14 Hole-In-The-Wall Texas Restaurants Locals Say Serve The Biggest Portions Around
In Texas, big flavors deserve big portions, and these hole-in-the-wall restaurants deliver both in spades.
From sizzling barbecue to hearty Tex-Mex plates, each meal is generous, satisfying, and packed with local charm.
Locals know that arriving hungry is essential, because leaving empty-handed is impossible.
Every bite celebrates the state’s love for bold taste, hearty servings, and no-frills dining, proving that sometimes the best meals come from the most unassuming places.
1. Mary’s Cafe — Strawn
Locals drive for hours just to sink their teeth into Mary’s legendary chicken-fried steak that’s literally bigger than the plate it’s served on.
This unassuming roadside spot has been feeding hungry Texans since the 1980s. The gravy alone deserves its own fan club, and regulars know to come hungry or plan to take half home.
Don’t let the small-town location fool you; Mary’s has earned national recognition for its gargantuan portions.
2. Ranch Hand Cafe — Cleveland
Truckers swear by this roadside haven where breakfast platters arrive with enough eggs and bacon to fuel a cattle drive.
Ranch Hand doesn’t mess around when it comes to portion size; their pancakes stretch to the edges of dinner plates. Morning regulars know to skip dinner the night before.
Family-owned for generations, this no-frills spot serves country cooking that reminds you of grandma’s kitchen, just with servings that would make even her blush.
3. Juan in a Million — Austin
Home of the famous Don Juan Taco, this East Austin institution has been challenging appetites since 1980.
Owner Juan Meza greets customers with his trademark handshake while servers deliver breakfast tacos so stuffed they require strategic planning just to take the first bite. One Don Juan could easily feed two hungry people.
The potato, egg, bacon and cheese monster has become something of an Austin rite of passage, with college students regularly attempting to break the house record for most consumed.
4. Blue Bonnet Cafe — Marble Falls
Pie slices taller than coffee mugs and chicken fried steaks that need their own zip code have made this Hill Country landmark famous since 1929.
Breakfast plates arrive with enough food to keep you full until dinner tomorrow. The waitresses don’t bat an eye when first-timers gasp at the portion sizes.
Regulars know to pace themselves for the famous pies that come later. Blue Bonnet’s homestyle cooking has earned it a special place in Texas food lore.
5. Chris Madrid’s — San Antonio
Burger aficionados whisper about the Macho Tostada Burger with reverence.
This San Antonio institution stacks its signature creation so high with refried beans, chips, and cheese that you’ll need to unhinge your jaw just to attempt a bite.
Founded in 1977, this family-owned spot doesn’t believe in skimping.
The regular-sized burgers would qualify as large anywhere else. Even locals sometimes forget just how massive these burgers are until they’re staring down a plate that could feed a small family.
6. Kincaid’s Hamburgers — Fort Worth
Started as a grocery store meat market in 1946, Kincaid’s serves burgers so massive they’ve become legendary throughout North Texas.
The half-pound patties extend well beyond their buns, creating a meaty eclipse that leaves first-timers wondering how to approach them.
Old-school butcher paper serves as plates in this converted grocery. Regulars strategically position themselves near the limited counter space before unwrapping their monster burgers.
The onion rings alone could serve as bracelets for the average adult.
7. Cattleack Barbeque — Dallas
Barbecue enthusiasts line up hours before opening for meat sliced so thick you might mistake it for a roast.
This Dallas smokehouse doesn’t understand the concept of small portions; brisket is carved in slabs rather than slices.
Open just two days a week (plus one Saturday monthly), Cattleack has turned limited availability into part of its mystique.
The Toddfather sandwich stacks brisket, pulled pork, and sausage so high that compressing it enough to fit in your mouth becomes a genuine engineering challenge.
8. Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que — Llano
Meat selection at Cooper’s happens right at the pit, where slabs of brisket, ribs, and sausage links await your pointing finger.
First-timers often make the rookie mistake of selecting multiple meats, unaware that a single serving could feed a small family reunion.
The experience starts with choosing from smoke-blackened proteins displayed on the pit.
The meat cutter will grab a piece so substantial you’ll wonder if it’s meant to be shared. No surprise this Hill Country institution has expanded to multiple locations across Texas.
9. The Pickett House — Woodville
Family-style dining reaches epic proportions at this historic restaurant operating since 1864.
Endless platters of fried chicken, country ham, and vegetables keep coming until you surrender by turning your plate upside down.
Located in the pine forests of East Texas, this institution serves Sunday dinner every day of the week.
The all-you-can-eat format has been challenging appetites for generations. Even hungry lumberjacks leave defeated by the bottomless bowls of sides that accompany the main proteins.
10. Belle’s Chicken Dinner House — Abilene
Fried chicken dinners at Belle’s arrive with enough food to make you question your life choices.
This Abilene institution serves family-style meals with mountains of mashed potatoes, cream gravy, and golden chicken pieces that could feed a football team.
Regulars know to wear stretchy pants. The green beans alone could make a meal elsewhere.
Celebrating over 50 years in business, Belle’s hasn’t changed its formula; enormous portions of comfort food served in an unpretentious setting that feels like Sunday dinner at grandma’s farmhouse.
11. Andy’s Country Kitchen — Corpus Christi
Fishermen fuel up at Andy’s before hitting the Gulf, knowing one breakfast will sustain them through a full day on the water. Their chicken fried steak and eggs platter requires reinforced plates just to make it from kitchen to table.
This coastal gem has been serving portions that defy physics since the 1980s. Pancakes extend beyond plate edges while omelettes contain enough eggs to deplete a small henhouse.
The no-frills atmosphere keeps the focus where it belongs, on the impossibly large servings of down-home cooking.
12. Alamo Springs Cafe — Fredericksburg
Hidden down a winding Hill Country road, this unassuming cafe gained fame when Texas Monthly featured their gargantuan burgers on their cover.
The Bubba Burger stands nearly six inches tall, requiring customers to strategically plan their attack before the first bite. Located near the famous bat tunnel, hungry travelers stumble upon this gem by accident.
The outdoor patio fills with shocked expressions as servers deliver burgers that could double as architectural models. Bring friends or prepare for the world’s most substantial leftovers.
13. Joe’s Bakery & Coffee Shop — Austin
Generations of East Austin families have started their days with breakfast plates that practically groan under their own weight at Joe’s.
Their homemade flour tortillas alone deserve their own fan club, but it’s the carne guisada breakfast that requires a doggie bag.
Since 1962, this Tex-Mex institution has been stuffing breakfast tacos until they nearly burst.
The migas plate arrives with enough food for two normal appetites. Regulars know to skip dinner the night before a Joe’s breakfast; a tradition that’s kept this family-owned spot thriving for decades.
14. Coyote Bluff Cafe — Amarillo
Tucked into a tiny building in Amarillo’s old warehouse district, this unassuming spot serves the infamous “Burger From Hell” that’s as massive as it is spicy.
Regulars watch with amusement as newcomers try to figure out how to fit the towering creation into their mouths.
The building might be small, but the portions are anything but. Half-pound patties come loaded with jalapeños, chipotle sauce, and enough toppings to make structural engineers nervous.
Cash only and always packed, Coyote Bluff has been challenging Panhandle appetites for decades.