The Lodge of Four Seasons is an award-winning luxury resort, and the fulfillment of a dream by Harold Koplar, Chairman of the Board of Koplar Enterprises of St. Louis. HK’s Restaurant & Bar offers the resort’s elegant dining experience.

Mr. Koplar (more fondly known as H.K.) had been bringing his family to the Lake for fishing vacations at a small resort in Osage Beach in the early ’60s. It was during one of his visits that Al Cervantes, personal friend and longtime Mayor of St. Louis, asked him to look at some property near his home in Blackhawk Estates, with the idea of building a luxury resort. The resort opened in 1964. The original resort had 125 guest rooms. The Toledo Dining Room was the main restaurant.

The entire Lodge of Four Seasons facility, which sits on 200 acres overlooking Lake of the Ozarks, is built on solid rock. The main Lodge building is fireproof. Construction is concrete with many interior areas fashioned of concrete simulated as distressed wood. Native fieldstone was used whenever possible to lend interesting accents.

A fabulous four-story waterfall is in the atrium, with water from the Lake running through the building. It was designed by Buffy Murai, longtime resident artist, who also designed the Japanese Gardens around the Lodge.

Within the Lodge’s grounds are private tennis courts, trap shooting, bicycle rental and marina with all types of boats and cruisers for rent or sale. Bass fishing guides are on staff, and there are two championship golf courses. Swimmers and sunbathers can take advantage of the beautiful sand beach. Spa Shiki, the movie theater and all other entertainment facilities are under constant expansion and revision to better serve guests.

Distinctive restaurants and bars meet every budget and satisfy every taste. The Lodge’s dining options will also delight you with tempting menus and the freshest ingredients. HK’s Restaurant & Bar offers dining in an elegant, yet relaxed atmosphere and with beautiful views of the Lake and the resort’s Japanese Gardens. HK’s restaurant use to be located across the street from the entrance of the Lodge where guests could watch chefs cook the steaks over an open flame.

HK’s serves modern American cuisine, top-notch steaks from Creek Stone Farms in Kansas, as well as Braised Lamb Shanks, Scampi and many other delicious choices. Enjoy cocktails around the outdoor fire pit or the lobby fireplace. Don’t miss the weekend Prime Rib Feast in season.

Chef Kevin McAfee has been cooking for 13 years. He attended the French Culinary Institute in New York City and has worked at numerous restaurants including the 5-star, 5-diamond Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas. He relocated to the Lake in the summer of 2015 with his 8-year-old son Marley.

It was Mr. Koplar’s dream that the resort be done on a bold scale, with rustic elegance to appeal to the vacationer with good taste. He also believed that the architecture, the interior and the restaurant offerings should create an entity that would be synonymous with the Lake of the Ozarks. His vision has become a reality.

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