downloadable menu on their website. A friend of mine noticed the same thing on a recent visit. Not sure if this is endorsed by management, or if the waitstaff is trying to pump up the ticket totals to get a bigger tip, but it's a dealbreaker when it costs more than $60 for a party of three. I know that a glass of iced tea costs the restaurant about 8 cents, and I don't object to paying $2.50 once, as long as they keep my glass full. But being charged full price each time is beyond ridiculous. read more

We found this place on Yelp after hiking at Pinnacle. We only placed a to go order, but everything was fantastic! The staff taking our order and even the host made sure we didn't wait long and kept us updated of when our order would be ready. The food was great and there's tons of options for everyone. My only complaint is that while everything is so fresh and made to order, the chips that come with sandwiches are just plain old wavy lays or something. I'd figure a place that crafted so many wonderful dishes would be a little more creative with a boring side. Bottom line it was great for a quick lunch when we were traveling through the area! read more

This is a charming little place and the food is delicious! You have option of patio seating surrounded by beautiful zinnias. The menu isn't huge, but full if delectable sounding choices. It was hard to choose. I was definitely not disappointed. Make sure to stop by next time you're in North Little Rock. read more

One of the few places in Little Rock that makes a real effort to welcome vegetarians and people with other food prohibitions. I came here recently and ordered their salmon nicoise salad with not very high expectations because it's a casual eatery, but it was really good! The salad was huge and the salmon was perfectly moist and flavorful. I've also had their veggie tamales. The care this place takes in making each dish makes it seem like someone in the kitchen actually cares about you! read more

Stopped in this place while visiting from out of town. Local friends said this place has a great reputation. I'm not sure how this is possible. The food while edible was mediocre at best. I had the "much heralded" tamales. To say they were nothing special gives them too much credit. The chili that covered them could have been wolf brand canned chili. The queso that accompanied them was Velveeta like. I asked for a little salsa to go with the chips they served with them as they obliged. (Though I was not informed there would be a $3 charge for this tiny thimble). We also had the lasagna which was okay. The red sauce was too sweet for me to enjoy it though. The kids grilled cheese sandwich was met with no complaints. We asked if it was possible to get fries instead of chips our initial server said "sure" but made no mention of the $3 upcharge we would receive. This waitress left after taking our order never to return. A male waiter brought our food out after what seemed like a longer than normal period of time. He asked what else we needed and we said nothing at the moment. He left and did not return until 10 - 15 minutes after we were finished with our food. During that time I got up and got extra napkins when we needed them and again later I had to get up and grab a pitcher of water. Everyone at the table had been empty for over 5 minutes. After finishing our food we had time for part of our party to take a trip to the restroom and return before the second server (who never bothered to introduce himself) stopped by and dropped off our check. We never asked how our food tasted. We were never asked for refills. We were never really given much service at all. We stayed an extra 5 minutes at the register since the person running the register seemed untrained and couldn't figure out how to ring us up. When the manager (I assume since he was the manager as he was the only person in a golf shirt) came to help with the register we informed him kindly about what our experience had been like. He half heartedly apologized but didn't truly seem to care. Long story short, we frequent Little Rock, but we won't again be stopping in this place. Summary: Mediocre food Terrible service Good atmosphere read more

So here's the thing - I used to live by Izzy's a few years ago. Back then I tried them a few times and I wasn't really impressed. It was alright... nothing special. With that said - I recently went and was pleasantly surprised. I'm pretty sure that they had a change in ownership. Either way, it was much better than my first few visits. I had classic spaghetti and meatballs which was fresh and full of flavor. My husband and friend had the tamales and chili - which were also very good. Another positive is that they now serve Vegan and Gluten free dishes - which means nothing to me, but is extremely important if you are into that. I'll definitely give Izzy's more chances to impress. Well done. read more

