The food here is simply amazing. Of course, it is very pricey but probably worth it. The view from the outdoor seating is perfect. Could be better with lesser number mosquitoes and bugs but then you are in Little Rock, Arkansas. Service is very quick and cordial. Also, it is rather difficult to find. On the backside of a office looking building. What is surprising is the indoor seating. I mean, there is modern-minimalist and then there is cheap. They are close to latter than the former. The great food and service makes up for it but probably they want to spend some of the money from the uber pricey food on the decor as well. I think, they have overdone the " jewel in the rough" concept. At the same time its not so bad so as to be a deal breaker.
(4)
Muckenfuss V.
The complaints about the location of this place are tiresome. You don't care if it's in an office park unless you're the walking sort, and nobody in Little Rock walks anywhere. The location is actually the biggest plus: if you're sitting outside, only a small park of ducks, geese, birds, and rabbits separates you from the river, which presents one of the loveliest and most romantic views in Little Rock. I wouldn't say that the dishes are exactly "brave" or "new" (no molecular gastronomy here) but they are consistently good, especially the fish. I had walleye the other day; the fish selection changes frequently and the beurre blanc is the one constant. Sides are always good -- try the new potatoes, which are only partly skinned, making them resemble acorns. Service is great because they don't do that cozy Southern bull****.
(4)
Evan K.
Great service. ...great food. Sat outside and enjoyed the accommodating weather and view. Exceeded expections. /eak
(4)
s. m. j.
I used to come here and eat this food a lot when I worked in the building. I returned recently for a lunch meeting, and I realized I probably hadn't been here in about three years; however, the food is still delicious, the service is still professional and friendly, and the experience is still excellent. We arrived right around noon and were immediately seated at a four-top on the wall perpendicular to the windows that overlook the river. We were asked if we wanted to sit outside, on the beautiful balcony with the lovely view, but I do not like to eat in The Nature. :) Our server was very pleasant and energetic and built a rapport with us right away. I was considering the nontraditional grill cheese sandwich, which I used to order quite often, because it is so freaking delicious (there's bacon in there, my friends!), but when the waitress mentioned one of the specials, a lamb sandwich with mint mayonnaise, I could not resist that. I also thought about the cream of brie soup, which was not on the menu when I used to frequent the restaurant, but I thought the sandwich would be plenty. I was right! I ate about half the sandwich, which was served on a delicious roll, and then, unwilling to give up completely, I picked some of the lamb out of the second half with my fork and nibbled on that. The meat was so tender and flavorful -- it was prepared just right! The sandwich was plated with a lovely salad, that includes Brave's usual dark greens, strawberries and fruit and cheddar and herb cheeses. Of course, the table bread, the dark rye buns, are always delicious. My lunch companion ordered the trout special with the beurre blanc sauce. This sauce is a specialty of the house and is really, really delicious with the fresh fish specials they prepare. You should always expect something on offer to be served with beurre blanc sauce, and if you haven't tried it here, you should! The only problem I have with Brave is really the atmosphere/setting. If I were willing to try sitting outside, I would probably enjoy it more. Its location in an office building and the decor just seem kind of sleek and cold instead of luxurious and comfortable. This suits a business lunch very well, but to me it isn't as nice for a romantic dinner, and my husband is not a fan. The food is definitely worth it, though, and I can't imagine anyone being sorry they dined at Brave, for lunch or dinner, for business or for pleasure!
(4)
Joshua J.
To begin with, I've been here quite a number of times the last 10 years, and I will now review based on my last visit last night. I went with my parents, and yes the place is in an office building, but is a nice and not overly stuffy interior, and when the weather is nice the deck is probably the best in Little Rock based on the view of the river. Anyway, I enjoy the open area that allows you to look into the kitchen and seeing chef Peter Brave cooking. I also wanted to give another star because I've been here before when he has come by and spoken with the guests, including ourselves, and he seems like a truly nice guy. Starting out my Dad and I got a glass Meiomi pinot noir, which is on sale right now a local stores for about 16-17 per bottle, here it is about 8 per glass, but it is a very nice, smooth wine. I highly recommend you go out soon and buy a couple of bottles while its on sale. Its regularly 20+. Now onto the important shit, the food. My Dad got the special soup, a tomato seafood concoction, not a bisque, but can't remember. I tasted a spoonful and it was good, but under flavored (which will be a common theme). I've had the onion soup in the past, and its one of the best things I've eaten at this place, so get it if you have a soul and like onions. One of my favorite things about the place is that they bring bread 2-3 times throughout, and it many times changes during the visit, and from night to night, and I've never had a bad piece, and tonight it was a nice toughish crusted affair that went great with my ceasar salad and entree. My ceasar salad was very flavorful, actually the one of two items that I can say this about, but the downside that it was drowning in the ceasar dressing to the point that it was too powerful. It really just needed to be a little lighter and it would've been a higher rated item, but then again, its just a salad that came with the entree, and I finished it and soaked up the puddle of dressing with bread (but I was pretty damn hungry at that point). I won't go into the menu items, but they range from 23-38ish or so, which it seems like is higher than just a couple of years ago, like at least 5 per item higher, and nothing has really changed. Also, in previous visits, my biggest issue has been most ever entree has the same sides, and the sides haven't largely changed in 10 years, c'mon! They are fine, but sliced carrots, roasted potatoes, and red cabbage every time with every dish. Those are the two main reasons this place doesn't get a 3 star from me, if I'm paying 30 per dish give me options or at least put more flavor into those sides, as they are very bland and while not necessarily opposing the main dish, since they come with most every dish, they don't really pair with the entree and make it shine. So those are my biggest complaints of Brave New. Now onto the entree, I had the mixed grill that came with a small beef tenderloin, stuffed quail, pork tenderloin, and the special sausage of the night, bison. When asked on how I wanted them cooked (or at least the beef) I said medium Rare. I'll start with the best, the stuffed quail. It was stuffed with a sausage herb type creation which I didn't know it was stuffed until consuming half of it. Now its the smallest quail I've every seen and sat atop the dish, but the size didn't matter, although I would've eaten 5 of these things. I can't really describe it other than it disappears other than a few small bones in probably 2 minutes. Now onto the two disappointing meats. The pork tenderloin was sliced into about 5 pieces, was dry, and absolutely flavorless. My mom, whose not the greatest cook and when we were kids, was probably mediocre, and her pork tenderloin was better than this wasted protein. The beef tenderloin was a thin small cut, as expected, probably 3/4 inch in thickness, and was definitely medium well. Although it was much better than the pork, it lacked flavor, but at least wasn't dried up. The last meat, the bison sausage, was 2nd place on the plate. It was flavorful, but not too spicy, and had a good amount of moisture. I would have loved a mixed grill consisting of just the sausage and stuffed quail, and maybe some sides that had flavor and went with the wild gamey-ness of the meats such as wild rice and a mushroom side, now that would've been extremely good. It was meh (other than the quail), and totaled 130 pretax, no dessert, one soup, two wines. Not worth it. How does it stay open, looking around the room, it was filled with gray heads, who have probably been rolling down from heights for years...that's how.
Very quiet, older crowd, not exciting. But the ciew is spectacular and the food is really really good. I got the local tomatoes with mozzarella (caprese) and they were excellent, the walleye was very good as well. Very nice and attentive service.
(4)
Megan B.
I just drove in from Dallas and chose this restaurant based on an article review. It's good. Peaceful. It's by the river with mandevillia growing on the balcony and geese eating below. The food is good. It reminds me of mother's gourmet cooking. It's very rich, like she used to prepare. The crowd is 50+ years old. So that correlates with the food. The service is excellent. An unusual note on the food, parsley is served as part of the meal, not as a garnish. I like parsley, so I have enjoyed it. It's just a surprising amount.
(4)
Mike H.
My wife and I dined at Brave New Thursday night for the fourth or fifth time. It has always been excellent, and this time did not disappoint. Due to unexpected road construction, we showed up about ten minutes late for our booking, but were still shown to our table promptly. The waiter was knowledgeable about the specials and very helpful and attentive. The food was superb as always. It is a bit pricey, but well worth it. We have never been able to sit on the balcony overlooking the river, but that has a lot more to do with the unpredictable weather in Little Rock than it is about the restaurant. Would recommend to anyone.
(5)
Mindy W.
We loved Brave new restaurant. I had the shrimp salad with mushroom soup. My husband had the Tuna special. Both were wonderful. Tad pricey but really good. We all enjoyed.
(4)
Arianna N Shaffer S.
This place is definitely a little hidden gem! It's not a restaurant you just casually drive by, see, and want to stop in to grab a bite to eat! It's definitely a place you plan to go to and have to look for! When I say it's hidden I mean it's hidden! I don't live in Arkansas but I was looking up upscale restaurants to try and this was one of the top choices that popped up, so my mom and I decided to give it a go! We were worried walking into the building it was in, we had no idea how to really find it and it all seemed really sketchy at first but we found it! As soon as we walked in we were greeted! The decor was very nice and classy! My mom and i decided that we wanted to sit outside to eat and enjoy the view of the lake and enjoy the nature! We got to our table and had a great view of the lake, trees, and geese, ducks and birds below eating food on the grass! It was fun to see but then all of a sudden these little kid Boy Scouts come running down the grass screaming and chasing away the poor geese. Typical kids! My mother and I got the Dr. Loosen reisling to drink which was excellent and we had the shrimp avocado appetizer to start and it was delicious, we would highly recommend it! The shrimp was really good! We were only having a light bite to eat so we both ordered the onion soup and I ordered a house salad and my mother ordered a Caesar salad! The 6 onion soup is literally sooooo delicious, I could eat a million cups of it! It seems to be pretty healthy too! I loved it and my mouth waters thinking about!! The Caesar salad there is standard and tiny, same with the garden salad! However the garden salad is exceptionally good!! The garlic dressing is delicious and it comes with these pickled and roasted veggies as well, which makes it taste so amazing! I wish we could have tried more stuff on the menu! I am not a huge fan of the menu but it all seemed to look pretty good! I wish they had more appetizers and offered more vegetarian friendly entree salads instead of the tiny side salads! We were very happy with the service, our waitress was sweet and on point and very attentive to us! I definitely think if you live in Arkansas or you are here to visit you should definitely check out this restaurant! It's very quaint and almost like a secret restaurant!!!
(3)
Adam M.
Great experience on a Wednesday night. Very attentive service, great atmosphere.. Though it is a little hard to find. Meal: + broiled walleye + seared red potatoes + carrots + green beans + bread + side cesar Pros: + Perfect portions + Complex flavors Cons: + Difficult to find from the parking lot + Brown lettuce
(4)
Marie C.
One thumb up for Brave New Restaurant I was searching for one of the better restaurants in Little Rock while there for several days working. This restaurant popped up on the radar and so I went for it. The menu was way more interesting than anything else in town, and the location seemed like it would be worth it (on the river; balcony dining; large windows for indoor diners). I arrived to an empty, non-descript office parking lot with few cars in some of the slots. But leaving the elevator on the first floor towards the restaurant was a completely different scene: you enter a lovely space with a bank of tall windows, bar area to the left, seating arrangement not crowded. I sat at the window and watched the river and the sun go down. Very nice. Service was just fine. I ordered the shrimp avocado appetizer and then the pork tenderloin. The app was very good - but it was big: avocado is very filling. The size was more like a small entre. The pork dish was also giant, at least in terms of the sides: a huge pile of cabbage and potatoes that I couldn't even dent. The pork was perfectly done and succulent, but it was so smothered with the mustard sauce that I ended up scraping the pieces of meat to eat them. All that was needed of the mustard sauce was a dollop. Coming from Boston (which is why I didn't order any of the seafood entrees), I am more accustomed to much smaller plates and also much lighter preparations (plain! let me taste the pork and not the sauce!). However, I would recommend this restaurant, especially to out-of-towners, because it was one of the better dining experiences I had while in Little Rock.
(3)
Julie H.
We read all the reviews about how tricky it is to find this place, so we went ahead of time to spot it in the daytime. I don't think it's that hard to find. I think I would love this place more if I didn't get bug bites all over from sitting on the balcony. When I became paranoid that I was being bitten, I should have asked to go inside, but I thought we could get through the meal pretty quickly. The balcony after dark is also really dark, so I couldn't really see my food. I don't have poor eye sight either. The portions are HUGE. I turned my leftovers into two more meals the next day. Food was good. The menu had choices for everyone. I'm not chomping at the bit to get back over there, but I will go again in the future. -And sit inside or wear pants to protect my legs from bug bites. I'm seriously eaten up. The dress code ranged from dressy to casual, so don't stress about that.
(3)
Melissa P.
Great valentine's day dinner
(4)
J R.
Exceptional service and fantastic food. I suggest reservations but the bar is a great chance to have a drink & appetizer while you wait.
(5)
ruby b.
We went for lunch on a Monday and sat outside. I had a grilled tuna salad and my daughter had the salmon plate. Both were cooked perfectly and full of flavor. The waitress was friendly and efficient. My salad was huge, and try as I might I could not finish it, which made me sad since it was so tasty. We split a chocolate creme brulee because we had heard it was the best...and it was! I'd go back in a minute if I lived here.
(5)
Jane B.
Hard to find as a traveller. Thank goodness for a local with knowledge. Peter was gracious to let us sit on his patio and enjoy a beverage despite being closed in the afternoons. Also closed Sundays. Did not dine here but atmosphere and view was beautiful
(3)
Lance C.
Took my fiancee for Valentine's Day 2011. Since moving to NWA this was my first visit to Brave New in several years. Peter did not disappoint. The experience was terrific, food was excellently prepared and presented. The Ahi Tuna special was superb! The ice cream, made by the restaurant, was a knock out. I highly recommend Brave New Restaurant.
(4)
Dave T.
I have eaten here a couple of times. My wife and I went recently and both thought what we had was good but was somewhat expensive for what you get. Is strange location but once you get inside, the atmosphere is nice. Good service. I would go back but am not in a rush. There are other places to try in LR.
(3)
Ray M.
Was extremely pleased with the food and the service. All four were impressed by the courteous staff. We selected all across the menu with no disappointments. This was our first visit and we will be returning.
(5)
Mandy M.
Okay, I get what a lot of the naysayers are going on about. However, this place needs to be given the credit that it deserves. If I could give it a 4 1/2 I would have. Obviously, this is not an option. Granted the location sucks. It is weird and off-putting to make your way to the restaurant through an office complex. But once there, a seat on the patio makes you forget about any hassle finding the place. I felt so relaxed once we got there that I sat back, propped my feet on the railing and enjoyed every second that I was there. The heirloom tomato plate was delicious. I am a southern girl; I take my tomatoes very seriously. I could have eaten a second portion. The baked camembert was not exactly special but was delicious and HUGE. The restaurant was very generous with portions. If we had realized this, we would have only ordered one appetizer. My entree was delicious. The fish was seasoned well and cooked perfectly. The fresh vegetables were just as well done. Maybe it wasn't the best thing I'd ever eaten but it was absolutely delicious. My husband's stuffed quail was certainly good as well. As a game meat aficionado, he might have seasoned things a bit differently but was still very pleased. The chocolate creme brulee was maybe my least favorite thing. I can't wait to go back this summer. The wine list may have been short but was very reasonably priced. We enjoy wine but aren't snobby about it so it was no bother to us. If you want to relax, enjoy good food, deal with well trained servers, and not spend your entire pay check for a lovely night out, go to Brave New Restaurant. Please.
(4)
Scott W.
Teresa was wonderful and told me all about Little Rock. The owner is really involved here e airing quality of cuisine and cordiality. My baked cheese appetizer was solid, but not great. However the venison main dish was a delight... Lean and mild with no gamey lingerings. Tender love and Meat!
(4)
Kelly G.
My favorite special occasion place which I lived in Little Rock. It can be hard to find at first, but I loved that it's tucked away. Great seating on the river if you sit on the balcony...just some advice though, use bug spray if it's that time of year or you will leave eaten up! The veal there is excellent, as well as the potatoes they serve with it. The brave new shrimp app is very good, with red onions, avocado and large, fresh shrimp. Reservations highly recommended. Great local place... I miss it!
(5)
John A.
Not impressed. With all the rave reviews and reconditions, I was thoroughly disappointed. The outdated decor went very well inset with the menu. The Caesar salad was worse than you can get from a fast food shit box. The mushroom tart was anything than spectacular...unless you like microwave ovens and beef gravy from a packet...and don't get me started on the ber blanc. Main course was anything but exciting. Bland and again outdated. The only thing that stood out was the wait staff and the decent made Manhattan. Seriously. Go to Outback and get a better meal for a third of the price. Brave New? Nooooo, Tired Old.
(2)
Sandra F.
My husband and I read the reviews and were intrigued that it was in and office building, so we had to check it out. I love quirky things. It was very busy, but the wait was not bad at all. We were seated before finishing our drinks at the bar On to the food: I had the goat cheese appetizer, which was amazing. I could have left very happy after just that! My husband got the avocado/shrimp app. There were 6 large shrimp in it (very generous for an appetizer) and he enjoyed it. For entrees, I had walleye fish with blueberry compote. Wow! I'm not much of a fish eater, but I could eat this every day. My husband ordered the mixed grill. He said the quail was very good, so I tried a bite, and he was right, it was. He also had venison sausage, pork, and beef tenderloin. He enjoyed all but the pork. We will definitely return next time we're in town. Great service and great food are hard to find, but this place has it all.
(5)
Apurva N.
My colleagues and I looked up Brave on Yelp and after seeing the great reviews and looking at the interesting menu, we decided to give it a shot. When my GPS told us to turn on Cottondale Rd, I was positive we were lost. We were directed to a large office biulding and weren't quite sure how to enter. We saw a neon sign saying "Restaurant" on the 2nd floor and made our way up there via elevator. I'm sure all of us were wondering who the hell puts a restaurant in an office building in the middle of nowhere. We were in for a VERY pleasant surprise. Upon entry, the dining area was warm and inviting and so were the staff. We were promptly seated. We ordered the brie and the mushroom tart as appetizers, both of which were very good. I was a fan of the mushroom tart. The bread they served was also fresh out of the oven and quite delicious. I had the five onion soup, which was pretty decent - not out of the word or anything. For my main course, I had the trout stuffed with crab meat and spinach. I'd never really had anything like that before and I must say it was really good. Everything went together rather well. My colleagues had the pine nut encrusted salmon, the duck on duck (which my colleague swears is exceptional) and the beef dish (can't remember the name). We topped it all off with desserts - I had the chocolate creme brule, which, again, was very good. Not ridiculously sweet - just right. All in all, we all left the restaurant feeling like we had a great meal, good service and a very nice experience. The location will throw you off a bit, but just like the restaurant, be brave! Give it a try!
I don't think you'd quite know where to go, if you didn't already know about this place. Lucky for me, this is a lunch favorite with my traveling/business companions so I just rode along. Had the weather been nicer, the outside view and even outdoor seating would have been highly desirable. It would have nearly been intoxicating and mesmerizing to look out on all that water. I was maybe just longing for a clearer day on my visit, I guess. I ordered the lobster ravioli which was delicious. Instead of unrecognizable lobster puree, there were hearty chunks of meat. So, so good. The side of pickled red cabbage seemed a little odd, but it was also tasty. It added a German flair that my coworker greatly enjoyed! The specials included an individual chicken pot pie which looked flaky and homey. The other, some sort of fish with a blue berry beurre blanc seemed odd to me, but as I was assured, it just works. We were brought out 2 rounds of bread with our meal, the second, sourdough type being the clear winner. Request it. Butter it. Devour it. Pace at lunch was somewhere between leisurely and just down right slow. Plan accordingly.
(4)
Brennan M.
My best friend got married and her in-laws graciously hosted the rehearsal dinner at Brave New. Score! This was amazing! I had the filet and it was easily one of the best steaks I've ever had in my life. That being said, I sort of lament not getting one of the fish dishes. I was extremely skeptical as the host of the evening announced the menu options to us and emphasized Brave New's reputation for making top notch seafood dishes. I should have trusted him. While most people got the steak and were extremely happy (like me), the few people who got the seafood were really wowed. The seared sushi-grade tuna and the bay scallops were the shining stars of the evening. Well, besides the bride, that is. I think that Brave New and Ashley's at the Capitol Hotel must be the very best restaurants that Little Rock has to offer, and even some of the best that the south has to offer. I was super impressed and can't wait for the day I get to go back. (Must wait for bigger paychecks.)
(5)
Wendy W.
Three of us had lunch there. It was not nice enough to sit outside but they have a beautiful deck & large window overlooking the Arkansas River. My friends had the lobster ravioli & grilled salmon on a croissant. Both said they were very goid. I had crab salad that was delicious! The sevice was outstanding! The dining room was full but we were treated as if we were there alone. The best part of the lunch was their chocolate creme Brule. This gets 5+! Do save room for it!
My husband and I were in town for a football game and wanted a nice date out. Brave New Restaurant was the perfect place! We sat on the option and had a great view of downtown. The mushroom tart was delicious, as was the quail and trout. We would go back in a heartbeat!
(5)
Scott S.
A good restaurant in a great setting. Ok, let's start with the location. Follow the GPS and keep an eye out for a radio station--small, 3 story office building is just to the right of the radio station. If you get lost, call. You do have a phone. The ambiance. Yes, that is why you ought to be here. A beautiful view of the river and of downtown lights if you are on the balcony; a wall of windows if you are on the inside looking out. Beats some chophouse downtown, hands down. The food. Good. Had a mushroom tart appetizer that was very flavorful. Had a heritage tomato plate that was very appetizing. Had an 8 oz. beef tenderloin that was reasonably priced. What I want to say about the tenderloin is that it was one of the best balanced plates I have ever had. There was a caesar salad that came before as part of the price. The tenderloin was accompanied by asparagus that was cooked and flavored "just so", a couple of baked russet potatoes that were new potato size that were just right, and a baked tomato with (mozzarella) cheese. The tenderloin itself was not the best I'd ever had or in contention for that designation, but the combination was special. The Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon by the glass was very good. The waiter was pleasant and helpful. If there as a 4.5 star option, that's what I would give it. Interspersed throughout the reviews you can find several ticks that are valid. If you are one of those people who consistently give 1, 2 or 3 stars, then my advice is don't go. You won't be happy, you will give a bad review to a good restaurant that is filling a neat niche. If, on the other hand, you want to propose, or you've met that special someone who makes your pulse quicken and you want to have a special evening, Brave New Restaurant is the place.
(5)
Carey B.
Nice romantic setting (once you get inside - you enter through an office building). Scallops were excellent, but the sides were just okay. Chocolate creme brulee was excellent!
Being from out of town, I was looking for some local fare and tried to go to Doe's, but it was closed for a private party. We ended up here and had the same experience as a couple of the other reviewers: it's in an office building,up the elevator. Having gone for dinner, we apparently missed the view of the river which probably helps this restaurant. The menu did not. While creative, I'm not looking for Talipia in Arkansas. I ended up having Duck and Duck. Duck breast with Duck Sausage. It was ok, could have been better had it not been sitting on the warmer a bit too long. The service was very good. Will - was in the weeds, but managed to get our drinks, bread, and dinners out to us quickly. We were all starving having missed lunch. Improve the quality of the cooking a bit, and I'd go back. Right now, $25 entrees put this in the not-a-good-value-for-what-you-get category for me.
(2)
Leland H.
We are from California. We were told we were going to A Brave New Restaurant and nothing more was described to me. We pulled up to an office building and cruised up a couple of floors. Very Brave. It was like 30 degree out, so we didn't get to sit on the famous balcony, but the atmosphere inside was very nice. On a Friday night the place was packed. I am impressed with Chef Brave's food. I thought his flavors were good. As for the menu, I thought his portions were good and prices fair.
(4)
Chris L.
My wife and I dined at Brave last night. It had been almost 2 years since our last visit. The food quality has slipped. The service was still good as expected. The server offered to comp us dessert even though we made no complaint. He was aware of the sub-par performance from the kitchen.
(2)
Michael M.
Fantastic place with great service and top notch food. My wife and I came to little rock for the weekend and we so happy to find this place. We had a great meal and the waiter was attentive and anticipatory to our dining needs! I highly recommend this place!
(5)
J C.
I wish there were an option for 4.5 stars, but I will give Peter Brave the benefit of the doubt. He has delivered pretty much every time my family and I have dined there. I generally order the pinenut salmon, but have ventured out of my food comfort zone lately and tried the pecan-encrusted trout as well as the much-talked-about mixed grill. Please put more grilled carrots on the side, Peter haha! I guess I'm easier to please than some other posters on here, but the experience is generally very good. Sometimes, the service is spotty and the prices ARE high for what you get, but the meals are consistent. The ambience is a bit lacking as well, but that has been expounded on already by others on here... Overall, it's a great "date night" place. If you haven't been, do yourself a favor and try it out.
(5)
Wes R.
I went to Brave with a local (customer) and it was very enjoyable. The location is out of the way and not exactly what I expected for a nicer restaurant -- nothing wrong, just... austere. The food was fantastic and the staff was very professional and alert. One key factor: the staff seems to be happy to be there. I had the tuna special that was excellent. Somehow it had a really nice, crisp coating despite honoring my request for just a hint of searing.
(4)
Brittney G.
This is the first place my husband and I went when we moved to Little Rock - totally by accident, it was the closest to the Google Maps location where we were. While it was a little hard to find - located in an office building - it was totally worth the adventure! The brie soup and ceasar salad were great, as was the complimentary bread. I had the duck three ways and could NOT stop saying "OH MY GOD THIS IS SO GOOD" throughout my entire meal. I've been back several times since and have gotten something new each time - my reaction has always been the same. The wine selection is excellent, but the crowd is often 55+. Oh well. The food totally makes up for it.
(5)
Sam E.
My experience with the restaurant was enjoyable and the service was good, but I don't imagine I'd go back. I tried the brie soup and the duck and duck along with several appetizers. The menu described the duck as being served roasted crisp, but it wasn't. I thought the sides and the sauce for the duck seemed uninspired. It seemed as if my entree had sat a while before it was brought to the table. The selections of wine and desserts were disappointing as well. I've heard that this restaurant can be very good, but is hit or miss. Maybe Monday nights aren't the night to dine there.
Service was very good and the location is quite lovely. However the beef tenderloin I got was somewhat bland along tr asparagus. Not the best wine list either :-/
Always fresh always good! Last time we had dinner my whole table was sharing food thinking there menu choice was best. It's located in a kind of strange spot/area but worth it once you get there. The blueberry cream desert was wicked good! service was great and well informed to soup of the day and specials! Check it out for sure..
What a great find in Little Rock! The view from the back patio is gorgeous and serene. The Wild Mushroom Tart was dry and overcooked, but the Walleye special more than made up for it! It was cooked with a blueberry balsamic sauce and was worth going back for. My friend had the Avocado Shrimp (delightful!) and the Scallop special cooked with the same blueberry balsamic sauce. The Walleye was better but only slightly. I'll go back if ever I'm in Little Rock again.
(4)
Anne S.
was in little rock a few weeks ago and went here on a recommendation. Beautiful view of the Arkansas River from the balcony. The walleye was the best I've had anywhere. Service was helpful and friendly. Just a wonderful meal.
(4)
Randy M.
Food is good, but use a lot of oil and butter as a crutch for flavor. The garden salad that comes with meal is light and tasty, but a bit heavy on onions. For those into aesthetics, the restaurant itself is modern inside, but it is located in an industrial office space seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Personally, I would pass on a 2nd chance to eat here
(3)
Vanessa T.
I had heard that the Brave New Restaurant was "out of the way." Being that I was visiting from Atlanta, I figured it couldn't be anymore out of the way than anything else. Slightly true. It can be difficult to find, depending on your GPS unit's integrity and your own internal compass. That said, while I found the setting unusual [it's located in what looks like an office building], we kind of dug it. It LOOKS like you're going to the dentist, but you're really about to dine while overlooking the Arkansas River. Sadly, we went at night, so we saw nothing but our own reflections in the glass. I imagine the views are great during the day. The goat cheese mousse sounded exquisite in concept. The execution, unfortunately, was underwhelming. The cheese was mild, bordering on bland. I agree with the comparison to quiche. Still, a very rich and warming appetizer. The crackers it is served with are unfriendly: they crumble with the smallest bite. We found them cumbersome and uncooperative. The roasted corn chowder soup with artichoke was textured and flavorful. It was definitely one of their stronger presentations. The veal with lime -- again, another instance of great concept versus underwhelming execution -- was entirely too greasy. It was very disappointing in this instance, as it was a main entree. The scallops were cooked well but paired poorly with mango butter. I very much like the concepts and innovations behind Brave New Restaurant, but there's still some kinks to be worked out. While it is likely one of the top tier restaurants in Little Rock, it isn't quite of the caliber of its price point. Not yet, anyway.
(3)
Nancy W.
The menu seemed really interesting and I liked the idea of a free Caesar salad which they even put anchovies on for me. But my Rockefeller Scallop appetizer was only fair. I ordered duck and duck for the entree. The smoke sausage was too smoked and hid the duck taste and the duck breast was way OVERCOOKED. The broccoli fritata that came with the entree tasted like airplane food. Overall go somewhere else, there is great food in LR, but this isn't one of the places.
This place is definitely a little hidden gem! It's not a restaurant you just casually drive by, see, and want to stop in to grab a bite to eat! It's definitely a place you plan to go to and have to look for! When I say it's hidden I mean it's hidden! I don't live in Arkansas but I was looking up upscale restaurants to try and this was one of the top choices that popped up, so my mom and I decided to give it a go! We were worried walking into the building it was in, we had no idea how to really find it and it all seemed really sketchy at first but we found it! As soon as we walked in we were greeted! The decor was very nice and classy! My mom and i decided that we wanted to sit outside to eat and enjoy the view of the lake and enjoy the nature! We got to our table and had a great view of the lake, trees, and geese, ducks and birds below eating food on the grass! It was fun to see but then all of a sudden these little kid Boy Scouts come running down the grass screaming and chasing away the poor geese. Typical kids! My mother and I got the Dr. Loosen reisling to drink which was excellent and we had the shrimp avocado appetizer to start and it was delicious, we would highly recommend it! The shrimp was really good! We were only having a light bite to eat so we both ordered the onion soup and I ordered a house salad and my mother ordered a Caesar salad! The 6 onion soup is literally sooooo delicious, I could eat a million cups of it! It seems to be pretty healthy too! I loved it and my mouth waters thinking about!! The Caesar salad there is standard and tiny, same with the garden salad! However the garden salad is exceptionally good!! The garlic dressing is delicious and it comes with these pickled and roasted veggies as well, which makes it taste so amazing! I wish we could have tried more stuff on the menu! I am not a huge fan of the menu but it all seemed to look pretty good! I wish they had more appetizers and offered more vegetarian friendly entree salads instead of the tiny side salads! We were very happy with the service, our waitress was sweet and on point and very attentive to us! I definitely think if you live in Arkansas or you are here to visit you should definitely check out this restaurant! It's very quaint and almost like a secret restaurant!!!
