Great chicken fried steak at Mary' Café. We watch the show The Daytripper with Chet Garner on TV. He did a segment on Mary's Cafe. So, we drove about 2 hours west of Fort Worth. The place is just an old diner in the town of Strawn. We showed up at 1130. They had nice crowd no wait. Sit down and order. We got a small and a medium chicken fried steak. For the sides fries and mash potatoes with a small salad each. The small steak is prefect size for me. But if you are hungry go for medium or the large. The chicken fried steak is made a little different than most. Not the usual type of breading. We really enjoyed the meal all was very good. The steak was tender and great flavor. Fries cook perfect and great for dipping into my gravy. Mary came around and took the order and she also went to each table and made sure you like the food. Very good service from all the staff. We will be back and you should give them a try. read more

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Came here based on the Daytripper review saying this was the #1 CFS place in Texas. I hate to give a hometown, non-chain restaurant a bad review, but also want to be honest. I'm really surprised at how many four and five stars there are. Almost nothing we got had flavor: Queso - literally just cheese with nothing added - no salsa, no jalapeños, no onion - nothing. If you put queso on the menu, I think people expect it to have more than literally melted cheese. Chicken Fried Steak - loved that the breaded parts stuck to the meat and was excited to eat, but again, literally no flavor. We didn't finish it and we didn't take the leftovers. Mashed potatoes - No flavor AGAIN. We were so surprised and disappointed. You can see everyone there busting their tails though. Those women deserve every penny of every tip left for them. read more

No. NO. NO!!! Best chicken fried steak in Texas? Hell no. I ordered the medium and it's big for sure but it's pancake thin and 60% tasteless. Why 60%? Because apparently only maybe 40-50% of the steak was seasoned. Nothing special. It tastes like McCormick seasoned salt or simple salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. Most of the steak wasn't seasoned and the flour was not crispy. It's like something I can muck up at home by myself. It's soggy and oily with only the very last part and edge of it being crispy (barely) and really thin and dry. If you've ever messed up trying to fry some chicken/fish at home and the batter a mushy like stuffing that's how this batter is. Is it the worst? Ummmmm... I had frozen CFS from Walmart that was worse but that was at least a bit crunchy. I know you'll still eat the CFS cuz of the BS "best CFS in Texas" YouTube and opinion pieces. Just order the small. You thank me later. read more

Mary's has become a big draw for folks visiting the new state park, just down the road. I've been to Mary's two times. The first time, I ordered their so-called "world famous" chicken fried steak. It was almost gross - no breading, very little flavor, and it was greasy. The servings are huge. During my second visit, I kept it simple - chicken fajita nachos. I was able to eat the entire serving because I was very hungry. I should've sent it back to the kitchen. It took nearly 20 minutes to get my order at 2:30pm. The cafe was nearly empty. Their food is guaranteed to make a turd but that's as far as it goes. Pick another nearby restaurant when you visit Strawn. Mary's hype is undeserved. I've had better food at the service station next door. read more

I'm actually wearing their shirt as I type this. Recommend for the experience and the chicken fried steak. Mashed taters and gravy good as well. The service was really great and would recommend trying at least once in your travels. Don't mind the old building it's ambiance for the good food! read more

If there's a better chicken fried steak in Texas, I haven't had it. Consistent quality. Been on one episode of Yellowstone, btw. You choose between small, medium and large CFS. I split the difference and got the medium (and Mary even waited on me). So glad I did. It took almost everything I had to finish. The "large" hangs off the plate. Recently voted a top 10 Chicken Fried Steak in Texas. It's been a consistent top 10 as long as I can remember. Small down home place with real folks, many of them ranchers. Love it. read more

Chicken Fried Steak is old school pan fried....just like your grandpa would have made it. It was big and it was delicious!! Potatoes are from scratch and not instant. You will giggle at the gravy that comes out in a ridiculously huge bowl but at the end it was empty, it was that good. Kinda pricey but the portion is huge. Cant recommend enough. read more

Mary's Cafe - Medium Chicken Fried Steak. Old school pan fried.....like grandpa would have made. - American Near Me - Strawn, Texas

