Young family’s Legacy continues in Forrest City

The Young family operated many restaurants in eastern Arkansas and was preparing to open its latest Forrest City venture when disaster struck. The family patriarch, Rodney, passed away unexpectedly. Today, the restaurant is named Legacy in his honor.

Young’s wife, Leann, their son, Caige, and his wife, Katie, run the restaurant and enjoy serving eastern Arkansas some of the best food around. The restaurant is decorated with a great collection of automobile memorabilia. The building is an older space with loads of character and a nice patio for outdoor dining.

The restaurant means a lot to the family. Caige and Katie were married at the restaurant in November of 2022. The couple has a new bundle of joy, Turner, who is less than 3 months old.

Caige said that his first job in one of his parent’s restaurants was as a dishwasher at 9 years old. “I have done just about every job within restaurants; it is what I know and enjoy,” he said.

He added, “We really focus on our steaks and the overall quality of our food. We originally were only going to be open Thursday through Saturday, but the popularity led to the expanded days of service.”

Appetizers include deep-fried Cheese Bites, Country Fried Mushrooms, BBQ Nachos and more. I tried the Sausage & Cheese Platter, which included andouille sausage, Colby and Monterey Jack cheese cubes, dill pickle chips, peppers, barbeque sauce and crackers. The sausage was seasoned with a delicious dry rub spice that enhanced the richness of the meat. I also enjoyed the classic Spinach & Artichoke Dip served with freshly fried tortilla chips. The dip had a great flavor and thickness.

If you stop by Legacy at lunch, there are many sandwich options, including the Legendary Club, the BLT, the BBQ, the Country Fried Steak and the house specialty Kickin’ Chicken, and a variety of hamburgers. If you are hungry, attempt The Legacy Burger. This monster includes a 2/3-pound beef patty on a grilled brioche bun with grilled onions, mushrooms, Legacy’s signature mustard sauce, lettuce, pickle and a choice of cheese.

During dinner service, Legacy offers an array of tempting entrées to please everyone in your group. The offerings range from hand-breaded chicken tenders to smoked chicken to shrimp to ribs to steak.

I loved the Southern Fried Catfish, USDA farm-raised catfish, which was hand-breaded and fried to heavenly goldenness. The large fillets were served with a baked potato (fries are available), homemade hushpuppies, coleslaw and a fresh tartar sauce.

Legacy is known for its steaks so, of course, I eagerly sampled a couple. You can choose between 16-ounce or 12-ounce Ribeyes. The steak I tried was cooked perfectly with a wonderful flavor. My favorite was the 8-ounce Filet. I admired the grill marks before slicing into the tender, melt-in-your-mouth piece of beef. The steaks are served with your choice of a long list of sides, including varieties of potatoes, macaroni and cheese, Delta rice, onion rings and more.

The desserts at Legacy are a must-try. I loved the homemade Apple Cobbler. The crust and sugary baked apples were accompanied by a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream. Caige said that the Bread Pudding at Legacy, made with his great-grandma’s recipe, is easily the most popular dessert.