It was late and they still gave us our order even though it was almost time to close and the food was good

Was dining here on my own as my wife was in a training course a few miles away. I walked in and was greeted by the hostess right away. I was barely seated and the server was there to take my drink order. Things were looking really good at this point. My drink arrived quickly. It was a bottled beer and it was well chilled. The server took my order which included a side salad. The server told me to help myself to the salad at the salad bar. Everything looked fresh on the salad bar except for the lceburg lettuce, which had a lot of pinking around the edges. Thankfully there was also a much fresher looking spring greens lettuce mix available as well. So after getting my salad I returned to my table. Sat down and ate my salad, drank my beer, drank most of my water and waited. My server was nowhere to be seen. There was no servers to be seen. There was a large group table in front of me who were already seated when I got there and they didn't have their food and a table behind me, a man with two kids who came in a minute or two after me, who didn't have their food either. After about 25 minutes after finishing my salad my food arrived, via a different server than the one who took my order. I have to say the food was well cooked and portion sizes were good. The food for the man and two kids came out just after mine but the food for the big group didn't arrive until I was paying my bill. Not sure if they asked for the food to be delayed or if the kitchen was having issues getting everything cooked but it certainly seems like the kitchen is not in a hurry to get orders done and out. No one ever asked if I needed a refill on my drinks or ask if I needed anything. I would have given a lower score but the food was good and the view is fantastic. read more

Mather Lodge Restaurant - View from the restaurant - American Near Me - Morrilton, Arkansas

Food and service is always good. We ate there every breakfast and dinner while we were there. Waiters and waitresses were very nice and made sure we were well taking care of. The pancakes are huge and delicious. The view out the windows are awesome. read more

Mather Lodge Restaurant - That was the pancake from Mather Lodge. And it was delicious. - American Near Me - Morrilton, Arkansas

Terrible service and terrible food! Too long of a story to mention everything. Waitress was horrendous. Took forever to get us our drinks. Came back to fill waters after asking her to and left mine half empty and said she would come back sometime to fill it up. Never did. Forgot to put food order in, so we sat there in total for an hour and a half. Worst part it is that we had a table with a view, the only good part about this place, and a couple came in next to us and asked for the blinds to be down because the sun was bothering them. They sat with their backs to the windows and the staff lowered ONLY our blinds. No one else's! We complained and eventually even asked for a manager. Tammy, the manager, was completely useless and told US that we could move tables if wanted the view again. Huh?! They refused to put our blinds back up because it disturbed the other couple. Just unbelievable. People that came in over a half hour after us were done eating before we even got our food. Once we got the food, it was horrible. I had the portobello burger and the portobello was overdone, while the other veggies were still raw. Tammy was the rudest and most incompetent manager I have ever encountered. Stay away from this horrible place. read more

So, after hiking the Seven Hollows Trail today, my wife and I thought, "Let's go to the Mather Lodge restaurant since it's right here". Good idea, we thought. We arrived at the lodge and entered and made our way to restaurant waiting area. Apparently, our super power is invisibility because 3-4 servers ignored us. Finally, one said, "They've been waiting for over 5 minutes", but I guess that was just an observation since we still weren't attended to. If the restaurant had been busy, the wait would be understandable. But, there were only two tables that had customers. My wife and I are of a certain age and don't put up with that sort of treatment for long. We then turned around and walked out and drove to Morrilton and had a great meal at Colton's. Pretty shabby service Mather Lodge. We'll never know how the food tasted, but the service stinks. read more

I ordered a glass of water with my meal. The water tasted so bad I could not tell if the food was good. My wife order a soft drink and the soft drink was terrible due to the water mixed at the machine. They have a serous problem with the tap water. read more

I'm thankful they have a restaurant because it's about 30 minutes to the next restaurant in town. The portions are big enough for two people to share, or bring leftovers back to your room/cabin/RV. Disappointed in the pancakes- they were tough and rubbery, would have been inedible without the strawberries. Being from New Orleans, we found the chicken fried steak and chicken fried chicken and the gravy very bland. But with a little salt and a lot of pepper, we made it work. The kids popcorn chicken had more flavor than anything. It was actually really good and the portion was huge. I would say enough for two younger kids to split. Service was quick and the view is amazing. read more

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The service was amazing and the food is perfect every single time we come here! Seriously one of the best burgers in the area! read more

