My husband loves the Philly Cheese Steak sandwich. We both like the fried catfish and shrimp. But my sister and both thought we'd give their Chicken Gizzards. I know... a lot of people don't like them. But those of us who grew up around, that Do like gizzards , Really like them. But Sam's fried gizzards are not like what granny, gr'ma, and mother fixed or what we fix. The only way to describe them is think hard little pieces of Chopped (what used to be) Gizzards. BIG DISAPPOINTMENT! Not like anything called gizzards around the Ozarks, we've ever tried to eat! We thought since everything that we had up to that point was cooked just right...... well we assumed......and were wrong. So we'll stick with the catfish and shrimp.... well I heard the tamales are good, so I'll try those some day. read more

Food was good and portions were large. Very friendly, good service. The restrooms were in bad need of renovation. read more

Smith's Short Stop - Salad for lunch - American Near Me - Collins, Missouri

Just had breakfast and everything was good. The kids got 2 pancakes and couldn't finish one The ham was as big as your head. First time here. Will stop again. read more

The food was great home cooking with large portions. If you don't stop here--you're crazy. The wife and I were foolish enough to order dessert, but neither of us could finish them. They were great too! We had a blackberry cobbler that came out in a soup bowl and chunk of coconut cream that was awesome. The was service was friendly and responsive. We will be coming back through in 2 days and are planning to stop again. read more

Smith's Short Stop - Check out the retired MO highway patrol license plate. - American Near Me - Collins, Missouri

Absolutely delicious! Friendly staff, and probably the best tenderloin I've ever had!!! read more

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Just inhaled the BEST catfish I have had in a good minute. Flaky, and hot, center with a crunchy crust. Not greasy at all. Just great! And the Mac and cheese was awesome too. So glad we stopped in on a road trip. Well have to make a point to come back for sure! Service was great too read more

Smith's Short Stop - American Near Me - Collins, Missouri

Every time we are anywhere close, we stop into a Smith's restaurant (in Collins or Bolivar) to have a bite to eat. Although they could spend more time on maintenance of this restaurant, they must spend it perfecting their cooking. The onion rings- the best ever! My beef stew -homemade delicious. The rest of my party's pan-fried chicken dinners...raved about. And the warm yeast rolls and pie - Oh My Goodness! Everything was from scratch and good value for the money. Our waitress was super too. A MUST stop! read more

Smith's Short Stop - American Near Me - Collins, Missouri

It was sooo good! We had blackened catfish that was delicious. Don't even like catfish I love this. We had for tenderloin which is huge to the split it athen we had the chicken tenders and they were delicious. The Coleslaw and macaroni and cheese or not our favorite but everything else post delicious. read more

As a family of four adults, we found the food absolutely delicious and fresh. Homemade and handmade burger, Reuben and pork sandwich! I Felt like I was home eating my mother's food. The onion rings were delish!!!!! The service was excellent. Please DON'T let the humble exterior deter you from trying this hidden gem. You won't be sorry. Just make sure to have enough cash as they don't take cards. Again, yum! read more

Great place to stop for good comfort food. I have stopped here every year for the past six.years on my way to SD. Always good. 1/2 fried pork tenderloin sandwich with a green salad is perfect lunch. Never had the pie, but it looks really good. This place is popular with locals and travellers alike. Very friendly staff. read more

One of those family joints in the middle of BFE -- it's good enough to plan a Sunday drive down highway 13 & stop for pie. Ambiance is pure roadside-diner kitsch, nothing even in the same area code as fancy. I ordered the catfish, which was moderately good but a little overdone; my date had the tenderloin sandwich, which was bigger than some dinner plates I've owned. I tried a bite of his sandwich & immediately regretted the fish because the pork was so much better. Cherry cobbler for dessert -- heavenly. We split an order & still took some home. Huge portions of home cooked goodness, pure Americana. See you on the highway. read more

We were on a weekend trip and asked a cashier where to eat in the area. She said," No question: you need to go to Smith's Short Stop and get the giant tenderloin." We did. Giant it was and very delicious. It filled the plate and draped over the sides. It was tender with crispy breading. The salad was fresh and the onion rings were one of the best I have gotten at a restaurant. It is a most stop on HWY 13 and HWY 54 if you are traveling in Missouri. read more

Smith's Short Stop - Amazing !! - American Near Me - Collins, Missouri

This location was the first of the three Smiths locations that we ate at a few years ago. I had a tenderloin with mashed potatoes and my wife had catfish with mashed potatoes and cornbread. My wife truly enjoyed the catfish, fried but still juicy and tender, not overcooked at all. The cornbread was home made as were the potatoes and were worthy of anyone's family dinner table. I so rarely order a tenderloin but it was amazing, easily cut with a fork. The waitress suggested I try both white and brown gravies, one one the meat, the other on the potatoes. Like everything else the gravy was fresh, home made and scrumptious. She enjoyed her meal every bit as much as me, also enjoying the mashed potatoes. We never stop at any of the Smiths locations unless our stomachs are empty and our minds are divorced from our normal dietary norms. We've never had a subpar meal at any of the three locations. read more

Have eaten here numerous times. Food is most always good. Plenty of food on your plate! Waitresses are nice.

