Rode my Goldwing to Strawn today specifically to eat at Mary's. It is one of the 'Must' destinations in North Central Texas area for bikers to ride to eat lunch and I wanted not only to make the ride, but I wanted to see if it deserved it's reputation. I arrived only 30 minutes after Mary's had opened and it was already packed. This is an old building, it's been there for a while, but it was clean and in good repair. As I was by myself, my wait was only about 5 minutes to be seated. Know that they seat people everywhere and a table for 8 may be shared by more than one party. As said previously, they were already very busy, but the staff quickly took my order and it arrived 35 minutes later. I had ordered the medium Chicken Fried Steak with Mashed potatoes. Now this is a little incorrect as it is actually 'pan fried' in a skillet and not deep fried. This means the crust is not crispy but a little soft. It was about 1/2" thick, very tender, and huge. This medium steak will feed 3 people easily. These are real mashed potatoes, not creamed, so there are some lumps, but they were flavorful and like the steak, there was enough there for 3. The gravy was in a bowl on the side and was sufficient in quantity to cover the entire steak and still have some leftover for the mashed potatoes. The salad was of shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes and was the only item sized for one person. The meal also came with Texas toast. Was this the best CFS in Texas, probably not. Was it worth the ride, definitely! Nice scenery, flavorful food, huge portions, and great prices. Basically 3 meals in one for well less than $20 bucks. I can't wait to ride there again to see what a 'Large' CFS looks like! read more

The chicken fried steak tastes good but we got there at 3:00 and ordered at 3:15 and got our food at 4:15 so if you want to wait eat here but if you are starving just pass by read more

This is a must stop if you are in the area. The chicken fried steak is so good, we like to order a large and take the rest home to make chicken fried steak sandwiches with. One of the favorites of my boyfriends hunting buddies is the chicken gizzards...they order extra and eat them cold later! Be prepared to wait during hunting season. read more

We (11) went on a Saturday at 2:00 p.m. It was very crowded and we did not have a reservation. We did have to wait but only about 45 minutes. Once seated the wait staff was a little overwhelmed so there was a long wait for drink orders. When the food came out we had to keep asking for things such as salad dressing, ketchup, gravy, potato fixings, etc. However, the chicken fried steak is at the top of my list of best chicken fried steak in Texas. The fries are good and so are the baked potatoes. This time next year we will call ahead. Oh, by the way, even the medium size chicken fried steak is almost to big to eat. read more

My husband is obsessed with chicken fried steak, so we drove all the way to Strawn Texas in order to try it out. Lets just say that in his eyes, it was worth the almost 2 hour drive to get there. The diner isn't the fanciest place in the world- with the tables being a bit like large card tables and the decor is neon lights of american beers, but that adds to it's charm. Usually places like this don't have to put so much effort into making their food delicious- it's the one of the few places in town in strawn, so they could quite honestly do mediocre food and get away with it. However they do what so few diners do best, make food that tastes like your favorite southern aunt makes when you come into town whose obsessed with making anything you taste the best you ever tasted. They do simple and they do it perfectly. read more

Don't order CFS much but this was good! Thin breading, fork tender & my small portion was large enough for 2 meals. I wanted a baked potato but she suggested mashed. Should have gotten the baked as I was taking my CFS & Potato home. Ate the good portion salad & toast. Husband had steak sandwich which was great. A big, thick steak cooked right placed on their large hamburger bun. It was smothered with sautéed onions & big mushroom pieces. May have been the best onions & mushrooms I've had outside of a fine dining establishment! Fries order was huge, however they were undercooked a bit. Loved the waitress. Very personable and took good care of us. Worst part was the smell of stale cigarettes and the (drunk?) guy cussing at the table near us but not surprised. If we come through Strawn again, we will stop & eat again. read more

My wife and I were working in Eastland, Tx and so relied on Yelp for a dinner recommendation - Settled in on Mary's, esp with all the comments about the Chicken Fried Steak being the best in Texas....We located the restaurant without a problem due much to the huge amount of cars that surrounded the restaurant - so our expectations were high as we stepped into the main dinning room. We were seated immediately and greeted warmly by the waitress, who was also kind enough to answer our questions about how long Mary's has been in existence and the like.... The decor is plain at best in the main dinning areas - really no frills at all...and it was clear that there were those all around us who have made Mary's a frequent place to be... We ordered the small CFS and of course the mashed potatoes and cream gravy. As for the CFS being the best in Texas, well, it fell far below our expectation, but was probably the most tender CFS we have ever had....it literately would melt in your mouth and cutting it with a fork was as easy as it gets....but was only made somewhat tasteful by the mashed potatoes and gravy, but by itself really lacked taste.... Over all, it was worth the drive just for the experience but I think there is far better CFS elsewhere to be found in Texas. read more

