The Must-Order Items For An Unforgettable JB Hook’s Dinner

There’s a reason JB Hook’s parking lot is always packed for dinner. Lake of the Ozarks residents, second-homeowners, and visitors all know this is a place for memorable dining and stellar sunsets.

JB Hooks Dining Room - photo by Studio T Photography.jpg — Michelle Kitchen

Under the ownership of Bruce Elliott, MRA Restaurateur of the Year, and daughter, Margo Arauz, JB Hook’s crafts elevated dining, cliffside, with vast views of the water.

Here’s a look at a few must-order dishes and drinks next time you go.

(View JB Hooks' lunch and dinner menus online here: JBHooks.com)

What To Order at JB Hook’s

To Eat

Osso Bucco - photo by Studio T Photography.jpg — Michelle Kitchen

Pork Osso Bucco

Sure, Osso Bucco is traditionally a beef dish. But this is a Midwest twist, and it’s outstanding. The plating is phenomenal, and the dish delivers what the presentation promises.

“If you look too hard at it, it’ll start falling off the bone,” Bruce said when Head Chef Chuck Vernon brought the Osso Bucco from the kitchen.

Braised and then flash-fried, the pork shank stands on a bed of mashed potatoes with brown mushroom sauce.

Inexplicably tender, stunningly flavorful, this dish might be a little off the beaten path for some people, but it turns out Robert Frost was right: the road not taken makes all the difference.

Steak Neptune

What a plate!

If you need a refresher, Steak Neptune is Filet mignon charbroiled served with seafood — in this case, baby shrimp and crab meat, alongside fresh asparagus.

Drizzled with delicious bearnaise sauce, this surf-and-turf brings the mild seafood flavors of shrimp and crab to the wonderful sear of the filet, which boasts a rich balanced flavor.

Peppered Mahi Mahi

Charbroiled pepper crusted mahi mahi, topped with bacon, red onions, and scallions, and finished with hollandaise sauce.

The bacon brings all the umami to complement the fish’s mild flaky tenderness.

Not your normal fish fillet dish, there’s lots of big flavor here.

Behind The Bar at JB Hooks - photo by Studio T Photography.jpg — Michelle Kitchen

To Drink

Mexican Candy Margarita

A fiesta in a glass!

The Mexican Candy Margarita — destined to become a new favorite at JB Hook’s — was born when the bar manager Jeremy Stone tried it as a shot. It was so delicious, he said let’s make it a cocktail!

Mexican Candy Margarita - photo by Studio T Photography.jpg — THOMAS A KITCHEN

What’s in it?

Hornitos pineapple tequila

Watermelon pucker

Lime juice

Tajín on the rim, and a lime garnish

This drink tastes exactly like a watermelon jolly rancher… with a kick. So drinkable and fun, you won’t order just one. And the Tajín on the rim helps cut the sweetness with authentic, Mexican style.

Chocolate Old Fashioned

A secret feature drink!

Whether it’s on the menu or not, you can always ask for the Chocolate Old Fashioned… and you should.

A delightful after-dinner drink. Not syrupy-sweet, this twist on the classic cocktail brings just a whisper of chocolate. It’s not a compromise, it’s an intentional indulgence.

Chocolate Old Fasioned Close-Up - photo by Studio T Photography.jpg — Michelle Kitchen

What’s in it?

Dark chocolate liqueur

Chocolate bitters

Orange bitters

Maker’s Mark (or choose your bourbon)

A twist of orange, and the traditional cherry (or two)

Lavender Empress

A drink to love if you enjoy lavender (and not if you don’t). This one is refreshing and wonderfully balanced. Jeremy said he tried various liquors and said gin just seems to like lavender best. That with the fresh lemon juice makes this cocktail bright and floral.