Lots of ambience lots of food. Interesting sides like sorghum black eyed peas okra. Good servers. The downside - an almost lethal dosage of sodium. Couldnevfinish food it was so salty. Didn't mind the fat content but the salt was a killer . read more

50 percent food, 50 percent experience. Lamberts Cafe was delicious and well worth the 36 mile drive from Branson, but if you're looking for a quick pit stop breakfast keep driving. We arrived at 11:00 am and were told that it would be a 45 minute wait however, they have plenty of outdoor seating and a gift shop to help the time pass. They also conveniently use yelp to help track your place in line for the table so you won't miss your turn in case you wanted to avoid the cold and hide in your truck like we did. Once seated we were amazed by the organized chaos! Rolls flying through the air towards raised hands, waitresses zipping past with bowls full of "pass arounds", and the heavenly aroma of southern cooking drifting off hot skillets. After looking over the menu and taking some well given advice from both regulars and the waitress, I settled on the Country Fried Steak while the rest of the table chose The Pork Chops served both grilled and smoked, The Gizzards, and an unpictured Fried Chicken. Each of the entrees came with two sides as well as unlimited fresh "pass arounds" such as Okra, Fried Potato's, Black eyed peas, macaroni and tomato's, and lastly the rolls with sorghum or apple butter that were constantly offered by multiple waitresses wondering around. The Chicken Fried steak was perfect, moist steak interior with a thin crunchy breading and topped with a ball of mashed potato that was smothered in white gravy. The Pork Chops were also delicious but the Chicken Gizzards seemed slightly over cooked and heavily breaded. Overall 4/5 stars with compliments to the staff for the hard work in such a fast paced environment. Thank you for the experience. read more

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I think this is a fun, one and done spot. They really can host a full house- the occupancy is 700! What the heck. We went in to eat on a Friday afternoon, there was 7 of us and we were seated promptly. As we sat, they started throwing bread rolls to those who wanted one. The rolls were actually really good- hot and fresh and one of the best parts of the meal. I only wish they had real butter to go with them. The menu is none like you would ever find on the west coast, which is totally ok, but definitely interesting. I got the steak and shrimp with a side of green beans. Decent. The hamburger was also alright. The fried chicken had a 50/50 split opinion on if it was good or not. The service was great. Our server was attentive and the food came out quickly. Overall alright. Fun experience. I don't think you go so much for the food quality, more for the atmosphere and they can accommodate huge parties. read more

Service was awful! Never received some of the pass around, was not offered. I had to ask for them and finally received a few. Food was old! A waist of my money $ Very disappointed! read more

Buyer beware! Solutions below but a very frustrating experience. We were not happy with the service there. Sure the locals know that ins and outs but we were blindsided. I get it, you get all the add- ons included in the meal price. But clearly explain it before food gets passed around! We wanted to split a meal and they would not allow that at all. In fact, we had to order a pass around plate (a plate of the freebies) even if we did not want to eat at all. The server asked my mom twice to order when she said that she didnt want to eat!! It would have been better for them to give us an out instead of feeling forced to pay. Solutions: I would suggest a card system for people that if they have a card they can be served or not served. Otherwise I was stuck with eating alot of fried okra, potatoes and black eyed peas and I didn't like the tomato salad at all! read more

This restaurant is a MUST if you're in the Springfield or Branson MO area. Super fun vibe, employees are great! So much yummy food. I had the country ham steak and hubby had a brisket special, both were delicious. Only pass arounds I tried were black eyed peas and fried okra. They have the BEST okra ever and I've never liked it before. Of course the rolls are pretty great too. read more

We went on vacation so we had to stop here. First time on a Saturday afternoon and it was crazy wait. Like 1.5 hrs we got seated to a super dirty sticky nasty table. Food on bench and on the ground. Had to ask for a rag to clean my table. Order food and it came wrong but I was not about to send it back since it took more than 30min to get our order. I order rack of ribs and they were tough and dry. Do not recommend. Husband had meatloaf and it was delish! We also had chicken fried steak it was good. My son had some platter and it was not good at all forgot the name. Rolls came sporadically and I'm glad my husband is a good catcher and caught for me because if I was there alone they would've whacked me in the face lol. Fixings came very seldom and only 3 out of the list. Server came 1 time to check on us. Terrible service !!! Only becuase is a must stop for our vacation but not for returning or for going. If you live close kind of thing. read more

