Steak and Catfish

[ctchandler]

According to the DOK, the former owners of the Steak and Catfish Barn at Waterloo and I-35 are opening a Steak and Catfish restaurant at Britton (actually, it's Hefner) and I-35 in the building that formerly housed Papa's Little Italy. I have never eaten at the original Steak and Catfish Barn, although when they were serving Italian food my wife and I went there a couple of times. Since I only live two miles from the new location, I'm looking forward to trying them out. They plan to open next week. Any comments on their food? Papa's lasted for 12 years and was always busy and profitable, but the owner decided it was time to stay home and raise their children. Except for Papa's, that location has never been successful. I hope they do well, we need a good restaurant over in my neighborhood.
C. T.

[Garin]

I ate at the one they had downtown and the catfish was pretty good. The place out on Waterloo was always packed considering how far a drive it was to get there. The closer location should be a good fit for them cause they had a large following already.

[Easy180]

I thought the owners were moving to Italy?

[ctchandler]

Easy180,
They still are. According to the article, they are going to help their employees from Waterloo get it up and running, then they are leaving for Italy.
C. T.

I thought the owners were moving to Italy?

[Easy180]

Easy180,
They still are. According to the article, they are going to help their employees from Waterloo get it up and running, then they are leaving for Italy.
C. T.

Aha...That makes sense...Appreciate it

[UnclePete]

Glad to see it open. CT, do you have the actual street address of this place?

[OKCRT]

Glad to see it open. CT, do you have the actual street address of this place?

In the same parking lot as the conoco station south of Hefner Rd. on west side of I-35 service Rd.

[ctchandler]

UnclePete,
The actual street address is 10601 North I-35 Service Road. Actually, that's the address of the Conoco that OKCRT mentioned. Like he said, they share the same parking area and driveways. If you plug that address into your gps, you will drive right into both businesses. You can fill your tank and your belly. No, I don't work at either one of them, but I would like the restaurant to be successful, those of us that live East of I-35 need more places to eat. I hated it when Papa's Little Italy closed. Since then we have had a Mexican restaurant and a fried pie place in that location and they didn't make it. I didn't think the Mexican restaurant was very good and the fried pie was just too limited because of what they offered.
C. T.

Glad to see it open. CT, do you have the actual street address of this place?

[OKCRT]

UnclePete,
The actual street address is 10601 North I-35 Service Road. Actually, that's the address of the Conoco that OKCRT mentioned. Like he said, they share the same parking area and driveways. If you plug that address into your gps, you will drive right into both businesses. You can fill your tank and your belly. No, I don't work at either one of them, but I would like the restaurant to be successful, those of us that live East of I-35 need more places to eat. I hated it when Papa's Little Italy closed. Since then we have had a Mexican restaurant and a fried pie place in that location and they didn't make it. I didn't think the Mexican restaurant was very good and the fried pie was just too limited because of what they offered.
C. T.

Went to Papas Little Italy right after it first opened up back in the 80s I think could have been early 90s. It was very good and went back many times. Was sad to see them close.

[Midtowner]

Huge news. That used to be my place for lunch when I had court out in Logan County.

Seems they've lost all of their good places (or at least the one I know of) in the last few years.

[ctchandler]

OKCRT,
It became quite popular, and in the last four or five years, if you didn't have a reservation for Friday or Saturday, you had a long wait, or you just went somewhere else. I would like Steak and Catfish to include some Italian food, but I doubt they will. I think it would do better closer to OKC than it did at Waterloo. I think I mentioned that when the Waterloo location was Italian, my wife and I went several times and it was good. Not great, but really good.
C. T.

Went to Papas Little Italy right after it first opened up back in the 80s I think could have been early 90s. It was very good and went back many times. Was sad to see them close.

[RadicalModerate]

In the same parking lot as the conoco station south of Hefner Rd. on west side of I-35 service Rd.

I'll nominate that Conoco station as the most depressing gas stop on I-35. I hope it doesn't jinx the new Steak and Catfish location.

[ctchandler]

I drove into the parking lot today and even though the sign implied that it's open, it's not! No reason to believe it won't be open next week though.
C. T.

[OKCRT]

I drove into the parking lot today and even though the sign implied that it's open, it's not! No reason to believe it won't be open next week though.
C. T.

