Live Music On Stage
The best live music at the Lake of the Ozarks can be found on stage at Shorty Pants Lounge all summer long. For this particular holiday, we've brought in a few crowd-pleasing favorites to keep you entertained.
Thursday, July 2
Lake Collective
Friday, July 3
Byran Copeland
Saturday, July 4
Joe Dillstrom
Lakeside Dining with a Cajun Twist
The best Cajun food at the Lake of the Ozarks can be found right here in mid-Missouri coming out of the Shorty Pants Lounge kitchen. The authentic rubs and spices we use, direct from Louisiana, combined with our incredible recipes make all the difference.
Of course, if you don't happen to be in the mood for Gumbo, Jambalaya, Crawfish Etouffee, or Po Boys, we've still got all kinds of non-Cajun menu items to choose from too. Some of those options include Sweet Coconut Shrimp, Specialty Burgers, Filet Mignon, Jack Daniel's Glazed Chicken, plus a fantastic kids menu for the youngest diners.
Last, but certainly not least, we've got all kinds of refreshing adult beverages for you to enjoy sipping lakeside. You'll find all of your favorite mixed drinks and ice-cold beers, an impressive wine list, and New Orleans inspired cocktails like our Cajun Bloody Mary and a long list of signature Hurricanes.
All Your Boating Needs Met
You can easily reach our waterfront restaurant & bar at the Lake of the Ozarks by land but if you'll be spending any of your holiday weekend on the water, Shorty Pants Marina has what you'll need for a fun day on the lake.
Our full-service gas dock pumps 87 Octane, 93 Octane, and Diesel fuel. There are lounge chairs and picnic tables outside for you to take a break in while you're here, and inside, the C-store you'll find boating supplies, ice, soft drinks, package liquor, snacks, sunglasses, sunscreen, cool Shorty Pants gear, and a LOT more. Inside we also house the cleanest restrooms at the lake, making us an even more perfect pit stop while you're out and about cruising the water.
If you're looking for a place to park your boat or jet ski while you're in town, Shorty Pants Marina has 35 covered slips that can be rented, available in sizes 14x36 up to 20x56, plus some PWC slip rentals too. If you are interested, please call 573-302-1004 for more details and to check availability. Amenities for our marina guests include:
- showers
- washer/dryer
- free WiFi
- free electric
- free ice
- gas discounts
- gated parking
If you haven't already made plans for a vacation at the Lake of the Ozarks over this 4th of July holiday, get to it! Of course, you can enjoy all of these same things all season long when you join us at Shorty Pants Lounge & Marina. We're looking forward to seeing you real soon!
We spend a lot of time focusing on all of the different Creole-inspired foods we serve at our Lake of the Ozarks Cajun restaurant & bar but today, we're turning our focus toward a classic Cajun cocktail - the Hurricane! This particular mixed drink is a staple in New Orleans.
Here at Shorty Pants Lounge & Marina in Osage Beach, we've perfected our own version of their classic cocktail plus come up with a few delicious variations of our own. Ours are every bit as irresistible as the original and some of you may even like them just a bit more!
History of the Hurricane
The Hurricane is a sweet drink made with rum, fruit juices, and syrup or grenadine. One reason that this cocktail is so very popular in New Orleans is that they were invented there.
In the 1940s, New Orleans tavern owner Pat O'Brien was looking for a way to get rid of some of the less popular rums on his shelf. Local distributors had forced him to include these in his order before he was able to get a few cases
of the more popular liquors his customers preferred.
Once O'Brien came up with a mixture of the rums that he was happy with, he poured the new cocktail into a glass shaped similar to a hurricane lamp and gave it away to the sailors that came into his bar. The drink was a hit, and it has been a mainstay in the French Quarter ever since.
The name hurricane possibly came from the shape of the glass used to serve it. O'Brien's bar allegedly started out as a speakeasy, and the password to get in was "storm's brewin'." That fact also makes naming his drink after a storm very fitting!
