Visited Houston and made three visits to Cleburne while I was there. Hands down my favorite place to dine for delicious family style cooking. The variety of vegetables and the freshness is extraordinary, all the choices for fish, too, not to mention the best tartar sauce you'll ever have. Desserts and beverage choices are as abundant as the salads. This place never fails to impress me. This is my favorite place to get a gift card for others for birthdays, holidays. read more

Ate lunch on 6-30-25 at 230. The squash casserole was awful, oven baked Cod was very dry . My husband's chicken fried steak was very tough..roll was hard, 2 meals were over 50.00. Overall the food sucked! Drove from Tomball to have it because of recommendations.... Will not be going back.... You never know if you can trust the yelp reviews... Trust me, it Definitely wasn't worth the money or the experience! Oh and the lady doing refills on drinks passed us by twice until we flagged her down. Very upsetting spending that amount of money and time. read more

We live in the area, so regularly order from here, especially since the pandemic began. We were previously very satisfied with the meals and value until they REFUSED to sell us food for our children. We chose a healthier dinner option and opted to pick up kids meals togo from Cleburnes for the children, something we do at least twice a week. After having done the same thing for months, the last time I called our order in to pick it up curbside, I was told that I couldn't call in any kids meals without purchasing an adult meal. This was totally new because we've done it countless times. This forced me to unpack my kids, including a toddler to go inside and order something that could have been done over the phone. After going inside and going to the togo counter, I recounted the experience with the togo server and the manager came over and DOUBLED DOWN. She said she couldn't sell me TWO kids meals at FULL PRICE for my TWO hungry children who were standing with me. This is absurd and I've never been refused service anywhere, especially not somewhere that I've repeatedly given my business. Since this ordeal had already wasted 20+ minutes on a school night, going anywhere else would have taken more time. I sadly had to struggle through the cafeteria line while trying to push a tray and hold a toddler, simply to get food for my children. All while the togo servers and manager watched, not flinching at the ridiculous situation. All of that to take the tray to a table and immediately pack it into a togo container myself. I'm embarrassed to have been treated so poorly after giving this establishment so much business. What kind of establishment would refuse children food?!?? read more

Cleburne Cafeteria - Food I had to pack up myself after the manager refused to sell full priced kids meals togo for my children who were present. - American Near Me - Houston, Texas

This have been one of our favorite place to eat at whenever we come to Houston. The food is great as always and portion is very very generous. The services are great and helpful and friendly. The atmosphere is so comfortable and clean. The ambience is like home every time we come here. Highly recommend this place for anybody that comes to Houston. read more

For many years I have loved going to Cleburnes Cafeteria. However, I went today patiently fighting traffic due to road work and anticipating only the best food ever from Cleburnes as per all my other visits. No matter the cost. I was so disappointed. My favorite is their turkey and dressing but it went up in price, $17.99 and thats without sides at $3.95 and up each. So I chose a salmon Pattie instead as did my husband at $9.79. It was not what it used to be, it tasted like fishy creamy pudding in some crust. No salmon taste nor texture like before. The mac and cheese was dry. The cake was dry and crumbly as well. I'm hoping it's not the new norm. Our total was $45.07 plus $5.00 tip. Not worth it this trip. . Service, ambiance and friendly staff remain the same and I appreciate that. We're Just not ready to return anytime soon. read more

have been a loyal customer of Cleburne Cafe for 15 years, but my experience today (12.25/25) was the most humiliating and unprofessional I've ever encountered. I ordered one pound of turkey for Christmas and later requested a refund due to a family situation. My mother has dementia, and her needs change daily. I contacted the assistant manager, Delores, several days in advance to explain the situation. She promised to call me back before Christmas Eve to address my request. Instead of a call or resolution, I was met on 12/24/25 with yelling, rudeness, and completely unprofessional behavior. Delores told me she "did not want my business", that she was in control, and berated me instead of handling the situation calmly. I did nothing wrong. I was shocked by her disrespect, especially coming from a manager. I believe in treating people with respect, even in difficult situations, and I expect the same from a business I have supported for years. No customer should ever be spoken to this way, especially over a sensitive family matter. This experience has seriously changed my view of Cleburne Cafe. I will let owners know about the issue and address this behavior so that other long-time/new customers are not treated the same way. I will be posting and letting others know about this encounter today. have never been so humiliated and berated by one of your assistant managers (Delores) before at Cleburne Cafe. She started yelling and screaming at me and telling me "she did not want my business". The situation began when I ordered a pound of turkey for Christmas and I wanted a refund. My mother has dementia which causes her appetite to change every day. I have been patronizing Cleburne Cafe for 15 years. I had called her several days before to address the issue. She stated she would call me back before Christmas Eve to resolve. She yelled at me constantly being rude and unprofessional. Tell her she should be helping others with their orders. She does not need my business. I was raised never to let others to sway me to become unprofessional or irate. I will seek further action from the owner on her behavior. read more