(3)
Adam M.
Great experience on a Wednesday night. Very attentive service, great atmosphere.. Though it is a little hard to find. Meal: + broiled walleye + seared red potatoes + carrots + green beans + bread + side cesar Pros: + Perfect portions + Complex flavors Cons: + Difficult to find from the parking lot + Brown lettuce
(4)
Joshua J.
To begin with, I've been here quite a number of times the last 10 years, and I will now review based on my last visit last night. I went with my parents, and yes the place is in an office building, but is a nice and not overly stuffy interior, and when the weather is nice the deck is probably the best in Little Rock based on the view of the river. Anyway, I enjoy the open area that allows you to look into the kitchen and seeing chef Peter Brave cooking. I also wanted to give another star because I've been here before when he has come by and spoken with the guests, including ourselves, and he seems like a truly nice guy. Starting out my Dad and I got a glass Meiomi pinot noir, which is on sale right now a local stores for about 16-17 per bottle, here it is about 8 per glass, but it is a very nice, smooth wine. I highly recommend you go out soon and buy a couple of bottles while its on sale. Its regularly 20+. Now onto the important shit, the food. My Dad got the special soup, a tomato seafood concoction, not a bisque, but can't remember. I tasted a spoonful and it was good, but under flavored (which will be a common theme). I've had the onion soup in the past, and its one of the best things I've eaten at this place, so get it if you have a soul and like onions. One of my favorite things about the place is that they bring bread 2-3 times throughout, and it many times changes during the visit, and from night to night, and I've never had a bad piece, and tonight it was a nice toughish crusted affair that went great with my ceasar salad and entree. My ceasar salad was very flavorful, actually the one of two items that I can say this about, but the downside that it was drowning in the ceasar dressing to the point that it was too powerful. It really just needed to be a little lighter and it would've been a higher rated item, but then again, its just a salad that came with the entree, and I finished it and soaked up the puddle of dressing with bread (but I was pretty damn hungry at that point). I won't go into the menu items, but they range from 23-38ish or so, which it seems like is higher than just a couple of years ago, like at least 5 per item higher, and nothing has really changed. Also, in previous visits, my biggest issue has been most ever entree has the same sides, and the sides haven't largely changed in 10 years, c'mon! They are fine, but sliced carrots, roasted potatoes, and red cabbage every time with every dish. Those are the two main reasons this place doesn't get a 3 star from me, if I'm paying 30 per dish give me options or at least put more flavor into those sides, as they are very bland and while not necessarily opposing the main dish, since they come with most every dish, they don't really pair with the entree and make it shine. So those are my biggest complaints of Brave New. Now onto the entree, I had the mixed grill that came with a small beef tenderloin, stuffed quail, pork tenderloin, and the special sausage of the night, bison. When asked on how I wanted them cooked (or at least the beef) I said medium Rare. I'll start with the best, the stuffed quail. It was stuffed with a sausage herb type creation which I didn't know it was stuffed until consuming half of it. Now its the smallest quail I've every seen and sat atop the dish, but the size didn't matter, although I would've eaten 5 of these things. I can't really describe it other than it disappears other than a few small bones in probably 2 minutes. Now onto the two disappointing meats. The pork tenderloin was sliced into about 5 pieces, was dry, and absolutely flavorless. My mom, whose not the greatest cook and when we were kids, was probably mediocre, and her pork tenderloin was better than this wasted protein. The beef tenderloin was a thin small cut, as expected, probably 3/4 inch in thickness, and was definitely medium well. Although it was much better than the pork, it lacked flavor, but at least wasn't dried up. The last meat, the bison sausage, was 2nd place on the plate. It was flavorful, but not too spicy, and had a good amount of moisture. I would have loved a mixed grill consisting of just the sausage and stuffed quail, and maybe some sides that had flavor and went with the wild gamey-ness of the meats such as wild rice and a mushroom side, now that would've been extremely good. It was meh (other than the quail), and totaled 130 pretax, no dessert, one soup, two wines. Not worth it. How does it stay open, looking around the room, it was filled with gray heads, who have probably been rolling down from heights for years...that's how.
(2)
J C.
I wish there were an option for 4.5 stars, but I will give Peter Brave the benefit of the doubt. He has delivered pretty much every time my family and I have dined there. I generally order the pinenut salmon, but have ventured out of my food comfort zone lately and tried the pecan-encrusted trout as well as the much-talked-about mixed grill. Please put more grilled carrots on the side, Peter haha! I guess I'm easier to please than some other posters on here, but the experience is generally very good. Sometimes, the service is spotty and the prices ARE high for what you get, but the meals are consistent. The ambience is a bit lacking as well, but that has been expounded on already by others on here... Overall, it's a great "date night" place. If you haven't been, do yourself a favor and try it out.
(5)
Wes R.
I went to Brave with a local (customer) and it was very enjoyable. The location is out of the way and not exactly what I expected for a nicer restaurant -- nothing wrong, just... austere. The food was fantastic and the staff was very professional and alert. One key factor: the staff seems to be happy to be there. I had the tuna special that was excellent. Somehow it had a really nice, crisp coating despite honoring my request for just a hint of searing.
(4)
Brittney G.
This is the first place my husband and I went when we moved to Little Rock - totally by accident, it was the closest to the Google Maps location where we were. While it was a little hard to find - located in an office building - it was totally worth the adventure! The brie soup and ceasar salad were great, as was the complimentary bread. I had the duck three ways and could NOT stop saying "OH MY GOD THIS IS SO GOOD" throughout my entire meal. I've been back several times since and have gotten something new each time - my reaction has always been the same. The wine selection is excellent, but the crowd is often 55+. Oh well. The food totally makes up for it.
(5)
Sam E.
My experience with the restaurant was enjoyable and the service was good, but I don't imagine I'd go back. I tried the brie soup and the duck and duck along with several appetizers. The menu described the duck as being served roasted crisp, but it wasn't. I thought the sides and the sauce for the duck seemed uninspired. It seemed as if my entree had sat a while before it was brought to the table. The selections of wine and desserts were disappointing as well. I've heard that this restaurant can be very good, but is hit or miss. Maybe Monday nights aren't the night to dine there.
(3)
Lance C.
Took my fiancee for Valentine's Day 2011. Since moving to NWA this was my first visit to Brave New in several years. Peter did not disappoint. The experience was terrific, food was excellently prepared and presented. The Ahi Tuna special was superb! The ice cream, made by the restaurant, was a knock out. I highly recommend Brave New Restaurant.
(4)
Dave T.
I have eaten here a couple of times. My wife and I went recently and both thought what we had was good but was somewhat expensive for what you get. Is strange location but once you get inside, the atmosphere is nice. Good service. I would go back but am not in a rush. There are other places to try in LR.
(3)
John A.
Not impressed. With all the rave reviews and reconditions, I was thoroughly disappointed. The outdated decor went very well inset with the menu. The Caesar salad was worse than you can get from a fast food shit box. The mushroom tart was anything than spectacular...unless you like microwave ovens and beef gravy from a packet...and don't get me started on the ber blanc. Main course was anything but exciting. Bland and again outdated. The only thing that stood out was the wait staff and the decent made Manhattan. Seriously. Go to Outback and get a better meal for a third of the price. Brave New? Nooooo, Tired Old.
(2)
Wendy W.
Three of us had lunch there. It was not nice enough to sit outside but they have a beautiful deck & large window overlooking the Arkansas River. My friends had the lobster ravioli & grilled salmon on a croissant. Both said they were very goid. I had crab salad that was delicious! The sevice was outstanding! The dining room was full but we were treated as if we were there alone. The best part of the lunch was their chocolate creme Brule. This gets 5+! Do save room for it!
(4)
Massimiliano C.
Very quiet, older crowd, not exciting. But the ciew is spectacular and the food is really really good. I got the local tomatoes with mozzarella (caprese) and they were excellent, the walleye was very good as well. Very nice and attentive service.
(4)
Megan B.
I just drove in from Dallas and chose this restaurant based on an article review. It's good. Peaceful. It's by the river with mandevillia growing on the balcony and geese eating below. The food is good. It reminds me of mother's gourmet cooking. It's very rich, like she used to prepare. The crowd is 50+ years old. So that correlates with the food. The service is excellent. An unusual note on the food, parsley is served as part of the meal, not as a garnish. I like parsley, so I have enjoyed it. It's just a surprising amount.
(4)
Mike H.
My wife and I dined at Brave New Thursday night for the fourth or fifth time. It has always been excellent, and this time did not disappoint. Due to unexpected road construction, we showed up about ten minutes late for our booking, but were still shown to our table promptly. The waiter was knowledgeable about the specials and very helpful and attentive. The food was superb as always. It is a bit pricey, but well worth it. We have never been able to sit on the balcony overlooking the river, but that has a lot more to do with the unpredictable weather in Little Rock than it is about the restaurant. Would recommend to anyone.
(5)
Mindy W.
We loved Brave new restaurant. I had the shrimp salad with mushroom soup. My husband had the Tuna special. Both were wonderful. Tad pricey but really good. We all enjoyed.
(4)
Sandra F.
My husband and I read the reviews and were intrigued that it was in and office building, so we had to check it out. I love quirky things. It was very busy, but the wait was not bad at all. We were seated before finishing our drinks at the bar On to the food: I had the goat cheese appetizer, which was amazing. I could have left very happy after just that! My husband got the avocado/shrimp app. There were 6 large shrimp in it (very generous for an appetizer) and he enjoyed it. For entrees, I had walleye fish with blueberry compote. Wow! I'm not much of a fish eater, but I could eat this every day. My husband ordered the mixed grill. He said the quail was very good, so I tried a bite, and he was right, it was. He also had venison sausage, pork, and beef tenderloin. He enjoyed all but the pork. We will definitely return next time we're in town. Great service and great food are hard to find, but this place has it all.
(5)
Chris L.
My wife and I dined at Brave last night. It had been almost 2 years since our last visit. The food quality has slipped. The service was still good as expected. The server offered to comp us dessert even though we made no complaint. He was aware of the sub-par performance from the kitchen.
(2)
Michael M.
Fantastic place with great service and top notch food. My wife and I came to little rock for the weekend and we so happy to find this place. We had a great meal and the waiter was attentive and anticipatory to our dining needs! I highly recommend this place!
(5)
Apurva N.
My colleagues and I looked up Brave on Yelp and after seeing the great reviews and looking at the interesting menu, we decided to give it a shot. When my GPS told us to turn on Cottondale Rd, I was positive we were lost. We were directed to a large office biulding and weren't quite sure how to enter. We saw a neon sign saying "Restaurant" on the 2nd floor and made our way up there via elevator. I'm sure all of us were wondering who the hell puts a restaurant in an office building in the middle of nowhere. We were in for a VERY pleasant surprise. Upon entry, the dining area was warm and inviting and so were the staff. We were promptly seated. We ordered the brie and the mushroom tart as appetizers, both of which were very good. I was a fan of the mushroom tart. The bread they served was also fresh out of the oven and quite delicious. I had the five onion soup, which was pretty decent - not out of the word or anything. For my main course, I had the trout stuffed with crab meat and spinach. I'd never really had anything like that before and I must say it was really good. Everything went together rather well. My colleagues had the pine nut encrusted salmon, the duck on duck (which my colleague swears is exceptional) and the beef dish (can't remember the name). We topped it all off with desserts - I had the chocolate creme brule, which, again, was very good. Not ridiculously sweet - just right. All in all, we all left the restaurant feeling like we had a great meal, good service and a very nice experience. The location will throw you off a bit, but just like the restaurant, be brave! Give it a try!
I don't think you'd quite know where to go, if you didn't already know about this place. Lucky for me, this is a lunch favorite with my traveling/business companions so I just rode along. Had the weather been nicer, the outside view and even outdoor seating would have been highly desirable. It would have nearly been intoxicating and mesmerizing to look out on all that water. I was maybe just longing for a clearer day on my visit, I guess. I ordered the lobster ravioli which was delicious. Instead of unrecognizable lobster puree, there were hearty chunks of meat. So, so good. The side of pickled red cabbage seemed a little odd, but it was also tasty. It added a German flair that my coworker greatly enjoyed! The specials included an individual chicken pot pie which looked flaky and homey. The other, some sort of fish with a blue berry beurre blanc seemed odd to me, but as I was assured, it just works. We were brought out 2 rounds of bread with our meal, the second, sourdough type being the clear winner. Request it. Butter it. Devour it. Pace at lunch was somewhere between leisurely and just down right slow. Plan accordingly.
Although I love that the owner buys local and cooks fresh, I went twice for birthday dinners and both times the hour plus wait from salad to entree was just too long and not worth the meal. I won't go back and neither will the other couple that was with us either time. The owner was at the restaurant and never came by the table to apologize nor did he when I wrote him so that he would be aware of the situation. I hear he is really a good guy but he really disappointed me. I can't comment on the food because by the time it came we were so hungry and cranky that none of us could savor the flavors..
(2)
Rodney C.
The only "chef's restaurant" in town. Good view. Fresh produce from local farmers, skillfully managed and presented. My recent background was as a boutique hotel owner from the third coast, who has moved to Little Rock and been generally disappointed with the town's high end offerings. Brave New Restaurant challenges that malaise but still remains approachable and casual to suit its surroundings. My last experience here, the chef spoke with us and was very proud to work with some amazing produce and lamb that I felt was excellently handled. The waitstaff may need more training, their understanding of gluten free alternatives disappoints, and the wine list leaves some improvement, but overall I'll keep coming back for the best meal in town.
(4)
Chandan D.
The first thing that you will notice about brave new restaurant is that they were brave enough to put it in an unbelievably crappy location in an office building - at that, a hard to find office building. The next thing that you will notice is the general lack of attention to detail when it comes to decor, there were cheap looking prints on the walls, the tables were cheap, the chairs were cheap, all in all tasteless and rather unexpected for a restaurant that charges ~$20-30 per plate. You order a few drinks from a sad excuse for a wine list and you end up happy because they aren't abhorrently overpriced. I personally had a $5 miller lite draft because that's what the prints on the walls seemed to be gesturing at. I honestly could have imagined a big neon bar sign in our dining area. Finally you order and the food comes out. Well, eventually it comes out. I went with a party of 14 and it took us THREE HOURS to get our meals. Then you think, well given the lack of attention to everything else, hopefully the food will be great (and I was hungry enough to start gnawing on my arm). You will be disappointed. I ordered the mixed grill, which yielded duck sausage that was over salted, some beef that was overcooked, and poorly seasoned quail. The worst part was when we asked for some sort of concession for the four hours of our lives that we would never get back, we were offered dessert, no apology though (Brave indeed for a new restaurant to send 14 people home with a bitter taste in their mouths - or maybe just poor management, either way, i'm never going back). To the offer we resoundingly replied "no thank you," and left as soon as was possible. If you want my opinion, for the price range, try something a little classier and a bit less "brave."
(1)
ML S.
OK. I'm from Little Rock and have been here many times. The reviews below just don't do it justice. YES, it is in an office building.... but it is one of ONLY two restaurants (that I can think of) in Little Rock that are RIGHT ON the river. That's just the way it is... they chose the fabulous river view with patio over a pretty building!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The food is dependable and the specials are always great. I agree the decor is more casual and laid back than the prices.... but the food is good! This is a restaurant where you can dress casual and still have a really nice meal. They also have the BEST party room in town with it's own private patio overlooking the river. Great place for birthday parties, rehearsal dinners, bridesmaid luncheons, etc. Peter Brave is a great chef and Brave New Restaurant is a great place to dine!
(4)
O. A.
We have visited Brave New many times and have never left disappointed. Peter Brave is a talented chef who puts it all together. The seafood dishes are our favorites; always exquisitely fresh (difficult in land locked Little Rock) and cooked to perfection. Open for lunch and dinner. Weather (and Arkansas mosquitoes) permitting, the outside tables have nice river views.
(5)
SHANNON B.
VEGETARIANS BEWARE! After talking about avoiding meat ingredients with the waiter I ordered the only 'vegetarian' item on the menu. I ate half of it before I discovered the side dish contained bacon. Who knows how much of it I ate and what else was harboring meat products. After 20 years of vegetarianism this restaurant's carelessness and disregard left me feeling violated. I can't recommend it for meat-eaters either. My husband did not think his crab dish was anything special.
(1)
Bertina L.
For me, only two things matter in a restaurant - service and quality of food. I had seen excellent reviews from other websites, and so I decided to give the restaurant a chance, despite the reviews I found on yelp.com . Unfortunately, "disappointed" is an understatement, especially for the $80+ I spent there. My friend and I had no difficulty getting seated without reservations, which I thought was unusual for 7pm on a Saturday night. However, immediately we noticed we were treated differently. The servers usually walk around with a basket of whole wheat/rye rolls, asking customers if they would like any. We were never asked. Instead, our server brought out a basket with two slices of white bread, and served us from that. At first, we thought we were being too sensitive because we felt out of place (we are at least 10 years younger than most of the clientele), but when the server gave us slices of white bread not once but twice, we knew something was odd. Initially our server was friendly, but pretty soon, she stopped checking on us. I wonder if she thought we wouldn't tip well because we were young. We both got the house salad, which would have been good...with about 1/2 the amount of dressing that was drowning the lettuce. I ordered the North Atlantic salmon, and my friend ordered the mixed grill. While I enjoyed the flavor combination of pesto cream and salmon, and the texture contrast between the salmon and the crust, my salmon was overcooked. It was borderline too dry, and reminded me of canned salmon. The carrots were underseasoned, and the potatoes were not seasoned at all. The mixed grill was an even bigger disappointment. It came with quail, beef tenderloin, pork tenderloin, and buffalo sausage, and we asked for medium rare. Although we were happy with the quail, the beef tenderloin had no flavor (which is shocking for beef tenderloin), the buffalo was overpowered by spices, and the pork tenderloin had the consistency of drywall. On top of that mess, they drenched the meat in a smoky sauce, almost as if they knew it would be disappointing and dry - but unfortunately for us, it tasted like a cheap version of Liquid Smoke, which is a bottled hickory smoked seasoning you can find in the grocery store. Lastly, the chocolate crème brulee was hands-down the most disappointing. Normally the custard is made and refrigerated, and when it is served, sugar is torched to make a light crispy sweet crust. Here, they made everything beforehand, including the crust, and refrigerated it. While the texture of the custard was alright, I could have chipped a tooth on the crust. I was just waiting for the waitress to ask me how the dessert was so I could express my disappointment, but she never asked. I chose not to complain to the waitress or the management about the poor quality of the service and the food, mostly because I felt they would not listen to a 23-year-old. Rest assured, I will not return there anytime in the future, nor will I when they deem my age as "appropriate."
(1)
Celeste C.
The food at Brave New is some of the best in town. Maybe THE best. I love this place. You can ask for a vegetarian plate, and it will be full of the freshest, tastiest, real veggies (NOT JUST FRENCH FRIES, which seem to be the staple vegetable in Little Rock.) It is a lovely atmosphere--upscale and roomy. Brave New has been in business a long time.
(5)
John A.
I'm from the "left Coast", so I am not too easy to please. This restaurant delivers: great food, sophisticated atmosphere and pleasant service. It was spring and we were able to score a seat on the beautiful balcony overlooking the Arkansas River. They have a cute wine bar, too. Finding this restaurant is tricky and the office look of the front may put you off, but give it a chance. It's the best I've had in Little Rock to date.
(5)
Brian P.
Only time I ate here was at a going away party which the food was buffet style. Not sure of the price as it was paid for, but the food was pretty good. Service was really good. The biggest downfall of this place is the location as it is off the beaten path, and you would not notice it from a public road. One would think they were going into an office building.
Not only is the food great, it's consistently so. I have been many many many times and i always love it. A lot of the fare comes from sustainable farms in Arkansas which is a moral plus!
(5)
Louise O.
I'm just driving through town and staying overnight. The owners of the B&B I'm staying at recommended this restaurant. Difficult to find if you are not from the area...even with GPS. Located in an office building on the river. We ordered the goat cheese mousse as an appetizer. Goat cheese whipped with cream, then baked. The result reminded me of a very mild-tasting quiche without the bacon or spinach. My mom thought it lacked flavor. Caesar salad had was good. The homemade dressing was tangy versus creamy. Croutons were fresh and crunchy. Only negative was that the leaves were drowning in dressing. We shared the mixed grill which was a generous portion of bison sausage, quail, pork tenderloin, and beef tenderloin--all with a red wine and balsamic demi glace. Sides were roasted red potatoes, squash, and carrots. The meat was tender and tasty. Service: waited way too long for the server to clear the table and get our check. Server was friendly, but not that quick.
(3)
Ashley S.
My husband and I were in town for a football game and wanted a nice date out. Brave New Restaurant was the perfect place! We sat on the option and had a great view of downtown. The mushroom tart was delicious, as was the quail and trout. We would go back in a heartbeat!
The food here is simply amazing. Of course, it is very pricey but probably worth it. The view from the outdoor seating is perfect. Could be better with lesser number mosquitoes and bugs but then you are in Little Rock, Arkansas. Service is very quick and cordial. Also, it is rather difficult to find. On the backside of a office looking building. What is surprising is the indoor seating. I mean, there is modern-minimalist and then there is cheap. They are close to latter than the former. The great food and service makes up for it but probably they want to spend some of the money from the uber pricey food on the decor as well. I think, they have overdone the " jewel in the rough" concept. At the same time its not so bad so as to be a deal breaker.
(4)
W. T.
What a great find in Little Rock! The view from the back patio is gorgeous and serene. The Wild Mushroom Tart was dry and overcooked, but the Walleye special more than made up for it! It was cooked with a blueberry balsamic sauce and was worth going back for. My friend had the Avocado Shrimp (delightful!) and the Scallop special cooked with the same blueberry balsamic sauce. The Walleye was better but only slightly. I'll go back if ever I'm in Little Rock again.
(4)
Anne S.
was in little rock a few weeks ago and went here on a recommendation. Beautiful view of the Arkansas River from the balcony. The walleye was the best I've had anywhere. Service was helpful and friendly. Just a wonderful meal.
(4)
Jane B.
Hard to find as a traveller. Thank goodness for a local with knowledge. Peter was gracious to let us sit on his patio and enjoy a beverage despite being closed in the afternoons. Also closed Sundays. Did not dine here but atmosphere and view was beautiful
(3)
Scott S.
A good restaurant in a great setting. Ok, let's start with the location. Follow the GPS and keep an eye out for a radio station--small, 3 story office building is just to the right of the radio station. If you get lost, call. You do have a phone. The ambiance. Yes, that is why you ought to be here. A beautiful view of the river and of downtown lights if you are on the balcony; a wall of windows if you are on the inside looking out. Beats some chophouse downtown, hands down. The food. Good. Had a mushroom tart appetizer that was very flavorful. Had a heritage tomato plate that was very appetizing. Had an 8 oz. beef tenderloin that was reasonably priced. What I want to say about the tenderloin is that it was one of the best balanced plates I have ever had. There was a caesar salad that came before as part of the price. The tenderloin was accompanied by asparagus that was cooked and flavored "just so", a couple of baked russet potatoes that were new potato size that were just right, and a baked tomato with (mozzarella) cheese. The tenderloin itself was not the best I'd ever had or in contention for that designation, but the combination was special. The Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon by the glass was very good. The waiter was pleasant and helpful. If there as a 4.5 star option, that's what I would give it. Interspersed throughout the reviews you can find several ticks that are valid. If you are one of those people who consistently give 1, 2 or 3 stars, then my advice is don't go. You won't be happy, you will give a bad review to a good restaurant that is filling a neat niche. If, on the other hand, you want to propose, or you've met that special someone who makes your pulse quicken and you want to have a special evening, Brave New Restaurant is the place.
(5)
Carey B.
Nice romantic setting (once you get inside - you enter through an office building). Scallops were excellent, but the sides were just okay. Chocolate creme brulee was excellent!
(4)
Marie C.
One thumb up for Brave New Restaurant I was searching for one of the better restaurants in Little Rock while there for several days working. This restaurant popped up on the radar and so I went for it. The menu was way more interesting than anything else in town, and the location seemed like it would be worth it (on the river; balcony dining; large windows for indoor diners). I arrived to an empty, non-descript office parking lot with few cars in some of the slots. But leaving the elevator on the first floor towards the restaurant was a completely different scene: you enter a lovely space with a bank of tall windows, bar area to the left, seating arrangement not crowded. I sat at the window and watched the river and the sun go down. Very nice. Service was just fine. I ordered the shrimp avocado appetizer and then the pork tenderloin. The app was very good - but it was big: avocado is very filling. The size was more like a small entre. The pork dish was also giant, at least in terms of the sides: a huge pile of cabbage and potatoes that I couldn't even dent. The pork was perfectly done and succulent, but it was so smothered with the mustard sauce that I ended up scraping the pieces of meat to eat them. All that was needed of the mustard sauce was a dollop. Coming from Boston (which is why I didn't order any of the seafood entrees), I am more accustomed to much smaller plates and also much lighter preparations (plain! let me taste the pork and not the sauce!). However, I would recommend this restaurant, especially to out-of-towners, because it was one of the better dining experiences I had while in Little Rock.
(3)
Julie H.
We read all the reviews about how tricky it is to find this place, so we went ahead of time to spot it in the daytime. I don't think it's that hard to find. I think I would love this place more if I didn't get bug bites all over from sitting on the balcony. When I became paranoid that I was being bitten, I should have asked to go inside, but I thought we could get through the meal pretty quickly. The balcony after dark is also really dark, so I couldn't really see my food. I don't have poor eye sight either. The portions are HUGE. I turned my leftovers into two more meals the next day. Food was good. The menu had choices for everyone. I'm not chomping at the bit to get back over there, but I will go again in the future. -And sit inside or wear pants to protect my legs from bug bites. I'm seriously eaten up. The dress code ranged from dressy to casual, so don't stress about that.
(3)
Melissa P.
Great valentine's day dinner
(4)
J R.
Exceptional service and fantastic food. I suggest reservations but the bar is a great chance to have a drink & appetizer while you wait.
(5)
ruby b.
We went for lunch on a Monday and sat outside. I had a grilled tuna salad and my daughter had the salmon plate. Both were cooked perfectly and full of flavor. The waitress was friendly and efficient. My salad was huge, and try as I might I could not finish it, which made me sad since it was so tasty. We split a chocolate creme brulee because we had heard it was the best...and it was! I'd go back in a minute if I lived here.
The complaints about the location of this place are tiresome. You don't care if it's in an office park unless you're the walking sort, and nobody in Little Rock walks anywhere. The location is actually the biggest plus: if you're sitting outside, only a small park of ducks, geese, birds, and rabbits separates you from the river, which presents one of the loveliest and most romantic views in Little Rock. I wouldn't say that the dishes are exactly "brave" or "new" (no molecular gastronomy here) but they are consistently good, especially the fish. I had walleye the other day; the fish selection changes frequently and the beurre blanc is the one constant. Sides are always good -- try the new potatoes, which are only partly skinned, making them resemble acorns. Service is great because they don't do that cozy Southern bull****.
(4)
Evan K.
Great service. ...great food. Sat outside and enjoyed the accommodating weather and view. Exceeded expections. /eak
Service was very good and the location is quite lovely. However the beef tenderloin I got was somewhat bland along tr asparagus. Not the best wine list either :-/
I used to come here and eat this food a lot when I worked in the building. I returned recently for a lunch meeting, and I realized I probably hadn't been here in about three years; however, the food is still delicious, the service is still professional and friendly, and the experience is still excellent. We arrived right around noon and were immediately seated at a four-top on the wall perpendicular to the windows that overlook the river. We were asked if we wanted to sit outside, on the beautiful balcony with the lovely view, but I do not like to eat in The Nature. :) Our server was very pleasant and energetic and built a rapport with us right away. I was considering the nontraditional grill cheese sandwich, which I used to order quite often, because it is so freaking delicious (there's bacon in there, my friends!), but when the waitress mentioned one of the specials, a lamb sandwich with mint mayonnaise, I could not resist that. I also thought about the cream of brie soup, which was not on the menu when I used to frequent the restaurant, but I thought the sandwich would be plenty. I was right! I ate about half the sandwich, which was served on a delicious roll, and then, unwilling to give up completely, I picked some of the lamb out of the second half with my fork and nibbled on that. The meat was so tender and flavorful -- it was prepared just right! The sandwich was plated with a lovely salad, that includes Brave's usual dark greens, strawberries and fruit and cheddar and herb cheeses. Of course, the table bread, the dark rye buns, are always delicious. My lunch companion ordered the trout special with the beurre blanc sauce. This sauce is a specialty of the house and is really, really delicious with the fresh fish specials they prepare. You should always expect something on offer to be served with beurre blanc sauce, and if you haven't tried it here, you should! The only problem I have with Brave is really the atmosphere/setting. If I were willing to try sitting outside, I would probably enjoy it more. Its location in an office building and the decor just seem kind of sleek and cold instead of luxurious and comfortable. This suits a business lunch very well, but to me it isn't as nice for a romantic dinner, and my husband is not a fan. The food is definitely worth it, though, and I can't imagine anyone being sorry they dined at Brave, for lunch or dinner, for business or for pleasure!
(4)
Brennan M.
My best friend got married and her in-laws graciously hosted the rehearsal dinner at Brave New. Score! This was amazing! I had the filet and it was easily one of the best steaks I've ever had in my life. That being said, I sort of lament not getting one of the fish dishes. I was extremely skeptical as the host of the evening announced the menu options to us and emphasized Brave New's reputation for making top notch seafood dishes. I should have trusted him. While most people got the steak and were extremely happy (like me), the few people who got the seafood were really wowed. The seared sushi-grade tuna and the bay scallops were the shining stars of the evening. Well, besides the bride, that is. I think that Brave New and Ashley's at the Capitol Hotel must be the very best restaurants that Little Rock has to offer, and even some of the best that the south has to offer. I was super impressed and can't wait for the day I get to go back. (Must wait for bigger paychecks.)
(5)
Greg S.
Always fresh always good! Last time we had dinner my whole table was sharing food thinking there menu choice was best. It's located in a kind of strange spot/area but worth it once you get there. The blueberry cream desert was wicked good! service was great and well informed to soup of the day and specials! Check it out for sure..
