Stopped by for lunch on the way home from Hot Springs. This is only the second time we've had a chance to stop, and like the first time, the food and service were excellent. You have to try the potato babies appetizer. It's $5.50 as I post this and you get A LOT of potato wedges. The server brought 2 cups of ranch because there were two of us there. That's a very subtle and very nice touch to customer service. The food was excellent of courses, as were the desserts. T had the first scoop of banana pudding for the day and I had the chocolate fries pie with ice cream. I'm only a little upset we didn't purchase one of the brownies or a slice of pecan pie they had sitting on the bar. Both looked really, really good. read more

See all

Stopped at this place a little over an hour before they closed as we were traveling and it was getting late and we needed dinner. The restaurant is super clean and very inviting. Our server took amazing care of us and was very attentive despite having a large party and other tables We opted for the fried green tomatoes as an app and then the platter with all the meats and we subbed the chicken out for catfish. Sides we chose baked beans and fries. Fried green tomatoes- were crunchy and the breading actually stayed on the tomato. They were seasoned perfectly. Absolutely would get these again Platter which was at market price of 37$ about a 1/4 pound of each meat and 3 pieces of catfish for the substitute Chopped brisket (they were out of sliced) It was a little dry since it was so close to end of the day but overall good flavor and smoked taste Chopped pork- wasn't your typical smoked pork but it had more of a nice smoked flavor than most would like to try it sliced next time Sausage has a little bit of a thick skin but an amazing flavor and juicy Ribs were our least favorite you got 3 and they were very dry and I wasn't a fan of the seasoning but that's personal preference Catfish hands down the best I've ever had. It was friend to perfection. The breading was light and crispy I really wish I lived closer just for the catfish Hush puppies were a little over cooked but had a good flavor Fries were soooo good and had a nice seasoning on them Baked beans were good as well with a little bacon in them. Texas toast was soft yet likely toasted Overall I would order this meal again for us to share. It was more food than we could finish. Also if you have an EV they have 4 chargers for free. If you have a Tesla you just need the adapter They also have semi truck parking read more

See all

The cheese dip is always the best here. They have that recipe that matches the cheese dip Mexico Chiquita used to serve. Now for the downside, I had ribs and smoked sausage with potato salad and coleslaw. The menu states they are both homemade. It's a mustard potato salad and I am pretty sure I have had both from Sam's wholesale. Both were plain and lacked seasoning. The ribs appeared to be a couple of weeks old and reheated in the microwave. The onion rings that my wife had were huge and crunchy but had no flavor in the batter or salt added after frying. The smoked sausage looked like what I cooked for the 4th. Not smoked just heated and sliced. If not for the cheese dip this would have been a one. Oh staff provided super service no issues there. They cannot control the quality of the food. The table we were sitting at looked homemade and there were some crevices around some knot holes that were full of crumbs! Pretty nasty. I will go back for some cheese dip......to go!! read more

It is exactly what it promises - excellent catfish cooked hot, fresh and delicious. Green tomato relish , tartar sauce and some of best onion ring a I've had in a long time. Yes the traditional fries, slaw and fried okra were spot on as well. A surprise for such a small town off the freeway but a great stop read more

Service was excellent you can tell that the servers care about their customers. The ultimate dinner is probably the best value on the menu. Definitely enough for two adults. The fried catfish was cooked well and flavor was good. Not the best i've eaten but would order it again. Potato salad was served cold and I'm one of those that prefer my potato salad served warm. I would rate it average. The slices brisket was the highlight for me. I came for the catfish but the brisket was worth the stop. Tender, moist and just enough smoke and marble to make it hit the spot. The smoked sausage was my least favorite. It had a decent flavor however the sausage was hard to chew through so it took away from the flavor. Took the chicken, ribs and onion rings with me in a to go box so no rating on those but the do look good read more

Nick's Bar-B-Q & Catfish - Ultimate dinner - Barbeque Near Me - Carlisle, Arkansas

The small catfish platter is very large. I got the catfish sandwich. So delicious. Never had one with onions and pickles on it. Maybe pickles but I don't think onions. Got the baked beans as a side. They had a little bite to them. We got corn fritters and they come with dipping honey. My friend got the small catfish meal. Like I said... it's not small. Onion rings, hush puppies, catfish and fried okra. If you eat normal amounts of food you won't be able to finish this. This is really some of the best catfish. Place is huge and was packed to the gills when we went. Very clean bathrooms. I highly recommend it. Very good. read more

