I had to stop off and try this place I've been hearing about. It was built, and as well as owned and operated by a local Amish community. All comfort food done right. I ordered several dishes and all of them cooked perfectly. I've been a professional chef for 21 years. And a cook for even longer. I've eaten at a lot of restaurants a long the way that have simple comfort food gone wrong. These simple recipes were made with love and no mistakes. Every dish every bite done right. Even the Desserts were great. And the fact that this community also built this place by hand, it had this comforting rustic feel to it. Customer service was absolutely great. Every server was Super friendly and courteous. 5 stars all around for the wooden spoon. read more

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This used to be one of my favorite restaurants. Ate here multiple times a month.... Wanted to take out of town friends here.... Wanted to eat here for special occasions... No more! It's been sliding down hill... I've been going much less frequently.... Past experiences with the new owners in charge included ribs that were so burnt there was no meat left (how do you not notice and send them home with a customer??)... sandwiches that had almost no meat... and the list of pathetically bad food goes on... but I was optimistic- I kept going back.... after all at least the desserts were good! But the last visit was the last straw!! Today I had inedible bread pudding. It was horrible, horrible I repeat horrible!! Seriously NOT edible. It made me ill. It had WAY too much cinnamon. My mouth still burns 2 hours later.. my throat is still burning with cinnamon! My stomach is upset as I stupidly swallowed a bite! It was hard. It was nasty. It was disgusting. I was so disappointed. I've never had that bad of bread pudding, ever in my life. I love bread pudding. This place used to have fabulous bread pudding!! I would have said top 5 bread puddings... I miss those days! I've never seen it this deserted. No one is eating there and now I understand why! It's disgusting. Don't go, just don't go. There may be something there that's good (my entree today was fine - not special but ok) but chances are something that you get will be horrible! So why waste your money to go to one of the more expensive restaurants in this whole area. Just don't do it. Save yourself time, energy and disgusting food that will make you feel ill! Oh... and if you call to tell them... (I'd like to give THEM feedback so they can improve) they might say they're too busy to talk now (how? The place is empty?!). Oh, but wait A they say it's not empty - it's seasonally slow. LOL! Too funny as the last owners never had a slow week let alone a slow season! I feel bad for the former owners!! Many people might not know they sold it... these new people have zero quality control!! I have a feeling they won't be open long... the lines of people waiting to eat here are gone... the tables are empty - even during lunch "rush"! Send up the white flag and die peacefully!! TLDR - food sucks! Don't go! read more

The Wooden Spoon - Very, very skimpy amount of chicken on a $15 salad! Plus, the chicken looks like it was hacked up with a butter knife. - American Near Me - Gentry, Arkansas

We went with our family of 6 on Friday night and the place was packed. We waited for 45 minutes or so for our table and that was our only downside. Once seated the service, the food and the atmosphere were all great! My daughter and I had the salmon with roasted broccoli and a sweet potato and it was the best dish on the table. Although my husband and son-in-law would argue the fried catfish was equally as good and yet another said the Mac & cheese with chicken was best! Our waitress took great care of us and the manager came by a couple of times to check on things. This would be a 5 star rating but the wait time was about 20 minutes longer than "quoted". They commented about being short staffed so we will try again and hope for that added star. read more

The Wooden Spoon - Ambiance - American Near Me - Gentry, Arkansas

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Keeping it simple, there is not a better desert option in NWA. Most people go for the bread pudding, which is phenomenal, but I've always loved their French Silk. I don't see it in the menu anymore, but it is a light chocolate that melts... read more

Many great salads to choose from. Wraps, Chicken Strips, a Burger and Fish. And then there are the desserts. A rural farm décor and atmosphere with classy modern feel. Check the pictures, especially the desserts. Everything is a delicious as it looks. Mennonite ladies in their traditional conservative attire provide the superb service. Comfortable seating. An extremely popular restaurant. Go Early! read more

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I enjoyed the broccoli salad and dessert of the chocolate pie but the rest of the entree chicken fried steak was sorely lacking. Good service but wasn't impressed with the food. read more

Great food service and love the Mennonite dresses and atmosphere - the menu has great choices and the little store at the entrance has great products read more

Service and food is good! Everything I've tried is yummy. Worth the drive! There will be a wait time read more

