The Dallas Must-Do List: Eat Chicken-Fried Steak at Babe’s Chicken Dinner House in Roanoke

Posted on March 24th, 2011 2:19pm by Courtney Foreman
Filed under best of big d, Dallas Must-Do List

Crossing another item off the Dallas Must-Do List has made Courtney Foreman a happier human being.

I know it’s embarrassing, but I’ve only done 4 of the Things Every Dallasite Must Do. This only encourages me to set out and accomplish as many as I can. First on my to-do list is:  Eat chicken fried steak at Babe’s in Roanoke.

There’s something about coming to Roanoke to eat at Babe’s chicken that really sets the mood for fine dining. Of course, “fine” is a term used loosely, considering Babe’s in Roanoke has been around for 18 years and your chances of running into a local hillbilly greatly increase when walking in. But regardless of the way the restaurant looks, you know for a fact you’re going soon to be eating your weight in chicken or chicken-fried steak, as those are your only two options on the menu.

Though the restaurant has nine locations now,  I’m partial to the original in Roanoke, since I live only 5 minutes down the road from it. So it came as a shock to me when I realized I had never actually ordered the chicken-fried steak. Time and time again I would resort to my usual order of fried chicken, but on Monday night, I ventured off and ordered what was said to be so legendary.

Babes Chicken Dinner in Roanoke

Everything is just so much better at the original Babe's location in Roanoke.

Needless to say, I was not disappointed. In front of me lay a chicken fried steak almost taking up the entirety of my plate itself, fried to perfection. It was accompanied with all-you-can-eat servings of green salad with a house dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes, creamed corn, and fresh-baked biscuits. Did I mention the chicken and the chicken-fried steak were all delivered on a massive serving tray, like the ones you think of when watching movies set in the medieval times? They say presentation is everything and in this case, it certainly was.

The wait staff did their best at re-filling the sides as often as we requested. That is, until the hokey pokey song came on the radio, and they all lined up in the center of the restaurant and literally did the hokey pokey. The restaurant is decorated with taxidermy and has casual style seating tables. All in all, good food, excellent service and to-die-for chicken-fried steak. I’m glad I could cross off my fifth item from the list and move on to the next one. But I’ll need a minute, I’m still full from Monday night.

Courtney Foreman is a D Magazine intern. She’s completed 5 items of the Dallas Must-Do List.

Our fried chicken plate, before and after.

10 comments

  1. [...] only four items of the Things Every Dallasite Must Do.  So she’s set out to change that: starting with some chicken-fried steak. tweetmeme_url = [...]

    @ 2:51 pm on March 24, 2011

  2. “a local hillbilly”?? Are we in Kentucky or West Virginia??

    @ 5:18 pm on March 24, 2011

  3. [...] only four items of the Things Every Dallasite Must Do.  So she’s set out to change that: starting with some chicken-fried steak. [...]

    @ 9:19 pm on March 24, 2011

  4. Love it! Babe’s in Roanoke is my favorite too. The other ones are good, but the one is Roanoke will always be the greatest. I’m so glad D Magazine recognizes such an iconic restaurant in the metroplex!

    @ 9:54 pm on March 24, 2011

  5. This is my favorite Babes! Areyou going to report on all of these? I want your job.

    @ 10:57 pm on March 24, 2011

  6. Babe’s is such a classic of homestyle good food. Glad to hear the word being spread by a local fan. It’s about time you tried the chicken fried steak! Great article Courtney!

    @ 11:13 am on March 25, 2011

  7. wow, what a great written piece! That Courtney Foreman has wit

    @ 1:39 pm on March 25, 2011

  8. I wasn’t impresed with Babe’s in Roanoke. Overrated with a capital O, I have learned most restaurants do not live up to the hype. Sorry, call me a party pooper, wet blanket…

    @ 2:13 pm on March 25, 2011

  9. [...] intern working her way through the Dallas Must-Do List. Read about her previous adventure at Babe’s in Roanoke. A seemingly endless stream of aisles awaits. $(document).ready(function() { [...]

    @ 2:06 pm on March 28, 2011

  10. [...] Courtney Foreman is a D Magazine intern working her way through the Dallas Must-Do List. Read about her previous adventure at Babe’s in Roanoke. [...]

    @ 5:11 am on March 29, 2011