Eat Arkansas

Actually, that's the Chicken Parmesan... buttery good. The Cheeseburger's got quite a punch, if you're not used to having a bit of mustard in your pie.

Pretty darn tasty. Nice picture.

Pizza D is nasty. Too much cigarette smoke (and I'm a smoker) and the place is dirty.

Huh. Didn't notice smoke when I was there (and I can't be around it). Of course, I did go around 6pm. Maybe smoking happens later.

That looks good. The smoke and dirt adds character in my opinion. Too many restaurants are new and sparkling. We need more dirty holes in the wall that serve fantastic food because they use pans that are well seasoned, not replaced when aged with whatever Sysco brings on the truck, and concern themselves more with good food than that old dirty spot out in the dining hall.

That said, proper sanitation is key. Your dining area can be clean and have a kitchen that is unsafe. You don't know what is behind door number 1 unless you go look, which is difficult in many restaurants (doors intentionally hidden from customer view).

Kat, the smoking happens later. Pizza D tried to go non-smoking for about a week or two, but abandoned that plan. It can get as smoky as Midtown before the night is done.

AC, sanitation is the key. I don't usually eat at Pizza D; I go for the bar.

I had my first date with the man who would become my husband there when I was but a wee girl of 16, and that's where we got engaged 10 years later (no, we didn't date the entire time), so Pizza D's has a special place in my heart.

Couldn't possibly bring myself to eat there after hearing from a chef in their kitchen that they had pet rats (they actually name them!) I'm shocked this place hasn't been shut down by the health dept years ago.

Ha...a chef at Pizza D's? That's a bit of a stretch!

I've seen huge rats behind the place just pulling up in a parking spot. The rats at Pizza D's are the largest rats in the city....they have to be. The roaches were eating the smaller ones. ;)

Every since I saw a server emptying the ashtrays into empty beer pitchers and mugs....I kind of lost any desire to eat there or drink anything that doesn't come out of a bottle. I don't think their dishwashers are THAT good...

Hm. Don't know what about the place screams, "Mmm-mm! Safe and Definitely Not Violating Any Health Codes!"

You practically have to walk through the kitchen to reach the bathrooms, anyway. Need I say more? That kitchen seriously creeps me out.

Reminds me of those pizza-by-the-slice-joints I used to visit in college- totally aware that though massive amounts of weed were being smoked in the kitchen, it was better to ignore what went down during the food preparation. Esp. when I was broke and it was 4am in the morning on a Saturday night. But that was then.

The place is just straight up dirty. Bleh. I don't care what you're in the mood for.

Good for an occasional loud, raucous drink, though.

Yeah, really. A chef? In that kitchen? Seriously doubt it.

With you Dude, on the bottle-only policy. You never know how clean they keep their keg filters, taps, etc. I think it always tastes better out of a bottle, anyway. In a cold, frosty mug.

Meh - I guess I usually eat fried stuff at D's now 'cuz I figure you can't have too many health concerns between freezer & fryer. I've been munching there for 8 some odd years and never gotten food poisoning or anything.. I mean, maybe some heartburn or indigestion but that's typical for pizza & fried stuff followed by oodles of beer.

As for rats & roaches, I've worked in the kitchen at establishments who had to fight those types of pest problems and I gaurantee you by looking at the face of the place you would never know (not to mention other dubious workings in the kitchen...)

Regardless of everything else - Pizza D is, and always will be, close to my heart.

PS - it irks me now when I say 'I'm going to D's' and people ask me to specifiy between Pizza D's & Willy D's... Pizza D's will always be the only D to me!

Years ago, I went by there to pick up a pizza after playing tennis. I showed up in my tennis stuff while waiting for my order. A drunk at the bar took offense at my attire and actually tried to fight me.

3 big guys materialized out of nowhere and gave this asshole the heave-ho. They asked me to sit and wait for awhile to make sure he wasn't laying for me w/a gun or something outside. They gave me a free beer for my trouble and one of the big guys walked me to my car when they determined it was safe to leave.

