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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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

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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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

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

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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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

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

Poor quality - bag lettuce for salad. Chicken fried steak was cold . They took it back to the kitchen to heat up then it was creasy and over cooked . Silverware was dirty . Sirloin steak was just ok. Everything came out in slow stages and was never offered a refill on drinks . 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

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

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

Have dined at Mary's for years, but was really disappointed last week. The chicken fried steak for which they are famous was not breaded and tasteless. The gravy was good and the service was just OK. It was just not good chicken fried steak. read more

We got tea promptly then ordered our meal. ONE HOUR LATER, still no food! Very loud, food greasy and very mediocre. Keep going and try your luck in Llano! read more

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

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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All of it. While growing up, all the women in my family cooked just like this. Never liked any place but this if you like old fashion comfort food. read more

Came here just for the chicken fried steak because I heard they have one of the best CFS. Huge portion but flavor wise, it was underwhelming. Our waitress was really nice. She checked on our table often and was really friendly. If you don't wanna leave hungry, make sure to stop by Mary's cafe. They got you! read more

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

If you are a fan of chicken fired steak then Mary's Cafe is the place for you. For sure worth the drive from the Metroplex. Marys is very Old-timey and feels like your at great grandmas out in the country. I ordered the small sized chicken fried steak which was more than enough food. The gravy is so good I had to ask for more. In my opinion, you can never have too much gravy. Will be back again. read more

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This is my second review for Marys cafe.. As always the staff was very friendly and accommodating. I wish I could give a separate rating for the calf fries.. that being said.. when I ordered these I was expecting them to be sliced and fried versus fried whole. I ordered 6 and one of the six pieces as not cooked all the way through. Not sure if I'd order again.. read more

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

I really hate leaving a review like this for Mary's since this place seems to be highly rated by so many but we were profoundly disappointed in our meal. The service was friendly but took a minute for the food to be served. Wife and I both ordered small chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and pinto beans. Serving sizes were large, too much actually. The problem was with the food quality. My CFS was tough and had to be "sawed" into pieces with a serrated knife. Wife's CFS wasn't as tough but she noted a strange flavor. We honestly felt the mashed potatoes were repurposed baked potatoes from the previous day(s). I literally could have grabbed the lump of mashed potatoes from my bowl in one hand and not left any potatoes in the bowl. We ate very little of our meal. The staff asked how our meal was, we just didn't have the heart to tell them how bad it was. I know, not the right thing do. Gotta give them a chance to make things right but this food was garbage. I'm sorry, $50 wasted. read more

What's that saying... "It's not the journey, but the destination." Best chicken fried steak I ever had and worth the 2 hour drive. The gravy is homemade and not that packaged stuff. It has that small town diner feel, seat your self if you find a clean empty table. One thing is be ready for the noise of sliding chairs when a group of diners leave. I tried many chicken fried steaks and this one literally melted in our mouth. Can you holy smokes that thing was damn good! read more

Mary's Cafe - Small Chicken Fried Steak with mashed potatoes - American Near Me - Strawn, Texas

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I have my own tawdry opinion about the best Chicken Fried Steak in Texas. And shocker...It's not on anyone's radar. Look back through my reviews to see if you can find it! Let's get to Mary's Cafe. Well published joint in Strawn, Texas known for CFS. We were greeted and seated immediately. No frills type place with a menu that covers most staples in Texas. I did like signs posted for the staff stating no personal cell phones on the floor. Looked closely but decided to get what they're famous for. The medium size CFS; girlfriend and I split. Totally reminded me of my dad's fried backstrap recipe. Simple flour breading with very little egg/milk wash. Sides were mashed taters and a small salad that was served with the entree. The gravies were for me the real stars. Both cream and brown (for mashers) were some of the best I've tasted. There were issues with the kitchen. We ordered a pie for the end of the meal that came out as an appetizer along with with our fried mushrooms and pickles. No clue why any cook/chef would do that when you see uncooked mains on a ticket. Our waitress did a great job serving all our diners. Would I drive hours to eat here again? Perhaps, but I don't think I'd order the same meal again. It was cool to learn that the restaurant just celebrated it's 37th year in business! BTW, the closest competition is in the nearby town of Mingus, Texas. Captive audience in the area. read more

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

Loved it....good food, good portions, friendly staff. Yummy all around cafe. Recommend it, highly.​

My wife and I stopped in here on a Friday for lunch. We were recommended by a local we met kayaking on a nearby river the day before. Pulling in, we saw a bus out back and thought this might not be happening. We were seated promptly by the friendly staff. The couple at the next table started up a conversation about waiting a long time and still not having their food. We were again thinking maybe we should go down the road to another place. We stuck it out, though, and were glad we did. We split their famous chicken fried steak (small) between us and ordered an extra side salad. Despite being short-staffed, our food came out in ten minutes which surprised us. Chicken fried steak is a dish I rarely order, but Mary's version was tasty. It is served with a bowl of gravy which we barely put a dent in. Obviously, we were not using enough of it with each bite. The salads were fine. I was amazed at how much shredded lettuce they got in a small bowl. The dressing comes in a squeeze bottle. Overall we were pleased with our lunch. Was it the best chicken fried steak in Texas? Perhaps so, but our sample size is limited. read more

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CFS is huge, and very good. Not sure I'd call it the best in Texas, but it's quite good. Actually, I particularly liked the mashed potatoes and gravy, and the Mexican food options are solid as well. Bit higher priced than it used to be. Very friendly and open place; basic ambience, but eh, it's small town middle of Texas; so that works. read more

Food, service and value are excellent. Eight of us went for dinner last night and the chicken fried steak and gravy was as good as always. Some of us tried the fried pies and what a treat. Homemade pies and homemade vanilla ice cream. Still well worth the drive to go to Mary's. read more

Food was ok, but definitely not worth the price. Everything was under seasoned. Sat down to notices all over the place which should have given us a clue into what we had in store. Please read all descriptions on the menu thoroughly. $2 for one xan of coke, $2 to share and 20%​ automatically tip. Service was ok but not sure worth the 20%. Restaurant was just like a country place with minimal decorations and their stuff not displayed well. Everyone walked out with boxes which is probably what the upcharges are for, but they should just make smaller portions for cheaper and with more flavor instead. Hope this helps others and helps the restaurant make some changes. read more

Food ...chicken fried steak was tough and terrible. Not sure what happened... I was really looking forward to going here.