What a memorable meal in a charming setting with attentive Mennonite wait staff. We're mystified they are only open 10:30-2:00 weekdays plus Friday night but it seems to be working. One of us had the special of barbecued meatballs with two sides (mac n cheese, broccoli salad), two had the steak salad which was HUGE and piled with good things including the best onion rings, and my salad with feta, strawberries, apples and walnuts was so good I think I ate every bite. One friend ordered the special caramel pecan bread pudding (with extra spoons) and although we were all so full, we managed to sample this glorious treat! We had no wait when we arrived about 1:30 on a Thursday and they let us linger as long as we wanted. read more

It reel goot man. Try the Cobb salad with fried yard bird. Only occasionally open so plan your visit mayn.

Love the converted barn and its history. Welcoming front porch and a swing gazebo in the front makes the exterior inviting. Can be a long wait but it's worth it. Everything made from scratch and the food is delicious. We had the chicken fried chicken, Mac and cheese (my son said it was the best he's over had), tasty white gravy, yeast rolls that melt in your mouth, and the peach cobbler were all amazing. Catfish could have been crispier, but still a fantastic experience. read more

Amazing food and desserts for that nice country feel. Desserts cannot be beat some of the best pies and cakes ever and the service has always been good even when they are super busy! read more

I liked how the good the food is ! The waitress was really nice and friendly. The food took a minute to get but it was absolutely worth the wait! The ambiance was nice. There isn't any music but it totally works because the tables are spread out enough you're not hearing your neighbors conversations. The rock fireplace is pretty and a central fixture. The interior also has strong old, solid wood beams. The food is amazing. The desert is great. The servings are large. read more

The Wooden Spoon - Central fireplace - American Near Me - Gentry, Arkansas

Went here today for lunch as a group of 22. Had to wait a bit but it was worth it. Food was very good, no complaint from anyone in the group. Quick service, waitress was very efficient considering the place was packed. Everyone had dessert too and it was excellent. Highly recommend! read more

The ambiance and decor are nice and inviting. It's the first look at the menu which clues you in that you're paying Rogers & Bentonville prices for Gentry food. $5.99 for a cup of soup? $7.99 for a bowl? I ordered Country Fried Streak with two sides. Asked if I could get a cup of soup as a side. "Yes," I was told, "no upcharge." It was an extra $2.79 on the bill. My wife ordered the grilled mushroom wrap. It arrived with wads of spinach and four (yes, my wife looked for them) small mushrooms. As my wife was disappointed in the $13.99 wrap and didn't eat it, due to so much spinach, she spoke to our server. After returning from a quick conversation from the manager she offered to comp a cookie and a dessert. Wife said fine and asked for a dessert and was told it was too expensive and she couldn't pick it. Choose another. My portions were small and disappointing, which combined with my wife's choice left us unsatisfied and $48 poorer for the experience. I do hope the owner sees this and considers how the management can take care of customers more effectively. My suggestion? Drive into town a little bit further and find the restaurant with a woman's name on the sign. Great prices and value, larger portions, locally owned. read more

Finally had the chance to try this place after living in Gentry for 3 years. I had high expectations because of all the hype it gets and from what I hear. Unfortunately, my experience was not that great. The fries I had were extremely salty. I couldn't even finish it. The half chicken was just like regular rotisserie style chicken, nothing special about it. My fiancé had their steak burger or sandwich. Very disappointed in that.. I think I'll try again one more time in a few months or so. Hoping to have a better experience. read more

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Great selection of food from the menu and excellent freshness and taste. Service was very friendly, informative and attentive. The decor is barn like, interesting and a small gift shop area at the front for unique items to browse or purchase. read more

