Burnt Ends BBQ, Lake Ozark Missouri

I had the opportunity to eat at Burnt Ends BBQ this past week (1263 Bagnall Dam Blvd, Lake Ozark Missouri).  I was in the area for work.  It was the second time I eaten there, the first time was a couple of months ago.  It is definitely a bar like atmosphere, with most of the seating  being the tall bar stools with backs.  I don’t like to eat on tall chairs, I always feel like I am slipping out of the chair.  The few regular chairs were at larger tables for larger groups.  It is a limited menu.  I looked at it relatively quickly, but it did not seem to have shredded pork.  It had did have brisket, and the burnt ends where a restaurant specialty (makes sense).  The brisket was excellent.  The sweet potato fries were good and the slaw was fresh.  Service was quick and pleasant.   The biggest disappointment was the BBQ sauce.  I do not not know if they had options, but the house sauce (served on the side) was KC style sweet.  I would have liked some options.

I was told that the smoker that the restaurant uses was the one used by Johnnies Smokehouse formerly of Rolla Missouri.  I do not know if that is the truth, but it made a nice story, and sent me looking for the restaurant.  I had eaten at Johnnies a number of years ago, and liked it.  My memory is that the meat was good, but the sauce was not all that great….it had a buffet arrangement that was relatively unusual.

There was a funny situation while I was at Burnt Ends.  There were a couple of guys trying to install a shade on a door.  They were having quite a time of it.  I did not understand why they were having problems, but they worked on it the whole time I was there.  It was hung when I arrived, and they were trying to adjust the length of the shade.  One of the few regular tables was in back near where they were working so I sat there.  There was considerable discussion and evident frustration.  One would work on it, get frustrated and go out for a cigarette, and then the other would work on it.   Minutes later the first man would come back and work on it some more.  I left and they were still working on it when I left….  

The old strip at the dam seems to be making a bit of a comeback.   There were a number of new businesses (mostly bars) and not many empty or vacant stores.  I have been to the lake a couple to three times a year for more than 40 years.  I have observed the transition of businesses over this span of years.  The strip seemed to be in a relatively slow but steady decline over this period.  I am happy to see that it has started to turn things around.