Lake of the Ozarks favorite waterfront bar and restaurant! Voted #1 Gas Dock. Visit our Outside Tiki Bar! Offering authentic creole cuisine at the water’s edge.
Labor Day Weekend 2017 Labor Day weekend gives you the chance to take a short break after getting back to work and school after summer vacation. Spending it at the Lake of the Ozarks is the best way to truly feel like that summer isn't entirely over, and heading to Shorty Pants Lounge & Marina is a great place to start. For the holiday, you can expect the best Cajun food at the Lake of the Ozarks, as always. One bite and you'll think you're in New Orleans! We'll also have all of those delicious hand-mixed cocktails you've been sipping lakeside over the summer, and the most amazing live music on Friday and Saturday night to keep your evening here enjoyable, even after you're done with dinner! When you're ready to hop on the boat and get some "lake time" in, Shorty Pants Marina has everything you'll need for a full day out on the water.
Upcoming Events Like we said, Labor Day weekend is just the beginning of a string of some of the best annual events at the Lake of the Ozarks coming up in September and October. We expect to keep seeing you here for as long as the weather allows us to stay open this season. Swing on by after you enjoy one of these events. September 13-17 the 11th Annual Lake of the Ozarks Bikefest will sweep across the lake area. We're thrilled to be one of the passport stops again this year, so make sure you ride by and get your book stamped by us. In addition to the passport run, there will be live music, awesome giveaways, and even the chance to win a brand new Harley-Davidson motorcycle!
On October 11, you can join us for the 18th Annual Bogeys & Beer Golf Tournament. The day includes box lunches from Mexicali Blues, dinner & awards at our sister restaurant, Dog Days Bar & Grill, lots of silent auction items, and tons of fun at every hole! You can sign your teams up starting now by dropping off checks and registrations at Wobbly Boots Roadhouse in Osage Beach. All tournament proceeds benefit wonderful local organizations: the Lamb House, Kid's Harbor, the Kiwanis Club, and the CADV.
The always exciting 32nd Annual Fall Harbor Hop at the lake on October 14 is right after our golf tournament. Hop in the boat and get ready to travel all over the lake area picking up cards for your poker hand. Get a good one and win some incredible prizes, but most importantly, you get a great day out on the water with a fun stop at our Lake of the Ozarks waterfront bar & restaurant.
Stay With Us! If you live here, it's no trouble to get to the awesome events listed above, but if you're coming from out-of-town, where in the world can you stay? Well, in the best vacation rental houses at the Lake of the Ozarks, of course. We happen to have 2 of them right next door to Shorty Pants Lounge & Marina!
These vacation rental houses both have spectacular lake views, great patios to entertain on, gas grills on the decks, washers and dryers, lots of sleeping room, spacious living rooms, full kitchens, and all the comforts of home! The Glass House offers 1,500 square feet of living space and can easily house up to 8 guests, and the Red House boasts 3,400 square feet of living space and can sleep up to 16. Call up a few friends and share the house for a week of lake living! We've got dates open this fall, but we expect them to fill up quickly, so don't wait too long to book one.
We hope to see many of you over the holiday weekend at our Lake of the Ozarks waterfront bar and restaurant, and then again a few more times before the season is over. There is always something interesting going on in the lake area, and there's always a great time waiting for you at Shorty Pants Lounge & Marina!
It's time to finalize those Labor Day weekend plans, and if you want to have an incredible holiday, then a visit to our waterfront restaurant at the Lake of the Ozarks needs to be at the top of those plans! Our customers always have an awesome time while they're here, and on a long holiday weekend, the everyday fun at Shorty Pants Lounge & Marina gets even better!
Incredible Live Music Our waterfront stage is home to the best live music at the Lake of the Ozarks, and this Labor Day weekend, we've got two incredibly talented musicians headed your way.
Friday, Sept. 1 - Stevie Newman Born into a musical family and taking up guitar at the age of 14, Stevie Newman has had a love for music his entire life. Both "Guitar Player Magazine" and "Vintage Guitar Magazine" featured this self-taught, multi-instrumentalist and profiled his unique and incredible style. His songwriting is every bit as amazing as his talented guitar playing.
Saturday, Sept. 2 - Tanner Lee A seasoned showman, songwriter, and recording artist that performs nationwide, Tanner Lee has a passion for storytelling, and you can tell everything that he sings comes straight from the heart when you hear him perform. His music is strongly influenced by hard-rocking, classic southern rock and good ol' Nashville country.
