Whether you're coming to The Dam Spot to try the Dam Burger, their Dam Breakfast, or one of their many other options, Aaron Varney said their food will hit the "Dam" spot.
The Dam Spot was started after owner Brittany Brown visited different restaurants, taking inspiration from different styles and themes, Varney, who handles PR for the restaurant, said. There was a cafe in the space before, and he said Brown saw inspiration to change the dynamics of the environment and add to the menu list.
The restaurant opened at 545 Carpenter Dam Road in November of 2021.
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"We just figured it was a good route to go. Hot Springs needed something on this side of town, Carpenter Dam Road," he said. "It's very busy, lots of traffic, so why not open something that people are attracted to?"
One of the things that sets The Dam Spot apart, Varney said, is the overall menu, which he describes as "a little bit of everything."
The restaurant offers everything from traditional country-style breakfasts, hoagie sandwiches for lunch, burgers, and more. The menu also includes options ranging from seafood to penne pasta and Southern sides such as coleslaw and green beans.
"I think ultimately, you know, we're still growing, we're still building, we're still learning and figuring out what works on the menu and what doesn't," Varney said. "And we want to constantly adapt. We want to constantly add new things.
"We've got new specials every day, you probably won't see the same special in the same week or even two weeks for that matter. So we're just happy to be here and operating in this kind of environment in Hot Springs."
Q&A with Aaron Varney
The following are excerpts from the interview with Aaron Varney, presented in a question-and-answer format:
Q: Favorite food of all time?
Varney: Favorite food's a hard question to answer, there's so many different things. If I had to put my finger on something, I think one of my favorite foods in this entire world would be a really good custom-made burger. Something that you just can't get enough of. You order it once, and you can go back the next day and order it twice and it be just as different as the first time you had it. That's what I would think, is a nice and juicy double stacker cheeseburger with some flare to it. Kind of like our burger, The Dam Burger ... gotta have it.
Q: Favorite restaurant?
Varney: One of the owner's favorite restaurants is located in the heart of Miami, it's called The Licking, and it's owned and operated by DJ Khaled, famous rapper, DJ. So, a lot of our colors, our themes actually came from the red environment that he offers at The Licking.
Q: Favorite part of working in Hot Springs?
Varney: Favorite part about working in Hot Springs is just the community. We're a small community but we have so much beauty in this town. We have so much talent, we have so much to offer. Not just myself, but every individual here. I like how we come together and grow as a unit. So I love working in the city of Hot Springs, I love the development in this city. I've been here most of my life. I want to see us all thrive and bring this place to another level.
Q: Go-to comfort food?
Varney: If I had to name my favorite item to eat comfort food-wise, man that's a hard thing to nail down but I would have to say pizza ... I can eat it day, morning, hot, cold, it's always gonna be good.
"The Club" sandwich at The Dam Spot. - Photo by Andrew Mobley of The Sentinel-Record.
The Dam Spot restaurant on Carpenter Dam Road offers a wide variety of options for diners. - Photo by Tyler Wann of The Sentinel-Record.