Lambert's Café - Ozark

I have always enjoyed dining at this restaurant and have traveled long distances to visit. However, after my most recent experience last week, I have decided that it is time for a change. The bill for a $107 meal ended up being $124.95, which was a bit surprising. Despite tipping our waitress $10, the service was only minimal. I would prefer to drive to Sikeston in search of better service.

When I arrived at the restaurant, the parking lot was very crowded. I called from my car to ask about the wait time, and was told it would be 15 minutes. However, when I went inside to put my name on the list, the host told me it would be a 40 minute wait. I was frustrated because I had just called within a minute of walking in, so there was no way the wait time had increased that much. It seemed like the person who answered the phone either lied to me or didn't know the actual wait time.

The restaurant offers fantastic food and service in a festive atmosphere. In addition to the menu, waiters roam around offering free extras like fried potatoes and onions, beans, macaroni and tomatoes, dinner rolls, and molasses. The diner is known for throwing free dinner rolls to customers upon request. The decor includes state flags, Old Glory, and flags of the US Armed Forces. It is not just a meal, but an experience. The catfish dinner was delicious, with a generous portion. If you finish your meal and want more catfish, they will bring you more for free. The candied yams are a must-try as well.

I visited this restaurant for the first time and had a great experience. I was impressed by the guy who was throwing dinner rolls to customers without missing a beat. The food was delicious, especially the grilled pork chops which were mouthwatering and melted in my mouth with every bite. I also appreciated that the waiters walked around offering extra sides to choose from. I went on a day trip with friends and we plan on returning to try more items from the menu and desserts.

The food, service, and the atmosphere was amazing. Our waitress she was amazing too and we absolutely had no issues here. I had the chicken dumplings and the food that kept coming out along side our meals was so filling that I couldn't get dessert. I absolutely had a blast here and I definitely would come back if I'm ever in the area again. I just wish we had stuff like this up north!