We are from California. We were told we were going to A Brave New Restaurant and nothing more was described to me. We pulled up to an office building and cruised up a couple of floors. Very Brave. It was like 30 degree out, so we didn't get to sit on the famous balcony, but the atmosphere inside was very nice. On a Friday night the place was packed. I am impressed with Chef Brave's food. I thought his flavors were good. As for the menu, I thought his portions were good and prices fair.
(4)
Mandy M.
Okay, I get what a lot of the naysayers are going on about. However, this place needs to be given the credit that it deserves. If I could give it a 4 1/2 I would have. Obviously, this is not an option. Granted the location sucks. It is weird and off-putting to make your way to the restaurant through an office complex. But once there, a seat on the patio makes you forget about any hassle finding the place. I felt so relaxed once we got there that I sat back, propped my feet on the railing and enjoyed every second that I was there. The heirloom tomato plate was delicious. I am a southern girl; I take my tomatoes very seriously. I could have eaten a second portion. The baked camembert was not exactly special but was delicious and HUGE. The restaurant was very generous with portions. If we had realized this, we would have only ordered one appetizer. My entree was delicious. The fish was seasoned well and cooked perfectly. The fresh vegetables were just as well done. Maybe it wasn't the best thing I'd ever eaten but it was absolutely delicious. My husband's stuffed quail was certainly good as well. As a game meat aficionado, he might have seasoned things a bit differently but was still very pleased. The chocolate creme brulee was maybe my least favorite thing. I can't wait to go back this summer. The wine list may have been short but was very reasonably priced. We enjoy wine but aren't snobby about it so it was no bother to us. If you want to relax, enjoy good food, deal with well trained servers, and not spend your entire pay check for a lovely night out, go to Brave New Restaurant. Please.
(4)
Scott W.
Teresa was wonderful and told me all about Little Rock. The owner is really involved here e airing quality of cuisine and cordiality. My baked cheese appetizer was solid, but not great. However the venison main dish was a delight... Lean and mild with no gamey lingerings. Tender love and Meat!
(4)
Kelly G.
My favorite special occasion place which I lived in Little Rock. It can be hard to find at first, but I loved that it's tucked away. Great seating on the river if you sit on the balcony...just some advice though, use bug spray if it's that time of year or you will leave eaten up! The veal there is excellent, as well as the potatoes they serve with it. The brave new shrimp app is very good, with red onions, avocado and large, fresh shrimp. Reservations highly recommended. Great local place... I miss it!
(5)
Kendra L.
Being from out of town, I was looking for some local fare and tried to go to Doe's, but it was closed for a private party. We ended up here and had the same experience as a couple of the other reviewers: it's in an office building,up the elevator. Having gone for dinner, we apparently missed the view of the river which probably helps this restaurant. The menu did not. While creative, I'm not looking for Talipia in Arkansas. I ended up having Duck and Duck. Duck breast with Duck Sausage. It was ok, could have been better had it not been sitting on the warmer a bit too long. The service was very good. Will - was in the weeds, but managed to get our drinks, bread, and dinners out to us quickly. We were all starving having missed lunch. Improve the quality of the cooking a bit, and I'd go back. Right now, $25 entrees put this in the not-a-good-value-for-what-you-get category for me.
(2)
Ray M.
Was extremely pleased with the food and the service. All four were impressed by the courteous staff. We selected all across the menu with no disappointments. This was our first visit and we will be returning.
(5)
Randy M.
Food is good, but use a lot of oil and butter as a crutch for flavor. The garden salad that comes with meal is light and tasty, but a bit heavy on onions. For those into aesthetics, the restaurant itself is modern inside, but it is located in an industrial office space seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Personally, I would pass on a 2nd chance to eat here
(3)
John A.
I'm from the "left Coast", so I am not too easy to please. This restaurant delivers: great food, sophisticated atmosphere and pleasant service. It was spring and we were able to score a seat on the beautiful balcony overlooking the Arkansas River. They have a cute wine bar, too. Finding this restaurant is tricky and the office look of the front may put you off, but give it a chance. It's the best I've had in Little Rock to date.
(5)
Brian P.
Only time I ate here was at a going away party which the food was buffet style. Not sure of the price as it was paid for, but the food was pretty good. Service was really good. The biggest downfall of this place is the location as it is off the beaten path, and you would not notice it from a public road. One would think they were going into an office building.
(3)
Vanessa T.
I had heard that the Brave New Restaurant was "out of the way." Being that I was visiting from Atlanta, I figured it couldn't be anymore out of the way than anything else. Slightly true. It can be difficult to find, depending on your GPS unit's integrity and your own internal compass. That said, while I found the setting unusual [it's located in what looks like an office building], we kind of dug it. It LOOKS like you're going to the dentist, but you're really about to dine while overlooking the Arkansas River. Sadly, we went at night, so we saw nothing but our own reflections in the glass. I imagine the views are great during the day. The goat cheese mousse sounded exquisite in concept. The execution, unfortunately, was underwhelming. The cheese was mild, bordering on bland. I agree with the comparison to quiche. Still, a very rich and warming appetizer. The crackers it is served with are unfriendly: they crumble with the smallest bite. We found them cumbersome and uncooperative. The roasted corn chowder soup with artichoke was textured and flavorful. It was definitely one of their stronger presentations. The veal with lime -- again, another instance of great concept versus underwhelming execution -- was entirely too greasy. It was very disappointing in this instance, as it was a main entree. The scallops were cooked well but paired poorly with mango butter. I very much like the concepts and innovations behind Brave New Restaurant, but there's still some kinks to be worked out. While it is likely one of the top tier restaurants in Little Rock, it isn't quite of the caliber of its price point. Not yet, anyway.
(3)
Nancy W.
The menu seemed really interesting and I liked the idea of a free Caesar salad which they even put anchovies on for me. But my Rockefeller Scallop appetizer was only fair. I ordered duck and duck for the entree. The smoke sausage was too smoked and hid the duck taste and the duck breast was way OVERCOOKED. The broccoli fritata that came with the entree tasted like airplane food. Overall go somewhere else, there is great food in LR, but this isn't one of the places.
(3)
Cas R.
Although I love that the owner buys local and cooks fresh, I went twice for birthday dinners and both times the hour plus wait from salad to entree was just too long and not worth the meal. I won't go back and neither will the other couple that was with us either time. The owner was at the restaurant and never came by the table to apologize nor did he when I wrote him so that he would be aware of the situation. I hear he is really a good guy but he really disappointed me. I can't comment on the food because by the time it came we were so hungry and cranky that none of us could savor the flavors..
(2)
Rodney C.
The only "chef's restaurant" in town. Good view. Fresh produce from local farmers, skillfully managed and presented. My recent background was as a boutique hotel owner from the third coast, who has moved to Little Rock and been generally disappointed with the town's high end offerings. Brave New Restaurant challenges that malaise but still remains approachable and casual to suit its surroundings. My last experience here, the chef spoke with us and was very proud to work with some amazing produce and lamb that I felt was excellently handled. The waitstaff may need more training, their understanding of gluten free alternatives disappoints, and the wine list leaves some improvement, but overall I'll keep coming back for the best meal in town.
Not only is the food great, it's consistently so. I have been many many many times and i always love it. A lot of the fare comes from sustainable farms in Arkansas which is a moral plus!
(5)
Louise O.
I'm just driving through town and staying overnight. The owners of the B&B I'm staying at recommended this restaurant. Difficult to find if you are not from the area...even with GPS. Located in an office building on the river. We ordered the goat cheese mousse as an appetizer. Goat cheese whipped with cream, then baked. The result reminded me of a very mild-tasting quiche without the bacon or spinach. My mom thought it lacked flavor. Caesar salad had was good. The homemade dressing was tangy versus creamy. Croutons were fresh and crunchy. Only negative was that the leaves were drowning in dressing. We shared the mixed grill which was a generous portion of bison sausage, quail, pork tenderloin, and beef tenderloin--all with a red wine and balsamic demi glace. Sides were roasted red potatoes, squash, and carrots. The meat was tender and tasty. Service: waited way too long for the server to clear the table and get our check. Server was friendly, but not that quick.
(3)
Chandan D.
The first thing that you will notice about brave new restaurant is that they were brave enough to put it in an unbelievably crappy location in an office building - at that, a hard to find office building. The next thing that you will notice is the general lack of attention to detail when it comes to decor, there were cheap looking prints on the walls, the tables were cheap, the chairs were cheap, all in all tasteless and rather unexpected for a restaurant that charges ~$20-30 per plate. You order a few drinks from a sad excuse for a wine list and you end up happy because they aren't abhorrently overpriced. I personally had a $5 miller lite draft because that's what the prints on the walls seemed to be gesturing at. I honestly could have imagined a big neon bar sign in our dining area. Finally you order and the food comes out. Well, eventually it comes out. I went with a party of 14 and it took us THREE HOURS to get our meals. Then you think, well given the lack of attention to everything else, hopefully the food will be great (and I was hungry enough to start gnawing on my arm). You will be disappointed. I ordered the mixed grill, which yielded duck sausage that was over salted, some beef that was overcooked, and poorly seasoned quail. The worst part was when we asked for some sort of concession for the four hours of our lives that we would never get back, we were offered dessert, no apology though (Brave indeed for a new restaurant to send 14 people home with a bitter taste in their mouths - or maybe just poor management, either way, i'm never going back). To the offer we resoundingly replied "no thank you," and left as soon as was possible. If you want my opinion, for the price range, try something a little classier and a bit less "brave."
(1)
ML S.
OK. I'm from Little Rock and have been here many times. The reviews below just don't do it justice. YES, it is in an office building.... but it is one of ONLY two restaurants (that I can think of) in Little Rock that are RIGHT ON the river. That's just the way it is... they chose the fabulous river view with patio over a pretty building!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The food is dependable and the specials are always great. I agree the decor is more casual and laid back than the prices.... but the food is good! This is a restaurant where you can dress casual and still have a really nice meal. They also have the BEST party room in town with it's own private patio overlooking the river. Great place for birthday parties, rehearsal dinners, bridesmaid luncheons, etc. Peter Brave is a great chef and Brave New Restaurant is a great place to dine!
(4)
O. A.
We have visited Brave New many times and have never left disappointed. Peter Brave is a talented chef who puts it all together. The seafood dishes are our favorites; always exquisitely fresh (difficult in land locked Little Rock) and cooked to perfection. Open for lunch and dinner. Weather (and Arkansas mosquitoes) permitting, the outside tables have nice river views.
(5)
SHANNON B.
VEGETARIANS BEWARE! After talking about avoiding meat ingredients with the waiter I ordered the only 'vegetarian' item on the menu. I ate half of it before I discovered the side dish contained bacon. Who knows how much of it I ate and what else was harboring meat products. After 20 years of vegetarianism this restaurant's carelessness and disregard left me feeling violated. I can't recommend it for meat-eaters either. My husband did not think his crab dish was anything special.
(1)
Bertina L.
For me, only two things matter in a restaurant - service and quality of food. I had seen excellent reviews from other websites, and so I decided to give the restaurant a chance, despite the reviews I found on yelp.com . Unfortunately, "disappointed" is an understatement, especially for the $80+ I spent there. My friend and I had no difficulty getting seated without reservations, which I thought was unusual for 7pm on a Saturday night. However, immediately we noticed we were treated differently. The servers usually walk around with a basket of whole wheat/rye rolls, asking customers if they would like any. We were never asked. Instead, our server brought out a basket with two slices of white bread, and served us from that. At first, we thought we were being too sensitive because we felt out of place (we are at least 10 years younger than most of the clientele), but when the server gave us slices of white bread not once but twice, we knew something was odd. Initially our server was friendly, but pretty soon, she stopped checking on us. I wonder if she thought we wouldn't tip well because we were young. We both got the house salad, which would have been good...with about 1/2 the amount of dressing that was drowning the lettuce. I ordered the North Atlantic salmon, and my friend ordered the mixed grill. While I enjoyed the flavor combination of pesto cream and salmon, and the texture contrast between the salmon and the crust, my salmon was overcooked. It was borderline too dry, and reminded me of canned salmon. The carrots were underseasoned, and the potatoes were not seasoned at all. The mixed grill was an even bigger disappointment. It came with quail, beef tenderloin, pork tenderloin, and buffalo sausage, and we asked for medium rare. Although we were happy with the quail, the beef tenderloin had no flavor (which is shocking for beef tenderloin), the buffalo was overpowered by spices, and the pork tenderloin had the consistency of drywall. On top of that mess, they drenched the meat in a smoky sauce, almost as if they knew it would be disappointing and dry - but unfortunately for us, it tasted like a cheap version of Liquid Smoke, which is a bottled hickory smoked seasoning you can find in the grocery store. Lastly, the chocolate crème brulee was hands-down the most disappointing. Normally the custard is made and refrigerated, and when it is served, sugar is torched to make a light crispy sweet crust. Here, they made everything beforehand, including the crust, and refrigerated it. While the texture of the custard was alright, I could have chipped a tooth on the crust. I was just waiting for the waitress to ask me how the dessert was so I could express my disappointment, but she never asked. I chose not to complain to the waitress or the management about the poor quality of the service and the food, mostly because I felt they would not listen to a 23-year-old. Rest assured, I will not return there anytime in the future, nor will I when they deem my age as "appropriate."
(1)
Celeste C.
The food at Brave New is some of the best in town. Maybe THE best. I love this place. You can ask for a vegetarian plate, and it will be full of the freshest, tastiest, real veggies (NOT JUST FRENCH FRIES, which seem to be the staple vegetable in Little Rock.) It is a lovely atmosphere--upscale and roomy. Brave New has been in business a long time.
(5)
Apurva N.
My colleagues and I looked up Brave on Yelp and after seeing the great reviews and looking at the interesting menu, we decided to give it a shot. When my GPS told us to turn on Cottondale Rd, I was positive we were lost. We were directed to a large office biulding and weren't quite sure how to enter. We saw a neon sign saying "Restaurant" on the 2nd floor and made our way up there via elevator. I'm sure all of us were wondering who the hell puts a restaurant in an office building in the middle of nowhere. We were in for a VERY pleasant surprise. Upon entry, the dining area was warm and inviting and so were the staff. We were promptly seated. We ordered the brie and the mushroom tart as appetizers, both of which were very good. I was a fan of the mushroom tart. The bread they served was also fresh out of the oven and quite delicious. I had the five onion soup, which was pretty decent - not out of the word or anything. For my main course, I had the trout stuffed with crab meat and spinach. I'd never really had anything like that before and I must say it was really good. Everything went together rather well. My colleagues had the pine nut encrusted salmon, the duck on duck (which my colleague swears is exceptional) and the beef dish (can't remember the name). We topped it all off with desserts - I had the chocolate creme brule, which, again, was very good. Not ridiculously sweet - just right. All in all, we all left the restaurant feeling like we had a great meal, good service and a very nice experience. The location will throw you off a bit, but just like the restaurant, be brave! Give it a try!
Okay, I get what a lot of the naysayers are going on about. However, this place needs to be given the credit that it deserves. If I could give it a 4 1/2 I would have. Obviously, this is not an option. Granted the location sucks. It is weird and off-putting to make your way to the restaurant through an office complex. But once there, a seat on the patio makes you forget about any hassle finding the place. I felt so relaxed once we got there that I sat back, propped my feet on the railing and enjoyed every second that I was there. The heirloom tomato plate was delicious. I am a southern girl; I take my tomatoes very seriously. I could have eaten a second portion. The baked camembert was not exactly special but was delicious and HUGE. The restaurant was very generous with portions. If we had realized this, we would have only ordered one appetizer. My entree was delicious. The fish was seasoned well and cooked perfectly. The fresh vegetables were just as well done. Maybe it wasn't the best thing I'd ever eaten but it was absolutely delicious. My husband's stuffed quail was certainly good as well. As a game meat aficionado, he might have seasoned things a bit differently but was still very pleased. The chocolate creme brulee was maybe my least favorite thing. I can't wait to go back this summer. The wine list may have been short but was very reasonably priced. We enjoy wine but aren't snobby about it so it was no bother to us. If you want to relax, enjoy good food, deal with well trained servers, and not spend your entire pay check for a lovely night out, go to Brave New Restaurant. Please.
(4)
Scott W.
Teresa was wonderful and told me all about Little Rock. The owner is really involved here e airing quality of cuisine and cordiality. My baked cheese appetizer was solid, but not great. However the venison main dish was a delight... Lean and mild with no gamey lingerings. Tender love and Meat!
(4)
Kelly G.
My favorite special occasion place which I lived in Little Rock. It can be hard to find at first, but I loved that it's tucked away. Great seating on the river if you sit on the balcony...just some advice though, use bug spray if it's that time of year or you will leave eaten up! The veal there is excellent, as well as the potatoes they serve with it. The brave new shrimp app is very good, with red onions, avocado and large, fresh shrimp. Reservations highly recommended. Great local place... I miss it!
(5)
Kendra L.
Being from out of town, I was looking for some local fare and tried to go to Doe's, but it was closed for a private party. We ended up here and had the same experience as a couple of the other reviewers: it's in an office building,up the elevator. Having gone for dinner, we apparently missed the view of the river which probably helps this restaurant. The menu did not. While creative, I'm not looking for Talipia in Arkansas. I ended up having Duck and Duck. Duck breast with Duck Sausage. It was ok, could have been better had it not been sitting on the warmer a bit too long. The service was very good. Will - was in the weeds, but managed to get our drinks, bread, and dinners out to us quickly. We were all starving having missed lunch. Improve the quality of the cooking a bit, and I'd go back. Right now, $25 entrees put this in the not-a-good-value-for-what-you-get category for me.
(2)
Rodney C.
The only "chef's restaurant" in town. Good view. Fresh produce from local farmers, skillfully managed and presented. My recent background was as a boutique hotel owner from the third coast, who has moved to Little Rock and been generally disappointed with the town's high end offerings. Brave New Restaurant challenges that malaise but still remains approachable and casual to suit its surroundings. My last experience here, the chef spoke with us and was very proud to work with some amazing produce and lamb that I felt was excellently handled. The waitstaff may need more training, their understanding of gluten free alternatives disappoints, and the wine list leaves some improvement, but overall I'll keep coming back for the best meal in town.
(4)
John A.
I'm from the "left Coast", so I am not too easy to please. This restaurant delivers: great food, sophisticated atmosphere and pleasant service. It was spring and we were able to score a seat on the beautiful balcony overlooking the Arkansas River. They have a cute wine bar, too. Finding this restaurant is tricky and the office look of the front may put you off, but give it a chance. It's the best I've had in Little Rock to date.
(5)
Brian P.
Only time I ate here was at a going away party which the food was buffet style. Not sure of the price as it was paid for, but the food was pretty good. Service was really good. The biggest downfall of this place is the location as it is off the beaten path, and you would not notice it from a public road. One would think they were going into an office building.
Not only is the food great, it's consistently so. I have been many many many times and i always love it. A lot of the fare comes from sustainable farms in Arkansas which is a moral plus!
(5)
Louise O.
I'm just driving through town and staying overnight. The owners of the B&B I'm staying at recommended this restaurant. Difficult to find if you are not from the area...even with GPS. Located in an office building on the river. We ordered the goat cheese mousse as an appetizer. Goat cheese whipped with cream, then baked. The result reminded me of a very mild-tasting quiche without the bacon or spinach. My mom thought it lacked flavor. Caesar salad had was good. The homemade dressing was tangy versus creamy. Croutons were fresh and crunchy. Only negative was that the leaves were drowning in dressing. We shared the mixed grill which was a generous portion of bison sausage, quail, pork tenderloin, and beef tenderloin--all with a red wine and balsamic demi glace. Sides were roasted red potatoes, squash, and carrots. The meat was tender and tasty. Service: waited way too long for the server to clear the table and get our check. Server was friendly, but not that quick.
(3)
Massimiliano C.
Very quiet, older crowd, not exciting. But the ciew is spectacular and the food is really really good. I got the local tomatoes with mozzarella (caprese) and they were excellent, the walleye was very good as well. Very nice and attentive service.
(4)
Megan B.
I just drove in from Dallas and chose this restaurant based on an article review. It's good. Peaceful. It's by the river with mandevillia growing on the balcony and geese eating below. The food is good. It reminds me of mother's gourmet cooking. It's very rich, like she used to prepare. The crowd is 50+ years old. So that correlates with the food. The service is excellent. An unusual note on the food, parsley is served as part of the meal, not as a garnish. I like parsley, so I have enjoyed it. It's just a surprising amount.
(4)
Mike H.
My wife and I dined at Brave New Thursday night for the fourth or fifth time. It has always been excellent, and this time did not disappoint. Due to unexpected road construction, we showed up about ten minutes late for our booking, but were still shown to our table promptly. The waiter was knowledgeable about the specials and very helpful and attentive. The food was superb as always. It is a bit pricey, but well worth it. We have never been able to sit on the balcony overlooking the river, but that has a lot more to do with the unpredictable weather in Little Rock than it is about the restaurant. Would recommend to anyone.
(5)
Mindy W.
We loved Brave new restaurant. I had the shrimp salad with mushroom soup. My husband had the Tuna special. Both were wonderful. Tad pricey but really good. We all enjoyed.
This place is definitely a little hidden gem! It's not a restaurant you just casually drive by, see, and want to stop in to grab a bite to eat! It's definitely a place you plan to go to and have to look for! When I say it's hidden I mean it's hidden! I don't live in Arkansas but I was looking up upscale restaurants to try and this was one of the top choices that popped up, so my mom and I decided to give it a go! We were worried walking into the building it was in, we had no idea how to really find it and it all seemed really sketchy at first but we found it! As soon as we walked in we were greeted! The decor was very nice and classy! My mom and i decided that we wanted to sit outside to eat and enjoy the view of the lake and enjoy the nature! We got to our table and had a great view of the lake, trees, and geese, ducks and birds below eating food on the grass! It was fun to see but then all of a sudden these little kid Boy Scouts come running down the grass screaming and chasing away the poor geese. Typical kids! My mother and I got the Dr. Loosen reisling to drink which was excellent and we had the shrimp avocado appetizer to start and it was delicious, we would highly recommend it! The shrimp was really good! We were only having a light bite to eat so we both ordered the onion soup and I ordered a house salad and my mother ordered a Caesar salad! The 6 onion soup is literally sooooo delicious, I could eat a million cups of it! It seems to be pretty healthy too! I loved it and my mouth waters thinking about!! The Caesar salad there is standard and tiny, same with the garden salad! However the garden salad is exceptionally good!! The garlic dressing is delicious and it comes with these pickled and roasted veggies as well, which makes it taste so amazing! I wish we could have tried more stuff on the menu! I am not a huge fan of the menu but it all seemed to look pretty good! I wish they had more appetizers and offered more vegetarian friendly entree salads instead of the tiny side salads! We were very happy with the service, our waitress was sweet and on point and very attentive to us! I definitely think if you live in Arkansas or you are here to visit you should definitely check out this restaurant! It's very quaint and almost like a secret restaurant!!!
(3)
Adam M.
Great experience on a Wednesday night. Very attentive service, great atmosphere.. Though it is a little hard to find. Meal: + broiled walleye + seared red potatoes + carrots + green beans + bread + side cesar Pros: + Perfect portions + Complex flavors Cons: + Difficult to find from the parking lot + Brown lettuce
(4)
Joshua J.
To begin with, I've been here quite a number of times the last 10 years, and I will now review based on my last visit last night. I went with my parents, and yes the place is in an office building, but is a nice and not overly stuffy interior, and when the weather is nice the deck is probably the best in Little Rock based on the view of the river. Anyway, I enjoy the open area that allows you to look into the kitchen and seeing chef Peter Brave cooking. I also wanted to give another star because I've been here before when he has come by and spoken with the guests, including ourselves, and he seems like a truly nice guy. Starting out my Dad and I got a glass Meiomi pinot noir, which is on sale right now a local stores for about 16-17 per bottle, here it is about 8 per glass, but it is a very nice, smooth wine. I highly recommend you go out soon and buy a couple of bottles while its on sale. Its regularly 20+. Now onto the important shit, the food. My Dad got the special soup, a tomato seafood concoction, not a bisque, but can't remember. I tasted a spoonful and it was good, but under flavored (which will be a common theme). I've had the onion soup in the past, and its one of the best things I've eaten at this place, so get it if you have a soul and like onions. One of my favorite things about the place is that they bring bread 2-3 times throughout, and it many times changes during the visit, and from night to night, and I've never had a bad piece, and tonight it was a nice toughish crusted affair that went great with my ceasar salad and entree. My ceasar salad was very flavorful, actually the one of two items that I can say this about, but the downside that it was drowning in the ceasar dressing to the point that it was too powerful. It really just needed to be a little lighter and it would've been a higher rated item, but then again, its just a salad that came with the entree, and I finished it and soaked up the puddle of dressing with bread (but I was pretty damn hungry at that point). I won't go into the menu items, but they range from 23-38ish or so, which it seems like is higher than just a couple of years ago, like at least 5 per item higher, and nothing has really changed. Also, in previous visits, my biggest issue has been most ever entree has the same sides, and the sides haven't largely changed in 10 years, c'mon! They are fine, but sliced carrots, roasted potatoes, and red cabbage every time with every dish. Those are the two main reasons this place doesn't get a 3 star from me, if I'm paying 30 per dish give me options or at least put more flavor into those sides, as they are very bland and while not necessarily opposing the main dish, since they come with most every dish, they don't really pair with the entree and make it shine. So those are my biggest complaints of Brave New. Now onto the entree, I had the mixed grill that came with a small beef tenderloin, stuffed quail, pork tenderloin, and the special sausage of the night, bison. When asked on how I wanted them cooked (or at least the beef) I said medium Rare. I'll start with the best, the stuffed quail. It was stuffed with a sausage herb type creation which I didn't know it was stuffed until consuming half of it. Now its the smallest quail I've every seen and sat atop the dish, but the size didn't matter, although I would've eaten 5 of these things. I can't really describe it other than it disappears other than a few small bones in probably 2 minutes. Now onto the two disappointing meats. The pork tenderloin was sliced into about 5 pieces, was dry, and absolutely flavorless. My mom, whose not the greatest cook and when we were kids, was probably mediocre, and her pork tenderloin was better than this wasted protein. The beef tenderloin was a thin small cut, as expected, probably 3/4 inch in thickness, and was definitely medium well. Although it was much better than the pork, it lacked flavor, but at least wasn't dried up. The last meat, the bison sausage, was 2nd place on the plate. It was flavorful, but not too spicy, and had a good amount of moisture. I would have loved a mixed grill consisting of just the sausage and stuffed quail, and maybe some sides that had flavor and went with the wild gamey-ness of the meats such as wild rice and a mushroom side, now that would've been extremely good. It was meh (other than the quail), and totaled 130 pretax, no dessert, one soup, two wines. Not worth it. How does it stay open, looking around the room, it was filled with gray heads, who have probably been rolling down from heights for years...that's how.
(2)
John A.
Not impressed. With all the rave reviews and reconditions, I was thoroughly disappointed. The outdated decor went very well inset with the menu. The Caesar salad was worse than you can get from a fast food shit box. The mushroom tart was anything than spectacular...unless you like microwave ovens and beef gravy from a packet...and don't get me started on the ber blanc. Main course was anything but exciting. Bland and again outdated. The only thing that stood out was the wait staff and the decent made Manhattan. Seriously. Go to Outback and get a better meal for a third of the price. Brave New? Nooooo, Tired Old.
(2)
Wendy W.
Three of us had lunch there. It was not nice enough to sit outside but they have a beautiful deck & large window overlooking the Arkansas River. My friends had the lobster ravioli & grilled salmon on a croissant. Both said they were very goid. I had crab salad that was delicious! The sevice was outstanding! The dining room was full but we were treated as if we were there alone. The best part of the lunch was their chocolate creme Brule. This gets 5+! Do save room for it!
(4)
Sandra F.
My husband and I read the reviews and were intrigued that it was in and office building, so we had to check it out. I love quirky things. It was very busy, but the wait was not bad at all. We were seated before finishing our drinks at the bar On to the food: I had the goat cheese appetizer, which was amazing. I could have left very happy after just that! My husband got the avocado/shrimp app. There were 6 large shrimp in it (very generous for an appetizer) and he enjoyed it. For entrees, I had walleye fish with blueberry compote. Wow! I'm not much of a fish eater, but I could eat this every day. My husband ordered the mixed grill. He said the quail was very good, so I tried a bite, and he was right, it was. He also had venison sausage, pork, and beef tenderloin. He enjoyed all but the pork. We will definitely return next time we're in town. Great service and great food are hard to find, but this place has it all.
(5)
W. T.
What a great find in Little Rock! The view from the back patio is gorgeous and serene. The Wild Mushroom Tart was dry and overcooked, but the Walleye special more than made up for it! It was cooked with a blueberry balsamic sauce and was worth going back for. My friend had the Avocado Shrimp (delightful!) and the Scallop special cooked with the same blueberry balsamic sauce. The Walleye was better but only slightly. I'll go back if ever I'm in Little Rock again.
(4)
Anne S.
was in little rock a few weeks ago and went here on a recommendation. Beautiful view of the Arkansas River from the balcony. The walleye was the best I've had anywhere. Service was helpful and friendly. Just a wonderful meal.
(4)
Jane B.
Hard to find as a traveller. Thank goodness for a local with knowledge. Peter was gracious to let us sit on his patio and enjoy a beverage despite being closed in the afternoons. Also closed Sundays. Did not dine here but atmosphere and view was beautiful
(3)
Una B.
I don't think you'd quite know where to go, if you didn't already know about this place. Lucky for me, this is a lunch favorite with my traveling/business companions so I just rode along. Had the weather been nicer, the outside view and even outdoor seating would have been highly desirable. It would have nearly been intoxicating and mesmerizing to look out on all that water. I was maybe just longing for a clearer day on my visit, I guess. I ordered the lobster ravioli which was delicious. Instead of unrecognizable lobster puree, there were hearty chunks of meat. So, so good. The side of pickled red cabbage seemed a little odd, but it was also tasty. It added a German flair that my coworker greatly enjoyed! The specials included an individual chicken pot pie which looked flaky and homey. The other, some sort of fish with a blue berry beurre blanc seemed odd to me, but as I was assured, it just works. We were brought out 2 rounds of bread with our meal, the second, sourdough type being the clear winner. Request it. Butter it. Devour it. Pace at lunch was somewhere between leisurely and just down right slow. Plan accordingly.
