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1620 Restaurant
Category: Restaurants American (New) American (New) [Edit]
1620 Market StLittle Rock, AR 72212
(501) 221-1620
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 2 pm
Mon-Thu 5:30 pm - 9 pm
Fri-Sat 5:30 pm - 10 pm
Sun 10 am - 2 pm
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Classy, Upscale
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
15 reviews for 1620 Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"The filet mignon is always there, but with different..." In 2 reviews -
"My first appetizer was the goat cheese & lump crab tart." In 2 reviews -
"I would recommending trying the chocolate souffle." In 2 reviews
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15 reviews in English
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Review from John B.
Little Rock, AR
2/14/2012
Had dinner here last night, and it was one of the best restaurant experiences I've had here in Little Rock in months. Everything was EXCELLENT from the service to the food to presentation to the environment and ambiance.
Among many of the other upscale restaurants in this city, 1620 is a standout and deserves a visit for anyone looking for a great romantic meal out. Located on the Westside.
I had the petite filet - done just right and recommended -
Review from Sol K.
Little Rock, AR
2/17/2012
I went there for valentine's day and it was ok. The food was good but it's kinda overpriced. Don't get me wrong, I understand this is not Mickey D's, but my experience in more pricy restaurants have generally been better in terms of restaurant location, food and service.
If you don't care about value at all, it's an ok place to dine at. They don't have a terribly wide selection of wine but they certainly have some interesting selections. -
Review from Stephane S.
San Francisco, CA
1/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
The lamb and the scallops were excellent. The desserts, soufflé and crème brûlée were exquisite. The best meal we have had in the Usa so far. Strongly recommend to go there.
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Review from Rachel A.
Little Rock, AR
1/21/2011
My husband and I went here with a groupon and high expectations. We had heard many good things about this place. We left in agreement that we wouldn't be back-it wasn't bad, but if we are going to pay that much for a dinner, we want it to have a better atmosphere. The food was pretty good, I had the 1620 chicken. The sweet potato hash that it came with was AMAZING, but the chicken was just OK. My husband got the steak and lobster, he, too, loved the sweet potato hash, as well as his steak (which I tried and was very good), but the lobster was tough and bland. For dessert we both got a souffle-I got the daily special, a blueberry souffle, and my husband got the chocolate rum souffle. I loved mine, it was obvious that they used fresh blueberries!! My husband didn't really like his, it wasn't all that sweet. The service was great though.
Overall... the atmosphere is severly lacking, the food seems to be hit-or-miss, and the service was wonderful. If we plan to have an expensive dinner in the future, 1620 is not the place we'll go. -
Review from Adina W.
Richardson, TX
12/9/2011
Bought a groupon for 1620 a while back and i finally had a chance to use it.
i was unaware that I had to make reservations, so I just went there and waited for a table.
the workers are very rude because I did call a few minutes beforehand asking if they had any tables available around 6:30, but they said they wont have a table available until 8pm. I just decided to go there anyways and wait. While sitting at the bar, I overheard the waiters talking rudely about how people keep calling and asking if they had any available tables at that moment. The waiters basically called these potential customers "dumb" because it was a Saturday night and "OF COURSE they're booked". After hearing that snide remark, I immediately wanted to leave.
The manager was very nice though, he asked the hostess to see if there were any cancellations so that I could be seated. "Luckily", there was a cancellation so I think I waited about 30 minutes. We ordered the calamari and it was tasty! I ordered the filet mignon and my friend ordered the new york & prawn. the food WAS AMAZING!!!! I have never had such good steak before. It was cooked to perfection, it was thick cut and very tender.
again, my only negative comment was the workers there. My waiter was okay. He forgot to bring back my drink when he supposedly went to refill it. Other than that, the food was delicious and the atmosphere was great. I just wish the hostess and workers had a better attitude. -
Review from Lee P.
Albuquerque, NM
1/4/2011
My fiance and I went to 1620 for my birthday dinner. We had a Groupon, and hadn't heard very much about 1620, but we left very, very content.
The atmosphere is understated - "casual elegance" fits this place to a tee.