Love this place me and wife stop here from Haslet whenever we are in that area. I'm a huge CFS fan and absolutely love Mary's. It's not greasy or salty, just enough pepper and the best part is the breading stays on the steak when you cut it. A medium is big enough for 2 people to share but if you want leftovers get the large that is plenty for 2 with enough leftover for breakfast or lunch the next day. Also seen other reviews mention the salad is iceberg, every time I've been there the salad has been romaine and always fresh. The staff is very friendly and for as busy they can get they stay on top of it. Strawn is a nice quiet town tucked off the highway and Mary's definitely gives you that small town feel, if it wasn't an hour and half drive for me I'd be there every week, for now I gotta settle for every few months. read more

Mary's Cafe - Large chicken Fried steak. - American Near Me - Strawn, Texas

Great CFS and Mexican. Crowded from 11:00-2:30 but absolutely worth it.Staff was wonderful and helpful.

Without going into detail, just going to say the food was absolutely terrible. Didn't even get good iced tea and that's bad. Wish we would have believed the negative reviews because they were correct. Place is just nasty too. What a waste of time and money. So disappointing. Used to be pretty good place a long time ago but things do change. read more

The food was delicious I had the chicken gizzards and my husband had the chicken fried steak... The service was amazing .... And the ambiance was amazing as well even though it was raining outside it was very pleasant inside..... read more

Mary's Cafe - American Near Me - Strawn, Texas

This place is a Texas institution, located in a small town west of Fort Worth about an hour, it is off the beaten path a little bit but is always full of hungry patrons. I have heard about this place for years and I was excited about my first real opportunity to eat there. The menu has all your southern comfort food staples but is famously known for their chicken fried steaks. And since I love a good chicken fried steak, that's exactly what I ordered. First off, you get to choose whether you want a small, medium, or large size. Let me preface this with, "I eat a lot", but knowing this place is famous for their portions, I ordered the small. It was plenty enough for me. The medium comes with 2 chicken fried steaks, and the large with 3. Unless you're sharing with someone, I'm not really sure who is actually eating that. Anyhow, my favorite part about this chicken fried steak is that the breading stays on the cut of beef. It doesn't fall off like it does when you cut it up like almost every other place serves it. I hear that's because they cook it on a flat iron skillet instead of deep frying it. I did not verify that claim, but nonetheless it was probably my favorite CFS eating experience because the thin breading stuck to the beef the entire time. It was well flavored with the gravy served on the side so you could add as much/little as you wanted... also a nice touch. I ordered fries and pinto beans for my sides. The fries are fresh cut potatoes and fried to perfection served in a heaping pile on the side of your plate. Pinto beans were tender and had the perfect amount of saltiness on them. Waitstaff is flying around this place taking care of every table with a smile. This place is great! read more

Mary's Cafe - Chicken fried steak - American Near Me - Strawn, Texas

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Cest manufique! Mary makes a no nonsense GOOD chicken fried steak! A little too much flour, but ok. The service was OUTSTANDING! They only have one waitress, 2 girls that really do most of the work, and an owner who checks in and makes sure everyone is well taken care of. All and all, it was pretty great, with a no joke Chicken Fried steak! We saw this on the Daytripper on YouTube, and decided toDallas. A few things before you come: 1. It's 1 1/2 from the lake higlands area of dallas. 2. 2 60YO people can pay $2 and can share a small CFS. 3. IT WILL BE $24.00 for for your dinner. read more

We got there about 11:15 and it wasn't too busy, yet, greeted cordially and seated. The waitress came right by and was very nice and polite. The chicken fried steak is actually cooked on a flat-top and it was so tender and delicious, as were the freshly cut French fries! The only average thing was the salad. Next time a Burger!!! read more

Good food, good service, and you ain't leaving hungry. I found it odd they only served unsweet tea, and this place is very much out of the way, but if you have the time, it's worth the trip. And make sure to read Mary's story just inside the front door read more

What a disappointment. Two of us shared the chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes but the photo shows what we left on the plate. Everything, including the toast that was served under the meat, tasted like very old grease. The only thing we could eat was the salad from a bag and the gravy. Hoping we can make the 4 hour drive home. If you want a really great chicken fried steak, drive to New York Hill in Thurber. read more