I came here often as a boy with my grandfather and dad. Getting older my friends, and now my family. I have never been so embarrassed in my life. After raving about memories and good times I left with a horrible feeling in my stomach (may have been the chicken fry) and apologized to everyone for the meal. I'm not sure if the cook changed or what but this place is far from it a former glory. Which I hate, but can't deny. read more

This place was horrible. The service was very bad. The country fried steak was a pile of grease and flower. The pie was some prepackaged frozen piece of junk. Never again. read more

I heard the rave from associates and read some reviews so on a trip from Dallas to Abilene I decided to try this restaurant for lunch. When I walked in a lady shouted above the loud noise that there was plenty of room over there, pointing to the left. I walked in the room and found a seat at the opposite end of a long table from a couple whom I did not know. After about 15 minutes a waitress in a rush slapped down a pad and asked "What you want to drink!" When I replied "Sweet tea." She said as she turned to rush off "Unsweet!" The drink arrived about 5 minutes later. Another 10 minutes and the waitress appeared again and took the other couple's order and then mine. My meal arrived within a couple of minutes. I ordered the medium chicken fried steak, what they are famous for. It was huge, cold but huge. Loaded with black pepper and very tender. Thankfully the large bowl of gravy that came with it was hot and helped warm the steak. As far as flavor all I could taste with the gravy, steak, or mashed potatoes was the pepper. I requested Ranch dressing with my salad. It was a cheap bottled ranch that tasted more like vinegar than ranch. Never saw the waitress again. Probably never will as I have no intention of returning. read more

Nothing fancy and nothing special either. I think it's overrated. Chicken fried steak taste like it was cooked on truck stop parking lot in the Texas heat. Frustrating to order anything as the waitresses can't hear nothing and don't understand anything beside inbred. Restaurant and terrible seating and tables have no space for your food. read more

The "famous" CFS is underwhelming at best. Mine tasted of old grease. The steak was indeed fork tender, and my medium size easily could feed two adults. You are better off paying the $2 extra plate tax than getting two adult entrees. The side salad is nothing but finely chopped iceburg lettuce and a teaspoon dollop of diced tomatoes. The mashed potatoes were huge and could also feed two. A large bowl of gravy comes with the meal. They offer limited draft beers and some bottles, no mixed drinks or bar. The service was very quick and friendly on a busy Friday night. This is a roadside cafe complete with all the old smells and years of grime. I left full, belching old grease, and wishing I had ordered something besides the CFS. read more

The small chicken fried steak is huge. The meduim is huger. The large is hugiest. Fantastic light batter w a great gravy on the side. The burgers have what appears to be a 1 1/2" thick meat patty. Cold beer. Average pies and well meaning but spotty service, along with an odd interior layout, but a fun place to eat. read more

Unfortunately, our experience at Mary's did not match the hype. Since Mary's claims to be known for the chicken fried steak, I ordered the small with mashed potatoes and salad. The chicken fried steak was nowhere near as good as I thought it would be. In fact, I would avoid it if you go. A member of our party ordered frog legs and was sick the next morning...of course... that could have simply been the frog legs. (I wouldn't eat them - not just at Mary's - but anywhere!) Others in our party stated the same - that their food was mediocre and they don't plan on coming back. The worst was the flies...flies, flies, flies everywhere. We sat outside thinking it would be better than sitting with the smoker's inside. Unfortunately, no such luck. We won't be back. Sorry, Mary's. read more

Several years ago I laid to rest my more than half century quest for the perfect CFS. Mary's Cafe in Strawn Texas simply cannot be topped. It's perfection. I also like that Mary's is reminiscent of old Texas diners with nothing gentrified. I smiled when I saw people who drove over 100 miles to Mary's. I fly from Molokai with a visit to Mary's as a prime objective. read more

Huge CFS. Long wait. Seemed a little disorganized. Took mine to go. Forgot the ranch for the salad NBD. Glad I stopped but don't know when I'll be back. read more

I have heard so much about this place from coworkers and decided to give it a try when I was stuck here for a few hours (I work for the RR and we were making a train meet). I ordered a medium CFS to go and walked over and picked it up. The waitress was very friendly and I only had to wait a few minutes to get it. I got a tea to go and she was nice enough to add the sugar to it for me since they dont have sweet tea. The CFS had a great flavor to it and was very tender. The gravy was homemade and tasted great. I hate getting CFS's and getting that nasty pasty powdered gravy with it. The mashed potatoes were very good and were also homemade. I gave it a 4 stars instead of 5 based on the price ($15 for medium CFS) and the fact the waitress forgot my ranch for my salad. I will def eat here again if I am stuck here and may drive out there sometime since it is only 45min away from home. read more