Our waiter, Allen, was extremely charismatic and attentive. I told him the kinds of wine that I like, and he poured me tastes of three of his favorites off their wine list..
We ordered the cream cheese fritters as an appetizer, and they were delicious - like big fat hushpuppies with spicy peppers and smooth cream cheese in the middle. Yum!
Even the bread and butter was spot-on: a loaf of bread with 3 different kinds of bread (a light white bread, pumpernickel, and wheat) all baked into one loaf.
For entrees, I got the ahi tuna, which was perfectly seared and raw in the center, with crispy sauteed vegetables and great sauces.
My fiance got the fish special, which came with a buttery almond sauce that was to DIE for.
For dessert, we had their chocolate creme brulee cheese cake. Need I say more?
We have found a new Little Rock favorite, and we will definitely be back for special occasions! -
Review from Carl P.
Tucson, AZ
2/8/2011
I took my wife here for her birthday last month, and I could not have picked a nicer restaurant.
The highlight was the service. Our waiter (whose name was Aaron I think), was awesome. The wait staff is only assigned a few tables, so the service is impeccable.
Upon ordering wine, we couldn't decide so we asked for recommendations. The waiter did one better. He brought over several wine glasses and several bottles, pouring a small bit of each one so we could taste them before deciding.
We decided to go with a full three course meal and everything was excellent. we had some fried cream cheese puffs for an appetizer which sounded gross to me, but after wine recommendations, we were totally on board with our waiter's suggestions. They weren't anything out of this world, but they were delicious.
For our dinner we ordered the seared ahi tuna, and the special which was some kind of grouper I believe. The tuna was the best meal either of us have had in a long time. The special was good, but sub-par for 1620 standards. It was basically seasoned with basic spices and covered in butter - good, but nothing special.
For desert we ordered a chocolate cheese cake that was also out of this world.
My only complaint centers around the special. Like I said, it wasn't bad, but when everything else was spectacular, it sticks out like a sore thumb. That and I was a little perturbed when I got the bill. With most menu entrees around $25, I expected the special to be more, but not much. A little sticker shock when the bill had it at $40.
Our first experience made 1620 our favorite restaurant in the area, and we have been happy to return since, even if after tip and taxes the total approaches $100. -
Review from s. m. j.
Conway, AR
We've been coming to Restaurant 1620 since we moved to Arkansas in August 2003. In fact, it's one of the first restaurants we patronized. We quickly put it on our list of go-to restaurants for special events -- anniversaries, birthdays, New Year's, and Valentine's Day. The way I describe this restaurant is that it never does anything wrong. The food is inventive and delicious, the service is professional and personable, the decor is lovely and comfortable and the cocktails are perfection.
Dinner for two is always a delight here, as the restaurant isn't stuffy or pretentious, and is intimate and romantic when it's just the two of us in our little booth. I always wait to hear the specials before deciding what I want, as the daily offerings are innovative and always sound so good. They change the menu regularly, so I never decide until we're there what I want. The filet mignon is always there, but with different presentations. The chef really seems imaginative about getting the best flavors out of her ingredients and combining unlikely partners for memorable dishes.
We dined here tonight with a recent Groupon offering, as a special little treat with no special occasion. We got there early after a movie, and we were some of the first people there, but by the time we left, it was full. This is why I almost always make a reservation when we know we're going here, no matter what day of the week it is. For my appetizer, I had the Jacque escargot, which was presented with a sauce and puff pastry; it was delicious! My husband ordered the Athens tapa, which was a kind of "salsa" of marinated artichoke hearts, olive salad and feta cheese served with toasted pita chips, and he really enjoyed it, finishing every bite. For my entree, I struggled with the choice of the duck or the filet mignon, but the cream cheese scallion mashed potatoes that are served with the filet made the difference, and I chose that. I order my steaks very rare, and they know how to do this there! It was perfect! (Once in eight years, they overcooked a steak, and when the maitre d' came by to check on us, I told him, he promptly and sincerely apologized and removed the whole plate and brought me a replacement very quickly with a perfectly done steak. I really appreciated how important it was to everyone to fix the problem so quickly!) My husband is a salmon addict, and he ordered the mango BBQ salmon over black bean ragout topped with jalapeno créme and sliced avocado, and he really enjoyed it. It was a new combination for him. As always, we ordered the chocolate souffle for dessert to split (you should order this when you order your entrees as it takes time to make), and it is a thing of beauty, and tastes even better than it looks. Whenever we decide to go to 1620, I look forward to this dessert until the moment it arrives at our table.
