JUST TO LET EVERYONE ONE KNOW THAT THIS PLACE IS NOW SHUT DOWN AND THE BUILDING IS FOR SALE.
WOW...what a HORRIBLE experience! I usually try to find the bright side of bad things, but this one just doesn't have one. Please read this before going to this place!
OK, first off it is a very old restaurant located centrally on the strip. They boast a buffet and you can find some great coupons. That is what lead us there in the first place. It was noon and we had a coupon for buy one get one half off the lunch buffet. I have learned though to call first and make sure that the restaurant is having their buffet on that day as some only have them on weekends..etc. Also I like to check the price per person. Buffets here in Branson can range from 5.99- 29.99 per person! So I called the number on the coupon. A man answered and I asked prices. He said that 4 and up was 7.99. Under that was free. That sure sounded reasonable especially with the coupon so we went in. There was only two other tables with people at them which was surprising as it was high noon and most places were packed. I should have took that as a warning! Stepping inside was like stepping back to my child hood. The front was a small store that sold all kinds of Branson themed items. That part was fine. Then we went to the podium that stated "Please wait to be seated". Well...we waited..and waited..and waited! After more than five minutes had gone by we were about to just leave. Finally an old man came from somewhere in the store area and told us to go find a table. He didn't lead us to one, or anything, just told us to go sit somewhere. So...we did. Now this place had the nostalgia going for it I guess. I don't think it had been updated in the last twenty years or so. Seriously...the curtains were ancient...the table we sat at had a big deep gash across it. The chairs were shabby and it was dark. A waitress came over with her hands full of dishes and said "Doing the buffet?" We were like..."Yes, I think so..." She walked off and entered the back without another word. She came back out a few min. later and asked what we wanted to drink. We told her just ice water and she left to get it. We went up to the buffet. Now I won't say that the selection was bad, but the food was hard and dry. The fish was way overcooked. The rolls were literally so hard you could tap them on the table and they made a crunching sound. I tried the fried shrimp and could not physically eat it. It was like chewing hard tack. It was like they had cooked everything at about 9AM and put it on the buffet, never bothering to change anything. I asked if they were going to put out something fresh and she glanced at the buffet and said..looks like everything is full to me.! I was getting really mad. Then, before we had even had a chance to take more than a few bites, the waitress brings our ticket. Normally I would think that was rude...which it is...but I was glad in this case. She charged us 6.99 for our 3 year old!! I figured that maybe she just made an error in judging how old she was so we mentioned it. She said that was the discounted price for kids ages 3 & 4 and kids 2 and under were 1.99. I told her we had called and talked to a guy about prices before we came in. She went into the shop and came back in with the rude older guy. He said "I am the only person that answers the phone round here and you didn't talk to me." I got out my cell phone and double checked the number. It was theirs. I sat there a moment longer and between the rude service, dirty place, terrible food and insane prices, we decided to leave. The waitress was walking by then and I told her that we were leaving, that the food was not fit to eat and even showed her the stuff on our plates. She said "Fine, but if your not planning on paying then don't be surprised if he calls the cops on you!" We got up and headed for the door. I was so mad right then that I would almost have welcomed the police getting involved. Jerry told the old man we were leaving and he said "I figured you were going to, you look like the type. Just go on get the hell out of here." I was glad that he didn't make a big deal out of it, but the whole thing was so terrible. It is hard to believe that Branson can have a place so terrible stay in business!
Please understand that I don't normally write a bad review on a place. I take into consideration things like time of day, busyness and such, but this was lunch time with few patrons. NO reason to have terrible food, and certainly no reason to charge 7.00 for a 3 year old to eat! This is one place we will not be returning to EVER and I do not recommend this to anyone. We went to the Out Back and salvaged our lunch out..but that is another review!