The food here is simply amazing. Of course, it is very pricey but probably worth it. The view from the outdoor seating is perfect. Could be better with lesser number mosquitoes and bugs but then you are in Little Rock, Arkansas. Service is very quick and cordial. Also, it is rather difficult to find. On the backside of a office looking building. What is surprising is the indoor seating. I mean, there is modern-minimalist and then there is cheap. They are close to latter than the former. The great food and service makes up for it but probably they want to spend some of the money from the uber pricey food on the decor as well. I think, they have overdone the " jewel in the rough" concept. At the same time its not so bad so as to be a deal breaker.
(4)
Chris L.
My wife and I dined at Brave last night. It had been almost 2 years since our last visit. The food quality has slipped. The service was still good as expected. The server offered to comp us dessert even though we made no complaint. He was aware of the sub-par performance from the kitchen.
My husband and I were in town for a football game and wanted a nice date out. Brave New Restaurant was the perfect place! We sat on the option and had a great view of downtown. The mushroom tart was delicious, as was the quail and trout. We would go back in a heartbeat!
Fantastic place with great service and top notch food. My wife and I came to little rock for the weekend and we so happy to find this place. We had a great meal and the waiter was attentive and anticipatory to our dining needs! I highly recommend this place!
(5)
Scott S.
A good restaurant in a great setting. Ok, let's start with the location. Follow the GPS and keep an eye out for a radio station--small, 3 story office building is just to the right of the radio station. If you get lost, call. You do have a phone. The ambiance. Yes, that is why you ought to be here. A beautiful view of the river and of downtown lights if you are on the balcony; a wall of windows if you are on the inside looking out. Beats some chophouse downtown, hands down. The food. Good. Had a mushroom tart appetizer that was very flavorful. Had a heritage tomato plate that was very appetizing. Had an 8 oz. beef tenderloin that was reasonably priced. What I want to say about the tenderloin is that it was one of the best balanced plates I have ever had. There was a caesar salad that came before as part of the price. The tenderloin was accompanied by asparagus that was cooked and flavored "just so", a couple of baked russet potatoes that were new potato size that were just right, and a baked tomato with (mozzarella) cheese. The tenderloin itself was not the best I'd ever had or in contention for that designation, but the combination was special. The Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon by the glass was very good. The waiter was pleasant and helpful. If there as a 4.5 star option, that's what I would give it. Interspersed throughout the reviews you can find several ticks that are valid. If you are one of those people who consistently give 1, 2 or 3 stars, then my advice is don't go. You won't be happy, you will give a bad review to a good restaurant that is filling a neat niche. If, on the other hand, you want to propose, or you've met that special someone who makes your pulse quicken and you want to have a special evening, Brave New Restaurant is the place.
(5)
Carey B.
Nice romantic setting (once you get inside - you enter through an office building). Scallops were excellent, but the sides were just okay. Chocolate creme brulee was excellent!
The complaints about the location of this place are tiresome. You don't care if it's in an office park unless you're the walking sort, and nobody in Little Rock walks anywhere. The location is actually the biggest plus: if you're sitting outside, only a small park of ducks, geese, birds, and rabbits separates you from the river, which presents one of the loveliest and most romantic views in Little Rock. I wouldn't say that the dishes are exactly "brave" or "new" (no molecular gastronomy here) but they are consistently good, especially the fish. I had walleye the other day; the fish selection changes frequently and the beurre blanc is the one constant. Sides are always good -- try the new potatoes, which are only partly skinned, making them resemble acorns. Service is great because they don't do that cozy Southern bull****.
(4)
Marie C.
One thumb up for Brave New Restaurant I was searching for one of the better restaurants in Little Rock while there for several days working. This restaurant popped up on the radar and so I went for it. The menu was way more interesting than anything else in town, and the location seemed like it would be worth it (on the river; balcony dining; large windows for indoor diners). I arrived to an empty, non-descript office parking lot with few cars in some of the slots. But leaving the elevator on the first floor towards the restaurant was a completely different scene: you enter a lovely space with a bank of tall windows, bar area to the left, seating arrangement not crowded. I sat at the window and watched the river and the sun go down. Very nice. Service was just fine. I ordered the shrimp avocado appetizer and then the pork tenderloin. The app was very good - but it was big: avocado is very filling. The size was more like a small entre. The pork dish was also giant, at least in terms of the sides: a huge pile of cabbage and potatoes that I couldn't even dent. The pork was perfectly done and succulent, but it was so smothered with the mustard sauce that I ended up scraping the pieces of meat to eat them. All that was needed of the mustard sauce was a dollop. Coming from Boston (which is why I didn't order any of the seafood entrees), I am more accustomed to much smaller plates and also much lighter preparations (plain! let me taste the pork and not the sauce!). However, I would recommend this restaurant, especially to out-of-towners, because it was one of the better dining experiences I had while in Little Rock.
(3)
Julie H.
We read all the reviews about how tricky it is to find this place, so we went ahead of time to spot it in the daytime. I don't think it's that hard to find. I think I would love this place more if I didn't get bug bites all over from sitting on the balcony. When I became paranoid that I was being bitten, I should have asked to go inside, but I thought we could get through the meal pretty quickly. The balcony after dark is also really dark, so I couldn't really see my food. I don't have poor eye sight either. The portions are HUGE. I turned my leftovers into two more meals the next day. Food was good. The menu had choices for everyone. I'm not chomping at the bit to get back over there, but I will go again in the future. -And sit inside or wear pants to protect my legs from bug bites. I'm seriously eaten up. The dress code ranged from dressy to casual, so don't stress about that.
(3)
Melissa P.
Great valentine's day dinner
(4)
J R.
Exceptional service and fantastic food. I suggest reservations but the bar is a great chance to have a drink & appetizer while you wait.
(5)
ruby b.
We went for lunch on a Monday and sat outside. I had a grilled tuna salad and my daughter had the salmon plate. Both were cooked perfectly and full of flavor. The waitress was friendly and efficient. My salad was huge, and try as I might I could not finish it, which made me sad since it was so tasty. We split a chocolate creme brulee because we had heard it was the best...and it was! I'd go back in a minute if I lived here.
(5)
Evan K.
Great service. ...great food. Sat outside and enjoyed the accommodating weather and view. Exceeded expections. /eak
(4)
s. m. j.
I used to come here and eat this food a lot when I worked in the building. I returned recently for a lunch meeting, and I realized I probably hadn't been here in about three years; however, the food is still delicious, the service is still professional and friendly, and the experience is still excellent. We arrived right around noon and were immediately seated at a four-top on the wall perpendicular to the windows that overlook the river. We were asked if we wanted to sit outside, on the beautiful balcony with the lovely view, but I do not like to eat in The Nature. :) Our server was very pleasant and energetic and built a rapport with us right away. I was considering the nontraditional grill cheese sandwich, which I used to order quite often, because it is so freaking delicious (there's bacon in there, my friends!), but when the waitress mentioned one of the specials, a lamb sandwich with mint mayonnaise, I could not resist that. I also thought about the cream of brie soup, which was not on the menu when I used to frequent the restaurant, but I thought the sandwich would be plenty. I was right! I ate about half the sandwich, which was served on a delicious roll, and then, unwilling to give up completely, I picked some of the lamb out of the second half with my fork and nibbled on that. The meat was so tender and flavorful -- it was prepared just right! The sandwich was plated with a lovely salad, that includes Brave's usual dark greens, strawberries and fruit and cheddar and herb cheeses. Of course, the table bread, the dark rye buns, are always delicious. My lunch companion ordered the trout special with the beurre blanc sauce. This sauce is a specialty of the house and is really, really delicious with the fresh fish specials they prepare. You should always expect something on offer to be served with beurre blanc sauce, and if you haven't tried it here, you should! The only problem I have with Brave is really the atmosphere/setting. If I were willing to try sitting outside, I would probably enjoy it more. Its location in an office building and the decor just seem kind of sleek and cold instead of luxurious and comfortable. This suits a business lunch very well, but to me it isn't as nice for a romantic dinner, and my husband is not a fan. The food is definitely worth it, though, and I can't imagine anyone being sorry they dined at Brave, for lunch or dinner, for business or for pleasure!
(4)
Brennan M.
My best friend got married and her in-laws graciously hosted the rehearsal dinner at Brave New. Score! This was amazing! I had the filet and it was easily one of the best steaks I've ever had in my life. That being said, I sort of lament not getting one of the fish dishes. I was extremely skeptical as the host of the evening announced the menu options to us and emphasized Brave New's reputation for making top notch seafood dishes. I should have trusted him. While most people got the steak and were extremely happy (like me), the few people who got the seafood were really wowed. The seared sushi-grade tuna and the bay scallops were the shining stars of the evening. Well, besides the bride, that is. I think that Brave New and Ashley's at the Capitol Hotel must be the very best restaurants that Little Rock has to offer, and even some of the best that the south has to offer. I was super impressed and can't wait for the day I get to go back. (Must wait for bigger paychecks.)
(5)
J C.
I wish there were an option for 4.5 stars, but I will give Peter Brave the benefit of the doubt. He has delivered pretty much every time my family and I have dined there. I generally order the pinenut salmon, but have ventured out of my food comfort zone lately and tried the pecan-encrusted trout as well as the much-talked-about mixed grill. Please put more grilled carrots on the side, Peter haha! I guess I'm easier to please than some other posters on here, but the experience is generally very good. Sometimes, the service is spotty and the prices ARE high for what you get, but the meals are consistent. The ambience is a bit lacking as well, but that has been expounded on already by others on here... Overall, it's a great "date night" place. If you haven't been, do yourself a favor and try it out.
(5)
Wes R.
I went to Brave with a local (customer) and it was very enjoyable. The location is out of the way and not exactly what I expected for a nicer restaurant -- nothing wrong, just... austere. The food was fantastic and the staff was very professional and alert. One key factor: the staff seems to be happy to be there. I had the tuna special that was excellent. Somehow it had a really nice, crisp coating despite honoring my request for just a hint of searing.
(4)
Brittney G.
This is the first place my husband and I went when we moved to Little Rock - totally by accident, it was the closest to the Google Maps location where we were. While it was a little hard to find - located in an office building - it was totally worth the adventure! The brie soup and ceasar salad were great, as was the complimentary bread. I had the duck three ways and could NOT stop saying "OH MY GOD THIS IS SO GOOD" throughout my entire meal. I've been back several times since and have gotten something new each time - my reaction has always been the same. The wine selection is excellent, but the crowd is often 55+. Oh well. The food totally makes up for it.
(5)
Sam E.
My experience with the restaurant was enjoyable and the service was good, but I don't imagine I'd go back. I tried the brie soup and the duck and duck along with several appetizers. The menu described the duck as being served roasted crisp, but it wasn't. I thought the sides and the sauce for the duck seemed uninspired. It seemed as if my entree had sat a while before it was brought to the table. The selections of wine and desserts were disappointing as well. I've heard that this restaurant can be very good, but is hit or miss. Maybe Monday nights aren't the night to dine there.
(3)
Lance C.
Took my fiancee for Valentine's Day 2011. Since moving to NWA this was my first visit to Brave New in several years. Peter did not disappoint. The experience was terrific, food was excellently prepared and presented. The Ahi Tuna special was superb! The ice cream, made by the restaurant, was a knock out. I highly recommend Brave New Restaurant.
(4)
Dave T.
I have eaten here a couple of times. My wife and I went recently and both thought what we had was good but was somewhat expensive for what you get. Is strange location but once you get inside, the atmosphere is nice. Good service. I would go back but am not in a rush. There are other places to try in LR.
Service was very good and the location is quite lovely. However the beef tenderloin I got was somewhat bland along tr asparagus. Not the best wine list either :-/
Always fresh always good! Last time we had dinner my whole table was sharing food thinking there menu choice was best. It's located in a kind of strange spot/area but worth it once you get there. The blueberry cream desert was wicked good! service was great and well informed to soup of the day and specials! Check it out for sure..
We are from California. We were told we were going to A Brave New Restaurant and nothing more was described to me. We pulled up to an office building and cruised up a couple of floors. Very Brave. It was like 30 degree out, so we didn't get to sit on the famous balcony, but the atmosphere inside was very nice. On a Friday night the place was packed. I am impressed with Chef Brave's food. I thought his flavors were good. As for the menu, I thought his portions were good and prices fair.
(4)
Ray M.
Was extremely pleased with the food and the service. All four were impressed by the courteous staff. We selected all across the menu with no disappointments. This was our first visit and we will be returning.
(5)
Randy M.
Food is good, but use a lot of oil and butter as a crutch for flavor. The garden salad that comes with meal is light and tasty, but a bit heavy on onions. For those into aesthetics, the restaurant itself is modern inside, but it is located in an industrial office space seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Personally, I would pass on a 2nd chance to eat here
(3)
Vanessa T.
I had heard that the Brave New Restaurant was "out of the way." Being that I was visiting from Atlanta, I figured it couldn't be anymore out of the way than anything else. Slightly true. It can be difficult to find, depending on your GPS unit's integrity and your own internal compass. That said, while I found the setting unusual [it's located in what looks like an office building], we kind of dug it. It LOOKS like you're going to the dentist, but you're really about to dine while overlooking the Arkansas River. Sadly, we went at night, so we saw nothing but our own reflections in the glass. I imagine the views are great during the day. The goat cheese mousse sounded exquisite in concept. The execution, unfortunately, was underwhelming. The cheese was mild, bordering on bland. I agree with the comparison to quiche. Still, a very rich and warming appetizer. The crackers it is served with are unfriendly: they crumble with the smallest bite. We found them cumbersome and uncooperative. The roasted corn chowder soup with artichoke was textured and flavorful. It was definitely one of their stronger presentations. The veal with lime -- again, another instance of great concept versus underwhelming execution -- was entirely too greasy. It was very disappointing in this instance, as it was a main entree. The scallops were cooked well but paired poorly with mango butter. I very much like the concepts and innovations behind Brave New Restaurant, but there's still some kinks to be worked out. While it is likely one of the top tier restaurants in Little Rock, it isn't quite of the caliber of its price point. Not yet, anyway.
(3)
Nancy W.
The menu seemed really interesting and I liked the idea of a free Caesar salad which they even put anchovies on for me. But my Rockefeller Scallop appetizer was only fair. I ordered duck and duck for the entree. The smoke sausage was too smoked and hid the duck taste and the duck breast was way OVERCOOKED. The broccoli fritata that came with the entree tasted like airplane food. Overall go somewhere else, there is great food in LR, but this isn't one of the places.
(3)
Cas R.
Although I love that the owner buys local and cooks fresh, I went twice for birthday dinners and both times the hour plus wait from salad to entree was just too long and not worth the meal. I won't go back and neither will the other couple that was with us either time. The owner was at the restaurant and never came by the table to apologize nor did he when I wrote him so that he would be aware of the situation. I hear he is really a good guy but he really disappointed me. I can't comment on the food because by the time it came we were so hungry and cranky that none of us could savor the flavors..
(2)
Chandan D.
The first thing that you will notice about brave new restaurant is that they were brave enough to put it in an unbelievably crappy location in an office building - at that, a hard to find office building. The next thing that you will notice is the general lack of attention to detail when it comes to decor, there were cheap looking prints on the walls, the tables were cheap, the chairs were cheap, all in all tasteless and rather unexpected for a restaurant that charges ~$20-30 per plate. You order a few drinks from a sad excuse for a wine list and you end up happy because they aren't abhorrently overpriced. I personally had a $5 miller lite draft because that's what the prints on the walls seemed to be gesturing at. I honestly could have imagined a big neon bar sign in our dining area. Finally you order and the food comes out. Well, eventually it comes out. I went with a party of 14 and it took us THREE HOURS to get our meals. Then you think, well given the lack of attention to everything else, hopefully the food will be great (and I was hungry enough to start gnawing on my arm). You will be disappointed. I ordered the mixed grill, which yielded duck sausage that was over salted, some beef that was overcooked, and poorly seasoned quail. The worst part was when we asked for some sort of concession for the four hours of our lives that we would never get back, we were offered dessert, no apology though (Brave indeed for a new restaurant to send 14 people home with a bitter taste in their mouths - or maybe just poor management, either way, i'm never going back). To the offer we resoundingly replied "no thank you," and left as soon as was possible. If you want my opinion, for the price range, try something a little classier and a bit less "brave."
(1)
ML S.
OK. I'm from Little Rock and have been here many times. The reviews below just don't do it justice. YES, it is in an office building.... but it is one of ONLY two restaurants (that I can think of) in Little Rock that are RIGHT ON the river. That's just the way it is... they chose the fabulous river view with patio over a pretty building!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The food is dependable and the specials are always great. I agree the decor is more casual and laid back than the prices.... but the food is good! This is a restaurant where you can dress casual and still have a really nice meal. They also have the BEST party room in town with it's own private patio overlooking the river. Great place for birthday parties, rehearsal dinners, bridesmaid luncheons, etc. Peter Brave is a great chef and Brave New Restaurant is a great place to dine!
(4)
O. A.
We have visited Brave New many times and have never left disappointed. Peter Brave is a talented chef who puts it all together. The seafood dishes are our favorites; always exquisitely fresh (difficult in land locked Little Rock) and cooked to perfection. Open for lunch and dinner. Weather (and Arkansas mosquitoes) permitting, the outside tables have nice river views.
(5)
SHANNON B.
VEGETARIANS BEWARE! After talking about avoiding meat ingredients with the waiter I ordered the only 'vegetarian' item on the menu. I ate half of it before I discovered the side dish contained bacon. Who knows how much of it I ate and what else was harboring meat products. After 20 years of vegetarianism this restaurant's carelessness and disregard left me feeling violated. I can't recommend it for meat-eaters either. My husband did not think his crab dish was anything special.
(1)
Bertina L.
For me, only two things matter in a restaurant - service and quality of food. I had seen excellent reviews from other websites, and so I decided to give the restaurant a chance, despite the reviews I found on yelp.com . Unfortunately, "disappointed" is an understatement, especially for the $80+ I spent there. My friend and I had no difficulty getting seated without reservations, which I thought was unusual for 7pm on a Saturday night. However, immediately we noticed we were treated differently. The servers usually walk around with a basket of whole wheat/rye rolls, asking customers if they would like any. We were never asked. Instead, our server brought out a basket with two slices of white bread, and served us from that. At first, we thought we were being too sensitive because we felt out of place (we are at least 10 years younger than most of the clientele), but when the server gave us slices of white bread not once but twice, we knew something was odd. Initially our server was friendly, but pretty soon, she stopped checking on us. I wonder if she thought we wouldn't tip well because we were young. We both got the house salad, which would have been good...with about 1/2 the amount of dressing that was drowning the lettuce. I ordered the North Atlantic salmon, and my friend ordered the mixed grill. While I enjoyed the flavor combination of pesto cream and salmon, and the texture contrast between the salmon and the crust, my salmon was overcooked. It was borderline too dry, and reminded me of canned salmon. The carrots were underseasoned, and the potatoes were not seasoned at all. The mixed grill was an even bigger disappointment. It came with quail, beef tenderloin, pork tenderloin, and buffalo sausage, and we asked for medium rare. Although we were happy with the quail, the beef tenderloin had no flavor (which is shocking for beef tenderloin), the buffalo was overpowered by spices, and the pork tenderloin had the consistency of drywall. On top of that mess, they drenched the meat in a smoky sauce, almost as if they knew it would be disappointing and dry - but unfortunately for us, it tasted like a cheap version of Liquid Smoke, which is a bottled hickory smoked seasoning you can find in the grocery store. Lastly, the chocolate crème brulee was hands-down the most disappointing. Normally the custard is made and refrigerated, and when it is served, sugar is torched to make a light crispy sweet crust. Here, they made everything beforehand, including the crust, and refrigerated it. While the texture of the custard was alright, I could have chipped a tooth on the crust. I was just waiting for the waitress to ask me how the dessert was so I could express my disappointment, but she never asked. I chose not to complain to the waitress or the management about the poor quality of the service and the food, mostly because I felt they would not listen to a 23-year-old. Rest assured, I will not return there anytime in the future, nor will I when they deem my age as "appropriate."
(1)
Celeste C.
The food at Brave New is some of the best in town. Maybe THE best. I love this place. You can ask for a vegetarian plate, and it will be full of the freshest, tastiest, real veggies (NOT JUST FRENCH FRIES, which seem to be the staple vegetable in Little Rock.) It is a lovely atmosphere--upscale and roomy. Brave New has been in business a long time.
(5)
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Address :2300 Cottondale Ln,Ste 105
Little Rock, AR, 72202
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Classy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Sara B.
Are you over 50 and loved the 90's? This place is for you. It is a total throw back place from the food to the decor. The food was good, but weird. Parsley bloom on the plates, same sides no matter what the protein, which would be fine, if they were good and matched. But I had salmon, the fiancé had scallops (all 3 of them), our sides were sour purple cabbage, an 80's zucchini boat and roasted potatoes. That's just weird. The salad that comes with the meal is tiny but ok. We got an app special that was fine, but for the price, disappointing with it's 3 pieces of crostini. And as I walk away, that was my biggest issue with the whole meal, it was just too expensive. We spent $120 plus tip on a dinner for two with a few glasses if wine and no dessert and a little to go container. It was fine, but for the price? It should have cost half as much. It was a very crowded restaurant and we waited about 20min for a table. We won't go back, but big ups for their marketing team, the press I have seen made it seem completely different than it really is... I reiterate: Parsley bunch on the plate.
(2)K S.
The food here is simply amazing. Of course, it is very pricey but probably worth it. The view from the outdoor seating is perfect. Could be better with lesser number mosquitoes and bugs but then you are in Little Rock, Arkansas. Service is very quick and cordial. Also, it is rather difficult to find. On the backside of a office looking building. What is surprising is the indoor seating. I mean, there is modern-minimalist and then there is cheap. They are close to latter than the former. The great food and service makes up for it but probably they want to spend some of the money from the uber pricey food on the decor as well. I think, they have overdone the " jewel in the rough" concept. At the same time its not so bad so as to be a deal breaker.
(4)Muckenfuss V.
The complaints about the location of this place are tiresome. You don't care if it's in an office park unless you're the walking sort, and nobody in Little Rock walks anywhere. The location is actually the biggest plus: if you're sitting outside, only a small park of ducks, geese, birds, and rabbits separates you from the river, which presents one of the loveliest and most romantic views in Little Rock. I wouldn't say that the dishes are exactly "brave" or "new" (no molecular gastronomy here) but they are consistently good, especially the fish. I had walleye the other day; the fish selection changes frequently and the beurre blanc is the one constant. Sides are always good -- try the new potatoes, which are only partly skinned, making them resemble acorns. Service is great because they don't do that cozy Southern bull****.
(4)Evan K.
Great service. ...great food. Sat outside and enjoyed the accommodating weather and view. Exceeded expections. /eak
(4)s. m. j.
I used to come here and eat this food a lot when I worked in the building. I returned recently for a lunch meeting, and I realized I probably hadn't been here in about three years; however, the food is still delicious, the service is still professional and friendly, and the experience is still excellent. We arrived right around noon and were immediately seated at a four-top on the wall perpendicular to the windows that overlook the river. We were asked if we wanted to sit outside, on the beautiful balcony with the lovely view, but I do not like to eat in The Nature. :) Our server was very pleasant and energetic and built a rapport with us right away. I was considering the nontraditional grill cheese sandwich, which I used to order quite often, because it is so freaking delicious (there's bacon in there, my friends!), but when the waitress mentioned one of the specials, a lamb sandwich with mint mayonnaise, I could not resist that. I also thought about the cream of brie soup, which was not on the menu when I used to frequent the restaurant, but I thought the sandwich would be plenty. I was right! I ate about half the sandwich, which was served on a delicious roll, and then, unwilling to give up completely, I picked some of the lamb out of the second half with my fork and nibbled on that. The meat was so tender and flavorful -- it was prepared just right! The sandwich was plated with a lovely salad, that includes Brave's usual dark greens, strawberries and fruit and cheddar and herb cheeses. Of course, the table bread, the dark rye buns, are always delicious. My lunch companion ordered the trout special with the beurre blanc sauce. This sauce is a specialty of the house and is really, really delicious with the fresh fish specials they prepare. You should always expect something on offer to be served with beurre blanc sauce, and if you haven't tried it here, you should! The only problem I have with Brave is really the atmosphere/setting. If I were willing to try sitting outside, I would probably enjoy it more. Its location in an office building and the decor just seem kind of sleek and cold instead of luxurious and comfortable. This suits a business lunch very well, but to me it isn't as nice for a romantic dinner, and my husband is not a fan. The food is definitely worth it, though, and I can't imagine anyone being sorry they dined at Brave, for lunch or dinner, for business or for pleasure!
(4)Joshua J.
To begin with, I've been here quite a number of times the last 10 years, and I will now review based on my last visit last night. I went with my parents, and yes the place is in an office building, but is a nice and not overly stuffy interior, and when the weather is nice the deck is probably the best in Little Rock based on the view of the river. Anyway, I enjoy the open area that allows you to look into the kitchen and seeing chef Peter Brave cooking. I also wanted to give another star because I've been here before when he has come by and spoken with the guests, including ourselves, and he seems like a truly nice guy. Starting out my Dad and I got a glass Meiomi pinot noir, which is on sale right now a local stores for about 16-17 per bottle, here it is about 8 per glass, but it is a very nice, smooth wine. I highly recommend you go out soon and buy a couple of bottles while its on sale. Its regularly 20+. Now onto the important shit, the food. My Dad got the special soup, a tomato seafood concoction, not a bisque, but can't remember. I tasted a spoonful and it was good, but under flavored (which will be a common theme). I've had the onion soup in the past, and its one of the best things I've eaten at this place, so get it if you have a soul and like onions. One of my favorite things about the place is that they bring bread 2-3 times throughout, and it many times changes during the visit, and from night to night, and I've never had a bad piece, and tonight it was a nice toughish crusted affair that went great with my ceasar salad and entree. My ceasar salad was very flavorful, actually the one of two items that I can say this about, but the downside that it was drowning in the ceasar dressing to the point that it was too powerful. It really just needed to be a little lighter and it would've been a higher rated item, but then again, its just a salad that came with the entree, and I finished it and soaked up the puddle of dressing with bread (but I was pretty damn hungry at that point). I won't go into the menu items, but they range from 23-38ish or so, which it seems like is higher than just a couple of years ago, like at least 5 per item higher, and nothing has really changed. Also, in previous visits, my biggest issue has been most ever entree has the same sides, and the sides haven't largely changed in 10 years, c'mon! They are fine, but sliced carrots, roasted potatoes, and red cabbage every time with every dish. Those are the two main reasons this place doesn't get a 3 star from me, if I'm paying 30 per dish give me options or at least put more flavor into those sides, as they are very bland and while not necessarily opposing the main dish, since they come with most every dish, they don't really pair with the entree and make it shine. So those are my biggest complaints of Brave New. Now onto the entree, I had the mixed grill that came with a small beef tenderloin, stuffed quail, pork tenderloin, and the special sausage of the night, bison. When asked on how I wanted them cooked (or at least the beef) I said medium Rare. I'll start with the best, the stuffed quail. It was stuffed with a sausage herb type creation which I didn't know it was stuffed until consuming half of it. Now its the smallest quail I've every seen and sat atop the dish, but the size didn't matter, although I would've eaten 5 of these things. I can't really describe it other than it disappears other than a few small bones in probably 2 minutes. Now onto the two disappointing meats. The pork tenderloin was sliced into about 5 pieces, was dry, and absolutely flavorless. My mom, whose not the greatest cook and when we were kids, was probably mediocre, and her pork tenderloin was better than this wasted protein. The beef tenderloin was a thin small cut, as expected, probably 3/4 inch in thickness, and was definitely medium well. Although it was much better than the pork, it lacked flavor, but at least wasn't dried up. The last meat, the bison sausage, was 2nd place on the plate. It was flavorful, but not too spicy, and had a good amount of moisture. I would have loved a mixed grill consisting of just the sausage and stuffed quail, and maybe some sides that had flavor and went with the wild gamey-ness of the meats such as wild rice and a mushroom side, now that would've been extremely good. It was meh (other than the quail), and totaled 130 pretax, no dessert, one soup, two wines. Not worth it. How does it stay open, looking around the room, it was filled with gray heads, who have probably been rolling down from heights for years...that's how.
(2)Dana W.
Nice atmosphere. The food is excellent. My husband and I along with another couple ate here this weekend for the first time. My husband had the steak and it was delicious. I had the pine nut encrusted salmon and it was equally good. They did mix up my husband's med/well steak with our friend's med/rare. The only other minor complaint is that each entree came with the same sides (carrots, roasted potatoes and some type of cabbage concoction). Their house salad is good as well. My friend said her creme brûlée was wonderful.
(3)Massimiliano C.
Very quiet, older crowd, not exciting. But the ciew is spectacular and the food is really really good. I got the local tomatoes with mozzarella (caprese) and they were excellent, the walleye was very good as well. Very nice and attentive service.
(4)Megan B.
I just drove in from Dallas and chose this restaurant based on an article review. It's good. Peaceful. It's by the river with mandevillia growing on the balcony and geese eating below. The food is good. It reminds me of mother's gourmet cooking. It's very rich, like she used to prepare. The crowd is 50+ years old. So that correlates with the food. The service is excellent. An unusual note on the food, parsley is served as part of the meal, not as a garnish. I like parsley, so I have enjoyed it. It's just a surprising amount.
(4)Mike H.
My wife and I dined at Brave New Thursday night for the fourth or fifth time. It has always been excellent, and this time did not disappoint. Due to unexpected road construction, we showed up about ten minutes late for our booking, but were still shown to our table promptly. The waiter was knowledgeable about the specials and very helpful and attentive. The food was superb as always. It is a bit pricey, but well worth it. We have never been able to sit on the balcony overlooking the river, but that has a lot more to do with the unpredictable weather in Little Rock than it is about the restaurant. Would recommend to anyone.
(5)Mindy W.
We loved Brave new restaurant. I had the shrimp salad with mushroom soup. My husband had the Tuna special. Both were wonderful. Tad pricey but really good. We all enjoyed.
(4)Arianna N Shaffer S.
