the wolf's den
Story by Shaila Creekmore, Photo by Dero Sanford

Could Jonesboro be home to the country’s largest barbecue sandwich? Anthony Luster, owner of The Wolf’s Den, thinks so.

“From all the research we’ve been able to do and searches on Google, we haven’t been able to find one bigger in the U.S. that is served as a menu item,” said Luster.

The Wolf’s Den’s Hogzilla sandwich consists of five pounds of pulled pork barbecue with slaw and is served with a pound of French fries, a pound of baked beans and a 20-ounce drink. If you are brave enough to eat it in one hour, it’s free and the challenger also receives a free Wolf’s Den T-shirt. While the meal is often ordered, Luster said few have been up to the challenge and only one has completed the challenge in under an hour.

“We think as the college kids get back in town, we’ll have a few more try it,” said Luster. “We expected it to be something the younger kids would try, but the only person to do it was a man around 60 years old. We mostly have a lot of parties of two to four that will split it.”

The Wolf’s Den’s Hogzilla sandwich is made from Boston butts that are slow cooked over charcoal and hickory for 10 to 12 hours in the restaurants smoker located at the back of the restaurant. Ribs are smoked an average of four hours and are made fresh each day.

“We don’t use gas in our cooking. We use the old fashioned method of charcoal and hickory. It gives a lot better flavor off of your meat and a better color to it. It’s kind of a dying art. I only know of one other guy in town that cooks without using gas.”

The technique was taught to Luster by his dad, A.D. Luster, who was better known in Jonesboro for his catfish. A.D. was the first person to sell fried catfish in Jonesboro in his restaurant in 1959. In the early 1960s, he opened A’s Fish House and became the only restaurant in Jonesboro to specialize in just catfish. Years later, he expanded and became the largest restaurant in Arkansas with a location on Nettleton Avenue that seated some 1,500 people. Through the years and various locations and restaurants, Luster worked along side his dad, learning the restaurant business and how to cook.

“My dad started teaching me how to cook on the grill when I was about 12 years old,” said Luster.

When A.D. left the restaurant business in the early 1980s to pursue the construction business, Luster followed him into the business and spent 25 years in North Carolina working in construction. In May 2007, he returned to Jonesboro and to the restaurant business when he opened A’s Restaurant in Brookland in 2008. He eventually moved the restaurant to Main Street and specialized in catfish and barbecue. In June, the restaurant changed its look and its name, becoming The Wolf’s Den Restaurant and Club.

“Its something we’ve been working on for two years,” said Luster. “The theme is Red Wolves, with the red and black colors and memorabilia, but we hit all sports.”

In one corner of the restaurant is Arkansas Razorback signage and logos and across the restaurant, the St. Louis Cardinals logo graces the wall. Next to the cash register are Dallas Cowboys souvenirs.

“We are still adding things. Some people bring things in for us from their favorite team and we’ll put it up for them,” said Luster.

Each evening, various sports and games are shown on the restaurants 14 televisions scattered throughout the dining room and game room. The game room has a pool table and arcade games.

The Wolf’s Den’s name change also reflected the restaurant’s change to a private club, as it added a full bar to the dining room. As a private club in Jonesboro, the restaurant must select a charity to benefit from a portion of its proceeds and Luster said for his family that was a big incentive in opening a private club. After losing his 6-year-old son to epileptic seizures, Luster wanted a way to help the Epilepsy Foundation and formed the charity Opportunity Advancement, the beneficiary of The Wolf’s Den.

“The main reason for becoming a private club was for charity,” said Luster. “I don’t think a lot of people realize how much money is raised downtown for charities from both the restaurants down here and from the festivals and events held down here for charities.”

Luster said that while The Wolf’s Den does have a bar and a sports theme, he does not think of it as a sports bar.

“We’ve tried to bring our bar and restaurant together. We don’t want to be known as a sports bar. We are a restaurant that happens to have a bar. We welcome families, older couples, college kids, everybody. And we don’t stop serving at 9, our kitchen stays open until we close.”

Along with the restaurant’s barbecue and catfish, it also offers a list of appetizers, half-pound burgers made from 100 percent angus beef, grilled items and seafood such as shrimp and clam strips. Along with a salad bar is a hot bar that features huge baked potatoes and will offer soup, oyster stew and shrimp gumbo in cooler weather.

For tailgating, parties or dinner at home, The Wolf’s Den has a take out menu with items from small family meals to large tailgate packs with all the fixings including drinks.

The Wolf’s Den is located at 311-B S. Main Street with parking and entrances on both Main Street and Union. Hours are 4-11 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, call 932-4331.