5 Fun Facts about the Fourth of July

The Lake of the Ozarks is the best place to be during Fourth of July! We have fun activities, a great location, and of course the best bar at the Lake of the Ozarks! As a way to celebrate this momentous holiday, here are five fun facts that you may not have known about the Fourth of July!

1. Birth & Death

Ironically, while July 4th 1776 was the birth of the independence for the United States, on the
sameday fifty years later John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died.

2. Filipino and Rwandan Independence Day

July 4th also marks the day that both the Philippines and Rwanda were liberated.  In the Philippines they have celebrated their Independence Day on June 12th since 1962. The Rwandans on the other hand do celebrate liberation day on July 4th.

3. Hot Dogs For All

July Fourth is the largest hot dog holiday of the year according to TIME magazine. Reportedly, Americans consume about 155 million of them on Independence Day alone.

4. American Bald...Turkey?

Benjamin Franklin was apparently displeased that the bald eagle was chosen as the symbol of the nation. Due to their "bad moral character", and not "getting his living honestly". He claimed that the bald eagle could often be seen in a dead tree watching the fishing hawk labor for their catch only to steal it away. Whereas the turkey, though vain and silly, was courageous, not hesitating to attack the British Guards should they enter his farm yard.

5. Tap the Bell

Due to the cracking of the iconic Liberty Bell, it has not been rung since 1846. Instead, every year for Fourth of July they tap the 2,000-pound bell 13 times to signal for bells across the country to start ringing.

Happy Fourth of July from Casablanca! Here are our favorite facts about the Fourth of July. We hope you have a wonderful holiday filled with family, food, and LOTS of hot dogs! We have some amazing hot dogs for your whole family. Our Casa Dog is phenomenal, and our Nacho Dog is pretty drool worthy too! We also have the most delicious craft beers at the Lake of the Ozarks for you to enjoy with your hot dog. Come on down this weekend and celebrate the holiday with the best restaurant at the Lake of the Ozarks!

Casablanca -  the best bar & grill and the best pizza under one roof!

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5 Glasses That Will Complement Our Beers

Craft beer is just that, a craft. Like with any craft you have to use the right tools, and that even comes down to your glass! The shape of your beer glass can help determine how much you enjoy your beer. When you eat, you eat with your eyes, your nose and finally your mouth. The same goes for drinking and enjoying a delicious craft beer. You are using your eyes to see the color, your nose to let the scent affect you, and finally the flavor to wrap up the whole progression. The shape of your glass helps with every step of this operation. Studies suggest that the shape of the glass can even determine how quickly you will drink your beer! At Casablanca we have over 15 craft beers on tap. The kegs of beer are kept at 28 degrees and then pumped through our glycol system which brings these flavors to your frosted glass at 24 degrees. Here are five glasses that we think would complement the beers we have on tap!

1. The Snifter Glass

This is a stemmed, wide bowled glass that tapers in at the top. It is designed for maximum appreciation of the aroma. This glass is not commonly found in public, but don't let that stop you from trying it out. Generally the snifter is used for cognac and brandy, but people are finding that it is also great the aromatics of beer. The shape allows for swirling your beer around, stirring up the volatiles (vapors), and bringing the full aroma of our brew to the top. The Snifter is commonly revered for stronger beers, so you could enjoy our Schlafly Coffee Stout in a glass like this.

2. The Weizen Glass

This glass is tall, slender at the bottom and bowled out at the top. The large size accommodates a frothy head that is associated with highly carbonated German wheat beers. The slender bottom shows off these beers' famous hazy color and protects its carbonation. This glass is occasionally confused with the pilsner glass, since the shape is similar. The main difference is that the weizen glass has more curvature, especially at the top. An important characteristic is that the weizen glass is primarily used for and designed for wheat beers (Weizenbier). The curved head is perfect for thick foam, it traps it at the top allowing you to enjoy the full aroma that you find in wheat beers. We have some fabulous wheat beers on tap, such as Blue Moon and Boulevard Wheat.

3. The American Pint Glass

There are many different pint glasses, but the most common for beer is probably the American Pint.
It's the most likely to be served at a bar or restaurant. It has a simple cylindrical shape that gets wider as it goes up. It will typically hold 16 oz. and is very common with ales, IPAs, stouts and lagers. Another name for this is the Shaker Pint. It's a fairly cheap glass, easy to stack and quite sturdy, which explains why it is so common. We have some wonderful selections in our Schlafly Tasmanian IPA, our Stella Pale Lager, Smithwicks Pale Ale and Magic Hat #9.

4. Beer Stein

The stein is very similar to the beer mug, but they aren't the same. The shape may be the same, but the stein comes with the very important hinged lid allowing your thumb to open the lid easily. Traditionally, steins are made out of a wider variety of materials than just glass. You will find porcelain, stoneware, wood, pewter, and silver. "Stein" is the abbreviation for Steinzeugkrug, which is the German word for stoneware jug, or tankard. Steins were preferred in the past because they thought the lid would help to keep germs out and thus prevent the bubonic plague. Beer steins are still used today, though they are generally just considered an ornamental piece, or souvenir glassware. So while you won't find our beer served in a stein, we highly recommended you try your beer this way, just for fun!