Nick's Bar-B-Q & Catfish - Catfish sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Carlisle, Arkansas

See all

Well after traveling cross country 4 or five times now and seeing the signs for this place I finally decided to stop and try it for myself. Well the food here is excellent but it's enough for 2-3 people. The star for me has to be the ribs. Wow so smoky 10/10 next would be the potato salad excellent with lots of flavor 9/10 catfish is also quite good crispy outside and soft center 9/10. I also got something I've never had before and I'm not sure I'm a fan of turnip greens 4/10 All in all I'm glad I stopped. I'm going to have lots of leftovers when I get to Atlanta!! read more

See all

The ribs and catfish here are epic. The service is top notch and the new remodel of the dining room is amazing.

Definitely worth the trip. The bbq was in point and made fresh and hot. I love this bbq joint, especially when good food is hard to find out there. read more

Well, it was as good as they said it was. Place is large with plenty of seating and very clean. Kudos for having such a clean and pleasant smelling bathroom, which is a must when you're on a long road trip. Special call out to Jaycie, a great waitress giving us both time to look over the menu, offer suggestions and giving us fresh tea to take with us when I had planned to take the remaining tea from my glass with me. Fried shrimp was big and tasty and not too covered in batter. Ribs fall off the bone tender. Side salad large portion and baked potato was a good size as well. read more

Nick's Bar-B-Q & Catfish - Shrimp and BBQ ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Carlisle, Arkansas

Walking into Nick's and you're greeted by everything you want in a BBQ & Catfish restaurant: abundant tables for sit-down dining, a bar, plenty of rustic wood paneling, brick, themed Knick knacks, and a lot of University of Arkansas memorabilia. The wait staff are nice, very attentive, and act like they've known you for years. The food was very quick to arrive, and beyond expectations. The catfish batter was light but still crispy, while the fish itself melted in your mouth. The homemade coleslaw was delicious and the perfect side to cut through all the fried food, the fried okra a bounty of flavor, and even the pickle was worth savoring. The brisket was a bit dry, but the flavor was on point. If we ever find ourselves on a long car ride again, we'll plan on returning! read more

See all

Right off I-30 in Carlisle Arkansas, Nick's is known for bbq and fried catfish. My wife doesn't eat veggies so I had the fried green tomatoes appetizer all to myself; it is definitely a two-person serving. You can see how much catfish I got with the "regular" size. A light, crisp batter covering piping hot catfish fillets. Other than a couple of bites where the batter was over salted I say the catfish was great. The mustard based potato salad had an ingredient I couldn't identify or associate with potato salad; it was a little off putting. The pecan pie was not MY grandma's pecan pie but it was alright. It came to the table warm out of the oven. read more

Nick's Bar-B-Q & Catfish - Regular catfish dinner - Barbeque Near Me - Carlisle, Arkansas

Ugh!! $*#£. We won't be back. Not service animal or disabled friendly. We are both disabled and were not made to feel welcome.

Like many people you will read here we first saw the signs and after many drive-bys over the years decided to stop by. Just like the other others we were very glad we did. I had the pork ribs and the catfish platter and Weil both were very good if I had to do it again I would only get the catfish. It was extremely tender and tasty with the right amount of crispiness. The place was clean and the service was good. Zero complaints. Give it a shot! read more

Nick's Bar-B-Q & Catfish - Barbeque Near Me - Carlisle, Arkansas

See all

We had catfish and chopped brisket with onion rings, french fries, cole slaw, okra and hush puppies. It was all good. Besides the food, I liked that the music was just loud enough to hear but definitely at a level where conversation was not difficult. read more

Amazing food service was slow. The catfish knocked me out PERFECTLY seasoned and the cornmeal breading... Yum

Kept seeing the signs on the interstate. I drive an 18 wheeler and it said they have truck parking. Wish more restaurants were like Nick's. Vert nice place and great change from eating at fast food truck stop restaurants. Ordered catfish and shrimp. Lordy lordy it was fantastic. The catfish is the real deal. Not the Asian junk other places serve. They fried shrimp were huge. Hand battered not frozen out of a bag. Really really good. I got black eyed peas and onion rings for sides. Peas were basic but good but the onion rings were homemade and fantastic. Overall if you are traveling down I40 you dont want to miss this spot. You won't leave hungry. Im stopping every time I travel through. read more

Really solid BBQ and catfish place off I40 north of Little Rock. Madalyn was 6 stars! She was on top of everything during a busy Friday lunch. We had ribs, pork sandwich, sausage and catfish. All winners. Weakest link were the hush puppies. Really didn't have much of a zing. Minor deal. read more