Are ya hungry? THIS. IS. THE. PLACE. FOR. YOU! Massive servings, staff strolling the aisles with tastings of Black-eyed peas, Lyonnaise potatoes, Mac-n-cheese w/tomatoes, deep fried okra (YUM!) plus endless, delicious dinner rolls. Tossed at you. And if you like, Sorghum molasses to top your roll. Out. Of. This. World. No room for dessert - Wah. But enough leftovers for dinner for the next two days! I. Kid. You. Not. read more

Lambert's Cafe - Ozark - Deep fried JUMBO shrimp, peaches and outstanding home cooked green beans. - American Near Me - Ozark, Missouri

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3.5 stars. Lambert's is a tourist spot worth going to at least once if you are in the area. The thrown rolls are their gimmick to attract people, which is fun, and the rolls are actually delicious. Most of the food, while overly abundant, Is nothing too special. We had chicken fried steak, meatloaf, chicken strips and catfish platters. All were in the "pretty good" category. I thought the catfish was a little gamey, but my son liked it. For me the rolls, fried okra, and fried potatoes are all very good, with the fried potatoes being the star. We have been here a number of times, and I always walk away feeling about the same...stuffed, but not blown away. One kicker for me is the amount of food that goes to waste. We were traveling through town, so we didn't have a place for leftovers. We easily threw away half of all of our entrees. It would be a great idea to make the portion sizes smaller, which I wouldn't normally say. It just struck me as very wasteful. I was happy to see that they now accept credit/debit cards because on all of our previous visits, it has been cash or check only. read more

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You know I'm all about a good hi me cooked meal but I hate to say overall the food is only a three. I got the chicken fries round steak and it was good but it was definitely something that was pre cooked and sitting under a heater. Wish the breading had more crunch and the mashed potatoes were good, but the sides they bring around may be a bit better. The fried potatoes are legit, throw away those mashed! Green beans are really good and the coleslaw is pretty much standard home made. The wife got chicken strips and said it wasn't anything to take home but she loved the fried okra the brought around. The kiddo got the hamburger and he wasn't impressed too much but my kid is picky. The overall winner here is the dinner roll and they sure do know how to make them and throw them! This is where the last star comes in and service. Our waiter was really nice and the food was out faster than our drinks... read more

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The only bad thing was that I had to order real food in order to eat the rolls. The rolls are the only reason I love Lambert's, and the sole reason for my five stars. Sorry, Lambert's, but they're your selling point for a reason. Catching the rolls is only part of the fun, though I did feel kind of grossed out when one of the thrown rolls hit a flag in its way to my plate, but ultimately my stomach. Casualties such as these are an unavoidable part of the fun. Butter merely enhances the goodness of the rolls, allowing for easier digestion. My butter-avoidant sister still enjoys the rolls even without that extra help and flavor. I wish there was a way to just eat the rolls. I know you can order them to go, but I wanted to experience the restaurant with my family. There is a queue in order to eat in, but it was only 25~ minutes for me. Even after your name is called, there's still a small line inside. The cups are oversized. The pass around plate is overrated; I didn't really like the potatoes, macaroni and tomatoes, and fried okra, and only ate the peas that tasted very meaty. I managed to catch two rolls in this trip Lambert's, and along with half of my mom's roll, and a combination of peas and a side of Mac and cheese, I was finally full. TL;DR: eat their rolls if nothing else. read more

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The only negative is it is so popular you will have to wait an hour or so, but it is such a neat place. I suggest ordering a sandwich or something small because you can gorge yourself on all of the delicious sides they roll up with. And they also come by and throw large airy yeast rolls at you which are to die for. During our week of vacation this was the best value as my wife and I had a $36 bill and we were stuffed beyond belief. Servers are friendly and attentive and the servers with the sides appear often. You cant go wrong here. read more

