Chicken fried steak

I was quail hunting just 2 miles north of Beeville Super bowl weekend. I had offered to take my host to dinner Saturday night. The rancher stopped by. I asked about a good place to get a chicken fried steak. He said Chili's. They called it country fried steak. It was delicious. There's a Chili's on the Grand Parkway near where I live. My wife and I went there Tuesday night. Same results. I told them that they needed to hilight it in Texas and call it Chicken Fried steak. Try it. You'll like it.

mehhh

The best chicken fried steak that I have ever had was in the cook building at the Spike Box Ranch.

I bought a quail hunt for two at a QU event and gave the second spot to my son-in-law for a Christmas gift.

Our second night on the ranch, the cook went to the ranch meat locker and cut ribeyes about 3/4" thick and then tenderized them. After that she seasoned them with her special seasoning, dipped them in an egg wash and then in self-rising flour. Into the deep fryer they went.

Talk about good!

Poor Richards in Plano has darn good chicken fried steak.

Are you talking about the chain resaurant Chilis?

You got it. I was really reluctant. Think about it. The country places come and go. They have no quality control. No taste test.

Chilis has a frozen CFS. Not homemadegravy. For a chain its ok, but there are way better places that have been around a long time.

I'll stick with Mary's in Strawn. It's the best.

Mary's is ok, but not the best for sure!

There is a difference between country fried steak and chicken fried steak.

Chicken fried steak is deep fried. Country fried steak is pan fried.

Chicken fried also always has country/white gravy . . . Country can have brown gravy.

My Cliff Claven factoid for the day!

I was not aware.

So if I fry my chicken in the pan, is it country fried chicken?

I've never understood it . . . It's just what they preached when I worked in the food industry as a youngster.

They could been blowing smoke for all I know . . . I just always believed it.

I went ahead and Googled it and found this:

http://www.yumsugar.com/Chicken-Fried-Steak-vs-Country-Fried-Steak-3049096

It is from a yankee source, but who knows . . .

Just got back from Strawn, and the chicken fry was good

Matt's El Rancho in both Austin and Dallas make a darn good chicken fry as well!

Btw - I heard a bad rumor that Matt's in Dallas will be a Mi Cocina... They have line out the door on the weekends. Not sure why they want to sell out...

Babes has a good looking CF I personally have never had it, I always get the fried chicken but the CF sure is big!

That's the reason I posted this. Chili's country fried is actually a chicken fried steak, and don't knock it till you've tried it. I've had my fair share of chicken fried steaks in texas.

It says that country fried is simmered in gravy. We call that smothered steak.

Mary's has always been my choice....

Used to be my "cheat" meal every Sunday after church before I got married. Love it, especially with the corn on the cob!


Haven't had it since I got married...it's been a long 12 yrs..

http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2...orgia-barbecue/

That is the source from what my link was referring to. They're not referring to "simmering" in the way that you are. They're still frying the steak, just not deep frying it.

I've had it quite a few times and I've always been pleased. It's not the best that I've ever had, but it's certainly good. I've had very few "bad" ones, though.

Heck, I even like the frozen ones from the grocery store.

One of the best CFS's I can think of locally is at a little mexican restaurant located on Hiway 44 just coming into town on the west side of Alice, Texas. I believe the name is El Charro. Trust me.. you won't go wrong ordering this one.

P.S. I'm like Bill. I've been around for a while, and eaten my share of chicken fried steaks. I was raised eating my mama's. She was a plenty good cook, but didn't know how to grill steak. If it was meat and wasn't fried, my daddy wouldn't eat it anyway...He died way too young in 1971, by the way. We just didn't know any better back then.

I haven't heard that rumor. If it is true, that will suck! We are there at least once a week and usually twice a week. Their food is so much better than Mi Cocina.

You hav'nt had a good chicken fried steak till you have been to Mary's it Strawn

My friend Ron who hunts up that way told me that the breading sometimes falls off.

Still waiting on someone to match the original Masseys on Ft. Worth's south side. Gawd I miss Herb's CFS.

My vote is still for Mary's

My absolute favorite CFS is from Willow Creek in Mason, TX. Also have great rolls.

I don't really have a preference, its all good. In fact, I think I'm gonna get some right now.

Great now I'm hungry and to far from any good places to go. Has any one tried big Ds in tawakoni best so far for me. If I get close to straw ill stop at Mary

x2 on Matts..store #3 in Garland ...good as it gets..

The new Bosque Resort Restaurant in Laguna Park has very good chicken fried steak. It's a new restaurant located just west of the Lake Whitney Dam on TX-22. It looks like it might be a 'fancy' restaurant from the outside, but inside is a different story. $9.99 for the CFS dinner and it was very tasty with the 'aftertaste' some places have...

