43 Best American Restaurants near Kimberling City

“Food, service, atmosphere was top notch! Anna was amazing!“

“We hadn't been to Pier 28 in several years, but continued to always hear good things about the restaurant. So we packed up the boat with 24th annual Teacher's Weekend crowd (my wife and her past colleagues) and made our way to Kimberling City. The restaurant was packed yet we still we were seated in 20 minutes. Our server Miranda did a wonderful job and the food was terrific. Keep up the great work Pier 28, we will be back more often.“

“This restaurant has the best food! Never had anything I didn’t like! Absolutely delicious. I gotta try it.“

“Very good variety of food and it was delicious for our party of 8 (plus an infant). We had supper on Saturday evening and breakfast Sunday morning. Everyone was very pleased and stuffed! It didn’t look very big from the outside, but they had plenty of room for our party. If we are ever back in the area, we will definitely dine again!“

“we ate there yesterday and Josh was our waiter. He was one of the kindest young man I’ve ever met. The food was out of this world. We will definitely go back. One of the biggest reasons though is because Josh was so kind so attentive and really one of the best waiters I think I’ve ever met. Thank you for a great experience.“

“This is far and away the best sports bar in town. Heck - they are pretty much my favorite place to eat, period! Their wings are the best ever - char-grilled, not fried or baked (as some mistaken reviewers have claimed. Everything is quite affordable, the service is beyond excellent, and the drinks are excellent! Do they get busy? Heck yes - and that's always a good sign! Do they occasionally have an off night? Doesn't every establishment? But do they respond to issues and take care of the situation? Absolutely! I often joke that this place is my own Cheers bar, as the staff is so good and know my name! If their food, drinks or service sucked, or was incredibly inconsistent, I'd never recommend them. But they are the best in town - and my first recommendation if someone wants a good place to watch a sporting event, they will always be my first choice to recommend!“

“The Hop Diner is the best place in Blue Eye MO. I must stop for Lunch or an early dinner. Pizza, wings, and of course French Fries. And the Best Milk Shake in Southwest MO. You won't be over charged. Let's connect here for a delicious meal. Say hi to Lindsey. Prices are very good. Milk Shakes are the best.“

“I have eaten at this restaurant quite a few times and I keep going back! A lot of the food is made from scratch and they have large portions! The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable! It’s just a great place all around. If you haven’t eaten there yet, I highly recommend it! You won’t be disappointed!“

“Stopped here last minute for lunch after going to Top of the Rock. Everything was delicious. Our waitress was wonderful and also made our amazing drinks. The fried okra was the best I have ever had! We will definitely come back if we are in town again!“

“1/18/26 Today my family gathered to eat and celebrate my 60th Birthday at White Lightning Restaurant! They set up a big table for us and they were very accommodating! We had a variety of great food from cashew chicken with fried rice, to pizza, to fried fish with all the fixings! And the owners surprised me with a piece of coconut cream pie! They, along with their staff, helped to make this big birthday celebration a little extra special! Great food with fast, friendly service! Thank you to everyone at White Lightning Restaurant!! I highly recommend!“

“Celia and Mia are incredible, fun, and hard workers. They make the tiki bar experience that much more fun!“

“As a local, it’s so nice to have a relaxing environment with great food and excellent and professional service. We have never been disappointed. This Open to the Public high end Country Club experience can’t be missed! Thanks for the lovely dining experience Brittany and Ledgestone staff and chef!“

“We called with a party of 20, an hour before closing time, expecting a no, we’re sorry…but instead we were told to come on down, and we’ll get you taken care of!! Our family all got to sit together at one table, 4 generations! It was wonderful!! None of us expected the awesome meal and service we received! The most impressive meal in Branson, and way more than you’ll be able to eat!! Our family couldn’t recommend the Pickin Porch any more! You’ll be so happy you tried it out! Our group is still talking about it! Thank you Pickin’ Porch, we’ll be back!!“

“Came out to see Maddie Warren (who was absolutely fantastic), but the whole vibe at Watson's was great... chill but happy/ friendly, the staff was obviously enjoying the music too, which made it even more fun. Definitely a great place to get away and enjoy yourself.“