Monday, October 29, 2012
Friday, October 19, 2012
Pizza World (Carryout)
Well, I got a menu stuck to my door from Pizza World and had read over it a couple of times. Their pizza's really sounded good, but the calzones really sounded great. They said they were filled with ricotta and mozzarella cheese and your choice of two toppings. They were 7.50 apiece, but I was wanting a quick supper for just myself as everyone else had dinner plans. I wanted to stay home as I wasn't feeling too great so Jerry called it in for me. I ordered one with Canadian bacon and mushrooms. The menu had both Canadian bacon and ham so I assumed by that there was a difference. At any rate he headed in and picked it up. Took about ten min. from our house to there and back. I opened it up and was a bit disappointed. It wasn't much to look at, but I figured that was OK if it tasted good. The first thing I noticed was a lack of cheese. I actually had to open it up and look to find any cheese and believe me, there wasn't much. The meat was sliced ham...like the packaged deli style ham that you buy at the store. It was like they took it out of the package, folded it over and stuck it inside. Then they put mushrooms in around it. The ham was cold in the middle and the mushrooms were literally raw. I love raw mushrooms on salad, but not on pizza. To top it off it was all liquidy on the bottom and therefore the bottom crust was soggy. I don't know if it was due to the pizza sauce, or the ham juices, but it was horrible. We called them back and complained. The customer service person was not at all friendly but offered to either remake it or put us down for 50% of one another day. We opted for a new one even though we had to waste the gas. He got back and they had improved the amount of cheese, but nothing else was changed. Too much cold meat, raw mushrooms and soggy crust. I was not impressed...it was horrible. Now it might have been that the toppings I ordered just made a bad combination....or they were having an off night. It is also possible that it would have been better if eaten in the restaurant. This review does not cover their pizza in any way and I may try that in the future, but this experience was sure not a good one! I do have to say though that their ranch dressing is awesome!! Always a light in every dark tunnel..lol
Monday, October 15, 2012
Grand Country Buffet (BREAKFAST)
I am rarely out and about for breakfast even though it is my favorite meal of the day. Jerry and I had some errands to run a few days ago and decided that we wanted something small for breakfast as we were neither one very hungry. We tossed a few ideas around but I was really wanting bacon and biscuits and gravy. I had heard there was a breakfast buffet at the Grand Country Buffet (Located right on 76 strip and part of the very large Grand Country complex featuring a motel with water park, several fantastic shows, a mini mall, miniature golf, papa grands pizza and arcade. Physical address and phone are
I will start off with decor and get to the food in a moment. There is a LOT to take in in this place! It is geared to seat a large bunch of people so you rarely have to wait for an available table or booth. Either choice is nice and spacious though I usually opt for a table here. There are lot's of old time items decorating the walls, from a Kewpie doll display, to old washboards. Very interesting to just wonder around and look at things from the days gone by! They also have an area where there is a TV in the wall and an older couple come on and do several skits about farm living, married life and of course eating great food! It is entertaining for the kids, but the adults as well! It is something that really sets this apart from other restaurants. The waitresses ( haven't seen any male waiters, but that isn't saying there aren't any) are very nice. They make you feel like your part of their family and your dining in their house. They work hard to make sure everyone has what they need at all times. You don't have to spend long looking for someone to help you if you need a refill as they are always on the floor. Now..onto the good stuff!!
I will try my best to list everything though I am sure I will miss something! There is a cold bar that has oranges, bananas, apples, strawberries, melon, cantaloupe, watermelon, yogurt, granola, several kinds of cereals with milk, puddings, and fruity sweet salads of all kinds. Then for meat you have sausage links, sausage patties, smoked kielbasa, bacon both crispy and soft, and I think they may have ham on the weekends, but not sure. There were biscuits and two kinds of gravy. One with sausage and one peppered. Grits, cheese sauce, scrambled eggs, rice with sausage, potato casserole, and many kinds of muffins. There is an area for waffles, toast and pancakes with all the toppings. Then you can make your own omelet! Just plate up the ingredients you want and they make it while you wait. The guy that was doing it was so much fun, it was like going to a show! Needless to say, we went from not being very hungry to eating everything we could fit in. The bacon was amazingly good. The biscuits and gravy were perfect. If I had to complain about something I would say that the sausage patties were pretty dried out and not too great. Everything I had was seasoned well and really had the down home southern flavors I grew up with. According to Jerry, the coffee was terrible so he wound up drinking water. I did notice that was a complaint at the tables around us too. He says it tastes burnt like Starbucks (which he hates) So I guess if you like Starbucks coffee then you might like it here, otherwise I would stick with the juice..lol.
Overall it was a fantastic meal and I can't wait to go again. In fact I may just have to visit there in a few hours when Jerry gets off work!!
| 1945 West 76 Country Boulevard Branson, MO 65616 |
I will start off with decor and get to the food in a moment. There is a LOT to take in in this place! It is geared to seat a large bunch of people so you rarely have to wait for an available table or booth. Either choice is nice and spacious though I usually opt for a table here. There are lot's of old time items decorating the walls, from a Kewpie doll display, to old washboards. Very interesting to just wonder around and look at things from the days gone by! They also have an area where there is a TV in the wall and an older couple come on and do several skits about farm living, married life and of course eating great food! It is entertaining for the kids, but the adults as well! It is something that really sets this apart from other restaurants. The waitresses ( haven't seen any male waiters, but that isn't saying there aren't any) are very nice. They make you feel like your part of their family and your dining in their house. They work hard to make sure everyone has what they need at all times. You don't have to spend long looking for someone to help you if you need a refill as they are always on the floor. Now..onto the good stuff!!
I will try my best to list everything though I am sure I will miss something! There is a cold bar that has oranges, bananas, apples, strawberries, melon, cantaloupe, watermelon, yogurt, granola, several kinds of cereals with milk, puddings, and fruity sweet salads of all kinds. Then for meat you have sausage links, sausage patties, smoked kielbasa, bacon both crispy and soft, and I think they may have ham on the weekends, but not sure. There were biscuits and two kinds of gravy. One with sausage and one peppered. Grits, cheese sauce, scrambled eggs, rice with sausage, potato casserole, and many kinds of muffins. There is an area for waffles, toast and pancakes with all the toppings. Then you can make your own omelet! Just plate up the ingredients you want and they make it while you wait. The guy that was doing it was so much fun, it was like going to a show! Needless to say, we went from not being very hungry to eating everything we could fit in. The bacon was amazingly good. The biscuits and gravy were perfect. If I had to complain about something I would say that the sausage patties were pretty dried out and not too great. Everything I had was seasoned well and really had the down home southern flavors I grew up with. According to Jerry, the coffee was terrible so he wound up drinking water. I did notice that was a complaint at the tables around us too. He says it tastes burnt like Starbucks (which he hates) So I guess if you like Starbucks coffee then you might like it here, otherwise I would stick with the juice..lol.