Mary's Cafe - Chicken fried steak - American Near Me - Strawn, Texas

Stopped here on a road trip across Texas because I had to introduce my friend from California to the magical deliciousness that is the chicken fried steak from Mary's! Even though I live north of Dallas, I've been here a few times just because the food is SO good that it is worth routing any road trip a little out of the way to stop for lunch. It was busy even at lunch in the middle of the week, and there's no surprise on why. Still super affordable, big portions, home cooked food made without any thought to calories - just focused deliciousness in whatever form you order it. Don't miss your chance to experience the best chicken fried steak in Texas and stop by Mary's! read more

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Start to finish, best and most friendly people to eat with. The servers are amazing and the food quality is top notch. Strawn is unincorporated. A real Texas town! They have some history here, so ambiance is a french word. read more

Mary's Cafe - The front. - American Near Me - Strawn, Texas

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We had a terrible experience! Their "famous" chicken fried steak was cold, tough and greasy !! We were there for dinner and they probably gave us chicken fried steak leftover from lunch!! The waitress basically ignored us.. we sat for a while waiting for the waitress to stop chatting before she came to take our order! We WILL NOT patronize this restaurant!! read more

Went tonight with my husband for my birthday. Never a disappointment. Service and food is always great.

Great homemade food. Servers were friendly despite being overwhelmed with several large tables read more

Mary's Cafe - Medium chicken fried steak, salad, mashed potatoes & gravy - American Near Me - Strawn, Texas

This place was great! We had the chicken livers, frog legs, calf fries, corn dogs, and of course, their massive burger! Service was great, our waitress was Kiki and she was awesome. This is a no frills, loud place. The people and the food are what you come for and they're well worth the drive.. read more

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Chicken-fried steaks are no hype. Service is excellence. Stop by anytime We are going out or coming from west Texas. It is quant little restaurant worth the slight detour off of I20. read more

We love Mary's. The food is so delicious and the staff is terrific. We were with a group of 8 high school friends and we had such a wonderful time. Can't wait for our next trip! read more

Mary's Cafe - Small chicken cry and fresh cut fries. - American Near Me - Strawn, Texas

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Everyone said you must try Mary's. Chicken fried steak was undercooked and cold, gravy cold,beans were good as was the baked potato. Price was ridiculously high. Very underwhelming read more

Thought this place was suppose to have good chicken fried steak. Was definitely wrong. It was a flat piece of unseasoned rubber that lacked breading and even the I think they call that gravy couldn't hide. Tator tots were from a frozen bag and the pinto beans still needed to be cooked. Guess this place use to be good but now they're just trying to survive by their reputation alone. With that kind of unseasoned cooking it won't survive. At least I can say I've been there. Won't ever go again. read more

Can't say enough about Mary's. For 13+ years been coming here each March due to vacation travels. Each time great food and service by all. On side note: we were here during bad storm, Mary made sure we stayed put and were safe. Great people and food! read more

Everything was great. The food the server. I highly recommend this place. Chicken fried steak was huge.

Wafer-thin chicken fried steak that had no seasoning. . Thick flavorless gravy. Luckily, they had hot sauce to help. Service was top-notch. Otherwise, the rating would have been one star. read more

This is an old building with an old time feel for food. It's southern for sure, with chicken fried everything and veggies cooked in grease, so it tasted. It's a pocketed eating situation, meaning this looks like an old ranch style house that grandma decided to open up an eatery in, so turn left and there is a small sitting area than right again from there and it's a larger sitting area like what used to be the old living room. No windows, so it's a bit of a Dive Dining feel with aging cracked wall, dim lighting, and old metal legged tables. The food was good, the chicken fried steak was flavorful, tho this isn't the crispy fried shell I've experienced at every other establishment I've been too. Sides that come with the meal aren't as vast as others either having 2 or 3 other options on the plate, this was just 1. Prices on the menu are where this location loses my interest. Being the only restaurant in town I guess they can charge whatever they want, but the small Chicken Fried Steak, which was big, with mashed potatoes and gravy was $20. The large is $30. EEK! Southern flare but super big city pricing. Even the simple hamburger was $20 for the burger and fries. Ouch! Even name brand burger establishments don't charge that much unless it's some major exceptional beef put into the patty. It's local to where my current project is, but the prices keep me away, especially when I can drive 10 minutes to Thurber or 20 minutes to Eastland and get country meals for way less. Staff was ok, greeted us and sat us quickly, waitress was attentive enough. Food was good and portions are good, yet the prices will keep me away. read more