This place is definitely a little hidden gem! It's not a restaurant you just casually drive by, see, and want to stop in to grab a bite to eat! It's definitely a place you plan to go to and have to look for! When I say it's hidden I mean it's hidden! I don't live in Arkansas but I was looking up upscale restaurants to try and this was one of the top choices that popped up, so my mom and I decided to give it a go! We were worried walking into the building it was in, we had no idea how to really find it and it all seemed really sketchy at first but we found it! As soon as we walked in we were greeted! The decor was very nice and classy! My mom and i decided that we wanted to sit outside to eat and enjoy the view of the lake and enjoy the nature! We got to our table and had a great view of the lake, trees, and geese, ducks and birds below eating food on the grass! It was fun to see but then all of a sudden these little kid Boy Scouts come running down the grass screaming and chasing away the poor geese. Typical kids! My mother and I got the Dr. Loosen reisling to drink which was excellent and we had the shrimp avocado appetizer to start and it was delicious, we would highly recommend it! The shrimp was really good! We were only having a light bite to eat so we both ordered the onion soup and I ordered a house salad and my mother ordered a Caesar salad! The 6 onion soup is literally sooooo delicious, I could eat a million cups of it! It seems to be pretty healthy too! I loved it and my mouth waters thinking about!! The Caesar salad there is standard and tiny, same with the garden salad! However the garden salad is exceptionally good!! The garlic dressing is delicious and it comes with these pickled and roasted veggies as well, which makes it taste so amazing! I wish we could have tried more stuff on the menu! I am not a huge fan of the menu but it all seemed to look pretty good! I wish they had more appetizers and offered more vegetarian friendly entree salads instead of the tiny side salads! We were very happy with the service, our waitress was sweet and on point and very attentive to us! I definitely think if you live in Arkansas or you are here to visit you should definitely check out this restaurant! It's very quaint and almost like a secret restaurant!!!
(3)Adam M.
Great experience on a Wednesday night. Very attentive service, great atmosphere.. Though it is a little hard to find. Meal: + broiled walleye + seared red potatoes + carrots + green beans + bread + side cesar Pros: + Perfect portions + Complex flavors Cons: + Difficult to find from the parking lot + Brown lettuce
(4)Marie C.
One thumb up for Brave New Restaurant I was searching for one of the better restaurants in Little Rock while there for several days working. This restaurant popped up on the radar and so I went for it. The menu was way more interesting than anything else in town, and the location seemed like it would be worth it (on the river; balcony dining; large windows for indoor diners). I arrived to an empty, non-descript office parking lot with few cars in some of the slots. But leaving the elevator on the first floor towards the restaurant was a completely different scene: you enter a lovely space with a bank of tall windows, bar area to the left, seating arrangement not crowded. I sat at the window and watched the river and the sun go down. Very nice. Service was just fine. I ordered the shrimp avocado appetizer and then the pork tenderloin. The app was very good - but it was big: avocado is very filling. The size was more like a small entre. The pork dish was also giant, at least in terms of the sides: a huge pile of cabbage and potatoes that I couldn't even dent. The pork was perfectly done and succulent, but it was so smothered with the mustard sauce that I ended up scraping the pieces of meat to eat them. All that was needed of the mustard sauce was a dollop. Coming from Boston (which is why I didn't order any of the seafood entrees), I am more accustomed to much smaller plates and also much lighter preparations (plain! let me taste the pork and not the sauce!). However, I would recommend this restaurant, especially to out-of-towners, because it was one of the better dining experiences I had while in Little Rock.
(3)Julie H.
We read all the reviews about how tricky it is to find this place, so we went ahead of time to spot it in the daytime. I don't think it's that hard to find. I think I would love this place more if I didn't get bug bites all over from sitting on the balcony. When I became paranoid that I was being bitten, I should have asked to go inside, but I thought we could get through the meal pretty quickly. The balcony after dark is also really dark, so I couldn't really see my food. I don't have poor eye sight either. The portions are HUGE. I turned my leftovers into two more meals the next day. Food was good. The menu had choices for everyone. I'm not chomping at the bit to get back over there, but I will go again in the future. -And sit inside or wear pants to protect my legs from bug bites. I'm seriously eaten up. The dress code ranged from dressy to casual, so don't stress about that.
(3)Melissa P.
Great valentine's day dinner
(4)J R.
Exceptional service and fantastic food. I suggest reservations but the bar is a great chance to have a drink & appetizer while you wait.
(5)ruby b.
We went for lunch on a Monday and sat outside. I had a grilled tuna salad and my daughter had the salmon plate. Both were cooked perfectly and full of flavor. The waitress was friendly and efficient. My salad was huge, and try as I might I could not finish it, which made me sad since it was so tasty. We split a chocolate creme brulee because we had heard it was the best...and it was! I'd go back in a minute if I lived here.
(5)Jane B.
Hard to find as a traveller. Thank goodness for a local with knowledge. Peter was gracious to let us sit on his patio and enjoy a beverage despite being closed in the afternoons. Also closed Sundays. Did not dine here but atmosphere and view was beautiful
(3)Lance C.
Took my fiancee for Valentine's Day 2011. Since moving to NWA this was my first visit to Brave New in several years. Peter did not disappoint. The experience was terrific, food was excellently prepared and presented. The Ahi Tuna special was superb! The ice cream, made by the restaurant, was a knock out. I highly recommend Brave New Restaurant.
(4)Dave T.
I have eaten here a couple of times. My wife and I went recently and both thought what we had was good but was somewhat expensive for what you get. Is strange location but once you get inside, the atmosphere is nice. Good service. I would go back but am not in a rush. There are other places to try in LR.
(3)Ray M.
Was extremely pleased with the food and the service. All four were impressed by the courteous staff. We selected all across the menu with no disappointments. This was our first visit and we will be returning.
(5)Mandy M.
Okay, I get what a lot of the naysayers are going on about. However, this place needs to be given the credit that it deserves. If I could give it a 4 1/2 I would have. Obviously, this is not an option. Granted the location sucks. It is weird and off-putting to make your way to the restaurant through an office complex. But once there, a seat on the patio makes you forget about any hassle finding the place. I felt so relaxed once we got there that I sat back, propped my feet on the railing and enjoyed every second that I was there. The heirloom tomato plate was delicious. I am a southern girl; I take my tomatoes very seriously. I could have eaten a second portion. The baked camembert was not exactly special but was delicious and HUGE. The restaurant was very generous with portions. If we had realized this, we would have only ordered one appetizer. My entree was delicious. The fish was seasoned well and cooked perfectly. The fresh vegetables were just as well done. Maybe it wasn't the best thing I'd ever eaten but it was absolutely delicious. My husband's stuffed quail was certainly good as well. As a game meat aficionado, he might have seasoned things a bit differently but was still very pleased. The chocolate creme brulee was maybe my least favorite thing. I can't wait to go back this summer. The wine list may have been short but was very reasonably priced. We enjoy wine but aren't snobby about it so it was no bother to us. If you want to relax, enjoy good food, deal with well trained servers, and not spend your entire pay check for a lovely night out, go to Brave New Restaurant. Please.
(4)Scott W.
Teresa was wonderful and told me all about Little Rock. The owner is really involved here e airing quality of cuisine and cordiality. My baked cheese appetizer was solid, but not great. However the venison main dish was a delight... Lean and mild with no gamey lingerings. Tender love and Meat!
(4)Kelly G.
My favorite special occasion place which I lived in Little Rock. It can be hard to find at first, but I loved that it's tucked away. Great seating on the river if you sit on the balcony...just some advice though, use bug spray if it's that time of year or you will leave eaten up! The veal there is excellent, as well as the potatoes they serve with it. The brave new shrimp app is very good, with red onions, avocado and large, fresh shrimp. Reservations highly recommended. Great local place... I miss it!
(5)John A.
Not impressed. With all the rave reviews and reconditions, I was thoroughly disappointed. The outdated decor went very well inset with the menu. The Caesar salad was worse than you can get from a fast food shit box. The mushroom tart was anything than spectacular...unless you like microwave ovens and beef gravy from a packet...and don't get me started on the ber blanc. Main course was anything but exciting. Bland and again outdated. The only thing that stood out was the wait staff and the decent made Manhattan. Seriously. Go to Outback and get a better meal for a third of the price. Brave New? Nooooo, Tired Old.
(2)Sandra F.
My husband and I read the reviews and were intrigued that it was in and office building, so we had to check it out. I love quirky things. It was very busy, but the wait was not bad at all. We were seated before finishing our drinks at the bar On to the food: I had the goat cheese appetizer, which was amazing. I could have left very happy after just that! My husband got the avocado/shrimp app. There were 6 large shrimp in it (very generous for an appetizer) and he enjoyed it. For entrees, I had walleye fish with blueberry compote. Wow! I'm not much of a fish eater, but I could eat this every day. My husband ordered the mixed grill. He said the quail was very good, so I tried a bite, and he was right, it was. He also had venison sausage, pork, and beef tenderloin. He enjoyed all but the pork. We will definitely return next time we're in town. Great service and great food are hard to find, but this place has it all.
(5)Apurva N.
My colleagues and I looked up Brave on Yelp and after seeing the great reviews and looking at the interesting menu, we decided to give it a shot. When my GPS told us to turn on Cottondale Rd, I was positive we were lost. We were directed to a large office biulding and weren't quite sure how to enter. We saw a neon sign saying "Restaurant" on the 2nd floor and made our way up there via elevator. I'm sure all of us were wondering who the hell puts a restaurant in an office building in the middle of nowhere. We were in for a VERY pleasant surprise. Upon entry, the dining area was warm and inviting and so were the staff. We were promptly seated. We ordered the brie and the mushroom tart as appetizers, both of which were very good. I was a fan of the mushroom tart. The bread they served was also fresh out of the oven and quite delicious. I had the five onion soup, which was pretty decent - not out of the word or anything. For my main course, I had the trout stuffed with crab meat and spinach. I'd never really had anything like that before and I must say it was really good. Everything went together rather well. My colleagues had the pine nut encrusted salmon, the duck on duck (which my colleague swears is exceptional) and the beef dish (can't remember the name). We topped it all off with desserts - I had the chocolate creme brule, which, again, was very good. Not ridiculously sweet - just right. All in all, we all left the restaurant feeling like we had a great meal, good service and a very nice experience. The location will throw you off a bit, but just like the restaurant, be brave! Give it a try!
(4)Tina L.
The ambiance is OK. Our waiter was nice but needed some polishing. He was very frugal with the pepper grinder and would take it away before we asked him too. The 2nd time he did it, my husband had to ask for more pepper. When our entrees came out, he did the same thing. About the food, our soups were so tasty. I had the seafood soup in tomato broth, and my husband had the 5 onion soup. My soup was only warm which I intended to eat like that, but my husband tasted it and said you can't have cold soup on your birthday. So we asked our waiter to heat it up, and it was much better hot. My husband said his caesar salad was OK, but he was missing the creaminess of the dressing. I told him that it had great Caesar flavor. I ordered the lobster and crab salad, and it was a disappointment, especially for the price. My first comment was "Where's the lobster?" It was chopped up with the crab. I think if they presented the lobster and crab differently, it would have made the salad more appealing. The dressings that came with the salad were OK. The weirdest part was the salad came with all of these fruits and cheeses, almost enough for an app portion of a fruit and cheese plate. It did not go with the salad, and I wish they didn't include it so that i could more easily mix up my salad. My husband's quails over wild rice was delish, and he immensely enjoyed it. Our chocolate creme brûlée was so good, but I'd rather have it on a more shallow bowl so that it's easier and more fun to break the top.
(3)Una B.
I don't think you'd quite know where to go, if you didn't already know about this place. Lucky for me, this is a lunch favorite with my traveling/business companions so I just rode along. Had the weather been nicer, the outside view and even outdoor seating would have been highly desirable. It would have nearly been intoxicating and mesmerizing to look out on all that water. I was maybe just longing for a clearer day on my visit, I guess. I ordered the lobster ravioli which was delicious. Instead of unrecognizable lobster puree, there were hearty chunks of meat. So, so good. The side of pickled red cabbage seemed a little odd, but it was also tasty. It added a German flair that my coworker greatly enjoyed! The specials included an individual chicken pot pie which looked flaky and homey. The other, some sort of fish with a blue berry beurre blanc seemed odd to me, but as I was assured, it just works. We were brought out 2 rounds of bread with our meal, the second, sourdough type being the clear winner. Request it. Butter it. Devour it. Pace at lunch was somewhere between leisurely and just down right slow. Plan accordingly.
(4)Brennan M.
My best friend got married and her in-laws graciously hosted the rehearsal dinner at Brave New. Score! This was amazing! I had the filet and it was easily one of the best steaks I've ever had in my life. That being said, I sort of lament not getting one of the fish dishes. I was extremely skeptical as the host of the evening announced the menu options to us and emphasized Brave New's reputation for making top notch seafood dishes. I should have trusted him. While most people got the steak and were extremely happy (like me), the few people who got the seafood were really wowed. The seared sushi-grade tuna and the bay scallops were the shining stars of the evening. Well, besides the bride, that is. I think that Brave New and Ashley's at the Capitol Hotel must be the very best restaurants that Little Rock has to offer, and even some of the best that the south has to offer. I was super impressed and can't wait for the day I get to go back. (Must wait for bigger paychecks.)
(5)Wendy W.
Three of us had lunch there. It was not nice enough to sit outside but they have a beautiful deck & large window overlooking the Arkansas River. My friends had the lobster ravioli & grilled salmon on a croissant. Both said they were very goid. I had crab salad that was delicious! The sevice was outstanding! The dining room was full but we were treated as if we were there alone. The best part of the lunch was their chocolate creme Brule. This gets 5+! Do save room for it!
(4)Andrew W.
Brave New has good food and a great atmosphere for the price. Have gone there many times for dinner and usually end up getting the medallions and scallops for the wife. Usually the dessert is chocolate creme brûlée. The balcony area is one of the best outdoor eating areas in town.
(4)Robin M.
My first time to Arkansas and as a girl from the greater LA area I am spoiled with amazing restaurants all within an hour from me and was not expecting anything special at all to discover in Little Rock. Let me tell you I was very wrong!!! My friend lives here and had come to Brave New Restaurant for lunch and loved the food and view but had never been for dinner. Since I was in town for work she wanted to treat me to a nice dinner and open my eyes to how nice Little Rock was. She succeeded on both counts! :-) We started with tasting several different red wines that they had available by the glass that I was not familiar with so we could have just the right wine. Waiter was very accommodating. Baked Camembert cheese with grapes and walnuts as an appetizer which was perfect. House salad tossed with a roasted garlic vinaigrette and grilled veggies. Delicious! I recommend asking for them to go light on the dressing and it came out perfect. The night I went fresh Walleye (a mild white fish) was the special fish of the day with a buerre blanc sauce, and my friend had the pinenut encrusted fresh Salmon (on the menu). Both were flawless. I have had fish frequently in "nice" restaurants that were overcooked or overly drenched in sauce. This was not the case with either choice for us. I will say that I was hesitant to have the Walleye as I am a big Salmon fan, but I never had Walleye before and the owner/chef himself...Peter Brave...had come out to greet us and convinced me otherwise so I went with the Walleye and I am so glad I did!!! Light, not fishy at all, just the right amount of sauce, and the fish was so buttery and flaky it melted in my mouth!!!! AMAZING!!! We finished off with a chocolate creme brûlée. On the menu. Must get!!! We sat on the patio which is known for its view. Again we were not disappointed. Because it was cool there were only 2 daring tables but we got the heater brought to us, it was not windy, the lights of downtown twinkled and made for a gorgeous skyline. Did I say this night was perfection yet? It was!!!! HIGHLY recommend and can't wait to go back!!!
(5)Ashley S.
My husband and I were in town for a football game and wanted a nice date out. Brave New Restaurant was the perfect place! We sat on the option and had a great view of downtown. The mushroom tart was delicious, as was the quail and trout. We would go back in a heartbeat!
(5)Scott S.
A good restaurant in a great setting. Ok, let's start with the location. Follow the GPS and keep an eye out for a radio station--small, 3 story office building is just to the right of the radio station. If you get lost, call. You do have a phone. The ambiance. Yes, that is why you ought to be here. A beautiful view of the river and of downtown lights if you are on the balcony; a wall of windows if you are on the inside looking out. Beats some chophouse downtown, hands down. The food. Good. Had a mushroom tart appetizer that was very flavorful. Had a heritage tomato plate that was very appetizing. Had an 8 oz. beef tenderloin that was reasonably priced. What I want to say about the tenderloin is that it was one of the best balanced plates I have ever had. There was a caesar salad that came before as part of the price. The tenderloin was accompanied by asparagus that was cooked and flavored "just so", a couple of baked russet potatoes that were new potato size that were just right, and a baked tomato with (mozzarella) cheese. The tenderloin itself was not the best I'd ever had or in contention for that designation, but the combination was special. The Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon by the glass was very good. The waiter was pleasant and helpful. If there as a 4.5 star option, that's what I would give it. Interspersed throughout the reviews you can find several ticks that are valid. If you are one of those people who consistently give 1, 2 or 3 stars, then my advice is don't go. You won't be happy, you will give a bad review to a good restaurant that is filling a neat niche. If, on the other hand, you want to propose, or you've met that special someone who makes your pulse quicken and you want to have a special evening, Brave New Restaurant is the place.
(5)Carey B.
Nice romantic setting (once you get inside - you enter through an office building). Scallops were excellent, but the sides were just okay. Chocolate creme brulee was excellent!
(4)Rebecca P.
My husband and I both enjoyed BNR this evening. The avocado shrimp appetizer was SO fresh and flavorful. The pimentos were an excellent kick of flavor. I ordered the stuffed quail entrée and my husband had the duck on duck. Both were generous portions. I'd highly recommend both dishes and this restaurant!
(4)Kendra L.
Being from out of town, I was looking for some local fare and tried to go to Doe's, but it was closed for a private party. We ended up here and had the same experience as a couple of the other reviewers: it's in an office building,up the elevator. Having gone for dinner, we apparently missed the view of the river which probably helps this restaurant. The menu did not. While creative, I'm not looking for Talipia in Arkansas. I ended up having Duck and Duck. Duck breast with Duck Sausage. It was ok, could have been better had it not been sitting on the warmer a bit too long. The service was very good. Will - was in the weeds, but managed to get our drinks, bread, and dinners out to us quickly. We were all starving having missed lunch. Improve the quality of the cooking a bit, and I'd go back. Right now, $25 entrees put this in the not-a-good-value-for-what-you-get category for me.
(2)Leland H.
We are from California. We were told we were going to A Brave New Restaurant and nothing more was described to me. We pulled up to an office building and cruised up a couple of floors. Very Brave. It was like 30 degree out, so we didn't get to sit on the famous balcony, but the atmosphere inside was very nice. On a Friday night the place was packed. I am impressed with Chef Brave's food. I thought his flavors were good. As for the menu, I thought his portions were good and prices fair.
(4)Chris L.
My wife and I dined at Brave last night. It had been almost 2 years since our last visit. The food quality has slipped. The service was still good as expected. The server offered to comp us dessert even though we made no complaint. He was aware of the sub-par performance from the kitchen.
(2)Michael M.
Fantastic place with great service and top notch food. My wife and I came to little rock for the weekend and we so happy to find this place. We had a great meal and the waiter was attentive and anticipatory to our dining needs! I highly recommend this place!
(5)J C.
I wish there were an option for 4.5 stars, but I will give Peter Brave the benefit of the doubt. He has delivered pretty much every time my family and I have dined there. I generally order the pinenut salmon, but have ventured out of my food comfort zone lately and tried the pecan-encrusted trout as well as the much-talked-about mixed grill. Please put more grilled carrots on the side, Peter haha! I guess I'm easier to please than some other posters on here, but the experience is generally very good. Sometimes, the service is spotty and the prices ARE high for what you get, but the meals are consistent. The ambience is a bit lacking as well, but that has been expounded on already by others on here... Overall, it's a great "date night" place. If you haven't been, do yourself a favor and try it out.
(5)Wes R.
I went to Brave with a local (customer) and it was very enjoyable. The location is out of the way and not exactly what I expected for a nicer restaurant -- nothing wrong, just... austere. The food was fantastic and the staff was very professional and alert. One key factor: the staff seems to be happy to be there. I had the tuna special that was excellent. Somehow it had a really nice, crisp coating despite honoring my request for just a hint of searing.
(4)Brittney G.
This is the first place my husband and I went when we moved to Little Rock - totally by accident, it was the closest to the Google Maps location where we were. While it was a little hard to find - located in an office building - it was totally worth the adventure! The brie soup and ceasar salad were great, as was the complimentary bread. I had the duck three ways and could NOT stop saying "OH MY GOD THIS IS SO GOOD" throughout my entire meal. I've been back several times since and have gotten something new each time - my reaction has always been the same. The wine selection is excellent, but the crowd is often 55+. Oh well. The food totally makes up for it.
(5)Sam E.
My experience with the restaurant was enjoyable and the service was good, but I don't imagine I'd go back. I tried the brie soup and the duck and duck along with several appetizers. The menu described the duck as being served roasted crisp, but it wasn't. I thought the sides and the sauce for the duck seemed uninspired. It seemed as if my entree had sat a while before it was brought to the table. The selections of wine and desserts were disappointing as well. I've heard that this restaurant can be very good, but is hit or miss. Maybe Monday nights aren't the night to dine there.
(3)David H.
I went with four other foodies from the B&B industry and we had a spectacular time. The restaurant is in one of the drabbest buildings you can imagine, but the food and service and setting make up for it in spades. We ate on the open deck in the warm breeze overlooking the river and the geese and rabbits grazing below on the lawn. All of our entrées were prepared beautifully, with the sauces being the stand out feature of the meals. Appetizers were also tasty; scallops Rockefeller, exceptional smoked fish with a tangy mustard . Excellent bread and a complimentary salad (Caesar or Garden) came with dinner as well. Perhaps the best part, however, was our server Ben. He was awesome! A true southern gentlemen who went out of his way to make us feel welcome, from his menu descriptions to separating our checks (he volunteered to do it!) all the way to getting us a cab and going downstairs to make sure it arrived. If there were any complaints it was the limited dessert selection (although the homemade ice cream and sorbets were very tasty) and limited beer/wine list. We'll be back when we return to Little Rock in January.
(4)Beez H.
Service was very good and the location is quite lovely. However the beef tenderloin I got was somewhat bland along tr asparagus. Not the best wine list either :-/
(3)Sandra F.
This is one of the best places for business lunch as servers are terrific and food consistently great. I have never had a bad meal here which says a lot. The grilled salmon is always moist and cooked to perfection. The soups are always delicious and change daily. The chocolate Creme brûlée is to die for and we love the brown bread rolls & butter they replenish throughout your meal. Peter Brave keeps the quality at his restaurant top notch.
(4)Greg S.
Always fresh always good! Last time we had dinner my whole table was sharing food thinking there menu choice was best. It's located in a kind of strange spot/area but worth it once you get there. The blueberry cream desert was wicked good! service was great and well informed to soup of the day and specials! Check it out for sure..
(5)David B.
Without a doubt, the best restaurant in Little Rock. Don't miss the walleye or the chocolate cream brûlée.
(5)W. T.
What a great find in Little Rock! The view from the back patio is gorgeous and serene. The Wild Mushroom Tart was dry and overcooked, but the Walleye special more than made up for it! It was cooked with a blueberry balsamic sauce and was worth going back for. My friend had the Avocado Shrimp (delightful!) and the Scallop special cooked with the same blueberry balsamic sauce. The Walleye was better but only slightly. I'll go back if ever I'm in Little Rock again.
(4)Anne S.
was in little rock a few weeks ago and went here on a recommendation. Beautiful view of the Arkansas River from the balcony. The walleye was the best I've had anywhere. Service was helpful and friendly. Just a wonderful meal.
(4)Randy M.
Food is good, but use a lot of oil and butter as a crutch for flavor. The garden salad that comes with meal is light and tasty, but a bit heavy on onions. For those into aesthetics, the restaurant itself is modern inside, but it is located in an industrial office space seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Personally, I would pass on a 2nd chance to eat here
(3)Vanessa T.
I had heard that the Brave New Restaurant was "out of the way." Being that I was visiting from Atlanta, I figured it couldn't be anymore out of the way than anything else. Slightly true. It can be difficult to find, depending on your GPS unit's integrity and your own internal compass. That said, while I found the setting unusual [it's located in what looks like an office building], we kind of dug it. It LOOKS like you're going to the dentist, but you're really about to dine while overlooking the Arkansas River. Sadly, we went at night, so we saw nothing but our own reflections in the glass. I imagine the views are great during the day. The goat cheese mousse sounded exquisite in concept. The execution, unfortunately, was underwhelming. The cheese was mild, bordering on bland. I agree with the comparison to quiche. Still, a very rich and warming appetizer. The crackers it is served with are unfriendly: they crumble with the smallest bite. We found them cumbersome and uncooperative. The roasted corn chowder soup with artichoke was textured and flavorful. It was definitely one of their stronger presentations. The veal with lime -- again, another instance of great concept versus underwhelming execution -- was entirely too greasy. It was very disappointing in this instance, as it was a main entree. The scallops were cooked well but paired poorly with mango butter. I very much like the concepts and innovations behind Brave New Restaurant, but there's still some kinks to be worked out. While it is likely one of the top tier restaurants in Little Rock, it isn't quite of the caliber of its price point. Not yet, anyway.
(3)Nancy W.
The menu seemed really interesting and I liked the idea of a free Caesar salad which they even put anchovies on for me. But my Rockefeller Scallop appetizer was only fair. I ordered duck and duck for the entree. The smoke sausage was too smoked and hid the duck taste and the duck breast was way OVERCOOKED. The broccoli fritata that came with the entree tasted like airplane food. Overall go somewhere else, there is great food in LR, but this isn't one of the places.
(3)Dana W.
Nice atmosphere. The food is excellent. My husband and I along with another couple ate here this weekend for the first time. My husband had the steak and it was delicious. I had the pine nut encrusted salmon and it was equally good. They did mix up my husband's med/well steak with our friend's med/rare. The only other minor complaint is that each entree came with the same sides (carrots, roasted potatoes and some type of cabbage concoction). Their house salad is good as well. My friend said her creme brûlée was wonderful.
(3)Arianna N Shaffer S.
This place is definitely a little hidden gem! It's not a restaurant you just casually drive by, see, and want to stop in to grab a bite to eat! It's definitely a place you plan to go to and have to look for! When I say it's hidden I mean it's hidden! I don't live in Arkansas but I was looking up upscale restaurants to try and this was one of the top choices that popped up, so my mom and I decided to give it a go! We were worried walking into the building it was in, we had no idea how to really find it and it all seemed really sketchy at first but we found it! As soon as we walked in we were greeted! The decor was very nice and classy! My mom and i decided that we wanted to sit outside to eat and enjoy the view of the lake and enjoy the nature! We got to our table and had a great view of the lake, trees, and geese, ducks and birds below eating food on the grass! It was fun to see but then all of a sudden these little kid Boy Scouts come running down the grass screaming and chasing away the poor geese. Typical kids! My mother and I got the Dr. Loosen reisling to drink which was excellent and we had the shrimp avocado appetizer to start and it was delicious, we would highly recommend it! The shrimp was really good! We were only having a light bite to eat so we both ordered the onion soup and I ordered a house salad and my mother ordered a Caesar salad! The 6 onion soup is literally sooooo delicious, I could eat a million cups of it! It seems to be pretty healthy too! I loved it and my mouth waters thinking about!! The Caesar salad there is standard and tiny, same with the garden salad! However the garden salad is exceptionally good!! The garlic dressing is delicious and it comes with these pickled and roasted veggies as well, which makes it taste so amazing! I wish we could have tried more stuff on the menu! I am not a huge fan of the menu but it all seemed to look pretty good! I wish they had more appetizers and offered more vegetarian friendly entree salads instead of the tiny side salads! We were very happy with the service, our waitress was sweet and on point and very attentive to us! I definitely think if you live in Arkansas or you are here to visit you should definitely check out this restaurant! It's very quaint and almost like a secret restaurant!!!
(3)Adam M.
Great experience on a Wednesday night. Very attentive service, great atmosphere.. Though it is a little hard to find. Meal: + broiled walleye + seared red potatoes + carrots + green beans + bread + side cesar Pros: + Perfect portions + Complex flavors Cons: + Difficult to find from the parking lot + Brown lettuce
(4)Joshua J.
To begin with, I've been here quite a number of times the last 10 years, and I will now review based on my last visit last night. I went with my parents, and yes the place is in an office building, but is a nice and not overly stuffy interior, and when the weather is nice the deck is probably the best in Little Rock based on the view of the river. Anyway, I enjoy the open area that allows you to look into the kitchen and seeing chef Peter Brave cooking. I also wanted to give another star because I've been here before when he has come by and spoken with the guests, including ourselves, and he seems like a truly nice guy. Starting out my Dad and I got a glass Meiomi pinot noir, which is on sale right now a local stores for about 16-17 per bottle, here it is about 8 per glass, but it is a very nice, smooth wine. I highly recommend you go out soon and buy a couple of bottles while its on sale. Its regularly 20+. Now onto the important shit, the food. My Dad got the special soup, a tomato seafood concoction, not a bisque, but can't remember. I tasted a spoonful and it was good, but under flavored (which will be a common theme). I've had the onion soup in the past, and its one of the best things I've eaten at this place, so get it if you have a soul and like onions. One of my favorite things about the place is that they bring bread 2-3 times throughout, and it many times changes during the visit, and from night to night, and I've never had a bad piece, and tonight it was a nice toughish crusted affair that went great with my ceasar salad and entree. My ceasar salad was very flavorful, actually the one of two items that I can say this about, but the downside that it was drowning in the ceasar dressing to the point that it was too powerful. It really just needed to be a little lighter and it would've been a higher rated item, but then again, its just a salad that came with the entree, and I finished it and soaked up the puddle of dressing with bread (but I was pretty damn hungry at that point). I won't go into the menu items, but they range from 23-38ish or so, which it seems like is higher than just a couple of years ago, like at least 5 per item higher, and nothing has really changed. Also, in previous visits, my biggest issue has been most ever entree has the same sides, and the sides haven't largely changed in 10 years, c'mon! They are fine, but sliced carrots, roasted potatoes, and red cabbage every time with every dish. Those are the two main reasons this place doesn't get a 3 star from me, if I'm paying 30 per dish give me options or at least put more flavor into those sides, as they are very bland and while not necessarily opposing the main dish, since they come with most every dish, they don't really pair with the entree and make it shine. So those are my biggest complaints of Brave New. Now onto the entree, I had the mixed grill that came with a small beef tenderloin, stuffed quail, pork tenderloin, and the special sausage of the night, bison. When asked on how I wanted them cooked (or at least the beef) I said medium Rare. I'll start with the best, the stuffed quail. It was stuffed with a sausage herb type creation which I didn't know it was stuffed until consuming half of it. Now its the smallest quail I've every seen and sat atop the dish, but the size didn't matter, although I would've eaten 5 of these things. I can't really describe it other than it disappears other than a few small bones in probably 2 minutes. Now onto the two disappointing meats. The pork tenderloin was sliced into about 5 pieces, was dry, and absolutely flavorless. My mom, whose not the greatest cook and when we were kids, was probably mediocre, and her pork tenderloin was better than this wasted protein. The beef tenderloin was a thin small cut, as expected, probably 3/4 inch in thickness, and was definitely medium well. Although it was much better than the pork, it lacked flavor, but at least wasn't dried up. The last meat, the bison sausage, was 2nd place on the plate. It was flavorful, but not too spicy, and had a good amount of moisture. I would have loved a mixed grill consisting of just the sausage and stuffed quail, and maybe some sides that had flavor and went with the wild gamey-ness of the meats such as wild rice and a mushroom side, now that would've been extremely good. It was meh (other than the quail), and totaled 130 pretax, no dessert, one soup, two wines. Not worth it. How does it stay open, looking around the room, it was filled with gray heads, who have probably been rolling down from heights for years...that's how.
