These Nebraska Chicken Fried Steak Plates Barely Fit the Platter
Nebraska is known for its hearty portions and comfort food, and nowhere is this more evident than with chicken fried steak. Across the state, diners and restaurants serve up crispy, golden-breaded beef cutlets that stretch from edge to edge of oversized platters.
These monster meals come smothered in creamy gravy, surrounded by mountains of mashed potatoes, and served with a side of Midwestern pride that’ll leave you loosening your belt and grinning ear to ear.
1. Shirley’s Diner
Walking into this classic spot feels like stepping back in time to when portion sizes were generous and nobody counted calories. Shirley’s has been feeding hungry Nebraskans for decades with their signature chicken fried steak that literally hangs off the plate.
The breading is perfectly seasoned with a secret spice blend that keeps locals coming back week after week. Golden and crunchy on the outside, tender as can be on the inside, this beast gets smothered in homemade white gravy that could make a vegetarian reconsider their life choices.
Paired with real mashed potatoes and fresh veggies, you’ll need a strategic eating plan to finish this mountain of comfort food.
2. Lee’s Chicken Restaurant
Don’t let the name fool you—this place serves up beef that rivals any poultry on the menu. Lee’s chicken fried steak has earned legendary status among Nebraska foodies who appreciate quality over quantity, though here you get both in spades.
Every order starts with premium beef pounded thin, dredged through seasoned flour, and fried until the edges curl up crispy. The result is a cutlet so large it could double as a small blanket for a chihuahua.
Regulars know to come hungry and maybe skip lunch beforehand. The gravy here is described as having a peppery kick that wakes up your taste buds without overwhelming them.
3. Kirk’s Nebraskaland Restaurant
Game day appetites meet their match at this sports bar where the chicken fried steak competes for attention with the big screens overhead. Kirk’s understands that watching your team requires serious fuel, so they pile on the protein without apology.
The kitchen here takes pride in hand-breading each steak to order, ensuring maximum crunch factor. Topped with their signature peppered gravy, this dish pairs perfectly with whatever’s on tap and the roar of fellow fans around you.
You might miss a play or two while demolishing this plate, but your stomach will thank you. The portion is so generous that takeout containers are practically mandatory.
4. Hi-Way Diner
Road-trippers and truckers have known about this gem for years, pulling off the highway specifically for a taste of authentic Nebraska cooking. Hi-Way Diner’s chicken fried steak is the stuff of CB radio legends, with drivers warning each other to arrive with empty stomachs.
The cooks here don’t mess around with fancy ingredients or trendy preparations. They stick to the time-tested formula of quality beef, simple seasoning, and expert frying technique that produces consistent excellence.
Served piping hot with a smile from waitresses who’ve probably worked there longer than you’ve been alive, this meal represents everything right about small-town diners.
5. Round the Bend Steakhouse
Steakhouses typically focus on grilled cuts, but Round the Bend proves their kitchen can dominate the fried category too. Their chicken fried steak brings upscale touches to this blue-collar classic without losing its soul or shrinking its size.
Premium beef gets the royal treatment here with a buttermilk soak before hitting the fryer, resulting in unbelievable tenderness. The breading is described as achieving an almost lacy crispness that shatters satisfyingly with each forkful.
While you’ll pay a bit more than at a typical diner, the quality justifies every penny. Their mushroom-infused gravy option elevates the entire experience to something special yet still wonderfully indulgent.
6. Whitey’s Sports Bar & Grille
Fans flock here not just for the game but for the grub that keeps them fueled through overtime. Whitey’s has built a reputation on serving portions that make even the hungriest linebacker pause before diving in.
Their chicken fried steak recipe has remained unchanged for over twenty years because why fix what isn’t broken? The kitchen staff takes visible pride in maintaining consistency, ensuring every plate meets the high standards regulars expect.