5. The Beer MugThe beer mug is definitely a favorite. It's extremely robust, easy to use and can hold LOTS of beer.

It's common in England, Germany and the United States and comes in all sizes. It's main characteristic is the wide and cylindrical glass with a handle on the side. The thick glass helps to insulate your beer and keep it cool, while the handle keeps your hands from warming your brew...or dropping it supposing you've had a few of these mugs! Some beer mugs have dimples throughout the glass. Most think this is just decorative, while others feel that is helps you appreciate the color and clarity of your beer. Whatever you believe, this is a wonderfully popular glass. Strong, and easy to use, it makes a perfect toast with your fellow drinkers. No matter what beer you choose to drink in this glass, we're sure you'll enjoy it even more.

Though you may not find all of these glasses in our bar, this is meant to grow your appreciation for the craft of craft beers. The glass can make all of the difference in the taste of your beer. These different glasses also give you a chance to taste a LOT of beer in order to test our theories! Casagrotto has the best bar at the Lake of the Ozarks, and we can't wait for you to come out and have a great time! We can truly say that we have the best beer at the Lake of the Ozarks, and we provide an excellent atmosphere to enjoy it at!

Casablanca -  the best bar & grill and the best pizza under one roof!

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Casagrotto - The BEST Pizza at the Lake of the Ozarks!

Casagrotto is located in the lower level of Casablanca and features the best pizza at the Lake of the Ozarks! We have a variety of pizzas that will tempt the whole family. Everything is made with fresh ingredients and cooked in our custom-built brick oven. Our traditional pizza boasts our house made tomato sauce and a delicious five cheese blend.  Our specialty pizzas are loved for their robust flavor and creative toppings. Grinders and sandwiches are also available, and we have 21 draft beers on tap...you'll never thirst again! We have the best restaurant at the Lake of the Ozarks, take a look at our pizza menu to see why!

Traditional Pizza

Our traditional pizza comes in three sizes (Small 10", Medium 14" and Large 16"), with all pizzas
having 8 slices. Traditionally, these pizzas feature a house made tomato sauce and a five cheese blend, but they are completely customizable! Enjoy your own creation using any of these fresh ingredients:

Specialty Pizzas 

Margherita: Tomato sauce, fresh soft mozzarella & basil
Pepperoni Classico: Tomato sauce, fresh soft mozzarella, pepperoni & basil.
Pollo: Tomato sauce, mozzarella, chicken, sun dried tomatoes, artichokes & basil.
Capo: Tomato sauce, pepperoni, Italian sausage, caramelized onions, mushrooms, mozzarella & basil
Hawaiian: Tomato sauce, pineapple, and Canadian bacon
Vegetarian: Tomato Sauce, caramelized onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, sweet peppers, mozzarella & basil
Napoli: Tomato Sauce, meatballs, ricotta, & basil
Grand Glaize: pesto, roasted chicken, mushrooms and onions

Sandwiches

Brick Oven Baked Hoagies: Includes our legendary cheese blend, lettuce, Roma tomatoes, caramelized onions, aioli and our special sauce on a homemade, toasted hoagie roll.
Ham & Cheese
The Grotto: Canadian bacon, thinly sliced rib-eye, and Pepperoni
Italian: Capicola, salami & ham

Grinders

Brickhouse: House made Italian sausage covered in our house red sauce and covered in our legendary cheese blend served on a fresh baked Italian roll.
The Dam Brick: Add green peppers, onions & mushrooms.
The Meat A Ball: House made meatballs covered in our house sauce and cheese blend served on a fresh Italian roll.

Calzones

Casa Pollo: Chicken, peppers, and caramelized onion.
Supreme: Bell peppers, sausage, pepperoni, spinach, and onion.
Alfredo: Chicken, spinach, house made alfredo.
Meat: Sausage or Pepperoni.
Custom: Pick your sauce and up to four ingredients.

Our pizzas are fresh and delicious, our restaurant is fun and inviting and we have the best craft beers at the Lake of the Ozarks. You can also enjoy fabulous appetizers at Casablanca, upstairs from Casagrotto, check out our blog to see our appetizer menu! Whether you are just vacationing at the lake or you live here long term, we look forward to serving you and your family at Casagrotto!

Casablanca -  the best bar & grill and the best pizza under one roof!

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Welcome to the NEW Casablanca & Casagrotto Blog

Welcome to the new blog of Casablanca and Casagrotto. Follow our blog to stay up to date on everything that is happening at the best bar and grill at Lake of the Ozarks! We will be featuring our favorite foods on the menu, our 21 draft beers, local events happening at the Lake, and the history of our restaurant.

Casablanca

The outside seating and new menu at Casablanca create a perfect atmosphere for relaxation! We're known for our famous Casadog, piled high nachos, outstanding sandwiches, a mouthwatering breakfast menu on the weekends and great drinks!

Casagrotto

Casagrotto is located at the lower level of Casablanca and we feature the best pizza at Lake of the Ozarks! Between our traditional pizzas, our specialty pizzas or your very own creation, everything is made with fresh ingredients and cooked in our custom-built brick oven. Our traditional pizza has our house made tomato sauce, and proprietary five cheese blend. Grinders and sandwiches are also available and with 21 draft beers on tap…you’ll never go thirsty!

Local Events

This weekend here at Bagnell Dam we have the Lake Race happening starting at 6 PM! Between the Street Party, the family fun area, the chance to meet the racers and see their boats there will be a lot to keep you entertained! Opening ceremonies for the race start at 11:30 on Saturday morning, and the race will kick off at noon!

We look forward to seeing you Friday night for the best Dam Dog and a delicious craft beer till 1:30 AM, or Saturday morning for our mouthwatering breakfast starting at 9:00 AM!

Casablanca, the best bar & grill and the best pizza under one roof!

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