Well, this was a shocker to me .... in a good way, of course. The Wooden Spoon was recommended by a friend and so we went. When I first saw it from the outside, I figured it was a typical ma-and-pa type restaurant -- you know, decent food, but not great, and bad décor. I was sorely mistaken. When my wife and I walked in, it was cozy, not dirty; homey, but not to specific to the owners to make you feel uncomfortable that you are invading someone's personal home. We had to wait about 10mins. During that time, we looked over the cookbook and were impressed by the simplicity of the recipes. After we were seated, the wait staff was prompt to bring water and help us get our order. We ordered the chicken fried chicken and the catfish -- both highly recommended by our friends and the wait staff. When the food came to the table, it doesn't look amazing, but it was very, very good. The CFC is some of the best I've had, while the catfish was moist and tender. The sides (mac & cheese and beans) were also excellent (FYI, the mac&cheese is homemade! bonus!!!!!). After lunch, we had some dessert -- after all, their motto is "come for dessert, stay for a meal." So, we got the pie sampler with bumblebee pie, peanut butter, and a caramel pecan cream cheese. Incredible, all of them!!! All in all, this was a great place to eat. Well worth the drive out to Gentry and well worthy the wait. My only wish is that they were open from dinner during the week (they only serve dinner on Friday night). Highly recommended! 5-stars! read more

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Every time I go to The Wooden Spoon is such a treat! Everything I've eaten here has been excellent, and I always get a new dessert to try (how can you NOT?!) I've never seen this place not busy, but it is well worth putting your name on the list, and I have usually been seated faster than the quoted wait time. It is such a friendly atmosphere, and such a sweet country setting (with a big porch and chairs and hanging swings) that the wait goes by fast. Or you can just stare at all of the yummy desserts and TRY to decide which to pick for later. The food is great every time - I've had sandwiches, soup, Chicken Fried Chicken (a recent FAVORITE - not sure if it's every day but we were there on a Monday and they had it), and most recently the Carmel Pecan Pie (cheesecake). Boyfriend also got a burger and Mac and cheese which was delicious (the cheese on the burger really popped). The staff members are very nice and make sure your drinks are filled (even when they are busy, which is all the time). It's a little out of the way for some, but if you are even close to the area, make the drive. You won't find another place like the Wooden Spoon! read more

The Wooden Spoon - Inside - American Near Me - Gentry, Arkansas

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OMG! This Place Has Very Good Food. First Time Customer, wasn't sure what to Order. I settled for the Ribeye Steak Sandwich, and Gourmet Potatoes. My Wife Got The Classic Club Sandwich and Roasted Potatoes. I was talking with another customer and he recommended the Catfish Dinner, I'm looking forward to it the Next Time in. The Staff was Very Helpful and Friendly. read more

After many have told us we needed to try this place, we finally made it. It was a 55 minute drive and a 30 minute wait to see what all the talk was about. This building is actually a very old horse barn that was torn down and moved to Arkansas, The timber are incredible. All the staff are nice, prompt and professional. I had the chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes after reading all the reviews. While it was very good, I was reminded later that my body doesn't like fried foods any more. I also had the peach cobbler. It was very different than any I have had before, it was cut in a square and firm. However it was excellent. It was a very good experience and if we are ever in the area again, we will stop by. read more

The Wooden Spoon - Chicken fried steak - American Near Me - Gentry, Arkansas

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Enjoyed lunch with a friend and we had the Santa Fe wrap and I had a side of the Tuscan soup. Everything was delicious.

We traveled from Tulsa to Gentry to eat here for my sisters birthday dinner. The building and atmosphere is so cute and homey. My husband read that some of the beams inside dated back to the 1870s!!! We all tried something different but a few of the standouts were the ribeye steak, catfish, gourmet potatoes and creamy pecan chicken!!!! We also tried a few different dessert samplers that had half pieces of three different desserts. Our favorites were peanut butter, bumblebee, and bread pudding!!! It was a great dinner and we had a nice long family table that we were able to chat and relax and enjoy my sisters birthday. The service was excellent and our waitress was so sweet to help us decide what we wanted to try. read more

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Great warm & welcoming atmosphere. The staff was friendly and the food was phenomenal. My husband ordered the all-you-can-eat catfish, and he said that it was the best he'd ever had! You've gotta save room for dessert because there's so many options! They even have frozen meals that you can take to-go. Can't wait to go back! read more

The Wooden Spoon - Pies and cakes! - American Near Me - Gentry, Arkansas

We walked in at noon and the wait was 45 mins. The hostesses and servers were courteous as people were standing and waiting and checking the wait list. The restaurant had a rustic open feel but what stood out for me were how the tables were widely spread out and therefore everyone had their own private space. The food ... I had the crispy mushroom burger with the baked beans. I looked at the beans and it's not what I had in mind until I took that first bite. It's sweet and the variety of beans made it so good! My niece ordered the chicken wrap and potato soup. They pan fried the outside crispy! Potato soup is a must. Creamy and full of flavor. It's a beautiful restaurant with outstanding service and the food is well with the wait! read more

