Like waves on the shore, Lake of the Ozarks restaurants come and go. Some last longer than others, but the good ones leave indelible memories behind, our senses of taste and smell rooting us so firmly in sweet memories of bygone days. From greasy spoons to fine dining, the list of iconic Lake of the Ozarks favorites is nearly endless.

The memories of those who loved them are a tribute to the long-gone places that no longer serve food and drink, but whose neon “Open” signs seem to light up again, each time we get on the Lake, pass that old spot, and say, “Remember…?”

Greasy Spoons

There’s something about a day on the water that makes greasy food like burgers, pizza, and BBQ nearly irresistible. Thanks to the fact that businesses can build right on the shore, the Lake has always had an abundance of delicious, down-to-earth dining options…

The Dummy

6.5 MM, Gravois Arm

The Dummy: not known for being the fanciest spot on the water, but rather for the community feeling it brought to customers. One of the more popular attractions of the restaurant, the metal dunking booth, became a hit for Mindi Sales and her family. 

“We always took people there when they came into town, and we took them to get dunked,” Sales said. “It became a big thing… everyone that came to our place wanted to go over to see Frank [the owner].”

Sales recalls her family’s ritual: tying up on the carpet-lined dock, racing to the restaurant to eat her go-to (the cheeseburger), and getting a t-shirt to add to her collection. It read: “I was dunked at The Dummy!”

“[I think everyone loved The Dummy] because it was eclectic; it wasn’t new and modern,” Sales said. “It was just a good old-time place, everyone loved being dunked, the food was really good and Frank made friends with everybody.”

Ozark Bar-B-Que

10.5 MM

Arguably one of the longest-standing restaurants on the waterfront, everyone knew about Ozark Bar-B-Que. Located on the 10.5 MM for 59 years, it was the perfect place to take a break from the boat and get your hands (and face) messy with ribs, wings, brisket and more. Their “Soon To Be World Famous Onion Rings” were as good as it gets, and they also served freshly baked pies!

Add all that to a boutique selling water essentials, and Ozark Bar-B-Que became a one-stop shop for good food and Lake merch. Lora Raymon and her family were frequent customers. They still reminiscing on the quality of food and service there. “When we got [to the Lake with our kids] it was a jump in the Lake without delay,” Raymon said. “We’d hop in the boat, with flip flops and lake hair to go for the onion rings and limeade.”

To this day, Raymon still has a collection of Ozark Bar-B-Que plastic cups and travel mugs, keeping alive the memory of one of the most popular barbecue joints the Lake has ever seen. 

The Clown

1 MM, Glaize Arm

Maybe the most-talked-about, most nostalgic restaurant on Lake of the Ozarks. The Clown was a genuine boater's favorite, perched just alongside the Grand Glaize Bridge, below Topsider and The Poop Deck — two other wildly popular Lakefront hot spots.

Float up to the docks, tie up for a few minutes, and soon you're eating what everyone swears was the absolute best burger they ever had, hands-down.

The Clown's menu humorously told the back story: "The Clown is the result of a poor man's search for a tax deduction. It was built in 1960 from waterlogged lumber floating on the lake (began on Gopher Day and completed on Kick-A-Cocker-Spaniel Day). The idea for a floating drive-in was given to us by that eminent artist, Allego Bum (currently doing 20 years in Sing Sing for bum steering). The Clown seats 60,000 people, 60 at a time.”

"It was just a fun place," said Kym Ebling, owner of The Clown. "Get in your boat, get some food, easy peasy."

Aqua Pizza

14 MM

Located right on the 14 MM in Party Cove (before Party Cove moved to Anderson Hollow), Aqua Pizza was known as the afterparty spot for a late-night pizza run. Following a night at Shooters 21 or Topsiders, many say they’d hop across the cove for pizza delivery right to their boat! Sub sandwiches, chips, pizza, and soda made the perfect quick and easy late snack (including for those who arrived by air mattress! Yes, really…)

When the staff wasn't in the restaurant, they were out on a boat, delivering to boaters in Party Cove. Dave Bertels, the owner of Aqua Pizza, looks back with happy memories on the boat delivery days and after-hours spent with customers on the dock. "I just wanted to bring pizza to the people," he said.