I visit this cafeteria quite often. My last visit was not pleasant. I notice the Manager/Owner sitting in the lobby tried to approach him and he states I have dementia I can't help you. My whole outlook of this restaurant changed. I was so disappointed I had to pray that God calm me down. My complaint was my cheesesteak was tough and dry. The Manager approached me in an aggressive manner.. She made it clear I was not getting any money back, I never asked for money back I was hungry. She said she remembered me, I had one conversation with her in the past over a kid's plate for my grandbaby that was at the table but she did not want to accommodate until she saw her. The Manager acted like a bully towards me I knew to stay calm because I believe this place takes care of Constables, Police and Sheriffs meals and I would have been taken to jail. I left feeling upset because of the manner I was treated. I went to Luby's today and the food was good, hot and the ambiance was welcoming. All of the employees of Cleburne's Cafeteria are ???? I wonder are they ?ega! I could not believe how I was treated. I just talked to a girlfriend who shared they treat her indifferent too. read more

I was craving turkey and dressing and I decided to get their famous dish from here. The turkey was nice and juicy. The 2 teaspoons servings of dressing wasn't enough so I ordered extra with gravy. The yellow cake with chocolate icing s/b $3. Let's just say that this dish isn't the same as it was two years ago in my opinion. The customer service is always impeccable and good family atmosphere. read more

I went here for Thanksgiving dinner with my coworkers. The food was amazing and the service was great. I returned a few days later to get more cream spinach and carrot salad! read more

I have tried Cleburne a couple of times, and hoped if I got something different it would be tasty. I will say the one time I got the turkey and dressing, it was delicious, so 2 stars for that. I took my grand daughter tonight, she got the baked chicken and some sausage. The sausage was good. I got the chopped steak, it was rubbery, and overall terrible. I also got the broccoli casserole, bland. Her mac and cheese was also bland. Huge expensive dissapointment! The staff is nice. read more

Cleburne Cafeteria - American Near Me - Houston, Texas

Food, service, and ambiance are all amazing! This Houston landmark cafeteria has always been amazing! I moved away from Houston for 15 years. I had always loved Cleburne's Cafeteria, and when I returned, Cleburne's was one of the first places I went to. I am happy to say that nothing has changed or they had gotten even better. My small family and I have made Cleburne's part of our Thanksgiving tradition. Who wants to spend all day in the kitchen?! Not me anymore! Cleburne's makes it better and the cleanup is awesome! Lol. read more

The stars are for the strawberry cake. Their cake slices are HUGE. And i tried Italian crème cake and it was way too dense and flavorless but that strawberry cake was nice. It's even better chilled so it's ok to save it and savor it over time. I can't speak on the food though....i think i need to be about 30 years older to appreciate the food. I will return for the cake. read more

Omg why did it take me so long to visit this!! I would like to than my friend for telling me about this place. Not to compare them but they are Luby's on steroids in a great way!!!! Where can I start.... first I like that it's a family business and when you walk in there is a mural talking about the history. Which is really cool. The staff is very friendly and will help with carrying your tray if you have to much. Now let's get to the good part the food portions is bananas!!! The selections is so much, I could not decide. My friend warned you will not be able to eat everything. So of course I got a salad, liver and onions, mash potatoes and cheese cauliflower. Everything seasoned well and the liver was fork tender. Dessert was huge that you can share. You will definitely leave satisfied and full! read more

