The food has generous portions, but lack in flavor/depth. The catfish (this is my third time ordering) is bland, no spices, no seasoning, no salt. I asked the waitress who confirmed they don't season it and only use the cornmeal but advised there was salt on the table. I asked if they could put some cayenne pepper and other spices in the batter and she said no. The tartar sauce isn't homemade, it's in a packaged cup. The mac and cheese and bbq pulled pork was just okay. The meat was overdone as if the entree was sitting in the cast iron skillet for two hours warming. The desserts are portioned for four people and disgustingly sweet. They would be more successful if they offered a regular portion and costed less. Crab legs are the only meal I like here, solely because I like crab and don't make it at home. read more

We stop in town several times a year and always order takeout here to eat in our hotel room. We have always loved this restaurant. They have excellent food, a diverse menu, huge quantities, and excellent prices. Service is great and fast. We ordered chicken dinners to go tonight and I went to pick up on time. I waited for 20 minutes in the takeout area before someone came out to see if they could help me. They had lost my order.? He asked me what it was, I told him and he said he'd be back in a few minutes. As promised, he came back in a few minutes, with my order. He said it was on the house, with apologies. I brought it back to the room, and, as usual, the food was excellent, and we couldn't eat all of it. Thank you for going above and beyond expectations!! read more

I went to this restaurant with friends and family on a recent visit to Bolivar, MO. While the portions are generous and the food is cooked well I had a problem with the food quality. We ordered catfish. When I order catfish I want river catfish, not swai or whatever other substitutes they have on hand. I don't know what is going on in America where it's okay to advertise one thing then deliver something completely different. I know the difference and I won't be returning for any more of it. The chicken dishes looked good and everyone who got chicken seemed pleased on a positive note. This sadly isn't the restaurant for me. read more

I travel a lot as I have family everywhere from the West Coast to the Midwest. I always make it over to Flat Creek when in town as they have some good food. Their desserts are yummy and HUGE! I always order a side salad with my meal as I enjoy their house salad and dill ranch dressing, Mmmmmm yummy. I also enjoy their lobster dip and fried wonton chips appetizer. I think the service is consistently good as well and I enjoy sitting in the adults only bar side. read more

Flat Creek - Lobster dip and fried wonton chips! - Barbeque Near Me - Bolivar, Missouri

Service is always good. I've been eating at this location since it opened and the food has only gotten worse. Bbq sauce either changed or is spoiled and far too sweet. The last two visits our onion rings have been burned, they also started battering them with what looks like peppercorn which is terrible, and they STILL can't make a hushpuppy that tastes like a hushpuppy! This is our last visit. Sorry guys, you've had multiple chances. read more

Flat Creek - Onion rings, okra, pulled pork. - Barbeque Near Me - Bolivar, Missouri

Good home cooking style food. Family enjoyed wings, chicken strips, catfish and ribs. Everyone enjoyed their meal and each had take home. Look forward to returning. Only complaint is someone had a dog sitting in child's chair at their table next to us. Only reason for not giving 5 stars. read more

The service here was very good. Everyone was so nice and attentive. I ordered the famous pork tenderloin sandwich. It was huge! The downside is I'm sure they fried it with the fish because it just smelled and tasted like fish. I got fries and those were good. If I went back, I would get something not fried to prevent the above from happening again. read more

Flat Creek - a plate of fried chicken, fries, and a donut - Barbeque Near Me - Bolivar, Missouri

Everything in the place is great except the speakers in the bar are terrible if the music is up very loud, it's awlful!!!

12/08/25 We stopped here after we saw the billboard sign on hwy while traveling. Wife and I both had the catfish dinner, which had 3 big pieces. We both really liked the fish and the coleslaw is some of the best we've ate. Fries were okay, but the hush puppies were dry, hard and tasteless. The sweet tea had a hint sweetness. Our waitress was very polite and friendly. We really enjoyed the way the inside is decorated. The menu had a lot of options that looked good and made our decision difficult. We would definitely recommend stopping here. If in the area we definitely will. read more

Excellent food, excellent service, excellent atmosphere and decor - overall just excellent. Our waitress Kalie made the experience even better! We will be back and this has become a place to frequent. read more

Flat Creek - Barbeque Near Me - Bolivar, Missouri

I don't understand the good reviews this place has. I've tried it three times and every single time the protein was hot but the side dishes were cold, on both my husband and I's plates. The catfish is absolutely dripping with oil but tasted good once I let all that drain off. The rest of the food was bland and average at best. Substandard fare. Also the reek of grease is overwhelming upon entering the building, nearly intolerable smell in that place. We will never go there again. read more

My family ate at the Bolivar restaurant last night and we were all disappointed with the quality of the food. The blackened catfish fillets were over seasoned and overcooked! The mashed potatoes were mushy and probably had too much cream or milk in them. The fried chicken was heavily coated with batter- some of which was uncooked! Service was good, but the food wasn't worth the price! read more

Amazing food friendly staff I really enjoyed flat creek everything was too notch. The atmosphere was very peaceful as well.