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Great food. Great people. We always come here when we have special company in town. It's too expensive to eat here on the regular. The bread pudding is DIVINE and I usually don't like it elsewhere. It's not mushy. read more

Best salad I have had in a very long time, can't wait to come back and try more of the menu! I hear breakfast is great, I can't wait! We also scored a delicious scone, I believe it was an apples and cinnamon? First time I've had that flavor, taste buds blown! They really are worth the hype, already planning our next visit!! read more

I ate here twice last week! Once for lunch (the portabella sandwich was so good!) and once for dinner. I had the grilled chicken salad for dinner. The lettuce and veggies were fresh and tasty. But, in my opinion, you go to wooden spoon for the dessert! I had the bumble bee cream pie (or similar name) which was excellent. Second visit I had the apple cobbler. It was ok, but not like any cobbler I have had. More like a bar/cake and lots of nutmeg or allspice or something. Not my favorite, but I'm sure I will come back and sample more desserts in the future! read more

Loved this place. Stopped while traveling through. Lovely place. Gardens out front. Inside was rustic nice. Waitress was very friendly. All food made to order and looked tasty. I had the strawberry pecan salad with chicken. It was more than I could eat and I was hungry! It was very good. Hubby had the brisket sandwich bbq. He said it was very good. Had a very good sweet tea. So happy. We were going to have the triple choc layer cake but they were sold out . But we were already stuffed so opted for no dessert. The only negative is that it was really cold in there. I had a jacket in the car so got it. Would def go back as several options on the menu I would have tried. Also had clean restrooms, greatly appreciated. read more

Just took a friend there a week or so ago to celebrate her birthday! Awesome place!! There is always a lg crowd waiting for tables, but they seat everyone fairly quickly. All of their foods..from soup through desserts..are totally delightful. Service is good too. Love this place and will go again and again! read more

Great people and food, especially desserts! Get there early because it's a very popular place. read more

Ribeye steak sandwich and potato soup Are my favorite choices! I've never had anything that wasn't good waitress is an owner polite and friendly, hometown atmosphere wonderful place read more

Not worth the drive or wait Burger was overdone Chicken was overdone Should have tried one of the desserts read more

My wife and I live in Bentonville and regularly drive 25 minutes to the Wooden Spoon (lucky us). The ingredients are top quality and the meals never disappoint. It is a bit more expensive (+/- $3 a plate) than a cheaper place, but well worth it. We're fond of the roast beef open face with mashed potatoes and gravy. The desserts are superlative ----hint: the Bumblebee pie (ala mode) is legendary. On one occasion I stopped in when they had cheeseburger soup...now I keep hoping each visit! The staff are well trained (might I say charming?). And helpful in navigating menu options. The decor is rustic and the atmosphere is pretty much perfect for this restaurant. See you in a week or so........ read more

After waiting 45 minutes for our soup and salad, the server didn't apologize. Two other tables that were seated after us had hot food before we got our soup and salad combos. Then, when we wanted to order pie, they were out of most of the popular ones. When the chocolate pie arrived, it looked like it had been dumped in the bowl with hersheys syrup thrown on. We have always loved wooden spoon but this was a disappointing experience! read more

This was a little far( hehe, )I'm from Texas and already spoiled to every so close to me . Had the chicken fried chicken with gravy mash taters Hubby had the roast beef with squash casserole Dessert, peanut butter pie Bumblebee pie with ice cream Coconut cream with meringue read more

The Wooden Spoon - Roast beef with squash casserole - American Near Me - Gentry, Arkansas

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Good service and the meatloaf sandwich was so so good. Tastes like they put love into the plates they serve! Nice atmosphere as well, I love coming here when I'm in town. read more

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Still a really cool space, and desert is still awesome. I think the taste and quality of the food has changed a little since new ownership, but still a good choice. read more

Definitely worth the drive from Bentonville. Meal was delicious, atmosphere cozy, service was a little slow. read more

The Wooden Spoon - American Near Me - Gentry, Arkansas

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The food was good but I found it to be a little pricey for just plain food. Apparently there is a secret menu because the table next to us ordered tacos and they were not on the menu. read more