Delicious Cajun Food & Legendary Cocktails The unbelievable taste of our Cajun cuisine will make you think you've taken a trip to New Orleans instead of the Lake of the Ozarks! The authentic Creole dishes created at Shorty Pants Lounge features rubs and spices direct from Louisiana, evident in our World Famous Crab Cakes, Gumbo, Crawfish Etoufee, and so much more. We've also got some amazing entrees, burgers, salads, and other menu items without the Cajun twist, but every bit as delicious! Pairing one of our legendary cocktails, like a muddled Mojito or Cajun Bloody Mary, brings your meal up to an all new, incredible level. We also have a large variety of ice-cold beers to choose from, and an extensive wine selection to enjoy lakeside. It's all served with friendly, attentive customer service that will make you feel right at home while you're here.
The Best Gas Dock & Marina Most people that vacation at the lake spend a large amount of their time boating, and Shorty Pants Marina has everything that you'll need to enjoy a full day out on the water. Located on the 21 MM in Salt Hollow Cove, the gas dock sells 87 Octane, 93 Octane, & Diesel fuel. The C-store is fully stocked with beer, ice marine supplies, snacks, and a t-shirt shop. They've even got some lounge chairs, rockers, and a picnic table out front so you can sit a spell and visit while enjoying free coffee for those early morning trips, free treats for your four-legged friends, and free popsicles for the kiddos! We also boast the cleanest restrooms at the lake! If you need a place to store your watercraft while you're in town, the marina has PWC slips for rent, plus boat slips from sizes 14X36 - 20x56 . Marina amenities include: showers, washer/dryer, free WiFi, free electric, free ice, gas discounts, and gated parking.
Make Your Labor Day Weekend Plans NOW! You definitely don't want to miss any of that! While you're making your Labor Day weekend plans, fit in a few trips to our waterfront restaurant and bar at the Lake of the Ozarks. We open daily at 11 am for lunch, dinner, and everything in-between. Shorty Pants Lounge & Marina is here to help you have the best Labor Day weekend ever!
August 16 each year is designated as National Rum Day. When you visit the best waterfront bar at the Lake of the Ozarks, you can celebrate Rum Day any day your heart desires! Not only do we have a wonderful selection of rums behind the bar at Shorty Pants Lounge & Marina, but our talented bartenders also know how to mix a pretty mean cocktail with them too.
Rum History Rum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made by a process of fermentation and distillation from sugarcane byproducts, like molasses for example. The liquid starts out clear, but gains a darker color after aging in oak barrels. This tasty liquor is made all over the world, but the majority of it is produced in the Caribbean and Latin America. There are drinks dating back to antiquity that seem to be precursors to modern-day rum. The very first fermented drinks made by using sugarcane juice is believed to have been either in ancient India or China. Stories say that the first distillation of rum happened on the sugarcane plantations of the Caribbean in the 17th century. Slaves discovered that they could ferment the molasses into alcohol. Later on, as the distillation process was perfected, the alcohol was concentrated and the impurities were removed.
Types of Rum Depending on how the rum is prepared and aged, different types are produced. Here are a few that you are most likely to see when you head to the bar for a cocktail.
Light Rum: This can also be called "silver" or "white" rum. It has a mild, light flavor and is used in many mixed cocktails. The rum's color is removed by filtering it after the aging process.
Gold Rum: Medium-bodied rum that gains it's darker color from being aged in wooden barrels. The end flavor is influenced by the type of barrel it is aged in. It can also be referred to as "amber," and it has a stronger taste than light rum.
Dark Rum: Still darker and stronger in flavor, dark rums are aged longer than the other two varieties above. Heavily charred barrels for aging give them their strong flavor.
Overproof Rum: This type of rum has a much higher alcohol content than regular rums. 151 is a popular choice for a floater in our drinks.
Spiced Rum: These are generally based on gold rums. Spices such as cinnamon, vanilla, allspice, ginger, black currant, pepper, and more can be used to add flavor.
Flavored Rum: Fruits are used to infuse rum with flavors that make very tasty cocktails, but are also pretty good alone over ice.
Rum Cocktails Shorty Pants Lounge has a wide variety of rum drinks that pair perfectly with the best Cajun food at the Lake of the Ozarks. These are a few of our most popular drinks, but if you have another favorite in mind and we have the right ingredients, our bartenders are more than happy to mix it up for you.
