Clanton's Cafe

Clanton's Cafe is the real deal — a Route 66 institution that hasn't been prettified for tourists, hasn't raised prices to match its fame, and still serves the same chicken fried steak that has won it fans since the 1920s. The interior has the well-worn look of a place that has been feeding people every day for a century: formica countertops, vinyl booths, and a menu that covers all the bases of Oklahoma diner cooking.

Order the chicken fried steak with white gravy, or the fried okra if you want a side that you won't find anywhere north of the Mason-Dixon line. The pies are made in-house and are excellent. This is the kind of meal that is specific to this corner of the United States — it doesn't exist the same way anywhere else, and Clanton's does it as well as anyone.

eating out restaurant
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Clanton's Cafe has been family-owned and operated since 1927, making it the longest continuously family-owned restaurant on Route 66 in Oklahoma. The chicken fried steak has appeared in Gourmet Magazine, Southern Living, and on Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, but the prices haven't changed to match the attention.

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