Baxter's Lakeside Grille

First visit and we will be going back. We went at an off time/off season (Friday afternoon in March) so it wasn't busy. The prices are a little higher but the portions and flavor made it well worth the price. The carmel gooey butter cake was to die for (it is normally served with cinnamon ice cream but we ordered that to the side and we liked it better without it)!!

The wife and I came here for our anniversary dinner. We were greated at the door by a very welcoming hostess. She even offered to take our picture by the Christmas tree and printed it off for our anniversary. Our server Zane was top notch in suggestions and service. I ordered the ribeye it was cooked to perfection, juicy, tender, seasoned well. The baked potato and green beans were amazing. The wife got the filet mignon which was so tender and melted in her mouth, the sweet potatoe fries were the best she has ever had. We also had calamari as a appetizer and the peppers were an awesome pair there were fried with it. Our waiter brought us out a free desert, carmel gooey buttercake, for our anniversary and it was also very good. Highly recommend this place over the other fancy options at the lake which we have tried. We will most definitely be back again.

I ordered some form of grilled chicken with a sauce that just wasn't very good to me honestly, and as they sort of combined everytjing on the plate, it largely made me not want any of it. The vegetable of the day was green beans, which I tried, and were okay - but the rest of the dish was largely made not super great from the sauce. The server was nice and the atmosphere was good - incredibly clean place with a nice view of the lake. Shame the food cost me 25 bucks plus a tip for something I really disliked though.

We’ve been coming here for years, but the quality has clearly gone downhill. Tonight was the final straw. I stopped in after the dinner rush and sat at the bar. The server was attentive and did their job well. I ordered a burger medium well—not a complicated request. The first burger came out medium rare. The server agreed and sent it back. A few minutes later, a second burger arrived. I cut into it, and it was rare—cold, raw ground beef mashed together. Two chances, same mistake, worse the second time. This isn’t a minor hiccup; it’s basic cooking and food safety. After years of coming here, this was enough to make me done.

Top Notch Restaurant, Food was perfect. The service was awesome. The Menu is bountiful, The Beer was beautiful and cocktails were spot on. The deserts were scrumptious. Wish I didn't live 894 miles away this place would be my go to place for the sweet life. Thanks again.

The food and service were outstanding. The deep fried scallops and stuffed lobster tail was so delicious. The gooey butter cake dessert is the best.

This has to be one of the top restaurants at the lake We love going before 4 and catch the lunch menu…great valve Never had anything bad in the 6 years we have lived here Deserts are always top shelf and big enough to bring some home The lake view here is really nice of the main channel Highly recommend AAAAA++++

Food was great. Service was wonderful. My wife had the French Dip, I had the Turkey Pannini, they were both great. To top our exceptional lunch we had the very best of desserts, The Gooey Bar topped with Cinnamon Ice Cream which was Exquisite.

Was really impressed with Baxter's! The service was spectacular and each of the four in my party enjoyed their meal a lot. This is the perfect spot for a nicer dinner with a beautiful lake view. Loved: my strip steak was really well-seasoned and cooked perfectly. Disliked: it's a busy place and even with a reservation we waited for 20 minutes after our reservation time despite being 10 minutes early (30 minutes wait total) and being told we'd be seated at the time of our reservation.

came here twice while visiting the ozarks. the first time we sat at the bar and had calamari and split the ribs. the calamari wasn't cooked long enough in the fryer and came out very oily and soggy. in hindsight we should have sent it back. we also asked for the ribs without sauce and they came smothered in it. but we waited over 40 minutes for them so sending them back didn't seem like an option. first visit 3.5/5 we came back a second time because the couple next to us had the kansas city strip the first time we came and raved about it. well they were right - it was a great steak for a fraction of the price of a steak anywhere else (being from chicago they can get crazy expensive for mediocrity). it was done perfectly and so tasty with the mashed potatoes. we also had the tilapia stuffed with crab. ended the night with raspberry sorbet. service and the view were also great! second visit 5/5 - they redeemed themselves to say the least.

