Chicken Fried Steaks Locals Argue Are the Best in Indiana

I’ve spent years chasing the perfect chicken fried steak across Indiana, and let me tell you, this state takes its breaded, golden-crusted comfort food seriously.

From racing towns to quiet villages, Hoosiers have truly mastered the art of pounding beef until it’s fork-tender, dredging it in seasoned coating, frying it to that ideal crisp, and blanketing it in peppery gravy that’s rich enough to make you pause mid-bite.

There’s something almost ceremonial about a great CFS here. It arrives spilling over the edges of the plate, steam rising through that golden crust, usually flanked by fluffy mashed potatoes or buttery green beans.

The first cut should give you that satisfying crunch before your fork glides straight through. When it’s done right, it’s not just a meal; it’s comfort on a plate, the kind that reminds you why diners and family restaurants still matter.

Whether you’re a local who’s been debating the best spot for decades or just passing through on I-74 with a serious appetite, these ten places represent the absolute cream of the crop.

Charlie Brown’s Pancake & Steak House

Racing fans and comfort food lovers unite at this Speedway institution where the walls practically vibrate with Indy 500 history. Charlie Brown’s has been feeding hungry locals and tourists since the neighborhood became synonymous with speed, and their chicken fried steak stands as proof that sometimes the best meals come from places that never try too hard to be fancy.

The steak arrives at your table looking like it just won its own checkered flag. The crust delivers that perfect crackle when your fork breaks through, revealing meat so tender it barely needs a knife.

They don’t skimp on portion size here either, because this is racing country, and nobody leaves the table until they’re properly fueled.

The gravy situation deserves its own paragraph. Thick, peppery, and generous enough to blanket every inch of that golden crust, it’s the kind of gravy that makes you consider ordering a side of biscuits just to soak up every last drop.

The mashed potatoes come whipped smooth and buttery, providing the perfect landing pad for any gravy overflow.

Located at 1038 Main St in Speedway, this spot fills up fast during race season, but honestly, it’s worth the wait any time of year. The staff treats regulars and first-timers with equal warmth, and the memorabilia covering every wall gives you plenty to look at while you wait.

If you’re exploring the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum at 4750 W 16th St, this makes the perfect pre or post-visit meal.

The Fried Egg

Up in Wabash, The Fried Egg has built its reputation on portions that make your eyes widen the moment the server approaches your table. This Northern Indiana powerhouse doesn’t believe in leaving anyone hungry, and their chicken fried steak proves they mean business when it comes to feeding folks right.

The meat gets pounded thin but somehow stays juicy under that impossibly crispy coating. They’ve mastered the technique of getting the breading to adhere perfectly without any of those sad, soggy spots that plague lesser establishments.

Each bite delivers that satisfying crunch followed by fork-tender beef that practically melts on your tongue.

What sets this place apart is how they’ve balanced tradition with their own spin. The gravy leans slightly more toward the peppery side than some versions, which cuts through the richness and keeps you coming back for another forkful.

The sides rotate seasonally, but the green beans and coleslaw make frequent appearances and never disappoint.

You’ll find them at 1007 Cass St in Wabash, right in the heart of downtown. If you’re catching a show at the Honeywell Center at 275 W Market St, this makes an ideal dinner spot beforehand.

The atmosphere feels genuinely welcoming, the kind of place where conversations between tables happen naturally and nobody’s in a rush to flip your seat.

His Place Eatery

When soul food meets country fried tradition, something magical happens, and His Place Eatery proves this better than anywhere else in Indianapolis. This award-winning spot has taken the classic chicken fried steak and infused it with soul food sensibilities that elevate the dish to new heights.

The seasoning in the breading tells you immediately that this isn’t your standard CFS. There’s a depth of flavor, a complexity that speaks to generations of cooking wisdom passed down through families.

The meat underneath stays incredibly moist, and the crust achieves that golden-brown perfection that photographs beautifully but tastes even better.

Their gravy deserves a standing ovation. Rich, creamy, and seasoned with just enough kick to keep things interesting, it transforms the entire plate into something you’ll dream about for weeks afterward.

The sides here lean toward soul food classics, and pairing your steak with their mac and cheese or collard greens creates a meal that feels like a warm hug from the inside out.

The main location sits at 6916 E 30th St in Indianapolis, though they’ve expanded with another spot at 3752 W 86th St due to popular demand. The atmosphere buzzes with energy, families gather around tables, and the staff genuinely cares about making sure your experience matches the quality of the food.

