In addition to the several wonderful live Christmas shows I saw in Branson, MO; we also had the pleasure of sharing meals together as a group at several delicious restaurants in Branson and also visited the Branson IMAX Entertainment Complex.
I was invited by Stone Castle Hotel and Conference Center as part of a media FAM to explore Branson, Missouri. All opinions are 100% my own.
During the trip we visited the Branson IMAX Entertainment Complex, Montana Mike’s Steak House, and McFarlain’s Family Restaurant. All three of these destinations are owned by the Bluto family. When we were having lunch on Sunday, Tom, the Sales Manager, told us that he was heading over to their house for Mr. Bluto’s 90th birthday party.
Montana Mike’s Steak House
Montana Mike’s Steak House was our first restaurant during our visit to Branson. We were greeted by Tom who shared with us the story of Montana Mike’s and the other businesses that are partnered with Montana Mike’s which is the Branson IMAX Entertainment Complex and McFarlain’s Family Restaurant. He also explained that 90% of the people are on vacation when they are in Branson and they want a great experience. So it is his goal and the goal of all of the businesses in Branson to give their guests that great experience.
It has a very welcoming rustic theme with the stuffed bears, deer heads, antlers, beautiful paintings of the mountains, and beautiful rustic sliding barn doors. It’s a great choice for a family restaurant.
We chose from a preset menu which is meant to accommodate for larger groups of people but with a great selection of choices. As we waited for our meal together we were served amazing onion rings, and a few of us tried a delicious Bloody Mary. You can view the entire menu here.
Our options were:
- Soup and a baked potato – creamy broccoli soup with a baked potato with sour cream and butter
- Hamburger basket – 1/4 pound of Mike’s freshly ground sirloin on a homemade bun, with lettuce, tomato and onion, served with fries.
Montana Mike’s is also a popular stop for motorcoach groups. They have a large dining area which would fit a group from the motorcoach. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the food; but most of all I enjoyed the company.
Branson IMAX Entertainment Complex
Branson’s MAX Entertainment Complex is just like it says, a complex of great shops, restuarants and theaters. They have:
- A Little Opry theatre where they perform live shows. Check the schedule here.
- 3 Hollywood Cinemas
- Center IMax movie theater which is the largest in the midwest with the newest technology, 550 seats, 2 rows of VIP seating and the screen is 3D capable with a laser projector.
We watched the movie Rocky Mountain Express in the incredible IMAX theater about trains. As soon as I heard that I was so excited. I LOVE trains, especially the large steam engine trains. And to see it all on a big Imax screen was going to be great with the surround sound and the large screen. During the movie I kept thinking about how much my son would enjoy the movie.
What’s great about the Branson IMAX Entertainment Complex is that you can purchase the movies that are played on the big screens. All you need to do is walk out to the lobby and visit the stores!
McFarlain’s Family Restaurant
After the movie we had time to shop the 17 shops in the Entertainment Complex and then had lunch at McFarlain’s. When we arrived Angie had insisted that I sit with several of the “new” bloggers who were attending the trip this winter. I didn’t think anything of it and loved the idea so I could get to know them better!
We had a preset menu like we had at Montana Mike’s to accommodate a larger group and to serve us our meals quickly to allow us to move on to our next adventure. I like that option with the restaurants. It eliminates a lot of time going through the menu undecided on what you want to have. You can view the entire menu here.
Fried Green Tomatos
While waiting for our food I had the chance to try something I never had before – Fried Green Tomatoes! I always heard of them and even thought of making them at home because I always have a lot of green tomatoes at the end of the summer. They were good. Not overpowering or sour, like I thought they may taste. I will definitely try to make them at home next summer.
They also served us delicious sweet potato fries. With the tomatoes and the fries they had special sauces. The tomatoes had a ranch sauce and the fries had a special pineapple and jalopeno sauce. You could not tast the jalepeno and it was very delicious! I’d also like to try to make this.
I ordered the turkey sandwich and vegetable soup for my lunch. I wanted to have something warm yet light for lunch and it was very good. About halfway through our meal, Regina asked if we noticed that the table seemed to be a litlte higher. I hadn’t really noticed, but I am short. However, it was easier for me to spoon my soup right into my mouth! Then there was a lot of laughing and pointing going on from the other tables. We had gone through an initiation with the Branson Bloggers!
Have Some Fun At Other’s Expense at McFarlain’s!
McFarlains has a trick table. There are several tables throughout the restaurant that “rise” very slowly. It’s actually an attraction of this restaurant. People request the rising tables for their unsuspecting guests It’s hilarious. The only way to get it back down is to stand up and sing a song so everyone in the restaurant looks at you! I love some good old fashion fun. Thanks everyone!
You can enjoy the video our tricksters made of us having to “perform” for everyone. Thank you Becky Fixel for this video.
After lunch we had a few minutes to shop before our next stop so I did a little more Christmas shopping for my family.
If you are looking for fun places to eat in Branson, I highly recommend Montana Mike’s and McFarlain’s. I loved walking around both locations to check out the decor.
Which restaurant would you like to eat at? How would you feel if you ended up at the trick table?! Help me spread the word about Branson’s great restaurants and the Branson IMAX Entertainment Complex!
[bctt tweet=”Want to see how to have fun at your friend’s expense? Visit McFarlain’s in Branson’s IMAX Entertainment Complex and ask for a rising table! Check out the video in the blog post!” username=”wifemotherrunr”]