Dallas' Best Chicken Fried Steak

Across sprawling North Texas, where cowboy boots and skyscrapers manage to co-exist, there is a dish that unites locals and visitors alike in savory harmony: the chicken fried steak. This dish is so beloved throughout the Lone Star State that Oct. 26 is designated as Texas Chicken Fried Steak Day. And this is not one of those made-up holidays: during the 82nd legislative session in 2011, Texas House Resolution 1419 made it an official state-recognized day. Pretty sure we get the day off. (Don't check with HR, just let it play out with casual indifference.)

We at the Dallas Observer have indulged in a lot of chicken fried steak around this city, sometimes more than once. Join us on a savory journey as we share our favorite places to get your hands on the most delectable chicken fried steaks this town has to offer.

AllGood Café

2934 Main St. (Deep Ellum)

AllGood Café has been recognized many times for its chicken fried steak. Some would say this version is the North Star that others should aspire to replicate. Tender beef pounded flat and deep-fried with a perfectly seasoned coating and topped with homemade pepper cream gravy. For brunch lovers, be sure to add a sunny-side or over-easy egg. The combination of the runny yolk, peppery cream gravy and crispy CFS is the perfect way to start your day.

Babe’s Chicken Dinner House

Various Locations

Babe’s Chicken Dinner House has become an iconic Texan eatery. With numerous locations throughout North Texas, the fare is always on point. It is best known for its bone-in fried chicken, but Babe's chicken fried steak is often hailed as some of the best in the area. The steak is fried until it is golden brown, smothered in gravy and served with sides like sweet corn, creamy mashed potatoes, crisp green beans and buttery biscuits.

Bubba’s Cooks Country

6617 Hillcrest Ave.

SMU students and Park Cities families have been going to the beloved Bubba's for more than 40 years to indulge in homemade country cooking. Here, you’ll find crispy fried steak, rich creamy gravy and fluffy buttermilk biscuits paired with all the classic sides like green beans, lima beans, mashed potatoes and black-eyed peas. While it will be challenging, try to save room for dessert and treat yourself to the bread pudding.

Celebration Restaurant

4503 W. Lovers Lane (Park Cities)

Celebration is one of the best-known “home cooking” spots in Dallas. Located in a sprawling ranch house with wood paneling walls reminiscent of your grandparents' house in the 1970s, the chicken fried steak is made with Texas grass-fed beef and is fried to order. Get it with either traditional or jalapeño cream gravy. The price is $15.95 for lunch and $17.95 for dinner, and includes a dinner roll and three sides.

Ellen’s

West End, East Dallas and Allen; opening soon in North Dallas, Fort Worth and Frisco

The chicken fried steak at Ellen’s is astonishingly crunchy. Ellen's takes the art of chicken-frying to another level, starting with top-cube steak (round steak) that is coated in a seasoned flour blend (self-rising flour is the secret to creating an exceptionally crisp crust). The steak is then submerged in a deep fryer to create a symphony of crunch you won't find anywhere else. If you prefer your chicken fried steak benedict-style, you’ll find it here served on biscuits and topped with soft poached eggs.

Haywire

Uptown and Plano

If you prefer to eat your chicken fried steak in an Airstream trailer or a tent, head to Haywire for its unforgettable ambiance and Instagram-worthy photo ops. Did we mention that Haywire uses wagyu? The result is a crispy outer crust and fork-tender beef. Buttermilk chive whipped potatoes, jalapeno sausage gravy and sauteed green beans are served along with this meal, making for the ultimate comfort-food meal.

Intrinsic Smokehouse & Brewery

509 W. State St., Garland

Wait, what? Smoked chicken fried brisket? There is a God and he’s preaching the gospel in Garland on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This half-pound brisket at Intrinsic is served with mashed potatoes and burnt-end gravy. Can we get a hallelujah and an amen?

Jonathon’s

1619 N. Beckley Ave. (Oak Cliff) and 5337 Forest Lane (North Dallas)

Often, when you order chicken fried steak, the batter quickly falls apart after the gravy hits it. Not so at Jonathon’s. They tenderize a piece of chuck steak and dip it in seasoned flour, give it a Tabasco buttermilk bath, then dredge it in a saltine cracker crust. The result is perfection. Perfectly seasoned, perfectly tender and perfectly crunchy. The portion size is easily sharable, and the actual steak is as large as a human head.

Mama’s Daughters' Diner

Design District, Plano, Irving, Forney and Lewisville

The moment you hear the name "Mama's," you should know you're in for a treat — and not just any treat but one that's steeped in family tradition. Mama's is a family affair, and by that, we mean three generations strong and five distinct locations. For nearly four decades, Mama and her crew have been doing things the old-fashioned way, and that means starting from scratch with every dish. They do chicken fried steak like it should be done, and it’s consistently delicious and is always filling.

Norma’s Café

Plano, North Dallas, Frisco, Oak Cliff and Park Lane

Anytime we read double dipped, you can bank on it that we’re going to check it out. Norma’s has been double-dipping its award-winning chicken fried steak for extra crispiness and deliciousness since 1956. For $11.99, the eNORMAus chicken fried steak is fried golden brown and smothered in cream gravy and served with your choice of three freshly made vegetable sides with homemade rolls and cornbread. You can’t get out of a fast-food drive-thru these days for that price.

Ozona Bar & Grill

4615 Greenville Ave.

Ozona celebrates CFS every day of the year. But on Oct. 26, the banners come out. It's a party. This year, live music starts at 4 p.m. with Greg Schroder followed by Big Daddy. At Ozona, top butt (from the sirloin) is used for the chicken fried steak, which produces a naturally tender steak that is robust and beefy every time. If you’re not up for tackling an entire steak, you can opt for something smaller like chicken fried steak fingers, chicken fried steak sliders or a chicken fried steak sandwich. If you’re in the mood to shake things up, consider ordering your chicken fried steak queso-style or cowboy-style, adorned with chili, cheese and red onions.

Prego Pasta House

4930 Greenville Ave.

As our very own Chris Wolfgang discovered in 2022, the chicken fried steak at Prego Pasta House is stellar. You wouldn’t necessarily think of ordering chicken fried steak at an Italian restaurant, but stranger things have happened. It’s not on the menu, but the kitchen can chicken fry a 14-ounce New York strip and serve it with a side dish of cream gravy that employs the drippings of ham roasted earlier in the day. If you think you can eat one by yourself, well, good luck.

Whistle Britches

Various Locations (North Dallas, Plano and Southlake)

If you’re in the burbs of North Dallas, Plano or Southlake, you’ll figure out quickly that more is not always better. Instead of the usual oversized, thinly battered chicken fried steak found at other places, Whistle Britches offers an 8-ounce, thick-cut Angus beef treasure that sets its apart from the competition. Perfectly coated and fried until golden brown, it's accompanied by creamy mashed potatoes, buttered green beans and well-seasoned cream gravy.