This page Sponsored by Wing 'n' More - Cypress Reviews     Profile     Menus     Lunch Specials     Daily Specials     Website

Goodson's Cafe

MY REVIEW: Friends from out of state insisted on going to Goodson's because they saw it on the Travel Channel - I was dubious, but I took them. Got there on Friday night at 7pm, uh-oh, parking lot was full in front and in back, but some spaces behind a car repair shop. Walked through the front dooe, only 1 party ahead of us - I asked, "how long", hostess said not more than 10 minutes. Our party was called after 60 seconds to a very nice table. It got even better from here.

Service was excellent, our food was served quickly, drink refills came often. The chicken fried steak was enourmous - we took a picture, and my male friend could not finish his double cheeseburger. Great flavor, good crust on that CFS, gravy on the side. Everything tasted great and I had another whole meal from my doggie bag the next day. Get over the yellow tint to that gravy. My out of state friends could not have been more impressed and I was really impressed myself. I'll be back.

NAME: Texas Linda
SUBMITTED: 9/25/2011   LAST VISIT WAS: 9/2011
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: Our party of 4 arrived before 11:30am on a Friday for lunch. Had been a few years since we'd been here so we were excited to try it again. The rosemary bread bowl that held the spinach dip appetizer was wonderful but the fried zucchini was pretty mushy and didn't have much taste.

The chicken fried steak arrived - it was huge - but then our mouths dropped open at the gravy. It did not look like Texas cream gravy at all. It had a yellowish hue which told us it was probably chicken stock based. Then we realized that's why we hadn't been back after the first visit. But if you like T*exas R*oadhouse gravy, you'll probably like this gravy.

The rolls were excellent but are served with margarine spread. So, if you care about that kind of stuff, you can bring your own butter.

The peach cobbler topped with Blue Bell vanilla was also excellent.

NAME: Texan1
SUBMITTED: 7/27/2011   LAST VISIT WAS: 07/2011
FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times

MY REVIEW: Arrived about 8:30 pm the waitress bought our gravy and rolls shortly after ordering it got cold while we waited for our food. The food was under the warming lights for about 10 minutes while our waitress wandered around. The chicken fried steak was not the best I've had. The flour coating was kind of doughy. I don't understand how this place has a crowd.I will not return.

NAME: Frank
SUBMITTED: 7/20/2011   LAST VISIT WAS: July 18 2011
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: myself and my son came to texas on holiday fron scotland to visit my brother that i had not seen in 25 years & goodson,s was the first place we went !! food really good , the young girl that served us was so nice and kind . we had a great evening 10 out of 10...... sadly we did not get back as we done alot of traveling......hope to get back on our next visit

NAME: karen gibson x
SUBMITTED: 2/11/2011   LAST VISIT WAS: sep 2010
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: Great okra and an added thing was the cup of ranch dressing for okra. CFS was great. Oh you who complain, cook a better one and lets see how YOU do!

NAME: East End Biker
SUBMITTED: 7/5/2010   LAST VISIT WAS: 07/2010
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: Five of our family went to Goodson's in May, and did not have a good experience, but we remembered better times at Goodson's, so tried again. Nine of us went after church on Sunday in mid-June. On both recent visits, we were half finished with our meal before being served rolls or the gravy for the steaks and chicken. No one in our group cared that much for the experience. The service and the food was mediocre at best. We were cramped as our group was placed against a wall with no space to get in and out once seated and where traffic was heavy behind those seated on the aisle side of the table. We have decided as a family that we won't be going to Goodson's again.

NAME: Dee
SUBMITTED: 6/15/2010   LAST VISIT WAS: June 2010
FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times

MY REVIEW: Had heard about it on Food Channel. Stopped by for lunch, getting there at a little before lunch. Hostess sat me down and said waitress would be there shortly. After some time, another waiter stopped by and asked me if i had been helped. I had not, so he offered to get me my drink, which he did. More time passed and finally the waitress stopped by and asked me if I had been helped. I said no and she mumbled something and left. Another 10 minutes went by (by now I have been here about 25 minutes) and I flagged down the original waiter, who retrieved the waitress who said she thought I was not hungry. No apology for the mixup but took my order. When delivered, the CFS and side dishes were very good. After eating, I had to flag here down and ask for my check. I had my card ready when she arrived with the ticket, but she set them both down and said she would be right back....well, another 10 minutes passed and she was no where to be found. Finally, it asked another waitress down and gave her my check. My 30 lunch quick lunch turned in to a hour and a half ordeal....entertaining to the tables around me who kidded with me about my service challenge. Not sure I would make the trip again, food ok, but not worth the hassle....

