Lambert's Cafe, repost of Springfield, Mo

[tomatoaday]

Repost of topic with specific question for this place. Other recommendations in the Springfield area also wanted!

We will be driving from KCI to Memphis and will be staying in Springfield for the night. I have done some searches and am coming up on the lean side for recomendations. I think an old Road Food favorite pick, Lamberts Cafe, Home of the Throwed Rolls, is within reach (Ozark, Mo. location.) When I looked at their web site, I saw they have 3 locations and welcome tour busses. Can that be good for a Chowhound looking for solid regional fare? Opinions on that, and recommendations for alternates gratefully appreciated. We are concentrating on BBQ in Memphis, then on for dogs and Italian beef in Chicago, and a myriad of favorites in KC later in the trip so favs other than BBQ would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Jaymes]

Lambert's can be fun, and some of the food is really good. I usually get the ham slice, which is hard to mess up, and very tasty. They come around with various sides, and I love the mac & tomatoes. If you're traveling with kids, they'll get a kick out of Lambert's.

Avoid Mexican Villa at all costs. They're everywhere and all the locals want to take you to one. The problem is that (as the Mexican Villa's ads tell you) that's the "food they grew up on," so they have no idea how truly awful it is. If you know anything about Mexican food, or have ever lived anywhere like Texas or Arizona or New Mexico or Southern California or Colorado or Mexico or anywhere else in "Mexican food territory," you'll find it damn near inedible.

Cielito Lindo is pretty good for a large restaurant-style Mexican. But for really good Mexican, there are two "holes-in-the-wall" - Tamale King and Tortillaria Perches.

Boxcar BBQ on North Grant is also good.

[stellamystar]

Lamberts - tasty chicken & dumplings, rolls, fried okra, and I do like their fried potatoes. The rolls are darn tasty. it's a quirky place and you should check it out!
Also for Springfield, you can follow a chow thread about "springfield chicken" - essentially, cashew chicken - in that area.

[tiomano]

Lambert's is more of a tourist destination that serves food than a food destination that happens to throw some rolls. The rolls are pretty good, better than the food.

[tomatoaday]

Any recommendations in Springfield? We are travelling so huge portions are not needed, care much more for excellent execution and quality. Anything besides Indian, neither of us are big fans ~ thanks!

[lrstl]

Nearly Famous Deli is good. http://www.nearlyfamous.net/

[tomatoaday]

Thanks for the tip ~ do you like the pastas? Or do you prefer the deli sandwiches? Their Famous salad looks very close to a recipe I got from my mother in Kansas City from an old restaurants called (I think) Rich & Marty's. I'll have to give it a try!

[lrstl]

We moved away 4 years ago but used to go there often. I nearly always chose a lunch special. Sometimes pasta, sometimes sandwiches, sometimes quiche.

The menu is quite extensive so I rarely had to get something twice and I dont' recall ever being disappointed in my selection.

[mutti]

Everybody keeps recommending the famous Deli,so we finally went there 3 weeks ago ,and found it very very disappointing,I had the corn beef sandwich,my friend had the club sand, her's was served on a sweet wheat bread,and she did ask for wheat but not sweet,I could hardly find my corn beef, I even asked my wait staff if the corn beef was done on the premises from scratch and was told yes it was, NOT SO,I could have bought that at the store, believe me folks this is not Katz's or the famous Rascal house Deli,you can get a better sandwich at Jimmy Johns.Don't know about the pasta.But as far as we are concerned this place is a big thumb down,overated and too high.

[mutti]

I would however recommend BEN"S Carriage House Family Restaurant which is on Glenstone and Sunshine it's in the Lamplighter Inn Motel have been many many times and was never disappointed, menu has everything from hamburgers to pancakes and waffles to Gyros also have lunch or dinner plates, breakfast I think they serve at all times.1772 South Glenstone.417-823-9904. give it a try sometimes they have a special where they only charge half price for the second meal.good luck

[mister]

The best thing one can say about Lamberts is that it's inexpensive and the portions are huge. The quality, however, is very marginal and much of the food has little flavor and tastes like it came out of a can or freezer. You know you're in trouble when the chicken fried "steak" is really breaded and deep fried hambuger. I'd be far happier with smaller portions of higher quality food. I did like the rolls, though.

[tomatoaday]

Thanks for the replies, sounds like it is worth a stop. Thanks for the tip on sharing as well. Since I catch like a girl, I'm hoping you don't get rolls thrown at you unless you raise your hand!

[nosh]

We stopped at the Lamberts about 45 minutes outside of Branson on our drive from St. Louis and were very glad we did. They certainly know how to move people in and out -- we were seated in about half of the wait time that was estimated, and we had a big table. The rolls are delicious, soft warm and sweet, and yes they do hurl them across the room. They also passed big dishes of a couple of other sides family style so anybody could partake, I seem to remember some German fried potatoes and some okra. Entree portions are enormous, so share or expect to take some home -- we liked the chicken fried steak and the fried chicken livers the best. Prices very reasonable for hearty, basic food.

[mattyboy]

Lamberts is a little campy , but the food is great Country cooking. Be prepared to eat!

[FriendOfTheDevil]

I believe it is yes. I live in St. Louis and have gone there several times when passing through and even driven down to the Sikeston one once or twice when I was jonesin....

It is no culinary revelation but very solid good food and unique.

FOTD