Ask any local or Lake of the Ozarks regular what some of their favorite activities at the Lake are and, undoubtedly, their list will include “docking and dining.” Central Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks features over 200 restaurants with more than 60 being situated lakeside. The lakeside eateries offer stunning views of the water with convenient marinas and boat slips where boaters can tie up their vessels, step onto the dock and walk up to the restaurant to enjoy their meal. This unique tradition has resulted in the Lake of the Ozarks being named one of the top five destinations in the country to “Dock and Dine” by Boating magazine alongside other famous locales like Key West, Florida and Newport Beach, California. “For an authentic Lake of the Ozarks experience, vacationers should try arriving to a restaurant by boat,” says Lagina Fitzpatrick, executive director of the Lake of the Ozarks Tri-County Lodging Association. “It’s such a fun and memorable experience and there are so many great lakefront restaurants to choose from. And, if a visitor doesn’t have their own boat, they can rent a boat from one of the many marinas in our area or they can hire a charter boat or water taxi to make sure they don’t miss out on this popular Lake of the Ozarks tradition.”
DOCK AND DINE AT THE LAKE
The “dock and dine” restaurants at the Lake of the Ozarks offer a variety of fare. Some feature casual pub grub while others offer more upscale menus. Many also feature live musical entertainment throughout the summer months. Each restaurant has boat docks or boat slips for guests that want to dock and dine and some have full-service marinas. Although arriving to dinner by water is arguably a lot of fun, all of the restaurants at the Lake are also accessible by land. Additionally, each has its own unique amenities and experiences as well, such as sandy beaches, yard games, palm trees, tiki huts and/or other signature features. Below is just a highlight of some of the “dock and dine” restaurants at the Lake of the Ozarks. Captain Ron’s Bar and Grill, located at the 34.5 mile marker (MM) in Sunrise Beach, is a pirate-themed dining and entertainment complex featuring two sandy beaches, four tiki bars and live music throughout the summer. Captain Ron’s menu includes handmade pizzas, grouper dinners or a “B-Lob-T” (bacon, lobster and tomato) sandwich, among many other menu options. Captain Ron’s also hosts the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout, the largest unsanctioned boat racing event in the nation every August, and AquaPalooza, the Lake’s only on-the-water, family-friendly music festival that takes place each year in late July.
One of the newest and most intriguing restaurants at the Lake of the Ozarks is The Cave Bar and Grill located in a cave at the 3 MM in Camdenton. With more than 7,000 caves, Missouri is known as “the Cave State.” The Lake of the Ozarks area has no shortage of impressive caves, including four show caves that are open to the public. However, until this family-friendly establishment opened in the summer of 2022, none of the Lake’s caves featured a restaurant. With two swimming pools, swim-up bars and over 3,000 square-feet of “cave space,” boating in to enjoy a meal at The Cave Bar and Grill is a unique experience. The menu features traditional favorites like burgers, sandwiches, tacos and pizza and there’s also live music on most summer weekends.
Dog Days Bar and Grill, on the 19 MM in Osage Beach, has been named one of the top 10 “performance boating watering holes in the nation” by Powerboat magazine. Dog Days features gourmet burgers, tasty appetizers as well as steaks, seafood and pasta and a wide array of popular frozen cocktails. Dog Days has a family-friendly swimming pool and an adult swimming pool with a swim-up bar. Dog Days hosts live music and dance parties throughout the summer as well as one of the Lake’s most unique summertime events: the Canine Cannonball, an Olympic-style competition for dogs that attracts thousands of spectators every year.
The Fish and Company, located on the 31 MM in Camdenton, is a colorful waterfront establishment featuring menu favorites like fish tacos, burgers, wraps, pizzas, salads, frozen drinks and many other tempting options. Known for hosting live music, The Fish and Company features performances by talented regional artists most days of the week, including the Lake of the Ozarks’ legendary barefoot entertainer Dale Blue.
Frankie & Louie’s Beachfront Bar and Grill, located on the 10 MM in Sunrise Beach, is known as the “Key West” of Mid-Missouri. Named “one of the best beach bars of the South” by Southern Living Magazine, this beachfront bar and grill offers American classics as well as Caribbean-inspired dishes, popular frozen drinks, games and live music. In addition to the fare, Frankie & Louie’s offers white-sand beaches, beach volleyball, a marina with a rental fleet of boats and an ice cream parlor and gift shop. Located right down the beach from the restaurant, patrons can also paddle the day away at Super Dave’s Paddle Craft Adventures, which offers stand-up paddleboards, kayaks and pedal boats for rent.
H. Toad’s Bar and Grill at Camden on the Lake Resort, located on the 7 MM in Lake Ozark, features everything from gourmet burgers to steaks and pasta. In addition to H.Toad’s, there’s the Caribbean-themed menu at Toad Island adjacent to the outdoor stage and Toad Pizza at the pool. Guests can choose indoor or outdoor seating, or swim up to the pool bar. H.Toad’s also features live music and/or DJs every weekend throughout the summer months. H.Toad’s and Camden on the Lake are co-hosts of the annual Shootout Offshore powerboat races in late May.
Landshark Bar & Grill at Margaritaville Lake Resort, on the 26 MM in Osage Beach, was inspired by the great beach bars along the Atlantic Coast. Jimmy Buffet’s LandShark Bar & Grill is a great place to enjoy classic American beach food with a fresh coastal twist. This boater-friendly restaurant boasts customer favorites like the signature LandShark burgers, fish and chips and Taco Nachos. Along with its signature LandShark Lager, the bar menu includes imported and domestic beers, local craft beer, as well as popular cocktails and frozen concoctions that any Parrot Head would love.
The Tap & Grill Lakeside Brew Haus, on the 6.5 MM in Gravois Mills, is an upscale yet casual waterfront restaurant. The afternoon menu is more casual with a selection of appetizers, salads and sandwiches, while the evening menu includes some items from the afternoon menu in addition to steaks, seafood and pasta. The Tap & Grill features over 60 different craft beers as well as premium cocktails and a diverse selection of wines.
This is hardly scratching the surface of where vacationers at the Lake of the Ozarks can dock and dine. For a complete list of dining options at the Lake of the Ozarks, visit the “Dining” page on www.FunLake.com.
Your Lake of the Ozarks Adventure Awaits
At the Lake of the Ozarks, visitors can choose from full-service luxury resorts, family-owned resorts, charming bed and breakfasts, rustic cabins, campgrounds and RV parks, spacious vacation rental homes and condominiums, as well as hotels and motels to complete the perfect Lake stay.
For more fun vacation ideas, or to learn more about all the year around events, attractions, as well as lodging and dining options available at the nation’s “Best Recreational Lake” and “Best Lake for Water Sports,” call the Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitor Bureau (CVB) at 1-800-FUN-LAKE, or visit www.FunLake.com.