The last time I was here, was before the fire that devastated the complex. Since they rebuilt I hadn't had the opportunity to come back. I was interested in starting a New Year's tradition here, but even close to 2 pm the line was still crazy long. Some immediate atmospheric and practical changes I noticed was the use of valets and the amount of expensive cars that were parking here. The clientele has definitely become fancier, since my last visit and with that too the prices. They have options to order certain seafood and steaks at the start of the line, which was interesting, but I wasn't their for that type of service, but it was good to keep in mind. The wait was long. Crazy long. I don't know if everyone wanted to be their for New Year's day or if people all got the same idea I had. Regardless, I wasn't prepared for that type of wait. I wish I could tell you this is a one time thing, but I really don't know. However, the valet would indicate otherwise. I still am enamored with the vast amounts of food and choices, including the sides. To this day, their broccoli cheese casserole is still one of the most masterful and well made things done in Houston. Also, their dessert aisle is just spectacular with the vast array of choices from strawberry shortcake to huge pieces of diner cake. It was all mouth watering. We chose the diner cake. The chicken fried chicken was the best ever, tasting more like chicken with a hint of fried to it. I can't explain it, other than they had the chicken fried portions down to the max. For drinks, I stuck with water, due to personal preferences. Despite the large line, we were able to get a seat and were able to eat comfortably and at our own pace. I don't know how that happened, but it did. I didn't notice anyone else struggling to find seating either. Some downgrades of course are the valet...for a cafeteria style restaurant and prices. Some mark ups were expected, but not to that extent. Again, cafeteria style food, but I think it's the clientele that garnered these changes. I'd recommend people to try it out, especially around Christmas so you can see the Charlie Brown tree. read more

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Called to place an order for pick up. 3 chicken fried chicken 2 with mashed potatoes and 1 sub with dressing 1 turkey breast and dressing First issue I have is with the chicken fried chicken---It's not fried or deep fried. It's more pan fried. Their chicken fried steak is deep fried so I assume it would be prepared the same way. I'm wondering if ordering by phone i need to specify DEEP FRIED chicken fried chicken Second problem is with the mash potatoes and creamy gravy --both are kinda bland. I could add salt but it's not going to taste the same when it's seasoned during cooking. Cheese Broccoli and rice --could use more broccoli and the rice could be cooked just a tad longer. Mac and cheese --it's ok Don't know what happened but it's just not the same taste wise and I don't know what to say about the chicken fried chicken. I did noticed the chicken fried chicken before I paid but I don't have time to talk to someone about it. I just hoped it was better than it looked or what I had in mind. Tried it! Disappointed with lunch! Disappointed that I didn't raised the issue when I was there (I needed to get back to work with everyone's lunch order) And oh boy did i get an earful from my coworker about the chicken fried chicken. They thought they were going to get a battered deep fried chicken breast. The turkey entree is for dinner so I hope it turns out good. Anyhoo everyone was disappointed with lunch so I don't think cleburne is going to be part of the rotation now. We understand rising labor and food cost but we don't want to pay for disappointment. Disappointment doesn't taste good. Would I go back-probably not mainly cause the food was kinda bland and just average. Would I recommend-maybe not for takeout. I wouldn't recommend Ordering online cause the layout isn't very user friendly. Ordering by phone isn't much help either cause you feel rushed. They need to hurry to take the next call. They use to be so good so there's always room for improvement. They been in business for a long time. But for today it's a 2 star. read more

Cleburne Cafeteria - Receipt to show review is real - American Near Me - Houston, Texas

Cleburne is a Houston staple! Real Houstonians know this is a secret gem of Houston. Food and staff are incredible every time. The Mac and cheese is a MUST GET! I could not recommend this place enough to a visitor or local. So yum! read more

I have been to Cleburnes a handful of times over the last 15 years. I love the new updates and amenities with th remodel,;appreciate the fact that they accept debit/credit, now (used to be cash only); and the flavors are consistent. The only drawback is the value/price. My average ticket is $30 bucks for just me!!! It usually consists of a main protein (turkey, meatloaf, or liver are my usuals), one side, and a dessert...i can only imagine if i added bread, xtra side, or drink!!! Would definitely visit more often if it was more economical for a cafeteria style establishment. read more

