Conifer

I rarely get to write this type of review, a positive one.Having wanted to go for some time, I finally had the best dinner partner, my mother, who was visiting from out of town. We were excited to get (a little) dressed up and experience an all-gluten-free menu.Although it's a little tricky finding your way into Conifer due to the street construction, once you make your way into the space, you find yourself in a bit of awe at the restaurant's beauty from both a functional and aesthetic stance.We were immediately escorted to our table and greeted by the most dazzling server, Frankie, who was just as pretty as she was friendly.We both ordered our mocktails and were given an overview of the items not featured on the menu. We started with the beet salad and the cornbread for our appetizer while we continued to pursue all the delicacies illustrated on the menu page.The beets were exceptional for an appetizer, and the cornbread's butter was fresh and zesty.I ordered the chicken and dumplings, and my mother ordered the crab cakes for our main meal. We split the brussels sprouts, and both ordered dessert...yes, we couldn't stop eating.Between the oohs and ahhs, Frankie would appear to see how we were doing, and each time, she shared a little about the restaurant, the owner, and how much she enjoyed working at Conifer; such pleasant conversations to go along with such an exceptional meal.The meal was on par with any other celebrated cuisine, and I have had the luxury of eating at several Michelin-starred and James Beard-winning establishments. NW Arkansas has some excellent restaurants indeed, fewer than you might think for a gentrified area such as this, but a few. I can always find a few things on any restaurant menu that allows me to eat out wherever I go. Conifer has won the top slot!Is it pricey? Well, perhaps to some, but for me, having no choice other than a gluten-free diet, it was a delight to eat as I did before having to eliminate gluten. There was something on the menu for everyone, even those without gluten allergies. The chef, Matthew Cooper, was kind enough to come to speak with my mother and me. He was just as cool as his food, and his food was delicious. Eating at Conifer was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, and I am excited to head back and try something new each visit.

Conifer is good. But in order to be great, I would plead with them to rethink their plate structure. I've been here twice in the past 6 months and the 1st time here I had the pork chop with grits and black eyed peas and mostarda. It was a good, rich dish but got old after the same bite over and over with no vegetable or something to break up rhe richness. The morstada was very sweet. Same with my most recent visit and the lamb meatballs. 5 meatballs and 2 cups of grits with a pistachio sauce is a lot with nothing to break up the richness and saltiness of the lamb and grits. The lamb is high quality and delicious btw. At these prices, they should be able to put something pickled or vegetable forward on the plate to break up these dishes. Or, offer vegetable sides. Also, large portions of starch don't exactly invite me to order dessert or drink more. Both entrees I had, had a lot of starch on the plate.Overall, I'd encourage a visit to Conifer and I'll give it another shot myself as the seasons and menu changes with it.

Unexpectedly amazing. I visited from Las Vegas as a solo diner and got to sit at the bar. A very talented young man shook the night away all by himself. I ordered the clarified punch and man, the foam was incredible and it went so well with my chicken and waffles. The plate was very generous so I opted not to order any more food although I admired the kitchen all night along with the food it produced. Cheers to your success, I hope to come back to NWA just to eat here again.

Wow, this restaurant was incredible! Every dish was bursting with flavor and absolutely delicious. I love how the menu changes seasonally based on availability. I had the Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, crab cakes, and beets -- each dish was better than the last! I just wish I lived in the area so I could come back more often!

Amazing food! Great selection of gluten free items. The revolving menus keeps you coming back for more! This restaurant has a very intimate atmosphere. The chefs and staff are great!

Had a delightful dinner with friends at Conifer on Friday night. The whole menu is gluten free which is great for people with dietary restrictions. Most of the dishes we ordered we really enjoyed. Consensus was that the halibut was our favorite dish and that the mushroom pasta was too salty. Other dishes that we loved were the beets, falafel and chicken with dumplings. The restaurant was pretty large but still managed to feel cozy and service was friendly and attentive. Our waiter was incredibly helpful in reviewing the menu choices with us. For dessert, we had the apple crumble and the chocolate cake. Both were good but not exceptional. Overall, we really loved Conifer and would be excited to come back next time we came to town.

We liked this place but did not love it enough to give five stars. We would come back again because they change their menu based on what's in seasonal and local food. Loved the concept and the decor. Service was wonderful. Flavors were unique yet approachable. It felt a bit overpriced for what it was, like they are trying but slightly missed the mark.

This gluten free restaurant is a little strange to access from the road. But once you find it, it is beautiful and extremely posh. I had a salad and fried mushrooms--they are bug generous oyster mushrooms the size of a lamb's head, and pretty delicious. To be honest, they could do with less sauce as it overpowered the delicious mushrooms a bit. Honestly I had a great experience here, I just think the prices are a bit steep. If you need a lot of food, there are great places in the area that are more affordable, if a bit less unique.

The food and ambience are exceptional... and the sides/apps are novel and delicious. We sat at the bar and enjoyed the evening enjoying appetizers and drinks. Conifer is ridiculously expensive though. $60 for a moderately sized piece of halibut! Worth a trip for a special occasion. The menu is somewhat limited as well--not a lot to choose from. Happy to have been there, but because of cost, I may consider other alternatives in the future.

Friendly and responsive team as well as amazing GF cuisine. My only negative is that the noise level is too loud in the dinning room and had to eat on the patio, with perfect evening weather it was wonderful.