Well, been coming here since 1980 There last night and it was the worst example of CFS I have ever attempted to eat. Shredded salad was old. Only positive was the mashed potatoes. Hope the other diners had a better experience Great place to people watch though. read more

We took a short drive while visiting my Son and his family... Let's start with our waitress, Mary the owner! Great Lady! Great service and I have to tell you, the beans are fabulous! So, far our fried tomatoes came out, devoured before I could get a picture (2 left on the plate! Chicken Fried steak was ordered, Texas Size Bacon Burger, Chili Cheese Fries, Calf Fries, Chicken Fried Steak on a Bun, and Cheese Fries! I can't say enough about the hospitality and the food! Absolutely worth the drive and will come again next visit! read more

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After a go to place for 15 years I took two friends for their first time. We all ordered small chicken fried steak. It was a Wednesday and Mary was not there. Took a while to get food. All 3 steaks were overdone and very tough. Not good at all. Took 3 requests to get salad dressing. Mashed potato and gravy was best thing on plate. Waitress said nothing even we left most of overcooked steak on the plate. We left with over $ 100.00 bill with tip. We not return as Mary's living on old reputation. Try New York on the Hill. Down the road .better food read more

This café is about 5 miles west of the town of Gordon where my grandparents were originally from and where we used to go for family reunions. I didn't know about the place until several years ago. I've been twice. First time around in 2018, it was on a cold weekday. I absolutely loved the food and service decent, but the place was dirty. Second time around, the place had been cleaned up, repainted, and remodeled some. Much better! And my waiter was a nice young man that worked as a middle school coach and teacher in another small town during the school year. Now for the food. First of all, I am very sorry about some people who have had disappointing experiences. But I wouldn't change a thing about the flat top grill chicken fried steak and that delicious peppery cream gravy they serve on the side in a bowl. Absolutely spot on! Also the homemade skin-on French fries and Texas toast were very good. The salad is what needs improvement. The homemade blue cheese dressing was good, but the salad a small portion of shredded iceberg lettuce with a few diced tomatoes. If it was twice the size and with romaine lettuce instead, it'd be much better! I polished off a small size one with no difficulty and even had a slice of chocolate meringue pie for dessert, also very good! Anyway, if you love, good ole Texas comfort food and happen to be driving by on I-20, I highly recommend this place! read more

Mary's doesn't deserve any stars. Me and my family of 12 went to Mary's on Labor Day Weekend. We were just about through with the day since we had already went to my uncles ranch to watch fireworks and celebrate my daughter and her wife's new darling baby (her name is Cynthia). Now, for the review. Upon walking in, my corneas were sent into a coma after coming in contact with the piercing florescent lighting, and it felt like I walked into the backrooms. Children screaming, these parents need to learn how to control their children without iPads on volume 10. Right off the bat, the waiter did not respect my partners (any/all) pronouns. We found it quite rude, but we understand how it is in these parts so it is ok. The food... well at least I can say we had food to eat, but the question arises: was it really food? All 9 children requested cheese burgers and smiley "fries" (the deformed smile on these fries faces felt like looking in a mirror the second I tasted the chicken fired steak). I know everyone back in Lubbock RAVES about the chicken fried steak, BUT in my opinion it was soggier than my toddlers socks after walking the Denny's bathroom barefoot. My children's smiley fries upon the impact of a fork made a pool of grease enough to fry a whole other frozen bag. My dog, Bird, would have to be the soul reason for the one star I have so generously left on this review. The humans weren't fans, but he ate all of the leftover beef liver in the back of my step-cousins pick up truck on the way back to the ranch. All peace and love from the Whaleback family. Just not your biggest fans, Mary. read more

Decades ago, we ate at Mary's when hunting nearby - and loved the huge Chicken Fried Steaks! I took a trip back in time today! The CFS's are still monstrous, but they come in 3 sizes - a small filled up my hungry 220# appetite. The meat is tender and good, and not over-battered; perfect! Gravy was served on the side. Our Mashed Potatoes had the skin on (), and my beans were tasty. Mary's Iced Tea is good, but I had to add my own sugar or sweetener. Prices are fair, given the food's premium taste. And yes, Mary was still working! This Time Machine works!! read more

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Everything you use to score a restaurant puts this place at a 0. The food, the atmosphere, the price, the entire experience is a waste of time and money. I don't think the owner or employees have ever eaten anywhere other than a school cafeteria. read more

Numerous people have told me this was the best chicken fry ever, so we gave it a shot. I'll start off by saying when you order sweet tea in Texas, and they tell you "we dont have that," it's already starting bad. We all had the chicken fry, which is not a normal chicken fry. It was seasoned pretty good, but really thin. The gravy was really good, just like homemade. 2 had mashed potatoes and said they were good. The fries were good. 2 of us had red beans as a side, they wrre seasoned really well. Now is where they lost me. The water they use for everything tastes like dirt. The tea did, the water certainly did, and the beans did. I drank the water in Odessa when I lived there, this was worse. With tip, it cost the 5 of us, 120.00. Definately not the best chicken fry, but, at least we gave it a shot. I'll continue to go to my other place for a chicken fry. read more