Tip Top Cafe

Reviews

• ★★★★½ Chicken Fried Steak Mashed Potatoes Onion Rings Visited Apr 14, 2026

  Pretty Good Chicken Fried Steak - A Big Improvement From An Earlier Visit

  I returned to Tip Top recently when I saw the sign out front advertising the Chicken Fries Steak Special on Tuesdays, and it happened to be a Tuesday.
  
  I went in and sat down already knowing what I was going to order. Now, let me start off by saying this place was scored super low in the past. I visited the location on Nacogdoches that is now closed many years ago and the food was absolutely horrible. People said I needed to visit this location, so I did, and while the food was better it was still pretty bad. So I had not returned again until now.
  
  On this visit I ordered onion rings and mashed potatos with my chicken fried steak. I was brought my drink, and then I began waiting. The wait for the food was actually pretty long. During which I drank my entire drink, and finished my salad that came with the meal. I was offered another drink, but never brought the refill.
  
  The food finally arrived and I started eating. The chicken fried steak was way better than the previous visits. It had good flavor, a crisp coating, wasnt overcooked or soggy, and was seasoned well, On the previous visit everything required salt. The mashed potatos & onion rings were good as well. I had noticed as soon as the plate was set down, the only gravy was actually under the chicken fried steak.
  
  I ate for a few minutes and finally my drink was finally refilled, so I asked for an extra side of gravy. Again I was told no problem, I'll get that right over to you.. and then no gravy..
  
  I waved another waitress down after about 6 minutes or so, who said she would go check on it, and I saw her go to the kitchen window. I continued eating, ran out of gravy eating it on both the potatoes and the steak and was a good 2/3 of the way thru the meal before my waitress returned. I reminded her about the gravy and she went to the window where it was now apparently sitting on the counter thanks to the other waitress.
  
  On the previous ask I saw her make rounds to all the tables, take orders, deliver drinks, and have a conversation. I assume she forgot to ever ask for it at the kitchen window.
  
  She brought the gravy over, which at this point pretty much went into the to-go box with the last of my meal. The steak was good, the mashed potatoes and onion rings were good. The Tuesday special made this a great deal for a decent chicken fried steak, but the service was what failed this time.
  
  And at the end of the meal, again.. I sat waiting in the booth for the waitress, so I could get my check and pay. It was dinner at this point, and the place was getting busier by the minute, but I feel like it was part lack of attention, and understaffing during the rush period of the day. When I had first arrived the restaurant was only 1/5th full. When I left it was maybe 1/2 full.
  
  I would return again, especially for the Tuesday special. Was it a top 10 chicken fried steak, Im not sure, Im guessing it may rank towards the bottom of the top 10. It wasnt large, it wasnt different, but it was good, hopefully service will be better next time as well.

  — Paul