The Arkansas Barbecue Restaurant Loved By President Bill Clinton

If there's one regional food that people have strong opinions about, it's barbecue. From Texas brisket to North Carolina's vinegar-sauced pork to baby back ribs in Arkansas, the rich variety of barbecue styles is a testament to America's melting pot of flavors. But only one spot can claim their rack of ribs has been personally flown on Air Force One to be delivered to Camp David, and that's McClard's Bar-B-Q in Hot Springs, Arkansas. And the President who requested those mouthwatering ribs? None other than Hot Springs native and 42nd president William Jefferson Clinton.

The no-frills restaurant has been around longer than Clinton himself, as it began back in 1928 as a gas station and diner that served up goat (beef and pork were too expensive back then). Growing up in the small Southern town, Clinton and his mother were regular patrons at the restaurant, and it soon became a childhood favorite of his. Even when he grew up and moved, first to the Arkansas Governor's Mansion and later on to the White House, the former president's love for the local 'cue was never lost. Though goat is no longer on the menu, people drive from all over the state for the hickory-smoked beef, tamales, and "Ribs and Fry" plates. That last dish is said to be a favorite of Clinton's, as it's essentially a pile of ribs smothered with fresh-cut french fries and that notorious barbecue sauce.

According to the restaurant's lore, it all began when a traveling stranger couldn't pay his $10 bill back in the 1920s. Instead, he offered the McClard's a recipe for "the world's greatest hot sauce." The sauce was apparently so good that it's kept the restaurant in business for four generations, with the great-grandson, Scott McClard, as the manager today. 

Bill isn't the only famous fan of McClard's, as Hillary has also played a part in its history. In an interview with CNN Business, McClard recalled that the Clintons stopped by after their wedding to grab a bite before catching the flight to their honeymoon. Once the political power couple had moved to D.C., McClard would get official phone calls every so often requesting that his barbecue be prepared for pickup by Air Force One. One of his proudest moments was when he found out that McClard's smoked meats were going to be served at Camp David and eaten by global leaders and dignitaries alike.

It's unclear if Bill Clinton still chows down on McClard's tamales, an Arkansas Delta regional delicacy, as he famously took on a mostly vegan diet in 2010. But the restaurant is now a cultural institution on its own merit, and continues to serve the Arkansas governor — whoever happens to be in the Little Rock mansion at the moment.