Overall it was a fantastic meal and I can't wait to go again. In fact I may just have to visit there in a few hours when Jerry gets off work!!
Friday, October 5, 2012
McDonald's on Red Route
I had done an earlier review of McDonald's and it included the other two. We went to this one yesterday and got four double cheeseburgers, two with no pickles. And two drinks. Nothing major...but when we got the food the burgers were marked special but still had the pickles. It is just annoying to have stuff like that happen. We had MANY bad experiences with our McDonald's in Fort Scott, Kansas so were worried that this place may be like that, but they were very apologetic, fixed the order and tossed in a large order of fries for the trouble! That was certainly unexpected. The burgers didn't taste right though, so we tossed the second two. Not that they are spoiled or anything, just had no flavor..no salt or pepper. I won't write them off and will sure go back and try again as anyone can have an off day. I will keep this open to add more reviews as we visit there again.
El Charro Mexican Restaurant
Hello everyone! I haven't posted in a while due to having an icky cold. One of those where nothing has much flavor..you know the type!! At any rate, coming out of that my taste buds were wanting spice!! I can't take too much heat, but really wanted Mexican. We had a wonderful Mexican restaurant in the town we moved from called El Charro. We noticed that there was one here in Branson near the downtown end of the strip. We figured it was worth a shot and so out we headed!
It doesn't look like much from the outside. I think it used to be a taco bell or some other fast food place. The inside, however really shocked us! There was art and color everywhere! The booths had huge carvings of birds, suns, moons, and many other things. They were painted with bright colors giving the place an almost whimsical feel. There was all kinds of art on the walls, from paintings, to sculptures. We opted for a table and were led to a sun porch sort of area. It has a lot of windows facing 76 strip. The seats were nice and padded and quite sturdy so they were really comfortable.
The waiter brought us chips and salsa along with our menus. We knew the menu front and back so were going to get our usual. However...the menu they set down was not what I was used to....it was like five pages long!! SO many choices and new items! It took us over fifteen minutes to decide on what we wanted. While we were looking we munched the chips and salsa. OH my was it good! Just the right amount of seasoning, it was amazing. The chips were not thin things like usual. It was as if they had taken corn tortillas and cut them into fourths and deep fried them. They were thick, warm and crunchy.
Our order arrived after only a few minutes of waiting. We both ordered the enchilada's Mazatlan. It had three enchilada's..a cheese, shrimp and crab. They were covered in cheese sauce and came with rice. They were really good, but the crab was imitation, so not overly tasty. The shrimp, however was to die for. It had that juicy "pop" I look for in a properly cooked shrimp! The rice was great too. Even our drinks tasted good. I had planned on having some fried ice cream, but ran out of room! Maybe the next time round...and hopefully that will be very soon!!!
If you love Mexican food, this is the place to go. Prices ranged from 8.00-12.00 with most being around 10.00. There were a few higher and some lower, but nothing too bad. They do have a kids menu as well. Prices ranged from 3.99-4.99 depending on what they ordered. We didn't have the kids with us on this trip, but took note for next time. As for cleanliness it was right up there. I mean it wasn't like a suit and tie place, but was clean. There were a few water stains on the ceiling, but the floors shined so brightly you could probably have eaten off of them.
Overall, this was a great trip out and can't wait to go back. I will be adding some photo's soon! Happy eating!
It doesn't look like much from the outside. I think it used to be a taco bell or some other fast food place. The inside, however really shocked us! There was art and color everywhere! The booths had huge carvings of birds, suns, moons, and many other things. They were painted with bright colors giving the place an almost whimsical feel. There was all kinds of art on the walls, from paintings, to sculptures. We opted for a table and were led to a sun porch sort of area. It has a lot of windows facing 76 strip. The seats were nice and padded and quite sturdy so they were really comfortable.
The waiter brought us chips and salsa along with our menus. We knew the menu front and back so were going to get our usual. However...the menu they set down was not what I was used to....it was like five pages long!! SO many choices and new items! It took us over fifteen minutes to decide on what we wanted. While we were looking we munched the chips and salsa. OH my was it good! Just the right amount of seasoning, it was amazing. The chips were not thin things like usual. It was as if they had taken corn tortillas and cut them into fourths and deep fried them. They were thick, warm and crunchy.
Our order arrived after only a few minutes of waiting. We both ordered the enchilada's Mazatlan. It had three enchilada's..a cheese, shrimp and crab. They were covered in cheese sauce and came with rice. They were really good, but the crab was imitation, so not overly tasty. The shrimp, however was to die for. It had that juicy "pop" I look for in a properly cooked shrimp! The rice was great too. Even our drinks tasted good. I had planned on having some fried ice cream, but ran out of room! Maybe the next time round...and hopefully that will be very soon!!!
