Ranked by TableJourney editorial score.
Tenderised cube steak dredged in seasoned flour and egg wash, deep-fried until shattering golden, then smothered in white pepper-cream gravy. Served with mashed potatoes, green beans and a buttered roll.
Chicken-fried steak (CFS) emerged in the 1920s in Texan Hill Country diners as a cheap-cut alternative to schnitzel, brought by German and Czech immigrant communities. It became the unofficial dish of Texas working lunch by the 1950s. Threadgill's (closed 2018) was the canonical Austin version for decades; Joann's Fine Foods and Magnolia Cafe carry the contemporary torch.
3 editor picks for Chicken-Fried Steak in Austin, ranked by editorial score. All Austin signature dishes · Chicken-Fried Steak across every city.
Also in: Oklahoma City, Tulsa.
Joann's Fine Foods in Austin is the Bunkhouse Group's Tex-Mex diner at the Austin Motel on South Congress, a palapa-bar patio of fajitas, queso and frozen.
OrderWood-grilled fajitas and a frozen margarita; the tortillas are pressed in-house each morning.
TipThe Austin Motel pool is members-only but the diner patio runs walk-in; arrive 5pm Saturday for shade.
Kerbey Lane Cafe in Austin is the central all-day diner since 1980, the 1930s bungalow that started a chain on pancakes, queso and 24-hour breakfast service.
OrderGingerbread pancakes and a bowl of queso; the queso comes with bacon for an extra dollar.
TipThe Central and South Lamar locations run 24 hours; Mueller closes at midnight, useful to know on weekends.
Magnolia Cafe in Austin is the South Congress 24-hour diner, a counter institution running queso, migas and pancakes through the night, weekends round.
OrderMag mud queso and the Love migas; both run 24 hours, 7 days a week.
TipOpen 24 hours Thursday through Saturday; otherwise closes at midnight. SXSW makes Friday 1am a scrum.
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