Follow up on Branson dining

[Tripod1]

Valentine night the wife and I had dinner at Florentino"s as suggested by some in my original thread.  The whole experience was ok.  Not a bad meal but certainly not a place I would say was a "must try".  Crowded as one would expect and lacking in atmosphere.  Overall, good meal just not a knock your socks off kind of place.
Saturday for lunch we went to Danna's as suggested by some.  Very good food and huge portions.  Would recommend that place and if in Branson we will go there again.  Saturday night was our big surprise.  We stayed in a house in Hollister in a neighborhood I can best pinpoint as between College of the Ozarks and highway 165 leading to the dam.  Right in the middle of a residential area is this little place called Mr. Gilberti's.  We decided we did not want to go back into Branson and had noticed lots of cars there so decided to give it a try.  I was very surprised.  Chicago style pizza was wonderful and my wife's Italian plate was fantastic as well.  Great little atmosphere and just good food.  Everything home made.  Anybody here ever been to this place? 
Branson as a whole was a disappointment.  I realize it is the off season and many places closed but I was surprised at how many businesses were for sale and vacant.  Been many years since we have been to Branson and I suppose the economy has even caught up with them.  I don't see us going back any time soon.  Thanks for the suggestions and if you are up that way I do recommend Mr. Gilberti's in Hollister.

[HognotinMemphis]

Valentine night the wife and I had dinner at Florentino"s as suggested by some in my original thread.  The whole experience was ok.  Not a bad meal but certainly not a place I would say was a "must try".  Crowded as one would expect and lacking in atmosphere.  Overall, good meal just not a knock your socks off kind of place.
Saturday for lunch we went to Danna's as suggested by some.  Very good food and huge portions.  Would recommend that place and if in Branson we will go there again.  Saturday night was our big surprise.  We stayed in a house in Hollister in a neighborhood I can best pinpoint as between College of the Ozarks and highway 165 leading to the dam.  Right in the middle of a residential area is this little place called Mr. Gilberti's.  We decided we did not want to go back into Branson and had noticed lots of cars there so decided to give it a try.  I was very surprised.  Chicago style pizza was wonderful and my wife's Italian plate was fantastic as well.  Great little atmosphere and just good food.  Everything home made.  Anybody here ever been to this place? 
Branson as a whole was a disappointment.  I realize it is the off season and many places closed but I was surprised at how many businesses were for sale and vacant.  Been many years since we have been to Branson and I suppose the economy has even caught up with them.  I don't see us going back any time soon.  Thanks for the suggestions and if you are up that way I do recommend Mr. Gilberti's in Hollister.

I did not notice anything as you describe in the downtown area when we visited there in Oct. We were never on the other side of the interstate with all of theatres. It looked pretty thriving where we were. On the other hand, it is only a town of 5,000. What do you expect, especially in the off-season? Not exactly a place I would think of going to in mid-Feb.

[Tripod1]

Actually the population sign says 10,500+ and you are correct about the landing area.  It is thriving no doubt.  Along 76 strip is where we saw a lot of for sale signs in business windows and of course the Red Roof Outlet is closed completely.  I also understand about the dead of winter and it being the off season.  We knew lots of places would be closed for the winter so no big deal there.  As far as the downtown landing area it was full of people walking and shopping so I guess that area has sucked the life out of some of the businesses along 76 strip.

[HognotinMemphis]

Actually the population sign says 10,500+ and you are correct about the landing area.  It is thriving no doubt.  Along 76 strip is where we saw a lot of for sale signs in business windows and of course the Red Roof Outlet is closed completely.  I also understand about the dead of winter and it being the off season.  We knew lots of places would be closed for the winter so no big deal there.  As far as the downtown landing area it was full of people walking and shopping so I guess that area has sucked the life out of some of the businesses along 76 strip.

Probably just as well. The strip is not as enticing as it was 10 or more years ago. I guess the town has grown. I thought its real population was still around 5,000.

[Uncle_dad]

Gilberti's is basically the same as Mr. G's that I have recommended in other threads. The menu is almost identical, as is the notoriously slow service. Gilberti was the original owner of Mr. G's, which is in the basement of the Edward Jones building downtown. Gilberti relocated to the gulf coast about 20 years ago and sold the business to some local people. After losing his business in Katrina, he returned to Branson and opened up Gilberti's. The main differences are in the atmosphere. G's has a full bar and you always see the same people sitting at it. Some of them are a bit unusual. The owner waits tables at G's and is rude, but in a funny way. Drink refills are few and far between, unless you are ordering alcohol. Wine is the only alcohol you will find at Gilberti's. Although they are slow, they aren't rude about it. They also flaunt their connection with local Christian artist Dino and the infamous Jim Bakker. Gilberti's is also far from the beaten path, but convenient for people at Big Cedar.

