The Texas Bucket List - Mary's Cafe in Strawn 

When I lived in Texas I dove 150 mile every two weeks to eat at Mary's. I now live in Virginia and have dreams of going into Mary's for Chicken fried steak.

Mary is friendly and humble and generous... people like that make the world a blessed place to live

My family is from this town. Brother lives about 400 yards from Mary's. Aunt and Mom just passed, but they were 400-500 yards the other direction. Loads of fun running all over town as little kids in the 70's and great memories. Fast forward to 1987..... I was graduating from college and would visit once a year for a few days. "Flossies" was right across the street, and "Mary's" opened up I think right after Flossie's. Each year I'd go back, and Mary's was just 10% more popular, year-on-year, than Flossie's. Note the "Year on Year" aspect. Competition might have lasted 5 years, but Mary's won out. -And, as an aside, all my relatives said Mary's food was better, but not by a huge margin. The biggest differential ? The chicken fried steak and past that; much more friendly employees, including Mary. She was just always there those first, critical years. Always friendly and outgoing. So... Now.... Now we're Old Dogs, but my brother is still just a few hundred yards from Mary's. Several cousins in town. Whenever I go; we always go to "Mary's", who is our age. AnywayZZZ.... Really good food. I'm not positive if the Chx fried Stk is the best in TX, but it's certainly very good. Personally, the mashed potatoes and gravy are outstanding. Great place. Fantastic memories, and I recall the year-by-year battle there back in the mid-80's fwd for about 5 years. All of us being mid-20's and rearin' to go. Mary made it. Kewl.

Bless Mary's little heart...BIG heart should I say. I am ecstatic for her success. It appears she's earned every bit of it by lots of hard work.

Mary’s is opened now. We went there on Monday for their chicken fried chicken and today for their cod. Delicious. Didnt realize that our waitress was Mary until I watched this video.

Best chicken fried steak anywhere. I had the medium when I was there. I asked Mary how large the large was then. I couldn't believe it!!!

Great food and awesome service.

Growing up in Mineral Wells, Mary’s was always a stop for us! So many memories in this place. My dad and Mary were good friends for many many years!

support small business

Definitely worth jumping off the interstate,and trying this cafe out.. Only trouble is finding a empty table 🤠

Gawd...My right ventricle is slamming shut and a scooter is in my future for sure!

stop by several times a year on my way to deer lease...best CFS i have ever had

I came from Jackson Mississippi and Ms. Mary was the first face I saw through the door. She is sweet ass apple pie. I ate both the Texas large chicken fried steak and the Texas size bacon cheeseburger. Both were delicious. It was a well worth trip.

It's one of the best I've had in the State for sure. Surprised it hasn't show up on the Texas Bucket List before now!

Now I'm hungry

Love it from down here in Australia - hope you’re all keeping safe and well

I've ate a lot of chicken fried steaks. You're the first person I've seen that wasn't greedy with the gravy. Most people put like 3 or 4 tablespoons of gravy on the steak. Then I asked for more gravy and they charge me for it.

Been there. Done that. Got the T-shirt. Time for another pilgrimage. Thanks, Mary!

Been there, done that. Definitely worth a stop! Call ahead for a table...

Been there and it's GREAT! Mary is the Cat's Meow!! GREAT Cook with a GREAT personality! "Go Mary" !!

I knew I shouldn’t have watched this one, I sure miss our weekly road trips to Strawn. If y’all have never been to Mary’s it really should be on your bucket list

Best episode ever! Love you Mary!!! 😚☺️😘🙃

My uncle in Strawn cooked @ Marys for yr's !! Due to his age & health, he now only cooks @ Marys, occasionally when needed... part time !! I know others, Tx food magazines have also highly mentioned, recommended Mary's CFS And his homemade( Fam only ) Peach ice cream 🍦 is the BEST !! Just sharing 😊

Thought dude from Active self protection was cooking

Makes my mouth water just looking at it!!!!!!

Well, Now I want some Chicken Fried Steak!

Mary is America. Real authentic America. Great video.

So I’m in Houston, and I’m ready jump in my car and drive over there right now for some chicken fried steak & mashed potatoes!!!😋

GREAT JOB...MARY...THANK YOU BUCKET LIST!!

Two days ago I came across a video asking truck drivers the best meal they ever had and Mary's was #1 now I come across this video. Wow. Looks fantastic.

Just got back from there. Awesome CFS.

Love love LOVE this place! I actually learned about it from the documentary "Texas 6" that's on Paramount Plus. I've been there twice now and it was amazing both times. First time I got the medium chicken fried steak and could only eat half. It's huge. Second time I got the small. Still had trouble finishing, as the mashed potatoes on the side is also a huge portion. Gravy is amazing. Also worth noting... their chips and salsa are unexpectedly really good. Some of the best salsa I've ever had and their chips are fresh. Both times we visited around 11:30am on Sunday. No problem getting a table, but the place filled up pretty quickly around 12:30. Can't wait to have an opportunity to go back again.

God Bless You Mary

For anyone who is CFS connoisseur like myself, I had my first flat top cooked CFS... Life changing... I went to Sam's Original Restaurant in Fairfield, TX. I will definitely make a trip to Mary's.