Hurricanes are also incredibly popular in the Bahamas, but those are not made the same way as the New Orleans version. If you order a hurricane in the islands, expect a much different flavor. Their drink is made with coffee liqueur, 151 rum, Irish cream, and Grand Marnier.
Hurricanes at Shorty Pants Lounge
As we mentioned earlier, our waterfront bar & restaurant at the Lake of the Ozarks has mastered the classic Hurricane plus come up with a few variations that we know you're going to love. They all contain the rum and the fruity juices you'd expect but also a few additional ingredients that give each drink its own tasty twist!
New Orleans Hurricane
Cruzan Dark Rum, Cruzan Light Rum, DeKuyper Peachtree Schnapps, orange juice, pineapple juice, and Shorty Pants Punch.
Rainbow Sherbert Hurricane
Cruzan Coconut Rum, DeKuyper Peachtree Schnapps, and DeKuyper Sour Apple Pucker mixed with orange juice, pineapple, and cranberry juice.
Lake Hurricane
Cruzan Light and Coconut Rum, DeKuyper Blue Curacao, orange and pineapple juice.
Island Hurricane
Cruzan Tropical Fruit Rum, pineapple juice, a splash of orange juice, and grenadine.
These classic New Orleans-inspired cocktails pair deliciously with our Cajun cuisine. From Po Boy Sandwiches to Jambalaya, Red Beans & Rice, Crawfish-N-Shrimp Etouffee, and so much more, when you dine at Shorty Pants Lounge & Marina, if you close your eyes you'll swear you're in Louisiana instead of mid-Missouri! Come on in and taste for yourself.
When you're searching for the best Cajun food at the Lake of the Ozarks, then Shorty Pants Lounge & Marina is the place you need to be! You'll find delicious Creole inspiration throughout our extensive menu.
For example, we can turn a simple sandwich into a hearty meal that will have your mouth watering! Read on to learn all about the fantastic signature sandwiches waiting for you at our Lake of the Ozarks waterfront restaurant & bar, including a very special Louisiana classic.
Po Boys
For any restaurant to claim to be Cajun food experts, they need to be able to serve a satisfying Po Boy sandwich. Not only have we perfected this delicious dish at Shorty Pants, but we also give you 4 mouthwatering versions to choose from! Each one is paired with your choice of a side dish.
Catfish Po Boy
Southern-fried catfish with our homemade Cajun mayo, lettuce, and tomato. This one tastes great blackened too!
Oyster Po Boy
Big Gulf oysters deep-fried golden brown on French bread with lettuce, tomato, and Cajun mayo.
Shrimp Po Boy
Hand-breaded Gulf shrimp, lettuce, tomato, and our house-made Cajun mayo.
Andouille Sausage Po Boy
Smoked Cajun sausage and our homemade remoulade sauce served with shredded lettuce and tomato.
Signature Sandwiches
Like we said earlier, we don't just do "sandwiches" here at Shorty Pants Lounge but instead, we pack all kinds of savory ingredients between two slices of bread that turn it into a full-fledged meal! You also get a side dish with your order, so prepare to come in good and hungry.
Steak 'n' Cheese
Strips of beef tenderloin grilled and smothered in white America cheese on a toasted French roll. For a small additional charge, you may also add sauteed mushrooms, onions, &/or green peppers.
Sweet Cajun Pulled Pork
Hickory-smoked pork with pepper jack cheese and a balsamic onion jam served on a hoagie.
Pulled Pork Sandwich
Our award-winning Wobbly Boots Roadhouse recipe piled high on a toasted Kaiser bun served with Wobbly Boots BBQ sauce.
Blackened Mahi Sandwich
Our Southern-spiced Mahi filet on a brioche bun served with green leaf lettuce, sliced tomato, and onion.
Catfish BLT
One bite takes your taste buds to the South! A hand-breaded catfish filet served with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and our Cajun mayo on a toasted French roll. You can also try it blackened.
WAIT... There's More!
Our chicken sandwiches are so amazingly delicious, they get their very own section on the menu entitled "Bird in the Hand!" Get a load of the many different ways we take chicken to a whole new level.