The food at Izzys is always so fresh and the wait staff is always friendly and helpful. I have eaten here a lot but today I tried something new. I got a bowl of tomato basil soup and it was creamy and delicious. My sister got the Isabella pizza and it's always lite and wonderful. My husband got the hamburger steak that was new for him and really in joyed his. You can't go wrong with this place the burgers are some of the best around and I love their grilled chicken. If they have strawberry shortcake when you go be sure to get it. They only use Arkansas strawberries so they unfortunately don't have it all the time. They ran out last night so I couldn't get one I was so disappointed because they are yummy. read more

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We sat down at izzys at 6 on a Friday. For a Friday it had not picked up yet and we were able to sit immediately. Some person who gave us our drinks ask us for our order and when we had a question regarding a food item he remarked "I'm not a server. You can ask the server your question." Okay? Then why are you taking our order. We gave him our order then we proceeded to sit and wait for 45 with no food, no server, nothing. Never even brought us our drinks. A party 8 walked in and got seated at 6:20. That's 20 minutes after we arrived and I kid you not they received their food at 6:35. We were still waiting for anyone to come by and check on us. And yet nothing. It was wel staffed by the way. I would understand if they were understaffed, but that wasn't the case. When a server FINALLY arrived and took drink orders, how was I not surprised that they didn't have a drink that I ordered in stock. Izzys? More like SHIZZYs. read more

Most excellent! Even on a Friday night, super packed, they were able to seat us quickly and get us our food in short order! The nutty bird was my choice for the night and it did not disappoint. Delicious, and fast. Great family restaurant with a plethora of options so as to please everyone. A little out of the way but worth the visit. read more

Izzy's is always a good choice. I adore their vegetarian and vegan options, especially the Veggie Burger and the new Kale Quinoa Salad. If you have never been before you have to either try the Tomato Basil Soup (they grow their own basil!) or the Lemon Ice Box Pie. Both are Izzy's classics and absolutely delicious. The casual atmosphere is great for a quick lunch or a fun night out. They have a decent selection of beer and wine, and a vast array of amazing teas. I usually go here during my lunch break and am always pleased with the quick and courteous service. The local art hanging on the walls is for sale and nice to look at while downing some of the homemade tamales (meat and veggie options!). One more thing. Izzy's has a phenomenal patio area! Bird feeders, pretty lights, and rosemary bushes surround the area, giving it a unique atmosphere (groovy mixed with outdoorsy). If the weather is right, you will be missing out if you don't sit outside. read more

I'm not even sure how I've lived in LR for these few years without knowing this place was here, but very glad our first choice restaurant for the evening didn't work out. Service was friendly and polite, food was great and reasonable and it was super quick. Like I'm not even sure how they did this, but our food came to our table within ten minutes...and was fresh. We ordered the chip and dip sampler, but really wish we hadn't because our food was so quick. My boyfriend had the tamales and was very impressed..I don't actually care for tamales, but he assured me they were good. He did order an extra and was glad he did because they seemed a little small. I had the spaghetti with meat sauce...and, for this to not be an actual Italian restaurant, I was highly impressed with the quality. The sauce was very fresh and homemade tasting and the noodles were perfect. I ordered the lunch size portion and had almost half left over. I wish we had room for dessert because the bread pudding looked epic...maybe next time. Their menu is huge and has tons of options...this is definitely a place we'll come back to. Would be a great place for a group because there's something on the menu for everyone. read more

Those tamales.... both veggie & regular... I dream of them! There's a ton of different menu options but I'd always heard good things about the tamales so that was where my tummy went... & it thanked me! I do think the chili-type topping tasted mysteriously like Hormel's from a can or something, but hey - that's not necessarily a bad thing, I suppose. Def worth a visit - y'all enjoy! read more

Wow but their vegetarian tamales are amazing. Tamales are hard to do well, and theirs are seriously some of the best. Well seasoned, and the masa is soft and holds together without being too dried out. I also had their whole wheat pesto pasta and it was fantastic. My spouse had their whole wheat pasta with meat sauce and was not disappointed. read more

This place is super cute! The service is friendly and the food is really cheap, but high quality. Everything is good here, from the salads to the sandwiches to the pastas and pizzas. Also, they have an awesome hot tea menu where you can try new teas. This place is one of my favorite places to eat in Little Rock. read more

