Nick's Bar-B-Q & Catfish

Nick's Bar-B-Q & Catfish sits in the small Lonoke County town of Carlisle, off Interstate 40 east of Little Rock, and it has been a pit stop for road-trippers for decades. The restaurant was the idea of E.C. Ferguson, known as Cleo, who got the pit smoking for the first time in 1972.

Two Arkansas traditions on one menu

The catfish comes as five- to six-inch fillets lightly dusted in cornmeal, fried and served with chunky potatoes and dark hush puppies. The barbecue includes chopped and sliced pork, ribs, sliced and chopped beef and smoked chicken halves, all with a rub and a tangy orange-brown sauce. Dinners are divided into barbecue, chicken, shrimp and catfish options, so a table can mix and match.

Details people remember

The burger is a half-pound char-grilled patty topped with pulled pork, barbecue sauce, coleslaw, cheese and a fried green tomato. Starters include fried green tomatoes and a yellow cheese dip served with salsa and thin, crisp tortilla chips, which a few diners say beats the cheese dip anywhere else. Dessert means Grandma's homemade pecan pie or a homemade fried pie, recipes the family says have not changed in generations.

A family business

Cleo died about two decades ago, but the restaurant is still family-run. His widow Dorothy, now in her nineties, continues to make the rib rub and sauce, while grandson Clay Waliski and Cleo's sons Todd and Craig run the business.

Common Questions

What are the hours?
Typically 10 AM to 9 PM Sunday to Thursday and 10 AM to 10 PM Friday and Saturday. Call (870) 552-3887 to confirm.

When did it open?
The first pit was lit in 1972.

Who runs it now?
The Ferguson family, with Dorothy still making the rib rub and sauce.

What is the catfish like?
Cornmeal-dusted fillets, fried and served with potatoes and hush puppies.

What is for dessert?
Homemade pecan pie and fried pies.