Our vacation experience here was wonderful! We were celebrating my father-in-law's birthday at Lake of the Ozarks and this was a great evening found right here on Yelp. Three servings of twin lobster tails were all perfect. The fillet and scallops were divine. Each had it's own sauce that suited it perfectly. While the scallops weren't huge and you only get 2, the flavor and cook was outstanding. The filet was a perfect medium rare. My wife had a grilled pork that really competed with my steak for flavor and texture. My kids each got a shrimp coctail also, and not a bite was left. Service was super helpful with my disabled veteran father-in-law and constant smiles. It was a perfect leisurely meal, overlooking the gorgeous lake. Could bot ask for more.

Baxter's is one of my favorite restaurants. There is not a bad seat in the house, and the service is exceptional. Everyone is friendly and so accommodating. The servers go out of their way to make your dinner special. The view of the lake is amazing. The food is delicious.

Like so many have said, Great service, beautiful sunset patio amazing food. We had Salmon,sea bass and the ribs. Everyone was happy and lots to take home. Great stop on the way to check out colleges in Missouri.

Baxter's has gorgeous views of the lake. Overall food was very good. The Cesar salads were a bit of a miss but everyone else loved their ahi tuna, burgers and crab cakes. Price point is a little higher but it is a higher caliber meal and experience than some other places on the water. Service was kind and attentive. I recommend reservations!

The restaurant is in a good location, but parking can be tricky. Be sure to make a reservation. Our server was good. The food was ok. The bread is so yummy! Amazing views!!!!!

What a gem! Found their menu online and it closed the deal for us. They have a great selection to choose from. I had the filet and my wife had the salmon. Both were cooked to perfection. Both were very flavorful. The smashed potatoes and asparagus spears were just as special and flavorful as the main dish. Wine selection was great and the view from the dining room was spectacular. They obviously are quality and customer focused paying attention to every detail to make the experience extra memorable. The pricing was very reasonable even in these high cost days. This restaurant is a must stop. We will be back. Fantastic meal.

Service was amazing from the start to the finish of this spectacular meal. Mother and father ordered the grilled tuna, super rare which was totally gross but hey sometimes the 'rents are gross, what can I say. They did like the food. My mom wouldn't let my finish his because he's fat and sometimes when he finishes he kicks the plate which embarrasses my mom. Oh by the way my mom is my super hero. She does everything for me and our family. Dad's funny but kind of a deadbeat when it comes to parenting but oh well that's the luck of the draw. Thank goodness for mom or my life would suck. Got go for now. Thanks for reading.

We had an awesome date night at Baxter's! We experienced a wonderful view of the Lake and excellent service with our waitress Britney! The food was AMAZING! We have no complaints! This restaurant is handicap compliant, I was able to use the wheelchair lift...the hostess noticed even before us asking that it was a need, and met us outside to operate it! All staff from the beginning to end were attentive and welcoming!

We popped in for a late Saturday afternoon lunch with my wife, and we had such a lovely time! Our waitress Elly was absolutely fantastic, and the food was delicious. Plus, the views were simply amazing!

GO! When in town I hit the lunch time menu. No crowds and sit in the bar. Fresh fish sandwich is fabulous! (not on the dinner menu).

I have never posted a negative review of anyone or anything and let me begin by saying the food was delicious and server Kevin wonderful. Absolutely no complaints on either. But I am disgusted by the treatment of the older male hostess (perhaps owner?) that greeted my 11 year old grandson and me - a 65 year old grandmother. Upon entering we were told the wait would be 50-55 minutes - we expected a wait as did not have a reservation -- but were told they had a couple of booths (without a view) reserved for families and could get us seated fairly quickly - the hostess went on about the quicker seating -- clearly steering us to not wait for a better table. Further we were told we would not be allowed to wait in the bar with my 11 g-son if we chose to wait for a better table -- (I question that statement since we were at a restaurant that serves food but I will research it). Literally on our heels -- as we had just sat down in the foyer to wait for a 'family booth' -- and less than 5 seconds later -- a couple came in and were told their wait would be 25 to 30 minutes (not 50 to 55 minutes as we were told only seconds before). I am certain the 'hostess' wanted to reserve the lake views and better seating for what he believed were better paying customers - perhaps with larger $$ orders, more particular, demanding or 'deserving' than a 65 year old grandmother and her 11 year old grandson. Let me assure you Baxters -- 65 year old grandmothers order well - have financial means - and are glad pay for a good meal, view and allow our grandchildren to order well also. We are also generous tippers when service is good. Our bill for 2 was $100 -- and I was glad to give our server a $25 tip in cash -- but I was completely disgusted at what felt like discriminatory treatment by an elderly dismissive man at the hostess desk. Shameful.