Mather Lodge Restaurant - Southwestern eggrolls - American Near Me - Morrilton, Arkansas

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Four of us went to the lodge from the campground . I had the Portabella burger and my husband had Pork Chop which was excellent We were all happy with the great service and small wait time. Beautiful view from our table made it a nice end of a long day. Thanks to our friendly server Teneka! read more

I loved this lodge restaurant with the most gorgeous view around! It was perfect for us to hike, eat, then hike some more. I also really love a good chicken fried steak and this one was delicious! Generous portions, tender meat, good crust, and country gravy that had a nice consistency- not too thick or gloppy. Yummy mashed potatoes and corn as well. I would highly recommend this place if in the area and definitely the chicken fried steak! Service was great and attentive. read more

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Gorgeous views, very good food and attentive service. Great place to eat when visiting Petit Jean State Park. We'll definitely return when we visit again. read more

TLDR: Service was great, dinner was good, view was incredible and breakfast was outstanding. Just finished 2 nights at the lodge with 1 dinner and 2 breakfasts. For dinner, we had the Rueben sandwich and the Mather burger. Rueben was pretty good, meat was a bit dry but I enjoyed the meal. I know some don't like the coated fries but I find that they have a nice crispy surface that lasts throughout the meal. Very good flavor. My wife had the burger which was nicely prepared with good beef and a fresh bun. Breakfast is where they shine. On the first morning, I ordered the biscuit meat/egg/cheese sandwich with Bacon as the meat. Also ordered a single pancake. Biscuit was very fresh and tasty and I killed the sandwich pretty quickly. The pancake was beyond expectations! A reasonable price for a large platter-sized serving that was tasty, had perfect texture, and the right amount of crispy edges. My wife had the Mather omelet with sausage as the enclosed meat and a biscuit as the side. Wonderful! Very generous with the sausage and the biscuit came with gravy that we mixed with some of the excess sausage from the omelet. There was no question that we would go back the next day and split the omelet and a single pancake. Walked away full. I can't say enough about the service; was attentive and friendly each time. And the view! 4* for dinner, 5* for breakfast and service. A little more expensive than your typical diner but still reasonable. read more

Service was extremely slow due to Spring Break and not being staffed in the kitchen for the rush. Food was good and the servers were friendly. It is a beautiful lodge and the view was breathtaking! read more

Not good. Cold food, prepared poorly, came out wrong. Kind service, but needs kitchen overhaul

Definitely not a foodie's dining destination. Go for the delicious view or a break from hiking but not for the food. Example- the fries are the greasy coated puff of some sort of frozen mashed potato type rather than, well, cut, fried potatoes. BLT had tasty B, some rather wimpy L and not a whole lot of T served on dry bread. BLT and frozen but not great fries- $15.. Beautiful view through window wall along back side of restaurant. Expensive children's menu. Friendly service. read more

The food is really good for breakfast and the buffet is good the coffee is really good if you have back up that works if your in a car for along time the room that we stayed in 107 is really good nice ac works great the bed is soft read more

Brad, Lead Server was great. Very attentive and fast. We shared the catfish and it was excellent. Got extra hush puppies and side salads. Beautiful lodge and scenery, great service and food. read more

First-time customers. Very impressed. I had the brisket sandwich. Very tender and full of flavor. Wife had the fried pork chops, and she couldn't say enough about it. Staff was knowledgeable and very friendly. Restrooms are clean and well stocked. Prices are fair. Katelyn was super. Knew her stuff. Sorry, Old South, you'll have to take a back seat to this place. Oh, and the views are breathtaking. read more

Mather Lodge Restaurant - American Near Me - Morrilton, Arkansas

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Disclaimer - this review is deeply COVID-19 Pandemic influenced. We don't eat out much these days, that being said, a couple take-out burgers eaten on giant rocks outside against beautiful sunset?! 6 Stars if I could (this is the first burger I have had in months!) Yeah it's the little things that count these days. After a day exploring this very interesting park, was the perfect finish. Of course found the phone # on Yelp and placed a take-out order. The lodge follows CDC guidelines and our minimal contact takeout order was just great. The lodge restaurant is very nice, and like everything else in Arkansas, service was beyond friendly and helpful. The burgers, fries, onion rings were probably MEH or below MEH. . . .enter the COVID-19 effect. This was the most amazing meal I could have asked for, might as well have been lobster on St Barts! Arkansas day trippers, this is worth a visit (and candidly one of the only local restaurant options). read more

Mather Lodge Restaurant - American Near Me - Morrilton, Arkansas

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Beautiful, the fireplace in the cabin was nice. Staff was super friendly. The food was reasonably priced and tasty.