I stopped at that depressing conoco station yesterday to buy a Red Bull and they guy working there told me the restaurant would be open next week. He doesn't have anything to do with it so I suppose he heard from someone connected to the place. The guy working in the station had a heavy coat on and it was pretty chilly in there. I asked him if his furnace was broke and he simply said no. On the way out he asked me if the place opening had good food and I told him I hope so..

[UnclePete]

According to the owner, it is now open. If I knew how, I would send you a link to their website.

[ctchandler]

I drove by there today around 1:00 and there were lots of cars. Hopefully their reputation will draw a lot of the long time customers and keep it going at that terrible location. I'm looking forward to trying it. Visit their web page (see link below), warning, they have unsolicited music. It is pleasant, soft music.
C. T.

Dino and Maria's Steak and Catfish Restaurant

[ctchandler]

Has anybody tried the new place yet? My friend will be here Sunday, so I hope to go in the next couple of months while she is here. I would like to hear from anybody that's tried it out.
C. T.

[Achilleslastand]

I drove by there today around 1:00 and there were lots of cars. Hopefully their reputation will draw a lot of the long time customers and keep it going at that terrible location. I'm looking forward to trying it. Visit their web page (see link below), warning, they have unsolicited music. It is pleasant, soft music.
C. T.

Dino and Maria's Steak and Catfish Restaurant

That was the music to Heartbreak Hotel w/o Elvis singing over them right?

[ctchandler]

Achilleslastand,
Sorry, I don't hear the same thing you are hearing. Maybe it changes depending on when we sign in.
C. T.

That was the music to Heartbreak Hotel w/o Elvis singing over them right?

[ctchandler]

We tried them last night. They were crowded, a great sign and I decided to have the chicken fried steak. I hadn't had one in a couple of months so I bypassed the catfish, and good cuts of beef for it. It was good, not great. My friend had the grilled chicken and she said it was good. Sides were better than average, I had ranch style beans that had a sauce of some kind and I really liked them. I also had French fries and they were probably frozen but seemed to be fresh cut but I believe that's not likely. Chris had mashed potatoes and green beans. They were very good as well. Of course it's hard to screw up potatoes and beans. The service was fast and good until we wanted our check and she was very slow but she knew it and immediately apologized, so she still got a good tip. I believe she was tied up with a large group behind us.
In a nutshell, I will go back, I'm looking forward to catfish and shrimp.
C. T.

[OKCRT]

We tried them last night. They were crowded, a great sign and I decided to have the chicken fried steak. I hadn't had one in a couple of months so I bypassed the catfish, and good cuts of beef for it. It was good, not great. My friend had the grilled chicken and she said it was good. Sides were better than average, I had ranch style beans that had a sauce of some kind and I really liked them. I also had French fries and they were probably frozen but seemed to be fresh cut but I believe that's not likely. Chris had mashed potatoes and green beans. They were very good as well. Of course it's hard to screw up potatoes and beans. The service was fast and good until we wanted our check and she was very slow but she knew it and immediately apologized, so she still got a good tip. I believe she was tied up with a large group behind us.
In a nutshell, I will go back, I'm looking forward to catfish and shrimp.
C. T.

I drove by there one day last week around lunchtime and the parking lot was packed. I bet the guy in the little store is reaping the benefits of the restaurant. I am sure he is getting the trickle down effect.

[Klop]

I had some family members go Friday afternoon. They said their meals were not good and the place was dirty. They said they would not be going back.

[UnclePete]

Our group of 18 went to the Steak and Catfish Barn yesterday, and the service and food was outstanding. You would be hard pressed to find better fried catfish anywhere, and the ones that had the chicken fried steak were really impressed. Highly recommended. I did not see any sign of the place being dirty, and it could be a competitor saying that.

[ctchandler]

Klop,
I took a friend from London and she is very picky about cleanliness (not because of where she's from, just her "thing") and it was clean and as I said before, the food was really good, not great but just good. My friend said the grilled chicken was really moist. Maybe your family hit them on a bad day. I will go back and watch for any problems and report back. It's a shame to give up on a newly opened place after one visit.
C. T.

I had some family members go Friday afternoon. They said their meals were not good and the place was dirty. They said they would not be going back.

[ctchandler]

Every time I drive by, their parking lot is packed. I think they are doing very well. I haven't had the catfish yet, but I plan on giving it a shot soon. And no, I have no vested interest other than wanting more good eating places near me, I live East of I-35. I live alone and am a lousy cook, so the more the merrier.
C. T.