NewsOk article; Cattleman’s sold to out of state buyer. "So everything is going to stay the same. There'll be no changes or anything else, we're going to keep doing what we've been doing and try to serve really, really good quality beef to a lot of people, make them happy and keep coming back."

Check out this article from The Oklahoman:

OKC's iconic Cattlemen's Steakhouse sold: What to know about new ownership, long history

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/lifestyle/food/2025/02/13/cattlemens-steakhouse-stockyards-city-okc-sold/78535943007/

Was a "hard six" involved?

NewsOk article; Cattleman’s sold to out of state buyer. "So everything is going to stay the same. There'll be no changes or anything else, we're going to keep doing what we've been doing and try to serve really, really good quality beef to a lot of people, make them happy and keep coming back."

Check out this article from The Oklahoman:

OKC's iconic Cattlemen's Steakhouse sold: What to know about new ownership, long history

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/lifestyle/food/2025/02/13/cattlemens-steakhouse-stockyards-city-okc-sold/78535943007/

Almost too bad to hear nothing will change. It could use a refresh, in my opinion. I realize it's a historic place, but the food hasn't been very good the last few times I went. Selling the place would seem like a good opportunity to make some improvements.

Almost too bad to hear nothing will change. It could use a refresh, in my opinion. I realize it's a historic place, but the food hasn't been very good the last few times I went. Selling the place would seem like a good opportunity to make some improvements.

Ditto, they seem to be coasting on their reputation...

Almost too bad to hear nothing will change. It could use a refresh, in my opinion. I realize it's a historic place, but the food hasn't been very good the last few times I went. Selling the place would seem like a good opportunity to make some improvements.

In a market with such great options, it's really relying on the out of towners and older crowd. I'm 39 and can't name a single friend/aquantance that has ever mentioned Cattlemen's. It's dark and not in a good way, the food is average at best.

In a market with such great options, it's really relying on the out of towners and older crowd. I'm 39 and can't name a single friend/aquantance that has ever mentioned Cattlemen's. It's dark and not in a good way, the food is average at best.

It still has potential, as odd as it is to say that about a place that's been around a hundred years. It's more of a museum piece than a food destination, but there's no reason to think it couldn't be a terrific restaurant again. It's still in a great little spot.

I think it makes a lot of money. And I know it does a lot of business. Now that I am older, I have noticed places and things that didn't appeal to me in my younger days do. Cattlemen's is a prime example. Dark wood; red vinyl; mature waitstaff; stable menu; 1970s-80s country music that I would make fun of when I was listening to Bad Company and Led Zeppelin, yet I know every word to every song.

There are a lot of better options for their price point on their steaks. We know someone that was a cook there for 10 years until recently. We won't eat there.

I mostly only went there for breakfast. It was always solid and the waitstaff had all been there for years and knew your order if you were even just a semi-regular.

When relatives would come in from out of state they always wanted to go for dinner.

Was a "hard six" involved?

Underrated Comment lol

I think it makes a lot of money. And I know it does a lot of business. Now that I am older, I have noticed places and things that didn't appeal to me in my younger days do. Cattlemen's is a prime example. Dark wood; red vinyl; mature waitstaff; stable menu; 1970s-80s country music that I would make fun of when I was listening to Bad Company and Led Zeppelin, yet I know every word to every song.

Yes, it's always still packed. I'm just selfishly wanting it to be better so I can take people to a historic place AND have a really good steak dinner.

Their weekend breakfast buffet is totally where it's at.

As for their steaks, I've always had them rated above the likes of Outback, Texas Roadhouse, etc., but falling well below the likes of Red Prime, The Ranch, etc.

I eat lunch there every month or two, mostly to feel the presence of my dad, who died in 2019. He of course first took me there when I was very young, but we also started to regularly meet there for lunch once I was an adult and first working downtown. So more than 30 years of somewhat regular lunches there with Dad.

We used to spread it around to other old-school places like The Lunch Box (R.I.P.) and the cafe at downtown airpark (R.I.P.), but as those places disappeared we were pretty much down to Cattlemen’s and Earl’s (one of his favorites; specifically the one on Western).

I still go to those places regularly, but mostly to remember lunches with him, and not as much for the gastronomy. I think specifically in the case of Cattlemen’s it also has lots to do with the fact that he ate there long before I was born, as did (I’m sure) my grandparents, great grandparents, possibly even 2X and 3X great grandparents, all of whom lived in OKC and NE Oklahoma County when Cattlemen’s came to be.