Sunday brunch was great, the next night at the restaurant for an anniversary dinner was just ok, but that could have been a fluke (problems with preparing our steak). The view from our table was outstanding! The staff is kind and welcoming. read more

Mather Lodge Restaurant - Million dollar views in the dining room! - American Near Me - Morrilton, Arkansas

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The facilities are nice but it's rather dark in most areas. We stayed in the the lodge. The rooms were small for three people. They were "rustic" and dark. The beds were clean and soft. Through the wall heat/ air was noisy but worked great considering the hot weather. The staff were very nice. Trails were pretty and well marked. They are rough in places and steep. Bring your hiking shoes. The views are breathtaking. The restaurant was new with lots of glass and super views. Not a very large menu but adequate. The pork chops were great. Overall the whole park is very good but needs some cosmetics. The flower beds were unkempt and there cigarette buts on the grounds. Too bad smokers are allowed to liter. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend you visit the park. The new Visitor Center is excellent. Spacious camping areas near the lake and a swimming pool at the campground. Lots of history, trees, and green grass. read more

Mather Lodge Restaurant - CCC Overlook at Petit Jean State Park - American Near Me - Morrilton, Arkansas

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I'll start this on a high note, because it's truly the only good thing. THE VIEW is amazing from the dining area. Ok, that's over now the wait wasn't too bad, could have been worse. The table we were sat at was just wiped and left soaked.. not just wet but like a fresh mopped floor. The server was kind of all over the place, it took us forever to get drinks, in which another server came and took our drinks. Then another 7 mins until we could order. Yikes, we finally got our food a good while later, so disappointed. The $16 burger was a frozen cheap grilled patty, which tasted ok, but the fries were grease soaked sticks I think we're potatoes?? Kids meals wayyyyyy overpriced $9 for grilled cheese? The popcorn chicken was mystery meat yuck. Overall it's wayyyyy overpriced for the food, I do understand you are in the park and get a nice view. If you want theme park food and prices, this is a great choice. read more

My family visited while visiting Petit Jean State Park. Great breakfast buffet with great views! Service was excellent!

Service was great, I'm pretty sure our waiters name was Brad, he was excellent! Our food was hot and fresh (get the Mathers lodge burger!) Catfish was amazing, as well as the hush-puppies! If you enjoy muscadine wine, the blue parachute wine was delicious (we bought the bottle)! The view was beautiful and it felt peaceful inside due to not too many tables on a tuesday afternoon. Please go after a nice hike, you won't regret it! read more

We stayed at the Lodge two nights and ate in the restaurant 4 times. The plates for dinner are quite large and we split the plate. Great breakfast. Giant pancakes. Excellent staff. Craft beers are local. Awesome. We didn't even eat the bologna sandwiches we brought with us. read more

Mother's Day and the restaurant is not crowded at noon. Unbelievable. We were seated right away and offered drinks while we pursued the menu. I decided on the never ending salad bar and hubby had the fried chicken special. Prices were not bad. $37 for the two of us. The lettuce was fresh and the toppings were numerous but standard. The chicken was delicious, tasty and crispy. It seems there was only one server for the whole restaurant but she handled us with ease and we were never left wanting for anything. Promptly filled water glasses and brought our check right away. The view from the restaurant is fantastic as 3 sides are mostly windows. A very pleasant Mother's Day indeed read more

It was good！！ I love fried mushroom！！！ I wish we could get salmon..........Covid makes everything changed read more

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Me and My family came hear early for the breakfast, when we first sat they asked us right away for our drinks and gave us a window seat. The Food Came out in decent time and tasted amazing. The View From the our seats was amazing and the Ambiance had a nice theme and was very nice. I would Definitely come back soon read more

Great views and super convenient if you are staying in Petit Jean State Park. The breakfast food was very good, overpriced but large portions that can be shared. Dinner was hit and miss based on three night of eating. Not horrible but just so so for the cost. The staff was friendly. Better option if staying at the lodge cabins is to bring your own food to cook. read more

Such good food. And the service was excellent; such friendly staff. The place is so welcoming and the view is breathtaking.