Read this was listed as America's best cafe in 2019 and it was merely a 15 mins drive. We have never heard of this place despite living in Houston for two decades! Ample parking and there was a valet available too. Grab a tray and silverware, like Luby's. It was salad, and several fried items like fish, chicken, etc, then ham, ribs, soups and all the sides. We got prime rib and 5 sides. Asked for beets salad but was given cranberry salad instead. Had to flag down someone to exchange. Portions were large! Food were flavorful and there was a lady who refilled tea/water. Overall, good experience and will return. read more

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Great is the food, had turkey and dressing and WOW. They helped carry my tray as I had a walker. A cart can around ever few minutes to see if we needed anything. It a place if we're closer I would go more. read more

Well, Luby's this will never be!! Generous servings but NO flavor! Liver & onions Mashed potatoes and gravy Steamed spinach Plenty of leftovers but . read more

I dined her for lunch with a coworker. My side item I ordered was the cauliflower. While eating I noticed My cauliflower had a bug in it. I brought it to the wait staff attention. I was dismissed but the bug had whiskers it was not seasoning. I asked for the manager. I was told I would have to wait 5-10min for the manager. I was told I could get another serving of the same contaminated side vegetable. Then I was offered a $5 gift card. The manager stood at the counter with another employee talking and looking at my coworker and I. I got up to the counter to talk to the manager . I asked for my money back because I had lost my appetite and felt sick. The manager told me "you have eaten most of your food" and refused to refund me. This use to be one of my favorite cafeteria's. Not anymore!!! Poor customer service to treat someone the way they did and rude manager! read more

I've been to Cleburne's twice and each time I was pleased. They are more expensive than your Luby's but you get HUGE portions. The quality and taste of the food is on point. Everything looks and tastes freshly made. The desserts are off the chain and the service is outstanding! I will be going back. I just wish that they had one on my side of town. read more

It's been many years since we've been to the Cleburne Cafeteria. Good food at a slightly higher price. You can use a credit card now, in the old days they didn't take cards at all. The serving line is a smooth well run operation with lots of help during and after point of sale. Get a tray carried? No problem. They have people ready to fill a drink glass promptly. After people who've eaten leave, the tables are cleaned in a very timely manner. We came around 11:15 am and the place started to fill up. I was proud of me for walking right by the well stocked shelving full of tasty desserts. My wife loves meatloaf with tomato sauce and they have that here, she also got navy beans and lime congeal....I did have to taste test everything for an honest review....all very good. I enjoyed a humongous chicken fried steak with cream gravy, ate it down to the last bite, very good. I enjoyed some cucumber salad and some spinach. I'm not a big fan of cafeteria style food but I'd come back here, next time, the dessert bar better look out. read more

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Seasons Greetings! Let me share a little information about a Houston institution we know as Cleburne Cafeteria. From the time that you walk into their welcoming doors and take sight of the delectable offerings available, you'll become as giddy as a schoolboy receiving his first kiss (or was that just me? Anyhew...). A few of my MANY favorites include their amazing Blackened Brussels Sprouts, tantalizing Turkey and Dressing, and just downright tasty Chicken Tenders and Mashed Potatoes. These chicken tenders are so good they make ya want to slap yo momma (that's just a southern thing. I just love saying it so that my Mom throws me her side eye). Last but not least are the absolutely sinful selection of desserts. If indulging in these wonderful treats is wrong, Sistah I don't want to be right! My favorites include the Lemon Pound Cake (tastes like somebody's grandma Ethel is back there churning out these slices of heaven with all of her heart and soul), large assortment of cream/custard pies, and OMG their Bread Pudding (somebody put their foot in this bread pudding! Again...just a southern thing. Simmer down.). Check them out and let me know with a review of your favorites. Happy holidays!! read more

Cleburne Cafeteria - Beautiful Christmas tree as you walk through the front doors. - American Near Me - Houston, Texas

The food is fantastic. It is always fresh and brings back memories of when I was growing up in the country. I always try to go on a Sunday.