I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for that joint, dive though it may be.

Pizza D is another one of those pizza places that I just won't go to.
I used to go there when I was younger because my friends wanted to. Too much smoke and way too dirty (I don't demand sparkling or brand new, but i do demand clean) for my taste.

Last went there about 2 years ago. The pizza was mediocre at best, the smoke was asthma inducing and the service was surly.

Have not been back since.

If you want smoke and surly service, go to Damn Good Pies. At least the pizza is better.

I grew up drinking there. But now not only would I not consider eating anything from them, I won't even drink there anymore.
The last time I was there, I sat in a booth, and the constant pitter-patter of roaches trying to climb on/over/whothefuckcares my flip-flop-shod feet is what finally did this lady in...

There is absolutely no reason to set foot in pizza d before 11pm.

As I have read through all of these comments and reflected on the time I have spent in Pizza D--like most others, for the bar and not the food--I realized all of the other great dive bars in Little Rock that also serve food. Maybe this is another thread, but what do others think about eating and/or drinking at Whitewater Tavern, Midtown Billiards (which I have heard argued makes the best cheeseburger in town), or Crazees?

I used to go to Whitewater Tavern when I was younger. Fun, but very rough place. It is just not my style anymore (really, it's not my wifes style...therefore it is not my style).

I really miss Slick Willys. That place was great. I have so many fond memories of drinking, playing darts, drinking, playing pool and drinking at Slick Willys.

Getting drunk and eating bar food is a lot like getting drunk and sleeping with a fat girl.
It's great while you're doing it but you tend to hate yourself the next morning.

For my money the Whitewater Tavern is the best bar in town. It's a true bar where you order a beer and a drink (with no more than two ingredients....one of those being ice).

As far as being rough.maybe the floors but not the people. I've never seen a fight in the WWT or been stared down by some frat daddy type as some of the other "bars" around town. If you want to sip a martini and chat with friends then the WWT is probably not your place. If you want to sit at the bar and have a beer and talk with a guy that still has mud on his work boots from putting in a solid ten hour day...then the WWT is your place. Not to mention they have the best music in town. It's a musicians and working man's bar. It's a legend!

This area has had some great bar food over the years. I used to love the salads and burgers at Gator's, the chocolate raspberry creme brulee at Kelley's Irish Bistro, and especially the fried chicken cashew salad at Zack's Place. I have friends that swear by Juanita's cheese dip and who go nuts for fish and chips at Creegan's. There is a place for pub fare on this blog (some times excellent, four star pub fare like Kelt's in Altus) -- it's just good to recognize that many of these places are going to be considered dives.

That being said... if you've had a rough time at Pizza D's, that sucks. As I mentioned in the review posted at Tie Dye Travels, this was the first time I actually ate there -- and not the leftovers. And I had a rather nice meal.

I'm late posting on this one, but I've got to tell a quick story about PDA.

Probably sometime in 1999 the woman who would become my wife was having pizza with her friend and they were having one of those big discussions about life. Sometime during dinner mzrz-future-mann took a bite of pizza and chewed...and chewed and chewed....She thought it was a tough piece of meat or something. She gingerly transferred the toughness to her napkin. Not tough meat nor tough veggie. Tough Band-Aid® still in the ring shape from the pizza fixer's finger.

This is more likely a reflection of an unconscientious (unconscious?) worker than the restaurant itself, but it didn't make for a positive pizza experience.

God Almighty!

My internet goes down and I miss the start of real discussions! Sheesh.

Food Dude, I have to utterly disagree with you. Cocktails, martinis, used to be a fairly normal selection for the vast majority of drinking America. You are just perpetuating this false class distinction between the different kinds of booze! Some of the best martinis I have had were at Midtown. The idea that you can't chat with your friends over beer? Come on.

It is a legend, certainly, and I am fond of WWT, but I would not call it a "working mans bar" anymore.

