City: Branson, MO

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (417) 334-3490

Address: 108 South Commercial St.

Description: The Shack is the oldest cafe in town. Though it moved years ago from a shack across the street (now part of a bank’s parking lot) to bigger and better quarters, the food is still the same good homemade comfort cookin’. Your friendly waitress takes your order and puts it on the cook’s spin wheel. The cook takes the requests in order. Dishes come out, usually with an accompanying bellow from the cook in “restauranteeze,” and the waitress delivers your meat loaf or fried chicken with a smile and a “Here you are, honey.” You can have a ringside seat for this Branson show at the counter in the back, where locals gather for coffee and conversation or to read the newspaper. More deals have been struck in the Shack than on all the golf courses and in all the real-estate offices in town. The Shack offers breakfast, lunch (with daily specials), and dinner (the pan-fried chicken is our favorite). For dessert try the gooseberry cobbler or the raisin cream pie. No credit cards.