Great place to stop, at least once, when in the area. Great atmosphere and food is not too shabby either. Watch for flying dinner rolls read more

Love Lambert's! Comfort food, excitement of getting hit in the head with a roll or burning your hand from the catch! Laughter at friends & family as you enjoy a meal and entertainment... it's a priceless experience. We had an hour wait, which is pretty good. Could have been longer since there were 9 of us. There are things to do while you wait. Suggestions: Check out the US board and pin the place you're coming from, visit the shop and get chotzke's early, go across the parking lot to check out the cheese shop which has more than cheese, or just sit and visit with each other. Don't forget to check out the inside lobby and see the train running along the ceiling. Please note that considering the occupancy is 700!!!! Waiting a little bit is not tough. Once we were called, we were at a both and ordered our drinks. They come in huge 32 oz size mugs! Excellent! Next we ordered our food. I ordered my favorite - chicken fried steak with corn and baked beans! As you wait the kitchen always had hot rolls coming out and being thrown everywhere! That's fun and exciting for young and old! Also, pass around get served. There are rolls of paper towels on the table to use to set these sides on. Our favorite is the fried okra. The meal comes out on huge plates or in fry pans! Full. Stuffed. Can't even think about moving!!!! What were we thinking when we ate earlier?! We should have starved all day and then come out to eat! Just go. Be ready to wait and enjoy! read more

This was a fun place to eat. My friends and I went and were seated right away even in the middle of the brunch rush on a Sunday. The food was great, and the servers were really nice. We sat and talked for a long time and the servers never rushed us, and always offered rolls. We will definitely be going back. read more

I used to love taking visiting family members and others here. In the past, the food was fantastic and the ambiance provided by the setting and the staff was remarkable. Sadly, Lambert's now survives only on its past reputation. The prices have risen considerably. I grew up in food and I understand the need to adjust your pricing as costs rise, and they certainly have. But you try not to ever sacrifice the quality of your product. Out of the five of us dining, only one person was pleased with their meal. Sad. Every dish at the table was extremely bland and tasteless. Everyone who ordered chicken dishes reported the chicken as tough - even the dark meat in my chicken and dumplings was tough. The ONLY thing I finished on my plate was the so-called candied yams. They were nothing more than baked yams. I had to request brown sugar to give them a slight semblance of 'candied'. Our waitress was PHENOMENAL through it all. The lady who served our sorghum was equally amazing. Unfortunately, the remaining staff we encountered simply didn't seem to enjoy their work. They lacked the smiles and joviality I recall from past visits. The atmosphere was little more than that of a well decorated but lifeless diner that simply turned tables as quickly as possible. It just wasn't fun. I could go on, but honestly it would serve no purpose. If I haven't made my point by now, it really doesn't matter. Next time I'm in the mood for unseasoned steam table food, I'll just head to the senior center in town. I take that back. The senior center has MUCH better food. read more

Be prepared to wait and go hungry! Group of 5 of us arrived at 4:50pm on a Sunday and were seated just after 6:30pm. Close to 1 hour 40 min wait! We were told it would be 60-70 minutes, so expect it to take up to 30 minutes longer than estimated time. They have a counter outside for checking in and tons of benches on a covered patio with fans to wait. If you are lucky there are even a few benches inside. Once seated it took a little while for our waitress but she was friendly. They were slammed non-stop and working their tails off! After our drink orders she was back with massive thermoses for our drinks, about the size of a water pitcher at lost restaurants. Even the kids drinks are huge! Our 4 year old's milk was HUGE! They have free refills. After waiting for our entrees we noticed the passing sides roaming the area. Put your hand up to get a super warm / hot and huge roll thrown your way! Fried okra makes its way around too and was good. The Mac n tomato side didn't look to great and one person at our table tried it and said we weren't missing out. Had to request 3 times for the fried potatoes & onions, which arrived after most of us finished our meal, but was tasty. Nobody at our table tried the black eyed peas, but they never came by our table. By the time our entrees arrived I was stuffed! Probably partly due to chugging so much tea upon being seated after our long wait. Menu says no doggie bags, but not to worry they have to-go containers! Took my whole chicken tender entree with baked potato and cottage cheese to go along with some fried okra and rolls. Had enough to make 2 lunches out of it and it was only $14.99! Great value for money especially if fill up on sides and take your entree home for another meal or two. Con is the long wait! read more