Nick's Bar-B-Q & Catfish - Barbeque Near Me - Carlisle, Arkansas

Great job with the additional parking. I fell curious on a empty stomach and surprisingly, satisfied. I discovered Nick's driving through Arkansas. I ordered the bbq combo which is advertised as "A generous portion of our world famous smoked meats: ribs, pork, beef, chicken, and sausage." Baked beans & Coleslaw. There sauce is great. It's not manufactured and bottled by outside companies and still tastes great. They have a bar serving up whiskey and fully furnished with televisions that help keep you informed with all season updates. Overall, the place was fairly packed and seemed welcoming. If ever back in the area I'll take a tour and see what else there menu have to offer read more

Let me start with this place was awesome! Food: we shared a Catfish, Shrimp, & Chopped Brisket BBQ plate. Awesome! Sides: beans- great Coleslaw - great Mustard Potato Salad - great Turnip Greens (had to use Louisiana hot sauce instead of Texas Pete). Greens were perfect. Service was incredible extremely friendly. Ambiance totally fit the BBQ joint atmosphere. Bathrooms were clean too Family friendly great value! Highly recommend to all my friends. Now we are trying to figure out when our next trip 'cause Nick's is where we'll eat. Yes, it was that good! read more

My first time here ordered catfish sandwich it was pretty filling my husband gave me his coleslaw which was delicious on the other hand my onion rings were pretty sad only got three big ones with my sandwich I also tried the okra it was different something new I didn't try with a dip but it was okay tried one of my husbands shrimps super yummy read more

Nick's Bar-B-Q & Catfish - Catfish sandwich onion rings - Barbeque Near Me - Carlisle, Arkansas

We just ate here for the first (and last) time. This place advertised it's been in business since 1972. Well, I smoke ribs and BBQ too, and I would never serve ribs as tough as the ones we were served. Two bites and many chews later, that was enough. We addressed the ribs with the waitress and she got them taken off the bill. The catfish was pretty good, but it was greasy. None of the food was really "hot". It almost seemed like it had been microwaved. We tried the bbq nachos as well. It was also lukewarm and just OK. We left the waitress a decent tip, although she complained to us about being "double seated". I guess she had twice her normal customer load? Don't know, don't care. Maybe after 54 years, "NICK" is wore out. It sure seems that way to us. read more

I love this place! For the last 4 years, I stop by every time I'm driving to/from TN to/from OK & TX. Whether I dine in or order to-go, the food is always so good!!! This place is the one of the best things I look forward to on my drive My favorite is the chopped brisket sandwich and the Fish/Shrimp/BBQ combo. Give it a try if you're ever passing through that area. read more

Great place! Delicious food and great service. We shared the barbecue brisket, catfish and shrimp. Plenty of food for 2. Next time we are going across the country we will stop in again. read more

It's at Exit 183 off Interstate 40 in Carlisle, Arkansas. I have been here several times and am now ready to review it. First of all, it is in a log home type building. Their bathrooms are clean along with soap and everything you need while in the restroom. On Scene: There was plenty of parking out in the parking lot along with plenty of space in between cars. They also have parking right out front for the handicap. As soon as I walked in, (within 3 steps) they greeted me sat me down in a booth in the dining room. I had great customer service and had delicious food to order. I had a barbecue sandwich and was just completely satisfied. Another visit, I had catfish meal with baked beans. It was delicious too. I have also called in orders for pickup. Of course, they were ready when arrived. In summary , I highly recommend this restaurant and will definitely be looking forward to coming back. read more

See all

Ate here many years ago and it wasn't very good. Gave them another try and I swear it was the worse catfish I've ever had. Very strong fishy taste and the water sauce was sour. Last time I ever stop here for anything. Very high price for what they serve you read more

I wanna say that I give this establishment a 4.5 / 5.0 rating. This particular barbecue place focuses on a smokey dry rub style of barbecue (at least in my opinion). It's good, but it's not something I would personally actively seek out (it's just not for me, but I won't knock it because of that). The sauce was very nice, though. The potato salad was good, but a little watery for my personal taste. The turnip greens were excellent. Zero complaints. I recommend giving this place a try and if anyone is ever in McCurtain or Bowie county, try Naaman's. It will blow you away. That's my go to place. read more

Nick's is a great restaurant with excellent food, service and a fast paced vibe. The restaurant is clean, and we'll staffed and efficient. The staff is friendly and welcoming, the portions are quite large and the prices are very reasonable. read more

