Andy Meets Food

A Branson icon masters comfort food (the kind that fills you up without emptying your pockets) at his classy new joint, Moon River Grill.

The recipe goes like this: Take one part Branson crooner (Andy Williams brand) and one part Springfield restaurant icon (James Clary, specifically), mix with a sprinkling of memorabilia and a prime location on the strip, and then simmer over low heat until the crowds start piling in. At Williams’ new eatery in Branson, the Clary-consulted menu is heavy on the kind of food that will remind you of your mom’s cooking. The art on the walls will remind you of Williams’ long career. Nostalgia is high here, but it’s subtle. It’s pleasant. It doesn’t feel forced.

I visited on a Thursday night with my colleague, Kari Engel. We showed up around 6 p.m., and the expansive restaurant had only a few other customers. When you first walk in, you can see high ceilings, stark white walls and huge Andy Warhol artwork. The bright colors of the iconic Marilyn Monroe piece explode off the white walls. We were seated in the bar, a few steps higher than the rest of the dining room. Up there, the décor is darker. Cherry walls lead up to a wide navy and green plaid border near the ceiling (the same plaid I wore at my Catholic elementary school in St. Louis, oddly enough). The booths are black, with black speckled tabletops. Throughout the restaurant are pictures of Andy Williams and other famous faces from throughout the years, plus framed records. Here and there, gray stone on the walls adds an organic touch. Out back is a foliage-filled, sunny patio. I think under different circumstances, the Branson kitsch factor could have been much higher, and thus much cheesier. This place doesn’t feel cheesy to me. It feels comfortable. Andy Williams fans will love it.

Kari and I ordered the homemade chips with onion dip ($5.99) for an appetizer. I’m not sure what kind of onion dip we were expecting to see, but we were both surprised when our server brought out French onion and sour cream dip. The kind Kari’s grandma used to make, she told me. It reminded me of potlucks and barbecues. We were both excited about it, even though it seems like such a simple recipe. It was food that tasted like childhood for both of us. And it was great. The onion bits in the dip were huge and crunchy. And the homemade chips were crispy, brown and delicious. Kari got the jackpot: three chips in one. Sometimes simple things really, really hit the spot.

The “Andy’s Favorites” section of the menu was heavy on comfort food, with dishes such as an open-faced turkey sandwich with mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberries and veggies. (Thanksgiving in summer? It was tempting.) There was pot roast, chicken potpie, meat loaf, macaroni and cheese, fried catfish with hushpuppies and spaghetti and meatballs. I figured if Andy was a fan of comfort food, I should give it a try at his restaurant. I ordered the chicken potpie. It came in a deep soufflé dish with a side of steamed veggies. The crust was golden, crispy and flaky. When I cracked it open, steam poured out of the piping hot filling, and the gravy smelled like roasted chicken and rosemary. It was delightful. The potpie was filled with tender, bite-sized pieces of chicken, carrots, peas, onions and celery. It’s satisfying the way food that comes from your mom’s kitchen is satisfying. And at $9.99, it was quite a deal. I could only eat half of it.

Actually, everything on the menu at Moon River Grill is affordable. We were pleasantly surprised at the prices. Several items hovered at around $10. Kari ordered the pecan-encrusted trout, which was $13.99. It had crunchy pecans on top with a maple-sherry sauce and the same side veggies that came with my potpie. Kari was a big fan, and it looked delicious. I’d probably give it a try on my next visit.

A few days after we had dinner at Moon River Grill, I called the restaurant to check its hours, and I learned that menu prices are about to go up by a couple of dollars. They still look to be reasonable, but not quite as surprisingly low as during my visit. Just a warning.

Moon River Grill’s cocktail menu was filled with amusing titles and yummy-looking recipes. A favorite by sight only (because we didn’t get a chance to try any of the martinis): The Naughty Betty, which he menu boasts is “guaranteed to make you naughty.” And here, instead of Sex on the Beach, you can order Sex on the Moon. Clever, right?

Our big gripe, and it’s truly a big one, is that the service was pretty awful that night. The employee-to-customer ratio was high, as there were few other diners besides us, and there were lots of employees wandering around. But we rarely saw our server. She only refilled our water once, and that was after we’d finished our meal. That was only time she checked on us the entire time we were there. We had to flag down a different employee to get a to-go box and then our check, and that was after waiting and waiting for our server to pay attention to us. We could see her because she was standing behind the bar the entire time socializing with some customers there. We were very disappointed.

I’m curious to see what kind of service other diners receive. All the employees were friendly, so the problem is not an aloof staff. I think we just got stuck with a careless server on our trip. Because Moon River Grill’s food prices are so reasonable and its comfort food is so satisfying, I’d definitely go back. Heck, I’d go back just for the homemade chips. But if the service doesn’t improve, I’m not sure how many chances I’ll want to give the place.

Andy Williams Moon River Grill
2500 W. 76 Country Blvd., Branson, 417-337-9539
11 a.m.–11 p.m., daily

About reviewing

Reviews are written by our editors as a service to readers, without advertising consideration. Visits are as anonymous as possible, and all expenses are paid by 417 Magazine. New restaurants are allowed four weeks to establish themselves before a first visit. To comment, please e-mail editor@417mag.com.