The Big Orange

Gourmet burgers manufactured according to exacting specs (humanely raised beef!) and properly fried Kennebec potatoes are the big draws, but you can get a veggie burger as well as fried chicken, curried falafel and blacked tilapia sandwiches, plus creative meal-sized salads. Shakes and floats are indulgences for all ages. Adults will find a huge bar including craft beers and esoteric wine. It’s kid friendly, too, with a $4.95 tots' platter. If you're a discerning drinker and live in West Little Rock, Big Orange is an oasis in a desert of chain bars. The crowds, perpetually lined up outside the restaurant, come for burgers, fries, milkshakes and pie. Drinkers come early or late, when they can get a seat at the bar, for a drink menu and booze selection rivaled in Little Rock only by the Capital Bar and Grill. Recent obsessions: A near-perfect Pimm's Cup. The Texas Two Step, a cocktail created by bar manager Dylan Yelenich, that's muddled jalapeños and basil, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, Cointreau and either tequila or mezcal (the smokier mezcal version is better) shaken and on the rocks. And Saison Dupont, a delicious Belgian ale with a hint of spiciness, available on tap along with half a dozen other craft brews.