If you love Mexican food, this is the place to go. Prices ranged from 8.00-12.00 with most being around 10.00. There were a few higher and some lower, but nothing too bad. They do have a kids menu as well. Prices ranged from 3.99-4.99 depending on what they ordered. We didn't have the kids with us on this trip, but took note for next time. As for cleanliness it was right up there. I mean it wasn't like a suit and tie place, but was clean. There were a few water stains on the ceiling, but the floors shined so brightly you could probably have eaten off of them.
Overall, this was a great trip out and can't wait to go back. I will be adding some photo's soon! Happy eating!
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Andy Williams..A goodbye to an incredible person
Branson lost one of it's most iconic performers this week. He was 84 years old and lost his battle to cancer. He was well known in Branson as a singer, but also built one of Bransons best eateries in 2007 called the Moon River Grill. I haven't had a chance to dine there yet myself, and I don't what the future of it may be now, but I wanted to put it on here. From what I have read and seen, it looks amazing! I plan on making a trip there as soon as possible, but if you get a chance, please stop by and show your respects to an amazing man and please leave your comments here so his legacy can carry on.
Rest In Peace Andy Williams
Tequila's Mexican Restaurant
Hola fellow food enthusiasts! Tonight we decided on Mexican. Taco bell is great when you want cheap food fast, but face it, it just doesn't do it when your wanting the real thing! We had been told about one little place in a strip mall that was cheap and you got a lot for your money, so we headed there. It was one of those little walk in, order at the counter and set at one of the few tiny tables or take it to go...not what we were looking for tonight, so we filed it away for a quick lunch one of these days. On we went down a not so beaten path and found a Mexican place tucked away in a larger, but somewhat deserted strip mall. 3300 Gretna Road to be exact. A place called Tequila's Mexican Restaurant. Hey, when it's named after such a great spirit it's got to be good right?
It was about 7pm. so it wasn't busy at all. Maybe another three couples and that was it. We were greeted with a friendly girl at the front who seated us. I am a large woman so I usually can't set at booths. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they were nice and roomy so we chose a booth. There was a LOT to look at. Tons of Mexican inspired decorations, really neat artwork and a huge vaulted ceiling. We were seated near the bar area so there were plenty of beer signs and such as well. As much as I wanted to try a margarita they were a little pricey for tonight's budget so I ordered a coke instead. While most soda's in Branson's restaurants were around 2-3, I was pleased with these only being 1.75. We had chips and salsa right away and our drinks in a few moments. Then we got to the hard part...the menu! I mean this thing was like a book! No lack of choices here. Beef, Pork, Chorizo, Chicken, Shrimp, Tilapia and a few others. There was even a very nice vegetarian menu. Not something I have seen a lot of down here. (The vegetarian fajitas sounded REALLY good and I wish I would have tried them.) After about ten min. of pondering I ordered a shrimp Chimichanga as that is what I always ordered at the Mexican place in my hometown. Jerry ordered the Burrito Tequila. Both came with rice, beans. Mine had sour cream, pico de gallo, and guacamole.
While we waited on our food we tried the salsa. I can't handle too much spice, but this was just right. A bit heavy on the cilantro for my taste, but still very tasty. Just enough heat to tingle, but not so much I needed to mix it with sour cream!
Our food arrived a few moments later from our very friendly server. The plates were certainly large! Huge helping of rice and beans on one side, our main part in the middle and the extras on the other side. My first bite was crispy and nice, but then I noticed that was filled with onions, peppers, and tomatoes along with the shrimp. I was used to my shrimp chimichangas only having the shrimp and cheese inside. Having the tomato's and extras inside quickly made the chimichanga soggy. The flavor was OK, but very little seasoning. It was just kinda bland for being Mexican food. They came the shrimp. I was expecting that delicious "pop" that a perfectly cooked shrimp has when you bite into it. This was more like chewing a piece of steak. It was overcooked. Not so bad that it was inedible, but kinda like the kind you get in stir fried dishes on buffets. Overall, my entree wasn't very good. The beans were out of a can, but tasted fine. The rice however was really tasty. The guacamole was fresh and looked to be handmade. Again though, not a lot of flavor. As for Jerry's experience he said his was really bland too. It also had an odd texture to the beef. It was like if you boiled the hamburger and then put it through a really find blender to make it extremely coarse ground. He ordered some extra tortillas and ate his rice and beans in the traditional Mexican style and also loved the rice.
Our overall bill came 25.05 with tax. Not bad for a night out. I just wished the food had been a little better. Perhaps we just hit them on an off night, or perhaps they cater to people who don't like much spice, but I am not sure we will be going back. Keep in mind though, that every ones taste is different and while we didn't care for most of the food, you may love it! I really did love the place itself, that saved the night when it came down to it. If you have your own trip to this restaurant and would like to tell about it, please feel free to comment! I would love to hear what others have to say and get some good ones in the mix too!