Like many folks who were here circa 1890 when they arrived or even 1910 when Cattlemen’s opened, most of my people were farmers. When I’m at Cattlemen’s it’s easy for me to imagine my great grandfather or 2X great doing business in the stockyards and popping into Cattlemen’s for breakfast or for lunch. It’s a pretty incredible touchstone.

I hope we can keep that nostalgic thread alive; few if any others like that continue in this city, which for many decades built its brand on ending historic places and demolishing them.

Regarding the food, I’ll agree that as it stands now Cattlemen’s has been left behind when it comes to prime steaks. On one hand I’d love to see them reenergize the restaurant and make it a place that I’m always proud to send visitors for a prime dinner steak, but as it stands I mostly recommend the breakfast when I’m talking to folks from out of town. There are some actual knock-your-socks-off steakhouses in this town these days.

The luncheon steak, baked potato and salad still taste exactly the same as the did when I was sitting across the table from dad 25 or even 50 years ago. On one hand, that’s a bit problematic. The best places continue to evolve, or they get left behind. But on the other hand it’s a pretty comforting lunch. At least it is for me.

That’s a great post!!
As far as the restaurant goes for me, my family still enjoys dining there. It’s not in the category of any of the big time steakhouses in the area. Probably not close. But we tend to go there on Sunday evening. I can wear tennis shoes and a ball cap and feel right at home. Cocktails are always good and I really do enjoy the salad. The chicken fried steak there is still very good as well. Sometimes you just gotta take things for what they are and don’t expect too much.

Under the heading of You Get What You Pay For: their “Blue Ribbon Steaks, are a significant step up in price from their other offerings, but also a big step up in quality. I’m spoiled. I always go with the Blue Ribbon ribeye.

I splurged for the "Blue Ribbon" twice and left disappointed both times.

I splurged for the "Blue Ribbon" twice and left disappointed both times.

User Name checks out ;)

User Name checks out ;)

Beat me to it lol

In all seriousness though to this thread I wouldn't change much/if anything to Cattlemen's if I were the new owner either. So long as Eagan is still the operating partner there's no reason to IMO. They smash it with business & it's an institution unlike any other. Sure it's not on par with prime steakhouses but that isn't what they are trying to do either. When you have something as hugely successful financially as I presume Cattlemen's is and you're always packed as the old saying goes if it ain't broke don't fix it.

Now if sales & revenue are sliding, quality truly going downhill or other issues with the operation then sure take it apart and put it under the microscope but I don't think that's the case. I don't go regularly or even very often but every time I've eaten there it's pretty much been the exact same and quite frankly it's just a different product/experience than I normally gravitate to with prime steakhouses. Certainly not my favorite or a top steak but it's unique compared to anything else and always has been.

Beat me to it lol

In all seriousness though to this thread I wouldn't change much/if anything to Cattlemen's if I were the new owner either. So long as Eagan is still the operating partner there's no reason to IMO. They smash it with business & it's an institution unlike any other. Sure it's not on par with prime steakhouses but that isn't what they are trying to do either. When you have something as hugely successful financially as I presume Cattlemen's is and you're always packed as the old saying goes if it ain't broke don't fix it.

Now if sales & revenue are sliding, quality truly going downhill or other issues with the operation then sure take it apart and put it under the microscope but I don't think that's the case. I don't go regularly or even very often but every time I've eaten there it's pretty much been the exact same and quite frankly it's just a different product/experience than I normally gravitate to with prime steakhouses. Certainly not my favorite or a top steak but it's unique compared to anything else and always has been.

I usually take the back roads home to avoid highway traffic and my route takes me past Cattlemans. Almost always the parking is full and lots of people going in/coming out. They seem to be doing ok from looks.

I wouldn't try and compare it to a prime steak house. It's no where close. But their prices for like a sirloin are way too high for what you get there. 8oz sirloin is $27. I can get just as good a sirloin at Longhorn's for $10 less and be in a nicer cleaner more modern restaurant. $40 for a fillet, $25 at Longhorns. I'd pay $50 for a filet at a prime steak house before I'd pay $40 for a filet at Cattlemans.

I totally agree with all that say they're still packing them in so no reason to change. Like I said, I'm just being selfish, wanting to have both the history as well as a really good meal.

I'll still happily go along if someone from out of town wants to visit. Sounds like I really need to try the breakfast, though.