I would rate this place a solid 3 stars, but the service was top notch! I enjoyed the beef tamales and the chili on top of them. I will say that I think a lot of the food comes from a can or frozen. All in all it was an ok time. read more

I genuinely like this restaurant, and I so appreciate the many vegetarian options on the menu. But the atmosphere is off-putting. You can see the dread on the faces of the staff members at the front if you come in after 7:30. They are still open for AN HOUR AND A HALF, but they are disappointed to see new customers coming in and in the middle of full cleaning. If I'm in a restaurant a full hour before they close, I don't feel like it's appropriate to vacuum the entire room where guests are seated and rush the check. I guess this place is a favorite among the early bird crowd. read more

Our friends took us here after a day out in Little Rock, partly because they are regulars and they like a particular waiter who knows he can't have salt on anything. I ordered a chicken spinach salad which was off menu, but the waiter said they'd make something yummy, which they did. The rest of the menu was nothing fancy, but they serve wine, so that's good enough for me! read more

I've never dined in. I've always gotten my meals to go and the food is FANTASTIC!!! My favorite is the veggie tamales platter!!! My husband enjoys their burgers with grilled onion and mushrooms!!! The menu is loaded with choices that keep me coming back. The food always challenges my self control. With I -don't-want-to-stop-when-I'm-full-goodness, the meals are just that tasty! read more

Good food here!! Had the Tamales with Chili and ok Velveta cheese dip. The best part was the hostess! She was 20 years old, maybe and had on a pair of short short bright pink shorts. This place needs a longer dress code for shorts. read more

I hear the food is very good but I've been there three times: the first time I was never seated, the second time I never saw a waiter, and the third time, even though I ordered food, I didn't receive food or drink. I hope the service has gotten better because it sucked three times in a row for me. I've never gone back. read more

would highly recommend the food is delicous and its very family friendly they also sell coffee it is casual or fancy how ever you are and the servers are really nice and there pizza is to die for and it's not 50/50 because I've been there about a million times and the food is always delicious it also has vEgan keto and kid options read more

If u want pizza , burger , soup or salad then it's here but that's what's everywhere. It wasn't bad but it wasn't great, the price is about as average as every where else the menu was pretty lame :( read more

Izzy's - Inside - New American Near Me - Little Rock, Arkansas

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This place was cute and kitschy. Has a vegan menu separate from the regular menu. Generally the food is Italian and Mexican so if you don't like those flavors it isn't for you. I loved the pesto pasta I got. It was nutty and creamy. They suffer from a vegans get the bland version of something on our regular menu thing but as a vegetarian it was very easy to eat there read more

The food was excellent, and the service was fast and friendly. The atmosphere was good for a date, but is relaxed enough for a group. I've been there three times now, and I think it's a winner. I've had the veggie melt and sweet potato fries twice, and I would probably get it again the next time I go. It's just a delicious sandwich. I've also had the quesadillas, which were good. My wife likes the nutty bird sandwich. I've tried the pizza as well, and it's good. Not as good as Damgoode Pies, Iriana's, or Gusano's, but then again it's also not a "pizza place." Izzy's is supposed to be known for their tamales. I would personally stick with anything else on the menu, but then again I'm not a huge tamale fan to begin with. So bottom line, it's worth a try. read more

The best family restaurant in Little Rock, of the dozens I've been to. They have the fastest and friendliest service I've ever had, anywhere. They have vegan options, a kids menu, and tons of hot teas and local beers. Of the several dishes I've had, I'd recommend them all. Only possible downside is the drive (way out in west Little Rock) and the hours; I think they close at 9pm during the week. Highly recommend this place for date night, family dinner, or just a quick solo bite to eat. read more

The place was busy. Our party of 5 were seated quickly. Our waitress was attentive. I had the beef tamale with cheese dip. The tamale was ok and the cheese dip was very thick. Two in our party had burgers and sweet potato fries, one had the quesadilla, and the other had the Nutty Bird. The sweet potato fries were lukewarm and the waitress brought hot ones out. They were very good. read more