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Well the wait was one hour for two people . Ordered the chicken fried round steak, came with mashed potatoes and two sides- I choose Corn and sliced peaches . The mashed potato's tasted like they needed more milk. They were just clumpy (very dry) I could add more salt at the table , but mainly was disappointed in the texture of the potatoes. Corn, not my favorite either, appeared that they mix cream corn and regular corn, just seemed a bit tasteless. Peaches were fine. Hubby ordered the ham steak with mashed potato's and corn as well. Same feeling about his sides. Not so good. Came in from Bentonville, not sure I need to have this experience again. Glad it was one hour wait and not any longer. I've heard that folks have waited longer. read more

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It's exactly what you think it is. Lots of food and very nice waitstaff. It's not my cup of tea, but if you like to feel full, this place will do that. 5 stars because of service, fun atmosphere and experience. The throwed rolls are fun. The menu also had allergen info on it, which was very helpful! read more

Want a roll thrown at you while you eat mounds of delicious southern style food? This is your place! You will not leave hungry. We had been to the location in Alabama, so when we happened to find this one as we were driving around the area, we knew we had to hit them up for our dinner choice. They are a large location, but it was also busy, so you may end up with a wait if you have a larger group or arrive at peak time. We were seated in a booth against one of the border walls and our server was over shortly thereafter. There are servers that go around the seating area with all the 'sides' which included with all meals. You can have all of that you want - and the fried okra is a must! And of course, they have a push cart that holds all their hot rolls and a server will toss one at you if you hold your hands up. Bring you "a" game for catching em! The price is extremely reasonable for the amount of food you get with your main meal. Even the cups for your drinks are large sized! Overall: A+ A super fun experience and you'll leave very full! Bring your stretchy pants. read more

Friendly staff, excellent service and the food was delicious. Don't miss the "pass arounds" and the throwed rolls. I had a Hot Beef Sandwich and the roast beef was tender and tasty. read more

We had a good time here, the food was great and the kids enjoyed catching the rolls. Space is tight here, though, which was the only thing that bothered me. Our waitress was always attentive and service from the other staff members were friendly. read more

Lambert's Cafe - Ozark - American Near Me - Ozark, Missouri

During our vacation to Missouri our brother-in-law treated us to Lamberts Cafe. Now we have one back home in Alabama but have never had the pleasure of stopping in. That changes the next time I am in Foley. Lamberts is absolutely amazing. Our sever Kaitlyn H was exceptional. She stayed on top of everything. The food was phenomenal. The experience, I can't say enough about this place. If you're in the Ozark, Mo., area I highly recommend Lamberts Cafe. You won't leave hungry and that's a fact. Lamberts Home of the Throwed Rolls! read more

Delicious food juicy and don't forget the throwed rolls there soft and delicious 100% recommend Lamberts Cafe In ozark missouri

My last review was 13 years ago...that is apparently how long it took for me to forget how awful the food is. Honestly, I'm not being mean, but the food was just plain bad. The only reason I can think of that their collective rating is 4 stars is that people really enjoy the tourist experience or quantity trumps quality. My pork roast was dry and mealy, her pork chops were the toughest we've ever tasted, the fried potatoes were incredibly greasy, the Cole slaw had so much anti-oxidant that it tasted like bleach...I could go on but I won't. The hot rolls were excellent and I only wish I had though to ask for real butter on the first one (they have "whipped spread" aka hydrogenated corn oil on the tables) so the 2nd one was a winner. That was it. We left more on our plates than we ate. The staff is very friendly. If it is worth $50 (tax and tip) for two people for you to say you ate in this landmark, go for it. You've been warned. read more