We've also been in a group of six for a family birthday, and that night was lovely as well. We've also come for the prix fixe nights (Valentine's Day, New Year's Eve), and sometimes this is not the best way to enjoy your favorite restaurant, because the menu is limited and you can feel rushed or crowded, but we've never been unhappy with 1620's performance for these events, either. The chef seems to look at these nights as a way to showcase her true creativity because the menus are always appealing, even when fewer choices are offered. One Valentine's featured a lobster bisque "cappuccino," which was a coffee treatment of the traditional bisque in a glass coffee mug. This was several years ago, and I still think about it!
We've been once for the brunch they started offering within the last year or so, and we were not disappointed. The food was rich and delicious (French toast stuffed with mascarpone cheese, topped with Banana foster sauce, for example) with the signature 1620 service.
This restaurant is absolutely one of Little Rock's best. It's pricey, but the food and service are always worth it! -
Review from Andy R.
Pine Bluff, AR
1/25/2011
1620 is one of the best restaurants in Little Rock, and their prices reflect it. It is geared more towards the older crowd, and is high class all the way. They appear to have a chef who is very good at making different ingredients come together and taste good, so order anything on the menu and even if it has 10 different things going on, it's still going to taste good.
We had some fried calamari(decent, probably frozen) and a chorizo/mushroom/goat cheese tart(delicious) with a tomato sauce of some type. Christy had the duck breast which was apparantly cooked BBQ style and was amazing, they served it on a black eyed pea cake(wow). I had a pretty common entree, shrimp and scallop linguine, but it was pretty amazing(the scallops tasted fresh, don't know how they pulled that off in Little Rock).
For dessert we had their Flan, and it was a perfect cap to the dinner. They had a large wine list, but I just got a Newcastle beer and water. If you order Sprite like Christy did, they will pour it into a wine glass and put lemon and lime slices on the edge. Attention to detail, geez.
Definitely 5 out of 5 for Little Rock restaurants, more of a place for dates and richer folk but I think we'll definitely go back. Check out my 360 panorama to see what the inside looks like.
http://www.andyrosebro... -
Review from A T.
Kansas City, MO
2/14/2012
I went here for the first time last night for Valentine's Day, and it was really, really good. It's tough to find a decent American restaurant in Little Rock, but 1620 fits the bill nicely. We started with calamari which was a bit odd in that it was large strips of squid rather than the little squids you usually see. It was lightly breaded and tasty but not anything unusual. I had the "duck and duck" which was quite good. However, I think they may have cooked it in lard since it was pretty bacon-y (not that the flavor was a flaw - merely an observation). They also didn't render the fat out of the breast to get that yummy crispness you look for in top-notch duck. My girlfriend's filet with lobster bernaise was exceptional - cooked properly and rich and delicious. No complaints there at all. Really, the above issues are just nits to pick. It was an excellent meal, and I would definitely go back.
The only real issue with 1620 is the price. While it's not outrageously expensive, $140 is A LOT of money to drop on 2 entrees, an appetizer, and a bottle of wine in Little Rock. You certainly get what you pay for, but I'm knocking my 4.5 stars for the food down to a 4 overall for pricing issues. That said, I absolutely recommend 1620. The food and experience were worth every penny. -
Review from Kim V.
Little Rock, AR
8/19/2009 4 photos
I've been wanting to try this restaurant for a while and finally had a chance to go with my family the other day. This place has an older crowd atmosphere to it. It didn't have the young, chic feel of Ferneau. I'm not saying that that is a bad thing, I'm just letting you know since I think it might affect your dining experience. The food here is good, and this is a place I would recommend to others (despite a minor issue which I'll get to later).