My mom makes the best fried chicken and CFS! Unfortunately, it has to be a Holiday or some special day for her to cook it anymore...

I grew up with and still friends with the family. They are not changing it to mi cocina..... I am sure all the rumors started when matt passed away. There CFS is great with the green sauce....

They're a lot of trouble to cook at home. I grill a steak every Sunday, but I seldom ever cook a CFS at home.

Roger that, my wife hates me with malice when I fry anything inside

That's what my family says about mine. I too only make it on a holiday...Christmas Eve. It's a tradition, and a pain.

Phillip's Cafe in danbury is the best i ever had

My wife is the exact opposite. Always wants me to make onion rings. I HATE frying food. Such a pain.

The horse barn in Ector Texas during the sale was the best I ever had.

Today, the diner in downtown Olney named ______________ is the best I have had in years.....

My mothers is very very good too.

Gandy's Cafe, Olney Texas...

For me....CFS in Dallas hasn't been the same since Jenny's Bishop Grill shut the door....although, had a pretty good one recently at Rathbun's Blue Plate Kitchen in Preston Center the other night.

If your ever between Ft Worth and Waco, the little cafe here in Covington has a dang good CFS. Price is very reasonable and the sides are delicious as well. It is well worth the stop!

Matt's makes what they call a cowboy style cfs. Hand breaded. covered with chili and cheese and jalapenos. served with refried and rice. Doesnt sound that great, but if you get it, you might not get anything else on their menu again. Mouth is watering now.
The original in Austin is the best.

Been eating at Chillis all my life, ever since the first one in Dallas in the 70s. Great place, take the family there all the time. I like their chicken fried chicken better, hadn’t had it in a long time tho.

Buddy's in Andrews not chicken fried steak, but steak fingers best I ever ate!

Ranch House in Rice (I don't recommend the restaurant of the same name in seven points) is pretty good on the CFS and CFC (at least for the Ellis county area)

Big Pines in Uncertain TX had a very very good CFS. I miss it and hope they rehire the cook when they re-open it because they had dang good fried whole catfish and frog legs and CFS.

It's official!! The chicken fried steak at Loco Coyote is officially the best chicken fried steak in Texas. Mine was prefect. The breading was crisp, and stuck to the meat. The steak covered the entire plate.

Here you go. I like my gravy on the side. I left my reading glasses in my pickup, and did not look at the menu. You can order the half. I wish I had. I only ate about a third, and barely touched my okra, and fries.

I need a good place around Houston or pearland aria.

I started this thread about Chilis. It's not bad, but Saltgrass is probably better. There was a place up in Tomball which advertised the best chicken fried steat in Texas. I did not agree.

Georges in Waco. But I prefer the CFC better. Still both are the bombizzle!

I do not agree with that statement either. I ate there last year and the meat was pretty tough, the breading was pretty bad/burned and the gravy was very "meh"

agreed.

Mary's in Strawn is one of the best I've ever had.
Jake and Dourthy's in Stephenville is pretty good too.

I had a very good CFS Saturday at a little hole in the wall called Maggie's on Hiway 64 between Canton and Tyler, near Ben Wheeler. The service was turtle-slow but the fried okra, CFS, and the chocolate/peanut butter shake were worth the wait.

Sounds like a heart attack waiting to happen. My kinda dinner!

Jacolby's in Melvin is pretty good

brag all u want. you have not had cfc at jody's inn temple tx.

The place in Tomball is top 3 i've ever had. Gordon's maybe? It startes with a G if I'm not mistaken. Anyway, it was delicious.

Heitmillers in Waco used to be the best around, but it's not anymore. 10 years ago, you couldn't beat it. Georges CFS is pretty good too.

You're talking about Goodson's Cafe and I agree with you 100%. Their chicken fried steak is touted as the best and has been on TV, the travel channel I think. We went there and the cfs was horrible, the rolls were supposed to be all that and they weren't good. We haven't been back. The best place I know of for cfs is Wunsche Brothers Saloon in Old Town Spring (in Spring, TX). Another good place just up the road from there is the Track Shack - they have amazing cfs and burgers, ribs etc.

Try Sportsman's in Eagle Lake. I thought that it was pretty good.

Also, Angel's in Spicewood. Only had CFS sandwich, will have CFS, fries and salad next time (CFS is spicey).

Phil

AHEM, Mary's is a country place and the taste testers are the customers!!!! Quality controll????? Here again the customer is the main aspect of your quality. If it ain't no good, they ain't coming back.

This debate or discussion over which place has the best chicken fried steak is a moot subject. It could go on for eons without ever coming to a conclusion!! Lets face it, Texas and a bazillion places in the south know how to fry up a piece of meat with batter on it. Its kinda like bar-b-que in Texas, we do it right. The next state might do it different.