(On a scale from 1 being horrible to 10 being the best)
Cleanliness 9
Friendliness 9
speed 10
decor 10
food 5
Price 8
It was about 7pm. so it wasn't busy at all. Maybe another three couples and that was it. We were greeted with a friendly girl at the front who seated us. I am a large woman so I usually can't set at booths. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they were nice and roomy so we chose a booth. There was a LOT to look at. Tons of Mexican inspired decorations, really neat artwork and a huge vaulted ceiling. We were seated near the bar area so there were plenty of beer signs and such as well. As much as I wanted to try a margarita they were a little pricey for tonight's budget so I ordered a coke instead. While most soda's in Branson's restaurants were around 2-3, I was pleased with these only being 1.75. We had chips and salsa right away and our drinks in a few moments. Then we got to the hard part...the menu! I mean this thing was like a book! No lack of choices here. Beef, Pork, Chorizo, Chicken, Shrimp, Tilapia and a few others. There was even a very nice vegetarian menu. Not something I have seen a lot of down here. (The vegetarian fajitas sounded REALLY good and I wish I would have tried them.) After about ten min. of pondering I ordered a shrimp Chimichanga as that is what I always ordered at the Mexican place in my hometown. Jerry ordered the Burrito Tequila. Both came with rice, beans. Mine had sour cream, pico de gallo, and guacamole.
While we waited on our food we tried the salsa. I can't handle too much spice, but this was just right. A bit heavy on the cilantro for my taste, but still very tasty. Just enough heat to tingle, but not so much I needed to mix it with sour cream!
Our food arrived a few moments later from our very friendly server. The plates were certainly large! Huge helping of rice and beans on one side, our main part in the middle and the extras on the other side. My first bite was crispy and nice, but then I noticed that was filled with onions, peppers, and tomatoes along with the shrimp. I was used to my shrimp chimichangas only having the shrimp and cheese inside. Having the tomato's and extras inside quickly made the chimichanga soggy. The flavor was OK, but very little seasoning. It was just kinda bland for being Mexican food. They came the shrimp. I was expecting that delicious "pop" that a perfectly cooked shrimp has when you bite into it. This was more like chewing a piece of steak. It was overcooked. Not so bad that it was inedible, but kinda like the kind you get in stir fried dishes on buffets. Overall, my entree wasn't very good. The beans were out of a can, but tasted fine. The rice however was really tasty. The guacamole was fresh and looked to be handmade. Again though, not a lot of flavor. As for Jerry's experience he said his was really bland too. It also had an odd texture to the beef. It was like if you boiled the hamburger and then put it through a really find blender to make it extremely coarse ground. He ordered some extra tortillas and ate his rice and beans in the traditional Mexican style and also loved the rice.
Our overall bill came 25.05 with tax. Not bad for a night out. I just wished the food had been a little better. Perhaps we just hit them on an off night, or perhaps they cater to people who don't like much spice, but I am not sure we will be going back. Keep in mind though, that every ones taste is different and while we didn't care for most of the food, you may love it! I really did love the place itself, that saved the night when it came down to it. If you have your own trip to this restaurant and would like to tell about it, please feel free to comment! I would love to hear what others have to say and get some good ones in the mix too!
(On a scale from 1 being horrible to 10 being the best)
Cleanliness 9
Friendliness 9
speed 10
decor 10
food 5
Price 8
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Papa Grands Pizza and the Fun Spot
What a neat place this is!! I am used to boring old pizza places or just ordering delivery. The kids wanted to go out and have some fun, but after the move, my budget was limited! I remembered a pizza place we used to go to on vacation and that there was a large mall like store attached to it. Well, the store part is no longer there, but they put in an arcade instead!
It is right in the middle of 76 strip attached to the end of the Grand Country complex. The building itself is painted in bright inviting colors and has the handle of a giant guitar sticking out of the front! We headed and in and wow did it smell good. The price was 7.99 for adults, 4.99 for children 4-10 and under 4 was free. It was all you can eat pizza and a soup/salad bar. We all headed for the pizza! Now I have eaten a lot of pizza in my life, but this stuff was amazing. There was a spinach pizza that people were going crazy over. As soon as they put one up, it was gone. I got ahold of a slice and understood why! Spinach pizza is usually bland and had little flavor but this was buttery with a creamy sauce and a nice hint of the spinach flavor. The sausage was also very good. They had cheese covered bread sticks that were perfect and when you got your fill of pizza, soup and salad, they even had desert pizza! One was like a chocolate chip cookie and the other was cherries covered with a crumb toppingI don't really want to think about how much pizza I actually ate. Then the kids wanted salad so we tried it out. It was very fresh and full even though it was a busy time of day. They had the usual salad bar items so it was well rounded and good. Then I checked out the soups. I just about did a little dance because they had a cheesy ham soup that I hadn't had since one of my first restaurant jobs. It was so good I had two bowls. We all ate ourselves silly!
Attached to the pizza place was an arcade. We had promised the kids we would take them there after we ate, though in our stuffed state, we were regretting that promise...lol. You load how much money you want each kid (or adult) to have on a plastic "credit card". They can then use that to place the games and try to rack up tickets. They can trade the tickets in for prizes afterward. As I had four kids, I only gave them 5.00 apiece. I really figured we would only be there a few min. and they would walk away with a tootsie roll or two. We wound up spending an hour and to my amazement they actually got some pretty neat prizes! One got a velvet art posters w/ markers, a glass mouse clip, a pig bank and some rattle snake egg magnets. Another got a glass paperweight with laser etched mermaids inside. The little ones chose a cowboy hat, whoopee cushion, Chinese finger trap, a ceramic tea set and several other little items. There are also other things that cost extra if you want to do them such as bumper cars, a climbing ball shooting thing, photo booth, and laser tag.