We went here on a Wednesday night and they were super busy. The happy hour was 3-6:00 and many good options, food & drinks. We got a martinis, expresso and dirty with blue cheese olives, both perfect. My only issue was trying to get another drink at the bar, server kept his head down and I can't say he was super attentive. We are good tippers so would have appreciated one more drink before we were seated at our dinner table. We got an awesome window table and loved the view, they have blinds to help with the sun but one of the best views at the LOTO. My husband got the halibut special and it was served on risotto, very good and he ate it all. I got the 6oz filet with a loaded baked potato. We loved both of our dinners and also got a bday dessert (on the house) for my husband's birthday so very thoughtful. They also take a photo and give it to you, nice touch. We will definitely be back and recommend this place to anyone at the lake if

Food was delicious and the view was spectacular! Service was great as well, will be back.

The sea bass with potatoes was really good. My husband enjoyed his burger and my daughter really liked her steak. The service was great and the view was so beautiful.

Food is amazing and service was outstanding. Tru the butter cake! Will definitely come back.

No exaggeration the table that we got sat next to got up and left about two minutes after we sat down because of poor service. served drinks on table, no food. Really doesn't matter what happened or why we left, all that matters is that when I left I expressed my frustration with who I perceived to be in charge of the front and she heard me out for about 20 seconds and the first words out of her mouth verbatim were, "well, that's your perception of what happened", and proceeded to be combative and start to tell me why I was wrong so I about faced and walked out. We spend 10's of thousands of dollars a year on entertaining and holiday parties because of the business we're in and this was Baxters shot at earning my business and they fell flat

BEST happy hour at the LOO INCREDIBLE FOOD Best scenery and Best service. My personal favorite!!!

Baxter's is a full five-star restaurant! My husband and I consider ourselves foodies, and prioritize atmosphere, food quality, and attentive staff. Whenever we search for a restaurant, we read and READ Yelp reviews to ensure we find the best. Our last dinner in the Ozarks was at Baxter's, and it was phenomenal. The staff was incredibly friendly--from the hosts and bartender to our waitress. Our window seat offered the best view of the sunset over the lake, and our meal was fresh and delicious. We had the filet with raw horseradish, mashed sweet potatoes (that tasted like Thanksgiving), and asparagus. We also tried the Cajun shrimp pasta, inspired by the tempting dish at the next table, and it was fantastic. Baxter's has earned a spot in our Top 10 favorite restaurants across the US.

A good experience. Wait and bar staff is friendly. Great views. Chilean Sea Bass is a winner. So was the filet mignon. Calamari was greasy and lots of small bits....avoid it. A bit pricey so more of an occasional visit place, imo. Give it a try.

I went for lunch with my family after the Missouri All State Band concert. We didn't have a reservation but we called ahead and they had a table for seven ready when we got there. The view over the lake was beautiful. Everyone found something to enjoy on the menu. My niece liked the ice cream that came with the kids meal. I enjoyed the walnuts and Gorgonzola on Tim's salad. The service was friendly and attentive. Our waiter even brought us extra bread that was fluffy and tasty.

We always have a wonderful meal here every time we visit whether for lunch or dinner. The food is consisitently fantastic! The wait staff is always so kind and attentive and the manager always goes above and beyond to make you feel special and like family. We can't say enough good things about them and they are our family favorite at the lake.

Beautiful spot, ask for a window seat, the views of the lake are great! We had a big group and everyone loved their food! Salmon was delicious and great drink menu as well. Service was wonderful, no complaints.

Great food, great service. Our new favorite place at the lake! Best Bleu cheese dressing also!