The food was ok if you have plenty of time to wait on it. I think our server should have had the courtesy to tell us that our food was going to take 45 minutes. We would at least have had a heads up and we could have ordered an appetizer to hold us over until the food came out. The lady at the table next to is lit a cigarette inside the restaurant and then walked outside. I don't know if the restaurant is smoking or nonsmoking. However, I am allergic to cigarette smoke and it would have been nice if they would have offered us a place to seat where smoking is not allowed read more

I knew I was in the right place for good food when I saw the line of pick-ups and motorcycles parked outside right at opening time on a Sunday morning. Bragging about their Chicken Fried Steak had sent me on that off-the-beaten-path near the panhandle of Texas. Beware! The CFS comes in large, medium & small. I opted for the medium, mashed potatoes, salad and of course cream gravy. The "medium" just about covered a large dinner plate. Approximately 2 cups of amazing real mashed potatoes complete with a few lumps for authenticity and gravy in a large separate bowl. Heaven on a plate! The CFS was homestyle, lightly floured, not covered in a coating of batter so thick you can't find the steak. Tender, tender and sooo flavorful. Mary keeps her bragging rights because this is the way Texas country chicken fried steak should be done! I stopped halfway through and boxed the remainder. After all, I did have to save room for the fantastic chocolate pie. read more

Mary's Cafe - This is the medium Chicken Fried Steak! - American Near Me - Strawn, Texas

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My wife and I visited Mary's Cafe for the first time at 3 o'clock on a Sunday afternoon. The place was packed. We had to park behind the building and traipse through mud to get to the entrance. We didn't have to wait for a table, likely because it was only the two of us. I was there for the trademark chicken fried steak, and it didn't disappoint. Flavorful, crispy, delicious. It was accompanied by a big bowl of gravy. Our waitress was busy, but still provided great service. In our opinion Mary's Cafe lived up to the hype. read more

Mary's Cafe - The large chicken fried steak. Huge bowl of gravy and plate of fries offset by the nutritious salad. - American Near Me - Strawn, Texas

I stopped by Mary's while doing a road trip in my old MG. I read some reviews about the Chicken Fried Steak and but have been reluctant to go to Mary's because of the reviews that said there was a lot of cigarette smoke. But took my chances and was not disappointed with the food. The Chicken Fried Steak was very good. The steak was thin with a light crust. I got the large order and I have never seen so much Chicken Fried Steak in my life! I would rate it as some of the best Chicken Fried Steak I have eaten. Most of the restaurants that are famous for Chicken Fried Steak give you a big lump of crust and if you are lucky you may have a few bites of steak. This was not the case at Mary's. I was forced to get a doggie bag because of such a large portion left. The mashed potatoes were excellent as well. I will go back and take my family. By the way I didn't notice any cigarette smoke. After reading some of the other reviews about how bad the smoking was I called Mary's this evening to ask if there was a no smoking area. Thinking maybe I has just been seated in the non-smoking section.They told me it was a smoking restaurant and they had no special no smoking room. I guess I went when the smokers were not there. read more

We eat out all over the world, and Mary's is one of our favorite dinning spots. Everything we've tried on the menu is good, but I usually get the same thing, Mary's Chicken Fried Steak. Mary's gravy, both the brown and the cream, are the best anywhere. It's a good thing that we don't live close. I would gain way too much weight from being a steady customer. read more

yeah, the reviews are right....crispy, juicy, savory, seasoned perfectly....gravy is worth pouring into a thermos to sip on your road trip west.....one star off for stunningly bad service, but don't let that deter you read more

Easy drive from DFW and scenic - which was a pleasant surprise. Loved the down home feel of Mary's. Make sure you get there early as it fills up fast. I dined by myself and had great service. Wonderful CFS (medium), hand-cut fries, and even got a courtesy piece of cake, I think they knew I meant business. Headed back there tomorrow and am preparing for the large CFS. Never mind the bad reviews - try it for yourself. And when you get there, remember to seat yourself or you'll look like a newbie. read more

Order a chicken fried steak small and fries. This place is as good as it gets. Worth driving across the country for much less the county. MMMMM good read more

Great CFS! Appears to be pan fried and it was delicious! Small side salad and a baked potato with Texas toast on the side made for a kings meal. The CFS was fork cutting tender and I will be back. Wish there was something like this in the Dallas area. read more

Great food, friendly staff and one of the best places to eat in Texas. But you better bring a good appetite because even the smallest portions are more than I can finish eating. read more

The best you'll ever have! More food than you can eat, always quality chicken fried steak, hamburgers, or even fried chicken livers. This is a must if you are ever in the area! read more

If you can get past the lack of ambiance, long wait time, and mediocre service (we waited over 20 minutes for our ticket for instance), then the food is really good! I had the chicken fried chicken. The gravy reminded me of how grandma used to make it. The mashed potatoes were delicious. Generous portions too. Wish they had more wait staff for a Friday evening though. Our poor waitress was stretched thin. read more