“The shopping was a delight, as always, varied and well stocked, and delightful mix of yummies and trinkets and clothes and seasonal items for tree, table, and shelf. Food was expectedly good (tried yummy beef stew served with crunchy topping in a cast iron skillet), blackberry jelly for my hot buttered biscuit. Nothing to be dismayed about! Great service from Kaddee, good help in the gift shop. Fun to be there again!“

“First time wrong there was tonight. Our waitress Ashley was amazing. Very fast friendly service. Food tasted homemade and not frozen. I had a grilled chicken sandwich with loaded fries and they were delicious. Definitely 10/10 recommend.“

“We absolutely love Jeff's place. The food and everyone there are amazing..always!!“

“Been going to SDC for 40+ years. A family tradition passed down to my kids. Love it!“

“best ice cream and great family atmosphere.“

“We did the wine tasting. Max was our host & he was a lot fun & entertaining. We had a great time! He's deserve 5 stars!“

“I stumbled across this place looking for specific dietary needs. I was immediately welcomed in by the sweetest lady and she was able to help me out. This place is by far the best I have found!“

“Traveled to Branson for my birthday with friends and saw the Wild West Show and Shepherd Of The Hills. It was my first time seeing the Wild West Show and it was so good!! The second half was phenomenal and the tribute they do at the end for the Veterans and those who have passed on fighting for out freedom was one of the best I have seen. It brought tears to my eyes. Now on to the Shepherd Of The Hills. It's a classic and one of my favorite books! I haven't seen the show since I was a teen and it is even better than I remember! If you haven't seen both or if you just need a refresher because it's been awhile, go see the shows. You won't be disappointed!“

“We were in Branson June 1 - June 6 2025 . (From Nebraska) We absolutely love coming to Branson —- we came on June 1st which was our 34 th wedding anniversary , and Branson was our honeymoon destination 34 yrs ago . We absolutely love love love Branson and all the entertainment it offers and provides . We love all the restaurants in Branson for a selection of a wide variety of food . We have never at hero’s but chose to try it this time —- it did not disappoint what so ever we absolutely loved it the food was delicious so good it called us back for a 2nd time Within that week —- the first time we had their fried chicken —- which is always kinda a concern being away with not knowing if it’s going to be greasy or not as my husband has a touchy stomach with greasy food . We loved the fried chicken !!!!! Literally lived it non greasy and very tolerable and did not upset my husbands stomach —- it was again very impressive and delicious . Toward the end of our week we chose to go back to hero’s once again and we were once again very very pleased . The waitresses were so nice and so accommodating and it was just he best in atmosphere —- we would be extremely extremely sad if this place ever closed because it’s on our return list for our next return to Branson . Oh and did I mention the breaded corn it’s a hit it was so unique and so different and it was yummy!!! Thanks hero tastes and taps you have us as a return customer to hero’s . It’s highly recommended over and beyond in a 5 star!!!!“

“This place was great for us! Food was good, wait staff was incredible! They went above and beyond to accommodate our needs. That says alot when traveling with a child who has Autism. So welcoming.“

“just made the best blueberry cobbler of my life with berries from here! everyone is so friendly and our girls loved picking blueberries 🫐“

“Everything is top notch. Best restaurant ambiance I have ever experienced! Loved the perfect service, the live music, and the unique cocktails.They went out of the way to give my husband fresh gluten free bread and they even had lovely gluten free macarons…the sea bass was wonderful and the charcuterie platter was spectacular! We will definitely be back!“

“The food was decent. Nothing to write home about.\n\nSome in our group enjoyed fish and chips.\nThe pizza was eaten quickly.\nI was told the bison burger had a weird texture and only half was eaten.\nThe nachos consisted of about two bags of chips, 2 cups of congealed nacho cheese, a drizzle of bbq sauce, and maybe 1/2 cup of brisket. The remaining toppings we ordered on the side. Wouldn’t get them again. \n\nHowever, Jeremy, our server, was so polite, kind, understanding, and on top of things. Our entire group couldn’t stop talking about him and we made sure to let him know as well. If only every server could be like him!“

“We passed by this place! Was looking for it. It didn’t look like I excepted it to look like. Glad we went in!! The food was fresh and soooo good. We got desserts to go and fresh pork rinds. Will definitely return!!“

“Spent a beautiful day here! Our guide Barry was the best! Very informative about everything! Definitely suggest you do this tour!“