After hearing how great Cleburne's was, I decided to stop in and it exceeded my expectations!! Everything about this place is perfect--great comfort food, service, and ambiance. The turkey and stuffing were so tasty, I wish I could have it everyday!! Apart from how great my experience was, the owner, Mr.Mickelis, topped our experience by offering us a couple of (so many!) desserts to taste and coffee to go with. They were all so delicious, specially the lemon pound cake! I cannot wait to come back again and experience it all over again! Thank you again Mr. and Mrs.Mickelis! Great restaurant you have! read more

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Excellent cafeteria! Food is remarkably good! Highly recommend this cafeteria! We have been eating here for years! read more

Definitely favorite cafeteria in Houston. So many choices, it's very hard to decide. You have to make several trips to experience. Great old time dining atmosphere. read more

Once again, Cleburne didn't disappoint. All my selections were fresh. The line moved at a nice pace. Floor staff made sure my glass remained full. read more

A very beautiful place. The food was good and you had a lot of options to choose from. They had a lot of nice and spacious sitting options. My family decided to go and eat here Christmas Day. Even though there was a long line it was moving fairly quickly. And the whole place was decorated beautifully. A lot of artwork and pictures. The only reason I'm giving it 3 starts is because of the 2 people we came in contact with when we first got to the cafeteria. One was a younger guy? Teens to maybe 20s? He was on door duty and was responsible for letting people in. Over and over he kept commenting saying that he didn't know what to do and that he wasn't sure what his job was exactly and had no idea to do what he was asked to do. While he's ushering people in, the owners step daughter comes up and tells him that too many people are in and why did he let so many people in. His response was that we just kept walking in. As he's saying "okay you can come in". Then the girl proceeds to rudely tell us that too many people are in there and that we need to back up and all of us can't go in because of different hazards. Which I agree and respect and will gladly comply if you talk to me like a normal human being. But she came with so much attitude and being rude. Then as we are standing there her and the other guy proceed to talk about why so many people have been let in and he just continues saying how he doesn't even know how to do his job. All right in front of us. Just because of that interaction that could've been handled a different way I most likely won't come back here. read more

I was hoping for an elevated Luby's experience like others told me it was. While the service and ambience seemed much above par for a typical Luby's, I cannot say the food was inherently better. Portion sizes were huge, but the food lacked any flavor at all. read more

I've never been a fan of cafeterias until I can to this spot! I felt like I was at a Las Vegas buffet with all of the options. Bring the whole Fam! When you walk in you see all of the history of the restaurant with family photos from decades prior. The crowd is a little older so this place is wall to wall packed for Mother's Day and on Sundays. The first stop on the line is Steak! You can get steaks made to order right there on the grill. They literally have everything! Shrimp, blacken salmon, lemon pepper cod, fried chicken, baked chicken, mac n cheese, broccoli and cheese, mashed potatoes, corn, spinach just to name a few! Don't skip dessert! Well you can't help but see the giant display before you hit the register! The slices of cake are giant and don't disappoint. I'm basic so strawberry and chocolate cake are my favorite. A plus is they now serve wine! The Lange Twins Sauv Blanc And Sand Point Cab are my favorite! This is a thanksgiving hot spot. They serve all of the classic dishes! No need to cook, and you can get it all to go! I know eating out during this pandemic is hard but this is one place I feel safe dining in. The portions are large, the food is fresh and the staff is wonderful. My friend doesn't eat meat so she opted for the fried shrimp. They were crispy and succulent! I got chicken fried steak which is a southern comfort staple food item. They know how to do it best! The food never disappoints and I always leave satisfied. read more

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Eat 1941. I'm not that old but I used to go to places like this all the time with my parents growing up. It's along the lines of Luby's or Piccadilly's. Everything is ala carte (no Lu Ann platter) so choose wisely as it can add up. A slice of Texas toast was $1 for example. Prime rib looked impressive but was actually a bit tough. Meatloaf wasn't how my mom made it. It's got a tomato like base that was lightly seasoned. I think they do that for the clientele who are mostly older folks (like over 60 by the looks of it on, at least on a Sunday at lunch). Couples with young kids were getting balloons brought to them. Steaks made to order are available for reasonable prices ($25). They got New York strip and rib eye. Lots of desserts. Lemon meringue pie was tart as it should be. My kid liked the Chocolate box pie. Horse radish is right after the deserts on ice in a little take away container. Steak knives are around the corner to the right after paying at the cash registers. They got wine too near the take out at the end of the line. Roving carts have ketchup and refills on your drinks. It wasn't that packed on a Sunday (I thought it would be because of Lakewood being close by). Staff on the food line seemed impatient. But the ones on the floor serving water etc were nicer. I tried catching some snapshot of the food line. Enjoy. read more

