5 Best Queso Dips

Don't call it cheese dip: It’s queso, and these restaurants serve hot, melty, mouthwatering versions of the Mexican restaurant favorite.

Anyone who loves melted cheese will tell you that there is a lot more to a
 great batch of queso than a block of Velveeta and a can of Rotel. Great
 queso dips appear on menus all over 417-land, but to find the best of the 
best, you’re going to need some help. While you might expect Mexican
 restaurants to make the best (and as a rule, they do) at least one local American-style bar 
and grill has a fabulous take on this classic appetizer.

Queso Con Chile Verde

Maria’s Mexican Restaurant
406 South Ave., Springfield, 417-831-9339

Price: $4.95

Served with traditional tortilla chips, this queso works great when paired with Maria’s traditional (and free!) salsa. This particular variety is made of green chile cheese, spicy pepper jack cheese and green chiles, giving this white dip quite the zip. While not the best bargain in town (this was a small serving, especially when shared with the table), it is so popular that according to our waitress, “we don’t have to lower the price.”

Queso Dip

Acambaro Mexican Restaurant
1779 S. Glenstone Ave., Springfeild, 417-886-1444

Price: $2.59

One word captures the essence of Acambaro’s queso: texture. This is without 
a doubt the smoothest dip in town, nothing but melted white or yellow 
cheese, perfectly seasoned and not at all runny. The corn chips are light 
and a have a bit of a sweet taste them. I didn’t want salt at all. You could
 spice it up by mixing in a bit of hot sauce, but we recommend just admiring 
for what it is, Springfield’s most honest bowl of melted cheese.

Chile con Queso

La Hacienda
1370 S. Glenstone Ave., 417-887-3733

Price: Small, $3.99; Large, $5.99

Simplicity is the key here. Its white Monterey jack cheese (they also offer a “yellow” version) is smooth and the green chiles add a kick of flavor but that’s all there is to it. There aren’t any fillers (or chunky vegetables) here. Just pure flavor. The best part: The large size is large, and the tortilla chips are basically salt-free, leaving only the flavors of the queso.

courtesy Big Whiskey’s American Bar and Grill Big Whiskey's queso is made with spinach dip.

White Queso Spinach Dip

Big Whiskey’s American Bar and Grill
311 Park Central East, Springfield, 417-862-2449

Price: $4.99 (or try it during happy hour Monday thru Friday 4-6 pm for half price)

As our only American restaurant on the list, this queso has a truly addictive quality: there is spinach dip mixed right in. Big Whiskey’s won’t reveal all the ingredients (the menu calls it “Matty’s Secret recipe”), so we aren’t sure what different cheeses are involved. What we do know for sure is that each time we’ve tried it, there is a different element. Sometimes onions appear and sometimes it is spicier than others, but it’s the unknown that keeps us ordering it. The portion is huge and served with plenty of chips, so feel free to share.

Queso Laredo

Cantina Laredo
1001 Branson Landing Blvd., Branson, 417-334-6062

Price: $7.99

This queso is by far the most luxurious of the quesos that made this list (and by far the most expensive). Its price may be due to all that comes with it. This queso includes meat, tomatoes and a variety of spices. You also get pico de gallo and a “special sauce.” All these extras make this way more than just your average queso appetizer. Order and share with your table. And ask for the top shelf guacamole too ($8.99). They make it fresh at your table and it’s another great extra for this loaded queso.