What has become a Little Rock landmark of national renown -- Doe's Eat Place -- has its orgins in the unlikeliest of models, a no-frills diner deep in the delta. But then nothing about Doe's is quite what one would expect from a world-class steakhouse -- except fabulous steaks, that is.
East Arkansas restauranteur and hobby pilot George Eldridge had been flying friends and clients over to Doe's Eat Place in Greenville, Mississipi for steak and tamales for years, a joint in a rundown neighborhood with cheap panelled walls that had acquired a reputation for its steaks. Eventually Eldridge decided to bring the mountain to Mohammed, and contracted the right to bring both the name and menu to Little Rock. In the spirit of not fixing what ain't broke, Eldridge maintained the no-frills tradition, and opened Doe's Eat Place on the decidely downscale corner of Ringo & West Markham Streets in 1988.
Since then, other Doe's offshoots have sprung up independently in the region, but perhaps none quite as true to the original Greenville spirit, and certainly none achieving the celebrity status that the Little Rock Doe's Eat Place has come to enjoy. Naturally, we at Doe's like to attribute this solely to our good "eats", but it hasn't hurt to count President Bill Clinton among our most loyal customers!
A longtime regional favorite, Doe's rose to national prominence during the 1992 presidential election campaign, when Clinton staffers made it their hangout. When then-candidate Clinton was interviewed by Rolling Stone magazine for the September cover story, Doe's was the setting. Former Chef Lucille Robinson was escorted by Eldridge to the Inaugural Ball -- an Annie Lebowitz portrait of the pair is among the dozens of photographic memorabilia on the restaurant walls. Throughout the vagaries of political fame & fortune, however, Doe's has maintained its down-to-earth atmosphere.
Since its inception, Doe's has transformed not only into a harbinger of political movements, but a home for the most elite customers. Entertainers of all sorts, sports stars, race car drivers, and other professionals eat here on a pretty regular basis, making this little place on the corner, a haven of good times and special memories.
Katherine Eldridge is continuing the Doe's tradition. She assumed ownership of the restaurant from her Dad in 2012 and is continuing the Doe's tradition.
Reporters love Doe's Eat Place and we have the reviews to prove it. We've got a sampling of our press clippings from throughout the years online.
The NewsA long list of artists and entertainers frequent Doe's Eat Place when they are in town. We love hosting them and sharing our memories around the bar.
Music & FunFrom letters to other political memorabilia, come see what makes the "Power Room" at Doe's Eat Place so special.
Power Room