NAME: Steve
SUBMITTED: 6/3/2010   LAST VISIT WAS: 6-2-2010
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: I haven't been to Goodson's in almost 15 years. Don't know where the bad reviews are coming from. The place was packed but we were seated immediately. The onion rings are so hot you need to let them cool awhile before you try to eat them. I had the chicken tenders and my friend had the CFS. Both were outstanding.

Good Service. Good crowd. Excellent food and people watching. I will definitely return. Maybe I won't wait so long next time. :) My only complaint is that they serve Pepsi instead of Coke products. I hate Pepsi. But, oh well.

NAME: Bubba in Spring
SUBMITTED: 5/30/2010   LAST VISIT WAS: 5/31/10
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: We were interested in trying this place after seeing it featured on the Travel Channel ("Deep Fried Paradise"). We were making a day trip to Brenham and decided to check it out on our way home. I checked the other reviews online first, and was dismayed to see so many negatives, but decided to try it anyway. I am very, very glad that we did.

The first indication I had that this place was probably good was a nearly full parking lot at 5:30 P.M. on a Friday. We were immediately greeted at the door and seated promptly. We both ordered the "small" chicken fried steak, with mashed potatoes and green beans, and an order of onion rings as an appetizer.

The onion rings are nice, thick, slices of onion with just enough breading, and not greasy like some. They were so hot when they arrived that we had to wait a minute or two before eating them. I cannot abide onion rings in which the breading is thicker than the onion, or which are made of chopped onions. These were very good.

As for the main course--the mashed potatoes were good, the green beans were perhaps a little overcooked, and the CFS was wonderful. Goodson's claims to have the best chicken fried steak in Texas, but I cannot verify this claim as I have not actually eaten every CFS in Texas. I can say, however, that the one I had at Goodson's was as good as any I have ever eaten, and I have eaten quite a few. Really, I do not know what all the negative reviews are about. Did they eat at the same restaurant? The steak was fairly thin, but then CFS is SUPPOSED to be thin. It arrived fresh and very hot. The breading was crispy and just the right thickness. Each bite left no doubt that this was steak, not just a blob of breading. The meat was almost, if not quite, fork-tender. The gravy is light brown, not white as is more often the case with CFS, and very flavorful. It is quite peppery, so go easy on it if you are not a big fan of pepper (I love pepper, so it was no problem for me). As for the reviewer who complained about not enough gravy--did you ask for more? We did, being gravy fans, and were brought a second bowl almost immediately. The yeast rolls are outstanding--fluffy and chewy, and very large. You can get more of them too, if you like. Neither of us could quite finish, and my husband is a big eater, so we didn't get to sample their desserts.

Our waitress was friendly and attentive, and saw to all of our needs promptly, even though she was obviously very busy. If I have any complaint at all, it is that the portions are perhaps a little too large, but then that is my complaint about most restaurants these days. I do wish more restaurants would offer smaller portions for customers who are not ravenous eaters (and not just for the under-12 and over-55 age groups either).

I do not know if we will be back anytime soon, as this place is about 70 or 80 miles from where we live. If it were closer to home, however, they would definitely have two new regular customers.

NAME: chemists_make_good_cooks
SUBMITTED: 4/30/2010   LAST VISIT WAS: April 2010
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: My family and I went to Goodson's tonight for some CFS after seeing the place on TV. The food all tasted good, but the experience was disappointing. There were 4 of us, we all ordered a CFS. WE were given 1 bowl of gravy to share. I ordered diet DP and got regular. I sent it back then received tea, it took 20 min to get my drink right. My CFS was hammered so thin that there was a big hole in the middle in which they filled with A PIECE OF CHICKEN!! It took another 15 min to get the waiter back to our table to show him, he just said wow. WE never saw the manager or anything like that. I didn't eat the chicken because I don't like it plus it scared me, I mean why was it there? It was to late to ask for another one. No offer was made to fix it and I just wanted to leave anyway. The taste of the food was not bad, but with only 1 bowl of gravy it was very dry. We will never go back. I can get an "OK" CFS anywhere and with better service.

NAME: lehenry
SUBMITTED: 4/16/2010   LAST VISIT WAS: 4/16/2010
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: We went here for my father in law's birthday after seeing it on the travel channel. I am surprised at the bad reviews because my family and I enjoyed it very much! I had a vegetable plate. Mashed potatoes and cole slaw were phenomenal! I was scraping the plate! Macaroni and squash were ok. I was actually a little disappointed with the macaroni, it didn't taste homeade. I had fried mushrooms as a shared appetizer and I would rate them as the best I've ever had. Very flavorful and big! The banana pudding was top notch as well! My husband had the cfs and rated it in the top 3 of his life. It was a huge portion! I thought the gravy looked bad, it was a muddy brown color, but it tasted fine. We are a good hour away, so would we drive here again? No. However if we were in the area again this would be the place to go.