This is comfort food with soul, literally and figuratively.

Texas Corral Shelbyville

Texas Corral brings a Lone Star State approach to Indiana’s chicken fried steak scene, and their Shelbyville location has become a favorite stop for travelers cruising I-74 between Indianapolis and Cincinnati. While they’ve got multiple locations scattered across the state, something about this particular spot just hits different.

The steak arrives looking like it could feed two people, though you’ll probably want to keep it all to yourself. They pound the meat thin and wide, creating maximum surface area for that beautifully seasoned crust.

The breading stays crispy even as it mingles with the gravy, a testament to proper frying technique and timing.

Their cream gravy follows a more traditional Texas recipe, which means it’s thick, heavily peppered, and rich enough to coat your fork. They serve it with your choice of sides, and the mashed potatoes here come real and lumpy in all the right ways, not that instant powder nonsense.

The Texas toast that accompanies the meal soaks up gravy like it was born for the job.

Find this location at 1416 Miller Ave in Shelbyville, perfectly positioned for a meal break if you’re traveling through. The Western themed decor creates a fun atmosphere without feeling too gimmicky, and the service moves at a pace that respects both your hunger and your schedule.

It’s reliable, satisfying, and exactly what you want when that chicken fried steak craving hits.

Oasis Diner

Step into history at this authentic 1954 Mountain View Diner car, where the chicken fried steak tastes like it’s been perfected over seven decades of serving hungry travelers on the historic National Road. The Oasis Diner represents everything wonderful about classic American diner culture, from the chrome exterior to the vinyl booths to the food that never tries to be anything other than delicious.

Their chicken fried steak embraces tradition without apology. The breading follows an old school recipe that creates a substantial crust with real texture and flavor, not just a thin coating.

The beef underneath gets treated with respect, tenderized properly but not beaten into submission, maintaining enough structure to give you something to chew while still melting tender.

The gravy here tastes like somebody’s grandmother made it, which is the highest compliment you can give diner gravy. It’s got that homemade quality, slightly lumpy in places, rich with butter and cream, seasoned simply but perfectly.

They serve it over mashed potatoes that come real and hand-mashed, with skins still clinging here and there.

Located at 405 W Main St in Plainfield, right on US Route 40, this diner has been feeding travelers since before the interstate system existed. The atmosphere transports you straight back to the 1950s, and eating here feels like participating in a piece of living history.

Storie’s Restaurant

Greensburg’s famous for the tree growing out of its courthouse tower, but locals know Storie’s Restaurant deserves equal billing for serving some of the finest chicken fried steak in Southern Indiana. This downtown establishment channels pure farmhouse nostalgia, the kind of place where recipes get passed down and nobody messes with what works.

The steak here tastes like Sunday dinner at your rural relatives’ house, if your relatives happened to be professional cooks. They use quality beef, pound it just right, and coat it in seasoned flour that crisps up beautifully in the fryer.

The portion size reflects small town generosity, the kind where sending someone away hungry would be considered a personal failure.

Their gravy follows a country cream recipe that’s been perfected through years of practice. It’s thick enough to cling to your fork but not so heavy it becomes overwhelming.

The pepper level hits that sweet spot where you can taste it clearly without it dominating everything else. The vegetables that come alongside taste fresh and properly cooked, never mushy or overdone.

You’ll find Storie’s at 109 E Main St in Greensburg, right in the heart of downtown where you can walk off your meal by checking out that famous courthouse tree. The atmosphere feels genuinely small town Indiana, with friendly staff who remember regulars and make newcomers feel welcome immediately.

This is the kind of place that reminds you why Indiana takes its comfort food so seriously.

Nick’s Kitchen

Nick’s Kitchen holds legendary status as the birthplace of Indiana’s famous pork tenderloin sandwich, but their chicken fried steak deserves equal recognition for excellence in the breaded meat category. This Huntington institution has been perfecting the art of coating and frying since 1908, and all that experience shows in every bite.

The breading technique here reflects over a century of refinement. It achieves that perfect golden color that signals proper frying temperature, with a texture that stays crispy without being tough or greasy.

They’ve clearly mastered the ratio of coating to meat, creating harmony rather than letting one element dominate. The beef stays remarkably juicy, protected by that expertly applied crust.

