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Simon Bros. Mercantile & Cafe

4.9 (57 reviews)
Closed • Closed

Simon Bros. Mercantile & Cafe Photos

SIMON BROS. MERCANTILE & CAFE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Good for kids
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Simon Bros. Mercantile & Cafe

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CFS and fries
Hope A.

A fun little weekend day trip took us down Interstate 10 to the tiny community of Roosevelt. We arrived right at 3pm. I know, late lunch / early supper? Well, two other customers were there, so we weren't the only ones late or early. We had done a little research before heading out and we were intrigued by the cafe's website. The pictures of their dishes looked so tasty. Arriving, we had both decided the chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, fried okra, and yummy gravy. Our waitress was very kind, but my heart was broken when she said no taters except French fries. Hubby was ok with that, but for me, I was really set on mashed potatoes. We were told that mashed potatoes and baked potatoes may be available at dinner, but kitchen staff was short, so maybe not. Anyway, I opted for a cheeseburger with the fries. Hubby said his CFS was just ok. I can't say much for my cheeseburger (on overly buttered toast) except the lettuce was very fresh and crispy and yummy pickles. The burger was way too greasy. The bread fell apart. The iced tea was good. Seeing the several RSVP signs on the tables tells me supper time is the best time to visit. Next time...

+ tots
Bret B.

Checked Yelp for a lunch spot cruising down a pretty rural stretch of I-10 and found this classic spot. Good food, nice people and two attached stores that have most anything you could need on a road trip or if you need to do some ranching. Burgers were real good. Fries were homemade and better than tots. The day we stopped in I think the entire Sheriffs department was eating in and that is also usually a good sign. They were all packing side arms so this is a safe place fo sure.

Western Art
Monica C.

Everything here is fire and 1/2 the price of the big chain restaurants. Don't miss out! This quaint steakhouse is out of this world, local and fresh steaks!

Shrimp Boil!
Meg E.

Don't go ANYwhere else!! We were staying in Junction for the night and came to Simon Bros. Everything was delicious! The staff were so happy and friendly. We had the special. It was an amazing shrimp boil. We also had the fried pickles and steak tips. The yeast rolls will make you drool. All phenomenal!! Cannot wait to come back. Wish this was in our backyard! Thanks to Amy, Bobby, & Lainey for an epic date night! :)

a moose head mounted on the wall
Casey T.

Wonderful home cooked food and friendly service. A nice surprise next to the feed store. The meatloaf and steak salad with homemade ranch dressing were wonderful and filled us up for the long drive ahead, Will definitely stop by next time!

Restaurant decode. Old county map.
Arturo R.

I pulled off the road in this little Roosevelt town because I was Hungry and saw the 5 star rating of this place. I assumed it was one review by the business owner at first but after reading a few new I had to stop in. I gotta say it was well worth it. Nice family atmosphere and it's like the whole town eats here and knows each other. The food was great! Hot and the salad was cold with fresh veggies. I had the Smothered chicken and it was cooked to perfection and still juicy not dry. The vegetable medley was delicious and sautéed and included carrots, asparagus, peppers, onions and zucchini. I will also admit I admired other diner's plates and they looked just as comforting and delicious. I have saved this spot for a future visit on my travels.

Steak, veggies and onion rings.
Daniel M.

Found this place through Google search on our way to Austin, TX. We wanted to eat local so we decided to give this place a try and I'm glad we did. Ordered a steak, medium and veggies. Steak was cooked to perfection and was absolutely delicious. Way better than Texas Roadhouse, Black Angus or any other franchise steak house. Prices are great too. I highly recommend eating here.

Brian M.

Was passing through the area and found this gem. Awesome looking place to sit in and look around and a good kitchen to order food. We ordered the breakfast tacos to go. The food was cooked fresh and the salsa was delicious! Plenty of parking and has a small shop attached to it. Highly recommend that if you are passing by to stop by for some grub, it'll be worth your while.

a close up of the back end of the oven
Mary Jo M.

By far the BEST hamburger I've ever had at a restaurant! Service was awesome. A very cute cafe. Bathrooms were very clean.

Yummy grilled catfish plate (can get grilled or fried)

Awesome food and service! We were traveling through and decided to stop. Happy we did! I loved my grilled catfish and Brussels sprouts. My husband loved his cheeseburger and homemade fries. On a side note, our GPS did not take us far enough, just keep driving for a minute or two and you will get there.

Texas rocks.... But the Restraunt is a genuine Oasis!

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2 months ago

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11 months ago

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1 year ago

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4 months ago

Food was great. The service was exceptional. Cute little mercantile store connected to the cafe.

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2 years ago

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10 months ago

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1 year ago

The food was great. Service was wonderful. Didn't know what to expect but didn't want to eat at a chain restaurant. A hidden gem!

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2 years ago

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10 months ago

Good down home food and atmosphere. could not have gone to a better place during our hunting trip.

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6 years ago

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3 years ago

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5 years ago

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6 years ago

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6 years ago

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4 years ago

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5 years ago

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6 years ago

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4 years ago

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

Food and service was great!!! The people are wonderful, worth the stop for sure. Highly recommend if traveling througj

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3 years ago

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5 years ago

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4 years ago

I recommend stopping here for breakfast easy access off the highway and a delicious breakfast.

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3 years ago

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4 years ago

We stopped 2X on our trek to Big Bend. Amazing burgers & fries. We will make Simon Bros. our food stop every trip.

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7 years ago

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5 years ago

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7 years ago

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5 years ago

Super friendly waitress and a great place to stop for a bite to eat. Burgers and fries did not disappoint

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6 years ago

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6 years ago

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4 years ago

Great chicken fried steak and fries. Love the atmosphere! Cute little place to eat. Will definitely be back!