Rum Runner
Pina Colada
Pain in the A** (Rum Runner & Pina Colada combined)
There is something so relaxing about sipping a delicious rum drink on a hot day while enjoying a gorgeous lake view. Our Lake of the Ozarks waterfront bar & restaurant is the perfect place to do just that. When you're ready for a bit of rum and relaxation yourself, head on over to Shorty Pants Lounge & Marina. We'll take good care of you!
The month of August is dedicated to many different things, but one in particular has our mouths watering - National Catfish Month! You will find some irresistible catfish dishes on the menu at our Lake of the Ozarks waterfront restaurant, many with that special Shorty Pants Lounge "Cajun twist" that we're famous for.
Catfish Fun Facts
Our State Fish: Fellow Missourians may be surprised to find out that the Channel Catfish is actually the state fish of the Show-Me-State.
NOT a Cat: Catfish are not a part of the feline family. (We hope that is obvious!) They were given the name due to the barbels around their mouths that resemble the whiskers on a cat.
New Holiday: Congress declared August as National Catfish Month in the late 1980's to recognize the impact that the catfish industry made to our American economy. This tasty fish gets its own national day each year on June 25.
Healthy Eating: The American Heart Association recommends eating at least 2 servings of seafood a week. This is a good way to lower your risk of developing heart disease. Catfish is moderately fatty, a very good source of high quality protein, and it contains no carbohydrates. This particular fish is also an excellent source of vitamin B-12. Good-for-you food that also tastes great!
Over 100,000 Taste Buds: Not only do they taste great to eat, but the actual fish has a greater sense of taste than just about any other animal, including us! Since they tend to spend their lives searching the bottom of murky water, they need the extra taste buds to find food they cannot see. For comparison, a person has about 10,000 taste buds in their mouth, while catfish have at least 100,000 all over their bodies, and it is possible for some species to have up to 180,000!
Catfish - Shorty Pants Style Now that you know a little more about this interesting fish, here comes the really important stuff... all the ways you can order it for lunch of dinner at our waterfront Cajun restaurant at the Lake of the Ozarks!
Catifsh BLT A hand-breaded catfish filet served with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and our Cajun mayo on a toasted French roll. You can have the catfish fried or blackened. Catfish Po Boy A Cajun classic! Southern-fried catfish, homemade with Cajun mayo, lettuce, and tomato. If you prefer, we can serve this one blackened instead of fried. This sandwich, as well as the Catfish BLT, come with your choice of one side dish.
Catfish Dinner Two hand-breaded catfish filets, fried to a golden brown, served with house-made tartar sauce. This is also available blackened. It's served alongside a side salad or mini Caesar salad, your choice of one side dish, and either French bread or cornbread. Smothered Catfish A catfish filet, either fried or blackened, served on a bed of rice, smothered in our amazing crawfish etouffee. This is served with a small salad and either French bread or corn bread.
Whether you're already a catfish lover or it's a fish you still need to try, the month of August has just given you a perfect excuse to make a meal out of it! Catfish is abundant in the Lake of the Ozarks, but its a lot easier to skip the work and simply come on in to our family friendly waterfront restaurant at the Lake of the Ozarks and let us take care of the cooking for you! Happy National Catfish Month!
*Fun Lake of the Ozarks Events* The best live music at the Lake of the Ozarks is enough to keep most people entertained, but there are a few more exciting events happening in the lake area that you might want to check out too. Fit in a trip to the lake around your favorites, and if our incredible vacation rental houses are open during the time you decide on, we'd love to have you stay next door to us at Shorty Pants Lounge & Marina! (The Red House and the Glass House can be rented throughout the entire year, not just the summer season!)
photo from Funlake.com
Lake of the Ozarks Shootout August 26 & 27 The Shootout boat races bring spectators from all over the country to the lake area, and it's a favorite annual event every year. The races are incredible to watch with the crowds from the water, but if you prefer to stay away from the race crowds, you can always watch the races on television here with us at Shorty Pants Lounge & Marina, or swing by after the event is done for the day. We'll have delicious food, refreshing drinks, and some amazing live music waiting for you! Labor Day Weekend!!! Sept. 1-4 The day after the final day in August, Labor Day Weekend at the Lake of the Ozarks begins! There are always tons of fun things to do and see, plus it's the last big holiday weekend of the 2017 season. Now is not too early to start making plans to get here and join the excitement. There's no better way to say farewell to summer than a trip to the lake!
Before you finalize those Labor Day Weekend plans, take some time to fill in the dates on your calendar in August when you want to make your way over to the best waterfront restaurant and bar at the Lake of the Ozarks. We open daily at 11 am, and we can't wait to see you!