The main thing they had was FUN! Even us adults had a great time helping them and watching (I am pretty sure we might have played a game or two ourselves...hehe) I highly recommend this place to families for a great dinner and an evening out!
It is right in the middle of 76 strip attached to the end of the Grand Country complex. The building itself is painted in bright inviting colors and has the handle of a giant guitar sticking out of the front! We headed and in and wow did it smell good. The price was 7.99 for adults, 4.99 for children 4-10 and under 4 was free. It was all you can eat pizza and a soup/salad bar. We all headed for the pizza! Now I have eaten a lot of pizza in my life, but this stuff was amazing. There was a spinach pizza that people were going crazy over. As soon as they put one up, it was gone. I got ahold of a slice and understood why! Spinach pizza is usually bland and had little flavor but this was buttery with a creamy sauce and a nice hint of the spinach flavor. The sausage was also very good. They had cheese covered bread sticks that were perfect and when you got your fill of pizza, soup and salad, they even had desert pizza! One was like a chocolate chip cookie and the other was cherries covered with a crumb toppingI don't really want to think about how much pizza I actually ate. Then the kids wanted salad so we tried it out. It was very fresh and full even though it was a busy time of day. They had the usual salad bar items so it was well rounded and good. Then I checked out the soups. I just about did a little dance because they had a cheesy ham soup that I hadn't had since one of my first restaurant jobs. It was so good I had two bowls. We all ate ourselves silly!
Attached to the pizza place was an arcade. We had promised the kids we would take them there after we ate, though in our stuffed state, we were regretting that promise...lol. You load how much money you want each kid (or adult) to have on a plastic "credit card". They can then use that to place the games and try to rack up tickets. They can trade the tickets in for prizes afterward. As I had four kids, I only gave them 5.00 apiece. I really figured we would only be there a few min. and they would walk away with a tootsie roll or two. We wound up spending an hour and to my amazement they actually got some pretty neat prizes! One got a velvet art posters w/ markers, a glass mouse clip, a pig bank and some rattle snake egg magnets. Another got a glass paperweight with laser etched mermaids inside. The little ones chose a cowboy hat, whoopee cushion, Chinese finger trap, a ceramic tea set and several other little items. There are also other things that cost extra if you want to do them such as bumper cars, a climbing ball shooting thing, photo booth, and laser tag.
The main thing they had was FUN! Even us adults had a great time helping them and watching (I am pretty sure we might have played a game or two ourselves...hehe) I highly recommend this place to families for a great dinner and an evening out!
Friday, September 21, 2012
Just an FYI
Just thought I would add that I am in no way working for or paid by any of the places mentioned on here. I hope to be able to add photos, menu's and such to my future posts. If there is something you would like to see here, please let me know! I am very new to this, so I could sure use the help!
Peach Tree Self Serve frozen yogurt
There is nothing worse than a sweet craving on a hot day! Lucky for me Branson is chalk full of places to sate my sweet tooth! My mom and Jerry were with me that day and while Jerry didn't want any, (He wanted to go play at the game store next door) Mom was more than happy to join me! We walked inside and just stopped for a moment. Talk about neat decor! The chairs were more like geometric balls! The colors were incredible! Reds, whites, orange and blue....and many others. It looked like something I had only seen on television. There was even a comfy looking white couch that you could set in if you didn't want to set on one of the smaller ball chairs. We were greeted by a very nice lady who asked if we would like to try some bubble soda. There were two flavors, mango and strawberry. What made them neat were these little balls that floated in the drink! I tried the strawberry and boy was it good, but when the little balls went into your mouth they sort of "popped" and spilled a sweet strawberry syrup onto your tongue! It was so good! Then we decided to try the yogurt. You choose your flavor (or you could mix them all together). I tried several. Then you got to choose your toppings! There was all kinds of candy, fruits, syrups. It was really easy to forget that you were paying by the ounce! Mine cost over 5.00..lol. Mom did a little better than me. Jerry got done shopping and decided to get himself one, but he got a little carried away. He wound up with an 8.00 frozen yogurt!! The toppings were great, but some of the flavors of yogurt were a bit weird.(NOT in a bad way though!) I highly suggest you try the flavors before buying a large amount of one! (They have sample cups for that reason)
All in all it was a really fun experience, but a costly one. Use caution or you can really run up a bill! But there is no funner way to spend money than this one!
With the gracious permission from the manager I was allowed to use a photo from their facebook page and was also allowed to give the link. I would highly suggest you visit their facebook page for tons of fun photos, and promotions. They are doing some fantastic work here in Branson! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Peach-Tree-Frozen-Yogurt/380350188659496
McDonalds
Well, what town is complete without the old standbys? We are a normal working family and don't always have a fortune to spend on eating out. Plus with four children we are always looking for eateries where kids can eat free or cheap! We have tried out the McDonald's on 76 strip near the Wal-Mart as well as the one in Branson Hills. The menu's were pretty much consistent with any other store I have been too (in Kansas and Missouri). They had their famous extra value menu where many items are just a dollar. You can sure feed a whole family on those prices!! At any rate, coming from a town where the McDonald's was really terrible, there were things we were watching for. First off, did they really listen to what you want and repeat it back? Did they miss items when punching in your order? Were they friendly and knowledgeable? Was the food wrapped good and packed properly? Was everything there? How quickly did they get the orders out? Did they give the correct change? And of course most of all, what was the quality of the food?
