Since 1963, Verna's Bar and Grill Still Offering Burgers, Brews, and a Cue in Little Rock.

No advertising, 21 and older only, almost no updates in decades, yet Verna's keeps a cast of regulars coming back for a beer, a good burger, and a comfortable dose of nostalgia.

First, off, this is a great smash cheeseburger, old school style, from Verna’s Bar and Grill Bar and Grill on Stagecoach Road in Little Rock.

Now, Verna's has been around since 1963, though it's been other things, too. I recall it going under the name Tina's for a while, maybe something else. Verna - the original Verna - was Verna Furrer Jamison, and she ran the little one-pool-table bar from when she bought it in 1963. Verna's been gone a while now, but the place has rotated ownership back into the Furrer family.

The place is tiny. There's a long seatback across the front and left walls, with a couple of tables and chairs pushed up to it; a handful of barstools; a two-top in-between the doors to the men's and women's restrooms. A black cat, either named Bandit or Mamacita depending on who you ask, answers to both and frequently rubs ankles.

The menu isn't much - hamburger, cheeseburger, fried bologna sandwich, egg samich (yes, that's how it's spelled), chicken strips - quick and easy bar food you can get with fries, tots, or onion rings. The kitchen is tiny, so I suspect orders are limited to a small griddle and a deep fryer.

But yeah, this burger hits the spot. Simple toasted bun, L-TOP, slice of American cheese (I think I asked for Pepper Jack but maybe it wasn't available), all riding a crusted-edge high heat burger patty where caramelization had done a job on the outside. It's exactly the sort of burger you should enjoy at a place like this, and it's done well here.

No iced tea, but there's Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Dr. Pepper, or the bartender can whip you up a non-alcoholic fruit punch. Full bar. And, as I said, one pool table. 21 and over only, smoking allowed. You'll find Verna's Bar and Grill on Stagecoach Road, east of I-430 on the north side of the road. Call (501) 904-1963 or visit the bar's Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085483710277) for more information.