Their gravy maintains traditional Indiana sensibilities, cream based and generously peppered, with enough body to coat everything on your plate without turning into wallpaper paste. The mashed potatoes come smooth and buttery, clearly made from actual potatoes rather than a box.

The green beans maintain just enough snap to prove they haven’t been boiled into oblivion.

Located at 506 N Jefferson St in Huntington, this place functions as a living museum of Indiana’s breaded meat obsession. The walls display historical photos and newspaper clippings documenting their role in state culinary history.

Eating here feels like participating in tradition, and the staff takes pride in maintaining the standards that made Nick’s famous decades before most current customers were born.

The Reservation

Milan might be famous for the 1954 basketball miracle that inspired the movie Hoosiers, but The Reservation has quietly built its own legend serving exceptional chicken fried steak to locals and visitors who discover this hidden gem. This small town spot proves that population size has nothing to do with food quality.

The steak arrives looking restaurant pretty but tasting home cooked delicious, that perfect combination of professional execution and heartfelt cooking. The breading delivers serious crunch, seasoned well enough that you’d enjoy it even without gravy, though you’d be crazy to skip the gravy.

The meat underneath stays tender and flavorful, clearly sourced from quality beef rather than whatever’s cheapest.

Their gravy leans toward the lighter side of cream based varieties, which some people prefer because it doesn’t leave you feeling like you need a nap afterward. The seasoning balances nicely, with black pepper present but not overwhelming.

The sides change somewhat regularly based on what’s fresh and available, giving you a reason to visit multiple times to try different combinations.

Find them at 104 Carr St in Milan, where you can soak up basketball history before or after your meal. The town itself makes for pleasant exploring, with the famous gym at 600 Carr St and various movie locations within walking distance.

The Reservation’s atmosphere feels authentically small town, where everyone seems to know everyone, and strangers get welcomed into the conversation naturally.

Hollyhock Hill

Hollyhock Hill elevates chicken fried steak from diner comfort food to family style fine dining, proving that humble dishes deserve elegant treatment. This Indianapolis institution has been serving meals family style since 1928, and their approach to CFS reflects both tradition and refinement that you won’t find in typical roadside diners.

The steak here gets the same attention to detail as everything else on their menu. The breading achieves a delicate crispness that speaks to careful preparation and perfect frying temperature.

The meat itself comes from premium cuts, properly tenderized but maintaining enough substance to remind you you’re eating quality beef. The portion size reflects their family style service, generous but not grotesque.

Their gravy tastes like someone’s accomplished grandmother made it, rich and creamy with sophisticated seasoning that includes more than just salt and pepper. It complements rather than drowns the steak, allowing the quality of both elements to shine.

The sides arrive in serving bowls for the table, and everything from the mashed potatoes to the green beans to the coleslaw maintains the same high standard.

Located at 8110 N College Ave in Indianapolis, this place requires reservations for good reason. The atmosphere channels Sunday dinner elegance, with servers who actually know how to provide proper table service.

It costs more than your average CFS, but the quality justifies every dollar, and the experience feels special rather than routine.

Wagner’s Village Inn

When a James Beard Award winner serves chicken fried steak, you pay attention, and Wagner’s Village Inn in the beautiful historic German village of Oldenburg delivers on that prestigious reputation. This isn’t your typical Indiana CFS joint, but rather a destination restaurant that happens to serve an exceptional version of this Hoosier staple.

The preparation here reflects culinary expertise while respecting tradition. The breading achieves perfect texture through technique rather than tricks, crispy and golden with seasoning that enhances rather than masks the quality beef underneath.

They source their meat carefully, and you can taste the difference in every bite. The portion size feels European rather than American, substantial but not absurd, allowing you to actually finish your meal without feeling uncomfortable.

Their gravy incorporates techniques and ingredients that elevate it beyond standard diner fare. It’s silky smooth, properly seasoned with layers of flavor, rich but not heavy.

The sides reflect similar attention to detail, with vegetables cooked properly and starches prepared with care. Everything on the plate receives equal consideration, creating a cohesive dining experience rather than one star surrounded by afterthoughts.

Find Wagner’s at 22171 Main St in Oldenburg, where the entire village feels like stepping into a different era. The historic German architecture creates a charming backdrop, and the restaurant itself maintains an atmosphere of refined comfort.

Expect waits, especially on weekends, because word has spread about the quality here.

It’s worth planning ahead and making the drive to this special corner of Indiana.