Angus Jack celebrates year in Bentonville

Local burger joint with gluten-free variety expands and thrives

Ian and Jean Cairns were high school sweethearts in their native land of Northern Ireland. After moving nearly halfway around the world and working for two decades in the restaurant industry; they decided we, the people of Northwest Arkansas, needed a better burger. Thus, Angus Jack was born. Named after Jean’s late father; the restaurant touts wild ways to accessorize burgers, and has a serious take on gluten-free options.

When Ian’s dad was diagnosed with celiac disease, the couple thought, “why create a restaurant where not everyone in the family can eat?” And with that in mind, they crafted a menu that has something for every member of the family: from their fun kids menu and chicken options to the new Seasonal Salad, Jacked-Up Fries and, of course, burgers upon burgers. A separate area of their kitchen with a gluten-freebun toaster and an entire fryer are dedicated to serving gluten-sensitive individuals, and nearly everything on the menu is available gluten-free.

Angus Jack was established in Springdale nearly six years ago, and its success has spawned a second location. On September 23rd, the burger concept celebrated its one-year anniversary of setting up shop in Bentonville.

The Cairns have grown roots in their new community; hosting several successful “Spirit Night” fundraisers for local groups and high school clubs, and finding inventive ways to share elementary school students’ creativity with parents.

“We’re always looking for more ways to be involved,” says Jean, mentioning that kids eat free every Monday from 4:00-8:00 pm.

The Cairns believe their customer service and high-quality ingredients contribute to Angus Jack’s faithful following. Fresh, never frozen Angus beef is hand-formed into patties throughout the day and flavored with their signature seasoning then made to order.

“It’s a mostly scratch kitchen,” says Ian. “We hand-cut our fries, daily,” adds Jean.

They also offer several uncommon side-items such as buttermilk-fried mushrooms and sweet potato fries that are made exceptionally tasty by matching them with house-made sauces like ranch, garlic aioli, and agave sauce.

Their most popular burger is the Razorback Jack, which is essentially a double-patty bacon-cheeseburger. Each burger is customizable with a variety of sauces, cheeses, veggies, and any number of items from their 99¢ “Jack It Up” list featuring nearly a dozen creative additions including a fried egg, a pineapple ring, fried pickles and mushrooms. Among several fun and creatively named sandwiches such as the Jumpin’ Jack and Lumber Jack, one of Angus Jack’s most unique items is the Black Jack burger: unlike anything else around, this single-patty affair features blackened seasoning, melted blue cheese, and grilled jalapeños for a unique and spicy flavor. To cool you off afterward, they have 11 flavors of hand-dipped shakes and over 50 possible flavor combinations of Jack Frost iced beverages.

Angus Jack is set up to cater your next event. Their drool-worthy catering menu includes the Wee Jack, Chick Six (chicken sliders with pickles and AJ signature sauce), Wee BLT, Boxed Lunches (burger, chips and cookies), and the new Seasonal Salad.

There are several ways to get your Angus Jack fix: phone it in and beat the line, or take your meal to-go; drive through or dine-in at the Bentonville or Springdale locations; or get it delivered through Bite Squad online (or find the full link for each location in the Fact Box at right).