NAME: Littlebit0863
SUBMITTED: 2/28/2010   LAST VISIT WAS: February/2010
FREQUENCY: Visited once

MY REVIEW: I have gone to Goodson's many times in my lifetime and I have to say that this last time will be my final visit. I have watched this place take a steady decline in its quality of food. I always order Chicken Fried Chicken and it has progressively gotten worse with time. Their rolls and green beans tend to be the only consistently appealing items.

This last visit however, I decided not to return for a reason not entirely related to the food. It's their continued desire to remain a smoking restaurant. Being an ex-smoker I understand how people desire to have their cigarettes with meals but at the time I went, there were only two families seated in the smoking section and yet the smell filled the entire restaurant. It was so strong I walked out after I finished my meal and could still smell it on my clothes. The very little positive experience I was TRYING to have was ruined by the smell and taste of smoke in my food. However, by the looks of other reviews it sounds like it will take Goodson's ALOT more than just decreasing the customers exposure to smoke to improve on their restaurant.

I'm sorry to have to write this review because there was a time where I really enjoyed their food but unfortunately, that time is passed.

NAME: tamugirl
SUBMITTED: 2/18/2010   LAST VISIT WAS: 2/2010
FREQUENCY: Everybody here knows my name...

MY REVIEW: I've been to Goodson's more than 4-6 times, having grown up in Tomball, but nobody know's my name because they don't encourage repeat business! Every few months, someone from out of town will talk me into going to Goodson's because of them being on TV, and I give the restaurant ONE MORE CHANCE, but this time, I'm done. The chicken fried steak was tough, the too thick coating flavorless; the pork chops (which usually are decent) were tough and dry, and even the rolls were kind of stale. We never got a salad we ordered, and were hard pressed to get it taken off the bill. Most Tomball natives now go to M*l's for CFS, me included, and I won't make the Goodson's mistake again.

NAME: Tomball native
SUBMITTED: 2/10/2010   LAST VISIT WAS: 2/10
FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times

MY REVIEW: Been there a few times, and normally get huge portions, big burgers, etc. Today I ordered the Club Salad for $7.99. My wife ordered a side salad with her burger. My salad was no bigger than her side salad. It said it had ham, turkey, unions, egg, tomato and cheese. Came with 1 egg cut in half, a decent amount of cheese, I had to search to find the little pee sized pieces of deli style meat, a stick of onion that I apparently had to cut up myself, and half a tomato which was likewise only cut in half - Seeds and goo still inside and green in spots. I could not believe how small the salad was, considering they likely pay $0.25 for an entire head of lettuce. DON'T ORDER THE SALADS - Go to T*GIF's for great [big] salads. This thing was a rip off!

NAME: Jim
SUBMITTED: 8/23/2009   LAST VISIT WAS: 08/2009
FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times

MY REVIEW: Went a long way to try this "award winning" Chicken Fried Steak at Goodsons. I wish I had listened to the other reviews. It was a wasted trip. To their credit the service was very good. The place was packed and the very friendly wait staff was bouncing around with fervor. They were fairly prompt with all our requests considering the crowd. A friend and I both ordered the CFS. It came reasonably soon and when I bit into it, I realized our mistake. The meat was hammered thin and coated with a thick breading. It had little flavor but mainly was not fully cooked. The breading was greasy and not at all crispy. Each bite gave a distinct taste of paste. The gravy was similar: definite starchy texture from being under cooked and not much flavor. It made us wonder if their chefs know how to cook. I had a bad taste in my mouth from the raw starch and grease the rest of the day. If this steak was properly cooked and better seasoned it would still only be fairly good and definitely not win any awards. The sides were good: mashed potatoes (no homemade flair as I had heard) were good, rolls were good and fried okra was very good, being fresh and crisp. If I lived close by or was in the area for some other reason, I would try some of the other menu items. They looked good on the surrounding tables. However, I would not make a special trip or try the CFS again. My friends reaction was about the same.

NAME: Kingwood Bob
SUBMITTED: 5/22/2009   LAST VISIT WAS: 5/09
FREQUENCY: Visited once

If you don't agree with these comments, agree with them or have additional comments,
click here to Add Your Review.