I found Nick's Bar-B-Q & Catfish from the billboards along the interstate. I am a fan of catfish and BBQ, so I figured it was worth a shot. I pulled into the parking lot and had issues finding an open space to park (a good sign). The interior decor screamed country BBQ eclectic (another good sign). Luckily, I didn't have to wait very long before I was seated. My server was very helpful in making suggestions based on my likes. As you can see in my pics, the Ribs, Shrimp, & Catfish platter with 2 sides (fried okra and turnip greens were my choices) was enough for 2 full meals. I topped off my meal with their scratch made banana pudding. Amazing all the way around. Probably the best feature to me was being seated at a booth next 3 elderly Southern Belles. From the bits and pieces of their conversation, they have been close friends for many years as they discussed family as well as solving current local issues. They were so cute. I was also fortunate enough to be able to pick up the tab for a table of law enforcement to thank them for their service as first responders. Nick's Bar-B-Q & Catfish is legit! read more

See all

Food was excellent. Service was a little slow but not terrible. The restaurant was pretty clean and the servers were very friendly. The brisket, catfish, pulled pork and onion rings were all excellent. read more

My first time coming and I was so hungry ! Ordered the beef bbq dinner with fried okra potatoe salad and then order of fried green tomatoes bc been so long since I had some ! First off was disappointed in the tomatoes the breading on it tasted just like flour and the tomatoes were nasty. The okra was ok and the bbq and the tater salad was omg the best!!!! I give 5 stars on those but the rest no no no ! It was like 26 bucks for it read more

Worst food I've eaten in a long time.. not sure why this place has 4 stars. Staff was friendly.

Driving through Arkansas there was an accident just after Carlisle and we were ready to eat. We saw Nicks BBQ and Catfish come up in Yelp just in time. We decided to stop and eat before getting in the 41 minute traffic and glad we did. We shared a two meat combo of beef brisket and fall off the bone St Louis ribs. The brisket was extremely tender and the ribs are as advertised! Falling off the bone. Our two sides were baked beans (awesome) and the potato salad(ok). My wife also ordered fried pickles which were seasoned extremely well and fried to perfection! Our server was very kind and attentive to us. She was friendly and offered good recommendations on what to eat. I highly recommend trying this little BBQ spot and enjoying their many food offerings. read more

See all

The ambiance was great. The service was excellent. Everyone greeted us on the way in. The food was delicious. I will be back again. read more

See all

This was our second visit the next during our travels with our RV back from Cincinnati to Lufkin, Texas. The food was fantastic again I had sausage and brisket and my wife had their signature hamburger which was huge and delicious. My brisket was tender and went well with the barbecue sauce and the smoked sausage is very good as well. Plenty of parking outside for trucks given we have a big RV. This is perfect for us and we enjoyed a good meal and we're on our read more

My heart belongs to KC BBQ but OMG, this is pretty damn good! They have only location! I can see why they are so popular! The place is warm and inviting. The staff was equally phenomenal! Definitely dropping by again the next time I pass through Carlisle. read more

Always thought about stopping here, but timing never worked until today. Will DEFINITELY be back. Fish and ribs, both excellent. Onion rings close to best I ever had. Ordered peach fried pie and coconut fried pie to go. They smelled wonderful, but no room for dessert - will try them later. Still took fish, coleslaw and ribs as leftovers. read more

Nick's Bar-B-Q & Catfish - SMALL Catfish Dinner - 3 pieces. Regular is 5 and Large is 9. Yummy fish, hush puppies, inion rings and cole slaw. - Barbeque Near Me - Carlisle, Arkansas

See all

Amazing catfish!! I will go back across country on that route, specifically to eat there again. Very delicious!! And the staff was all very kind. 10/10 would recommend! It had a great atmosphere, and we very much enjoyed our entire experience. Thank you Nick!! read more

Nick's Bar-B-Q & Catfish - Catfish Dinner Deluxe - Barbeque Near Me - Carlisle, Arkansas

See all

All excellent, food, service, ambiance, for a roadside diner, 3 blocks from I40 at exit 183, it is fantastic! The turnip greens are the best I've ever had!! Better than the cracker & barrel!! ; ) BBQ is also some of the best around. read more

Lot of things could be said but let's just say this is one of the worst experiences. The server pretty much ignored us my food came out dry and cold and took over 30 minutes to come out the kitchen that way. Couldn't get a refill. This experience cost is over 70 dollars for 2 people. read more