Pappy's Place — Restaurant in Springfield

Not too long ago I read an article online about “Hidden Gems in Springfield Mo.”. Considering we live there I knew several of the places names however this was one I had not heard of before. Today my wife and I were driving along and stumbled upon Pappys Place, so we decided to stop and see what it was all about since the name stuck with me as one I had read about. Let me say first and foremost. When you pull up and park you immediately know that this is a place that people have probably been coming to for forty years no matter what other food choices may be available in town. It’s small, quaint and inviting. Absolutely loaded with rich history and that is something you can feel right when you walk inside! We were very graciously greeted by our waitress and seated on the patio as requested. She was amazing throughout our late lunch. She was at our table just the right amount. There is a science to that in my opinion, being there too much or not enough can be frustrating. We looked over the menu at our options and as we did she gave a few recommendations for us to consider as we looked. The menu is not huge and I can appreciate that, big menus can also get tiresome. Once we placed our order the wait wasn’t long at all. When we got the food…… wow!!! Absolutely amazing food. You won’t get any frills at Pappys, what you will get is a heaping plate of food that screams “this is Americana!!”…… A little off the beaten path. As it should be, sometimes a trip down memory lane in a place that obviously been a host to many many good times! We love this place and we will absolutely be returning! I’m fact I would t mind becoming a regular. The BBQ is down home style made by someone in the kitchen who has a passion for food. I really can’t rave about Pappys enough. Since my moving to the area this was by far one of my top three places I would eat again. Also they have live music on Friday nights starting in March!!! We will for sure be attending those events. My hats off to Pappys Place and the stellar food, service and atmosphere surrounding this...

With an average of 4.6 stars (at the time of review), I had solid expectations for the place. I'm sad it was not even close.

Important stuff: This place is small; there are only a few tables and the bar top. Its an old, busy, biker/local bbq soor. There's lots of visual stimuli everywhere - if you're into that. All that's fun - super.

The selection of sides is solid, and the menu has decent variety. The fried okra was on point; hard stop, this eas the best bite of my meal. In a BBQ joint, that's a thing.

I ordered a pulled pork sandwich. What I got was a heap of pulled pork on a bun. The pork tasted like it came out of a crock pot - not smokey at all. And not really seasoned. So if slow cooker pork on a bun is your thing, this may be for you. It wasn't for me. Not even a pickle or onions? Just wet, unseasoned meat and bread.

So... I'd say pass. The 4.6 is likely from locals in their feels about a nostalgic place. Springfield has better BBQ, and it's...

This place is a hidden gem! Food, service, price, everything was great. I had the ribs and burnt ends and OMG!!! So delicious. I’m very picky and hard to impress, but the ribs literally fell off the bone. Sauce was served on the side, which I was glad, because I’m not a sauce girl. I like to taste the meat. However, the owner suggested I try the golden sauce (I think that was the name of it). I put some on my plate and dipped the rib meat in it and it was really good. The burnt ends were very tender with a little kick. Not only were the owners very personable, so were the other customers with whom I ended up enjoying conversations with. They have live bands and karaoke nights, but I didn’t have time to stay for that. Sadly, I live three hours away. But I can’t wait...