(2)J C.
I wish there were an option for 4.5 stars, but I will give Peter Brave the benefit of the doubt. He has delivered pretty much every time my family and I have dined there. I generally order the pinenut salmon, but have ventured out of my food comfort zone lately and tried the pecan-encrusted trout as well as the much-talked-about mixed grill. Please put more grilled carrots on the side, Peter haha! I guess I'm easier to please than some other posters on here, but the experience is generally very good. Sometimes, the service is spotty and the prices ARE high for what you get, but the meals are consistent. The ambience is a bit lacking as well, but that has been expounded on already by others on here... Overall, it's a great "date night" place. If you haven't been, do yourself a favor and try it out.
(5)Wes R.
I went to Brave with a local (customer) and it was very enjoyable. The location is out of the way and not exactly what I expected for a nicer restaurant -- nothing wrong, just... austere. The food was fantastic and the staff was very professional and alert. One key factor: the staff seems to be happy to be there. I had the tuna special that was excellent. Somehow it had a really nice, crisp coating despite honoring my request for just a hint of searing.
(4)Brittney G.
This is the first place my husband and I went when we moved to Little Rock - totally by accident, it was the closest to the Google Maps location where we were. While it was a little hard to find - located in an office building - it was totally worth the adventure! The brie soup and ceasar salad were great, as was the complimentary bread. I had the duck three ways and could NOT stop saying "OH MY GOD THIS IS SO GOOD" throughout my entire meal. I've been back several times since and have gotten something new each time - my reaction has always been the same. The wine selection is excellent, but the crowd is often 55+. Oh well. The food totally makes up for it.
(5)Sam E.
My experience with the restaurant was enjoyable and the service was good, but I don't imagine I'd go back. I tried the brie soup and the duck and duck along with several appetizers. The menu described the duck as being served roasted crisp, but it wasn't. I thought the sides and the sauce for the duck seemed uninspired. It seemed as if my entree had sat a while before it was brought to the table. The selections of wine and desserts were disappointing as well. I've heard that this restaurant can be very good, but is hit or miss. Maybe Monday nights aren't the night to dine there.
(3)Lance C.
Took my fiancee for Valentine's Day 2011. Since moving to NWA this was my first visit to Brave New in several years. Peter did not disappoint. The experience was terrific, food was excellently prepared and presented. The Ahi Tuna special was superb! The ice cream, made by the restaurant, was a knock out. I highly recommend Brave New Restaurant.
(4)Dave T.
I have eaten here a couple of times. My wife and I went recently and both thought what we had was good but was somewhat expensive for what you get. Is strange location but once you get inside, the atmosphere is nice. Good service. I would go back but am not in a rush. There are other places to try in LR.
(3)John A.
Not impressed. With all the rave reviews and reconditions, I was thoroughly disappointed. The outdated decor went very well inset with the menu. The Caesar salad was worse than you can get from a fast food shit box. The mushroom tart was anything than spectacular...unless you like microwave ovens and beef gravy from a packet...and don't get me started on the ber blanc. Main course was anything but exciting. Bland and again outdated. The only thing that stood out was the wait staff and the decent made Manhattan. Seriously. Go to Outback and get a better meal for a third of the price. Brave New? Nooooo, Tired Old.
(2)Wendy W.
Three of us had lunch there. It was not nice enough to sit outside but they have a beautiful deck & large window overlooking the Arkansas River. My friends had the lobster ravioli & grilled salmon on a croissant. Both said they were very goid. I had crab salad that was delicious! The sevice was outstanding! The dining room was full but we were treated as if we were there alone. The best part of the lunch was their chocolate creme Brule. This gets 5+! Do save room for it!
(4)Massimiliano C.
Very quiet, older crowd, not exciting. But the ciew is spectacular and the food is really really good. I got the local tomatoes with mozzarella (caprese) and they were excellent, the walleye was very good as well. Very nice and attentive service.
(4)Megan B.
I just drove in from Dallas and chose this restaurant based on an article review. It's good. Peaceful. It's by the river with mandevillia growing on the balcony and geese eating below. The food is good. It reminds me of mother's gourmet cooking. It's very rich, like she used to prepare. The crowd is 50+ years old. So that correlates with the food. The service is excellent. An unusual note on the food, parsley is served as part of the meal, not as a garnish. I like parsley, so I have enjoyed it. It's just a surprising amount.
(4)Mike H.
My wife and I dined at Brave New Thursday night for the fourth or fifth time. It has always been excellent, and this time did not disappoint. Due to unexpected road construction, we showed up about ten minutes late for our booking, but were still shown to our table promptly. The waiter was knowledgeable about the specials and very helpful and attentive. The food was superb as always. It is a bit pricey, but well worth it. We have never been able to sit on the balcony overlooking the river, but that has a lot more to do with the unpredictable weather in Little Rock than it is about the restaurant. Would recommend to anyone.
(5)Mindy W.
We loved Brave new restaurant. I had the shrimp salad with mushroom soup. My husband had the Tuna special. Both were wonderful. Tad pricey but really good. We all enjoyed.
(4)Sandra F.
My husband and I read the reviews and were intrigued that it was in and office building, so we had to check it out. I love quirky things. It was very busy, but the wait was not bad at all. We were seated before finishing our drinks at the bar On to the food: I had the goat cheese appetizer, which was amazing. I could have left very happy after just that! My husband got the avocado/shrimp app. There were 6 large shrimp in it (very generous for an appetizer) and he enjoyed it. For entrees, I had walleye fish with blueberry compote. Wow! I'm not much of a fish eater, but I could eat this every day. My husband ordered the mixed grill. He said the quail was very good, so I tried a bite, and he was right, it was. He also had venison sausage, pork, and beef tenderloin. He enjoyed all but the pork. We will definitely return next time we're in town. Great service and great food are hard to find, but this place has it all.
(5)Chris L.
My wife and I dined at Brave last night. It had been almost 2 years since our last visit. The food quality has slipped. The service was still good as expected. The server offered to comp us dessert even though we made no complaint. He was aware of the sub-par performance from the kitchen.
(2)Michael M.
Fantastic place with great service and top notch food. My wife and I came to little rock for the weekend and we so happy to find this place. We had a great meal and the waiter was attentive and anticipatory to our dining needs! I highly recommend this place!
(5)Apurva N.
My colleagues and I looked up Brave on Yelp and after seeing the great reviews and looking at the interesting menu, we decided to give it a shot. When my GPS told us to turn on Cottondale Rd, I was positive we were lost. We were directed to a large office biulding and weren't quite sure how to enter. We saw a neon sign saying "Restaurant" on the 2nd floor and made our way up there via elevator. I'm sure all of us were wondering who the hell puts a restaurant in an office building in the middle of nowhere. We were in for a VERY pleasant surprise. Upon entry, the dining area was warm and inviting and so were the staff. We were promptly seated. We ordered the brie and the mushroom tart as appetizers, both of which were very good. I was a fan of the mushroom tart. The bread they served was also fresh out of the oven and quite delicious. I had the five onion soup, which was pretty decent - not out of the word or anything. For my main course, I had the trout stuffed with crab meat and spinach. I'd never really had anything like that before and I must say it was really good. Everything went together rather well. My colleagues had the pine nut encrusted salmon, the duck on duck (which my colleague swears is exceptional) and the beef dish (can't remember the name). We topped it all off with desserts - I had the chocolate creme brule, which, again, was very good. Not ridiculously sweet - just right. All in all, we all left the restaurant feeling like we had a great meal, good service and a very nice experience. The location will throw you off a bit, but just like the restaurant, be brave! Give it a try!
(4)Tina L.
The ambiance is OK. Our waiter was nice but needed some polishing. He was very frugal with the pepper grinder and would take it away before we asked him too. The 2nd time he did it, my husband had to ask for more pepper. When our entrees came out, he did the same thing. About the food, our soups were so tasty. I had the seafood soup in tomato broth, and my husband had the 5 onion soup. My soup was only warm which I intended to eat like that, but my husband tasted it and said you can't have cold soup on your birthday. So we asked our waiter to heat it up, and it was much better hot. My husband said his caesar salad was OK, but he was missing the creaminess of the dressing. I told him that it had great Caesar flavor. I ordered the lobster and crab salad, and it was a disappointment, especially for the price. My first comment was "Where's the lobster?" It was chopped up with the crab. I think if they presented the lobster and crab differently, it would have made the salad more appealing. The dressings that came with the salad were OK. The weirdest part was the salad came with all of these fruits and cheeses, almost enough for an app portion of a fruit and cheese plate. It did not go with the salad, and I wish they didn't include it so that i could more easily mix up my salad. My husband's quails over wild rice was delish, and he immensely enjoyed it. Our chocolate creme brûlée was so good, but I'd rather have it on a more shallow bowl so that it's easier and more fun to break the top.
(3)Una B.
I don't think you'd quite know where to go, if you didn't already know about this place. Lucky for me, this is a lunch favorite with my traveling/business companions so I just rode along. Had the weather been nicer, the outside view and even outdoor seating would have been highly desirable. It would have nearly been intoxicating and mesmerizing to look out on all that water. I was maybe just longing for a clearer day on my visit, I guess. I ordered the lobster ravioli which was delicious. Instead of unrecognizable lobster puree, there were hearty chunks of meat. So, so good. The side of pickled red cabbage seemed a little odd, but it was also tasty. It added a German flair that my coworker greatly enjoyed! The specials included an individual chicken pot pie which looked flaky and homey. The other, some sort of fish with a blue berry beurre blanc seemed odd to me, but as I was assured, it just works. We were brought out 2 rounds of bread with our meal, the second, sourdough type being the clear winner. Request it. Butter it. Devour it. Pace at lunch was somewhere between leisurely and just down right slow. Plan accordingly.
(4)Robin M.
My first time to Arkansas and as a girl from the greater LA area I am spoiled with amazing restaurants all within an hour from me and was not expecting anything special at all to discover in Little Rock. Let me tell you I was very wrong!!! My friend lives here and had come to Brave New Restaurant for lunch and loved the food and view but had never been for dinner. Since I was in town for work she wanted to treat me to a nice dinner and open my eyes to how nice Little Rock was. She succeeded on both counts! :-) We started with tasting several different red wines that they had available by the glass that I was not familiar with so we could have just the right wine. Waiter was very accommodating. Baked Camembert cheese with grapes and walnuts as an appetizer which was perfect. House salad tossed with a roasted garlic vinaigrette and grilled veggies. Delicious! I recommend asking for them to go light on the dressing and it came out perfect. The night I went fresh Walleye (a mild white fish) was the special fish of the day with a buerre blanc sauce, and my friend had the pinenut encrusted fresh Salmon (on the menu). Both were flawless. I have had fish frequently in "nice" restaurants that were overcooked or overly drenched in sauce. This was not the case with either choice for us. I will say that I was hesitant to have the Walleye as I am a big Salmon fan, but I never had Walleye before and the owner/chef himself...Peter Brave...had come out to greet us and convinced me otherwise so I went with the Walleye and I am so glad I did!!! Light, not fishy at all, just the right amount of sauce, and the fish was so buttery and flaky it melted in my mouth!!!! AMAZING!!! We finished off with a chocolate creme brûlée. On the menu. Must get!!! We sat on the patio which is known for its view. Again we were not disappointed. Because it was cool there were only 2 daring tables but we got the heater brought to us, it was not windy, the lights of downtown twinkled and made for a gorgeous skyline. Did I say this night was perfection yet? It was!!!! HIGHLY recommend and can't wait to go back!!!
(5)Cas R.
Although I love that the owner buys local and cooks fresh, I went twice for birthday dinners and both times the hour plus wait from salad to entree was just too long and not worth the meal. I won't go back and neither will the other couple that was with us either time. The owner was at the restaurant and never came by the table to apologize nor did he when I wrote him so that he would be aware of the situation. I hear he is really a good guy but he really disappointed me. I can't comment on the food because by the time it came we were so hungry and cranky that none of us could savor the flavors..
(2)Rodney C.
The only "chef's restaurant" in town. Good view. Fresh produce from local farmers, skillfully managed and presented. My recent background was as a boutique hotel owner from the third coast, who has moved to Little Rock and been generally disappointed with the town's high end offerings. Brave New Restaurant challenges that malaise but still remains approachable and casual to suit its surroundings. My last experience here, the chef spoke with us and was very proud to work with some amazing produce and lamb that I felt was excellently handled. The waitstaff may need more training, their understanding of gluten free alternatives disappoints, and the wine list leaves some improvement, but overall I'll keep coming back for the best meal in town.
(4)Chandan D.
The first thing that you will notice about brave new restaurant is that they were brave enough to put it in an unbelievably crappy location in an office building - at that, a hard to find office building. The next thing that you will notice is the general lack of attention to detail when it comes to decor, there were cheap looking prints on the walls, the tables were cheap, the chairs were cheap, all in all tasteless and rather unexpected for a restaurant that charges ~$20-30 per plate. You order a few drinks from a sad excuse for a wine list and you end up happy because they aren't abhorrently overpriced. I personally had a $5 miller lite draft because that's what the prints on the walls seemed to be gesturing at. I honestly could have imagined a big neon bar sign in our dining area. Finally you order and the food comes out. Well, eventually it comes out. I went with a party of 14 and it took us THREE HOURS to get our meals. Then you think, well given the lack of attention to everything else, hopefully the food will be great (and I was hungry enough to start gnawing on my arm). You will be disappointed. I ordered the mixed grill, which yielded duck sausage that was over salted, some beef that was overcooked, and poorly seasoned quail. The worst part was when we asked for some sort of concession for the four hours of our lives that we would never get back, we were offered dessert, no apology though (Brave indeed for a new restaurant to send 14 people home with a bitter taste in their mouths - or maybe just poor management, either way, i'm never going back). To the offer we resoundingly replied "no thank you," and left as soon as was possible. If you want my opinion, for the price range, try something a little classier and a bit less "brave."
(1)ML S.
OK. I'm from Little Rock and have been here many times. The reviews below just don't do it justice. YES, it is in an office building.... but it is one of ONLY two restaurants (that I can think of) in Little Rock that are RIGHT ON the river. That's just the way it is... they chose the fabulous river view with patio over a pretty building!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The food is dependable and the specials are always great. I agree the decor is more casual and laid back than the prices.... but the food is good! This is a restaurant where you can dress casual and still have a really nice meal. They also have the BEST party room in town with it's own private patio overlooking the river. Great place for birthday parties, rehearsal dinners, bridesmaid luncheons, etc. Peter Brave is a great chef and Brave New Restaurant is a great place to dine!
(4)O. A.
We have visited Brave New many times and have never left disappointed. Peter Brave is a talented chef who puts it all together. The seafood dishes are our favorites; always exquisitely fresh (difficult in land locked Little Rock) and cooked to perfection. Open for lunch and dinner. Weather (and Arkansas mosquitoes) permitting, the outside tables have nice river views.
(5)SHANNON B.
VEGETARIANS BEWARE! After talking about avoiding meat ingredients with the waiter I ordered the only 'vegetarian' item on the menu. I ate half of it before I discovered the side dish contained bacon. Who knows how much of it I ate and what else was harboring meat products. After 20 years of vegetarianism this restaurant's carelessness and disregard left me feeling violated. I can't recommend it for meat-eaters either. My husband did not think his crab dish was anything special.
(1)Bertina L.
For me, only two things matter in a restaurant - service and quality of food. I had seen excellent reviews from other websites, and so I decided to give the restaurant a chance, despite the reviews I found on yelp.com . Unfortunately, "disappointed" is an understatement, especially for the $80+ I spent there. My friend and I had no difficulty getting seated without reservations, which I thought was unusual for 7pm on a Saturday night. However, immediately we noticed we were treated differently. The servers usually walk around with a basket of whole wheat/rye rolls, asking customers if they would like any. We were never asked. Instead, our server brought out a basket with two slices of white bread, and served us from that. At first, we thought we were being too sensitive because we felt out of place (we are at least 10 years younger than most of the clientele), but when the server gave us slices of white bread not once but twice, we knew something was odd. Initially our server was friendly, but pretty soon, she stopped checking on us. I wonder if she thought we wouldn't tip well because we were young. We both got the house salad, which would have been good...with about 1/2 the amount of dressing that was drowning the lettuce. I ordered the North Atlantic salmon, and my friend ordered the mixed grill. While I enjoyed the flavor combination of pesto cream and salmon, and the texture contrast between the salmon and the crust, my salmon was overcooked. It was borderline too dry, and reminded me of canned salmon. The carrots were underseasoned, and the potatoes were not seasoned at all. The mixed grill was an even bigger disappointment. It came with quail, beef tenderloin, pork tenderloin, and buffalo sausage, and we asked for medium rare. Although we were happy with the quail, the beef tenderloin had no flavor (which is shocking for beef tenderloin), the buffalo was overpowered by spices, and the pork tenderloin had the consistency of drywall. On top of that mess, they drenched the meat in a smoky sauce, almost as if they knew it would be disappointing and dry - but unfortunately for us, it tasted like a cheap version of Liquid Smoke, which is a bottled hickory smoked seasoning you can find in the grocery store. Lastly, the chocolate crème brulee was hands-down the most disappointing. Normally the custard is made and refrigerated, and when it is served, sugar is torched to make a light crispy sweet crust. Here, they made everything beforehand, including the crust, and refrigerated it. While the texture of the custard was alright, I could have chipped a tooth on the crust. I was just waiting for the waitress to ask me how the dessert was so I could express my disappointment, but she never asked. I chose not to complain to the waitress or the management about the poor quality of the service and the food, mostly because I felt they would not listen to a 23-year-old. Rest assured, I will not return there anytime in the future, nor will I when they deem my age as "appropriate."
(1)Celeste C.
The food at Brave New is some of the best in town. Maybe THE best. I love this place. You can ask for a vegetarian plate, and it will be full of the freshest, tastiest, real veggies (NOT JUST FRENCH FRIES, which seem to be the staple vegetable in Little Rock.) It is a lovely atmosphere--upscale and roomy. Brave New has been in business a long time.
(5)John A.
I'm from the "left Coast", so I am not too easy to please. This restaurant delivers: great food, sophisticated atmosphere and pleasant service. It was spring and we were able to score a seat on the beautiful balcony overlooking the Arkansas River. They have a cute wine bar, too. Finding this restaurant is tricky and the office look of the front may put you off, but give it a chance. It's the best I've had in Little Rock to date.
(5)Brian P.
Only time I ate here was at a going away party which the food was buffet style. Not sure of the price as it was paid for, but the food was pretty good. Service was really good. The biggest downfall of this place is the location as it is off the beaten path, and you would not notice it from a public road. One would think they were going into an office building.
(3)Kitty K.
Over-rated and over-priced, I truely believe all the most people who laud it's "great food" aren't people who've eaten around the country. Our food was pretty to look at, but the taste was mediocre at best, including the "famous" Brave shrimp. Just ick. We would have had a more satisfying meal at a fast food place, and Zaffinos in Sherwood outdoes the chocolate brûlée by far.
(1)Rebecca H.
Not only is the food great, it's consistently so. I have been many many many times and i always love it. A lot of the fare comes from sustainable farms in Arkansas which is a moral plus!
(5)Louise O.
I'm just driving through town and staying overnight. The owners of the B&B I'm staying at recommended this restaurant. Difficult to find if you are not from the area...even with GPS. Located in an office building on the river. We ordered the goat cheese mousse as an appetizer. Goat cheese whipped with cream, then baked. The result reminded me of a very mild-tasting quiche without the bacon or spinach. My mom thought it lacked flavor. Caesar salad had was good. The homemade dressing was tangy versus creamy. Croutons were fresh and crunchy. Only negative was that the leaves were drowning in dressing. We shared the mixed grill which was a generous portion of bison sausage, quail, pork tenderloin, and beef tenderloin--all with a red wine and balsamic demi glace. Sides were roasted red potatoes, squash, and carrots. The meat was tender and tasty. Service: waited way too long for the server to clear the table and get our check. Server was friendly, but not that quick.
(3)Ashley S.
My husband and I were in town for a football game and wanted a nice date out. Brave New Restaurant was the perfect place! We sat on the option and had a great view of downtown. The mushroom tart was delicious, as was the quail and trout. We would go back in a heartbeat!
(5)Sara B.
Are you over 50 and loved the 90's? This place is for you. It is a total throw back place from the food to the decor. The food was good, but weird. Parsley bloom on the plates, same sides no matter what the protein, which would be fine, if they were good and matched. But I had salmon, the fiancé had scallops (all 3 of them), our sides were sour purple cabbage, an 80's zucchini boat and roasted potatoes. That's just weird. The salad that comes with the meal is tiny but ok. We got an app special that was fine, but for the price, disappointing with it's 3 pieces of crostini. And as I walk away, that was my biggest issue with the whole meal, it was just too expensive. We spent $120 plus tip on a dinner for two with a few glasses if wine and no dessert and a little to go container. It was fine, but for the price? It should have cost half as much. It was a very crowded restaurant and we waited about 20min for a table. We won't go back, but big ups for their marketing team, the press I have seen made it seem completely different than it really is... I reiterate: Parsley bunch on the plate.
(2)Andrew W.
Brave New has good food and a great atmosphere for the price. Have gone there many times for dinner and usually end up getting the medallions and scallops for the wife. Usually the dessert is chocolate creme brûlée. The balcony area is one of the best outdoor eating areas in town.
(4)K S.
The food here is simply amazing. Of course, it is very pricey but probably worth it. The view from the outdoor seating is perfect. Could be better with lesser number mosquitoes and bugs but then you are in Little Rock, Arkansas. Service is very quick and cordial. Also, it is rather difficult to find. On the backside of a office looking building. What is surprising is the indoor seating. I mean, there is modern-minimalist and then there is cheap. They are close to latter than the former. The great food and service makes up for it but probably they want to spend some of the money from the uber pricey food on the decor as well. I think, they have overdone the " jewel in the rough" concept. At the same time its not so bad so as to be a deal breaker.
(4)W. T.
What a great find in Little Rock! The view from the back patio is gorgeous and serene. The Wild Mushroom Tart was dry and overcooked, but the Walleye special more than made up for it! It was cooked with a blueberry balsamic sauce and was worth going back for. My friend had the Avocado Shrimp (delightful!) and the Scallop special cooked with the same blueberry balsamic sauce. The Walleye was better but only slightly. I'll go back if ever I'm in Little Rock again.
(4)Anne S.
was in little rock a few weeks ago and went here on a recommendation. Beautiful view of the Arkansas River from the balcony. The walleye was the best I've had anywhere. Service was helpful and friendly. Just a wonderful meal.
(4)Jane B.
Hard to find as a traveller. Thank goodness for a local with knowledge. Peter was gracious to let us sit on his patio and enjoy a beverage despite being closed in the afternoons. Also closed Sundays. Did not dine here but atmosphere and view was beautiful
(3)Scott S.
A good restaurant in a great setting. Ok, let's start with the location. Follow the GPS and keep an eye out for a radio station--small, 3 story office building is just to the right of the radio station. If you get lost, call. You do have a phone. The ambiance. Yes, that is why you ought to be here. A beautiful view of the river and of downtown lights if you are on the balcony; a wall of windows if you are on the inside looking out. Beats some chophouse downtown, hands down. The food. Good. Had a mushroom tart appetizer that was very flavorful. Had a heritage tomato plate that was very appetizing. Had an 8 oz. beef tenderloin that was reasonably priced. What I want to say about the tenderloin is that it was one of the best balanced plates I have ever had. There was a caesar salad that came before as part of the price. The tenderloin was accompanied by asparagus that was cooked and flavored "just so", a couple of baked russet potatoes that were new potato size that were just right, and a baked tomato with (mozzarella) cheese. The tenderloin itself was not the best I'd ever had or in contention for that designation, but the combination was special. The Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon by the glass was very good. The waiter was pleasant and helpful. If there as a 4.5 star option, that's what I would give it. Interspersed throughout the reviews you can find several ticks that are valid. If you are one of those people who consistently give 1, 2 or 3 stars, then my advice is don't go. You won't be happy, you will give a bad review to a good restaurant that is filling a neat niche. If, on the other hand, you want to propose, or you've met that special someone who makes your pulse quicken and you want to have a special evening, Brave New Restaurant is the place.
(5)Carey B.
Nice romantic setting (once you get inside - you enter through an office building). Scallops were excellent, but the sides were just okay. Chocolate creme brulee was excellent!
(4)Marie C.
One thumb up for Brave New Restaurant I was searching for one of the better restaurants in Little Rock while there for several days working. This restaurant popped up on the radar and so I went for it. The menu was way more interesting than anything else in town, and the location seemed like it would be worth it (on the river; balcony dining; large windows for indoor diners). I arrived to an empty, non-descript office parking lot with few cars in some of the slots. But leaving the elevator on the first floor towards the restaurant was a completely different scene: you enter a lovely space with a bank of tall windows, bar area to the left, seating arrangement not crowded. I sat at the window and watched the river and the sun go down. Very nice. Service was just fine. I ordered the shrimp avocado appetizer and then the pork tenderloin. The app was very good - but it was big: avocado is very filling. The size was more like a small entre. The pork dish was also giant, at least in terms of the sides: a huge pile of cabbage and potatoes that I couldn't even dent. The pork was perfectly done and succulent, but it was so smothered with the mustard sauce that I ended up scraping the pieces of meat to eat them. All that was needed of the mustard sauce was a dollop. Coming from Boston (which is why I didn't order any of the seafood entrees), I am more accustomed to much smaller plates and also much lighter preparations (plain! let me taste the pork and not the sauce!). However, I would recommend this restaurant, especially to out-of-towners, because it was one of the better dining experiences I had while in Little Rock.
(3)Julie H.
We read all the reviews about how tricky it is to find this place, so we went ahead of time to spot it in the daytime. I don't think it's that hard to find. I think I would love this place more if I didn't get bug bites all over from sitting on the balcony. When I became paranoid that I was being bitten, I should have asked to go inside, but I thought we could get through the meal pretty quickly. The balcony after dark is also really dark, so I couldn't really see my food. I don't have poor eye sight either. The portions are HUGE. I turned my leftovers into two more meals the next day. Food was good. The menu had choices for everyone. I'm not chomping at the bit to get back over there, but I will go again in the future. -And sit inside or wear pants to protect my legs from bug bites. I'm seriously eaten up. The dress code ranged from dressy to casual, so don't stress about that.
(3)Melissa P.
Great valentine's day dinner
(4)J R.
Exceptional service and fantastic food. I suggest reservations but the bar is a great chance to have a drink & appetizer while you wait.
(5)ruby b.
We went for lunch on a Monday and sat outside. I had a grilled tuna salad and my daughter had the salmon plate. Both were cooked perfectly and full of flavor. The waitress was friendly and efficient. My salad was huge, and try as I might I could not finish it, which made me sad since it was so tasty. We split a chocolate creme brulee because we had heard it was the best...and it was! I'd go back in a minute if I lived here.
(5)Rebecca P.
My husband and I both enjoyed BNR this evening. The avocado shrimp appetizer was SO fresh and flavorful. The pimentos were an excellent kick of flavor. I ordered the stuffed quail entrée and my husband had the duck on duck. Both were generous portions. I'd highly recommend both dishes and this restaurant!
(4)Muckenfuss V.
The complaints about the location of this place are tiresome. You don't care if it's in an office park unless you're the walking sort, and nobody in Little Rock walks anywhere. The location is actually the biggest plus: if you're sitting outside, only a small park of ducks, geese, birds, and rabbits separates you from the river, which presents one of the loveliest and most romantic views in Little Rock. I wouldn't say that the dishes are exactly "brave" or "new" (no molecular gastronomy here) but they are consistently good, especially the fish. I had walleye the other day; the fish selection changes frequently and the beurre blanc is the one constant. Sides are always good -- try the new potatoes, which are only partly skinned, making them resemble acorns. Service is great because they don't do that cozy Southern bull****.
(4)Evan K.
Great service. ...great food. Sat outside and enjoyed the accommodating weather and view. Exceeded expections. /eak
(4)David H.
I went with four other foodies from the B&B industry and we had a spectacular time. The restaurant is in one of the drabbest buildings you can imagine, but the food and service and setting make up for it in spades. We ate on the open deck in the warm breeze overlooking the river and the geese and rabbits grazing below on the lawn. All of our entrées were prepared beautifully, with the sauces being the stand out feature of the meals. Appetizers were also tasty; scallops Rockefeller, exceptional smoked fish with a tangy mustard . Excellent bread and a complimentary salad (Caesar or Garden) came with dinner as well. Perhaps the best part, however, was our server Ben. He was awesome! A true southern gentlemen who went out of his way to make us feel welcome, from his menu descriptions to separating our checks (he volunteered to do it!) all the way to getting us a cab and going downstairs to make sure it arrived. If there were any complaints it was the limited dessert selection (although the homemade ice cream and sorbets were very tasty) and limited beer/wine list. We'll be back when we return to Little Rock in January.
(4)Beez H.
Service was very good and the location is quite lovely. However the beef tenderloin I got was somewhat bland along tr asparagus. Not the best wine list either :-/
(3)Sandra F.
This is one of the best places for business lunch as servers are terrific and food consistently great. I have never had a bad meal here which says a lot. The grilled salmon is always moist and cooked to perfection. The soups are always delicious and change daily. The chocolate Creme brûlée is to die for and we love the brown bread rolls & butter they replenish throughout your meal. Peter Brave keeps the quality at his restaurant top notch.