There was a really long line so we figured there would be a long wait. Surprisingly the line moved fast and within less than a min. we were at the speaker. Since we had been to McDonald's tons of times, we already know what we wanted and ordered. The speaker attendant was very nice and waited until we were finished to ask if we wanted anything else. The order came up on a screen and was all correct including a few changes such as No Tomato or Ketchup Only. We moved up to the window and the lady took our money. She was quick and accurate and we were on our way to the pickup window. Our order was right there waiting for us and we were given our sack, drinks and a friendly smile. We asked for some hot mustard and she was very quick to get it for us. We pulled into a parking spot to check our order. Everything was there and everything was correct! The fries were fresh, hot and salted just right. The burgers were also fresh and very tasty. We were all pleasantly surprised. We assumed it must be since it was during a busy time so the next time we went was late at night, close to closing time. We expected to get "leftover" burgers and cold fries. (This was the norm where we used to live). We were greeted with a friendly voice and a matching experience from the other store. The food was fresh and good and the staff was great!
Overall, we were very pleasantly surprised and fast food at a cheap price will certainly stay on our list of dining choices!
There was a really long line so we figured there would be a long wait. Surprisingly the line moved fast and within less than a min. we were at the speaker. Since we had been to McDonald's tons of times, we already know what we wanted and ordered. The speaker attendant was very nice and waited until we were finished to ask if we wanted anything else. The order came up on a screen and was all correct including a few changes such as No Tomato or Ketchup Only. We moved up to the window and the lady took our money. She was quick and accurate and we were on our way to the pickup window. Our order was right there waiting for us and we were given our sack, drinks and a friendly smile. We asked for some hot mustard and she was very quick to get it for us. We pulled into a parking spot to check our order. Everything was there and everything was correct! The fries were fresh, hot and salted just right. The burgers were also fresh and very tasty. We were all pleasantly surprised. We assumed it must be since it was during a busy time so the next time we went was late at night, close to closing time. We expected to get "leftover" burgers and cold fries. (This was the norm where we used to live). We were greeted with a friendly voice and a matching experience from the other store. The food was fresh and good and the staff was great!
Overall, we were very pleasantly surprised and fast food at a cheap price will certainly stay on our list of dining choices!
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Red Lobster
Wanting a nice sit down dinner we took my mother out to dinner at Red Lobster. We had some bad experiences in the past with the Red Lobster we had in our old home town, so we were a bit sceptical.
Upon opening the door, we were greeted by a friendly girl who told us there was a short wait. There was ample seating in the waiting area, so we took the time to view the live lobster tank and take in all the decor. It was very nice and clean despite the antique fishing items. The place had tons of seating, both tables and booths. There was also outside seating, but it was raining so out of the question! We asked for a table near a window as some of the areas were fairly dark, lit only with hanging lantern type lights. Some people may like that, but I want to see what I am putting in my mouth! They didn't have anything right by a window, but gave us a table a few seats over, so the lighting was OK. They were all apologies for not being able to cater to our request exactly so I was pleased with the service to that point. One waitress came for our drink order and gave us menus. She said there would be a second waitress to take the order. It took a few min. to get our drinks, but then we had a long (about 15 min.) wait before the waitress came to take our order. In their defense though, they were completely packed with more lining up at the door. Our wait for salads and their
signature biscuits was short and of high quality. My mother and I had the Cesar salad and Jerry had a normal side salad. He had to order extra dressing as it had very little and he likes a lot. They were quick to bring it out and did not charge extra. The biscuits were cheese and garlic infused and were to die for! Hot and fresh from the oven...we ordered seconds...and thirds....
We all decided on the all you can eat shrimp as it sounded like heaven. We were a bit worried that the wait time in between ordering seconds and actually getting it would take a long time. Our initial order arrived within ten min. and everything was perfect. The shrimp was done to perfection, the rice was seasoned well and the servings were very generous. As soon as we got our order the waitress asked which kind we would like to try next so she could go ahead and get our order in for us. We chose and it was there in about ten min. Each subsequent batch took 6-10 min. to come out, which was not bad at all considering how many people they had. Each item was fresh and delicious. We ate until we thought we might turn into a shrimp. Our waitress was pretty good at keeping things filled and was friendly but not overly so. We did not have room for desserts, so that will have to be another time!
My fiance and I returned a few days later at a later time of day. There were fewer people and the servers were more relaxed and friendlier. The food was every bit as good as the first time. Serving times were about the same. One thing did stand out to me on this trip though and want to include it here. There was a new server who was in the training phase. She had been doing things on her own for a few hours under the watchful eye of the supervisor ( I gathered this info from listening to their conversation). At one point she was rushing around trying to wait on a table and clean another. The supervisor came up to her and asked if she needed some help. She gave him a defeated look and I thought she might start crying. He smiled at her and told her not to worry, that she was doing a great job. He told her to ask any time she needed help and not to feel that she was in it alone. He told her that the most important thing about working there was to enjoy her job and to love what she was doing. I was so shocked. I don't think I have ever heard a supervisor tell a worker that their enjoyment in their job was important! She perked up and he helped her clear off the table so she could focus on her customers. I realized that Branson is truly a unique and different place to live. A place where employees are actually valued and taken care of.
