Tailgater’s Burger Company

I hate to do this because it is a special place with excellent burgers, but…
…I offered my girl a taste of my Reuben. She said, «Something’s missing». And she was correct. What was missing is enough corned beef to make it any other but a sauerkraut sandwich. The kraut was perfectly sour and wonderfully complemented by the sweet dressing. The taste was robust and so much of it I used a fork to eat it like a salad. But it wasn’t a Reuben rather a kraut salad with large, rye croutons and smattering of beef texture and flavor.
I hope they use this review constructively.

We had bacon burger and avocado burger, both were delicous!

We stopped twice at this wonderful burger joint going from and back to Dallas. Highly recommend stopping here. Excellent food and great service. Look forward to coming back.

This is an easy 5 stars from me…
Finding Tailgater’s is exactly why I love Unilocal.I was on a road trip to the south, and we found ourselves starving in the middle-​of-​nowhere, Arkansas. What could have been a sad, fast food meal turned into one of the most delightful lunches I’ve had in a long time.
When I saw there was a 5-​star burger spot in Hope, I was intrigued and had to find out if it was worth the hype. And it was.
Tailgater’s is adorable! It’s the perfect balance of hole-​in-​the-​wall with modern upgrades. There are brick walls, truck tailgate seats, a chalkboard menu… such a fun atmosphere.
The people were all super friendly too! Every single person was kind and helpful — I could tell they genuinely cared about my experience there. One lady (a manager or owner maybe?) even came around the dining room to say hi to everyone and check on everybody.
And then there’s the food. The menu is simple, but it is terrific! Freshly-​ground burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, fries, and shakes. My bunless burger was delicious and perfectly cooked. The fries were the real star for me – literally just freshly-​sliced potatoes! I finished everything with a small shake, and it was the old-​fashioned kind, which I love. I really appreciated the small size choice too — I just wanted a little bit!
If you’re in the area, do yourself a huge favor and stop at Tailgater’s. And you can wave at President Clinton’s childhood home as you zoom down the street for your burger.

Thank you, Unilocal,for helping us find this place! We never would have ventured down this way off the highway without you (and honestly, coming in on 29 was super shady). This place is a fun little burger joint with good food and Southern hospitality.
I ordered and then realized I forgot my wallet in the car, which my husband had just taken to get gas (we were on a road trip and knew it would take a minute for our food). I told the gal at the counter and she told me it was no problem — they’d go ahead and make it and we could pay when he got back. I forgot to ask for the order to go, but when our food was brought out, all I had to do was open my mouth and the gal said «Did you want it to go? I’ll bag it up.» On point.
The burgers were delicious. Little man’s corndog was a bit overdone, but he’s a kid — he doesn’t really care too much. The fries were great, as were the fried green beans, but my favorite side was the fried pickles. Mmmm all the sides were good, especially dipped in their yummy ranch.
Great little stop with Southern charm and yummy food. Come and get it.
Oh, also, it’s right across from a train station. My son loved to hear/​see the trains as they came by (there were two while we were there) and he really liked playing in the train cars on the patio, too.

Wha a great spot to stop off during a road trip. Tasty burgers, amazing fries and friendly service. Super cute downtown just minutes off of the highway. Even had outdoor seating so our dog could eat her lunch too. We will definitely be back next time we’re nearby.

Was very happy with this place. Clean and friendly. Great burger and milkshake. Had a nice conversation with the owner who helped me out at the registrar. I will be back.

Came here on our way to Texas to see the Alabama Shakes. Great atmosphere, great food and the restrooms were very clean. Me and my dad both had the Gorgonzola burger which was fantastic. You can tell everything is made in house. This will definitely be my go to off this way on the interstate.

Great place… especially nice to find something like this in a small town while passing through.
I would go back… its in downtown Hope. cool little town with trains and rustic appeal. I think amtrack stops there.

Excellent burgers and blt. My wife had the avocado burger, medium size combo and added grilled japs. (Although she requested them sauté d and the fella behind the counter looked at her funny, they got it right.) My youngest had the BLT, oldest had the applewood bacon burger and the middle had a plain cheeseburger, they all left nothing on their baskets. I had the applewood burger and added japs, excellent! The homemade fries are one of the best parts of the combo. In fact, my wife ordered the fried onion strips and liked the fries better. All in all it was a great detour from our long drive and we will certainly stop again.

One of the very best hamburgers ever. The fried green beans were outstanding. Everything prepared fresh to order by friendly and helpful staff. Absolutely worth the short drive off the interstate.