I am surprised. I thought I had posted my Midtown Burger picture to Eat Arkansas ... it is fantastic bar food. I will try to put it on my name link.

Did I say you couldn't sit and chat with friends over beers at WWT? Don't think so...Sorry if I gave that impression. As far as defending my statement about WWT being a working mans bar...have you been there for happy hour? Have you seen the trucks with ladder racks...toolboxes...folks drinking beer and forgetting the last eight hours or so? I doubt they have 6 martini glasses in the place!!!! I know a bit about the history of booze in America and I agree with you....but for most of the modern day working stiffs out there...the hammer swingers and such....I doubt you will find too many martini, sidecar or gimlet drinkers....I think those days are past us. Maybe not....I hope I'm wrong. I think you said it best..."used to be". The exclusive "speakeasy's" such as Death and Co., Milk and Honey...ect..ect ......they cater to a whole different class of people these days. Yes...the WWT becomes a totally different place at night....much like Midtown. Not too many domino players there at 2am. I've had my share of Midtown burgers, Spam sandwiches, egg sandwiches...ect..ect. at Midtown. I think they sell more Spam at Midtown than any place in Arkansas...and that's saying something! They do have great burgers...but at 3am pretty much any burger taste good....at least in my condition at that hour...I'm glad to hear other people think they are good as well. I'm sure you remember back when they used to make them on a little stand-alone griddle you'd find at Wal-Mart. Now they are big time with a real grill! lol I guess when I think "working man's bar" I think of the kind of place anyone can visit and feel welcome...dirty boots, polished shoes and all...much like Midtown.
Anyho....noticed on your photo page the 12" cast iron skillet with the sloped sides (chef pan I think they call it?). I have one just like it and it would be the last piece of kitchen gear I'd give up! And the Jameson...a man after my own heart!

I have spent my share of happy hours at WWT as well as other places. It & Pizza D are the two in closest walking distance to home for the past few years.

THere is a definitely an exclusive circle of speakeasies around the nation catering to the full fledged cocktail culture revival ... Don't forget the 75th Anniversary of Repeal Day 12/05/08. My habit to order obscure cocktails in a few places around the city falls into that.

But, the times have significantly changed, the only regular domino players left at midtown are under 30 and more likely to be there at 2 than at 10. Whether this is good or bad i a different question. The last two or three times I went to WWT around Happy Hour, there were 2 or 3 old-timers, the blue collar salt-of-the-earth I would have expected there 4 years back, and another dozen or so of the new generation of WWT drinkers. Don't get me wrong, I know a lot of them and have good friends among them. We may have just been operating under different definitions of "working man's bar."

I also have the 8" and 6" Lodge Manufacturing Cast Iron skillets. I want one of the new models with the fully sloped sides and the bigger handle for the oven mitts, though. The 12" skillet, my spring loaded tongs, wooden spoon, and the 10" wustof chef's knife are the used every day items in the kitchen here.

The Jameson, well, I am actually prefer Bushmills for my Irish, but a friend needed a bottle and returned Jamesons instead of Bushmills. I've spent a few years stocking up the home bar, so I am glad you approve.

We need to sit down and compare notes sometime. Somebody recommended we have an Eat Arkansas cookout/picnic ...

As far as cast iron goes I have a the 10" chef pan, 12" skillet, 12" deep skillet, 8" skillet, pizza pan, wok, 2 qt. dutch oven, 8 qt. dutch oven, reversible griddle...I'm sure I'm forgetting something! It's hard to go wrong with cast iron. It's cheap and only gets better with age.

I love the look of that new skillet!!!! Thanks for pointing that out. It's now on my wish list.

Some sort of cookout or picnic would be cool. I'm still thinking this place could use a forum. Let restaurants advertise to help pay for it. They could offer coupons, advertise specials, new wines/drinks ect. It seems the Eat Arkansas blog gets a bit of traffic....I'm betting a forum would be pretty popular.