If you are looking for the Red Lobster in Branson, it is right across from the huge IMAX theater on the red route. There may be a different special going on when you visit, but I have no doubt that you will enjoy your dining experience! (Prices vary but the average is 12-15 dollars per person. You can eat cheaper, though as they have nice salads and smaller cheaper dishes as well.)
( Can't make it out to eat? Check out some of the fantastic deals advertised on here. Put on your own fantastic seafood dinner at home!)Lobster Gram M10T6 SIX 10-12 OZ MAINE LOBSTER TAILS (Google Affiliate Ad)
Vasken's Deli
This wasn't the first stop but I am starting with this one as it was the most outstanding! We (We being my fiance Jerry and our little girl Anya and myself) were in a hurry for lunch as we had a lot of things to do, but didn't want to spend a fortune. We decided that something like a deli sandwich sure sounded good. We passed a little strip mall that looked like it had come from a castle somewhere, and noticed a sign that read Vasken's Deli. We decided that we would give it a shot. From the outside it looked like a small "hole in the wall" sort of place. We opened the door and the first thing we noticed was the smell. It reminded me of an old cartoon where they smell something so good they just close their eyes and sort of float to where the scent is coming from! It smelled of smoked meats and spices I couldn't even begin to place. We turned a corner and were shocked at the size. It was huge inside! The decor was done to look like something far from our continent. I felt as if I had gone on a trip to England, or maybe even Transylvania. The seats were comfortable and the people behind the counter were very friendly. We soon realized that this was no normal deli, but an international one. The food they served was mostly Mediterranean. I had never tried anything like that before, so I was very excited. Jerry got a gyro. He said it was by far the best he had ever had! I had a Mediterranean sandwich with several meats and a homemade olive spread. It was outstanding! The olives did not overpower the sandwich but gave it a flavor I am craving even now! My little girl got a kid's meal which consisted of a cheese pizza, a bag of chips and a drink for only 3.99! Their prices were as outstanding as their food. They don't stop there though. They also are a little store! Shelves of all kinds of imported foods lines their shelves and coolers. They also sell their meats and cheeses by the pound! I left with a big bag of cookies from Bosnia Herzegovina!
It is an amazing place, with outstanding food and low price. What more could you ask for? This is a must stop place on your trip through Branson! I found a link online to their web page and will include it here so you can sign up on their facebook page and read what others are saying about this little gem! Vaskensdeli.com.
Enjoy!
It is an amazing place, with outstanding food and low price. What more could you ask for? This is a must stop place on your trip through Branson! I found a link online to their web page and will include it here so you can sign up on their facebook page and read what others are saying about this little gem! Vaskensdeli.com.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Eating Up Branson!
Well, here I am! I have finally reached my dream of living in Branson Missouri! It is known world wide for it's entertainment and museums, but I am all about the food! At last count (and it is always changing) there were over 348 restaurants in and around Branson. Some of them were old favorites, but there were so many I had never heard of! I knew right away that my palate was in for some seasoning! I had grown up with the same basic foods and rarely ventured far outside that familiar comfort zone of burgers and fries, fried chicken and potato's and the occasional steak. I watch the food channels on television and wondered what it would be like to taste some of the cuisine I saw there. Thai food? Chinese? Mexican? Cuban? Greek? They all looked wonderful yet I have no idea what most of the items are, let alone what they taste like. After checking out maps, websites, magazines and even coupons, I realized that Branson offers a wealth of around the world cuisine just waiting there for me to try! A few days in and I realized that while I am enjoying the tastes that Branson has to offer, why not share my experiences with others? This blog will be showcasing my trips to sample the local fare.
Come travel along with me and my family as we share our dining outings with you. Whether you live here yourself and wondered what a place might be like, or even if your just vacationing or passing through, I hope this helps you decide where to spend your dollars and get the best food! I will do my best to describe things like location, atmosphere, cost, friendliness, cleanliness, and above all...taste! Keep in mind though that these are my opinions and that of my family. Your taste may be different and of course any place could have an off day. Before I leave a totally negative impression of a place I will take into consideration the time of day, season, etc. and may even visit a couple of times before giving up on it! I am new to blogging, so bare with me please as I learn the ropes!
Come travel along with me and my family as we share our dining outings with you. Whether you live here yourself and wondered what a place might be like, or even if your just vacationing or passing through, I hope this helps you decide where to spend your dollars and get the best food! I will do my best to describe things like location, atmosphere, cost, friendliness, cleanliness, and above all...taste! Keep in mind though that these are my opinions and that of my family. Your taste may be different and of course any place could have an off day. Before I leave a totally negative impression of a place I will take into consideration the time of day, season, etc. and may even visit a couple of times before giving up on it! I am new to blogging, so bare with me please as I learn the ropes!
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