Would've loved to tried all that. Looks amazing.

Looks so good.

The fact that is not all battered up is good. 👍👍

Don't get me wrong, I love living in rural Ohio... but man!!! I need to get my buns down to Texas and visit some of these amazing establishments!

Added this to my list of placed to eat in Texas! All from your channel videos 👍🏽🤤

I would sure like to eat there! Texas is blessed!

I would cry happy tears if i had that food in front of me.

Love Mary’s!

Great job Mary wow love the food

Great burger bite CFS looks very Texas But Mary is star of the cafe I'm hungry now

The only thing Texas does small is taxes and gas prices.

We'll be stopping by this Saturday for lunch! See you then!

Huge......is an understatement for these size servings!!!

I loved Marys so much I had to get a DFW buddy to get me some in Hawley. So, so good Marys chicken fried steaks.

Awesome! Next!!👍👍

Mart’s restaurant is now on my bucket list

Those potatoes definitely need some gravy. But everything look good!

Wow I need to go there. ❤

NOW I definitely have to return to Texas and visit Mary’s.

I want your job, you get to eat at all the good places. Looks like you've been eating pretty good too.

Pop a Lipitor and say a lil prayer ..... that looks amazing

Looks delicious

I have to visit here!!

What a sweetheart! I've been hearing of Mary's Chicken Fried Steak for years... I definitely need to go. It'll take me about 300 miles to get there, but it's definitely a bucket list stop!

I love that South Texas accent!

I'm gonna have ta stop in there sometime soon,

She seems to be an awesome personality!

Not only is the food great here so is the service and the locals

This guy reminds me of the sheriff off of Mr. Pickles 😂 😂 😂

We're going to be headed there on our way to pick up my son from Texas Tech 😊.

The place is pretty dang good gonna have to make a detour the next time I head back east

Love their CFSteak

I just started watching this series and its pretty good

Oh my God !!!!God I wish I lived in Texas

I've visited a few times -- they were pretty busy this past Easter, in fact -- and on my first visit, I ordered the CFS and the Rocky Mountain Oysters. They give you enough food that you'll need a box, so what was left of both came home with me. I returned from work a day later and my wife (who had just come home from a trip) told me that she'd eaten my leftovers. "OK, no problem, what did you think of the Rocky Mountain Oysters?" [long pause]

The "medium" is huge. I'm a big guy and I struggled to finish it. The "large" is ridiculously big. The "side" of potatoes was a bowl big enough to feed 3 people,lol. Went on a Saturday around 3 pm, place was pretty much packed. Server was friendly but very efficient, could tell she'd worked there for a while. I'll be back.

Mary's has very good food, the portions are huge, and the foodservers are always friendly. I don't know if I'd call their CFS as being the best in Texas. But, yeah, it's really quite good. Their mashed potatoes and gravy are awesome ! The Mex food options are pretty solid. Definitely worth the stop. Best in TX ? Well, I might hesitate on that one a tad bit. Noting, the ambience is rather basic. Fair enough, though. Their prices are quite reasonable, especially relative to the massive quantities you receive. Kewl !

Coach brought the team here after our last baseball game, had me the BURGER and it was awesome!

Love her attitude ! 👍

Best chicken fried steak I ever had!

Guess need take a trip back to Texas!

Mary knows how to cook a chicken fried steak for sure. My favorite if I'm not making it myself! The large steak and shrimp plates are awesome too!

Shore nuff do wish ar small town had a Mary’s. So sad Tx is 300 miles away 😩!! Yer welcome in KY if ye ever get a noshun to expand😃

Hey Mary I coming over!!!

I really wish I had watched this before I went in today and ordered a large........ insane.

6:05 dude is rollin😂😂😂😭

I Love Her So Much. ❤️

Shane, yes Mary is known for her chicken fried steak but you should try her Mexican food.........it’s awesome!

love chicken fried steak also you need to try 30 burger in texarkana tx

My welcome home meal in 09'. Country fried steak was worth the drive.

I am gonna arrive in texas at 190 and leave at least 425 if i go all the places from this show

great job nicley made

I’ve had the burger. My coworker had the burger plus fries and some of my fries😮😮😮

Got this done off my Bucket List!!! Three hour drive one way. Made for a day out. Should have gone years ago. I'll be making the trek more often. Very Very Good. CFS like pan fried. I am not a fan of CFS Deep fried. My desert was Bucket List T-Shirts from our waitress and a Hello to Mary.

That burger is ridiculously big! lol

Been there.... 👍👍👍👍

I lived near there for 4 years and always planned to go but never did and I’m sorry for that

If I'm ever in Mingus, I'll go to Strawn

Wow...I feel like making a trip down there just to pig out on her food...!!!

TBH, been there a few times and its just an average CFS, taste wise, size wise it large for sure. Maybe all the hype just ruined it for me. But if you are in the area good place to eat. But for me not worth driving out to for just a meal

I'm British my adult kids live in San an Tonio ..I'm gonna emigrate again and come back to Texas just to go here

Now I know who's getting the boys at strawn high so big. Some of the biggest sixman football players I've ever seen.

That man said it when he said the meat is not overdone...so many Chicken Fried Steak places overcook um.

This guy is a good host.

Wow

There's Something About Mary!