Beaver Lake Bistro: for food, families and fun

Open only since June of 2019, Beaver Lake Bistro has already made a name for itself. It’s tempting to say that this eatery has it all because, well, it pretty much does have it all. Great food, different rooms and areas to fit your mood, two full bars, live music, pool tables for the adults and video games for the kids, and all housed in an expansive space where you will never feel crowded.

“This is a family oriented restaurant, and we have a wide variety of menu items from steak to seafood, to pasta and salads,” said owner Derek Turner. “Everything is designed to be family friendly. And we wanted to provide a multi-atmosphere experience, too.” On the north end they have a low-key atmosphere and on the south it’s a little more casual. In addition to that they have a patio.

“We have two full bars, with a third one planned for the patio,” Derek added. “We also have our stage for live entertainment. We hire a variety of bands that play blues, country and classic rock but we always make sure we have a family oriented playlist. And I want to point out we have plenty of space for social distancing. We have about 8400 sq. ft. so you can really spread out. We social distance the seats on the bar as well.”

Of course, the main attraction at the Beaver Lake Bistro is the food. It all starts with the appetizers. And what a mouthwatering selection they have! Their Baby Bellas are fresh sliced Crimini mushrooms dipped and dusted in Beaver Lake Bistro’s lightly seasoned flour and then deep-fried. The Shrimp Jammers feature large tail-on shrimp filled with cheddar, Monterey Jack, cream cheese and diced jalapenos, coated with a seasoned potato breading then deep-fired. “I’m a steak lover,” Derek said. “So my favorite appetizer is our Chimmy Steak Nachos with sirloin steak, cheese, roasted corn and black beans all smothered in our very own Chimmy Churry Sauce.”

For main courses they have salmon and rib eye and sirloin steaks along with catfish and frog legs. “Our burgers are a real hit, too,” Derek said. “We have our Porker Burger which is a beef patty in a savory blend with our own in-house pulled pork all topped off with barbecue sauce and bacon. It’s become a Beaver Lake favorite!”

Another flavorful creation is their Ozark Burger. This features a spicy certified Angus beef burger kicked up a notch with some jalop-mango sauce. All topped off with sautéed jalapenos and onions smothered in cheese.

“Our fries are farm cut fries and you can’t find them anywhere around here,” Derek said. “They are seasoned multiple times and are a big hit.”

Finally, for dessert they have their own creation called Sticky Toffee Cake. This is an amazingly moist cake made from butter, brown sugar and chopped dates. Then it’s filled with a gooey toffee sauce that starts to run through the cake as soon as it is warmed. Top it off with a scoop of ice cream and it is the prefect end to a great meal.

An impressive thing to note about the Beaver Lake Bistro is the fact that owner Derek Turner walks the talk when it come to giving back to the community. “I think it is important to hold charity events at the restaurant,” he said. “This month we are doing a benefit for the NWA Food Bank. I like to do the charity events once a month.” Beaver Lake Bistro is also one of a few establishments in the area that provides food to the Beaver Lake Fire department when they are having their training sessions. One Tuesday every month they supply the food and have been doing that from almost the beginning.

The eatery just launched a new website: www.beaverlakebistro.com. On it you will find a full menu, a place to make a reservation, plus you can take a virtual tour. Much like a real estate page, you can travel room to room on the website virtual tour ands see with your own eyes just how expansive and varied the Beaver Lake Bistro experience is.

The Beaver Lake Bistro also does catering so you can outfit your next party or event with the unique offerings of the bistro. They are also soon expanding into delivery and you will be able to order and pay on the website. Right now, take out is available.

Check out their 5 star Yelp reviews or, better yet, stop by and treat yourself to the Beaver Lake Bistro experience.

Questions about this or other dining features? Contact Karen Rice at 479-571-6474 or krice@NWADG.com