Crispy edges give way to juicy centers, all swimming in a sea of peppery white gravy. Pair it with their loaded mashed potatoes and you’ve got yourself a winning combination that scores big with locals and visitors alike.
7. Cook’s Café
Family recipes passed down through generations define the menu at this cozy café where everyone knows your name by the third visit. Cook’s treats chicken fried steak like the art form it truly is, refusing to cut corners or compromise on portion size.
Every morning, the kitchen crew hand-cuts and tenderizes fresh beef before the breakfast rush even begins. This dedication to preparation is reflected in their chicken fried steak, which diners say is tender enough you barely need a knife to cut through it.
The gravy here has achieved near-mythical status, with rumors of secret ingredients that nobody will confirm or deny. What’s certain is that you’ll want extra napkins.
8. Good Evans
The name might be a playful exclamation, but there’s nothing joking about the serious size of their chicken fried steak. Good Evans has earned its reputation by consistently delivering plates that make first-timers do a double-take when the server approaches their table.
Hand-battered using a technique perfected over countless breakfast and lunch rushes, each steak emerges from the fryer looking like edible gold. The crust maintains its crunch even after being drenched in their signature sausage gravy, a feat that separates amateurs from professionals.
Locals often bring out-of-town guests here just to watch their reactions when the food arrives. It never gets old seeing jaws drop.
9. Engine House Café
Walk into this charming café and you’ll immediately smell the sizzle of comfort food being prepared with love. Engine House Café has built a reputation on serving portions that challenge even the heartiest appetites, and their chicken fried steak is the crown jewel of their menu.
The golden-brown breaded steak stretches from edge to edge, barely contained by the oversized platter it arrives on. Smothered in thick, peppery country gravy, this masterpiece comes with mountains of creamy mashed potatoes and your choice of vegetables.
Regulars know to arrive hungry and often leave with a to-go box. The crispy coating stays crunchy even under all that delicious gravy, proving that size doesn’t mean sacrificing quality or taste.
10. The Mettle Grill
Picture a steak so substantial that the kitchen staff jokes about needing architectural support for the plate. That’s exactly what awaits diners at The Mettle Grill, where hand-breaded chicken fried steak reaches almost comical proportions.
Every order starts with premium beef, tenderized to perfection and coated in a secret blend of seasonings before hitting the fryer. The result? A crispy exterior that crackles with every bite, revealing tender meat that practically melts on your tongue.
What makes this spot special is their house-made gravy, simmered for hours with herbs and spices that create layers of flavor. Combined with generous helpings of home-style sides, this meal becomes an unforgettable Nebraska dining experience worth every calorie.
11. The Lodge Restaurant
Nestled in a cozy setting that feels like your favorite uncle’s hunting cabin, The Lodge Restaurant delivers down-home cooking with serious attitude. Their chicken fried steak has become something of a local legend, with first-time visitors often gasping when the server sets it down.
The breaded cutlet literally hangs over the platter’s rim, creating a meal that photographs as well as it tastes. Topped with ladlefuls of velvety gravy made from scratch daily, each bite delivers satisfying crunch followed by tender, juicy beef.
Sides arrive in separate bowls because there’s simply no room left on the main plate. Many guests strategically plan their attack, determining which section to tackle first while everything stays piping hot and delicious.
12. Lisa’s Radial Cafe
Tucked inside a cozy corner of Omaha, Lisa’s Radial Café dishes out chicken fried steak so massive it practically demands its own ZIP code. This longtime local favorite doesn’t bother with fancy plating or frills — just pure, unfiltered comfort food that hits you right in the nostalgia.
The steak arrives golden, crackling, and big enough to make your fork hesitate for a split second before diving in. Smothered under a generous pour of creamy country gravy, every bite delivers that irresistible crunch-to-tender ratio that keeps regulars coming back weekend after weekend.
Paired with heaping scoops of hash browns or mashed potatoes, this platter is the kind of Nebraska breakfast (or lunch) that sticks with you—in the best way possible.