In 1992, Mike and Rhonda Linam of Wynne bought a grocery and snack shop located in Colt. They operated it as a grocery store until 1999 when the couple transitioned the store to a full-service restaurant that seats 188 diners.
Hand-cut, certified Angus beef steaks are the top seller at Mike’s Family Restaurant. photo by Rob Roedel
“Our recipes came from family members and have been developed over the years,” said Mike, who worked as a meat market manager for a large grocery store chain for many years before becoming a business owner. “Our catfish and steak dinners are our most popular. Our steaks are USDA, hand-cut, certified Angus beef and we serve only USDA pond-raised catfish.”
The fare at Mike’s Family Restaurant includes a great selection of appetizers, salads, steaks, catfish, specialty sandwiches, hamburgers and desserts. Daily lunch specials are also offered Monday through Friday. The specials include pan-fried chicken, chicken-fried steak, meatloaf, smothered/grilled pork chops, hamburger steaks and other comfort foods. The lunch meals also include an assortment of vegetables.
The USDA pond-raised catfish fills the restaurant with hungry patrons. photo by Rob Roedel
The pond-raised catfish is served all day on Thursdays, Friday evenings and all day on Saturdays. The catfish is fried to a golden brown and comes with your choice of baked potato or French fries, coleslaw, hushpuppies, onion, pickle spear and pickled tomatoes. The catfish features Mike’s original cornmeal breading that adds just the right taste to the large, delicious catfish filets. According to locals, Mike’s is the place to get catfish. After sampling the two-piece platter I can see why.
The onion straws appetizer includes a large serving of well-seasoned onion strips fried to a crispy, golden brown on the outside with sweet onion on the inside and served with Mike’s special dipping sauce. The sauce had a nice horseradish-tinted flavor that was very good. The onion straws were like potato chips as I couldn’t just eat one.
I lost track at 10.
The fried zucchini sticks are a must-try. They are large zucchini spears battered in Mike’s secret batter and deep-fried to a texture that is crisp on the outside and delicious on the inside. You can’t go wrong with this appetizer.
Since Mike’s former occupation was the manager of a meat market, I was anxious to try the steaks. Mike and his team definitely know how to cut, season and cook a steak to perfection. I was served a very nice, juicy ribeye steak that delivered great flavor and was very tender. Mike believes in minimal seasoning as this technique allows the meat’s natural flavors to do the talking to your taste buds. His technique speaks the universal language of great taste.
The cobbler is a classic Southern favorite. photo by Rob Roedel
The chocolate cobbler dessert is the perfect marriage of a warm brownie, vanilla ice cream and rich chocolate sauce. I felt like a cobbler gobbler when I sampled it as my spoon kept going back for bite after bite.
As I was leaving the restaurant, a diner asked me if I had tried the homemade coconut pie. I placed my hand on my heart, smiled and said absolutely. The coconut pie is a local legend. It features sweet coconut filling with a fluffy meringue topping and homemade crust. The gentleman just smiled and said that I had made a good choice. I nodded in agreement as we were now dessert brothers.
“We work to provide our customers with a family-friendly restaurant that provides home cooking for them,” Mike said. “Everyone tells us that eating here is just like being at home and eating with friends.”
For great home cooking with great service and a warm, family atmosphere, be sure and stop by Mike’s Family Restaurant.
the eating essentials
Mike’s Family Restaurant
49 Old Military Road West
Colt
(870) 633-8916
Hours of Operation
Monday – Thursday: 10:00 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Friday – Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Dining recommendations? Contact Rob Roedel at rroedel@aecc.com