My first appetizer was the goat cheese & lump crab tart. It wasn't until earlier this year that I discovered my LOVE for goat cheese, so this dish was a hit with me. None of the ingredients overpowered the others. I liked the tomato coulis, while my sister liked the cilantro emulsion.
My second appetizer was calamari, of course. It was really meaty and cooked just right. I hate overcooked calamari. I wish the batter were slightly crispier though, and I didn't care too much for the wasabi-lime aioli.
The filet mignon & prawns I ordered were good. The steak was cooked correctly (medium) and was very tender. The garlic and white wine sauce was garlicky, which I loved. My only complaint is I found the dish to be on the salty side, but I would definitely order this again. It ranks up there next to So & Ferneau (it beats Ferneau by a hair) as far as steaks go in Little Rock.
Dessert was good. I would recommending trying the chocolate souffle. Keep in mind it's not as sweet as traditional American desserts, so it might not be a hit with sugar fiends. My family thought it was the right level of sweetness for us, since we don't like too much sugar in our desserts.
We had one minor hiccup here. My mom nibbled on her entree, since she already filled up on bread, salad, and appetizers. We asked the dish to be boxed along with several of our other dishes, but the waiter threw away her fish! It was her birthday, so I felt bad for her. We didn't say anything about it, but I don't like the idea of paying $23 for an entree when she didn't even eat a quarter of it. :( -
Review from Cas R.
North Little Rock, AR
12/25/2011
Went there on a Groupon and was amazed. Ordered the filet mignon and it was like butter. The flavor was perfect and was so tender that I think I could have eaten it without a knife. I usually order filet mignon at steak houses but none have competed with 1620's. The atmosphere was comfortable but classy and the wait staff excellent. It is a bit on the expensive side so it will be our celebration event restaurant. Wish I could eat there daily. They do have a Sunday brunch menu also but I haven't experienced it.
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Review from Mark H.
Little Rock, AR
8/6/2008
Let me start by saying that Arkansas has such a hidden gem tucked away from downtown.
My girlfriend and I went on one Friday evening withouh a reservation, and were seated within 30 minutes. There was a small live band playing in the restaurant and that made the time fly. A nice treat. I ordered Yellow Fin Tuna w/ cilantro and a wakame cucumber salad and tempura shiitake mushrooms. My date ordered The Maple glazed grilled pork tenderloin with roasted red bliss potatoes, grilled tomato, and grilled brocollini and fontina cheese fondue. Both were excellent. It was not expected. The sign of a true artist is when the Chef comes out and visits with his guests. Chef Tim made his way to our table and explained the dishes and how he came up with them. 1620 is one of those places where the dishes are created by true artists. The history starts back with the owners grandmothers recipies. They were passed down from generation to generation and what makes this place special is that Chef Tim, the owners nephew, has complete control over new dishes. On one of my recent visits to Little Rock, I stopped by and Tim told me that his Aunt was in Italy visiting her sister. I asked him if she was going to bring back any new recipies and he smiled and raised his eyes, "I am certain of it" he said. This place offers a twist on classic French dishes that Chef Tim makes his own. From roasted rosemary lamb, to smoke duck salad you will never know whats on the horizon and it is all excellent.
I was so impressed with this place that I spoke with my producer and had us do a cooking segment from their kitchen. Once every two weeks or so, I do a cooking segment for a major television station in Little Rock and I just had to showcase this establishment. It was just before Easter and Chef Tim and I each did lamb dishes and I will admit he beat me. Not by much but it was his kitchen.
If you want to take that special someone out for a true dining experience, then I say go to 1620. The food is incredible, the service is set for high dinner and you will leave thinking that you just returned from a fine dining restaurant in Paris.
This place is perfect. The only thing I would do different if this was my restaurant, I would make the bar bigger. It is small yet effective. -
Review from Robert G.
Little Rock, AR
10/29/2009
Always terrific! Fine dining, unpretentious, casual to dressy diners will both feel comfortable. Great service.
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Review from Wade A.
North Little Rock, AR
1/26/2010
The food was terrific. The waiter suggested some great wines with our meal. Can't wait to go back.