The only thing I can say about this place is it’s absolutely great. By far one of the best burgers I’ve ever tasted. The service is fabulous. If your ever in Hope Arkansas you definitely have to stop in. Wish they had a cold beer to go with the burger though.

I travel for work often and my co-​workers call me the master of Unilocal… after years of practice I should be. But this little gem really lives up to the hype. To successfully pull you off the highway a few miles to eat… driving through a place that looks forgotten.
This place is great… they make the food to order and it’s all done by hand. My friend had the burger and said it was seriously good… I went for the Reuben and was NOT disappointed. Both were sizable and the sides were also good… I followed the suggestion of another Unilocaler and paid the buck to half friend green beans and onion straws… oh yeah.
They have some outside seating and I was able to bring my dog to hang while we ate. After about 1700 miles in the car the poor baby needed it. The owner? asked the other ladies on the patio and they said they didn’t mind. You would never find this place wandering off the road to look around… so thanks to Unilocal we scored a seriously great meal.
Décor is cool and we got to be Bonnie and Clyde while waiting lol. I also love the chalk board menu… it gives us reading glass people a break!
One fun comment from my friend «the sweet tea must be REALLY sweet… because my mix is ¾ non and I’m getting a toothache»

Excellent burgers, fresh avocados, clean bathrooms and fast service. Definitely worth the 3-​min drive from I-​30. Plus you get to see downtown Hope and the train station. Loved the avocado cheeseburger and the steak fries! Enjoy!

Great burgers close to President Clinton’s birthplace! Yummy, juicy burgers and delicious thick-​cut fries. Loved the fried green beans. You sit on benches fashioned out of tailgates. Very clever! Friendly, cheerful service sparkling with southern hospitality.

This place is a treasure! The burgers are amazing and the owners are wonderful! Definitely worth getting off the highway and venturing into Hope!

On our way back to Texas from Tennessee we decided to take the detour on Hope, Arkansas and it worth it, this place is managed by a really nice lady, not just friendly staff but awesome food I had the medium Swiss burger and the meat was so juicy and flavorful, I ate the salad instead if the fries and the ranch dressing was homemade and really good, vegetables were very fresh also, My husband had the Yankee burger with fries, he really enjoyed it, the fries were thick and hand cut I guess. Overall this is a really good place to eat, I will definitively come back if I hit Arkansas roads again! Prices very, very affordable.

Great little burger place. Reminds me a bit of Twisted Root in Dallas, and that’s a good thing. Delicious burgers (available in ¹⁄₃ lb or ½ lb) and nice thick fries, and such a cute place. Love the truck out front and the tailgate bench seats.
Definitely worth the pitstop. We’ll be back I’m sure.

I was impressed with the Unilocal response so I traveled the couple of miles off I30 to check out Tailgaters. In a town that offers little hope, it’s a light in a dark place.
The building is decorated well and conveniently located on Main Street right across from the local depot/​museum.
At noon on a Tuesday the place was half full of a combination of locals and tourists. No table service, you order at the counter and get you drink yourself.
I ordered the medium Gorgonzola burger combo and for a $ 1 more asked for half fried green beans and half onion strings instead of the hand cut fries.
The patties are formed by hand and the cheese was dripping everywhere. I was grateful for the roll of paper towels on the table and it wasn’t long before the owner came by to check on me.
Nice to know there is an oasis between Little Rock and Dallas worth checking out.

Don’t Lose Hope, Try a Burger
Hope, Arkansas: the hometown of Bill Clinton, Mike Huckabee and Tailgaters Burger Company. Take a guess at which one of the three is my favorite…
Discovered this restaurant from complimentary Unilocal reviews and am super glad I did! The décor inside is rustic and local, the perfect atmosphere for a great burger. It was also decorated for Christmas which was a nice touch. Sat on a booth that had previously been a bed of a pickup truck. Very quaint!
The food was delicious. I had an avocado burger which was well-​cooked with fresh avocado slices and other traditional burger toppings. My dad tried the mushroom & Swiss burger and was equally as impressed. Mom had the Gorgonzola burger and let me sample a bite. The flavor from the Gorgonzola was strong but not overwhelming. Very well done.
The chocolate shake was the perfect thickness and contained the desired ratio of chocolate syrup to whip cream. Very filling.
Overall, Tailgaters Burger Company is a must-​visit if you are ever in Hope, AR. Friendly service, great burgers and an awesome atmosphere. The visitor center is also just across the road so afterwards you can go check out what else this small town has to offer!