We saw billboards for the tenderloin on several trips on Hwy 13 - so we thought we'd place a to go order as we didn't have time to sit down and dine. When we searched online for Smith's we didn't realize there are three locations, until it was too late. Unfortunately, the # that came up was in Bolivar but the restaurant we went to was in Collins! I asked the lady if it was right on Hwy 13 she said yes, but so is the Collins location! We were told thirty minutes for a tenderloin sandwich to split and fries, $11.99. We didn't realize we could order the sandwich without fries for $8.99. We didn't really want them but didn't realize we had a choice. The fries are okay but double battered - not our preference by any means. So after we explained we placed an order that they didn't have, we realized we placed it at the wrong location! Some old guy there seemed very perturbed must have been a owner or manager. He said someone will pay for this mistake! Wow! Anyway, after waiting the 30 minutes for the sandwich and fries we were well rewarded with the best fried pork tenderloin we've ever had. A huge portion cut into two - plenty for two people but the very small bun was also cut in half and was only large enough to cover 1/4 of each half. Next time if we know we'll be in the area, we will bring our own buns - one for each half! LOL so moral of the story, if you're ordering to go and not familiar with the area, make sure you are ordering from the correct location! To reiterate-order the pork tenderloin! Yummy! read more

Besides the Wonderful Food and Service, the Antique Signs, both Neon and Rusty Relics, This Classic Diner is worth the trip or just a pit-stop. And yes, Get a Tenderloin and Split it, and then don't split the pie, gobble it up before someone steals it! read more

The service was excellent we were seated quickly. I never had to ask for a refill they were on top of it the entire time and extremely polite about it. Food wise I ordered the chicken quesadilla with a side of fries and as someone who basically lives on chicken quesadillas theirs was out of this world hands down the best I've had and the fries we excellent as well. I would highly recommended anyone who is passing by to stop and enjoy this great restaurant. read more

Does the term "free range chickens" ring a bell? Well if it doesn't just stop here. These are the Freshes and most organic eggs you'll ever find. Not the pale yellow yolks you may find at the store but actual bright orange yolks. I've only had breakfast here never lunches or evening meal. But the breakfasts are prepared very well and are extremely tasty. Stop here and enjoy a really great meal. read more

Oh ny heavens. This has got to be the best meal i have ever eaten in my life! The country fried steak dinner with mashed potatoes and gravy with a dinner salad with a hot bacon mustard dressing. OUT OF THIS WORLD read more

They have the BEST onion rings ever!! I am 64 and I have eaten a lot of onion rings. These win!! Will definitely drive down from Clinton to get them. The lady who came up with them, was our server so we were able to thank her!! Yummy read more

Food is okay, but a bit pricey for the portions. Plus they don't accept credit cards so be sure to take cash or check. I think they're better known for their desserts. read more

As a self identified urban foodie Smiths did not disappoint!! Was a great opportunity to have delish country style eating!! Pork tenderloin is a can't miss. Also the rolls should not be passed up. Cat fish dinner was legit and the onion rings no joke. Just when you think you've had enough...bam!! Peanut butter chocolate pie!! read more

On our way to Branson, we read the reviews on this restaurant and was lead to think it was good food. After going out of our way to find it, we were disappointed. This isn't Grandma cooking, maybe Grandpa's. I don't know who these people are that are giving this restaurant a good rating, but please save your time and money and don't stop here. read more

Strongly recommend. My husband and I stopped at Smith's the other day on our way thru and we loved it. The service was great, as well as the food. My husband got the Tenderloin sandwich, and it completely lived up to the the hype about it being a "giant" sandwich! He had to talk almost half of it home. Our waitress recommended the Chicken Caeser Sandwich, and it was to die for. It was a great dinning experience, and the atmosphere was amazing as well. Down to earth and homey. We will deffinitly be back! read more

Food was ok waitres spilled coke all over the couple we were with , then was laughing about it to another table. Could have given them a free meal to make up for it . service sucked read more

Stopped on the way to Branson for Breakfast. Food was OK nothing special. We were a party of 5 with child about 7 in the party. We paid $55.00 bill left tip on table. As we left the restaurant a short stocky older man followed us through the door and started asking our group why someone took a boy into the ladies room. I answered the child's mother took him with her to the restroom to help him wash his hands. He said the child peed on the floor his" help" told him. We were all startled. We ask the child if he had not had an accident in the bathroom and pee had gotten on the floor. He said no and didn't know if the floor was wet before he entered. The man followed us to our car reprimanding us. This was a crazy situation. I don't know what the purpose of this was for. There was no paper towels in the restroom had we needed to wipe up something. None of us knew anything about this until confronted by what I have to assume was the owner. This was the most unpleasant situation I have ever seen at a restaurant. None of us would ever return. read more

Disappointed with my visit. Have usually had good food in the past. Ordered a Taco salad off of the menu which states "White corn Tortilla chips with a bed of greens topped with taco meat lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes". What I got was a some kind of deep fried brown chips in a bowl of chili (complete with red beans) covered with some lettuce and some cheese. Didn't even see a hint of a tomatoe and I guess the "taco meat" was in the chili. It seems the standards have really dropped at the Collins location. I ordered unsweet iced tea with lemon for a drink and was informed that they don't use lemons anymore but I could have some packets of lemon juice! YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING!!!! The server said it takes about five packets to get any lemon flavor. It seems that the quality and service has dropped at the original Smiths restaurant location. So sad. I thought that the Smith family would have more pride in their business. I see this place folding up shop in the next year or two if they keep these standards. read more