So good! Staff is fabulous and fun. I have not ordered anything that was not excellent! And always have leftovers to take home!

I am a big fan of Flat Creek. The staff is always super attentive, and their menu is awesome. A lot of places which have huge menus just can't seem to do anything really well. Think Cheesecake Factory. Jack of all trades Master of none as the expression goes. Not so with Flat Creek. They seem to do dang near everything on their menu perfectly! Well, with the exception of the Mac n Cheese at this location. Not sure what was up with that, but I had it at the Springfield location two days earlier and it was so rich and creamy and yet here it was just watery and flavorless. Mental note to self: Don't order the Mac n Cheese here. The catfish was just some of the best I've ever had though! This location is just a tad off the beaten path though, and a little smaller than some of the other Flat Creek locations, but it's still worth the trip. read more

Good great, nice personal, large portions, great atmosphere and location. Take out is good, very nice young lady.

Ok. Craziness. Stopped by for a snack on the way to Branson. Got the sampler and okra on the appetizer menu. Guess what. Crazy amount for food. Good service. But come very very hungry. read more

Flat Creek - Okla - Barbeque Near Me - Bolivar, Missouri

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Service is terrible at this establishment. We have been in multiple times and have to wait forever on food. Tonight there was hardly anyone there yet we couldn't even get anyone to even come to the hostess stand or to even look in that direction. We finally just walked out. We won't be returning. read more

Do NOT go if you're in a hurry! We came for our anniversary dinner and were horribly upset!!!!! We were told it would be 35-40 minutes to be seated. There were several large groups. At one point? There were 10 open tables we could see . It was almost an hour and a half before we were seated. Waited 10 minutes to order and then it was another hour and a half to get our food!!!! We were seated in the bar area. The only server in the whole area was the bartender. She was having to wait tables, bus, and make drinks. AND take care of the tables outside! Something began ringing and rang constantly for several minutes. It was extremely annoying. Other guests were also complaining about the sound. Someone started the music to drown it out. A girl with a long braid came out from the kitchen and threw a fit to another employee about the way a ticket was written. She threw the two pieces of paper at another young girl who did not deserve the treatment she received. She came out again with question about a ticket and then RAN through the room and slammed through the swinging door to the back. Again another sound started that was annoying and lasted at least 5 minutes. A table with a larger party that was seated and ordered after us received their food before us. Before leaving the girl returned from the kitchen and RAN through the room. She narrowly missed a family with a small child. TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE to be running at a restaurant as an employee!!!!!! The food was good and huge quantity. But the wait times to be seated and then to get our food was unacceptable!!!! If I could give negative stars?!? I would! read more

Plenty of food for the money. Service is usually excellent ambiance is nice with an eclectic vibe.

Fried green tomatoes were wonderful.. Corned beef sub with fried okra which my husband loved. I had the lunch Hawg n slaw sandwich with onion rings- great. Good selection of beer on tap. Service was good. Bathrooms were clean. read more

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best onion rings our fam has ever had. I had the bee sting burger & enjoyed it while my husbands fried food basked wasn't too exciting. kids meals didn't impress me, especially for the price. nice place for variety but wouldn't frequent regularly. read more

The atmosphere is very good. The waiters and waitresses were very helpful and prompt with keeping our drinks refilled and bringing out the food as soon as it was ready. The portions and quality are absolutely amazing for the price! I would much rather pay $14 for a burger here that will last me two meals then going to the fast food chain nearby and pay $12 to barely fill myself up. read more

Flat Creek - Ribs, brisket, Wings and pulled pork with deep fried biscuits - Barbeque Near Me - Bolivar, Missouri

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We go here often and it is always great! The bbq is my favorite but their fried catfish is also excellent. When you consider how large the portions are (you will definitely have leftovers), it is actually a great value for your money. The service is great, and the restaurant is decorated in a fun way that adds to the ambiance. This is the go-to restaurant in Bolivar! read more

Flat Creek - These are THE LEFTOVERS I brought home after eating at flat creek! - Barbeque Near Me - Bolivar, Missouri

This place use to be fire! Unfortunately it has gone downhill fast. Really long waits, terrible corn, steak was over cooked and tasted like it had been sitting around for hours. Went back the next day just incase and it was even worse. Undercooked rice and again terrible corn and steak. I am done with this place that use to be a go to in Bolivar. read more