Blackened Creole Chicken
Blackened chicken with sauteed peppers & onions topped with pepper jack cheese and served on a toasted Kaiser bun.
Grilled Chicken Breast
Shorty's large grilled chicken breast garnished with lettuce, tomato, and onion served on a toasted Kaiser bun.
Jack Daniel's Glazed Chicken
Marinated and grilled Tennessee whiskey-glazed chicken breast served on an Asiago Focaccia bun with lettuce, tomato, and onion.
B.L.T.A. Chicken
Grilled chicken breast topped with crispy Bacon, shredded Lettuce, Tomato, and fresh Avocado served on an Asiago Focaccia bun.
Asiago Chicken Sandwich
Delicious grilled chicken breast topped with grilled onions, white America cheese, and a sweet balsamic sauce.
How's that for a variety? (And we didn't even get to the Specialty Burgers found on the menu too!) Add to this list amazing entrees, hearty appetizers, savory salads, and more, and that's what you'll discover when you dine at Shorty Pants Lounge & Marina in Osage Beach.
Authentic Cajun flavor can be found throughout our extensive menu plus plenty of other tastes for whatever you happen to be in the mood for. The next time you start feeling hungry, come on over and join us!
We are happy to announce that The Healing Box Project is coming back to our Lake of the Ozarks waterfront bar & restaurant this season to both entertain and enlighten us. You can catch some great music and have a chance to be a part of a wonderful program for veterans twice this June at Shorty Pants Lounge & Marina.
What is The Healing Box Project?
Rather than the name of a band, The Healing Box Project is the name of an amazing organization that raises money to purchase guitars and supplies for soldiers. When you see their name on our calendar of scheduled events, you are not only in for an incredible evening of live music but you'll also have the chance to be a part of something very important. This entire project began thanks to two very special people, Dave Dunklee and his wife, CJ.
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| photo from Facebook |
Dave and CJ were watching Toby Keith on TV back in 2012 and he was asking for donations for the Wounded Warrior Project. They wanted to help out but after a little research found that some of the donations collected went to pay for administrative costs. The couple knew they could do better than that and set out to begin their own completely non-profit volunteer program where everything collected went directly to the veterans.
They chose to help by using their love of music. Dave was a musician for over 50 years, teaching music in public schools for 20 of those years and performing professionally with various bands throughout his life. He now uses that experience and skill to teach guitar to disabled veterans, putting a smile where, often, there hasn't been one for a very long time. Recently Dave has even shared some guitar tutorials on the group's Facebook page; Veteran Program - The Healing Box Project.
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| photo from Facebook |
Dave and CJ decided the name "Healing Box Project" fit nicely coming from a relationship with relic guitars made from box crates or pieces of wooden boxes modified with a pole neck to which strings were attached. For the veterans, the healing begins with their first strum of a guitar.
This program raises money to purchase guitars and supplies for soldiers to use. While monetary donations are helpful, donations of guitars that people may have lying around the house unused are much appreciated as well.
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| photos from Facebook |
Learning guitar helps the disabled veterans with their neurology, improves brain skills, and it takes away some of the stress related to coping with a life-changing injury. It's a therapeutic program that helps our heroes deal with social anxiety. It also lets them feel like a part of something. Groups soon become friends and those friends quickly begin feeling like family.
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| photo from Facebook |
Join Us This June
You can catch The Healing Box Project performing at various bars and restaurants around the lake area. Donations are always accepted and appreciated and in return, you get a night of great music to enjoy.
Coming up this month, you can join in all the fun on 2 different dates at Shorty Pants Lounge & Marina. These are Friday, June 15, and Friday, June 12, 2020. Don't worry if you have to miss those performances, because we'll be featuring this incredible organization on our outdoor stage many times throughout the season.
To learn more about The Healing Box Project and to find out when and where Dave will be performing, visit www.TheHealingBoxProject.org. Of course, you'll learn a lot more about them, get your questions answered, and have a chance to contribute to this amazing cause if you make plans to join us at Shorty Pants Lounge & Marina for some of the best live music at the Lake of the Ozarks! We hope to see you here on those dates.
