Country Kitchen is a southern diner paired with a gas station located in Kensett. The diner itself is partitioned from the service station, sequestered to an almost cafeteria-like setting.
Hunter: Country Kitchen gives you a solid burger. That’s it. It’s straightforward, if anything — there’s nothing really wrong with it, but there’s nothing special about it, either. It follows the classic burger model we’ve seen at the Bulldog and Whistlestop, though less exceptional. I do have a major issue with this burger, however, and that’s the price. Country Kitchen offers two sizes for their burgers: small, which is $4.09 for just a hamburger, and jumbo, which is $6.09. I ordered the small, because the waitress told me there was actually very little difference in size between the two. $4 is not a bad price for a burger — it’s comparable to Rock House or the Bulldog. But then my burger came, and it was laughably small. The burger was about the same size as the original angus cheeseburger at Waffle House — a burger that costs less than two dollars. So, while fundamentally there was nothing wrong with the Country Kitchen, it wasn’t worth the price, especially when we’ve already seen some great values in this series. I give this burger a 6/10.
JP: The best thing I can tell you about Country Kitchen is that they offer a fried egg on their burger — and I really do love the combination of burger and fried egg. Yet even in the Searcy area, this combo is not unique to the Country Kitchen, and overall it’s bad news when that is the strongest selling point. The burger isn’t bad, but it fits into the same category as those from the Main Street Cafe and Bulldog Restaurant: a classic, comfort-food, all-American burger. If that’s what you’re looking for, we suggest sticking with the Bulldog. If you love fried egg enough, maybe the Country Kitchen will fit your needs. This burger gets a 6/10.
Bottom Line: Country Kitchen offers a solid burger, but there is nothing special about it. While the burger has a fine taste, it’s probably a bit overpriced. Averaging our scores, the Country Kitchen scores a 6/10.