I can think of three or four places right now within a ten mile radius that does chicken fried steak and they all do a great job at it! It would be insane for me to pick one over the other.

Most anyone can do it. Some are a LOT better than others. Most are average at best.

X2

Outlaw Steak House in Hubbard, Tx, got a mean CFS.

my votes for MARY'S - strawn,tx -

Next time you are in Beeville try Shorty's for CFS.

Hey Wahoo, when I die I want to go to Beeville. They said that our lease was across from the Country Club. I thought I took the wrong turn. The lease looked like a Country Club.

Scattergun, I also agree.

To me, CFS is like sex, the worst I ever had was GREAT!

Believe it or not some of the best CFS I have ver had has been in Mexican resteraunts. We have one here that does CFS with Fajita meat it is great.

Used to be a place in duncanville called Hondos that had the best chicken fried steak ever. Now days its 1oz of meat and 20oz of crust. Also miss there frise cut fries that went anlong with it.

I took my parents out for Fathers day on sunday to Chil Willies in Arroyo City. (Lower RGV) They make a nice Chicken Fried Steak using top sirloin. I shared one with my mother and we were both full.

Matts...in Dallas or Garland..and its a mescan joint..the best..

Seminole Texas, I think the place is called Dixie's (any help here?). Mennonite place. They raise their own beef and most of the other stuff they serve is home grown.

I have been all over the US, all over Texas. Words fail to do justice to this CFS. I ate till I thought I would rupture my stomach, then I ate some more. Then I ordered takeout and had it for breakfast and lunch the next day. The mashed potatoes and the gravy are the best homemade tasting I have ever had. People make 40-50 mile round trips to eat there. If you miss mom's cooking, it's the place to go.

Pete's Cafe in Addison, Blue Bonnet Cafe in Marble Falls, and Cagle Steak House in Lubbock.

McAllen...La Peeps on north 10th. They serve a hearty portion with fried eggs and peasant potatoes.

Surprise!! Surprise! Chilie's is around 14 miles from me. I found a much better chicken fried streak, about 5 miles from home. It was at a new place called All Stars. It's a family grill. It's really good. I think I'll start a new thread on this type of restaurant.

Marys is the best for me.

My vote is for the Bluebonnet Cafe in Marble Falls! 10 years ago, but it stands out after many others...

Also check out the Shed in Edom.

Tony's in Sealy! Nothing like CFS & eggs after a dove or duck hunt.

I agree, some people go there for the pies, which are delicious, but give me their cfs any time of the day, any day.

CFS steak debate in TX is a moot point because there are so many good places, you can't go wrong with Mary's though. Also in Coleman there is Coldwater Creek Cattle Company that is excellent (I'm assuming they are still there). Never been much on a chain resteraunts CFS but there are exceptions. The place in Seminole is really good and also the Stockyards Cafe in Amarillo is great.

Cafe Texan in Huntsville is pretty good too.

Dairyland in Jacksboro for the cfs sandwich


Twin peaks in Plano for the straight up cfs
this thing is huge unless you order the girly size LOL

You are very brave sir.

Just tryin to keep the conversation lively ! ! !

Marys in Strawn for sure. I have never been there when there was less than atleast a 30 minute wait! Soooooo good!

LaSalle County Steakhouse in Cotulla has a dang good chicken fried steak with really good portions of sides!!

Dot Coffee Shop in Houston. Great CF steak! On lunch menu you get 3 vegatables and one meat + corn bread and huge yeast roll for $8.95. Wife and I usually order one lunch and get an extra plate and split it. Plenty of food for two. The Dot is on the southbound frontage road of I-45 first exit inside of I-610 loop on south side, next to Pappa's BBQ. Also homemade pies and cakes. DOT has been there a long time. Open 24/7.

New York Hill,way better than Marys

+1

I've traveled all over the country, mostly staying in small towns. Hands down the best csf I have ever had was at Goodson's Cafe in Tomball,TX. If they're packed then head down the road to Mel's. They both have been around since the early 1900's. Heck Mel's has an original wanted poster for Jesse James that was posted on their front porch!

Lived all over TX and the world for that matter...best CFS is at Western Sky in San Angelo.

Tip Top in San Antonio is the one I like!

Headed to Sealy this week. Will have to try Tony's.

H3 in the stockyards

Had them...they are good.
Try diamond-s in brazoria. Huge steak and really good

There is a place near pearland that says you dont need a knife to cut it and let me tell you that they dont lie. They don't even give you one. When I asked for one I was told "you wont need it"...my god she was right. so tender.
Cant remember the name but I will call my folks and get it for you.

Goodson's Cafe
in Tomball. They are the best.
Goodson's

Use to be a place right outside Lackland back in early 1980 called Hungry Hobo. The CFS hung off the plate. That is the way Goodson's is.

