Hemingways Blue Water Cafe

Located within the Jewel of the Ozarks, Bass Pro Shop is the ultimate destination for fishing, hunting, and outdoor sports—even offering boat and trailer combinations. Every time I'm in Springfield, I feel drawn to visit just to enjoy a Bloody Mary and admire the stunning 30,000-gallon saltwater aquarium. It's truly a sight to behold. The restaurant features a comfort food menu that has remained largely unchanged for the past 30 years, along with an impressive Sunday buffet for those who enjoy that option. The food is deliciously homey, and the service exceeds expectations; the bartender was as talkative as my husband, which made for a great connection. Service is both efficient and friendly. Parking can be a bit challenging due to its popularity, and reaching the restaurant involves navigating a small shopping maze that makes it hard to avoid browsing. Prices are reasonable, and they genuinely have something for everyone.

This restaurant has a pleasant interior, but unfortunately, the food falls short of expectations—at times, it's downright disappointing. It’s definitely not worth half of what you pay, let alone the full price of the menu items. The chowder is watery and lacks any real flavor. The bison sliders are just mediocre at best, and the bison meatloaf is completely forgettable—definitely not something you'd want to taste a second time. The halibut was overcooked, paired with a sauce that had an unusual flavor. As for the shrimp Alfredo, it's nothing special; it's particularly strange that a dish called Alfredo comes with a tomato-based sauce on top. I personally recommend skipping this place if you're in the mood for seafood. If you do decide to go, be prepared to be disappointed—and your wallet will take a hit.

We were thrilled to hear that Hemingway's at Bass Pro was bringing back their breakfast buffet. We learned about it while shopping there and, eager to share our enthusiasm, brought some family from out of town. We sat down at 9:10 AM, and the staff was attentive, providing good service in the usual pleasant ambiance. Unfortunately, the food was a significant letdown—truly disappointing and embarrassing. For $15.95, the offerings were lacking in flavor, appearance, and freshness. The biscuits were undercooked, the scrambled eggs were runny, the French toast was overcooked and dry, and the fruit was just mediocre. Hemingway's used to be an elegant spot with fantastic food; I doubt Johnny Morris would have eaten this. Skip this place—you’ll be better off elsewhere.

Elegant. Soothingly relaxing. Exceptional food. Many big cities lack a restaurant as fine as this one. Lucky Springfield.

So, we stopped in for a late lunch... Elk sliders are really good, and should have been my meal. Had dinner salads, with housemade croutons. Really tasty. Sunshine had the Bison burger, with BBQ sauce on the side. Cupcake had the Bison meatloaf. Good, but nothing special. Service was great. Once seated, promptly watered, drunker and app'd! Now waiting on a Key Lime to share. Ambiance is bustling but quiet; no overhead music. My $0.02¢