Melissa and Kate were so very helpful and offered awesome service. The weather had gotten bad on the moutain during our stay and the staff had to stay the night to keep the restaurant open so that everyone up there could still eat. They were super nice and made our experience so much better than it could have been because we were so nervous having to stay up there. Also I recommend the chicken fried steak! read more

I had the ruben sandwich and the beer battered onion ring, very delicious.. Staff was very friendly and welcoming. The views are Spectacular.. FYI, the waterfall trailhead starts right behind the Mather Lodge and the maps are in the gift shop.. read more

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Limited menu right now and the dining room is closed due to state cutbacks. They are only offering take out, but there are tables outside or in the "lounge" where you can eat. Had a Ruben with fries and it was good. Tea was just sweet enough, and free refills. The scenery is fantastic, and the food is good. Staffers are pleasant and polite, and I am glad they remain open. read more

Nothing like it once was. Visited on Memorial Day weekend and was told by the front counter we should be there between 4:40-5:00 to avoid a long wait for a party of 7. Arrived at 5pm with very few tables filled; leaving at 6:30 restaurant was still only 25% filled. All in our party were disapointed in our entrees as compared to our last visit 3 years prior. The pork chops were very fatty, the chicken fried steak was 75% batter with very little meat, the fried shrimp were frozen breaded shrimp with no flavor. Two in our party ordered fried chicken livers only to be told later that they were not available. Highlite of the meal was that my wife enjoyed her bowl of greens, the rolls were good, and the salad bar was okay. read more

The wait was a bit much but when having a beautiful view Surrounding us and comfortable sofas made the time fly. Our waitress was very attentive and kept our coffee cups coming. The food was nice and Hardy. read more

Mather Lodge Restaurant - Cheese sandwich with potatoes chips - American Near Me - Morrilton, Arkansas

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The view is Free! Don't pay for the food! It is terrible! Definitely drive somewhere else and eat... Believe me"Morrilton and Russellville are worth the drive". Let me help you not make a mistake. Because if you eat here you will regret the cost and quality of both the food and the service. read more

You have to make a decision before deciding to eat here. Do you want great food or a fabulous view? Mather Lodge has perfected the view part and is one of the prettiest lodges you'll find anywhere. In fact the lodge itself could be picked up and put in Alaska or Canada and people would come here. It offers beautiful views of the valley that Cedar Falls free falls into. The food, on the other hand, is average. We ordered two of their signature items in the reuben and blackened catfish. Both were average. None of the food tastes like it was made from scratch on site rather ordered from a food distributor and cooked. And too many people that are on vacation and up in the mountains there's nothing wrong with that. Keep in mind you're about 30 minutes from the city here and there are no other options. So if the family is hungry this is the place you're going to go. They say the pizza is hand-tossed on-site but it sure doesn't taste like it. Take a look at the photos and you'll see it's your typical average pizza which might be great if you have kids but don't expect anything gourmet. We also ordered the mozzarella sticks as an appetizer and they tasted like they were frozen and just reheated. The same goes for the french fries. They do have a salad bar here and along with the rest of the items it looks like everything was purchased from the food distributor so if you like places like the Golden Corral you'll love the salad bar here. All of the dressings are clearly from a bottle and not made on site. If you're hiking in the area and you need a bite there's nothing wrong with the food here. It's your average food kind of like a long part of what you would get at a place like IHOP or Denny's or a little bit better than something like Bob Evans. Fortunately, the staff is extremely friendly and make the experience much better than the food itself. Come for the view not for the food and you'll be happy. read more

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This is the only restaurant in this part of the park. After a 5 mile, moderate hike you definitely need to recharge. Views are great and the service was really nice. Because of its location I was expecting expensive, low quality food. Although food isn't fine-dining quality, it was a good experience. The salad bar had fresh veggies. Our entrees very average; portions were generous, to the point that we skipped dessert. Our check was much less than we would pay somewhere else with such demand. We won't hesitate going back when in the area. read more

Mather Lodge Restaurant - View from our table - American Near Me - Morrilton, Arkansas

Fried Catfish was delicious and fresh. Came for the Ribeye but due to staffing they had a limited menu. The view is lovely and the staff was awesome. read more