The Ultimate DFW Neighborhood CFS List

by Steven Doyle

The big day is upon us and we are celebrating Texas Chicken Fried Steak Day in a large fashion this year. To prepare we visited the best diners and cafes throughout the state to bring you a special selection we found delicious. We have broken down our list by neighborhood so that you might find the very best in your area. But feel free to travel outside you zone and sample them all!

These are all listed in random order but realize we find the best in Dallas to be AllGood Cafe, the best in Fort Worth is Horseshoe Hill Cafe. Look to Mary’s Cafe in Strawn to be the best in the state. These are all listed below so you may gaze upon their mighty tastiness.

Deep Ellum: AllGood Cafe is the city’s finest. Enjoy this fantastic cut of tenderloin that has been beaten into submission and given a golden coat of delicious flavor and fried for your enjoyment.

North Dallas: We do enjoy a good breakfast and Coffee House Cafe has a fine example. This CFS is house-made with a slab of sirloin for extra beefy flavor. Drop in any time today for their buy one get one free offer. Tell ’em we sent you.

Oak Cliff: Jonathon’s is an Oak Cliff eatery that not only makes a tasty Chicken Fried Steak, but it also comes with a set of eggs that you may order all day. Nothing better than a CFS for breakfast to get you going. Or take a nap.

Bluffview: Celebration has celebrated 45 years of home cooking which includes their CFS with jalapeno gravy. There is a reason this dish is the most requested menu item.

Fair Park: The Old Mill is a near forgotten institution that hammers out pretty fantastic food on a budget. The CFS is their stand out.

Frisco/Oak Cliff: Normas Cafe is yet another Dallas stalwart that has been in business for 61 years serving great mile high pies, burgers and chicken fried steak. The original location is in Oak Cliff.

Oak Lawn: Lucky’s Cafe has become a neighborhood staple serving plenty of gravy and an ever-so-crisp and beefy cfs.

Lakewood: Matt’s Rancho Martinez: has great chicken fried steak in a Mexican environment. Something for everyone. And if you wish, swap out the gravy and do it Bob’s Style with their famous queso. The Tuesday lunch special is served topped with chili.

Lowest Greenville: We have enjoyed late night shenanigans at 504 Bar & Grill but never realized just how delicious their food could be. This is a scratch kitchen, a rarity for bars that serve cheap and powerful cocktails. The CFS here is a one day only deal, but the owner loved it so much he promises to add it to the menu. Choose the slightly piquant jalapeno gravy!

Henderson: Jake’s Burger and Beer recently added a CFS to the menu and no one is happier than the staff at Crave. They do not add mashed potatoes, a requirement, but promise that it will be an option very soon. Until then, their fries are beastly good. Or a side of burger.

Richardson: When you think of Razzoo’s visions of CFS may not come to mind, but they make a pretty damned good one from scratch.

University Park: Bubba’s Cooks Country (and their sister restaurant, Babe’s) have the hearts of Dallasites with their crazy good fried chicken and of course the CFS which is served double-barreled with a side of gravy.

Plano: Love and War in Texas is an odd name for a restaurant, but who cares when they serve Texas-sized portions and always with a side of corn on the cob. Fantastic CFS.

Also located in Plano you will find Kenny’s Smoke House which serves a fantastic smoked brisket cfs only served during their weekend brunch. God bless Kenny.

 

 

Trinity Groves: V Eats is a vegan restaurant that serves chicken fried steak. What? Well, it is vegan but we dare you to tell the difference. And it is mighty good.

Bluebonnet Hills, FW: Fred’s Cafe has two locations that serves the best burger in Fort Worth, but also have a sly chicken fry that is toe curling.

Near Southside, FW: Cat City Cafe serves this lightly breaded version that is tender and peppery.

Stockyards, FW: There isn’t a day that goes by without an email asking us where to dine in the Stockyards. The name we offer first is Horseshoe Hill for their mesmerizing list of chicken fried steaks. They are just that good, and the best in Fort Worth.

West Side, FW: Also in Fort Worth you will find a mighty fine CFS, but here it is called soul food. Regardless of what it is called, order this. Gotta love Buttons.

Downtown FW: Possibly the priciest, but well worth it, the Reata offers a chicken fried steak that is pan fried (not found in too many restaurants these days) and has this delicious crispy beef flavor that you are looking for. Also check out the chili and the bacon wrapped asparagus.