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5 years ago

Stopped by on the way to Big Bend. Great food and great people. Bathrooms were on par with bucees. Chicken pot pie was awesome.

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6 years ago

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7 years ago

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Lum's - Two meat plate

Lum's

4.3(479 reviews)
16.5 mi
•$$

Though I grew up in rural Virginia, the majority of my family lived in upstate South Carolina and…read moreTattnall County, Georgia. The women in my family were superb cooks. Many of them had a specialty: one reliably fried her chicken juicy, crunchy, and golden-brown; another made buttermilk biscuits that were always flaky, layered, and tender, with a subtle, tangy flavor and a rich, buttery taste; yet another baked exceptionally delicate, intensely-flavored coconut cakes; etc. I was taught and encouraged by these ladies - my Meemaw and my aunts - to manage a kitchen, and, to this day, their influence abides. My father was a restaurant man, but at home, he, my grandfather, and my uncles, all of whom would've called themselves "traditional", mostly limited their culinary efforts to food they could prepare outside. From an early age, these men taught me to work with grills and smokers, which is to say that as soon as I was strong enough, I was put to work, hauling wood before a cook and clearing ashes afterwards. And that was as close as I got to cooking with the men, until one special day, when, at 10 years old, my Uncle Buddy allowed me to baste the hog as it spun on the spit. It was another three years before I was permitted to poke the fire. Cooking, for the men, was guided by custom and tradition, a set of rituals that they'd learned from their elders. They didn't prevent my participation because they didn't trust my talent; they just hadn't finished teaching me yet. But eventually, I earned my place by the fire, and, having proved myself capable, I was entrusted with special tasks of increasing importance: grilling meats (a throwaway - kid's play - in the men's eyes); making basting sauce - the "mop" - or what some call barbecue sauce; and, in my late teens, assisting with the butchery. In the decades that followed, I traveled the United States, trying dozens of local BBQ variants. I won't criticize the barbecue of places that don't do it well, but I will say that if you're going to make the stuff and charge money for it, maybe go see how it's done in Memphis and eastern North Carolina, where my favorite types of "Q" come from. Don't just light a fire and open for business; learn something first. At home, I've owned several smokers, and I've made and eaten a lot of a LOT of BBQ. I use pecan (or a pecan/cherry mix) when I want the taste of the thing I'm smoking to stand out, or when there's not much meat to the bite. Ribs, fish, and special dishes like pizza and involtini get the light smoke. I use hickory or oak when I want an old-school BBQ flavor, or when the cut I'm cooking is large enough that it won't smoke all the way through. Those woods make excellent pork shoulder, prime rib, and leg of lamb. The one wood I won't smoke with is mesquite. Never again. The few times I used it, my food tasted the way country air smells in the summer, when road crews get to resurfacing the County road. But I know that the problem is me, because one day, a while back, I ate outstanding mesquite-smoked BBQ at Lum's in Junction, TX. That morning, I'd left Luling for Van Horn, and, since I'd missed the more famous spots in the Houston area, I was set on finding a decent plate of BBQ before I left the state. Yelp and TripAdvisor said Lum's was a good choice, which gave me hope that the place would have what I wanted. I walked in, happy to note that Lum's was not so much a "restaurant" as a "dining hall," the sort of place that serves a basic menu to lots of people, quickly and without complication. You grab a tray, shuffle down the line, choosing from a meat (or two or three) and a couple of sides, a drink and maybe a sweet treat to finish. Park yourself in a comfortable chair at a heavy wooden table, and get to eatin'. The menu board offered brisket, turkey, pork ribs, pulled pork, pork loin, and sausage. There was chicken, too, but that's not why I was there. The sides included something called "Spicy Spaghetti" which, had I been sticking around, I'd definitely have tried, but pasta wasn't on my short-list of Things To Eat In Texas' Hill Country. I picked brisket (because Texas), pulled pork and ribs, and sides of potato and cucumber salads. My plate came with white bread. And with my feast, I drank sweet tea, as God intended. What did I miss? The spaghetti, and sausage, and pinto beans and mac 'n cheese. Next time. The meats were expertly done: tender, moist, not greasy, and they'd been handled carefully by the pit master, so that the seasoning hadn't been knocked off as they were shifted from smoker to service line. Before I left, I paid my respects to one of the owners and asked what sort of wood he uses, as I couldn't quite identify the smoky flavor. I was surprised when he said, "Mesquite... we're surrounded by it!" There was no acrid, creosote-y bitterness; instead, the flavor was smooth, savory, and delicious. Lum's showed me that mesquite can work. But not at my house; I just don't have the touch.

There are plenty of better BBQ's than this in California, Nevada and elsewhere, not to mention TX-…read morebut I heard it's the best in town here. I had the brisket, it seemed kind of dry, not the melt-in-your-mouth quality I was hoping for. They ask for a tip checkout but I'm not sure why- they didn't deliver or pick up anything. That all being said, the food was pretty good- not fantastic- but worth a try and better than fast food in any case. The staff was upbeat and friendly and the building was stylish in a western way.

Photos
Lum's - Pretty much just BA Barracus

Pretty much just BA Barracus

Lum's - 2 Meat Plate - Brisket, Turkey, Mac & Cheese, and Spicy Spaghetti

2 Meat Plate - Brisket, Turkey, Mac & Cheese, and Spicy Spaghetti

Lum's - Signage

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Signage

Simon Bros. Mercantile & Cafe - tradamerican - Updated October 2026

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