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Came for New Year Day and they had free servings of pinto beans! The line wasn't long and parking was easy. I love the comfort food of this place. read more

Cleburne Cafeteria - Turkey dressing & baked haddock - American Near Me - Houston, Texas

This place has totally withstand the test of time The food is good but the portions are AWESOME. If anything, we come for the huge portions and the southern comfort food. Go early because it does get crowded read more

Cleburne Cafeteria - American Near Me - Houston, Texas

This place is a treasure! It reminds me of Sunday after church with family. Amazing food, friendly staff, great selection. Won't miss it on any trip to Houston!!!!!! read more

Love this place! Food is amazing and a lot of fresh options to chose from. Plates might look small but once you start to eat you will realize they aren't small at all. Once you get in you can notice a very long line of people waiting on their food. That's not a problem, line goes quick because of the amazing people that work at this place. My family and I loves to come here because of great food, people that works there and atmosphere. In my opinion this is perfect place for some good family time. read more

I once dined here several years ago and last Saturday, I decided to return for lunch. This Houston institution suffered a devastating fire and then rebuilt. The new restaurant is very nice inside. Walking into the foyer, there are several pictures on the wall depicting the long history of this place giving it an almost museum feel. It was very slow when I arrived at noon and I know that during the week it's much busier. After looking at all of the entree options, I decided on the lasagna that was the special of the day. I received a large square cut that was also very high. I also chose lima beans for a veggie and added a wheat roll along with ice tea. With tax my bill was $14.77. I will admit that the lasagna was large in size. It was chocked full of ground beef. Unfortunately, I thought it needed more pasta and definitely more cheese. The lack of cheese especially made this a somewhat dry entree to eat. It was plenty of food but I wouldn't order this lasagna again. About the only cheese was on the top and with all that beef the ratio was way off. The lima beans were ok but I did like that the serving bowl was filled to almost overflowing. The wheat roll was massive and I enjoyed it. All of my serving sizes were large which was nice. Honestly, I have to give this meal a 2. The dry lasagna along with above average prices warrant the score. However, I will give an overall score of 3 because I believe Cleburne's is better than that. The new restaurant has an attractive interior and the staff were friendly and accommodating. I would return. read more

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I first heard about Cleburne about 4 years ago when I moved to West U area. A friend of mine bought his thanksgiving turkeys there every year. Supposedly they're amazing. I don't know. Anyway not too long after that they had a fire and the place was closed down for a while. Well they reopened. And supposedly bigger and now accepts credit cards. Okay so I compare this place to Luby's. Overall it's better than Luby's, but not with everything. Luby's has them beat on the fried fish. But that's about it. The deserts are amazing and the food is pretty decent for a cafeteria. I mean you have to add a little salt to the dishes. But to me that's expected when going to any cafeteria, because the food isn't made to order. Okay so they claim the turkey and dressing is the best. No shade, it wasn't bad, but I was expecting to be blown away. And I totally wasn't. They have valet. And the place is really big, modern, and very clean. The service is great as well. I've been back several times. read more

Cleburne Cafeteria - American Near Me - Houston, Texas

Waaaay too expensive. Ridiculous! Can you believe Turkey & Dressing $17.95??!! Two small scoops of dressing, two cranberry sauce cups and an abundance of tender turkey. Filled the plate completely. . . So I am a petite lady. . . could only justify ordering 1 side, no roll, water to go along with entree. I had a half of turkey to take home and no dressing. My husband had tea, carrot salad, salmon croquette, and undercooked green beans, cornbread. We got a piece of Italian Cream Cake to share. $54.65. The servers are all talking to each other in Spanish as you walk down the line. No smiles. No owner or manager welcoming you. Going back to Luby's for more practical sized servings, better food and friendly greetings. Still cannot believe $54.65 for what we got! Highway Robbery! read more