Hat tip to Eat Arkansas commenter Mordy who brings us the news via Facebook that Redbone's Downtown is closing down. From their page:
To all of our family, friends, loyal customers and one-timers we want to say thank you. Unfortunately, we have fallen upon hard times and must close our doors. We will remain open, regular business hours, through Sunday. We hope to see you there. Again, thank you all and God bless.
The restaurant opened in the River Market during the summer of 2011 and served a menu of Cajun and Creole inspired dishes that I thought were simply fantastic — especially that macaroni and cheese dish I've pictured with this post. The restaurant was also one of the first places I reviewed here on Eat Arkansas, and while it's not the first place I've reviewed that has shut down, it's still a sad thing whenever a place I've enjoyed and written about closes the doors.
Redbone's was a tasty addition to the culinary landscape both of the River Market, and I'll miss washing down their spicy etouffee with a cold Abita Amber. Best wishes to all who brought their delicious creations to our downtown area, and I hope the transition is a good one for everybody.
UPDATE: While it appears that the original post from Facebook I quoted has been taken down, I spoke with someone at Redbone's who confirmed that Sunday will be the last day.
UPDATE II: A new post from the Redbone's Facebook page includes the following: "...this week we were presented with an opportunity to bring a well-known regional brand to Arkansas beginning with the Little Rock location." I'm trying to get somebody to tell me who it is — and to see if the rumors circulating down there in the comments section are true. Stay tuned.