Food, service and ambiance is too notch. We have been there numerous times and will continue to support Baxters

One of our last evenings of our week's stay in our time share, we treated our selves with eating here. We made reservations and were seated immediately. We had cocktails and crab cakes. Crab cakes weren't really anything special. We both got filets, I got the wasabi mashed potatoes and he got a loaded baked potato. We decided to share an add on lobster tail. Our filets were cooked to our liking and were very tender. I didn't care for the sauce it sat in. The wasabi mashed potato were sooo good! Slight bite with the wasabi and a creamy texture. We splurged on chocolate cheesecake for dessert...so silky, chocolatey!

My husband and I came to Baxter's for the second time. They didn't fail us. The food was excellent. Our steak was cooked just perfect. The burger was so tasty and juicy. Our server was so nice. She checked on us several times. We really enjoyed our dinner. It was a nice place to eat, relax, and enjoy the lake view. For sure we will come again on our next trip to the lake.

Delicious food and GREAT drinks and service ! We got to watch the sunset on the lake, We will definitely be going back !

Dinner was absolutely delicious, our server Sarah C was also very good. I did ask for a little larger table and was accommodated. The 2 seater at the window just seemed small. Thank you for giving us a better table.

Baxter's is awesome, I totally love this place... especially because of the amazing food and excellent service staff. Additionally, I'm vegetarian and this may be the only restaurant at LOZ that offers a unique vegetarian menu. Specifically, there is a mushroom based Philly Cheesesteak sandwich that is absolutely delicious, in addition to many other items. The service staff are very friendly and the service is always top notch. The restaurant overlooks the lake (a gorgeous view) and the interior is beautifully maintained. This is another must stop for me when I'm in the area.

Went there for an anniversary dinner and it didn't disappoint. Our server Brittany P. Was amazing. Will definitely be back

I was visiting a friend at Osage Beach helping her inventory her vacation rental. We went out for dinner and shared these appetizers. I would highly recommend going to Baxter's if you're in the area

We ate there Saturday the 17th.Our meal was awesome. I had the Caribbean Jerk Chicken, which melted in your mouth. The chicken was so tender and moist ,not dry. I saved room for the Chocolate torte, it was the way to finish off a wonderful meal. I have to eat gluten free all the time. it was so nice to have so many selections. I very rarely get that many choices. Plus dessert ! I can't wait to go back there again. Wish I knew how they kept the chicken so tender and juicy! We had a great waitress too! Couldn't have had a better experience.

Nice place for a meal at the lake. Beautiful view out, really attentive service, menu with a bit of everything. We were there for a busy late Saturday lunch so grabbed a burger and a soup salad combo. Very happy with the soup & salad combo, as you could select any of the salads, protein included. I got the seared tuna salad and clam chowder and both were really good. Fries were lightly battered and crisp, and burger must've been good because I didn't get a bite.

Servers were rude & not welcoming. It was like we were doing them a favor or we were a pain for them to serve us. There was no one else in the restaurant side. Would never go back!

It was my favorite place to eat but the past 2-3 times it went down hill. My seabass was actually burnt! The bacon jam was literally onion with a couple small pieces of bacon (the size of bacon bits, it was not a jam or saucy). My mother's steak was inedible, I spit mine the part she gave me in a napkin. They ruined my 40th bday, and my dad's 70th bday in 2023. My dirty martini was good and so was the mushroom carpaccio. I deleted the photos off my phone. I do have the nice complimentary photos they took for us. Beautiful view of the lake.

Large restaurant with large dining room and nice large bar. We were seeking outside dining with a view of the Lake & were not disappointed. They have a small outdoor patio that was perfect for our business dinner for four, at sunset. Ample menu options & fabulous sunset view. Affordable & decent private label Baxter's wines for $6/ glass were a nice surprise! Enjoyed a cup of beer cheese soup before seared ahi tuna salad; both were great. Friendly helpful accommodating service. (They should consider some soft outdoor patio lighting or table candles; it was pitch dark by the time we signed our checks by glow of our cell phones & departed. Someone could trip & fall!) I'll return to this spot and have already recommended it to others.

Great food! Server was very attentive! If you are a people watcher, this is your place! Even had desert! Was lovely!