“This is your quintessential lake dive bar for the locals. The atmosphere is very friendly, the food is awesome! The Rueben and the Patty Melt were both fantastic. And the beer is COLD! I really judge a place on if they serve good, cold beer versus luke-warm, and this place gets it right. Their beer selection is great and the wait staff is just so very nice!“

“The serve at the bar was awesome!! The bartender ‘Tim’ was friendly and provided great service! We highly recommend the Buzzard Bar!“

“Best breakfast in West Branson and Branson in general!“

“Fresh very tasty food and we had a wonderful server“

“Came by Shepherd's to go down the zip line again and decided to stop by their restaurant for lunch with the family. The menu was quite a unique selection of BBQ style sandwiches. I had the Pit Master, man that was good, the rest of the family's sandwichs looked great. Stop on by, it's just a couple miles from Branson. A great find with alot to do. Enjoy!“

“For a chain restaurant that seems to be closing more and more, excellent food options, portions, and priced right (competitively that is). We use to have one of these in Springfield IL and Fairview Heights IL area but both unfortunately closed and always had plenty of customers, busy time.

It was nice finding one still open and the same high quality food and options.“

“Food was very good and way more than we could eat. Our waiter Oscar was the best. Very concerned about his customers . We will be back. Of coarse we love the atmosphere since we’re from Louisiana. I would give them a 10 awesome.“

“We stopped in over Thanksgiving weekend. It was busy but we were seated pretty quickly. Food was great (I had the chicken salad on croissant and my friend had the steak burger/fries and a shake). Friendly waitress, pleasant singer, we'll be back:)“

“Had dinner there for the first time in 2 yrs. Night and day difference between visits. The food was excellent. Employees acted as though they care and want to be there. It was a great experience all around. What ever changes they made were exactly what this place needed. Highly recommend“

“We stayed at Chateau on the Lake Resort Spa & Convention Center during some pretty intense winter weather and honestly didn’t know what to expect, but the team there made our visit a positive one. Kelly and Ben at the front desk were consistently attentive and helpful. Kelly even made sure our truck was pulled up and warmed during a break in the weather, which meant so much in the cold. Ben checked on us while we were enjoying dinner and a playoff game just to be sure we were taken care of. Madison and Brandy at the spa were incredibly sweet and welcoming. It really touched us to realize they were snowed in too and staying onsite away from their families so guests could still be served. Jesse Boyd and Samantha took great care of us at dinner — Jesse was a wonderful conversationalist and clearly a thoughtful manager who cares about doing things well. Jeffery in the sweet shop made coffee that easily rivals specialty coffee shops and was a bright spot on a snowy day. Our room was clean and comfortable with a beautiful view. We appreciated indoor options like board games, laundry access, and the private theater when much of the area was shut down. Maintenance also stayed on top of snow removal and salting, which helped everyone feel safe. The décor leans traditional and some areas could use updating, but the heart of this place is its people. We truly felt cared for during a difficult weather week, and that left the biggest impression. Grateful for the experience and the staff who worked hard to serve guests well.“

“Cornbread is like cake! best service and food is like no where else. Highly recommend!“

“Just had a relaxing lunch. The food was great. Anthony and Steve were our waiters and they did an excellent job. If you haven’t had Red Lobster in a while, give them a try. The new menu is great. I’d give them 5 stars!!“

“The quality of our local steak and shakes have significantly improved along with the staff. Much cleaner, tastes better, and even seems more filling than it used to. On top of that the new company policies like banning microwaves, beef tallow for their fried goods, and grass fed beef for the burgers. It went downhill a while ago but I can definitely say it has done a complete 360 and has honestly been one of our families favorite quick fast food locations now. Definitely better than McDonald's.“

“We ate twice there during our stay in Branson after evening shows. Our dining experience with the night shift was beyond excellent. The night manager, Jeremy and night waitress Rebecca, were both pleasant, polite and helpful to a fault. Both were sociable and efficient. Also ate once at noon when business was very brisk and both waitresses, Heidi and one other young lady, were amazing with their friendliness, speed and efficiency while working as a team. All our impressions showed that I hop employee training is top notch. The mixed reviews I'm seeing on this site are very surprising after our own experience at the Branson I hop!“