While I enjoy both, I give a slight nod to Mr. G's. There is a certain charm to it, and there is something surreal about it at the same time.

[Old Tusk]

Branson has not recovered from the crash. Friends who live there tell me that the only keeping is the timeshare industry. The only place we eat in Branson is the mex place in the landing.

[HognotinMemphis]

Branson has not recovered from the crash. Friends who live there tell me that the only keeping is the timeshare industry. The only place we eat in Branson is the mex place in the landing.

You can eat at same place in LR...lot closer to you. No need to go to Branson for that.

[Old Tusk]

If Big Cedar was in LR, then I would have a reason to go to LR.

[john c]

Lots of us eat at Rocky's Italian in an old house down by the Landing.

[Oklahawg]

Branson looks like a place that got way over-extended prior to the Great Recession. It will take a lot for it to recover. Tons of properties that just need to be razed. The schtick is losing it's favor, maybe? If so, that is a real big re-direction of the entire scene.

The winter months are an unusual experience as a tourist there. You never know what will be open, and what won't be open. I would think a fine, family-friendly (but not just family-oriented) nice dining option that isn't a chain would be a huge attraction. Keep it open year-round. Avoid the schtick. Maybe not.

[HognotinMemphis]

Branson looks like a place that got way over-extended prior to the Great Recession. It will take a lot for it to recover. Tons of properties that just need to be razed. The schtick is losing it's favor, maybe? If so, that is a real big re-direction of the entire scene.

The winter months are an unusual experience as a tourist there. You never know what will be open, and what won't be open. I would think a fine, family-friendly (but not just family-oriented) nice dining option that isn't a chain would be a huge attraction. Keep it open year-round. Avoid the schtick. Maybe not.

As I said, I was there in October and the old downtown area looked great. That is where we stayed and where we dined. Never ventured over to the strip. Went to SDC and went to Big Cedar. Both were going strong. SDC is the reason Branson is even on the map and SDC is still going strong. I remember going to Branson before there was a strip. Hardly any motels in town to stay in. When I was a kid, half the time we would stay in Harrison and drive from there to SDC and Branson. Back in late 60's and early '70's. In fact, that was basically through the entire decade of the '70's. The Hwy 76 strip did not really get going until early  to mid '80's.

[PharmacistHog]

I like Silver Dollar City, but I think all the other Hillbilly crap has gotten old.  Also, there are outlet malls all over the place now so that's not as much of a draw as before.  Amazon has probably put a dent in that as well. 

[HognotinMemphis]

I like Silver Dollar City, but I think all the other Hillbilly crap has gotten old.  Also, there are outlet malls all over the place now so that's not as much of a draw as before.  Amazon has probably put a dent in that as well.

No doubt about that. Outlet malls were a big deal 15 years ago. Even 10 years ago. Not now because as you say, they are in a lot of places now. Did someone say that one of the big outlet malls in Branson is closed? If so, which one? I'm sure online retail has hurt Branson outlet malls.

However, Branson still offers a lot and interestingly, much of it is coming from the old downtown area. The Landing, the new restaurants and other things there. And it has some good golfing, not to mention the entertainment. I don't think the appeal of Branson is going away given its proximity to SDC and to the lake and river, but it probably got overbuilt and needs to resize some.

[Tripod1]

No doubt about that. Outlet malls were a big deal 15 years ago. Even 10 years ago. Not now because as you say, they are in a lot of places now. Did someone say that one of the big outlet malls in Branson is closed? If so, which one? I'm sure online retail has hurt Branson outlet malls.

However, Branson still offers a lot and interestingly, much of it is coming from the old downtown area. The Landing, the new restaurants and other things there. And it has some good golfing, not to mention the entertainment. I don't think the appeal of Branson is going away given its proximity to SDC and to the lake and river, but it probably got overbuilt and needs to resize some.

The Red Roof Outlet Mall has close its doors.  You are correct in the life of Branson has shifted back to old downtown.

[HognotinMemphis]

The Red Roof Outlet Mall has close its doors.  You are correct in the life of Branson has shifted back to old downtown.

Ok. That was the lesser of the 2 outlet malls as I recall. The blue roofed Tanger's outlet mall was always the better one it seemed to me.

[Oklahawg]

I don't shop but my family had a good time at one of the outlets. We went to a Deli somewhere north of the old strip and there was a lot of newer shops in nice strip centers. Might even be a new development?

Agreed on downtown - like so many cities, Branson is reinventing itself by returning downtown.