(4)s. m. j.
I used to come here and eat this food a lot when I worked in the building. I returned recently for a lunch meeting, and I realized I probably hadn't been here in about three years; however, the food is still delicious, the service is still professional and friendly, and the experience is still excellent. We arrived right around noon and were immediately seated at a four-top on the wall perpendicular to the windows that overlook the river. We were asked if we wanted to sit outside, on the beautiful balcony with the lovely view, but I do not like to eat in The Nature. :) Our server was very pleasant and energetic and built a rapport with us right away. I was considering the nontraditional grill cheese sandwich, which I used to order quite often, because it is so freaking delicious (there's bacon in there, my friends!), but when the waitress mentioned one of the specials, a lamb sandwich with mint mayonnaise, I could not resist that. I also thought about the cream of brie soup, which was not on the menu when I used to frequent the restaurant, but I thought the sandwich would be plenty. I was right! I ate about half the sandwich, which was served on a delicious roll, and then, unwilling to give up completely, I picked some of the lamb out of the second half with my fork and nibbled on that. The meat was so tender and flavorful -- it was prepared just right! The sandwich was plated with a lovely salad, that includes Brave's usual dark greens, strawberries and fruit and cheddar and herb cheeses. Of course, the table bread, the dark rye buns, are always delicious. My lunch companion ordered the trout special with the beurre blanc sauce. This sauce is a specialty of the house and is really, really delicious with the fresh fish specials they prepare. You should always expect something on offer to be served with beurre blanc sauce, and if you haven't tried it here, you should! The only problem I have with Brave is really the atmosphere/setting. If I were willing to try sitting outside, I would probably enjoy it more. Its location in an office building and the decor just seem kind of sleek and cold instead of luxurious and comfortable. This suits a business lunch very well, but to me it isn't as nice for a romantic dinner, and my husband is not a fan. The food is definitely worth it, though, and I can't imagine anyone being sorry they dined at Brave, for lunch or dinner, for business or for pleasure!
(4)Brennan M.
My best friend got married and her in-laws graciously hosted the rehearsal dinner at Brave New. Score! This was amazing! I had the filet and it was easily one of the best steaks I've ever had in my life. That being said, I sort of lament not getting one of the fish dishes. I was extremely skeptical as the host of the evening announced the menu options to us and emphasized Brave New's reputation for making top notch seafood dishes. I should have trusted him. While most people got the steak and were extremely happy (like me), the few people who got the seafood were really wowed. The seared sushi-grade tuna and the bay scallops were the shining stars of the evening. Well, besides the bride, that is. I think that Brave New and Ashley's at the Capitol Hotel must be the very best restaurants that Little Rock has to offer, and even some of the best that the south has to offer. I was super impressed and can't wait for the day I get to go back. (Must wait for bigger paychecks.)
(5)Greg S.
Always fresh always good! Last time we had dinner my whole table was sharing food thinking there menu choice was best. It's located in a kind of strange spot/area but worth it once you get there. The blueberry cream desert was wicked good! service was great and well informed to soup of the day and specials! Check it out for sure..
(5)David B.
Without a doubt, the best restaurant in Little Rock. Don't miss the walleye or the chocolate cream brûlée.
(5)Leland H.
We are from California. We were told we were going to A Brave New Restaurant and nothing more was described to me. We pulled up to an office building and cruised up a couple of floors. Very Brave. It was like 30 degree out, so we didn't get to sit on the famous balcony, but the atmosphere inside was very nice. On a Friday night the place was packed. I am impressed with Chef Brave's food. I thought his flavors were good. As for the menu, I thought his portions were good and prices fair.
(4)Mandy M.
Okay, I get what a lot of the naysayers are going on about. However, this place needs to be given the credit that it deserves. If I could give it a 4 1/2 I would have. Obviously, this is not an option. Granted the location sucks. It is weird and off-putting to make your way to the restaurant through an office complex. But once there, a seat on the patio makes you forget about any hassle finding the place. I felt so relaxed once we got there that I sat back, propped my feet on the railing and enjoyed every second that I was there. The heirloom tomato plate was delicious. I am a southern girl; I take my tomatoes very seriously. I could have eaten a second portion. The baked camembert was not exactly special but was delicious and HUGE. The restaurant was very generous with portions. If we had realized this, we would have only ordered one appetizer. My entree was delicious. The fish was seasoned well and cooked perfectly. The fresh vegetables were just as well done. Maybe it wasn't the best thing I'd ever eaten but it was absolutely delicious. My husband's stuffed quail was certainly good as well. As a game meat aficionado, he might have seasoned things a bit differently but was still very pleased. The chocolate creme brulee was maybe my least favorite thing. I can't wait to go back this summer. The wine list may have been short but was very reasonably priced. We enjoy wine but aren't snobby about it so it was no bother to us. If you want to relax, enjoy good food, deal with well trained servers, and not spend your entire pay check for a lovely night out, go to Brave New Restaurant. Please.
(4)Scott W.
Teresa was wonderful and told me all about Little Rock. The owner is really involved here e airing quality of cuisine and cordiality. My baked cheese appetizer was solid, but not great. However the venison main dish was a delight... Lean and mild with no gamey lingerings. Tender love and Meat!
(4)Kelly G.
My favorite special occasion place which I lived in Little Rock. It can be hard to find at first, but I loved that it's tucked away. Great seating on the river if you sit on the balcony...just some advice though, use bug spray if it's that time of year or you will leave eaten up! The veal there is excellent, as well as the potatoes they serve with it. The brave new shrimp app is very good, with red onions, avocado and large, fresh shrimp. Reservations highly recommended. Great local place... I miss it!
(5)Kendra L.
Being from out of town, I was looking for some local fare and tried to go to Doe's, but it was closed for a private party. We ended up here and had the same experience as a couple of the other reviewers: it's in an office building,up the elevator. Having gone for dinner, we apparently missed the view of the river which probably helps this restaurant. The menu did not. While creative, I'm not looking for Talipia in Arkansas. I ended up having Duck and Duck. Duck breast with Duck Sausage. It was ok, could have been better had it not been sitting on the warmer a bit too long. The service was very good. Will - was in the weeds, but managed to get our drinks, bread, and dinners out to us quickly. We were all starving having missed lunch. Improve the quality of the cooking a bit, and I'd go back. Right now, $25 entrees put this in the not-a-good-value-for-what-you-get category for me.
(2)Ray M.
Was extremely pleased with the food and the service. All four were impressed by the courteous staff. We selected all across the menu with no disappointments. This was our first visit and we will be returning.
(5)Randy M.
Food is good, but use a lot of oil and butter as a crutch for flavor. The garden salad that comes with meal is light and tasty, but a bit heavy on onions. For those into aesthetics, the restaurant itself is modern inside, but it is located in an industrial office space seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Personally, I would pass on a 2nd chance to eat here
(3)John A.
I'm from the "left Coast", so I am not too easy to please. This restaurant delivers: great food, sophisticated atmosphere and pleasant service. It was spring and we were able to score a seat on the beautiful balcony overlooking the Arkansas River. They have a cute wine bar, too. Finding this restaurant is tricky and the office look of the front may put you off, but give it a chance. It's the best I've had in Little Rock to date.
(5)Brian P.
Only time I ate here was at a going away party which the food was buffet style. Not sure of the price as it was paid for, but the food was pretty good. Service was really good. The biggest downfall of this place is the location as it is off the beaten path, and you would not notice it from a public road. One would think they were going into an office building.
(3)Vanessa T.
I had heard that the Brave New Restaurant was "out of the way." Being that I was visiting from Atlanta, I figured it couldn't be anymore out of the way than anything else. Slightly true. It can be difficult to find, depending on your GPS unit's integrity and your own internal compass. That said, while I found the setting unusual [it's located in what looks like an office building], we kind of dug it. It LOOKS like you're going to the dentist, but you're really about to dine while overlooking the Arkansas River. Sadly, we went at night, so we saw nothing but our own reflections in the glass. I imagine the views are great during the day. The goat cheese mousse sounded exquisite in concept. The execution, unfortunately, was underwhelming. The cheese was mild, bordering on bland. I agree with the comparison to quiche. Still, a very rich and warming appetizer. The crackers it is served with are unfriendly: they crumble with the smallest bite. We found them cumbersome and uncooperative. The roasted corn chowder soup with artichoke was textured and flavorful. It was definitely one of their stronger presentations. The veal with lime -- again, another instance of great concept versus underwhelming execution -- was entirely too greasy. It was very disappointing in this instance, as it was a main entree. The scallops were cooked well but paired poorly with mango butter. I very much like the concepts and innovations behind Brave New Restaurant, but there's still some kinks to be worked out. While it is likely one of the top tier restaurants in Little Rock, it isn't quite of the caliber of its price point. Not yet, anyway.
(3)Nancy W.
The menu seemed really interesting and I liked the idea of a free Caesar salad which they even put anchovies on for me. But my Rockefeller Scallop appetizer was only fair. I ordered duck and duck for the entree. The smoke sausage was too smoked and hid the duck taste and the duck breast was way OVERCOOKED. The broccoli fritata that came with the entree tasted like airplane food. Overall go somewhere else, there is great food in LR, but this isn't one of the places.
(3)Cas R.
Although I love that the owner buys local and cooks fresh, I went twice for birthday dinners and both times the hour plus wait from salad to entree was just too long and not worth the meal. I won't go back and neither will the other couple that was with us either time. The owner was at the restaurant and never came by the table to apologize nor did he when I wrote him so that he would be aware of the situation. I hear he is really a good guy but he really disappointed me. I can't comment on the food because by the time it came we were so hungry and cranky that none of us could savor the flavors..
(2)Rodney C.
The only "chef's restaurant" in town. Good view. Fresh produce from local farmers, skillfully managed and presented. My recent background was as a boutique hotel owner from the third coast, who has moved to Little Rock and been generally disappointed with the town's high end offerings. Brave New Restaurant challenges that malaise but still remains approachable and casual to suit its surroundings. My last experience here, the chef spoke with us and was very proud to work with some amazing produce and lamb that I felt was excellently handled. The waitstaff may need more training, their understanding of gluten free alternatives disappoints, and the wine list leaves some improvement, but overall I'll keep coming back for the best meal in town.
(4)Kitty K.
Over-rated and over-priced, I truely believe all the most people who laud it's "great food" aren't people who've eaten around the country. Our food was pretty to look at, but the taste was mediocre at best, including the "famous" Brave shrimp. Just ick. We would have had a more satisfying meal at a fast food place, and Zaffinos in Sherwood outdoes the chocolate brûlée by far.
(1)Rebecca H.
Not only is the food great, it's consistently so. I have been many many many times and i always love it. A lot of the fare comes from sustainable farms in Arkansas which is a moral plus!
(5)Louise O.
I'm just driving through town and staying overnight. The owners of the B&B I'm staying at recommended this restaurant. Difficult to find if you are not from the area...even with GPS. Located in an office building on the river. We ordered the goat cheese mousse as an appetizer. Goat cheese whipped with cream, then baked. The result reminded me of a very mild-tasting quiche without the bacon or spinach. My mom thought it lacked flavor. Caesar salad had was good. The homemade dressing was tangy versus creamy. Croutons were fresh and crunchy. Only negative was that the leaves were drowning in dressing. We shared the mixed grill which was a generous portion of bison sausage, quail, pork tenderloin, and beef tenderloin--all with a red wine and balsamic demi glace. Sides were roasted red potatoes, squash, and carrots. The meat was tender and tasty. Service: waited way too long for the server to clear the table and get our check. Server was friendly, but not that quick.
(3)Chandan D.
The first thing that you will notice about brave new restaurant is that they were brave enough to put it in an unbelievably crappy location in an office building - at that, a hard to find office building. The next thing that you will notice is the general lack of attention to detail when it comes to decor, there were cheap looking prints on the walls, the tables were cheap, the chairs were cheap, all in all tasteless and rather unexpected for a restaurant that charges ~$20-30 per plate. You order a few drinks from a sad excuse for a wine list and you end up happy because they aren't abhorrently overpriced. I personally had a $5 miller lite draft because that's what the prints on the walls seemed to be gesturing at. I honestly could have imagined a big neon bar sign in our dining area. Finally you order and the food comes out. Well, eventually it comes out. I went with a party of 14 and it took us THREE HOURS to get our meals. Then you think, well given the lack of attention to everything else, hopefully the food will be great (and I was hungry enough to start gnawing on my arm). You will be disappointed. I ordered the mixed grill, which yielded duck sausage that was over salted, some beef that was overcooked, and poorly seasoned quail. The worst part was when we asked for some sort of concession for the four hours of our lives that we would never get back, we were offered dessert, no apology though (Brave indeed for a new restaurant to send 14 people home with a bitter taste in their mouths - or maybe just poor management, either way, i'm never going back). To the offer we resoundingly replied "no thank you," and left as soon as was possible. If you want my opinion, for the price range, try something a little classier and a bit less "brave."
(1)ML S.
OK. I'm from Little Rock and have been here many times. The reviews below just don't do it justice. YES, it is in an office building.... but it is one of ONLY two restaurants (that I can think of) in Little Rock that are RIGHT ON the river. That's just the way it is... they chose the fabulous river view with patio over a pretty building!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The food is dependable and the specials are always great. I agree the decor is more casual and laid back than the prices.... but the food is good! This is a restaurant where you can dress casual and still have a really nice meal. They also have the BEST party room in town with it's own private patio overlooking the river. Great place for birthday parties, rehearsal dinners, bridesmaid luncheons, etc. Peter Brave is a great chef and Brave New Restaurant is a great place to dine!
(4)O. A.
We have visited Brave New many times and have never left disappointed. Peter Brave is a talented chef who puts it all together. The seafood dishes are our favorites; always exquisitely fresh (difficult in land locked Little Rock) and cooked to perfection. Open for lunch and dinner. Weather (and Arkansas mosquitoes) permitting, the outside tables have nice river views.
(5)SHANNON B.
VEGETARIANS BEWARE! After talking about avoiding meat ingredients with the waiter I ordered the only 'vegetarian' item on the menu. I ate half of it before I discovered the side dish contained bacon. Who knows how much of it I ate and what else was harboring meat products. After 20 years of vegetarianism this restaurant's carelessness and disregard left me feeling violated. I can't recommend it for meat-eaters either. My husband did not think his crab dish was anything special.
(1)Bertina L.
For me, only two things matter in a restaurant - service and quality of food. I had seen excellent reviews from other websites, and so I decided to give the restaurant a chance, despite the reviews I found on yelp.com . Unfortunately, "disappointed" is an understatement, especially for the $80+ I spent there. My friend and I had no difficulty getting seated without reservations, which I thought was unusual for 7pm on a Saturday night. However, immediately we noticed we were treated differently. The servers usually walk around with a basket of whole wheat/rye rolls, asking customers if they would like any. We were never asked. Instead, our server brought out a basket with two slices of white bread, and served us from that. At first, we thought we were being too sensitive because we felt out of place (we are at least 10 years younger than most of the clientele), but when the server gave us slices of white bread not once but twice, we knew something was odd. Initially our server was friendly, but pretty soon, she stopped checking on us. I wonder if she thought we wouldn't tip well because we were young. We both got the house salad, which would have been good...with about 1/2 the amount of dressing that was drowning the lettuce. I ordered the North Atlantic salmon, and my friend ordered the mixed grill. While I enjoyed the flavor combination of pesto cream and salmon, and the texture contrast between the salmon and the crust, my salmon was overcooked. It was borderline too dry, and reminded me of canned salmon. The carrots were underseasoned, and the potatoes were not seasoned at all. The mixed grill was an even bigger disappointment. It came with quail, beef tenderloin, pork tenderloin, and buffalo sausage, and we asked for medium rare. Although we were happy with the quail, the beef tenderloin had no flavor (which is shocking for beef tenderloin), the buffalo was overpowered by spices, and the pork tenderloin had the consistency of drywall. On top of that mess, they drenched the meat in a smoky sauce, almost as if they knew it would be disappointing and dry - but unfortunately for us, it tasted like a cheap version of Liquid Smoke, which is a bottled hickory smoked seasoning you can find in the grocery store. Lastly, the chocolate crème brulee was hands-down the most disappointing. Normally the custard is made and refrigerated, and when it is served, sugar is torched to make a light crispy sweet crust. Here, they made everything beforehand, including the crust, and refrigerated it. While the texture of the custard was alright, I could have chipped a tooth on the crust. I was just waiting for the waitress to ask me how the dessert was so I could express my disappointment, but she never asked. I chose not to complain to the waitress or the management about the poor quality of the service and the food, mostly because I felt they would not listen to a 23-year-old. Rest assured, I will not return there anytime in the future, nor will I when they deem my age as "appropriate."
(1)Celeste C.
The food at Brave New is some of the best in town. Maybe THE best. I love this place. You can ask for a vegetarian plate, and it will be full of the freshest, tastiest, real veggies (NOT JUST FRENCH FRIES, which seem to be the staple vegetable in Little Rock.) It is a lovely atmosphere--upscale and roomy. Brave New has been in business a long time.
(5)Apurva N.
My colleagues and I looked up Brave on Yelp and after seeing the great reviews and looking at the interesting menu, we decided to give it a shot. When my GPS told us to turn on Cottondale Rd, I was positive we were lost. We were directed to a large office biulding and weren't quite sure how to enter. We saw a neon sign saying "Restaurant" on the 2nd floor and made our way up there via elevator. I'm sure all of us were wondering who the hell puts a restaurant in an office building in the middle of nowhere. We were in for a VERY pleasant surprise. Upon entry, the dining area was warm and inviting and so were the staff. We were promptly seated. We ordered the brie and the mushroom tart as appetizers, both of which were very good. I was a fan of the mushroom tart. The bread they served was also fresh out of the oven and quite delicious. I had the five onion soup, which was pretty decent - not out of the word or anything. For my main course, I had the trout stuffed with crab meat and spinach. I'd never really had anything like that before and I must say it was really good. Everything went together rather well. My colleagues had the pine nut encrusted salmon, the duck on duck (which my colleague swears is exceptional) and the beef dish (can't remember the name). We topped it all off with desserts - I had the chocolate creme brule, which, again, was very good. Not ridiculously sweet - just right. All in all, we all left the restaurant feeling like we had a great meal, good service and a very nice experience. The location will throw you off a bit, but just like the restaurant, be brave! Give it a try!
(4)Tina L.
The ambiance is OK. Our waiter was nice but needed some polishing. He was very frugal with the pepper grinder and would take it away before we asked him too. The 2nd time he did it, my husband had to ask for more pepper. When our entrees came out, he did the same thing. About the food, our soups were so tasty. I had the seafood soup in tomato broth, and my husband had the 5 onion soup. My soup was only warm which I intended to eat like that, but my husband tasted it and said you can't have cold soup on your birthday. So we asked our waiter to heat it up, and it was much better hot. My husband said his caesar salad was OK, but he was missing the creaminess of the dressing. I told him that it had great Caesar flavor. I ordered the lobster and crab salad, and it was a disappointment, especially for the price. My first comment was "Where's the lobster?" It was chopped up with the crab. I think if they presented the lobster and crab differently, it would have made the salad more appealing. The dressings that came with the salad were OK. The weirdest part was the salad came with all of these fruits and cheeses, almost enough for an app portion of a fruit and cheese plate. It did not go with the salad, and I wish they didn't include it so that i could more easily mix up my salad. My husband's quails over wild rice was delish, and he immensely enjoyed it. Our chocolate creme brûlée was so good, but I'd rather have it on a more shallow bowl so that it's easier and more fun to break the top.
(3)Mandy M.
Okay, I get what a lot of the naysayers are going on about. However, this place needs to be given the credit that it deserves. If I could give it a 4 1/2 I would have. Obviously, this is not an option. Granted the location sucks. It is weird and off-putting to make your way to the restaurant through an office complex. But once there, a seat on the patio makes you forget about any hassle finding the place. I felt so relaxed once we got there that I sat back, propped my feet on the railing and enjoyed every second that I was there. The heirloom tomato plate was delicious. I am a southern girl; I take my tomatoes very seriously. I could have eaten a second portion. The baked camembert was not exactly special but was delicious and HUGE. The restaurant was very generous with portions. If we had realized this, we would have only ordered one appetizer. My entree was delicious. The fish was seasoned well and cooked perfectly. The fresh vegetables were just as well done. Maybe it wasn't the best thing I'd ever eaten but it was absolutely delicious. My husband's stuffed quail was certainly good as well. As a game meat aficionado, he might have seasoned things a bit differently but was still very pleased. The chocolate creme brulee was maybe my least favorite thing. I can't wait to go back this summer. The wine list may have been short but was very reasonably priced. We enjoy wine but aren't snobby about it so it was no bother to us. If you want to relax, enjoy good food, deal with well trained servers, and not spend your entire pay check for a lovely night out, go to Brave New Restaurant. Please.
(4)Scott W.
Teresa was wonderful and told me all about Little Rock. The owner is really involved here e airing quality of cuisine and cordiality. My baked cheese appetizer was solid, but not great. However the venison main dish was a delight... Lean and mild with no gamey lingerings. Tender love and Meat!
(4)Kelly G.
My favorite special occasion place which I lived in Little Rock. It can be hard to find at first, but I loved that it's tucked away. Great seating on the river if you sit on the balcony...just some advice though, use bug spray if it's that time of year or you will leave eaten up! The veal there is excellent, as well as the potatoes they serve with it. The brave new shrimp app is very good, with red onions, avocado and large, fresh shrimp. Reservations highly recommended. Great local place... I miss it!
(5)Kendra L.
Being from out of town, I was looking for some local fare and tried to go to Doe's, but it was closed for a private party. We ended up here and had the same experience as a couple of the other reviewers: it's in an office building,up the elevator. Having gone for dinner, we apparently missed the view of the river which probably helps this restaurant. The menu did not. While creative, I'm not looking for Talipia in Arkansas. I ended up having Duck and Duck. Duck breast with Duck Sausage. It was ok, could have been better had it not been sitting on the warmer a bit too long. The service was very good. Will - was in the weeds, but managed to get our drinks, bread, and dinners out to us quickly. We were all starving having missed lunch. Improve the quality of the cooking a bit, and I'd go back. Right now, $25 entrees put this in the not-a-good-value-for-what-you-get category for me.
(2)Rodney C.
The only "chef's restaurant" in town. Good view. Fresh produce from local farmers, skillfully managed and presented. My recent background was as a boutique hotel owner from the third coast, who has moved to Little Rock and been generally disappointed with the town's high end offerings. Brave New Restaurant challenges that malaise but still remains approachable and casual to suit its surroundings. My last experience here, the chef spoke with us and was very proud to work with some amazing produce and lamb that I felt was excellently handled. The waitstaff may need more training, their understanding of gluten free alternatives disappoints, and the wine list leaves some improvement, but overall I'll keep coming back for the best meal in town.
(4)John A.
I'm from the "left Coast", so I am not too easy to please. This restaurant delivers: great food, sophisticated atmosphere and pleasant service. It was spring and we were able to score a seat on the beautiful balcony overlooking the Arkansas River. They have a cute wine bar, too. Finding this restaurant is tricky and the office look of the front may put you off, but give it a chance. It's the best I've had in Little Rock to date.
(5)Brian P.
Only time I ate here was at a going away party which the food was buffet style. Not sure of the price as it was paid for, but the food was pretty good. Service was really good. The biggest downfall of this place is the location as it is off the beaten path, and you would not notice it from a public road. One would think they were going into an office building.
(3)Kitty K.
Over-rated and over-priced, I truely believe all the most people who laud it's "great food" aren't people who've eaten around the country. Our food was pretty to look at, but the taste was mediocre at best, including the "famous" Brave shrimp. Just ick. We would have had a more satisfying meal at a fast food place, and Zaffinos in Sherwood outdoes the chocolate brûlée by far.
(1)Rebecca H.
Not only is the food great, it's consistently so. I have been many many many times and i always love it. A lot of the fare comes from sustainable farms in Arkansas which is a moral plus!
(5)Louise O.
I'm just driving through town and staying overnight. The owners of the B&B I'm staying at recommended this restaurant. Difficult to find if you are not from the area...even with GPS. Located in an office building on the river. We ordered the goat cheese mousse as an appetizer. Goat cheese whipped with cream, then baked. The result reminded me of a very mild-tasting quiche without the bacon or spinach. My mom thought it lacked flavor. Caesar salad had was good. The homemade dressing was tangy versus creamy. Croutons were fresh and crunchy. Only negative was that the leaves were drowning in dressing. We shared the mixed grill which was a generous portion of bison sausage, quail, pork tenderloin, and beef tenderloin--all with a red wine and balsamic demi glace. Sides were roasted red potatoes, squash, and carrots. The meat was tender and tasty. Service: waited way too long for the server to clear the table and get our check. Server was friendly, but not that quick.
(3)Massimiliano C.
Very quiet, older crowd, not exciting. But the ciew is spectacular and the food is really really good. I got the local tomatoes with mozzarella (caprese) and they were excellent, the walleye was very good as well. Very nice and attentive service.
(4)Megan B.
I just drove in from Dallas and chose this restaurant based on an article review. It's good. Peaceful. It's by the river with mandevillia growing on the balcony and geese eating below. The food is good. It reminds me of mother's gourmet cooking. It's very rich, like she used to prepare. The crowd is 50+ years old. So that correlates with the food. The service is excellent. An unusual note on the food, parsley is served as part of the meal, not as a garnish. I like parsley, so I have enjoyed it. It's just a surprising amount.
(4)Mike H.
My wife and I dined at Brave New Thursday night for the fourth or fifth time. It has always been excellent, and this time did not disappoint. Due to unexpected road construction, we showed up about ten minutes late for our booking, but were still shown to our table promptly. The waiter was knowledgeable about the specials and very helpful and attentive. The food was superb as always. It is a bit pricey, but well worth it. We have never been able to sit on the balcony overlooking the river, but that has a lot more to do with the unpredictable weather in Little Rock than it is about the restaurant. Would recommend to anyone.
(5)Mindy W.
We loved Brave new restaurant. I had the shrimp salad with mushroom soup. My husband had the Tuna special. Both were wonderful. Tad pricey but really good. We all enjoyed.
(4)Dana W.
Nice atmosphere. The food is excellent. My husband and I along with another couple ate here this weekend for the first time. My husband had the steak and it was delicious. I had the pine nut encrusted salmon and it was equally good. They did mix up my husband's med/well steak with our friend's med/rare. The only other minor complaint is that each entree came with the same sides (carrots, roasted potatoes and some type of cabbage concoction). Their house salad is good as well. My friend said her creme brûlée was wonderful.
(3)Arianna N Shaffer S.
This place is definitely a little hidden gem! It's not a restaurant you just casually drive by, see, and want to stop in to grab a bite to eat! It's definitely a place you plan to go to and have to look for! When I say it's hidden I mean it's hidden! I don't live in Arkansas but I was looking up upscale restaurants to try and this was one of the top choices that popped up, so my mom and I decided to give it a go! We were worried walking into the building it was in, we had no idea how to really find it and it all seemed really sketchy at first but we found it! As soon as we walked in we were greeted! The decor was very nice and classy! My mom and i decided that we wanted to sit outside to eat and enjoy the view of the lake and enjoy the nature! We got to our table and had a great view of the lake, trees, and geese, ducks and birds below eating food on the grass! It was fun to see but then all of a sudden these little kid Boy Scouts come running down the grass screaming and chasing away the poor geese. Typical kids! My mother and I got the Dr. Loosen reisling to drink which was excellent and we had the shrimp avocado appetizer to start and it was delicious, we would highly recommend it! The shrimp was really good! We were only having a light bite to eat so we both ordered the onion soup and I ordered a house salad and my mother ordered a Caesar salad! The 6 onion soup is literally sooooo delicious, I could eat a million cups of it! It seems to be pretty healthy too! I loved it and my mouth waters thinking about!! The Caesar salad there is standard and tiny, same with the garden salad! However the garden salad is exceptionally good!! The garlic dressing is delicious and it comes with these pickled and roasted veggies as well, which makes it taste so amazing! I wish we could have tried more stuff on the menu! I am not a huge fan of the menu but it all seemed to look pretty good! I wish they had more appetizers and offered more vegetarian friendly entree salads instead of the tiny side salads! We were very happy with the service, our waitress was sweet and on point and very attentive to us! I definitely think if you live in Arkansas or you are here to visit you should definitely check out this restaurant! It's very quaint and almost like a secret restaurant!!!
(3)Adam M.
Great experience on a Wednesday night. Very attentive service, great atmosphere.. Though it is a little hard to find. Meal: + broiled walleye + seared red potatoes + carrots + green beans + bread + side cesar Pros: + Perfect portions + Complex flavors Cons: + Difficult to find from the parking lot + Brown lettuce
(4)Joshua J.