MY GRANDMAS HOUSE.......

All CFS should be compared to Marys as it is the best there is.

Goodsons is very good (Their gravy is a little suspect in my opinion)but it is not as good as Marys.

Ozona's off of Greenville in Dallas has damn good CFS. Mary's is Strawn is awesome! Their burgers are legit as well!

Tony's in Sealy!!!

CFS and eggs after a morning dove hunt can't be beat!

Went to Lulu's Cafe in San Antonio this weekend and got this big boy. Chicken fried steak covered in queso and jalapenos. Not bad but I think I like gravy better.
Then for desert, a 3 lb cinnamon roll!!!

that is ridiculous

If your around wise county go to the mason jar cafe in cottondale it is the best cfs around or shinola's in springtown

Babes roanoke

1:30 am now I'm freck starving. Y'all suck!

It has to be Mary's in Strawn. Thin and perfectly cooked every time. The gravy is unbelievable and could be served by itself.

I had a pretty darn good one at the Koffee Kup in Hico this week ( for breakfast ) .

I was all excited to try the Koffee Kup this weekend only to be very disappointed. Very genaric thin gravy, all breading and no meat and the little meat that was there was tougher than my boots. I wont be going back there for sure

Sorry for the bad trip . I must have been really hungry that morning .

Brave is not what came to my mind!

You Mary's folks need to get out when you are sober. Tough but the beer is cold and the dancing is close.

In Porter, I'd hit the Hofbrau House.

Best I ever had was at Florida's Kitchen in Livingston...I know people who, on a regular basis, drive from Galveston just to eat there. And the slab of ribs will make you wanna fight your kids for even looking at your plate

Dang, now I'm gonna have to talk the wife into a lil road trip

Don't laugh but I've always been partial to the CFS at Floyd's in Corpus Christi...still have to eat there whenever I'm down to visit my in-laws...my wife hates to go there (not a CFS person I guess).

Earl

I'm a chicken fried steak fan, so I've tried a lot of places all over the country. Best I've had yet is Murphy's in Winchester - and it's consistently good.

Had a fantastic Chicken Fried Steak this week at McBrides Land & Cattle in Wichita Falls.

Ditto on the Koffee cup in Hico! I had a cfs that was 75% breading and true the gravy sucked. I will stop by there to eat a piece of pie or maybe breakfast but not for dinner.

Anyone tried the Mexican place downtown? Can't remember the name but looked like a cool place. Just down from the Billy the Kid museum.

It wasn't very good okay @ best

I'm a little partial, but the Weatherford Downtown Cafe was voted one of the top 40 breakfast restaurants in Texas, and #3 on Jody Deans best Chicken Fried Steaks!

Britton, I will have to stop by your place next time I am in Weatherford. Are the two bucks on your sig the ones you got on your TPWD Grand Slam you one? They are both great bucks!

Yes sir, I still have the Big Horn Sheep hunt and the Pronghorn to do. I am going to post the stories of each hunt when I get some time. Would love to have you out!

Mary's in strawn cant beat it. or Jake and Dorthy's in Stephenville both are good eating

Agreed. Both are excellent.

X2

Mary's in Strawn..........SUCKS!!! JMHO

Maybe you call what they serve chicken fried steak but I don't.
I have eaten there twice since I got my lease between Strawn and Breckenridge and there won't be a third time. You guys must not get out much if you think they serve a great chicken fried steak.

BINGO!! The breading falls away from the meat.

This^^^

Not sure what kind of chicken fried steak you guys eat, but I've tried lots of them and Mary's is still my favorite.

I guess you just can't teach old dogs new tricks but I don't want my CFS pounded as flat as a piece of bologona, reeking of garlic with mushy/soggy crust, a salad that looks like what I put on a taco and again mashed potatoes reeking with garlic. And I am going to pay $14 for this?
To each their own.

17 years back I worked at a restaurant called Garcia's Mexican Restaurant in Denison, TX. They did and still do have a fantastic chicken fried steak. Poor Richards was the closest to it I've had in quality. There's also a barbeque place in Bonham I'm going to try out in 3 weeks, they say its good but I'll be the judge of that.

Roger's Grill and Cafe Olney

Never had a bad CFS from Marry's and Ive eatten alot of them! I have tried CFS all across the State of Texas (I travel for my job)and have never had one Better ! There are some other good places to eat a CFS but the one from Marry's is my favorite !

Personally, I think Mary's is the 2nd best CFS in Strawn.

I prefer Flossy's across the street.

x2

Stop by the Little Putt Cafe in Beautiful Downtown Putnam and try one of Tommy's CFS. Closed on Monday nights.

Burger Bar in Llano