Hard Luck Diner

Their website said they were open until 9. When we showed up at 8:08 they had the door locked and wouldn’t let us in. When I called in they said they started locking the door at 8 a couple months ago but hadn’t updated any of their business listings or website. The owner clearly doesn’t understand how to run a business and wasted my family’s time. I’ll never come back to this place

This place is LOUD. The food is pretty good. The service is food and fast. But it’s really loud.

Usually try to eat here one time during each stay. Great food, malts and onion rings. Singing waiters and waitresses are a bonus. Took our family of 13 this week and good serve and fairly quick for the size of our order. Would recommend!

Best burger and fries in Branson. Loved the shakes too! The service was great and the singing was alright.

We went for lunch during our family vacation. Total ’50’s dinner, loved it! The servers sing while serving you. I thought it was amazing! Our server Andrea, was super nice and gave our daughter a total show! You can buy CDs recorded by the servers your hear. The food is really good, I had a burger, and was very pleased, it was huge. The kids grilled cheese was super.

Went to the Hard Luck Diner and had a great time! It is a 50’s style diner with the classic food that you would expect. Most of us ordered cheeseburgers and milkshakes. The food was good. The servers sing while they work and it is entertaining. This is a fun place to go. We were in Branson with my Uncle, Aunt, and cousins. Had a great time!

The place was great. The Waiters that sing are very good and have CDs for sale. The food was very good too. I have used Unilocal for a few years but have never wrote a review, but I had to on this one. We loved it! A very nice dining experience.

Typical Branson, but not delicious by any means. The staff are talented singers, but the food… not so much. Recommendation: cheese sticks and ice cream. Can’t go wrong. We probably won’t go back next time. Sorry Mel!

The food was just below average and our waiter was so caught up in his singing he hardly waited on us, took a while to take our order, serve our food, ate all my meal with nothing to drink and waited 45 minutes for the bill that never came. When we went to the till they comped our entire meal.

The atmosphere was great. The food was great. I would recommend this place to anyone!

Enjoyed the atmosphere and the singing waiters are their gimmick… but in Branson everyone has a gimmick :) Food was ok… but a bit expensive for sandwiches. Still, it felt friendly and laid back despite the ever present commercialism – but then again, it’s Branson :)

Great atmosphere but too loud! Waiters sing and promote their music, even putting their cd’s on the table! Tacky! Food was okay! Service was poor because they were too busy singing!

Not that great, but not that terrible. The staff here odd really nice, and the singing is about what you’d expect. They sing a lot of old tunes, so don’t expect your kids to get up and sing along.
The food is whether I was disappointed. It’s not horrible, but I was expecting better. My wife and I both got the «smoke gets in your eyes» bacon cheeseburger, with fries, and we got our son a kids burger. They were all pre frozen patties, and the fries were pre frozen as well. Bummer. Inn do used to restaurants that make fresh food that I was not expecting it.
If your on Branson, and can’t find anything else to eat, this won’t be a bad alternative, however if you have the time you might want to look for something else.

The food was good and the service was friendly. I ran low on water once. Singing wait staff was different but I enjoyed it. Definitely an experience not to miss. I did have desert which was delicious. Coconut crème pie. Not the best I have ever had but it was close. I would eat there again.

Came on beautiful Sunday afternoon during Christmas time. Server was great and waiters and waitresses sang gospel and Christmas songs. They were way better than what I expected. Food was standard diner stuff with burgers and dogs. Onion rings were good too. For something different than retail burger chains, I would highly recommend.

If you’re visiting Branson this diner is a microcosm of what Branson is all about. SINGING SERVERS! We’ve been here at least 4 times now and each time enjoyed our visit. One of our earlier visits we met Jason Yeager of American Idol fame. The waiters/​waitresses are wonderful singers and very pleasant. Our daughters always enjoy the singing and the personal attention.
Food is typical diner fare. Tasty but nothing fancy. Reasonably priced.
As you checkout there is an opportunity to purchase a CD from each of the singers.

Had a Philly steak sandwich which was good. Came with seasoned and battered fries, not my favorite but after being in the car all day they were fine. Very much a 50’s old time dinner experience. The best part of the experience was the singing servers. All very talented an awesome!

I love going to The Hard Luck Diner!!! You sit in a 50s style diner and order off of a themed menu… the items on the menu are given cute names with a 50’s theme. The waitstaff is made up of professional singers and they all take turns singing as you eat. And the food is great! I loved my spaghetti… and I got a lot of it! Mom loved her reuban and dad really loved his patty melt. There are a couple of guys from American Idol on staff, but all of them do a great job… not just the idol alums. I don’t feel they push their CDs on you… they are on the tables and in the gift shop for you to buy if you choose… but I didn’t feel like I had to. It’s a must stop everytime in Branson!

Just diner food w/​some live singing. We had a good vantage point at the counter to see all the action at the grill.
I had a serious craving for onion rings based on the praise given by Elite Unilocaler, Nydia M. (under Mel’s Hard Luck Diner which has a bad address). She should probably be stripped of her elite status. LOL. Kidding — maybe.
For truly superior o-​rings, I expect handcut and hand breaded. I watched the fry cook dump these frozen out of a box that said Moore’s on the side. The real KILLER here was the $ 7.50 price tag for 10 of them!!! Abominable…
Other observations of the grill area were frozen, prepattied burgers and precooked chicken breasts that were heated up.

Every time I go to Branson, I go here. It is a must (along with Stone Hill and the Ducks). The food is excellent and the décor is well done. It is classic 50s diner. Possibly one of the best milk shakes I’ve had and an excellent burger.
What really makes them different is the singing staff. Unlike the cheesy tunes they have at places like Cold Stone and Hooters, these are real songs. The staff sings well and it is entertaining.
Great fun and great food.