I really wanted to hate this place. Seriously. But Lambert's wouldn't allow it. We came here during our road trip between Houston and Minneapolis. We'd just wrapped up a minor league baseball game and weren't hungry. But we are suckers for Americana and just about anything trite. (It's a road trip, after all.) First, we showed up around 8:30; the places closes at 9. Our wait was about 20-30 minutes, but there is plenty of seating in the shade for that. The employees here seem to really like their jobs, and that's a testament to management. It's busy as hell here. Between people throwing rolls, serving pass-alongs (side dishes) from table to table, clearing messes, and serving, everyone was courteous and efficient. Just as you might expect from a place that became famous via the TV Food Network and Southern Living magazine, Lambert's is kitschy. It's decorations have no real theme, aside from a party barn, but there are lots of license plates and old gas station signs. It's fun. Not exactly pristine though, as the underside of our table looked like a scene from Sanford & Son. My hot sauce bottle had more greasy fingerprints than I could count, and the bigass plastic drinking cups resembled something from the cousins' on the 'Vacation' movies. Still, we ate from the table and drank from the cups. The food here is as good as advertised. I had the fried gizzards, which came to the table a little cold. Good nonetheless. Mashed potatoes were clutch. Gravy was outstanding. Green beans tasted like something my maw maw would have made. My wife's chicken fried steak was as good as I've had in a long time. Fried okra was OK ... frozen variety. (Not Stillwell's, unfortunately.) The rolls? They're fine. I certainly wouldn't bother ordering them to go, but many people do. I would certainly come here again, and would go for the white beans and bologna. Then again, I might get my own chicken fried steak and refuse to share. This place is fun and the food is good. Service is as good as any five-star joint. read more

Lambert's Cafe - Ozark - Gizzards - American Near Me - Ozark, Missouri

One of my favorite places to visit when I'm in the Springfield area. Food is great and they give you a lot of it. Service is great too. read more

Lambert's Cafe - Ozark - This is their Chef's Salad. - American Near Me - Ozark, Missouri

This place was very interesting. The food was very good and HUGE amount of it too. Very good price for the amount t of food we get. They have people walk around serving extra food for no extra charge called the "pass around". They actually do throw the bread, and need to catch it. Very fun and delicious. We called in to get our name on the list about 30 minutes before. When we arrived we checked in and waited about 15 minutes to get called in. The place was very crowded, but it didn't take long to get our food after we ordered. The staff are very kind and respectful. read more

Lambert's Cafe - Ozark - Big huge cups of drinks. - American Near Me - Ozark, Missouri

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Lambert's - Home of the throwed rolls! Great place to eat. We have eaten at the one in Foley, Alabama and now the one in Ozarks. Both places are great, good food, fair prices, and the fun extra of their pass arounds. Staff actually walk around with pots of extra like fried potatoes and onions, black eyed peas, fried okra, and a few other things. Staff is very friendly, Be aware there is quite a long wait if you get there at busy times. read more

Finally took the fam to Lambert's where I have such great memories! Dad took me here a couple times when younger and it is just as I remember! I've always thought the food at LC's was okay. They definitely need help with their salt game. We tried frog legs and black eyed peas for the first time. The frog legs were tender but had no seasoning and couldn't even be helped with hot sauce, tarter sauce or ketchup. The black eyed peas were not to our liking. I'm not sure if they needed more seasoning or if we just don't have the right taste buds for them. The big food hits of the night were the candied yams, potato salad, catfish and (of course) the rolls. All tasted fantastic! The fam tried sorghum molasses for the first time and devoured it. Shockingly we didn't really come to Lambert's for the food. The star of the show, as always, is getting rolls chucked at you! Kiddo #5 had to get told to stop raising his for them as we couldn't eat them anymore and he just wanted to catch them (he's 17 mind you). We would definitely be back if in the area! Happy catching Yelpers! read more