We wanted a restaurant on the water with a good sunset view. We picked the right place! We started with the crab cakes and they were delicious!!! I had the sirloin and it was great! Cooked perfectly. Husband had the Cajun shrimp pasta and he loved it although it did need some added salt and red pepper flakes. For dessert we had the caramel butter cake. It was very yummy but it was very sweet. The ice cream was a cinnamon ice cream which wasn't very good. It would be so much better with vanilla.

Baxters is a tried and true spot for steaks and other American fare. I enjoy going every time we're at the lake. Highly recommend. Don't miss the Friday happy hour for drinks.

We ate here on Mother's Day, just by chance. Luckily we were able to snag an early reservation at 5. Our server was very nice and friendly. Not super attentive but we were able to flag him down when we needed him do it was ok. They have Great Lake views down the main channel. They also have a few high backed booths that block that view but our view was nice. I had the ribeye. I enjoyed it very much as well as the baked potato and green beans. My wife had the salmon and didn't really care for the dill sauce. We had their butter cake for dessert. My is it rich. They put a layer of frosting on it as thick as the cake. We couldn't finish it, but my wife enjoyed the leftover the next day. They also gave her a nice box of chocolate which was very nice. I wouldn't definitely recommend.

Great service, the appetizers and the food were very tasty. Of course the beautiful views are always enjoyed at any time of the year.

COVID UPDATE: Reading previous reviews about how this place is doing social distancing, masks, and staying clean I am a bit thrown off. I went to Baxters 2 days ago and the place was packed packed, only one worker was wearing a mask, and the front entrance was crowded so we decided to wait outside. The servers don't wear masks well no one does. ( Except 1 worker) If you are new and coming in then just know this so you don't get shocked. Like even elderly people weren't wearing masks. The restaurant it self just gives you a COVID free vibe. Also if you don't care about how a restaurant is handeling COVID then just skip to the food part. FOOD: By far the best stake of my life! Everything was delicious !!! The shrimp cocktail was just wow biggest shrimp I've ever seen in my life. They also bring a basket with bread and even that was delicious. The bread was so warm and soft. The salad was good as well. I had a César salad the only difference was that they seem to put a lot more parmesan cheese which I don't mind. I ordered a Filet mignon with their famous blue cheese, bacon, potatoes. That was something I've never had and I'm obsessed now. The stake was so soft and perfectly cooked. My bf had a stake as well with 2 scallops and the scallops were perfectly cooked! Our whole meal was delicious! SERVICE: We had a reservation for 8:15pm and we had our entree until 9:30pm. That was a long wait and definitely not what I was expecting for having a reservation. That would have to be the down fall of the experience here. Then again it could be related to the fact that the restaurant was at full capacity. 5 stars on the food 4 stars on service (1 staff wearing a mask) I don't even know how to rate that.

The fresh catch of the day was honestly to die for. Definitely get a reservation or it will suck. Had to ask for extra dressing on the salad because it was so dry. Service is decent but the restaurant was packed on a Friday night. The view is beautiful and I would overall recommend

If I could give zero stars, I would. We arrived at 4:00 pm on a Thursday in October for Happy Hour. We were told they will only seat tables of 4 on the patio. Our group was 6. We could sit at the bar inside. We proceeded to request a table for 2 and a table for 4, since 2 in our party were leaving within half hour. We were told, "No". The patio was completely empty. The manager was very rude to my 82 year old father. We said we will take our business elsewhere and they didn't care. We had a lovely time at Shawnee Bluff Winery followed by dinner at JJ Twiggs. We will never patronize Baxter's ever again.

Lakeside dining. The bar area and restaurant both had great views of the lake. We came on a weekday evening. They do accept reservations! Menu was decent size. Customer service was friendly. They have booths and tables. Restrooms were clean. Our food was good! We would try this place again. We had the spinach dip, chicken Caesar salad & the sea bass. Everything came out hot & in timely manner. They have a great wine list & a great selection of drinks.

Fantastic in every way. Great menu options. Food quality was excellent. I had the Cajun pasta and the portion was large, seasoned perfectly, and was delicious. Beautiful view of the lake. Extremely attentive service.

Very yummy dinner with a great view. Loved my espresso martini as well. Great for family dinner or special occasion.