I wouldn't even give 1 star truly!! Everything tasted like old grease, service was crappy and restaurant smelled of old cigarette smoke mixed with 10 year old frying grease. CFS tasted like old grease!! Blah!! Not sure how they became the best CFS in Texas or the world!! Must be self proclaimed by a smoker that never changes the grease bins!! read more

I was on my way to Abilene, TX from Fort Worth, TX to watch a high school football playoff game. While it is only a two hour drive, we decided to stop for lunch before the 3pm kickoff. I was ten minutes or so behind one family we were traveling with so they put their name on the wait list at 11:45 am. My family and I arrived at noon. We waited about 15 minutes more before we were seated. The place was packed and smelled amazing. I had been told that Mary's cafe was famous for Chicken Fried Steaks and as we made our way to our seats it was obvious that almost every one was eating just that. We ordered our drinks and ten minutes later our waitress arrived and took our order. We sat with two other families and we were a big mix of kids and adults sucking down ice tea waiting on our meals. 45 minutes later our food arrived hot and fresh. Victoria ordered the burger, OMG it was huge. Two kids ordered the bean and cheese burrito, OMG hot and huge as well. Five of us ordered the Chicken Fried Steak and we were all glad we did. Some with fries some with mashed potatoes. I have travelled around Texas and many places advertise that they have the best CFS. I stand before you, metaphorically, and I can honestly say Mary's CFS is pretty damn good. Truth be told, I'm almost fifty so I don't eat fried foods that often any more. But, I love to cook and feel that there are several reasons I think they do it right. 1. Not greasy. 2. Very tender. 3. Gravy bowl. 4. Did I say gravy? Delish! 5. Mash-taters. I ordered the small CFS and finished everything. Walter ordered the medium and finished everything. At the table next to us, a 'man' ordered the large. I would have been in pain trying to finish that beast. All of this took place within a two hour time period. I did not expect a two hour lunch on a two hour road trip but what the hell. Next time, I'll plan ahead; we were 15 minutes late to the game. Was it worth it? Yes. Our team won. Will I go again? Yes. Fun road trip lunch experience with great CFS! read more

Absolutely the BEST chicken fried steak you will ever eat!!! We make the trip 2-3 times a year just for it. The gravy is the best, I dip my fries, steak and bread in it. But be warned, unless you have a huge appitite don't order the large. My husband and I usually get the small and it is plenty enough. On occasion he has gotten the medium and almost went into a food coma on the way home. So if you are hungry for CFS, Mary's place is where you need to go. Hmmmmmm just writting this makes me think it is time we made that trek again........... read more

Great food. We came on a busy day. Father's Day 2017. Waited 1 hour and thirty minutes to be seated. Waited one hour and fifteen minutes to get our food. read more

We went to this restaurant after our elementary age grandkids were involved in sports in Strawn. We arrived at 2:00 and pretty much every table that was empty needed bussing. After a 15 minute wait we were seated and then pretty much ignored. So we got up and bussed 7 of the tables. We finally ordered. 1/3 of our table got their food an hour later. Another group got some food 20 minutes after that. The last person got his taco salad an hour and a half after we got there. I would like to say the food was worth the wait, but none of the plates were complete. My burger was not good at all. The fries arrived about an hour and 20 minutes into our experience and they were okay. We will not be going back. read more

If you love everything deep fried, this is the place to be! The do it up right. Huge amounts of food, COLD beer! LOUD, LOUD, LOUD. Fun place, people come from miles around. Even have Calf fries if that's your "bag"! read more

A friend from work recommended this and I am delighted he did it is so great! You know when chicken fried steak is done right when the gravy is as good as the meat and this gravy was terrific. I will pull off of I 20 anytime for this place. read more

I have never been to Mary's but plan to drive from Lafayette La. to get a CFS fix which has been sorely missed since leaving Texas. I am making that drive on the basis of the negative reviews which must have been written by Men who still live with their Mama's and Mall Princess types. I mean, how can anyone complain about a dirt parking lot in a small North Texas town, or lumpy mashed potatoes. That's why we have molars. The lumps verify the veracity of the ingredients. The photos tell the story as do the long lines and long waits which are sure indicators of the quality products being served within. read more

Outstanding CFS.......Have heard about this place for years, but a looooooong way from the house (80 miles)... it was well worth the trip and I will be making excuses to go back in the very near future!!! read more

Great down home southern cooking, huge Pan fried chicken fried steak, delicious calf fries, huge burger. It is a great ride destination out west for a great meal. read more

The pics that are posted by everyone says it all. Big Texas portions and very tasty. Nuff said.