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If you like country style food, huge portions, buttery rolls being thrown at you when you ask and a loud and boisterous atmosphere, this is the place for you! I went with my family this past weekend for the first time in 15 years. It didn't disappoint. Everything was exactly as I remembered when I was a kid, which I loved :) The rolls even tasted just the same. Hey, if it ain't broke don't fix it, right? They came around with fried okra, fried potatoes and Mac and cheese. I went all out and ordered the fried chicken plate with a baked potato and corn. Wow. I think that I maybe ate 1/4 of it and had to take the rest home to snack on later. The one downside is that you will have to probably wait for some time unless you get there right as they open. The line moves pretty fast, but there are just a lot of folks to feed! This place is definitely worth the visit! read more

Lambert's Cafe - Ozark - American Near Me - Ozark, Missouri

The food and service here are excellent! I highly recommend coming with an empty stomach to fully enjoy the delicious offerings.

I was hesitant. I didn't want rolls thrown at me. But they throw them TO you, making it all ok. And the rolls were top notch! All our meals were delicious. I got catfish with a baked potato. My husband got chicken pot pie, and he enjoyed it. It has crust on the bottom which to us is a requirement. One other got chicken fried steak and another got the largest chicken wings I've ever seen. We'll be back when in MO again read more

I haven't been here in years but it still has that vibe I remember. It does seem that it's bigger inside for some reason & I don't remember there being a gift shop. The chicken fried steak was one of the best I've had in a long time & the white gravy was legit . They come around pretty often giving out okra & fried potatoes. The thrown rolls are what steals the show though. If u get one hot there incredible with honey read more

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Cool atmosphere. Crowded and the "free food" didn't come around till after we ate our actual meal. My son had the trout and said it was sweet. Green beans were sweet. Just wasn't expecting that. We will give it another try in hopes of maybe it was just an off day! read more

I've been coming to Lamberts for 15 plus years when we come down to the lake house from Kentucky. Every time I order country fried steak and it's always been amazing, the best I've ever had. However, today, around 4:00 PM I ordered and it was luke warm at best and I'm betting, it's not the same country fried steak. In the past, it's always seemed to be cube steak, hand breaded and fried. This time, it was like something you would pull out of a box that's been frozen and deep fried. It was way too uniform. Please, please, please Lambert's, tell me I'm not right. Because if I am, it just means you have lowered your standards like most of the restaurants that were great, pre-Covid. read more

NO LONGER ALL YOU CAN EAT!!!!! Very disappointed. Wait in line over an hour only to be told by the server it's no longer all you can eat. Been all you can eat forever. Been going since 1989. Guess today was the last time. At least let people know before they wait an hour. read more

This restaurant used to have great food, fun and delightful service and and fun atmosphere. We ate there for an early dinner yesterday. The atmosphere was somber at best. Patron's weren't as happy, jovial nor as exciting as they have been in the past. Our server was exceptional. However, the portions were smaller, the food was bland. No seasoning on anything. Was as if the entire menus was catered towards seniors. They staff was short the sides were limited, and came around to serve what looked to be burnt potatoes and onions. They used to bring around all kinds of sides, also often. This was not the case yesterday. We had a party of 5. All ordered different items on the menu. It was disturbing how tasteless and overcooked the meals were. I've had better meals at a Dennys! Lambert's restaurant has become a novelty for tourists, rather than a place locals would Desiree to patron often. It's really too bad. We used to really enjoy Lamberts restaurant! I would not recommend this restaurant nor will I pay good money for crappy food again. read more

Lambert's Cafe - Ozark - Me - American Near Me - Ozark, Missouri

The food was okay. The sides were bland, but the dishes were tasty. It is fairly pricey. $10 for a piece of catfish and fries for a child. $18 for an adult catfish dinner. $17 for fried chicken. $20 for a shrimp dinner. Sharing meals incurs an extra $11 fee. About $3.30 per soda. It's not bad, but not great as well. read more

Delicious and fun, but expect a wait! Popular spot for tourists and locals alike. Convenient location, right off Highway 65.