To begin with, I've been here quite a number of times the last 10 years, and I will now review based on my last visit last night. I went with my parents, and yes the place is in an office building, but is a nice and not overly stuffy interior, and when the weather is nice the deck is probably the best in Little Rock based on the view of the river. Anyway, I enjoy the open area that allows you to look into the kitchen and seeing chef Peter Brave cooking. I also wanted to give another star because I've been here before when he has come by and spoken with the guests, including ourselves, and he seems like a truly nice guy. Starting out my Dad and I got a glass Meiomi pinot noir, which is on sale right now a local stores for about 16-17 per bottle, here it is about 8 per glass, but it is a very nice, smooth wine. I highly recommend you go out soon and buy a couple of bottles while its on sale. Its regularly 20+. Now onto the important shit, the food. My Dad got the special soup, a tomato seafood concoction, not a bisque, but can't remember. I tasted a spoonful and it was good, but under flavored (which will be a common theme). I've had the onion soup in the past, and its one of the best things I've eaten at this place, so get it if you have a soul and like onions. One of my favorite things about the place is that they bring bread 2-3 times throughout, and it many times changes during the visit, and from night to night, and I've never had a bad piece, and tonight it was a nice toughish crusted affair that went great with my ceasar salad and entree. My ceasar salad was very flavorful, actually the one of two items that I can say this about, but the downside that it was drowning in the ceasar dressing to the point that it was too powerful. It really just needed to be a little lighter and it would've been a higher rated item, but then again, its just a salad that came with the entree, and I finished it and soaked up the puddle of dressing with bread (but I was pretty damn hungry at that point). I won't go into the menu items, but they range from 23-38ish or so, which it seems like is higher than just a couple of years ago, like at least 5 per item higher, and nothing has really changed. Also, in previous visits, my biggest issue has been most ever entree has the same sides, and the sides haven't largely changed in 10 years, c'mon! They are fine, but sliced carrots, roasted potatoes, and red cabbage every time with every dish. Those are the two main reasons this place doesn't get a 3 star from me, if I'm paying 30 per dish give me options or at least put more flavor into those sides, as they are very bland and while not necessarily opposing the main dish, since they come with most every dish, they don't really pair with the entree and make it shine. So those are my biggest complaints of Brave New. Now onto the entree, I had the mixed grill that came with a small beef tenderloin, stuffed quail, pork tenderloin, and the special sausage of the night, bison. When asked on how I wanted them cooked (or at least the beef) I said medium Rare. I'll start with the best, the stuffed quail. It was stuffed with a sausage herb type creation which I didn't know it was stuffed until consuming half of it. Now its the smallest quail I've every seen and sat atop the dish, but the size didn't matter, although I would've eaten 5 of these things. I can't really describe it other than it disappears other than a few small bones in probably 2 minutes. Now onto the two disappointing meats. The pork tenderloin was sliced into about 5 pieces, was dry, and absolutely flavorless. My mom, whose not the greatest cook and when we were kids, was probably mediocre, and her pork tenderloin was better than this wasted protein. The beef tenderloin was a thin small cut, as expected, probably 3/4 inch in thickness, and was definitely medium well. Although it was much better than the pork, it lacked flavor, but at least wasn't dried up. The last meat, the bison sausage, was 2nd place on the plate. It was flavorful, but not too spicy, and had a good amount of moisture. I would have loved a mixed grill consisting of just the sausage and stuffed quail, and maybe some sides that had flavor and went with the wild gamey-ness of the meats such as wild rice and a mushroom side, now that would've been extremely good. It was meh (other than the quail), and totaled 130 pretax, no dessert, one soup, two wines. Not worth it. How does it stay open, looking around the room, it was filled with gray heads, who have probably been rolling down from heights for years...that's how.
(2)John A.
Not impressed. With all the rave reviews and reconditions, I was thoroughly disappointed. The outdated decor went very well inset with the menu. The Caesar salad was worse than you can get from a fast food shit box. The mushroom tart was anything than spectacular...unless you like microwave ovens and beef gravy from a packet...and don't get me started on the ber blanc. Main course was anything but exciting. Bland and again outdated. The only thing that stood out was the wait staff and the decent made Manhattan. Seriously. Go to Outback and get a better meal for a third of the price. Brave New? Nooooo, Tired Old.
(2)Wendy W.
Three of us had lunch there. It was not nice enough to sit outside but they have a beautiful deck & large window overlooking the Arkansas River. My friends had the lobster ravioli & grilled salmon on a croissant. Both said they were very goid. I had crab salad that was delicious! The sevice was outstanding! The dining room was full but we were treated as if we were there alone. The best part of the lunch was their chocolate creme Brule. This gets 5+! Do save room for it!
(4)Sandra F.
My husband and I read the reviews and were intrigued that it was in and office building, so we had to check it out. I love quirky things. It was very busy, but the wait was not bad at all. We were seated before finishing our drinks at the bar On to the food: I had the goat cheese appetizer, which was amazing. I could have left very happy after just that! My husband got the avocado/shrimp app. There were 6 large shrimp in it (very generous for an appetizer) and he enjoyed it. For entrees, I had walleye fish with blueberry compote. Wow! I'm not much of a fish eater, but I could eat this every day. My husband ordered the mixed grill. He said the quail was very good, so I tried a bite, and he was right, it was. He also had venison sausage, pork, and beef tenderloin. He enjoyed all but the pork. We will definitely return next time we're in town. Great service and great food are hard to find, but this place has it all.
(5)W. T.
What a great find in Little Rock! The view from the back patio is gorgeous and serene. The Wild Mushroom Tart was dry and overcooked, but the Walleye special more than made up for it! It was cooked with a blueberry balsamic sauce and was worth going back for. My friend had the Avocado Shrimp (delightful!) and the Scallop special cooked with the same blueberry balsamic sauce. The Walleye was better but only slightly. I'll go back if ever I'm in Little Rock again.
(4)Anne S.
was in little rock a few weeks ago and went here on a recommendation. Beautiful view of the Arkansas River from the balcony. The walleye was the best I've had anywhere. Service was helpful and friendly. Just a wonderful meal.
(4)Jane B.
Hard to find as a traveller. Thank goodness for a local with knowledge. Peter was gracious to let us sit on his patio and enjoy a beverage despite being closed in the afternoons. Also closed Sundays. Did not dine here but atmosphere and view was beautiful
(3)Una B.
I don't think you'd quite know where to go, if you didn't already know about this place. Lucky for me, this is a lunch favorite with my traveling/business companions so I just rode along. Had the weather been nicer, the outside view and even outdoor seating would have been highly desirable. It would have nearly been intoxicating and mesmerizing to look out on all that water. I was maybe just longing for a clearer day on my visit, I guess. I ordered the lobster ravioli which was delicious. Instead of unrecognizable lobster puree, there were hearty chunks of meat. So, so good. The side of pickled red cabbage seemed a little odd, but it was also tasty. It added a German flair that my coworker greatly enjoyed! The specials included an individual chicken pot pie which looked flaky and homey. The other, some sort of fish with a blue berry beurre blanc seemed odd to me, but as I was assured, it just works. We were brought out 2 rounds of bread with our meal, the second, sourdough type being the clear winner. Request it. Butter it. Devour it. Pace at lunch was somewhere between leisurely and just down right slow. Plan accordingly.
(4)Andrew W.
Brave New has good food and a great atmosphere for the price. Have gone there many times for dinner and usually end up getting the medallions and scallops for the wife. Usually the dessert is chocolate creme brûlée. The balcony area is one of the best outdoor eating areas in town.
(4)K S.
The food here is simply amazing. Of course, it is very pricey but probably worth it. The view from the outdoor seating is perfect. Could be better with lesser number mosquitoes and bugs but then you are in Little Rock, Arkansas. Service is very quick and cordial. Also, it is rather difficult to find. On the backside of a office looking building. What is surprising is the indoor seating. I mean, there is modern-minimalist and then there is cheap. They are close to latter than the former. The great food and service makes up for it but probably they want to spend some of the money from the uber pricey food on the decor as well. I think, they have overdone the " jewel in the rough" concept. At the same time its not so bad so as to be a deal breaker.
(4)Chris L.
My wife and I dined at Brave last night. It had been almost 2 years since our last visit. The food quality has slipped. The service was still good as expected. The server offered to comp us dessert even though we made no complaint. He was aware of the sub-par performance from the kitchen.
(2)Robin M.
My first time to Arkansas and as a girl from the greater LA area I am spoiled with amazing restaurants all within an hour from me and was not expecting anything special at all to discover in Little Rock. Let me tell you I was very wrong!!! My friend lives here and had come to Brave New Restaurant for lunch and loved the food and view but had never been for dinner. Since I was in town for work she wanted to treat me to a nice dinner and open my eyes to how nice Little Rock was. She succeeded on both counts! :-) We started with tasting several different red wines that they had available by the glass that I was not familiar with so we could have just the right wine. Waiter was very accommodating. Baked Camembert cheese with grapes and walnuts as an appetizer which was perfect. House salad tossed with a roasted garlic vinaigrette and grilled veggies. Delicious! I recommend asking for them to go light on the dressing and it came out perfect. The night I went fresh Walleye (a mild white fish) was the special fish of the day with a buerre blanc sauce, and my friend had the pinenut encrusted fresh Salmon (on the menu). Both were flawless. I have had fish frequently in "nice" restaurants that were overcooked or overly drenched in sauce. This was not the case with either choice for us. I will say that I was hesitant to have the Walleye as I am a big Salmon fan, but I never had Walleye before and the owner/chef himself...Peter Brave...had come out to greet us and convinced me otherwise so I went with the Walleye and I am so glad I did!!! Light, not fishy at all, just the right amount of sauce, and the fish was so buttery and flaky it melted in my mouth!!!! AMAZING!!! We finished off with a chocolate creme brûlée. On the menu. Must get!!! We sat on the patio which is known for its view. Again we were not disappointed. Because it was cool there were only 2 daring tables but we got the heater brought to us, it was not windy, the lights of downtown twinkled and made for a gorgeous skyline. Did I say this night was perfection yet? It was!!!! HIGHLY recommend and can't wait to go back!!!
(5)Ashley S.
My husband and I were in town for a football game and wanted a nice date out. Brave New Restaurant was the perfect place! We sat on the option and had a great view of downtown. The mushroom tart was delicious, as was the quail and trout. We would go back in a heartbeat!
(5)Sara B.
Are you over 50 and loved the 90's? This place is for you. It is a total throw back place from the food to the decor. The food was good, but weird. Parsley bloom on the plates, same sides no matter what the protein, which would be fine, if they were good and matched. But I had salmon, the fiancé had scallops (all 3 of them), our sides were sour purple cabbage, an 80's zucchini boat and roasted potatoes. That's just weird. The salad that comes with the meal is tiny but ok. We got an app special that was fine, but for the price, disappointing with it's 3 pieces of crostini. And as I walk away, that was my biggest issue with the whole meal, it was just too expensive. We spent $120 plus tip on a dinner for two with a few glasses if wine and no dessert and a little to go container. It was fine, but for the price? It should have cost half as much. It was a very crowded restaurant and we waited about 20min for a table. We won't go back, but big ups for their marketing team, the press I have seen made it seem completely different than it really is... I reiterate: Parsley bunch on the plate.
(2)Michael M.
Fantastic place with great service and top notch food. My wife and I came to little rock for the weekend and we so happy to find this place. We had a great meal and the waiter was attentive and anticipatory to our dining needs! I highly recommend this place!
(5)Scott S.
A good restaurant in a great setting. Ok, let's start with the location. Follow the GPS and keep an eye out for a radio station--small, 3 story office building is just to the right of the radio station. If you get lost, call. You do have a phone. The ambiance. Yes, that is why you ought to be here. A beautiful view of the river and of downtown lights if you are on the balcony; a wall of windows if you are on the inside looking out. Beats some chophouse downtown, hands down. The food. Good. Had a mushroom tart appetizer that was very flavorful. Had a heritage tomato plate that was very appetizing. Had an 8 oz. beef tenderloin that was reasonably priced. What I want to say about the tenderloin is that it was one of the best balanced plates I have ever had. There was a caesar salad that came before as part of the price. The tenderloin was accompanied by asparagus that was cooked and flavored "just so", a couple of baked russet potatoes that were new potato size that were just right, and a baked tomato with (mozzarella) cheese. The tenderloin itself was not the best I'd ever had or in contention for that designation, but the combination was special. The Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon by the glass was very good. The waiter was pleasant and helpful. If there as a 4.5 star option, that's what I would give it. Interspersed throughout the reviews you can find several ticks that are valid. If you are one of those people who consistently give 1, 2 or 3 stars, then my advice is don't go. You won't be happy, you will give a bad review to a good restaurant that is filling a neat niche. If, on the other hand, you want to propose, or you've met that special someone who makes your pulse quicken and you want to have a special evening, Brave New Restaurant is the place.
(5)Carey B.
Nice romantic setting (once you get inside - you enter through an office building). Scallops were excellent, but the sides were just okay. Chocolate creme brulee was excellent!
(4)Rebecca P.
My husband and I both enjoyed BNR this evening. The avocado shrimp appetizer was SO fresh and flavorful. The pimentos were an excellent kick of flavor. I ordered the stuffed quail entrée and my husband had the duck on duck. Both were generous portions. I'd highly recommend both dishes and this restaurant!
(4)Muckenfuss V.
The complaints about the location of this place are tiresome. You don't care if it's in an office park unless you're the walking sort, and nobody in Little Rock walks anywhere. The location is actually the biggest plus: if you're sitting outside, only a small park of ducks, geese, birds, and rabbits separates you from the river, which presents one of the loveliest and most romantic views in Little Rock. I wouldn't say that the dishes are exactly "brave" or "new" (no molecular gastronomy here) but they are consistently good, especially the fish. I had walleye the other day; the fish selection changes frequently and the beurre blanc is the one constant. Sides are always good -- try the new potatoes, which are only partly skinned, making them resemble acorns. Service is great because they don't do that cozy Southern bull****.
(4)Marie C.
One thumb up for Brave New Restaurant I was searching for one of the better restaurants in Little Rock while there for several days working. This restaurant popped up on the radar and so I went for it. The menu was way more interesting than anything else in town, and the location seemed like it would be worth it (on the river; balcony dining; large windows for indoor diners). I arrived to an empty, non-descript office parking lot with few cars in some of the slots. But leaving the elevator on the first floor towards the restaurant was a completely different scene: you enter a lovely space with a bank of tall windows, bar area to the left, seating arrangement not crowded. I sat at the window and watched the river and the sun go down. Very nice. Service was just fine. I ordered the shrimp avocado appetizer and then the pork tenderloin. The app was very good - but it was big: avocado is very filling. The size was more like a small entre. The pork dish was also giant, at least in terms of the sides: a huge pile of cabbage and potatoes that I couldn't even dent. The pork was perfectly done and succulent, but it was so smothered with the mustard sauce that I ended up scraping the pieces of meat to eat them. All that was needed of the mustard sauce was a dollop. Coming from Boston (which is why I didn't order any of the seafood entrees), I am more accustomed to much smaller plates and also much lighter preparations (plain! let me taste the pork and not the sauce!). However, I would recommend this restaurant, especially to out-of-towners, because it was one of the better dining experiences I had while in Little Rock.
(3)Julie H.
We read all the reviews about how tricky it is to find this place, so we went ahead of time to spot it in the daytime. I don't think it's that hard to find. I think I would love this place more if I didn't get bug bites all over from sitting on the balcony. When I became paranoid that I was being bitten, I should have asked to go inside, but I thought we could get through the meal pretty quickly. The balcony after dark is also really dark, so I couldn't really see my food. I don't have poor eye sight either. The portions are HUGE. I turned my leftovers into two more meals the next day. Food was good. The menu had choices for everyone. I'm not chomping at the bit to get back over there, but I will go again in the future. -And sit inside or wear pants to protect my legs from bug bites. I'm seriously eaten up. The dress code ranged from dressy to casual, so don't stress about that.
(3)Melissa P.
Great valentine's day dinner
(4)J R.
Exceptional service and fantastic food. I suggest reservations but the bar is a great chance to have a drink & appetizer while you wait.
(5)ruby b.
We went for lunch on a Monday and sat outside. I had a grilled tuna salad and my daughter had the salmon plate. Both were cooked perfectly and full of flavor. The waitress was friendly and efficient. My salad was huge, and try as I might I could not finish it, which made me sad since it was so tasty. We split a chocolate creme brulee because we had heard it was the best...and it was! I'd go back in a minute if I lived here.
(5)Evan K.
Great service. ...great food. Sat outside and enjoyed the accommodating weather and view. Exceeded expections. /eak
(4)s. m. j.
I used to come here and eat this food a lot when I worked in the building. I returned recently for a lunch meeting, and I realized I probably hadn't been here in about three years; however, the food is still delicious, the service is still professional and friendly, and the experience is still excellent. We arrived right around noon and were immediately seated at a four-top on the wall perpendicular to the windows that overlook the river. We were asked if we wanted to sit outside, on the beautiful balcony with the lovely view, but I do not like to eat in The Nature. :) Our server was very pleasant and energetic and built a rapport with us right away. I was considering the nontraditional grill cheese sandwich, which I used to order quite often, because it is so freaking delicious (there's bacon in there, my friends!), but when the waitress mentioned one of the specials, a lamb sandwich with mint mayonnaise, I could not resist that. I also thought about the cream of brie soup, which was not on the menu when I used to frequent the restaurant, but I thought the sandwich would be plenty. I was right! I ate about half the sandwich, which was served on a delicious roll, and then, unwilling to give up completely, I picked some of the lamb out of the second half with my fork and nibbled on that. The meat was so tender and flavorful -- it was prepared just right! The sandwich was plated with a lovely salad, that includes Brave's usual dark greens, strawberries and fruit and cheddar and herb cheeses. Of course, the table bread, the dark rye buns, are always delicious. My lunch companion ordered the trout special with the beurre blanc sauce. This sauce is a specialty of the house and is really, really delicious with the fresh fish specials they prepare. You should always expect something on offer to be served with beurre blanc sauce, and if you haven't tried it here, you should! The only problem I have with Brave is really the atmosphere/setting. If I were willing to try sitting outside, I would probably enjoy it more. Its location in an office building and the decor just seem kind of sleek and cold instead of luxurious and comfortable. This suits a business lunch very well, but to me it isn't as nice for a romantic dinner, and my husband is not a fan. The food is definitely worth it, though, and I can't imagine anyone being sorry they dined at Brave, for lunch or dinner, for business or for pleasure!
(4)Brennan M.
My best friend got married and her in-laws graciously hosted the rehearsal dinner at Brave New. Score! This was amazing! I had the filet and it was easily one of the best steaks I've ever had in my life. That being said, I sort of lament not getting one of the fish dishes. I was extremely skeptical as the host of the evening announced the menu options to us and emphasized Brave New's reputation for making top notch seafood dishes. I should have trusted him. While most people got the steak and were extremely happy (like me), the few people who got the seafood were really wowed. The seared sushi-grade tuna and the bay scallops were the shining stars of the evening. Well, besides the bride, that is. I think that Brave New and Ashley's at the Capitol Hotel must be the very best restaurants that Little Rock has to offer, and even some of the best that the south has to offer. I was super impressed and can't wait for the day I get to go back. (Must wait for bigger paychecks.)
(5)J C.
I wish there were an option for 4.5 stars, but I will give Peter Brave the benefit of the doubt. He has delivered pretty much every time my family and I have dined there. I generally order the pinenut salmon, but have ventured out of my food comfort zone lately and tried the pecan-encrusted trout as well as the much-talked-about mixed grill. Please put more grilled carrots on the side, Peter haha! I guess I'm easier to please than some other posters on here, but the experience is generally very good. Sometimes, the service is spotty and the prices ARE high for what you get, but the meals are consistent. The ambience is a bit lacking as well, but that has been expounded on already by others on here... Overall, it's a great "date night" place. If you haven't been, do yourself a favor and try it out.
(5)Wes R.
I went to Brave with a local (customer) and it was very enjoyable. The location is out of the way and not exactly what I expected for a nicer restaurant -- nothing wrong, just... austere. The food was fantastic and the staff was very professional and alert. One key factor: the staff seems to be happy to be there. I had the tuna special that was excellent. Somehow it had a really nice, crisp coating despite honoring my request for just a hint of searing.
(4)Brittney G.
This is the first place my husband and I went when we moved to Little Rock - totally by accident, it was the closest to the Google Maps location where we were. While it was a little hard to find - located in an office building - it was totally worth the adventure! The brie soup and ceasar salad were great, as was the complimentary bread. I had the duck three ways and could NOT stop saying "OH MY GOD THIS IS SO GOOD" throughout my entire meal. I've been back several times since and have gotten something new each time - my reaction has always been the same. The wine selection is excellent, but the crowd is often 55+. Oh well. The food totally makes up for it.
(5)Sam E.
My experience with the restaurant was enjoyable and the service was good, but I don't imagine I'd go back. I tried the brie soup and the duck and duck along with several appetizers. The menu described the duck as being served roasted crisp, but it wasn't. I thought the sides and the sauce for the duck seemed uninspired. It seemed as if my entree had sat a while before it was brought to the table. The selections of wine and desserts were disappointing as well. I've heard that this restaurant can be very good, but is hit or miss. Maybe Monday nights aren't the night to dine there.
(3)Lance C.
Took my fiancee for Valentine's Day 2011. Since moving to NWA this was my first visit to Brave New in several years. Peter did not disappoint. The experience was terrific, food was excellently prepared and presented. The Ahi Tuna special was superb! The ice cream, made by the restaurant, was a knock out. I highly recommend Brave New Restaurant.
(4)Dave T.
I have eaten here a couple of times. My wife and I went recently and both thought what we had was good but was somewhat expensive for what you get. Is strange location but once you get inside, the atmosphere is nice. Good service. I would go back but am not in a rush. There are other places to try in LR.
(3)David H.
I went with four other foodies from the B&B industry and we had a spectacular time. The restaurant is in one of the drabbest buildings you can imagine, but the food and service and setting make up for it in spades. We ate on the open deck in the warm breeze overlooking the river and the geese and rabbits grazing below on the lawn. All of our entrées were prepared beautifully, with the sauces being the stand out feature of the meals. Appetizers were also tasty; scallops Rockefeller, exceptional smoked fish with a tangy mustard . Excellent bread and a complimentary salad (Caesar or Garden) came with dinner as well. Perhaps the best part, however, was our server Ben. He was awesome! A true southern gentlemen who went out of his way to make us feel welcome, from his menu descriptions to separating our checks (he volunteered to do it!) all the way to getting us a cab and going downstairs to make sure it arrived. If there were any complaints it was the limited dessert selection (although the homemade ice cream and sorbets were very tasty) and limited beer/wine list. We'll be back when we return to Little Rock in January.
(4)Beez H.
Service was very good and the location is quite lovely. However the beef tenderloin I got was somewhat bland along tr asparagus. Not the best wine list either :-/
(3)Sandra F.
This is one of the best places for business lunch as servers are terrific and food consistently great. I have never had a bad meal here which says a lot. The grilled salmon is always moist and cooked to perfection. The soups are always delicious and change daily. The chocolate Creme brûlée is to die for and we love the brown bread rolls & butter they replenish throughout your meal. Peter Brave keeps the quality at his restaurant top notch.
(4)Greg S.
Always fresh always good! Last time we had dinner my whole table was sharing food thinking there menu choice was best. It's located in a kind of strange spot/area but worth it once you get there. The blueberry cream desert was wicked good! service was great and well informed to soup of the day and specials! Check it out for sure..
(5)David B.
Without a doubt, the best restaurant in Little Rock. Don't miss the walleye or the chocolate cream brûlée.
(5)Leland H.
We are from California. We were told we were going to A Brave New Restaurant and nothing more was described to me. We pulled up to an office building and cruised up a couple of floors. Very Brave. It was like 30 degree out, so we didn't get to sit on the famous balcony, but the atmosphere inside was very nice. On a Friday night the place was packed. I am impressed with Chef Brave's food. I thought his flavors were good. As for the menu, I thought his portions were good and prices fair.
(4)Ray M.
Was extremely pleased with the food and the service. All four were impressed by the courteous staff. We selected all across the menu with no disappointments. This was our first visit and we will be returning.
(5)Randy M.
Food is good, but use a lot of oil and butter as a crutch for flavor. The garden salad that comes with meal is light and tasty, but a bit heavy on onions. For those into aesthetics, the restaurant itself is modern inside, but it is located in an industrial office space seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Personally, I would pass on a 2nd chance to eat here
(3)Vanessa T.
I had heard that the Brave New Restaurant was "out of the way." Being that I was visiting from Atlanta, I figured it couldn't be anymore out of the way than anything else. Slightly true. It can be difficult to find, depending on your GPS unit's integrity and your own internal compass. That said, while I found the setting unusual [it's located in what looks like an office building], we kind of dug it. It LOOKS like you're going to the dentist, but you're really about to dine while overlooking the Arkansas River. Sadly, we went at night, so we saw nothing but our own reflections in the glass. I imagine the views are great during the day. The goat cheese mousse sounded exquisite in concept. The execution, unfortunately, was underwhelming. The cheese was mild, bordering on bland. I agree with the comparison to quiche. Still, a very rich and warming appetizer. The crackers it is served with are unfriendly: they crumble with the smallest bite. We found them cumbersome and uncooperative. The roasted corn chowder soup with artichoke was textured and flavorful. It was definitely one of their stronger presentations. The veal with lime -- again, another instance of great concept versus underwhelming execution -- was entirely too greasy. It was very disappointing in this instance, as it was a main entree. The scallops were cooked well but paired poorly with mango butter. I very much like the concepts and innovations behind Brave New Restaurant, but there's still some kinks to be worked out. While it is likely one of the top tier restaurants in Little Rock, it isn't quite of the caliber of its price point. Not yet, anyway.
(3)Nancy W.
The menu seemed really interesting and I liked the idea of a free Caesar salad which they even put anchovies on for me. But my Rockefeller Scallop appetizer was only fair. I ordered duck and duck for the entree. The smoke sausage was too smoked and hid the duck taste and the duck breast was way OVERCOOKED. The broccoli fritata that came with the entree tasted like airplane food. Overall go somewhere else, there is great food in LR, but this isn't one of the places.
(3)Cas R.
Although I love that the owner buys local and cooks fresh, I went twice for birthday dinners and both times the hour plus wait from salad to entree was just too long and not worth the meal. I won't go back and neither will the other couple that was with us either time. The owner was at the restaurant and never came by the table to apologize nor did he when I wrote him so that he would be aware of the situation. I hear he is really a good guy but he really disappointed me. I can't comment on the food because by the time it came we were so hungry and cranky that none of us could savor the flavors..
(2)Chandan D.
The first thing that you will notice about brave new restaurant is that they were brave enough to put it in an unbelievably crappy location in an office building - at that, a hard to find office building. The next thing that you will notice is the general lack of attention to detail when it comes to decor, there were cheap looking prints on the walls, the tables were cheap, the chairs were cheap, all in all tasteless and rather unexpected for a restaurant that charges ~$20-30 per plate. You order a few drinks from a sad excuse for a wine list and you end up happy because they aren't abhorrently overpriced. I personally had a $5 miller lite draft because that's what the prints on the walls seemed to be gesturing at. I honestly could have imagined a big neon bar sign in our dining area. Finally you order and the food comes out. Well, eventually it comes out. I went with a party of 14 and it took us THREE HOURS to get our meals. Then you think, well given the lack of attention to everything else, hopefully the food will be great (and I was hungry enough to start gnawing on my arm). You will be disappointed. I ordered the mixed grill, which yielded duck sausage that was over salted, some beef that was overcooked, and poorly seasoned quail. The worst part was when we asked for some sort of concession for the four hours of our lives that we would never get back, we were offered dessert, no apology though (Brave indeed for a new restaurant to send 14 people home with a bitter taste in their mouths - or maybe just poor management, either way, i'm never going back). To the offer we resoundingly replied "no thank you," and left as soon as was possible. If you want my opinion, for the price range, try something a little classier and a bit less "brave."
(1)ML S.
OK. I'm from Little Rock and have been here many times. The reviews below just don't do it justice. YES, it is in an office building.... but it is one of ONLY two restaurants (that I can think of) in Little Rock that are RIGHT ON the river. That's just the way it is... they chose the fabulous river view with patio over a pretty building!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The food is dependable and the specials are always great. I agree the decor is more casual and laid back than the prices.... but the food is good! This is a restaurant where you can dress casual and still have a really nice meal. They also have the BEST party room in town with it's own private patio overlooking the river. Great place for birthday parties, rehearsal dinners, bridesmaid luncheons, etc. Peter Brave is a great chef and Brave New Restaurant is a great place to dine!
(4)O. A.
We have visited Brave New many times and have never left disappointed. Peter Brave is a talented chef who puts it all together. The seafood dishes are our favorites; always exquisitely fresh (difficult in land locked Little Rock) and cooked to perfection. Open for lunch and dinner. Weather (and Arkansas mosquitoes) permitting, the outside tables have nice river views.
(5)SHANNON B.
VEGETARIANS BEWARE! After talking about avoiding meat ingredients with the waiter I ordered the only 'vegetarian' item on the menu. I ate half of it before I discovered the side dish contained bacon. Who knows how much of it I ate and what else was harboring meat products. After 20 years of vegetarianism this restaurant's carelessness and disregard left me feeling violated. I can't recommend it for meat-eaters either. My husband did not think his crab dish was anything special.
(1)Bertina L.
For me, only two things matter in a restaurant - service and quality of food. I had seen excellent reviews from other websites, and so I decided to give the restaurant a chance, despite the reviews I found on yelp.com . Unfortunately, "disappointed" is an understatement, especially for the $80+ I spent there. My friend and I had no difficulty getting seated without reservations, which I thought was unusual for 7pm on a Saturday night. However, immediately we noticed we were treated differently. The servers usually walk around with a basket of whole wheat/rye rolls, asking customers if they would like any. We were never asked. Instead, our server brought out a basket with two slices of white bread, and served us from that. At first, we thought we were being too sensitive because we felt out of place (we are at least 10 years younger than most of the clientele), but when the server gave us slices of white bread not once but twice, we knew something was odd. Initially our server was friendly, but pretty soon, she stopped checking on us. I wonder if she thought we wouldn't tip well because we were young. We both got the house salad, which would have been good...with about 1/2 the amount of dressing that was drowning the lettuce. I ordered the North Atlantic salmon, and my friend ordered the mixed grill. While I enjoyed the flavor combination of pesto cream and salmon, and the texture contrast between the salmon and the crust, my salmon was overcooked. It was borderline too dry, and reminded me of canned salmon. The carrots were underseasoned, and the potatoes were not seasoned at all. The mixed grill was an even bigger disappointment. It came with quail, beef tenderloin, pork tenderloin, and buffalo sausage, and we asked for medium rare. Although we were happy with the quail, the beef tenderloin had no flavor (which is shocking for beef tenderloin), the buffalo was overpowered by spices, and the pork tenderloin had the consistency of drywall. On top of that mess, they drenched the meat in a smoky sauce, almost as if they knew it would be disappointing and dry - but unfortunately for us, it tasted like a cheap version of Liquid Smoke, which is a bottled hickory smoked seasoning you can find in the grocery store. Lastly, the chocolate crème brulee was hands-down the most disappointing. Normally the custard is made and refrigerated, and when it is served, sugar is torched to make a light crispy sweet crust. Here, they made everything beforehand, including the crust, and refrigerated it. While the texture of the custard was alright, I could have chipped a tooth on the crust. I was just waiting for the waitress to ask me how the dessert was so I could express my disappointment, but she never asked. I chose not to complain to the waitress or the management about the poor quality of the service and the food, mostly because I felt they would not listen to a 23-year-old. Rest assured, I will not return there anytime in the future, nor will I when they deem my age as "appropriate."
(1)Celeste C.
The food at Brave New is some of the best in town. Maybe THE best. I love this place. You can ask for a vegetarian plate, and it will be full of the freshest, tastiest, real veggies (NOT JUST FRENCH FRIES, which seem to be the staple vegetable in Little Rock.) It is a lovely atmosphere--upscale and roomy. Brave New has been in business a long time.
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