Completely over-rated dump. Dark, low ceiling, loud (can't converse), crowded, and they serve beer in the dining area. The village drunk was especially noisy and annoying and I can't believe he wasn't kicked out, but he's probably the owner's kin. The food was well below average--their "famous" CFS is thin, lightly battered and tasteless. The "salad" is a spoonful of shredded iceberg lettuce from a bag. Mashed potatoes and brown gravy was thick and unseasoned (had to add my own salt and I NEVER add salt). Had water to drink and STILL the bill was $28.00??! Ridiculous. This joint is NOT RECOMMENDED. read more

The food is very good and the portions large, no doubt. The service is also good with servers checking on you frequently. But, I recommend bringing cash. BRING CASH! They really don't like credit cards. They have this little machine that can only be described as a mechanical thief. First of all, the lowest recommended tip percentage it suggests is 20% and it goes four levels to a whopping 30%! No option is given for a custom tip. Then the suggested tip is calculated not only upon your bill plus tax but a stonking 3.5 percent fee is added on top because you had the temerity to offer a card instead of cash. Bend over! So come in, enjoy a huge delicious meal, and BRING CASH. read more

Let me preference this by saying I have been there many times All the way back to the Flossie's days . The atmosphere has changed , guess Mary is Hollywood now since they filmed a seen in the restaurant. The chicken fried steak was still good but not the best in the state as it once was . The cashier acted like we were putting her out to split the bill on my table . This place has gone from must go to when in the area to not anything that special. Sad another Texas Tradition over rated read more

Service was terrible beause Mary was the waiter. So would constantly cut me off when I had questions so much so she cut me off as I was trying to give our order which I had to finish later with Mary since she ran off. Funny thing there was no reason to rush. I saw a total of 4 folks taking orders and providing assistance to two small dining rooms. The chicken fried steak crust was not good as the meat was bad too. Main thing was the prices were $15 higher than they should be. The resturant needs a severe remodel job done with all the extra money made from the prices. Anyway I a local DFW Texan from FW that simply wanted to have a nice lunch with my wife and was shocked how we were treated. Not here for touristy lunch just wanted to come here for two years since saw on Daytripper Show. Everyone treated nice except for Mary and the Hostess lady. read more

I will never go there again. They don't hand bread their chicken fried steaks. The last we had were nasty. Wanted to walk out.

Service was great. Had the chicken fried steak It was ok I felt It was a little bland the gravy helped. read more

Mary's Cafe - Chicken fried steak - American Near Me - Strawn, Texas

EVERYONE talks about the cfs at Mary's. I'm a fool for a good cfs so I begged my husband to take me. It's and hour + drive but I'd heard it's worth the wait. The wait was about 30 min so not bad, the food was good, but underwhelming compared to the reviews. I did have leftovers, ate them the next day and they heated up great in the air fryer. It was good, but I wouldn't say the best I've ever had. read more

Absolutely great! Texas Sized Chicken Fried Steak was perfect. Definitely will be back

First off, it's a 2+ hour drive from my house to Strawn but it's on my list to try, so last Wednesday the wife and I did a mid day road trip for lunch. Pretty much anything west of Weatherford is truly west Texas and that is very wide open and country (this is a good thing in case you are wondering). Arrived in Strawn and bam, there was Mary's sign. Restaurant building looks "classic" with a little Alamo touch at the peak. Entered and we were immediately greeted by a friendly lady directing us where to find a table. They weren't real busy, about half full. Service was good but not real chatty, just the facts please. We split the medium CFS and believe me, for 2 that was plenty! It reminded me of what my grandmother and mom used to make. Lightly breaded and pan fried, I know they use a flat top at Mary's. I could eat most of it with a fork it was so tender. Perfect homemade gravy, I just added a little salt and pepper. Fries were homestyle with skin on and I only wish they had been cooked a little crispier. The only thing Mary could add would be a nice area out back to take a nap, haha! Very well worth the drive. If you like CFS you must try at least once in your life! read more

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A Great TEXAS restaurant Not fancy but service and food quality and quantity are 2nd to none not to mention the great prices!!!