15 Louisiana Chicken Fried Steak Plates The Size Of The Bayou

Confession: I skipped lunch to make room. Louisiana chicken fried steak is not a snack. It’s a full-body event, crispy crust over tender beef, gravy flooding every corner. These plates sprawl wider than your appetite expects.

They’re golden, peppered, draped with cream gravy that clings. The noise in these rooms is half the fun: forks clatter, conversations snap, plates slam down heavy. I’ve eaten them in diners, grills, and family spots that treat you like kin.

Each one leaves you slower, happier, satisfied. Here are fifteen places across the Bayou where chicken fried steak still rules the table.

1. Mason’s Grill

Lines here move like a drumbeat. Mason’s in Baton Rouge stays packed, brunch stretching into afternoon. Plates arrive hot, bigger than they look at first glance.

Chicken fried steak dominates. Crunchy crust, cream gravy that seeps into every edge. Mason’s seasons assertively, pepper cutting through richness. It balances weight with sharpness.

Tip: go early on weekends. Brunch waits are real. Order the chicken fried steak with eggs and grits, then settle in. It’s worth the sit.

2. Sammy’s Grill

Listen for the sizzle behind the counter. Sammy’s cooks in rhythm, frying fast yet crisp. The crust here cracks, gravy pools like silk.

Sammy’s has history. Decades serving Baton Rouge families, always leaning big. Chicken fried steak became anchor long ago, a steady order for regulars.

Tip: pair it with their seafood gumbo starter. The surf-and-steak moment is unexpected but works, and the gumbo lands before the larger plate.

3. Frank’s Restaurant & Smokehouse

The griddle keeps yesterday’s memory, and today’s heat. Frank’s in Prairieville fries chicken steak with smoke nearby, barbecue perfuming the room.

This plate lands thick. Steak cut broad, crust fried evenly, gravy ladled until edges blur. Smoke lingers in the air, not in the meat.

Advice: order a biscuit on the side. They bake them tall and buttery, perfect for dragging through leftover gravy after the steak’s gone.

4. Spoke & Hub

Bright lights, modern edges. Spoke & Hub in Baton Rouge doesn’t feel country. Yet the chicken fried steak comes traditional, fried crisp, gravy poured white and thick.

This spot mixes brunch trends with classics. Fried chicken steak survived the upgrades. Their batter stays light, still managing crunch even under heavy sauce.

Here’s the move if you hate waiting: weekdays before noon. Order steak with sweet potato hash. The balance of sweet and savory works surprisingly well.

5. The French Press

I chase the steam to the window. Lafayette’s French Press cooks with care, griddle humming, eggs cracking beside the frying pan.

Their chicken fried steak twists slightly upscale. Seasoned breading, gravy with spice depth, steak pounded thin but wide. Presentation matters but flavor leads.

Advice: order the plate during weekday breakfast. Crowds stay smaller, flavors stay sharp. Weekend brunch means waits and louder dining.

6. Rachael’s Cafe

I once ordered two here. Rachael’s in Lafayette portions chicken fried steak large, but the balance of crust and gravy kept me going.

This plate is about texture. Crunch gives way to beef, gravy folds over everything without drowning. Pepper runs through each bite clearly.

Tip: bring cash if possible. Lines move quicker. Regulars know this trick, and service feels faster when you’re ready.

7. Cafe Josephine

Wood tables, neon glow. Cafe Josephine in Sunset serves steak fried dark golden, gravy poured generously. It smells sharp, pepper heavy, even before the plate lands.

History roots this cafe. A community anchor, it leaned into large portions long ago. Chicken fried steak became standard, a meal to carry hours.

Advice: ask about sides. Rotates daily. If greens are on, order them. The bitterness cuts through steak richness beautifully.

8. Johnny’s Catfish & Seafood

Family voices rise here. Johnny’s in Shreveport serves catfish and steak, fried with the same steady patience. The chicken fried steak dominates the non-seafood menu.

Crust shatters, gravy floods edges, steak holds firm. Johnny’s seasons lighter than some, letting gravy carry spice. It works, especially with collards.

Tip: ask for double gravy. They’ll pour without hesitation. Locals often do, since portions already land large enough to soak it up.

9. Cotton Boll Grill

Retro vibe. Monroe’s Cotton Boll Grill feels frozen mid-century, booths intact, waitresses quick. Chicken fried steak keeps its place on the laminated menu.

This steak is wide, gravy poured edge-to-edge. Seasoning stays classic. Crunch, beef, cream. Simplicity wins. It’s not modernized, and it doesn’t need to be.

Order with fries. Yes, fries. Gravy works as dip. It’s messy, it’s loud, but regulars swear by it.

10. Marilynn’s Place

Outdoor tables, music steady. Shreveport’s Marilynn’s Place serves fried steak thick, surrounded by Cajun influences elsewhere on the menu. It still anchors the comfort section.

Here the crust leans seasoned, cayenne hint under cream gravy. The steak is hearty, cut big, fried evenly. Bold, but grounded.

Tip: order a po’boy for take-home. It stretches the trip further. But eat the steak first. It cools quickly, crust softening if you linger.

11. Orlandeaux’s Café

Locals crowd Orlandeaux’s in Shreveport for seafood. Chicken fried steak still sits strong, portioned large, fried crisp, covered in cream gravy as reliable as sunrise.

Orlandeaux’s roots run long, one of the state’s oldest family restaurants. Tradition holds. Chicken fried steak kept its spot beside gumbo and seafood platters.

Tip: arrive early evening. Lunch often fills quick, dinner runs steadier. Steak at dinner feels calmer, fewer voices, still the same heavy plate.

12. Southern Spice Restaurant & Grill

Bright sign off Highway 165. Alexandria’s Southern Spice pushes large plates with ease. Chicken fried steak is plated fast, gravy ladled heavy, portions sprawling.

Flavor stays classic. Pepper in gravy, crunch in crust, tender beef beneath. Nothing fancy, only exact repetition of what works.

Tip: order dessert to go. Their pies rotate, and you’ll want sweet later. Don’t skip, even if the steak fills you early.

13. Lee’s Drive-In

Windows wide, cars steady. Lee’s in Hammond fries chicken steak old-style, quick service, hot plates. It feels fast, but the flavor still lands right.

Crust crisp, steak juicy, gravy thick. No upgrades, no surprises. It’s comfort handled with speed, still filling.

Advice: drive-thru works, but inside feels right. Watching plates land hot makes it worth the extra minutes.

14. Iron Skillet

Truck stop vibes. Alexandria’s Iron Skillet serves long-haul drivers and locals alike. Chicken fried steak anchors the heavy-meal section, landing as big as the tray.

Steak fried crisp, gravy ladled endlessly. This is no small portion. It fuels hours on the road, made for appetite, not show.

Tip: open 24 hours. Order late-night. The steak lands just as solid, and the room hums with a different energy past midnight.

15. Log Cabin Grill & Market

Wood beams, family photos, a market tucked behind. Log Cabin in Ruston cooks chicken fried steak large, golden, gravy thick, classic.

This place builds meals around comfort. Steak isn’t reinvented here. It’s honored. Regulars treat it like ritual, part of weekly rhythm.

Advice: order steak with green beans. The side softens the heaviness, keeps the plate balanced. That’s how locals steady it.