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The Wooden Spoon

4.6 (196 reviews)
ModerateAmerican, Desserts, Wraps
Closed • Closed

The Wooden Spoon Photos

Business Info

THE WOODEN SPOON ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Good for groups
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - The Wooden Spoon

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Very, very skimpy amount of chicken on a $15 salad!  Plus, the chicken looks like it was hacked up with a butter knife.
Esme V.

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!

Ambiance

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.

A Delicious Seasonal Salad with crispy chicken and strawberry vinaigrette dressing
Spike S.

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!

Central fireplace

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.

Arina L.

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.

Catfish with yummy hushpuppies and homemade mac & cheese.
Greg P.

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!

Inside
Karson S.

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!

Chicken fried steak
Tom A.

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.

Yummy pies/cakes
Jenny B.

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.

Pies and cakes!
Charly E.

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!

Takeout

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

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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.

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The Cafe On Broadway - Egg, bacon and cheese biscuit.

The Cafe On Broadway

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The Wife and I eased into Siloam Springs the way a mule eases down a mountain trail -- deliberate,…read moredignified, and carrying more curiosity than luggage. Two pups in tow, tails waggin' like they'd just heard supper bell ring twice, we found ourselves settlin' onto Broad Street, perched on one of those old brick corners that looks like it's seen more stories than a church pew on revival Sunday. Locals out front welcomed us the way small towns always should -- friendly, opinionated, and quick with recommendations. "Biscuits and gravy," they said with the confidence of folks who don't recommend lightly and definitely don't apologize for gravy. Outdoor seating sits right on that historic downtown bend, the kind of spot where time slows down and conversations meander like a creek after spring rain. Pet friendly? Friend, they didn't just tolerate the pups -- the staff made rounds like a county fair judge inspectin' prized livestock, offering scratches, compliments, and a few heartfelt dog discussions that ran deeper than most city council meetings. Now let's discuss the tea and coffee situation, because this is where I knew we'd struck honest ground. I overheard a first-day trainee (doing better than most third-year professionals, mind you) being instructed in the sacred ratios of a proper cappuccino: 2 oz espresso, 2 oz steamed milk, 2 oz foam. Praise be to the saints of crema and microfoam -- somebody in these hills still understands a cappuccino is not meant to arrive in a vessel large enough to baptize a raccoon. No vat-o-latte foolishness here. Food arrived quicker than gossip spreads at a quilting circle, and mercy... it did not disappoint. The breakfast biscuit sandwich stood tall and proud like a well-built fence post -- sturdy, dependable, and doing exactly what a biscuit sandwich ought to do. The biscuits and sausage gravy? Smooth as a fiddle tune drifting across foggy ridgelines. Balanced, rich, and comforting enough to make a grown man reconsider his afternoon productivity. I did briefly flirt with the open-faced avocado toast -- looked respectable, like it had spent time reading labels at Whole Foods -- but I stayed loyal to the biscuits and gravy. Some decisions are guided not by curiosity but by heritage. And then... chocolate gravy appeared on the menu. Friends, chocolate gravy is one of those old Appalachian traditions that feels like it was discovered accidentally during a blizzard and then protected like family lore ever since. Sweet, warm, nostalgic, and just rebellious enough to make nutritionists squint suspiciously. Cafe On Broad feels like the culinary equivalent of finding a front porch rocker that fits just right -- welcoming, unpretentious, and quietly confident in what it does well. If you find yourself wanderin' through Siloam Springs with a little time and a healthy appetite, pull in slow, bring the dogs, and order something with gravy. Preferably more than one gravy. It's what the mountains would want.

I've been to this Cafe before in the summer but the winter is also a great time to go. Arrived…read moreabout 9AM, I ordered a black coffee which is very good quality, better than the green fish girl place and as good or better than 7 brew. It's worth coming down to the square, parking and walking in. I got a homemade square biscuit sandwich with fried egg-perfection--no brown bits, they were out of sausage so they put bacon and I'm so glad they did!! Best bacon ever--none of this store bought stuff!! Swiss cheese and i went for the Rosemary jam. With my coffee, the only thing that could have been better would have been a cozy fire to sit by!! Excellent place out of the way and worth it!! The service was great wonderful and they were very kind in every way.

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The Cafe On Broadway - Breakfast Biscuit Sandwich

Breakfast Biscuit Sandwich

The Cafe On Broadway

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The Wooden Spoon - tradamerican - Updated June 2026

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