I really wanted this to be good, but no. I ordered half rack of Cajun ribs, dry, pithy with a sauce and spices that left a lot to be desired. Catfish with breading so tough you could barely chew through it. Ribs were served with corn on the cob; ice cold and a biscuit looking bread I literally squeezed the oil out of. Cold slaw sugary sweet, onion rings doughy. The lobster dip was very good. 3 people $78.00 included a $5 credit for my meal sucking and we drank water. I will never return, and I have to ask ; do the hordes of people standing and waiting to get in really know what well prepared food is? Or do they even care? read more

I could see the kitchen area from my table, and the people were using their bare hands to prepare the food. Restaurant was very loud, and the waitresses were comingling and extremely loud. read more

Food was amazing. Huge portions. First time here, returning from vacation in Arkansas going back to KC. Montana was our server, kept our drinks full, very accommodating and helpful. The shrimp/crab boil dinner was enough for two plus leftovers. We will definitely be back. Oh and try cake....delicious! read more

Flat Creek - Shrimp/Crab/ boil dinner-Friday lunch special - Barbeque Near Me - Bolivar, Missouri

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AGS diner here, stated dairy allergy to server, yet was served a sandwich with melted cheese on it. Sent back. When the order was returned, my confidence in the kitchen's attention to cross-contamination was gone: the Server did apologize but no indication on the plate of allergy awarenes. Was the bun toasted on a grill with butter? Do better -- the number of AGS diners increases daily! read more

Two weeks ago I had the 1/2 rack of ribs and they were just about as good as you could want. I mean really fall off the bone, every bit of the ribs were edible except the bone. Yesterday I had the same order of ribs and they were terrible. Not only were they not fall off the bone, they were so full of gristle and fat that it was hard to get to the bone. If you were able to find some real meat it was more like jerky. Very hard to chew and tasteless. Also, the price had increased by about 25% since my last visit. The hush-puppies were terrible I guess that is the trend anymore - raise the price and lower the quality. . Had no problem with the wait staff! read more

Excellent service. We had salads and they were enormous. And so are the slices of cake (we got dessert to go). A full bar is a plus. A bit pricey and wear a jacket! The temperature in here is cold. read more

Good portions Mediocre food. Don't expect anything close to Lamberts or Cracker Barrel. Slow service and poorly trained staff. Waited 15 minutes just to get waters. Chicken nuggets were probably frozen and microwaved and still were cold. Tenderloin was over done and chewy, not bad just not what I expected. - - - - WORST - - - - part was people smoking in the dining area and wait staff saw them and just watched. This really destroyed the atmosphere. Save your money and go to Smiths in Bolivar or go to Springfield in my opinion. I won't be back. read more

I have tried the smoked wings, which were horrible, I could only eat 2 and had to trash the rest. I have also tried the smoked ribs and again, they were so horrible I couldn't eat them either. We will not be back. read more

Love the large portions. I ordered the appetizer combo, wings were delicious. The fried pickles were fried to perfection but a tad spicy. Onion straws were good as well. Definitely will return when in town. read more

I food took 45 min to get the waitress was rude when asking about our food and hush puppy did not go with the fish because everything was good but them they where like hokey pucks when i said something about them the waitress was again rude !!!!!! Had Lunch on a Monday read more

Went for dinner with my kids tonight. 3 of the 4 of us ordered burgers...each a different style. Not only did they come out after the people seated next to us who had been seated about 10 minutes after us but every burger patty was black and dry as dirt. When waiter came by I said something and he said he was sorry... that was it. In my opinion, anytime a guest complains about something, especially when the waitstaff is shown the issue ( I took my bun off and showed him) a Manger should come to the table to try and remedy the situation. Unfortunately I didn't think to take pictures. Very dis read more

I love Flat Creek bar and grill in Bolivar Missouri they have a bartender that I love her name is Rachelle she is so kind she has excellent customer service there's also another bartender this gentleman I didn't catch his name but he does tricks when he's making your drinks they are so fun to be around. You have to go and check them out. Great food and you get a lot for your money. read more

Temp was so cold I eventually left and ate in my car. The waiter did offer me another table but it had not been bussed. I sat there for a while but decided I better not eat at the dirty table. Too bad. Good was good. read more

Excellent catfish always! First time at this new location, but will be back! Service was great!

The food was super amazing. The portions are huge. Had to take home extra boxes because we got so much food. Very very very impressed. Will definitely be back if you want something that is home-cooked come here also a great atmosphere. I noticed that everyone was smiling and great service was given to us!! read more