Nightlife at Lake of the Ozarks

After a long day on the water, a night on the town keeps the good times going at Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks. Lake-style nightlife includes sports bars, tiki bars, mellow lounges and lively dance clubs—plus romantic moonlight cruises, a comedy club and a family-friendly opry show. And there’s music year-round – including live country, blues, jazz and rock-and-roll bands plus karaoke. As a result, on just about any night, visitors to the Lake of the Ozarks will find a fun and diverse nightlife scene.

In the peak summer season, dozens of nightclubs attract a lively crowd. One of the largest and most popular is the Horny Toad at Toad Cove, opened in 1998. There’s a lot going on here: Originally a small Lakeside restaurant, the 30,000-square-foot waterfront entertainment complex today features the Horny Toad restaurant, Jeremiah's nightclub, Frisky Frog sports bar, plus a bandstand, arcade, mini-mart, gas dock, and boutique. Last year, a luxury resort and yacht club were added to the property. Horny-Toad-owned Peckers Dueling Piano Bar, located nearby, is another popular nightspot.

Jeremiah’s Nightclub at The Horny Toad attracts a younger crowd, age 21 to 35, says Ashton Leslie, marketing manager. “It’s the largest nightclub at the Lake,” she says. “We bring in the most popular DJs from Kansas City and St. Louis and have different specials every night.” Another real crowd-pleaser at Jeremiah’s is the huge outdoor video wall. “It’s so big you can watch it from the water,” Leslie says. “We broadcast sports and people dancing inside the nightclub, plus live feeds during our concerts.”

Those concerts include a summer outdoors series featuring regional and nationally known groups. This year's lineup includes April Wine and Pat Travers, the Little River Band, Bret Michaels, Billy Squier, Shooting Star, Head East, Rick Derringer, and Lynyrd Skynyrd and Beatles tribute bands. “Literally, you can enjoy an entire day of events at the Horny Toad, from breakfast until 1:30 in the morning,” Leslie says.

Another well-known Lake nightspot that has changed dramatically over time is The Clown, originally a floating restaurant opened in 1960. Today, like the Horny Toad, it has transformed itself into an entertainment complex with six bars featuring The Clown, Poop Deck, Tiki Bar and Topsider Night Club, a high energy, top-40 dance club with a DJ nightly. The Topsider is well known for its light and video shows on weekends. “It's an extensive high-tech light system that's mounted on a moving truss that goes up and down and tilts, and it's programmed along with the music. We create a two-to-three minute show, using a scene from a movie like ‘Batman' or ‘Star Wars' that has big crescendos to showcase our lights,” says owner Kym Ebling. “You just have to see it for yourself.”

Other notable nightspots at the Lake of the Ozarks include Risky’s Nightclub, featuring a poker tournament on Tuesdays and live music on Thursdays; Pickled Pete's, with karaoke on Saturdays; Shady Gator's Bar & Grill, offering live music at the Lake's only triple-decker Tiki Bar plus the unique Friday Night Foam Party; Camp Bagnell, presenting live country, rock oldies and karaoke on weekends; Dog Days Bar & Grill, home of “The Barefoot Entertainer” Dale Blue and national touring acts; the Halfway Inn, with karaoke on Saturdays; Shooters 21, featuring a dockside sports bar; Shorty Pants Lounge, the “Luxury Laid-Back Lake Experience;” Backwater Jack’s, “a taste of Florida at the Lake,” featuring Reggae Sundays; Captain Ron’s, offering weekly Beach Parties and Beach Volleyball, Martinis and Jazz Night and live entertainment; and Bambooze Bar & Grill, with an outdoor stage and tiki bar. And there are many more popular bars, lounges, dance clubs and hot spots throughout the Lake area.

In addition to hard rock and foot-stomping country, the late-night Lake also offers blues and jazz. The Lake of the Ozarks Blues Society presents open jam sessions on the second Tuesday of the month at member clubs around the area, and the Ozark Jazz Society also sponsors monthly events featuring Dixieland, ragtime and big band swing music. At the Country Club Hotel, D’Vaughn Pershing performs on weekends. This versatile pianist has played and conducted for Andy Willams at the Moon River Theatre in Branson, as well as for the original cast recording of the “Rocky Horror Show” plus numerous television shows and symphony orchestras.

Another entertaining way to fill an evening at the Lake is to enjoy a moonlight excursion. The 80-foot, 150-passenger Celebration is the Lake's largest and most luxurious climate-controlled motor yacht. It offers dinner cruises on Saturdays, and dinner and live music on Tuesdays. The Tom Sawyer is a replica of a 19th-century paddlewheeler, featuring sunset dinner cruises.

A favorite for family entertainment at the Lake is the Main Street Music Hall in The Landing on Main Street. Now in its 15th season, Main Street offers an updated, contemporary take on the traditional country opry show. At Main Street, audiences enjoy music that ranges from new and old country to rock and roll to gospel, with patriotic tunes and knee-slapping comedy also in the mix.

And speaking of comedy, up-and-comers and well known comedians on nationwide tours stop by the Blue Room at the City Grill every Wednesday night where the cover charge is just $8 if you dine at the City Grill the night of the show, or $10 at the door. The rest of the week, there's a deejay and dancing. “All the great dancers come here,” says Kenny Homm, whose family owns this well known spot. “You can have a fabulous time just watching them.” The on-site sports bar features 33 TVs and the restaurant offers casual fine dining.

When the karaoke machines are turned off and tiki torch flames die down, visitors head back to their condos, resorts, motels, B&Bs or campgrounds to get ready for another fun day on the Lake – followed by another fantastic night on the town. For more information about the Lake of the Ozarks' nightlife scene, plus lodging, dining, attractions, shopping and events, call 800-FUN-LAKE or visit the Lake of the Ozarks Convention & Visitor Bureau's web site at www.funlake.com.