Buck’s Dock

33 MM

A hole-in-the-wall-on-the-water, Buck's Dock was a beloved one-stop shop for burgers and fries, plus lots of junk food and candy for the kiddos. Customers were usually greeted by Buck himself on the shack of the floating dock, sitting on his rocking chair. John Stiglich and his family were consistent returners to the little, rustic shop. 

“[Buck's Dock] was always the biggest treat on a hot day after waterskiing," Stiglich remembered. "It was kind of a little hidden oasis for those of us that frequented that area.”

Fine Dining

An evening at Lake of the Ozarks can mean casual waterfront dining in swim trunks, but the Lake area has also been known for mind-blowing fine dining, for decades. 

The Potted Steer

Osage Beach

What once stood as a beloved blue building right on Highway 54 (the “old 54,” now Osage Beach Parkway), The Potted Steer is now a memory for many Lake visitors and locals alike. 

Owned by the Lake’s “chef laureate” Joe Boer, The Potted Steer’s famously exquisite fried lobster, steaks, and seafood paired perfectly with the restaurant’s incredible selection of wines. While waiting to be seated, customers could purchase a slice of cheese off of the huge cheddar wheel for $1. The Potted Steer opened in 1973 and served customers with excellent service for 44 years. The Highway 54 bypass spelled its demise, though, and the Lake icon was torn down in 2017. Boer passed away in 2020, but his legacy lives on. His protege Jeff Super now runs the successful Jeffrey’s Steak & Lobster on Hwy KK.

Lora Raymon recalls her times at Potted Steer like it was yesterday. “The huge cheddar wheel on the bar was amazing,” Raymon said. “We would go early just so we had that time.”

The Duck

4 MM

Everyone remembers dinner at The Duck. With a 180-degree view of the main channel, it certainly had a feeling of coziness to it, with no bad seats anywhere in the building. The Duck gave a feeling of friendliness to all customers, as owners Mark Hooker and Donna Ziegler incorporated what they learned living in Europe into the restaurant. 

“We tried to make it an experience,” said Ziegler. “We didn’t let people come in their swimwear, but there were people okay with that because they got to wear something that they didn’t always get to wear at the lake.”

As it is now the home of Scooters Rentals on the 4 MM, there will always be nostalgia lingering for those who have come and gone through The Duck.

“We miss it,” said Donna Ziegler. “We miss the people the most, we miss the staff.”

“We’re looking forward to The Duck having another life,” said Mark Hooker. And indeed it will! The location opened their docks as a boat-rental and gas dock location in 2022; now this summer, The Bend at the Duck has opened, with a delicious experience for lakefront dining... and still that delicious sunset.

Blue Heron

Lake Ozark

For 35 years, the Blue Heron was the epitome of fine dining at the Ozarks. The restaurant came shortly after the opening of the Potted Steer, and customers knew Joe Boer’s service was unmatched. Born in Holland, Boer went to a culinary school where he mastered his craft. Once in America, excellence permeated every aspect of his restaurants.

"[Joe Boer] had high standards in the way everything was presented," said Jeff Super, who worked as a chef at Blue Heron for 27 years. "One of the things he told me was, ‘Every dish you put out, you must think of it going to your mother or your father. So make sure it’s perfect.’”

Guests walked in knowing they would see Boer standing at the door, greeting each one. With staple signature items similar to The Potted Steer, Blue Heron also became known for having not one bad seat in the house. 

Der Essen Platz

Camdenton

Tucked away in Camdenton was a classic German, French, and American cuisine restaurant, Der Essen Platz. French-born Noelle Ark brought an Alsatian culinary tradition to this genuine Lake of the Ozarks gem. Due to health reasons, Ark and her husband Daniel Holton decided to close the restaurant in 2016.

With fine wines and beer, a French-German fusion of cuisine, as well as homemade desserts, like apple strudel, Der Essen Platz was almost too good to be true. Everyone loved the schnitzel, and the delicious sauerkraut tasted like comfort food no matter what your heritage. The quaint restaurant was tucked away on Bridal Cave Rd., with a gorgeous panoramic view of the Lake stretching beneath the woods.