by Michael Totten

Created on: April 28, 2009   Last Updated: July 29, 2009

Cattlemen's Steakhouse
1309 S Agnew Avenue, (405) 236-0416
M-Th, Su 6 am - 10 pm, F-Sa 6 am - midnight
http://www.cattlemensrestaurant.com

Located in the part of Oklahoma City known as Stockyard City, Cattlemen's Steakhouse has been an Oklahoma City institution since 1910. The place is huge, but there is always a wait for a supper table, no matter what day of the week it is. On Saturdays, when all the rural locals pour in, be prepared to wait for an hour or more in the catering room upstairs. Take the opportunity to try the house beer, an unfiltered wheat beer custom-brewed for Cattlemen's by the Krebs brewery. Banquet facilities are available for up to 120 people.

This place is not about fancy. Can you imagine a southwestern saloon combined with a 50s diner and a 70s truck stop? Don't be fooled by the crisp white tablecloths and back-lit wall murals on the left side of the restaurant, this is a place where city folk rub elbows with working farmers and ranchers. On the right side is a 50s-style diner, complete with dark red booths and overhead fluorescent lights. Don't be surprised to find working cowboys sitting at the stainless steel eating counter, drinking some of the best coffee in the heartland.

Fish may be on the menu, but this isn't the kind of place you go to order fish. The side dishes are what you would expect from a city which so loves its fast food, and the house garlic cheese ranch dressing is one of those things you will either love or hate. However, the sauteed mushrooms cooked with onions more than make up for all the rest, with enough in a single side order for two to share.

What you come for here is the steak, aged on the premises, marinated overnight, and cooked just the way you like it, with the waiter staying around for your first bite to make sure it is done right. The preferred way of cooking steaks here is medium-well, but they do tend to cook steaks a bit on the raw side. If needed, they will gladly put it back on the fire for a few more minutes. But if you trust their judgement, you will find a succulent, juicy piece of meat, cooked to perfection.

One of the hidden secrets of Cattlemen's Steakhouse is its cowboy-style breakfasts, put together with enough solid goodness to keep you going all day. Steak and eggs is a perennial favorite. You may never have a better sunny-side up egg. On the weekend, a breakfast buffet featuring everything from homemade biscuits and gravy to southern-style grits is served between 8 to 10:30 am.

The prices are cheap by big-city standards, but expensive for the heartland. A children's menu is available.

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