It seems to me that we have a whole group on here that cherishes the traditional and wants them to be supported to be able to stay open, and we have a whole other group who sees no value in the traditional. Cattleman's has been very much the same for years and years and is a consistent destination request for many. It isn't the hippest, the coolest, the cheapest, the finest room, or even the best food ever. It has been consistent and is an institution in this city. It is cowboy food, not a foodie stop. It is an institution generally known beyond our city limits and fondly remembered by more than a few over the years. It isn't a place for the cool kids to hang out and get special drink concoctions. Don't gentrify Cattleman's.

I will continue to go and take guests and they will continue to enjoy it. I hope we can do that for a very long time.

There was a Cattleman's commercial during the NBA All Star game.

There was a Cattleman's commercial during the NBA All Star game.

on local TV only

Did that really need to be said? Why would a commercial for a local restaurant that is not in any other city be on national tv?

A place like Cattleman's -- one that endures for decades with little to no change -- is the best possible way to understand how restaurants have evolved and improved dramatically over the years.

Inevitably, people will say such places 'have gone downhill' when in fact the standards all around them have vastly improved.

I'm old enough to remember a lot of places that are now long gone, yet people are forever romanticizing how great Molly Murphy's was, or Steak & Ale, or Nicholsi's. The truth is that all of them were just surpassed by restaurants with much higher standards.


Nostalgia is a great thing and it's important that people maintain a strong physical connection to a community, but you also have to be realistic about how things really were and are.

It’s a minor thing, but the restaurant’s name is Cattlemen’s, not Cattleman’s.

A place like Cattleman's -- one that endures for decades with little to no change -- is the best possible way to understand how restaurants have evolved and improved dramatically over the years.

Inevitably, people will say such places 'have gone downhill' when in fact the standards all around them have vastly improved.

I'm old enough to remember a lot of places that are now long gone, yet people are forever romanticizing how great Molly Murphy's was, or Steak & Ale, or Nicholsi's. The truth is that all of them were just surpassed by restaurants with much higher standards.


Nostalgia is a great thing and it's important that people maintain a strong physical connection to a community, but you also have to be realistic about how things really were and are.

This was almost literally the plot of one of their commercials a while back lol.

Edit: I found it! lol https://youtu.be/4SwvKXLNRcg?si=zaLhTbaq-YWU-4F1

It’s a minor thing, but the restaurant’s name is Cattlemen’s, not Cattleman’s.

It’s minor but similar to Taylor Sheridan initially making the title of his new series “Land Man”, instead of “Landman.” It’s just wrong. Fortunately our organization got ahold of him and he corrected the ghastly error that 99% of his audience wouldn’t have noticed lol.

It seems to me that we have a whole group on here that cherishes the traditional and wants them to be supported to be able to stay open, and we have a whole other group who sees no value in the traditional. Cattleman's has been very much the same for years and years and is a consistent destination request for many. It isn't the hippest, the coolest, the cheapest, the finest room, or even the best food ever. It has been consistent and is an institution in this city. It is cowboy food, not a foodie stop. It is an institution generally known beyond our city limits and fondly remembered by more than a few over the years. It isn't a place for the cool kids to hang out and get special drink concoctions. Don't gentrify Cattleman's.

I will continue to go and take guests and they will continue to enjoy it. I hope we can do that for a very long time.

I will say the first time or two I went, the blue ribbon or whatever steak dinner was really good. The most recent few times it was not good at all.

I can appreciate not wanting it to change at all. Like I said, I'm being selfish wanting to have my steak and eat it too. I don't go out for steak at all on my own, so this was an exception because of the history, etc. I'll survive, and the restaurant will outlive me, I'm certain.

This was almost literally the plot of one of their commercials a while back lol.

Edit: I found it! lol https://youtu.be/4SwvKXLNRcg?si=zaLhTbaq-YWU-4F1

Very effective marketing strategy IMO, yes one of those down home fries commercials.

It still has potential, as odd as it is to say that about a place that's been around a hundred years. It's more of a museum piece than a food destination, but there's no reason to think it couldn't be a terrific restaurant again. It's still in a great little spot.

It's been pretty hit and miss with me, though the last three times that I've been there it's been a hit. But that was probably close to 10 years ago, this is a great reminder to try it again. The "lesser" quality of food is that you are served is okay and that Martini tastes better than it actually is as long as you approach it with the same nostalgia as you would sliding into one of the booths at Musso & Frank's in L.A. or The Tadich Grill in S.F.

Love their house dressing but that's about it, unfortunately.

It's worth going for the Double Deuce alone

Only if Dalton is working